Chapter 1 An Unusually Lively Old House

The old house in Lion Lane, usually so quiet, was exceptionally lively today, with several groups of people coming and going.

Back and forth they came, scattered and left.

Finally, it returned to its usual quiet.

By the time Gu Shen arrived at the old house, it was already evening. He carefully examined the old brick courtyard, the likes of which could no longer be found in the metropolitan area.

Ten years ago, this was Lu Cheng's residence in the old city...

"He's here, he's here! He's finally here!"

Song Ci, seeing his savior, quickly stood up from the steps, patted the dust off his backside, and said anxiously, "It seems the madam is having another episode..."

Gu Shen gave him a strange look.

"Bah, bad luck."

Song Ci quickly reined himself in. "The madam's insomnia has flared up again. Could you take another look, old man?"

Ever since the Mian Yuzhe (Dream Weaver) treatment, Song Ci regarded Gu Shen as a reincarnated Buddha when it came to treating illnesses. Even the spirit-type extraordinary beings ten layers deep in the Deep Sea couldn't fix the problem, but this kid managed to... This event shocked Song Ci even more than an S-class little thing from the Tribunal.

If word got out, wouldn't others build a Buddhist shrine and enshrine him?

"Insomnia again?"

Gu Shen was a little surprised when he received the request for help.

The last time he removed the spiritual brand...it was already confirmed that Lu Nanzhi's insomnia was artificially induced.

Although no evidence had been found yet, Gu Shen suspected that the person who planted that wisp of spiritual brand was most likely Zhao Qi, the eldest young master of the Zhao Clan.

"Has the madam been in contact with any suspicious people recently?" Gu Shen asked.

Song Ci shook his head quickly.

"I'm very sure that the madam has not been in contact with any suspicious people...especially Zhao Qi." Song Ci sneered coldly, "That guy has been missing in action recently, probably scared out of his wits and hiding in some hospital to recover." After the last incident, he had been serving as the madam's personal bodyguard.

More than Gu Shen, he cared about who the madam had been in contact with...especially that good-for-nothing playboy. During this period of close protection, Song Ci had been watching very carefully, and no one had the chance to do anything untoward to the madam.

"I understand."

After listening, Gu Shen nodded and pushed the door open. The interior of this old house was decorated in a quaint style, and the courtyard was full of the atmosphere of the last century, with native transplanted banyan trees, rattan furniture, marble drum stools, and wind chimes hanging from the eaves, tinkling in the breeze.

It seemed that Mr. Lu Cheng was a very nostalgic person.

The madam was sitting under the banyan tree, "working" on a tablet, looking slightly tired.

But she didn't seem to be troubled by insomnia.

"Gu Shen...you're here."

Lu Nanzhi looked up with a smile, putting away the tablet.

Recently, the council had learned the name of this promising "S-class" newcomer from the Tribunal.

Previously, Gu Shen's "deeds" in Da Teng City, continuously solving dreams and breaking three nightmare-level dream records, had become a new legend... Many people were curious about the origins of this "S-class" who had appeared out of nowhere.

In less than half a year, he had parachuted into the capital and become a core member of the "S-class mission" special investigation team.

Now, the council's internal forums were filled with discussions about the S-class newcomer Gu Shen, and the attitudes of those people were mostly amazement, surprise, praise... Of course, there were also disdain and contempt, but now the negative voices about this newcomer were all overshadowed by the glory.

Whenever she saw news about Gu Shen, Lu Nanzhi felt an unspeakable "wonderful feeling" in her heart... She had seen the potential of this young man before his file was released, and at their first meeting, Gu Shen's true identity had not yet been revealed, but even then, she was certain that this young man had a great future.

This was indeed a very wonderful feeling.

If it was she, instead of Mr. Shu, who had initially met Gu Shen...she believed that Gu Shen would have been discovered as well, and would have bloomed with his own brilliance.

However, today's meeting had an even more important purpose.

031 had sent her an anonymous email.

This email would automatically delete itself within five seconds...deleting not only the content of the email itself, but also all of 031's information in the Deep Sea. This was not something a normal person could do; it violated the basic laws of the Deep Sea.

031 must possess some kind of incredible "authority."

More than that...Lu Nanzhi was more concerned about the connection between 031 and Gu Shen.

"Madam...I watched your election ceremony."

Gu Shen sat under the banyan tree. This house seemed to have a unique magic, and even the wind that blew was very gentle, like a layer of gauze draped over his body, and his speech slowed down.

"I have to say...that ceremony was brilliant."

As far as Gu Shen knew.

After the election ceremony ended, Lu Nanzhi left the scene, and no one knew where she went, and no one could contact her... The entire capital, and even the entire Eastern Continent Council, was shaken by this speech.

So...was he the first "outsider" to see the madam in person?

After the election...being able to praise the madam's "feat" in person was indeed a fortunate thing.

"I just did what I've always wanted to do, just said what I've always wanted to say." Lu Nanzhi shook her head and said, "Next...there will be a lot of trouble."

The madam stared at Gu Shen. She slowly removed her two earrings and placed them on the marble table under the banyan tree.

"Let's begin..."

She said softly, "Just like in the Mian Yuzhe (Dream Weaver) clinic, use your ability to hypnotize me and treat me."

Gu Shen silently gazed into the eyes of the woman before him.

He saw the weariness in those eyes...but unlike last time, this time the madam showed no signs of being implanted with a spiritual brand.

The perception of the Blazing Fire was extremely strong.

Gu Shen was already certain...the madam did not have insomnia, and at this juncture when she was hiding in Lion Lane and refusing to see anyone, she summoned him on this pretext.

Why was this?

The answer to the question might be in the dream...

Following the call of his intuition, Gu Shen slowly released his Blazing Fire.

Under the banyan tree.

Lu Nanzhi closed her eyes.

Gu Shen also fell into stillness.

...

...

A long and deep corridor.

A series of locked iron doors.

Gu Shen had once again arrived in the dream of Madam Lu Nanzhi. This time, his spiritual power was more solid, and the scene in this dream appeared even more real...

"Chu Ling."

After entering the dream, Gu Shen subconsciously called out.

There was no response.

After the illusory dream, Chu Ling disappeared...and had not returned yet. If she was also in today's dream, then he would have more confidence.

In the distance of the dream, there was a faint power of attraction.

Gu Shen slowly walked forward, and he saw the blood-red door at the end of the corridor. A series of talismans floated in the scarlet color that enveloped the iron door. The Blazing Fire between his eyebrows was like a taut rope, pulling Gu Shen step by step closer to the red door.

This red door...seemed to have an endless attraction...

"Should I...touch it..."

The thought surfaced.

Gu Shen quickly shook his head, and this time when he came back to his senses, his palm was already pressed against the red door.

He was just about to exert force to push the red door open.