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

A streak of pitch black gradually spread from the distant horizon, seemingly engulfing the dark red sky, as if the entire base academy space was being gradually enveloped in a pitch-black cocoon.

"Da da..."

Not far from the teaching building, a faint sound, though not loud, could be heard even by Zhou Ke'er, who was flying in mid-air.

Zhou Ke'er looked down in that direction and saw a huge and twisted figure slowly emerging from the shadows of the teaching building.

Its body is covered with hideous faces and painful struggles. Countless souls are imprisoned within it, constantly emitting silent wails. Yet, this pain and resentment become its nourishment, perpetuating this endless imprisonment.

In this creation, the malice and perverse pleasure of the so-called "it" are fully manifested—this monster does not have a dominant evil within its body, nor is it due to some evil devouring humans and locking them inside its body—this monster is composed of a massive amount of evil and many human souls that are difficult to transcend.

What a vicious concept! The more unwilling and struggling those human souls are, the stronger the shackles binding them become. They may still retain a remnant of consciousness, or they may have long since only remembered or had any memory of struggling, but they cannot escape the endless torment.

The monster let out a painful shriek at Zhou Ke'er, and countless pairs of eyes filled with resentment on its body all looked at Zhou Ke'er, as if it was waiting for something, as if it was expecting something.

"Your suffering ends here. From this day forward, you will no longer have to endure endless torment, for I will grant you liberation."

With a sudden flap of her wings, Zhou Ke'er swooped down and arrived beside the monster in the blink of an eye.

The monster, however, now dispersed all its gaze, watching everything around it as if it were on guard against something.

Zhou Ke'er reached out her hand towards it, and several strands of black mist, seemingly tangible, immediately spread from her palm, climbing and extending onto the monster's body like vines or tentacles.

A massive amount of malevolent energy dissolved and was devoured within Zhou Ke'er's black mist. The monster's enormous body, like a snowball being baked under the scorching sun, began to melt at an extremely rapid pace.

It stopped wailing—no, they stopped wailing. The chains that bound them were being broken, and their long-wounded souls were finally about to find peace.

"boom……"

Just then, a loud noise came from not far away. In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared not far in front of Zhou Ke'er.

It looked like a human shape, but it was just a pitch-black shadow with nothing else—no facial features, no clothes… nothing at all, just a pitch-black, writhing shadow.

The dark figure spoke to Zhou Ke'er: "Why are you doing this? You clearly possess the aura of that great being and have received His favor. Why are you now betraying His will?"

His voice was hoarse and low, like the crackling sound of a cheap radio. His tone was full of malice, doubt, and incomprehension.

Zhou Ke'er raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this, without stopping her work, but pondering to herself—had he been favored by that being? And judging from this guy's tone, that being didn't seem to be here now. As for the being that had bestowed favor upon him… after thinking it over, it could only be that guy—Nyarlathotep.

If this situation was created by that guy, then there's no doubt about it—it's something He's capable of doing. Whether it's forcing humanity to expose its ugly side with a twisted sense of humor, appreciating the brilliance of humanity as if watching a movie, or even setting and abiding by the rules, maneuvering against the remaining humans like a game—all of these are things that guy is truly capable of doing.

Zhou Ke'er curled her lip, revealing a disdainful expression, and looked at the dark figure with a sneer, "What are you? How dare you question my actions?"

Zhou Ke'er is very arrogant now.

Because the remaining mysteries within this base academy are not very widespread for him.

As we all know, the way for a ghost to become stronger is either by conventionally devouring humans or other ghosts, or by becoming a follower of certain beings and sharing or being granted some power. Furthermore, it could be like Zhou Ke'er obtaining the "Seven Chapters of the Mysterious Lord's Secret Scripture" and spontaneously communicating with the evil itself through some means.

The monsters trapped in this enclosed space clearly lacked the ability to directly communicate with the source of evil. Therefore, even after spending such a long time here, they were unable to increase their strength—because the humans inside seemed to have all died, and they appeared to be bound by some kind of "rule," unable to attack other monsters. Monsters killing each other should not be allowed under Nyarlathotep's rules—or perhaps it wasn't forbidden, but simply not taken into consideration.

And it is clear that after Nyarlathotep's "game" here ended, he never paid attention to this place again, so these remaining monsters could no longer receive the power He bestowed.

In short, they're just a bunch of pathetic abandoned bastards. Zhou Ke'er can now handle guys with this kind of strength with ease.

But one thing is still very strange—how could a monster with such strength wipe out the entire human population of the Base Academy? Unless Nyarlathotep does it himself, but logically He wouldn't do that, and the humans at the very end of the Old Age obviously couldn't be that weak.

In other words, there's more to the story.

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723. Ruins Exploration (Part 10)

Hearing Zhou Ke'er's blatant mockery, the black-clad figure showed no anger or resentment. It sensed the vast difference in strength between the two and knew that charging forward would only lead to certain death. A creature adept at bullying the weak and clinging to its own life, how could it possibly do something so unwise?

So, after the argument fell apart, it had no intention of continuing to argue with Zhou Ke'er. To avoid being beaten, it took a step back and prepared to hide back in the shadows.

But clearly, Zhou Ke'er wouldn't give it that chance. The black figure had only taken a step back when Zhou Ke'er realized what it was trying to do. She immediately waved her hand at it, and several streaks of black mist shot towards the creature like tentacles, quickly binding its limbs and throat.

With a simple flick of his finger, the wisps of black mist forcibly dragged the black figure over.

Actually, you don't even need these simple actions; a single thought is enough—but it looks cool that way.

Clearly, as expected, the opponent's strength was far inferior to Zhou Ke'er's. Although he was somewhat stronger than the armored guy they had just encountered, the difference was limited. Whether considering the level of the Evil One or their raw strength, he was far inferior to Zhou Ke'er.

I never imagined I'd become this strong without even realizing it.

Zhou Ke'er looked at the figure in front of her with suspicion, and immediately asked, "Excuse me for being blunt, but with your strength... what kind of methods did you use to avoid being wiped out instantly and instead launch an attack on this academy?"

Based on the information obtained from Chen Tian regarding the final period of the Old Era, even the cannon fodder sent to the battlefield to maintain resistance would be considered quite powerful by today's standards. For example, within the cultivation system—no one goes to the battlefield immediately after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. According to Chen Tian, ​​aside from him, who entered the cultivation path later, the worst among the first batch to reach the front lines were at least at the Golden Core stage, approaching the Nascent Soul stage.

Judging from this, even if the teachers and instructors of this base academy were not as strong as those who went to the front line, or if some of them were wounded and returned, they shouldn't have been wiped out by this kind of trash.

The black figure, bound by Zhou Ke'er, dared not utter a word of defiance. It secretly regretted its impulsive questioning; it should have continued observing from the shadows like its companions. But it was too late for regrets. Hearing Zhou Ke'er's question, it hastily replied obsequiously, "Yes, yes, you're right. Of course, it was impossible for us few ghosts to wipe out all the humans here. It wasn't just us; that great being personally oversaw this place and signed 'rules' with the remaining humans of this academy. If He didn't instantly destroy this place, both humans and ghosts had to abide by those 'rules.' It was because the humans were bound by these rules, and because other powerful beings under the great being's command were also present, that humanity was ultimately annihilated. The few ghosts we have left are merely here to guard the area."

So that's how it is. Although it wasn't unexpected for Zhou Ke'er.

But that makes things difficult.

He had just promised to accept the souls' entrustment, taking full responsibility for everything that followed—how could he have imagined that Nyarlathotep would get involved?

That was too hasty. In that case, it won't be something that can be finished anytime soon—no, it's probably impossible to finish it at all!

The best-case scenario Zhou Ke'er had envisioned was simply to win against those great beings within the "rules of the game" they had set up, so that they would stop relentlessly targeting and exploiting humanity.

As for the kind of action-packed, wish-fulfillment plot where she fights her way to the stars and tramples Nyarlathotep underfoot—that kind of thing from a typical action novel—Zhou Ke'er hadn't even imagined it!

Humanity in the old era attempted to rebel in this way, resulting in the entire protagonist group losing and having to resort to various means to barely survive, barely clinging to life until now. Therefore, it's clear that this path is unworkable—human strength has its limits!

"Tsk."

Zhou Ke'er clicked her tongue in annoyance, but there was nothing she could do. She had already promised, and since she hadn't intended to deceive him from the start, she would keep her word for now. She'd find a chance to spar with Nyaruko sometime, hoping that guy would hold back and not kill her with a single slap.

The black-clad figure, who was being controlled by Zhou Ke'er, saw Zhou Ke'er's expression turn sour in an instant. Not knowing what he had said that offended her, he could only remain silent and cautious.

"I'll spare your life for now—now, take me to find the rest of these monsters hiding in the shadows."

Zhou Ke'er stared at the black figure with lifeless, dead fish eyes. "Those guys, every single one of them... since I called them, they still didn't come out. They're obviously not giving me face. Since they're not giving me face, it's only natural that I kill them all one by one, right?"

Zhou Ke'er was feeling extremely annoyed. A destructive urge suddenly surged from within her, and she desperately needed to destroy something to soothe her wounded heart.

Before the black figure could answer—it was ready to immediately agree and instantly become a guide, since it was better to die than lose a fellow demon—just as it was about to speak, several figures appeared in the distance with a few "whoosh" sounds.

Clearly, those ghosts who had been secretly spying overheard Zhou Ke'er's words and couldn't resist jumping out immediately.

But clearly, this wouldn't deter Zhou Ke'er from attacking them. On the contrary—Zhou Ke'er's words to the black figure weren't meant to lead her to other ghosts. Seriously? That guy could sense the locations of other ghosts; how could someone like Zhou Ke'er, whose perception is exceptional, not sense where they are?

I'm just too lazy to run around, lest I kill one and then the others hide far away, which would be too troublesome.

Now that those words have been spoken, sure enough, every single one of them has eagerly walked right into the door to be killed. Isn't that wonderful?

A satisfied smile appeared on Zhou Ke'er's lips, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes. Then, a twisted sound was heard, and several black mists binding the black figure instantly moved, tearing it to pieces.

The severed limbs were instantly devoured, and then the black mist once again wrapped around the black figure that was left with only a torso, completely enveloping it like a cocoon and rapidly consuming it.

"You're all here, very good—next, it's your turn."

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724. Ruins Exploration (XI)

"Sa!"

Upon hearing Zhou Ke'er's malicious words, some of the quick-witted ghosts immediately turned around and fled back to the direction from which it had come as fast as they could.

However, reacting too quickly in this situation is not necessarily a good thing—all the monsters are staying here obediently, and you are the only one who ran away. Are they going to watch you escape without making a move on you first?

Two whooshing sounds rang out almost simultaneously. Just as the ghost had moved, Zhou Ke'er, who had noticed its movement, flapped her wings and instantly appeared in front of it. She stretched out her five fingers, pinched its face, and slammed it hard into the ground like a basketball ready to be dunked.

"We've only just arrived, why are you already planning to leave? That's hardly proper etiquette for a guest."

A crimson glint flashed in Zhou Ke'er's eyes. In that instant, through the gaps between Zhou Ke'er's fingers, it seemed as if she saw a snarling demon with sharp teeth. "So unwilling to follow the etiquette of a guest—can I take that as a sign of some dissatisfaction with me? Very well, I'll accept this dissatisfaction. So, are you ready to accept my dissatisfaction?"

"!!"

The strangely shaped creature revealed an extremely human-like look of terror in its eyes and began to struggle frantically, but it could not escape Zhou Ke'er's powerful hand that could split its skull.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The four soft sounds, though seemingly casual, were extremely jarring in the quiet atmosphere.

But then Zhou Ke'er used the same trick again, and four sharp black mists, like tentacles, pierced into the monster's limbs, pinning it firmly to the ground.

All of this happened so fast that the other monsters were only just beginning to react—they had seen such brutal scenes before, but they had never imagined it could happen to them. So, like all those who bully the weak and are punished, they simply couldn't accept this possibility, and they all screamed in terror, preparing to scatter and flee.

But before they could even set off, they heard Zhou Ke'er say softly, "What, do you also want to be impolite guests? It seems you haven't quite mastered etiquette. Do you need me to give you a little pointers?"

It was just a few words, but they seemed to be nails stuck in their feet, making them afraid to take another step.

The vengeful spirits were extremely frustrated and dared not speak out—is this our territory or yours? Are you the guest or are we the guests? To act so arrogantly and take the initiative is simply outrageous!

Zhou Ke'er knew exactly what they were thinking, but he arrogantly looked down at them, clearly conveying the message: Yes, I am the unwelcome guest, I am the host, I am going too far, what can you do to me? Come and hit me if you dare.

The eerie screams of the creature pinned to the ground by Zhou Ke'er gradually weakened, as the malevolent energy emanating from it flowed into Zhou Ke'er's body through the black mist.

"You should all feel honored. Even scum like you are being generously given a chance to repent—a chance to be devoured by me and transformed into the purest energy. I hope you'll be more self-aware and not make me do it myself... otherwise, it might be rather... cruel."

Zhou Ke'er looked up at the other ghosts, a strange smile on her face that even they found unsettling: "It would be a wonderful thing if I could devour them!"

The monsters facing Zhou Ke'er couldn't help but mentally complain: Who's the monster here?! Why is this guy more like a ruthless, man-eating demon king than them?!

"No answer? Then I'll take that as your agreement. Oh—I see, you must be too happy to speak, right?"

Zhou Ke'er tilted his head, a deep grin spreading across his face, like a murderer enjoying the slaughter. He pointed to the monster that he had almost completely absorbed, "Look how happy it is now, how much it enjoys itself. I am never stingy with my blessings—even though you are so rude, I will still be magnanimous... to grant you the glory of hearing my grace."

A chaotic hue flashed in his eyes, a hue even more filthy than turbidity, a magnificent hue where black and scarlet intertwined yet were clearly separated.

A feeling of deadly fear and attraction welled up in the hearts of the monsters present. Zhou Ke'er's words and the eerie glint in her eyes made them instinctively want to chase after her like moths to a flame. But at the same time, their survival instinct made them feel the crisis of death.

Zhou Ke'er maintained her smile, reaching out to one of the ghosts in front of her and beckoning with her finger.

Immediately, the monster felt its body was no longer under its control, as if it were being pulled by some force, and in the blink of an eye it was pulled in front of Zhou Ke'er.

Zhou Ke'er winked at it—if an ordinary passerby didn't know what was going on, they might even think it was a bit playful—he stretched out his finger and pressed it against the strange forehead, and whispered, "Feel the grace."

The ghost instantly felt its consciousness no longer within its own body, but instead transferred to some mysterious place it had never been before, and then it completely fell into a state of intoxication.

"puff"

Zhou Ke'er's black mist pierced its body, but it did not show the slightest pain or howl. Instead, it revealed a happy and joyful expression, as if it were a chosen one of God bathed in holy light.

"I dedicate everything to you...you, great being..."

It seemed to have lost consciousness, but it murmured something to Zhou Ke'er.