Forbidden Nightmare

Chapter 144 Deep Dream World
Brilliant and dazzling light filled the alchemical cube, making the two people's faces sparkle.

Under Li Nanke's expectant gaze, the cube spit out a blueprint of an alchemical tool.

【Battle Totem Pole Generator】

[Type: Blueprint/Permanent Props]

[Quality: Rare]

[Rating: 67/100]

[Details: Using this device can create a 'battle totem pole' that lasts for 10 minutes. ]

[Within a 100-meter radius of the totem pole, all friendly targets you designate (including yourself) gain a boost in physical and energy attacks. The boost effect is inversely proportional to the target's extraordinary class, that is, the lower the target's extraordinary class, the more effective the boost effect is, and the higher the target's extraordinary class, the worse the boost effect is. ]

[After using this item, it will enter a 2-hour cooling and recharging period. You can use this item again after the cooling and recharging period is completed. ]

[Specific blueprint: Precious gold powder - 5 grams, Dragon Blood Stone - 50 grams, Dark Obsidian - 300 grams, Snow Pattern Refined Iron - 500 grams, Griffin Feather - 1 piece, Silver Bell Wood - 1000 grams]

【Manufacturing process: ……】

"A group amplification item that can be used repeatedly?"

Li Nanke was delighted.

Just looking at the item introduction, the quality and effect of the 'Battle Totem Pole Generator' are very good, and this is not a single-item amplification item. The amplification effect can cover multiple people, and both he and Pinocchio can benefit from it.

After Pinocchio learned about the effect of the 'Battle Totem Pole Generator', he was happy for the boss but also quite shocked.

It was sheer luck to draw such a high-value blueprint from a low-level set of 100 crystals.

I originally thought that Li Nanke was a unlucky person, but I didn’t expect that he turned out to be a European emperor.

Li Nanke immediately looked through the exchange list and calculated the overall cost of the 'Battle Totem Pole Generator' based on the required materials.

The materials in the exchange list are generally very cheap, including materials such as 'precious gold powder' and 'dark obsidian', while 'griffin feathers' and 'dragon blood stone' seem to be rare materials, and there are no corresponding items in the exchange list.

At this time, the cube's second wish option, the creation function, came into play. Li Nanke threw the drawing back to the cube, allowing the cube to create materials according to the drawing.

You won’t know the result until you try it. You will be pleasantly surprised when you try it.

The various materials created from the cube are much cheaper than those exchanged and sold in the other side. The cost of common alchemical materials such as 'precious gold powder' and 'dark obsidian' is almost halved.

"No wonder the cube is said to be the alchemist's treasure... No, it should be said that the Great Beyond is really a profiteer."

Although it is more affordable to make materials from cubes, the cost of generating 'Griffin Feather' and 'Dragon Blood Stone' is still not low.

If the cube is given full control of the blueprint to generate materials and manufacture items, a total of 530 self-element crystals will be consumed, and the manufacturing success rate is not 100%, with a failure probability of nearly 20%.

After Li Nanke put on the 'monocle of the father of puppets', the failure rate of manufacturing dropped by half, and the success rate exceeded 90%.

"I don't have enough money in my pocket..."

Li Nanke sighed with regret. After three draws, he still had 150 points of exchange fees and more than 260 self-element crystals left.

If the exchange fee is converted into crystals at a 1:1 ratio, it would be just over four hundred, which is still more than one hundred short of the cost of manufacturing items.

Now he has two solutions. One is to use the recycling function of the Great Other Shore and sell the excess equipment on him to obtain exchange points.

Equipment such as the blast rifle and chainsword can now be eliminated. The effects of power protective armor and linear laser cannon have also skyrocketed with his strength. Some of them cannot keep up with the progress and are gradually gathering dust.

These equipments can be sold to recover money, but the price given by the Great Other Shore can be described as that of a black-hearted merchant. The recycling function is really a scam, and the selling price has depreciated too much.

Another solution is to make your own props.

The materials are first generated from cubes, but the final synthesis and manufacturing steps are completed by oneself. After deducting the synthesis cost, the prop can be barely manufactured.

After killing Simon, the nameless puppet and Geppetto, Li Nanke obtained a large amount of source energy. He has not used much of it yet. If he injects all the source energy into the main alchemy, he can greatly improve his alchemy attainments.

However, since he had never actually made alchemical items, even with Pinocchio by his side, the success rate would not be very high. If the production failed in the end, it would be a waste of materials.

After careful consideration, Li Nanke finally decided to bypass the middleman and manufacture it himself.

There are countless blueprints and secret recipes in the alchemy cube, which is a veritable treasure trove, and the alchemist school is also a very good logistical support profession.

In the future, it is inevitable to use this profession to manufacture alchemical items. If all items are manufactured using cubes, the accumulated synthesis and manufacturing costs alone will be an astronomical figure.

If this cost can be saved, more alchemical items can be created.

Since alchemy is an authentic science, can we use the powerful technological power in reality to help him create alchemical items?

If Li Nanke were an ordinary person, he would definitely not dare to have such delusions, so as not to expose himself and bring about fatal disaster.

But he is a serious researcher in the Crisis Management Bureau. His real identity gives him great advantages in scientific research. He can use all kinds of high-tech equipment in the laboratory to complete the manufacturing process of alchemical items.

Of course, this is just Li Nanke’s initial idea.

In case alchemy is too metaphysical and fantastic, and has nothing in common with the supernatural system in reality, then using the power of real science may even backfire.

After repeated consideration, Li Nanke injected a large amount of source energy into the alchemical substance.

The improvement of the second-level human nature can bring him more balance, and also prepare for the subsequent improvement of the third-level animal nature, the 'Angel'.

The surging source energy flows from the 'self' to the 'alchemy', causing the main substance in the form of a pentagram to shine continuously.

The alchemical substance is constantly upgrading like a rocket.

When the source energy is exhausted, the originally illusory and hazy alchemical substance has become solid and stable, and extremely powerful.

【Main substance: Alchemy】

[Level: Level 2 (23%) → Level 22 (64%)]

At the same time, countless complex alchemical knowledge poured into his memory.

Alchemical symbols, basic properties of various common metals and materials, universal combinations of elemental particle arrangements, depictions of alchemical arrays, operations and theories for making alchemical items...

Even though Li Nanke was born with a quick learner and amazing memory, he was still overwhelmed by all the alchemical knowledge and felt dazed and dizzy. He stood there in a daze for a long time, unable to come back to his senses.

“It was almost full…”

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and searched for new knowledge in his memory.

Soon, a look of surprise appeared on Li Nanke's face.

His guess turned out to be correct. Although alchemy was somewhat different from the real scientific system, it also had a lot in common with the chemical and physical theories.

Alchemy is actually an extremely real science. It is the basic prototype of modern chemistry and also a different world science that can be displayed in the real extraordinary system.

This discovery greatly increased Li Nanke's confidence in making alchemical items.

What kind of brilliant sparks will be created when modern high technology and ancient alchemy are integrated?
He couldn't wait to return to reality and go to the research department's laboratory to try it out.

"Don't worry, the exchange and enhancement have been completed. Now it's time to go and see what the so-called 'deep dream' of the Great Other Shore is."

According to the explanation of the Great Beyond, Deep Dream is a deeper level of the Great Beyond. It is a safe scene where no fighting will occur. There are other nightmares there. It is likely to be a place where nightmare groups gather and communicate. [Nightmare, you have chosen Deep Dream! ]

[You are about to enter a 'deep dream' from your current 'light dream'! ]

[Please note! Because the world you are in is unique, your identity is different from that of an ordinary nightmare. When you enter a deep dream in the early stages, do not reveal your identity unless necessary! ]

A synchronous prompt sounded, and after two lines of blue text, a striking blood-red text suddenly appeared!
Li Nanke's pupils suddenly shrank.

Is the world you are in unique? Is your identity different from ordinary nightmares? Don't reveal your identity?

"There really are other worlds..."

Although Li Nanke had guessed it long ago, he couldn't help but feel extremely shocked when the synchronous prompts appeared on the other side and confirmed this speculation between the lines.

What am I? How am I different from an ordinary nightmare?
As soon as the doubts arose in his mind and before he had time to think more, the shallow lake under his feet began to ripple with him as the center.

The ripples spread rapidly, extending to the end of the sight without any sign of attenuation, as if spreading to the edge of the world.

The water in the shallow lake suddenly became deep, he fell into the deep lake, and sank into the bottomless abyss.

"Boss!"

Pinocchio exclaimed, and Li Nanke's figure fell into the lake and disappeared. The puppet boy also dissipated into the other side and returned to the 'summoning space'.

……

When Li Nanke regained consciousness, he was already at a modern port terminal.

The sky here is clear and blue, and the sea is calm... no, it should be said that the lake is calm.

Apart from the bottomless lake and the numerous islands, the scenery here is exactly the same as that in the Great Other Shore.

Here, countless large islands stand on the vast lake, and the islands are far apart and difficult to see each other.

The island port where Li Nanke was located was crowded with people. The clothes and weapons of the passers-by were varied and strange, as if they were all equipment from a forbidden dream.

The faces of these people are blurry and unclear, as if they are shrouded in a layer of fog.

"There are so many nightmares here!"

Li Nanke looked at the bizarre scene in front of him. Not far from the port was a large square with skyscrapers standing all around. It didn't feel like he was in the other side at all, but rather in a modern island city.

[Nightmare ID: NHJ695475135]

[Nightmare Type: Inheritor]

[Nightmare Authority: D+ (SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E)]

[Extraordinary Class: Level 3]

[Extraordinary type: An unknown error occurred in █████ and cannot be attributed! ]

[Remaining stay time in Deep Dream: 35 hours]

Synchronous prompts appeared before my eyes, and an invisible will infused my mind, bringing an introduction to the deep dream world.

The shallow dream world is an independent space for individual nightmares. Each nightmare's shallow dream world is not connected to each other, and the other side of the shallow dream world only provides some basic functions.

The Deep Dream World is where nightmare groups gather. There are many islands here. The Great Other Side will arrange nightmares to settle in relevant islands according to some implicit rules. Under normal circumstances, nightmares cannot go to other islands on their own.

Here, the Great Other Shore will provide more abundant functions, such as the exchange of forbidden dream information, consignment sales of items, training of extraordinary abilities, and friendly competition between nightmares.

"I am different from other nightmares..."

Li Nanke frowned and blended into the crowd heading towards the square not far away.

According to the description in memory, the type of ordinary nightmare should be 'Dreamer', because all nightmares are promoted from 'Dreamer', but his panel type shows 'Inheritor'.

For this reason, Da Bi'an also specifically reminded him not to reveal his identity unless necessary.

"Extraordinary type display error... There is a big problem here."

Li Nanke keenly sensed something was wrong, and in the forbidden dream, the other side bestowed upon him a magical power system of four major matrices that could absorb all kinds of extraordinary powers.

Take Li Nanke for example, he possesses many extraordinary powers including physical system, electromagnetic system, elemental system (fire waterfall, fire breath, thunder), transformation system (sea scales), spiritual system (fanaticism, alchemy) and so on.

He possesses so many types of supernatural powers that they cannot be categorized or defined, which is probably why the supernatural types displayed in the panel are incorrect.

However, if every nightmare was like him, with all supernatural types showing errors, then there would be no need for this column in the panel to exist.

Li Nanke couldn't help but think of the first time he entered the Great Beyond. When he asked about the power system of the four major matrices, the Great Beyond replied:

[This is a special gift from the Great Other Shore, a great system that can accommodate all extraordinary powers.]

"A special gift..."

Many nightmares gather in the central square of the island. It is very crowded and noisy here. Although there is a building nearby that is specifically used for consignment sales, there are still many nightmares setting up stalls here to sell various equipment and props.

Li Nanke took a quick look around the market and found that the prices of the items on sale were a bit inflated. Although they were lower than the direct exchange prices on the other side of the ocean, they were definitely much higher than the recycling prices.

For a moment, he had the urge to set up a stall in the market to sell equipment to make ends meet.

Li Nanke pretended to look at a stall for a long time, pointed at a strange-looking rifle and said, "Brother, this gun is a bit expensive at 120 yuan, will you sell it for 100 yuan?"

The short man raised his eyelids and said, "One hundred and one, the lowest price. If you can't afford it, leave."

"105, if it's okay, I'll buy it. Let's just consider it as making friends."

The stall owner thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, let's be friends."

Looking at the transaction prompt that popped up in front of him, Li Nanke did not immediately choose to confirm, but casually said:

"Brother, what type of extraordinary are you? I'm a physical type, and I just came to the Deep Dream World. Do you have any weapons and equipment suitable for physical types?"

"Newbie..." The stall owner's expression changed: "I am a telekinetic type. Let me remind you, don't ask about other people's extraordinary types casually."

He took out a boxing glove and said enthusiastically, "I happen to have a weapon that a novice can use. I'll sell it to you at a discount of 80 points. Just consider it as making friends."

Li Nanke took a look at the rubbish boxing gloves. Even if he went to the other side to buy equipment with similar quality rating, it would not exceed 50 points.

He smiled and said, "Thank you, I don't need friends."

After saying that, Li Nanke turned around and left without buying anything, completely ignoring the stall owner cursing behind him.

"As expected, ordinary nightmares do not have the power system of the four major matrices. They all have fixed extraordinary types."

"So, I'm not playing the same Big Other Shore as others."

"Special gift, inheritor... Interesting."

(End of this chapter)