Infinite Nightmares

After saying this, Zhang Wenda just stared at the rabbit before him. He already had a vague idea of the answer, but he still wanted to hear it say the words itself.

The campfire cast the rabbit’s face in light and shadow. It then spoke. "It’s not exactly a side effect. Most of a person’s self-perception is determined by their identity. If you constantly take the form of a monster, it will eventually affect your own perception of who you are."

Zhang Wenda nodded. He understood. "Got it. Just like with my mouse."

After a moment’s thought, he looked up at the rabbit again. "What about you? Don’t you get affected?"

The rabbit handed a roasted sparrow to Song Jianguo, who was sitting beside it. "I’ve told you before. I’m an adult. I can handle it differently."

Zhang Wenda didn’t say any more, even though he knew it definitely wasn’t that simple.

He knew that, given the rabbit’s personality, just getting its permission to use the monster’s power in a crisis was already a huge accomplishment.

’This is good enough. Now I can use the monster’s power to protect the people I want to protect.’

"Thank you for helping me so much," Zhang Wenda said gratefully.

"If you really want to thank me, then when you grow up, should you ever meet another Zhang Wenda, remember to help him just as I’ve helped you." The rabbit’s red eyes crinkled, a rare, gentle smile gracing its features.

After speaking, it picked up a roasted sparrow for itself, pulled a bottle of chili powder from its pocket, sprinkled a lethal amount on top, and stuffed it into its three-lobed mouth.

Seeing this, Song Jianguo curiously borrowed the bottle of chili powder and sprinkled some on her own sparrow. The moment she took a bite, she clutched her throat in despair, fell to the ground, and started coughing violently. "Help! This stuff is poison!"

"Damn it, if you can’t handle spicy food, then don’t eat it! You’re unbelievable." Zhang Wenda looked around, searching for water.

Song Jianguo’s interruption instantly lightened the atmosphere in the treehouse, giving them a rare moment of peace.

It felt like a simple outdoor cookout, and for a short while, everyone forgot their troubles.

But this peaceful time was destined not to last. Before Zhang Wenda had even eaten his fill, he heard the sound of a cat’s warning hiss from outside.

Zhang Wenda pulled out a flashlight and was about to rush out, but Song Jianguo immediately stopped him.

Her mouth still bright red from the spice, she held up the chili bottle and carefully dripped a tiny amount onto her sparrow. "It’s fine," she said. "Heihei is just saying someone’s watching us. The hiss for a large group of approaching enemies sounds different."

This was not good news. Zhang Wenda stood at the entrance to the treehouse, peering warily into the darkness. He took a bite of a mushroom, and his transparent mouse instantly shot out like a drone, quickly scanning the visible surroundings for him.

Guided by the mouse’s senses, Zhang Wenda spotted a very faint human figure behind a distant chimney. ’Clearly, those people aren’t giving up so easily. They’re watching us.’

Zhang Wenda didn’t have the mouse attack the person, not wanting to tip them off and reveal his own abilities.

For now, the enemy was waiting, and they were waiting for 2826. But Zhang Wenda knew this stalemate couldn’t last long, because night was falling.

The streets were currently full of people heading home for dinner, but once it got dark, those tempted by the Big Circle’s bounty would surely be unable to restrain themselves from making a move.

"Whether 2826 gets back before dark or not, we have to prepare for tonight," Zhang Wenda said to the other two, having stepped back inside the treehouse. "I’m willing to bet that whoever’s coming this time will be stronger than the last bunch."

"The last group was wiped out, but Thought Wave One survived. I’m not sure if they’ve told anyone else about our abilities."

Song Jianguo irritably scratched her cat ears. "Don’t look at me. I’ve got no other ideas. You’re the one who dragged me into this. This whole thing has nothing to do with me."

The rabbit, who had been quiet, thought for a moment. "I have an idea," it said. "Perhaps you can hide in the Youth Palace tonight and come out again in the morning. They can’t get in there."

"Yes, that’s a great idea! Only children can see the Youth Palace! We can use the rules of the children’s world to our advantage!" Zhang Wenda was immediately on board with the plan.

If they could revive the "dead" Youth Palace, hiding inside the belly of the earth whale, hundreds of meters underground, would undoubtedly be the perfect refuge.

However, it would require communicating with the Youth Palace to avoid being crushed. In that regard, Zhang Wenda had plenty of experience.

"There’s no time to lose. Let’s go now. We’ll leave a note for 2826. While there are still people on the streets, let’s head to the Youth Palace." True to his word, Zhang Wenda was a man of action and immediately led the others out of the treehouse.

Because the Youth Palace "died" in different locations, it appeared in a different place each day. Fortunately, one of them was a teacher there, so they easily found the Youth Palace closest to their current position.

Just as the last vestiges of sunset were about to fade from the sky, the familiar Rainbow Gate appeared before Zhang Wenda and his companions once more.

"Hrrrrrrowwwl~" Hearing the warning cry of the cat bringing up the rear, Zhang Wenda quickly pushed the others down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs was the same old basement. The eight door curtains, which had once seemed so terrifying, now looked incredibly welcoming to Zhang Wenda.

"Teacher, where’s Old Ding’s handbook?" Zhang Wenda asked, rummaging frantically through a pile of junk.

"In the red shoebox. Grab it and get inside, quick," the rabbit said, holding a door curtain open.

Clutching a copy of Old Ding’s handbook, Song Jianguo rushed inside first with the cats, with Zhang Wenda right behind her.

He didn’t rush in immediately, however. Instead, he looked up at the rabbit. "Teacher, what will you do?"

"They only know me by my rabbit costume. I’ll take it off, and they won’t recognize me."

"Badass!" Zhang Wenda gave his teacher a thumbs-up, then bent over to rush inside.

But just as he was about to set foot on the desolate corridor of the Youth Palace, a sharp pain shot through him, and he stopped short as if he’d run straight into a glass door.

Zhang Wenda stared in shock at the corridor, so close he could almost touch it. Inside, Song Jianguo was waving at him frantically. The whole scene was like a painting on a wall; though it was right there, he could no longer enter.

Zhang Wenda reached out and touched the "lifelike mural," a bitter smile on his face. "Teacher," he said, "it looks like I’ve grown up. I can’t get into the Youth Palace anymore."

’It seems that with everything that’s happened, I’ve unknowingly outgrown many places in this world of Thought Wave One.’

The words had barely left his mouth when he heard the sound of frantic footsteps coming from the top of the stairs. ’This is bad. They’re here.’

The giant purple rabbit moved to stand in front of Zhang Wenda. With a powerful swing of its arm, gleaming scythes slid out from between its claws.

"Don’t be afraid. I’m here."