Thriller Night Talk

Chapter 166: The world behind the “Gate”

Translator-Rhapsodite

Editor-PerpetualMreow, Proofreader-Spring Flower

Jiang Nan’an hadn’t even realized when he’d fallen asleep. When he opened his eyes again, he suddenly found himself back in the dream.

Just like the previous time, the visible field in the dream was much smaller than it was in reality.

He felt as if he was standing in a blanket of fog, fifty paces away was a gray void. If he looked directly ahead, he could barely make out the blurry outline of a circular “gate” made of two-colored mist.

Jiang Nan’an looked around in all directions.

He was looking for Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan, who were said to have entered his dream together.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long.

Soon, Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan walked out of the mist and came to him.

“Oh, so this is what the ‘Two Pole Gate’ looks like.”

Bei Quan walked to Jiang Nan’an’s side, arms crossed, and looked at the distant gate with interest.

Wei Fuyuan also said, “It’s a bit different from what I imagined.”

Indeed, even with written descriptions and pencil sketches, everyone’s imagination of the Two Pole Gate still differed.

Jiang Nan’an didn’t know if it was his own imagination that made the ‘Gate’ he envisioned, the most similar to the one they were looking at, and wasn’t sure as to whether that had allowed him to dream of the Two Pole Gate first.

Now, another question lay ahead of him.

“But, I can’t reach it.”

Jiang Nan’an pointed to the swirling mass in the distance in the shape of a yin-yang fish. “I tried earlier at noon.”

He shrugged, “No matter how I walk towards the gate, the distance between us doesn’t change at all.”

Jiang Nan’an felt quite helpless when he thought about his noon experience.

He felt like a fitness enthusiast walking on a treadmill, or a poor hamster spinning in a hamster wheel.

Even though his feet kept moving, walking towards the distant gate continuously, no matter if he walked briskly or sprinted, he couldn’t get any closer to the ‘Two Pole Gate’.

It was quite frustrating.

“Well, it’s okay.”

With a smiling face, Bei Quan patted Jiang Nan’an’s shoulder, “Why don’t you try again?”

Jiang Nan’an paused for a moment.

He clearly remembered that he should be in a dream right now, but Bei Quan’s hand landed solidly on his shoulder.

The sensation and strength of the touch were so distinct, just like in reality, making it easy to accidentally blur the boundaries between dreams and reality.

However, Jiang Nan’an quickly snapped back to reality.

“This…”

He shrugged helplessly, “I’ve tried, but it just doesn’t work.”

Jiang Nan’an thought for a moment and suggested, “How about you try, Bei Quan?”

“No,” Bei Quan shook his head, “This is your dream. Although we can enter, we can’t control what happens in your dream for you.”

Jiang Nan’an understood, “So I have to do it myself, right?”

He preemptively warned Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan, “If I end up just walking in the same place later, please don’t laugh.”

“Wait, don’t rush.”

Bei Quan called out to Jiang Nan’an, “Although I can’t ‘walk’ for you, I can still give you some advice.”

Jiang Nan’an turned his head, “Oh?”

“You can try closing your eyes and not looking at that ‘Gate’ .”

Bei Quan smiled slightly, “Then, as you walk, try to imagine yourself getting closer to it. It might help.”

“But…”

Jiang Nan’an hesitated, “If I close my eyes, can I still walk in a straight line?”

He worried that if he really walked blindly with his eyes closed, he might veer off course and become a laughing stock to Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan who would be following behind him.

“Of course.”

Bei Quan emphasized each word, “This, is, your, dream, realm ah.”

—————————-

Jiang Nan’an followed Bei Quan’s suggestion, closed his eyes, and imagined himself approaching the Two Pole Gate while walking.

In the beginning, he only closed his eyes and walked a few steps without any effect, but Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan who followed behind him assured him that he was not going astray and that he was indeed heading towards the gate.

After the first attempt, Jiang Nan’an became more skilled. He would close his eyes, choose a direction, and confidently take each step forward.

Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan followed behind Jiang Nan’an.

They used a cheating method and had real-world techniques to guide them, so they didn’t need to close their eyes and meditate like Jiang Nan’an. They could simply mindlessly follow along.

“This task is really easy,” Wei Fuyuan whispered as they walked.

“It’s just a bit boring.”

Bei Quan reached out to hook Wei Fuyuan’s finger. “Don’t rush, the trouble is still ahead,” he said with a faint smile.

“Because no one knows what awaits us behind the ‘Gate’.”

Following Bei Quan’s guidance, Jiang Nan’an’s progress indeed became much faster.

But even Bei Quan couldn’t make Jiang Nan’an reach the Two Pole Gate within a day.

Three days passed quickly.

During these three days, Bei Quan received some information from Special Seven Field Service.

The Special Seven Field Service’s intelligence officer hacked into the server of the forum, not only revealing the true identity of the ID that exchanged private messages with Zhu Ling but also uncovering information about fourteen other users who claimed to have entered the Two Pole Gate.

Among them, three were overseas Chinese or international students, while the remaining eleven were scattered across the country. At first glance, there didn’t seem to be a significant regional correlation.

Bei Quan, Wei Fuyuan, and Jiang Nan’an gathered together to discuss whether or not they should visit some of those people and use empathy to get some spoilers about the Two Pole Gate in advance.

However, Zhu Ling, who was eavesdropping, advised against it.

The spirit said that it would be best not to disrupt the operation rules of the Two Pole Gate until they fully understood its cause and effect.

Since those who had entered had said not to reveal what’s behind the gate, it would be better not to peek into others’ memories in advance.

Otherwise, if that also ended up counting as a violation to the rules of the Gate, Bei Quan and the others might not be able to enter again in the future.

Bei Quan thought Zhu Ling’s advice made sense, so they temporarily abandoned the plan.

Anyway, they were already very close to the Two Pole Gate, and in another day or two, they would be able to enter the gate themselves.

Monday, August 30, at 9:05 p.m.

After Jiang Nan’an dreamed of the Two Pole Gate for the eighth time, he finally brought Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan to stand in front of that gate.

The black and white fish-shaped airflow continuously rotated in a clockwise direction, forming a deep vortex in the center.

When you looked at it up close, it gave you the illusion that even your mind and soul were being drawn into it.

“Gudong.”

Jiang Nan’an swallowed hard. The slowly rotating whirlwind was less than half a meter away from him, and he could reach out and touch it.

This is the result of his four days and four nights of hard work, but when it came time to take action, Jiang Nan’an hesitated instead.

“I…I’m going in.”

Jiang Nan’an raised his hand, as if to touch the door, and turned back to Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan for confirmation:

“Will you…come with me?”

“Of course,” Bei Quan nodded with a smile.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be right behind you.”

After receiving assurance, Comrade Xiao Jiang gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and plunged into the vortex.

————————

Originally, Jiang Nan’an thought that he would feel like his body was being dismantled and then reassembled like the wormhole or quantum leap described in science fiction movies, and that he’d be dizzy and have tinnitus.

But that didn’t happen.

He just closed his eyes and took a big step forward. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange city.

“!!!”

Jiang Nan’an looked up, with a look of astonishment on his face.

He almost thought he had stepped into a scene from a game. This city was huge, with buildings that blended classical European styles with postmodern geometric patterns in a surrealistic fashion.

The snow-white marble was carved into spiral-shaped towers in a way that completely ignored the laws of physics. The towers were also connected by arch bridges and walkways, forming a cohesive whole. They were complemented by staggered fan-shaped platforms, giving the impression of a futuristic city built in space.

A city of such magnitude, made entirely out of pure white marble, without steel, without cement, not even a piece of glass.

Bei Quan and Wei Fuyuan followed behind Jiang Nan’an and entered the city one after another.

The two were also shocked by the sight before them.

“Wow!” Wei Fuyuan sighed, “I never expected such a huge city to be behind the Gate!”

He looked around and said, “But why is there no one here?”

As soon as Wei Fuyuan finished speaking, they heard the rhythmic sound of “da, da, da.”

They turned their heads in the direction of the sound and saw a four-legged “creature” turn around a spiral staircase and slowly approach them step by step.

It was difficult to describe the appearance of this creature.

It had a golden-haired head and body, but its four legs were spider-like mechanical appendages.

As it walked, it swayed from side to side, and its long, sharp legs echoed sharply on the marble floor, creating clear notes.

This thing looked incredibly eerie, even if it smiled like a carefree angel, it still sent shivers down one’s spine.

Wei Fuyuan and Jiang Nan’an instinctively took a step back and assumed a defensive posture.

Then, the creature’s mouth emitted synthesized human speech in electronic tones.

“Congratulations on successfully entering “Tianyuan City.” From now on you will transcend the world and glimpse the path of immortality.”

The golden-haired dog faced the direction of the three individuals and spoke as if it were a beginner’s guide NPC in a game.

“Now, please follow me.”

As it spoke, it turned around.

A chain-like metal whip “grew” from the ugly creature’s rear end, and wagged and swayed like a real tail.

“I will take you to meet the [Grand master].”