A Psychiatrist's Bizarre Game Journey / Dream of the Mist

[Note: Only the mastery level or higher of the cultivation techniques shown is displayed. Please explore the rest on your own. Furthermore, no data analysis is provided for these techniques; please experience them for yourself.]

Import complete, module starting.

As the system notification faded, Zhou Ke'er found herself on a street. A motley crew of pedestrians hurried by, the calls of vendors and the chatter of passersby creating a lively atmosphere. Although there was litter scattered about in many places, emitting a slightly rotten smell, it was even more unbearable in the sweltering heat.

Zhou Ke'er stood on the side of the street, and the pedestrians hurried past her. Although they were a little suspicious as to why she suddenly stopped, they did not pay much attention to it and simply turned aside or went around her.

Zhou Ke'er subconsciously looked around, but she didn't see any trace of the cold-cooked rabbit. It seemed that they hadn't started in the same place.

In his hand he held a slightly mottled bronze seal, which appeared to be an antique. The seal was engraved with two characters: "地一" (Di Yi). Due to some wear and tear, the characters were somewhat blurred, but it was still barely discernible that they were indeed the two characters.

Those people who had just passed by in a hurry, carrying all sorts of weapons—well, I guess we should call them martial arts practitioners?—most of them seemed to be clutching this token as well, heading in the same direction.

As Zhou Ke'er took her steps to catch up with them, she subtly glanced at the bronze medals in the hands of the others.

Although it was difficult to see the whole thing because it was being held, it was still possible to tell that most people's bronze plaques had the character "人" (person) plus a number engraved on them, while a few people, like Zhou Ke'er, had the character "地" (earth) engraved on them.

Based on the task prompts, it should be something like the participation token for the Grand Competition in the Capital.

Then we should be able to get there by going with these people.

As Zhou Ke'er pondered this, she realized that her randomly assigned identity was somewhat troublesome.

If you were randomly assigned to a wandering swordsman or a lone wolf without any sect or faction, that would be fine. But with the backing of a behemoth like the imperial court, while it would certainly be much easier to seek help, it would also mean less room for free action. Moreover, you might cause trouble because you don't recognize your superior or have no idea if your superior has given you any tasks... That would be even more troublesome.

What if officials in the imperial court communicate using some kind of internal code? Zhou Ke'er couldn't possibly know such a thing.

Moreover, Zhou Ke'er was using needles as a weapon. He didn't know which acupoints to strike to incapacitate the opponent without killing them. In the end, he might not be able to inflict any damage at all, or he might kill the opponent outright, making the situation even more difficult to resolve. If he couldn't defeat his opponent, the imperial court would definitely hold him accountable. If he killed the opponent, although fists and feet are said to be unpredictable on the dueling platform, who knows what would happen after the fight? Right?

This is unbearable.

Looks like I'll have to find a few people to scam and make them scapegoats.

Zhou Ke'er glanced casually at the bronze mirrors being sold by roadside vendors and examined her reflection. Although the mirror was rather blurry, she could still make out her image.

Zhou Ke'er was dressed in a dark blue, form-fitting robe, which appeared to be standard uniform. A small silver token with the character "Yan" engraved on it was tied to her belt. The uniform was quite tight-fitting, and although the hem of the robe covered Zhou Ke'er's legs, her shapely figure could still be seen from the tightly tied belt. Her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail and draped over her back, adding a touch of heroic spirit.

However... the combination of this clothing and hairstyle was really mismatched with her appearance. If you only looked at her from behind, she would definitely be a heroic female knight-errant, but who knew that her face would be as charming as a courtesan.

Indeed, "He has the appearance of being a passionate person, but is actually quite indifferent."

This stark contrast in one person is truly captivating, prompting one to wonder if this person has some intriguing past.

However, even if it were true, Zhou Ke'er herself had no idea about it. She hadn't inherited any of this body's past memories.

"Cough cough!"

Just as Zhou Ke'er was pondering to herself, a deliberate cough suddenly came from ahead.

Subconsciously looking up, Zhou Ke'er saw a young man wearing a black robe with a short knife at his waist standing in front of her.

The man continued, "Excuse me, heroine of the Prince of Yan's Guard, would you do me the honor..."

"?"

Zhou Ke'er almost blurted out "Shang Ni Ma Bi," but thankfully she stopped herself in time after hearing the other person refer to themselves as "Gu," otherwise it would have been disastrous. After all, in this ancient setting, someone who refers to themselves as "Gu" is most likely a prince, and one who remains in the capital, perhaps even the crown prince...

"I'm sorry, I'm really busy right now. I'll make it up to you next time."

Zhou Ke'er didn't want to get entangled with this guy any longer, so she casually gave him a perfunctory reply and prepared to slip away.

Unexpectedly, the man felt as if he had been slighted, and his expression changed slightly. However, he quickly forced a smile and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Is my face really so worthless?"

## Chapter 292, Section 287: The Grand Imperial Examination (Part Two)

"Can't you see that they don't want to talk to you at all? Can't you be a little more perceptive?"

Just then, a man carrying a long gun on his back and dressed in black, speaking in a flippant tone, suddenly interrupted from a distance.

"Who are you? How dare you interrupt me when I'm speaking? And... who gave you permission to speak to me like that?!"

The prince who had previously flirted with Zhou Ke'er was naturally furious upon hearing this. He never expected that in the capital, under the emperor's nose, there would be these lowly commoners who dared to speak to him like that. This was outrageous!

"Heh, I am Zhang Buyan, the Lone Ranger of the Wandering Tribe from Wowo Township, Youwei County, Holy Beast Kingdom. I am the number one spearman in the surrounding area, known as the Little Black Dragon in the Mud. What brings you here?"

The man who called himself Zhang Buyan spoke in a very flirtatious tone, almost as flirtatious as Zhou Ke'er when she was being flirtatious.

Moreover, judging from the content of his words, Zhou Ke'er even suspected that this guy... no, no, it's no longer a suspicion, it's practically solid evidence. He's explained the old era reference so clearly, this guy is definitely a player!

"What utter nonsense! I've never even heard of it. Where did this peasant come from? He's utterly repulsive... I am Yan..."

The prince seemed to be furious at Zhang Buyan's attitude, and his words became increasingly outrageous. But suddenly, without warning, he stopped talking, his eyes went blank, and he reached out to cover his head and shook slightly.

Zhou Ke'er almost subconsciously thought that this guy was trying to frame her, and she immediately took a big step back, afraid of being extorted.

Although... it's strange that someone with the status of a prince would have any reason to engage in this kind of staged accident.

However, the prince did not fall to the ground, foaming at the mouth and unconscious as Zhou Ke'er had expected. Instead, he seemed to have recovered, blinked, glanced around with a slightly confused look, then covered his head and looked at Zhou Ke'er, who seemed to be avoiding him, with a puzzled expression. After careful consideration, he asked, "Are you... one of the Prince of Yan's guards? Strange, why are you looking at me like that? Have I done something impolite?"

"A sudden, unexplained amnesia in the street? Your methods are truly brilliant. You want to make a clean slate of your rudeness just now, and then use it as an excuse to turn the tables on us, falsely accusing us of sabotaging you and causing this situation. What a clever tactic!"

Seeing this, Zhang Buyan didn't believe it at all. He looked at the prince, who was covering his head and seemed to be in pain, with a mocking tone and said sarcastically.

It has to be said that this deduction actually coincides with Zhou Ke'er's thoughts, indicating that this guy's reasoning and associative abilities are quite good. However, it seems a bit rash to say this on the spot. Of course, if he has other plans and does it intentionally, then that's not impossible.

only...

He can do that, but Zhou Ke'er, with her status, can't.

"I apologize, and while I am very grateful, but... you must not use such words to offend His Highness. If you speak disrespectfully again, I will have no choice but to take action against you."

Zhou Ke'er put on a very grateful but businesslike expression and said to Zhang Buyan, "I am sorry for being paid by the emperor and having to serve him."

"...I see. The Prince of Yan's guards? It seems I was being presumptuous. Please forgive me, Your Highness. Ignorance is no excuse. Goodbye!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Buyan, seeing Zhou Ke'er's expression, did not show any surprise. He nodded thoughtfully, seemingly understanding the situation. He then left without lingering, offering a few perfunctory words.

Seeing Zhang Buyan turn and leave without hesitation, Zhou Ke'er narrowed her eyes slightly. This guy seemed to know a bit about the old era, and he was very goal-oriented; if a plan failed, he'd leave immediately without hesitation. Plus, his foul mouth suited Zhou Ke'er's taste perfectly. Who knows, maybe after the module ends, she could add him as a friend and chat...

However, even though that's what they say, Zhou Ke'er is still definitely going to trick him in this module.

"What on earth is going on? What did I just do? Why does that young hero hold such a grudge against me..."

The prince looked puzzled. Judging from his expression, he didn't seem to be faking it. But being born into royalty, who knew how good his acting skills were? Whether it was acting or not, we had to be wary.

"It's nothing serious... However, Your Highness, may I ask why you are traveling alone at this time? You should have guards and sentries protecting you. If that martial arts expert had attacked you directly, it would have been dangerous! How could the guards be so negligent?"

Zhou Ke'er didn't bring up the situation again, but just gave a perfunctory answer and quickly changed the subject.

After all, if this guy was faking amnesia and deliberately asking Zhou Ke'er this question, wouldn't Zhou Ke'er's answer mean that he still "remembers" this matter? Then there would probably be a lot of trouble afterward. It's best to just brush it off now and show an attitude of "I will never bring this up again".

Not to mention, Zhang Buyan might have left in the open, but is actually hiding somewhere observing this place. If Zhou Ke'er reveals any flaws in her words or actions, and he discovers that Zhou Ke'er is also a player, then the subsequent plans will be difficult to carry out.

In addition, it seemed that the guy had some knowledge of the history of the Celestial Empire in the old era. In order to avoid giving himself away, Zhou Ke'er could not improvise and had to follow the character's persona, which was very frustrating.

"Hmm... guards... right! Where are my guards?!"

The prince was taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately turned to look around. He then revealed an expression as if he had discovered something amiss, and said in shock, "No, no! I wasn't here just now. I clearly just left the manor, how did I suddenly end up here?! Where are my guards?"

"..."

Zhou Ke'er raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. Regardless of the truthfulness of his words, since this guy had said so, Zhou Ke'er either had to help him find out what was going on, or she would let a special department handle the matter.

But the problem is that Zhou Ke'er doesn't know anyone else in the court, not even her superiors or colleagues. Wouldn't going there be like walking into a trap?

Moreover, what if Zhou Ke'er's task is to ignore everything and just do her job properly no matter what happens? If this is discovered, wouldn't it be tantamount to self-destruction?

Damn it, that's why this kind of identity is so hard to manage.

"What's going on here?! I'm sorry, there are too many people around. Your Highness, please come with me. It would be terrible if word got out about this."

Zhou Ke'er quickly put on a surprised and tense expression and hurriedly said to the prince.

Although I don't know what kind of prince this is, I can just call him Your Highness.

My only worry is... I don't know if it will interfere with the grand competition in the capital.

## Chapter 293, Section 288: The Grand Imperial Examination (Part 3)

"No, never mind... This matter is not important, so I won't trouble you. Since you are a member of the Prince of Yan's Guard, it seems you also have important matters to attend to, so there's no need to worry about it further."

However, when faced with Zhou Ke'er's invitation, the prince did not heed her words. Instead, he declined somewhat perfunctorily, as if he had anticipated this situation, saying, "I am in a hurry to go to the capital for the grand competition. I cannot waste any more time here."

As he spoke, he made a move to leave.

Zhou Ke'er didn't stop him or call out to him, but instead pondered to herself. This guy's words just now practically screamed "I have a problem!"

There are just too many suspicious points. First, at the beginning, he seemed to be panicking about discovering he had lost a piece of his memory, but in the blink of an eye, it became "it's not an important thing." This was almost like he wasn't even acting; the transition was incredibly abrupt.

Secondly, even though he "discovered" that he had lost some of his memories and had things to do urgently, his first thought was not to ask what time it was to determine if he would be late or had already missed the deadline. Instead, he acted as if he was certain that the matter had not even started and hurriedly prepared to leave.

Doesn't this show that he has a very clear and accurate understanding of the present time? It doesn't seem like he suddenly lost a piece of memory.

In short, there are already so many obvious and irrefutable points of doubt.

And most importantly... Zhou Ke'er herself didn't know the time and place of that damned capital competition. She already found asking for directions too troublesome. Now that there was a free guide, wasn't that wonderful?

So Zhou Ke'er didn't say much, but simply imitated Honghe's expressionless demeanor and silently followed behind the hurried prince.

"..."

After walking for a long time, the prince finally couldn't hold back any longer. He turned around and looked at Zhou Ke'er, who was following him while pretending to look at the scenery, and asked, "What are you doing following me like this?! Don't you have anything to do?!"

"Your Highness, I did not follow you."

Zhou Ke'er replied in a confident and unassuming manner, "It's just that we happen to be going the same way. If Your Highness is unwilling to travel the same road as a lowly warrior like myself, then I will leave immediately."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding martial arts practitioners all turned their attention to Zhou Ke'er and the prince. Moreover, after seeing Zhou Ke'er's appearance, their gazes towards the prince instantly turned hostile.

"You...you...forget it, follow me if you want!"

The prince was furious at Zhou Ke'er's innocent expression, but he had no reason to punish her or vent his anger in any other way. After all, although Zhou Ke'er's words were not too obviously biased and seemed to contain a certain sarcasm, there was nothing wrong with the words themselves.

Helpless, he could only angrily flick his sleeves and leave.

Zhou Ke'er is shameless. Although it's impossible for her not to see the other party's "I just don't want you to follow me" expression, she pretends not to see anything and continues to follow the prince.

Although it's unclear whether that guy has any connection to the plot, his identity is still quite useful. Even if they can't win him over... if negotiations break down and they decide to sever ties with the court, they can use him as a hostage, right?

"Snapped!"

Just as Zhou Ke'er was hurrying past a teahouse, she suddenly heard the sound of a gavel being slammed on the table. Immediately afterward, an elderly man with graying hair cleared his throat and said loudly, "There is a poem that goes: 'Golden Mountain chases shadows for thousands of autumns, clouds soar high and water flows freely. The mighty Yangtze River flows like a jade belt, a silver moon rolls like a golden ball.' Speaking of that sword duel a hundred years ago atop the Forbidden City, it was arguably the most mysterious and closest to the deeds of immortals in the last century. And the 'Grand Imperial Tournament' was established because of that sword duel."

Even so, due to the tendency for rumors to spread and become distorted, as time went by, fewer and fewer people believed in and knew about this matter.