Chapter 151: Break Free from the Shackle!
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“Why is she… here?”
When Asakawa Hana saw the two people who jumped down from the second mobile suit, a surprised look appeared on her face.
“Who are you?” Qiu Ren could sense that these two people, who broke into the battleship of the Order of Karma, weren’t dream consciousnesses but two Dream Makers.
“Qi Qian, the strongest one among the new Dream Makers, the honorary Advisor of the Dream Hunting Bureau… One of my mother’s current Dream Makers.” Asakawa Hana introduced who the person in front of her was.
“Don’t give me so many stupid titles. Hana… Looks like you’ve already gotten rid of the nightmare that has been haunting you. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you at that time.”
Qi Qian seemed to know Asakawa Hana as well. Asakawa Hana turned her head to the side slightly and ignored Qi Qian, but she still stood in front of Qiu Ren.
As far as Asakawa Hana knew, Qi Qian’s threat to Qiu Ren was far greater than that from the Lords of Nightmare in the Order.
After all, Qi Qian was the Dream Maker who had the authority of both the Dynasties and the Dream Hunting Bureau.
“So, what are you big cheese doing here right now? Are you trying to reset the Order of Karma?” Qiu Ren asked.
“I’m not that inflexible. Besides, I like the setting of the Celestial Being and the story development very much. I never thought that the person who constructed all this… would be the rumored nightmare creator from another world.”
Qi Qian recognized Qiu Ren’s identity very easily. He was now the key wanted person the entire Dream Hunting Bureau was paying attention to.
Even though Qiu Ren’s body was watched by Zhao Yanqing in reality, he had already crossed the bottom line of the Dream Hunting Bureau when he started doing as he pleased in the Dream Dungeon of Iron Blood.
“So, can you please come with me? Mr. Qiu Ren?” Qi Qian looked at Qiu Ren and asked.
“Now? I still have some missions to complete at the moment. Maybe…”
“I’m taking you to the place where your next commission is located, and this isn’t an invitation.”
The mobile suit behind Qi Qian, Venus, pointed its gun at the interior of the battleship. After being strengthened with Qi Qian’s Creation Points, the combat power of Venus had increased to a terrifying level.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Black Mist that represented nightmares had already started billowing out of Qiu Ren’s hands.
“This threat is useless now. They’ve evacuated all the people near the city where your body is located in reality. Even if you let the nightmare pollution run wild, you can only devour the agents of the Dream Hunting Bureau and us, but the agents of the Dream Hunting Bureau…”
“Aren’t you afraid of getting devoured by nightmares?” Qiu Ren also put down his hands. He pondered for a while and said, “Can you give me some time?”
“Sure.”
Under Qi Qian’s gaze, Qiu Ren created a silver-white thing that looked like a USB and threw it to the Head of the Order of Karma, Garo, who was standing above.
“All the other mobile suits, characters, and plot designs for the story of Gundam and the Celestial Being are stored in this USB. There are a total of 24 episodes and a whole theater version. If you can render all the characters and stories recorded in it without any mistake, you’ll be able to engrave your names in the hearts of all the robot war fans in the world, not infamy or sorrow, but prestige and fame.”
After Qiu Ren finished, Qi Qian created a handcuff and put it on Qiu Ren’s wrists.
The other members of the Order of Karma wanted to take the risk of being blown to pieces by Venus to save Qiu Ren, but Chief Garo stopped them.
Garo held the USB in his hand tight and looked at Qiu Ren’s back, whom he had just met once.
“Hey! Dream Maker,” Garo suddenly shouted.
“My name is Qiu Ren,” Qiu Ren said without turning back.
“Then, Qiu Ren, the Order of Karma promises you here! When you’re in danger, you just need to ask us for help. We will come to save you, even if we’ll be annihilated!”
This line fitted the style of an enthusiastic animation. Qiu Ren smiled gently. He then turned his head to the side and asked Chief Garo, “Still the Order of Karma?”
Chief Garo froze for a second before he reacted. “The Celestial Being! When you’re in danger, the Gundam Meisters of the Celestial Being will definitely come to you!”
“I’ll remember that,” Qiu Ren said as he walked into the light screen created by Qi Qian together with Asakawa Hana.
The scene behind the light screen wasn’t the prison that Qiu Ren expected but a Chinese-style rockery and courtyard.
“Feeling a bit weird after switching from the high-tech robot war world to this ancient setting all of a sudden?”
While speaking, Qi Qian had unlocked Qiu Ren’s cuffs with the key.
“A little. Where are we?”
Qiu Ren felt like he was taken to a very powerful Dream Dungeon. He had had such a feeling when he was in the Prehistoric World before.
“The Shuijing Manor in the Three Kingdoms.” After telling Qiu Ren their location, she suddenly pulled out a pistol and pointed it at her good friend, Du Ming, who came with them. “I’m sorry.”
“Qi Qian, what… what are you doing?”
Du Ming looked confused. He was just an ordinary mobile suit designer in “Iron Blood: Reset Version,” and he was now going to be shot by his good friend for no reason?
Unfortunately, Qi Qian didn’t show any mercy. She directly shot her friend to death.
“Are you trying to kill him?” Qiu Ren looked at the mobile suit designer, who was bleeding all over the ground, and asked.
“I just want him to sleep for a while. You must not tell anyone about what we’re going to do next, so Hana…” Qi Qian pointed the gun at Asakawa Hana.
“Do you think I can still keep my personality if I tell on you?” Asakawa Hana asked.
“Indeed.”
Qi Qian agreed with Asakawa Hana, so she put away the pistol and led the way for Qiu Ren.
“You put in so much effort to bring me here. What do you want me to do?”
Qiu Ren scanned the extremely ordinary Shuijing Manor. This should be where the legendary Mr. Shuijing lived?
“As someone from another material world, what do you think of people in this world?” Qi Qian asked.
“A pedantic, corrupt, and undeveloped society, even though the technology level has reached the modern standard and there are many powerful Dream Dungeons.” Qiu Ren commented on the government of this world without holding back.
The Celestial Empire in this world was still ruled by an Emperor, and the Imperial Court could do everything they wanted, whether in the Dream Dungeons or in the real world.
“I see. What about the world you live in? What is it like?” Qi Qian wasn’t angered. Instead, she was curious about what the Celestial Empire that Qiu Ren lived in was like.
“Although there’s a history of humiliation in the modern times, people still overthrew the old world with their power, tearing off the hat of imperial power. They eliminated the servants of the great power, letting people take the lead…”
Qiu Ren briefly introduced the modern history of his material world to Qi Qian.
Even though this was a parallel world, the modern history of Qiu Ren’s material world was similar to the history that he knew. It was a revolutionary road paved with the blood of the people.
Qi Qian listened seriously, and there were glints of longing in her eyes from time to time. She made some remarks that Qiu Ren dared not to reply to, like wanting to build a Dream Dungeon with related topics.
“As expected, there may be different ideas and visions with you here. Perhaps you can satisfy Mr. Shuijing’s request.”
Amid Qiu Ren’s introduction, they had reached the core of the Shuijing Manor.
“What… request?” Qiu Ren could already guess what Qi Qian wanted him to do.
“Which one do you think has a higher popularity, the Three Kingdoms or the Dynasties?” Qi Qian asked.
“Definitely the Dynasties. The law that forces people in the whole country to watch it has already determined the ratings of this Dream Dungeon. It can’t possibly be defeated.”
Qiu Ren suddenly realized what Qi Qian wanted to do up till this point. “You aren’t thinking about overthrowing the world of Dynasties, are you?”
The world of Dynasties represented the highest level of Dream Dungeon in this material world. It was so strong that it could be regarded as a Level SS Dream Dungeon, because the highest level that the Central Research Institute gave to Dream Dungeons was only Level SS.
The world of Dynasties had Creation Points accumulated over the last two centuries. Who knew how many horrifying dream consciousnesses they were hiding inside?
“Not only me, but also Hana, her mother, my teacher, and those Gundam Meisters of the Order of Karma, or I should say the Celestial Being?” Qi Qian said something that was almost like treason very naturally.
“Is there a chance of succeeding?”
Qiu Ren carefully assessed their chances. The reason why he came to this world was to abduct as many Dream Seeds as possible and then run away. He had never thought about fighting with the ultimate boss.
“The possibility was low before you came because the world of Dynasties is the inspector of all the productions itself. They can keep things they like and delete or ban things they don’t. All the Dream Makers must follow this rule. The reason why Iron Blood ended badly at the end was that the Imperial Court realized that something was circulating in this production, the so-called…” Qi Qian’s voice suddenly became deeper, “Free idea of, ‘Are the nobles more superior than we are?’”
“As a Nightmare Maker, I don’t need to be concerned about these ‘ideological imprisonments,’ do I?” Qiu Ren was still a bit worried when he said this, “But even with the ratings of this Dream Dungeon of Three Kingdoms, I still can’t…”
“What about ‘Blossoming Love: Spin-Off’ and ‘Iron Blood: Reset Version?’ Not only that but there are also Dream Dungeons you constructed in your own world before, ‘Battle Royale,’ ‘Dark Souls,’ ‘Batman’ and ‘Dead by Daylight?’”
The names of the productions Qi Qian mentioned made Qiu Ren freeze for a while, but he suddenly thought that it shouldn’t be difficult for her to know this information if she knew Empress Dowager Fu.
“Yes, all of our people must watch ‘Dynasties’ when it’s time, which allows it to gain frightening energy. However, people in the country also have their own interests. The productions you’ve constructed include almost all types of genres, like fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, thriller, and superhero. Perhaps it just lacks a historical production.”
“What are you trying to say?” Qiu Ren asked.
“To gather the fans and audiences’ love for various kinds of productions, including all movies, TV shows, animations, and games in the form of Dream Dungeons in both worlds… on you, breaking free from the shackle that’s called censorship!”
Qi Qian’s eyes became extremely terrifying when she said this, but she soon realized that. She gently fixed her collar.
“But before that, you must pass Mr. Shuijing’s test. If Mr. Shuijing doesn’t acknowledge you, you won’t be able to bear such a flood of emotions.” Qi Qian made a “please” gesture. “He’s waiting for you inside.”
A test… Also, Qi Qian’s plan was indeed too much. It was a bit difficult to imagine for Qiu Ren, this Dream Maker who only came here to steal men and girls.
However, the dungeon of the Three Kingdoms was also the last commission. He should just complete it with utmost effort.
Qiu Ren walked into the building under Qi Qian’s lead. The atmosphere here seemed more like a school. There were thirteen Dream Makers sitting like students.
An old man in the middle of the school kept nodding at a student continuously.
“Good! Very good! What you said was very good!”
“Is that Mr. Shuijing?” Qiu Ren asked Qi Qian in a low voice.
“Hm.” Qi Qian nodded.
“He’s complimenting that Dream Maker. Does it mean that the student has passed the test? Does it mean that he doesn’t need me anymore?” Qiu Ren asked.
“Of course not. When Master says ‘very good,’ he means, ‘Your idea is bullshit. Get out of here. Next!.’” Qi Qian told the sad truth in an indifferent tone.
After that, she put her hands behind her back and started reporting to Mr. Shuijing, looking like a senior, “Master, I’ve brought the new student you wanted here. We encountered an accident on our way, but it’s nothing big.”
“Oh! Come on in, come on in.” Mr. Shuijing immediately waved at Qiu Ren.
Actually, Qiu Ren wanted to make a lot of complaints, but he still pretended to be calm and sat opposite Mr. Shuijing.
“Mr. Qiu Ren, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
“I’m flattered. So, Mr. Shuijing, did you bring me here… to reconstruct the Dream Dungeon of the Three Kingdoms?”
This was the only reason Qiu Ren could think of.
“Yes.”
“What kind of a Three Kingdoms story do you want?” A huge number of stories on the Three Kingdoms were already flashing through Qiu Ren’s mind. He had no idea which one Mr. Shuijing wanted.
“This is what I want!” Mr. Shuijing put a scroll in front of Qiu Ren. Some words were written on it with dark ink…
“A story of the Three Kingdoms that isn’t a story of the Three Kingdoms.”
This made Qiu Ren tilt his head so much that it almost fell on the ground. What’s this? Why don’t you just say you want “noodles that aren’t noodles?”
“Mr. Qiu Ren, if you don’t have any ideas yet, you can take a rest for a few days and come here again.” Mr. Shuijing didn’t expect Qiu Ren to come up with a good story so quickly, either.
“That’s not necessary. Mr. Shuijing. Have you heard of these words?” Qiu Ren picked up the writing brush and started scribbling at the bottom of the scroll. He drew an outline of a phoenix.
“What words?”
“The Ravages of Time!”
The phoenix that Qiu Ren drew with dark ink dashed out of the scroll, then soared in the sky and screeched through the heavens!