Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 837 - 30. The Real World

Chapter 837: 30. The Real World

Reality is different from what Lu Li imagined.

He thought that the Emerald Dream took advantage of the moment when he released Katerina and dodged an attack to invade.

But in fact, it was false from the start.

That’s why the Katerina in the "dream" asked Lu Li to move the wooden box—if he did so, he would lift the box that pinned his lower body in reality, and then be lured by the dream, either stepping into eternal night or moving toward danger.

Then where is Katerina?

Lu Li surveyed the silent convoy lightly stirred by the breeze. There were no more screams, only the sounds of wind and burning, and a faint, eerie munching sound coming from around the convoy and the caravans.

Numa was feeding, or something was feeding on Numa.

Lu Li looked down at the cargo pinning his body, wanting to move them aside but stopping himself.

How to confirm this isn’t the third layer of the Emerald Dream?

If he moves them, he would do the same in reality, and as long as the Emerald Dream deceives his sense of direction, it could easily lead him into eternal night.

But there is no other choice. As time passes, the convoy will become more dangerous...

The guests were flocking to the table.

As if in response to Lu Li’s speculation, the fluorite not far away became obscured, and a silhouette silently approached.

Lu Li remained quiet and slowed his breathing.

There was no light source around, he could only identify the approaching silhouette through the fluorite and distant firelight; it crouched down a meter away, its body exuding a moss-like damp odor.

Rustle—

Ripping, chewing sounds started as the crouched silhouette fed on a corpse.

It ignored Lu Li, who was very close.

Why is there a corpse beside him?

Lu Li recalled the attack encountered in the second layer of the Emerald Dream—a short knife thrust at him, he dodged and grasped the other’s wrist, struggling weakened, they fell, he seized the knife and stabbed into their chest...

They formed a terrifying reality.

Clatter—

Suddenly, the cargo pinning his lower body collapsed at this moment, and a small piece of cargo slid down. They didn’t hit Lu Li but the noise brought big trouble.

Lu Li was prepared, but nothing happened. Chewing sounds came in waves, the silhouette seemed deaf, still feeding.

Picking up a stone, Lu Li threw it to the other end of the corpse.

The feeding sound continued, not pausing from the sound.

This counted as good news, it’s likely it didn’t notice Lu Li rather than preparing to eat him after the corpse.

But danger still lurked around. The longer he stayed, the more anomalies were drawn to him.

He had to leave here.

Thinking of the "Dustfall Cloth" in the second layer of the Emerald Dream, Lu Li hoped the "Emerald Dream" was like the "door," with reality interspersed amidst falsehood.

Lu Li began to move the wooden box pinning his body, listening to see if the feeding sound ceased.

Clatter—

Removing the cargo pressing on his thigh, Lu Li withdrew his calf, the collapse sounds grew louder but didn’t alarm the silhouette.

Calmness became Lu Li’s weapon as he quietly skirted the silhouette and reached for the fluorite on the ground.

As his fingers were about to touch the fluorite, at the edge of the dim light, he saw the dirty and worn edge of a water bottle near the corpse and silhouette.

That was something Katerina always carried.

After a pause, Lu Li picked up the fluorite, put it in his pocket, and turned to walk to the leader’s carriage.

The sound of feeding receded behind him.

Clinging to the dark edges, Lu Li bypassed the caravan and smoothly reached the leader’s carriage along the convoy.

The carriage door was open, just as in the Emerald Dream. But inside the carriage was neither luxurious nor piled with goods, just an ordinary carriage with a blanket spread inside.

He climbed into the carriage, under the glow of the oil lamp, Lu Li found a box in the carriage corner.

Lu Li opened the treasure chest, folded cloth lay quietly at the box’s bottom.

The moment he touched it, an indescribable smallness welled up from deep within, feelings of inferiority and insignificance surrounded Lu Li, yet rational barriers kept them at bay.

Lu Li took out the Dustfall Cloth, it looked just like a tarpaulin. As Lu Li draped it over himself like a robe, the negative emotions intensified sharply, but Lu Li’s presence also vanished.

It was indeed useful.

Just then, the carriage suddenly shook slightly, as if something entered.

But under the oil lamp glow, Lu Li saw nothing.

The Dustfall Cloth on him veiled all his external senses.

Lu Li remained silent, sticking to the carriage wall and bypassing the invisible presence, exiting the carriage.

Gazing briefly at the convoy stranded in the wilderness, shrouded in silence, Lu Li, draped in the Dustfall Cloth, holding the fluorite, walked into the wilderness and eternal night.

Lu Li continued forward in the convoy’s direction, not far from the Ghost Town, maybe within twenty li.

The Dustfall Cloth concealed Lu Li’s presence, allowing him to brush past indescribable entities or wilderness anomalies several times. He reached the safe zone of Ghost Town three hours later, guided by the burning torches within the town.

What are the rules of Ghost Town?

As he was about to enter the town, Lu Li considered, changing the Dustfall Cloth to drape over his shoulders instead of covering his entire body.

A strange town is sometimes not much safer than the wild.

However, the crowd gathered at the entrance dispelled Lu Li’s thoughts, they spotted Lu Li, exclaiming as they watched him approach.

"Dustfall Cloth? Are you one of the convoy people?" A short, chubby middle-aged man resembling a potato, dressed in a finely tailored suit with a white wig, pushed past guards, anxiously asking, "What happened?"

"I’m a passenger, the Emerald Dream attacked the convoy," Lu Li calmly replied.

Exclamations erupted from the crowd.

Few people didn’t know of the Emerald Dream—

Steward Lips had no time for the Emerald Dream, caring only about one thing, "What about the cargo..."

"If the anomalies aren’t interested in the cargo, they should still be in the wilderness," Lu Li said.

Lu Li’s words prompted a few hunters in leather armor within the crowd to slip away quietly.

"I knew it... I knew it... Dammit, I knew it!" Steward Lips mumbled, cursing quietly, then suddenly looked up and said, "It’s a big problem... Sir, please come with me to meet the master."

"Count?"

"Yes, come quickly—"

Steward Lips took Lu Li onto a carriage, galloping to an estate ahead.

Skirting a garden studded with tombstones, the carriage stopped before a mansion, Steward Lips hurriedly jumped off, even stumbling, rushing into the house.

Lu Li followed, exiting the carriage, walking into the mansion.

He saw the "Count," a slender soul in old noble attire, sitting on a sofa before the fireplace, Steward Lips standing respectfully behind him.

"Please sit, guest." He chewed out with a noble accent, gesturing for Lu Li to sit opposite. Once Lu Li sat down, he asked, "You say you encountered the Emerald Dream?"

"Yes."

A maid in a bridal gown carried coffee toward Lu Li, but suddenly stepped on her skirt, falling, the liquid spilling on Lu Li, icy to the touch, absent of warmth.

Lu Li suddenly awakened.

The coat clung wet and cold to his skin, rapid water sounds echoed in the confined space.

The splattering water was the culprit rousing Lu Li.

The familiar underground rock layer.

Perhaps Lu Li had never left the underground rock layer.

Everything was merely a dreamscape in his unconsciousness, here was the reality.

No Friday, no campfire, no lighthouse, no food...

No exit.