NOVEL NEXT Chapter 48: chapter 48
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Chapter 48: Dotore Breaks Through the Defense and Takes Action
"Really? Over something so small? You made me look so embarrassed for this?" Lei Dian Zhen asked, her frustration barely contained. She was so angry, she almost laughed.
She had naively thought her sister was married and had a child, only to find out it was all just a misunderstanding—Ying had been too embarrassed to admit the truth. How could that be?
As someone who had watched Ying grow up, was it really that bad to witness something embarrassing about her? Others could see it, but she, as Ying's sister, couldn't?
If it weren't for the sudden arrival of one of the Fatui's Harbingers, Lei Dian Zhen would have felt even more humiliated in front of Su Ran. Ying had gone too far this time.
"Hey… that dumpling milk?" Zhen suddenly asked, noticing the drink Ying had. Since it was a gift for Xiao Ying, couldn't she, as Xiao Ying's shadow, drink it too?
"You still want to drink dumpling milk?" Lei Dian Zhen's sharp gaze made Ying hesitate. Though Zhen's power was far weaker than hers, Zhen had always been able to suppress Ying with just a look or a gesture, and this time was no different.
"Well, Su Ran said he would take good care of you..." Zhen muttered, feeling a bit conflicted. Now that her sister had been mentioned, what was she supposed to do? Should she explain it was all a misunderstanding? Could she even trust Su Ran to take care of Ying? If not, perhaps she should adopt Ying herself. But at this moment, Zhen didn't have the courage to face Su Ran again.
"With you around, I don't need him to take care of me!" Ying declared. With Lei Dian Zhen by her side, she felt like leaving all her responsibilities behind. She was even considering giving up her position as Inazuma's God of Thunder. Wouldn't it be better to live carefree as a shadow warrior?
"If you could really take care of yourself, I wouldn't have to worry so much," Lei Dian Zhen sighed. She was helpless when it came to her sister. Ying had always been like this. She had hoped that in the 500 years she had been gone, Ying might have matured a bit. But apparently, nothing had changed.
"This is a dream—an eternal dream where no one leaves, and no one disappears. Not even you, Zhen," Ying said confidently. She trusted in this eternal dream, so she wasn't worried that Zhen would disappear. If someone tried to make that happen, Ying wouldn't hesitate to fight back.
---
"Dotore, why are you everywhere?" Su Ran asked impatiently, glaring at the figure standing in front of him.
He had thought that after leaving Snezhnaya, he wouldn't have to see this guy again. But here he was in Inazuma! Then again, it made sense. Dotore had split himself into so many segments, it was impossible for him to focus on just one thing. If Dotore really was that stupid, killing him would feel like a waste.
"A big event happens in Inazuma, and you don't inform us? As a colleague, I must say, I'm a little hurt," Dotore said, though he knew full well that Su Ran didn't like him. Still, if he didn't seek him out now, he would have nothing else to do. After all, this was a dream—not reality. Even though it resembled reality, it couldn't exceed it. His experiments were at a standstill here, as nothing unproven could appear in dreams unless the dreamer added the result.
"You want to cause harm here? I can help you escape from your suffering. There's no death in dreams, but I can create it," Su Ran warned. Since he was the creator of this dream, he had absolute authority over it. He could change everything—the environment, the outcomes of actions, and even the consciousness of those within the dream.
"Do I really disgust you that much?" Dotore asked, his expression twisting.
"Not only do you disgust me, but I also find you pathetic—an arrogant fool desperate to show off," Su Ran replied coldly. His distaste for Dotore wasn't about what the man sought but rather the results of his actions.
"How am I supposed to understand this hatred you have for me?" Dotore asked, genuinely perplexed.
"A wise man instinctively despises a fool," Su Ran replied bluntly.
Dotore's confusion deepened. "If I'm a fool, then what does that make the others?"
Dotore was a scholar, a recognized genius! His research was considered heretical, yes, but his abilities had never been denied. Yet here he was, being called a fool by someone he thought inferior.
Su Ran's response cut deep. "You're no better than the farmers who toil in the fields. At least their efforts bring positive results. Yours are negative."
Dotore, having never been looked down upon in such a way, was stunned. Su Ran's words of contempt stung more than any critique he had received in his life.
"Are you the most powerful existence in this dream?" Dotore asked, his anger rising. Su Ran's constant belittling had finally pushed him to the edge. Normally calm and collected, Dotore was now ready to snap.
"Huh? Are you actually planning to attack a wise man?" Su Ran asked, surprised. Dotore had always seemed so composed in the face of challenges, especially when dealing with Nahida. Yet here he was, crumbling after just a few sharp words.
"Alright then. As you wish. While I may be a wise man, I also know a bit about boxing and kicking."
---
A loud crash echoed from the castle tower. Onlookers saw a black shadow plummet from the top.
Dotore hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. "In this dream, my powers are fully restored, yet my perception of pain remains?" He had been kicked so hard that his internal organs screamed in agony, and he could feel his senses fading. In reality, he might have lost consciousness from such an injury long ago.
"As I said before, there's no death in dreams..." Dotore muttered, looking up as a figure slowly descended from the tower. Behind him, several Fatui agents rushed from the city, alarmed by the attack on one of their Harbingers. Even though Dotore usually didn't need their help, they couldn't stand by idly when their leader was involved.
But when they saw who Dotore was fighting, they froze in shock.
The Third Harbinger and the Second Harbinger were fighting?
Which side were they supposed to help?