Falling.

Falling again.

Falling endlessly.

"Bang—"

Waking up.

Gu Shen opened his eyes to find himself standing on a vast and boundless wilderness. Countless blades of grass moved with the wind, and the sky was overcast with dark clouds, their leaden layers rumbling with muffled thunder, like an impending apocalypse.

Where was this...?

Memories surfaced, halting at the final moment when Senior Sister Luo pointed a finger at him.

"This is a dream woven by a psychic extraordinaire."

A familiar voice sounded.

Gu Shen turned his head in astonishment and saw the white dress he had been longing for, its hem lifted by the wind, revealing the girl's delicate pink calves.

Seeing Gu Shen's surprised expression.

Chu Ling smoothed a strand of her dragon-whisker hair behind her ear and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Don't you want to see me?"

"No, no, how could that be?!"

Gu Shen waved his hands quickly. He chose his words carefully and said slowly, "It's just that I didn't expect... to meet you here."

He felt a little lost.

If this was a dream cast upon him by Luo Er, then was everything here just his imagination?

"Although this is a dream, everything that happens will become your real memory." Chu Ling said earnestly, "Reality and illusion are two worlds with blurred boundaries. The mental consciousness that controls our physical bodies... no one can describe its exact entity or form... but it truly exists. And in such a dream, the mental consciousness can be manifested in a concrete form."

Gu Shen recalled his first meeting with Chu Ling.

That "001" train... was that also a dream?

"As for why I'm here... the specific reason isn't the right time to explain yet." Chu Ling said softly, "Gu Shen, you just need to remember that even without Deepsea, I can establish a spiritual link with you. So..."

"As long as you need me, I will appear."

She looked at Gu Shen, "Definitely."

Gu Shen stared blankly at the girl. In this dreamlike world, everything was so vast—the boundless wilderness, the sea of leaves that could swallow up the young man and woman, and the dark clouds pressing down from above, threatening to collapse.

In this world.

One person was so small, and so lonely.

But with one more person, he was no longer small, and no longer lonely.

"Hiss..."

Gu Shen felt a headache and said in a low voice, "I remember now. The reason I came here is because Senior Sister Luo wanted to show me something... What is that 'something'?"

To this question.

Chu Ling only smiled, without answering.

Gu Shen realized that the answer to this question... needed to be revealed by himself. He reached out and grabbed a swirling blade of grass. Everything here was so real. There were remnants of ice crystals on the leaves, which looked like they hadn't completely thawed yet.

He rubbed it hard.

The ice crystals were crushed into water.

More and more blades of grass flew up, some shaking off the frost and snow, and some unfurling tender green shoots. The gray and desolate world gradually turned green under the rumbling thunder, like a painted scroll being colored.

In the era of surging electronic torrents, such scenery was long gone. The steel jungle was now full of cold and rough building monsters. A new spring grass would soon be bent over, and a brand new piece of land would soon be uprooted... Even in undeveloped wasteland, it was difficult to see vast stretches of wilderness.

As the scroll expanded, the desolation and decay were swept away, and the rumbling thunder grew louder and louder, as if an invisible tide was pushing in from afar—

Gu Shen seemed to see all living things reviving, the withered winter collapsing, and spring arriving. Countless leaves of grass swept in, and the frost and snow were shaken loose.

He subconsciously adjusted his breathing.

All the sounds became clear, including his own breathing... At this moment, time also seemed to slow down.

An invisible force guided Gu Shen to sit down, turning him into a tiny spring grass on the wilderness. The moment he sat down, his hair froze with a thin layer of frost, but it was quickly blown away by the wind—

Many blades of grass were blown up.

But he remained still.

At this moment, many words seemed to be injected into his mind, or perhaps countless continuous virtual images, broken lines, and smeared colors—

Accompanied by a roar from the dome.

Spring thunder sounded.

Information exploded in his mind.

Continuous drizzle fell, not heavy, but covering the entire wilderness. The rain did not make people feel cold... instead, it made people feel extremely warm.

This was a spring rain, taking the entire world out of winter.

Blades of grass fell, landing on Gu Shen's eyebrows, shoulders, and hair.

The boy forgot everything, his breathing steady as a rock. In this dream, Gu Shen seemed to have a deeper dream. His mental strength was slowly increasing, and with each passing second, he felt at ease and calm.

The girl in the white dress was by his side, smiling and watching quietly.

Countless blades of grass whistled past, and were beaten down by the rain, but when they fell near Chu Ling, they turned into broken numbers. This perfect and real world, because of the girl's existence, had a small area of ​​illusion that could not be touched or reached.

...

...

I don't know how long it has been.

Gu Shen slowly opened his eyes, sensing his own changes.

He felt like he had slept for a long, long time, and this dream world was like reality.

The fatigue of using the Ruler of Truth and not getting enough rest was swept away. Gu Shen's heart was filled with positive emotions similar to "spring revival."

He finally understood what Senior Sister Luo was talking about, the thing that could help him control his extraordinary power.

This dream was more like a lesson.

There was no better way to teach than being there... This whole dream world, from the blades of grass to the thunder, all living things, were teaching him... how to breathe.

This was a breathing method that could only be understood, not explained.

"It's unbelievable."

Gu Shen's eyes became brighter and more radiant. He looked at Chu Ling, his eyes full of gratitude.

During his long sleep, Gu Shen could feel that someone had been with him all the time.

"This is the 'Awakening of Insects' that Gu Changzhi left to the Tribunal." Chu Ling said softly, "Searching all over the five continents, there should be no breathing method more suitable for novices than 'Awakening of Insects'. As long as you master this breathing method and often temper your mind, you can greatly reduce the probability of 'losing control'."

"Awakening of Insects..." (Jingzhe)

Gu Shen clenched his fists. He felt that there was a huge power hidden in his body. Now his mind was exceptionally full and rich, as if he had endless energy.

In his spine, it was as if there was a hidden thunder.

Just like the word Awakening of Insects! (Jingzhe)

"The only drawback is that the comprehension of 'Awakening of Insects' is very, very, very... difficult."

Chu Ling used three "very" in a row, while looking at Gu Shen, her eyes a little complicated, and said, "The vast majority of people, even if they have the opportunity to come to this dream world, will not have the slightest sense of resonance and understanding."

Gu Shen looked down at the blades of grass in his palm.

Was it difficult?

But his understanding didn't seem to encounter any difficulties... Everything was so smooth, even using smooth sailing to describe it was no exaggeration.

"You chose Spiritual Link because you were afraid that I would encounter trouble?" Gu Shen smiled, "Sorry, I disappointed you."

Chu Ling was noncommittal, "Yes, but not entirely."

"If I don't enter this dream world... after you comprehend 'Awakening of Insects', this dream should be over."

Chu Ling raised her head and looked at the end of the world after the spring rain, the dark clouds in the distance dissipated, the clouds shattered, and the horizon at the end of her sight began to shrink.

This dream world had already begun to collapse, but in the sky above, pieces of blurred symbol passwords fell, so the collapse speed of the Awakening of Insects dream was slowed down infinitely.

"You can't go out yet."

Gu Shen was stunned.

"Only fifteen minutes have passed in the real world."

Chu Ling explained simply, "The fastest comprehension record in the history of the Tribunal is one hour and forty-five minutes. If you go out now... no matter how much Zhou Jiren protects you, the people in the Tribunal should propose cutting you into pieces for research."

"...Fifteen minutes?!"

Gu Shen was surprised. If he was told that fifteen hours had passed in this Awakening of Insects dream, he would believe it.

Only a quarter of an hour had passed in the real world.

Gu Shen understood what Chu Ling meant.

In many games, the first record is always broken. If it is a little faster than the original first place, then the record breaker is a respectable new champion, but if it is several times, dozens of times faster... then people will probably think that this person is a shameful cheater.

"The Awakening of Insects world is about to collapse."

Gu Shen saw the collapse of the distant horizon. He really didn't want to go out now, and wanted to cry without tears, "How long can we last? You should have told me earlier, I could have taken a nap here before comprehending it."

"Many things in the dream world are not controlled by one's own main consciousness." Chu Ling smiled, "The subconscious determines the dream result. If you choose to sleep, you may complete the comprehension in the next layer of dream. This is why many people try their best to comprehend 'Awakening of Insects', try various methods, but still fail in the end."

"The good news is... with my delay, the speed of this world's collapse has slowed down. We will still become a new record, but it will only be a little faster than the first place." Chu Ling stretched out a finger, showing a rare playful smile, "A little bit."

"A little bit?"

"A little bit faster than the original first place?"

Gu Shen sighed long and asked sincerely, "Great Master Chu Ling, you are so powerful, can you let me be a straggler, the kind that is a little slower than the last one. Compared to being the first, I am better at hiding in the back, that is really safe."

The girl tilted her head slightly, her eyes confused.

She couldn't understand why Gu Shen wanted to be a straggler.

Everyone wants to be the first, to be the person who creates records, shining brightly and attracting attention.

"I only ever wanted to be an ordinary person..."

"I never wanted to shine brightly or attract attention..."

Gu Shen took a deep breath. The speed of his speech, which was originally very slow, gradually accelerated: "When you become the first, many people will have expectations of you for no reason. You have to run forward desperately, you have to run faster and faster and faster, and you can no longer stop. Mr. Shu used a special pardon to save me, and senior sisters and brothers came from thousands of miles away to teach me. They gave me a new house and gave me a lot of money. I now feel that I would be sorry for them if I don't get an 's' grade. But... Chu Ling, do you know that they worked so hard to help me, but they don't know that I don't have that so-called dog-shit extraordinary ability at all!"

Chu Ling stared blankly at the boy.

After the spring rain, blades of grass and water droplets stuck to Gu Shen's cheeks. In those clear pupils, three parts were struggling and seven parts were pain.

In fact, it wasn't that he didn't want to be the first.

It was that he was afraid of letting down those people who were good to him.

Gu Shen only felt that all this had happened too quickly and too absurdly. Fifteen days later, it would be the Tribunal's review, and they would rate his "extraordinary ability"... but who would have thought that he didn't have any extraordinary ability at all!

What was the use of special training?

What was the use of comprehending "Awakening of Insects"?

Even if he tried his best, all his efforts were destined to be in vain.

"Who said that."

At the end of the collapsing world.

A gentle voice sounded.

"Who said you don't have extraordinary abilities..."

Chu Ling shook her head. Her face was serious and her voice was sincere, spreading with the rain, lingering around, making people feel peaceful.

"You just haven't awakened yet."

The world was slowly collapsing.

Gu Shen stopped looking at the blades of grass, the rain, and the remaining clouds. The scenery in his eyes was no longer important. All that was left was this girl.

He saw something different in Chu Ling's eyes than in other people's eyes.

Not expectation, nor encouragement, or comfort.

But a firm declaration, a prophecy that would definitely come true.

"Gu Shen, you have to believe in yourself... you deserve an 's' grade evaluation!"

...

...

The concept of time in the dream world cannot be understood.

The time of comprehension was clearly very slow.

But the time of collapse was so fast.

Nothing happened, and the end of the world was already in sight. The sky collapsed, replaced by countless blurred codes.

Chu Ling stood in the darkness and said with a smile.

"Since you don't want to be the person who creates records, then I will accompany you to walk behind. The road is still very long, very long..."

This time, it was the girl's turn to reach out her hand, wanting to touch the boy.

This time, there was still no real touch—

The garbled codes flew.

Darkness enveloped.

The dream, shattered.