Chapter 53: Startling Dream (IX)

Lin Chen's heart was like a surging ocean; facing the chaos and conflict of this moment, she felt immense despair.

She tried to find a balance in this struggle, her throat tight, but her voice sounded faint: "Stop! You cannot do this!"

However, the gazes of Sect Master Qi Meng and Lin Fan were both fixed on each other, as if their mutual hostility were more important than her cries.

Lin Chen's voice echoed in the air, but no one responded. She felt that invisible pressure growing ever stronger.

"Please, listen to me!" Lin Chen's voice gradually rose, trembling slightly.

"You are both my closest kin; why must you oppose each other like this? We can find another solution!"

She tried to approach, but the battle between the two showed absolutely no signs of stopping.

Lin Chen's heart ached as if pierced by knives, and she felt increasingly helpless.

Watching all of this, her thoughts surged rapidly, and in the end, only one thought remained: if this struggle was not stopped, everything would be destroyed.

"Don't continue this! We need to stop and listen to each other!" She shouted again, striving to make her voice pierce through the clamor of the battle.

Just then, realizing the severity of the situation, Lin Chen decided to take more decisive action.

She walked toward the two, attempting to block their attacks with her own body, her heart filled with determination and unyielding resolve: "If you are unwilling to stop, then please kill me!"

The gazes of Sect Master Qi Meng and Lin Fan turned to her in unison, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Lin Chen, what are you doing?" Sect Master Qi Meng's voice carried shock and confusion, as if asking why this young girl was willing to pay with her life to stop their conflict.

"Sister, I don't want to lose you!" Lin Chen's voice was choked with sobs, and tears blurred her vision.

Lin Fan paused his movements slightly, a trace of hesitation flashing across his cold face, but it was quickly covered over by the resolve in his heart.

"Lin Chen, you don't know the meaning behind this struggle! I am a villain! This is what I am supposed to do!"

"But we are family!" Lin Chen's voice grew firmer. "I would rather let myself disappear than see the hatred between you!"

Lin Fan laughed out loud.

"Silly girl, don't be foolish. I, Lin Fan, have no family and do not need any. Since you want to die, I will fulfill your wish."

"Vincent, activate the interstellar strategic laser. Kill everyone standing in front of Fairy Qimeng!"

"Yes!"

In the sky, countless nano units reconstructed, and finally, a giant cannon muzzle gleaming with cold light broke through the clouds.

The cannon muzzle fired a dazzling beam of light straight at Fairy Qimeng.

But Lin Chen blocked the way in front of Fairy Qimeng, not moving in the slightest.

"I cannot let her kill you, nor can I let you kill her!"

"Lin Chen, get out of the way!"

Sect Master Qi Meng's voice was filled with anxiety; she reached out to pull Lin Chen, but Lin Chen remained motionless, as if rooted in front of Sect Master Qi Meng.

"I don't believe you would kill me!"

"Boom!" The shockwave swept over, and intense light and vibration instantly engulfed the entire space.

Lin Chen felt intense pain tearing at her body, followed by endless darkness.

When she opened her eyes again, everything around her had become blurred, as if she were in an illusion.

Alarms rang continuously in her ears: "Battle armor damaged, integrity 70%, full repair mode activated, spiritual essence remaining 80%… 70%… 50%…"

"Beep, beep, beep… Spiritual essence exhausted, the mecha is about to suffer irreparable damage."

Just then, a strong vibration struck again. "Boom!" The mecha exploded, and Lin Fan's figure was blasted by the massive shockwave until he was covered in blood and gore, slowly falling.

Lin Chen's heart was twisted like a knife, and she stared at him without blinking.

Lin Fan spat out a sentence with difficulty, his voice low and helpless: "Why is it always me who gets hurt!"

Just now, Lin Fan had exhausted all his strength, pushing the quantum CPU to its load limit, instantly increasing power to 200%, just to block in front of her.

Lin Fan's sacrifice made Lin Chen feel as if the sky were about to collapse. It was the signal that the most important person was about to leave.

"Lin Fan!" Lin Chen shouted, abruptly waking up from the bed, her heart pounding like thunder. Her body trembled slightly on the bed, as if that roaring shockwave were still echoing in her ears.

So, it was just a nightmare. These past few days, fear and anxiety had been pressing down on her like a shadow, until the dream turned into a terrifying phantasm.

Meanwhile, Lin Fan and Lin Chen's Soul were closely connected, and he felt everything Lin Chen had experienced in the Soul Society.

He personally experienced that despair and struggle. When Lin Chen needed him most, he fought the Nether King himself and blasted the Nether King, who had been tormenting Lin Chen, into smithereens.

In the end, it was also Lin Fan who personally stepped in to block the interstellar strategic laser for Lin Chen.

At this moment, a fine crack quietly appeared on the nine-turn reincarnation bead, marking that Lin Fan had experienced death once again.

—

"Hey, Xiao Du, you even deduct my death count for these dream deaths. Is that how it works?"

Lin Fan complained helplessly, his tone tinged with a bit of exhaustion.

Xiao Du couldn't help but laugh and replied playfully: "Of course; if it weren't for the nine-turn reincarnation bead, how would you know the dream wasn't real!"

Lin Fan's heart sank; he realized this was not a simple dream. If not for the nine-turn Reincarnation, perhaps all of this would have become reality.

Just then, Lin Chen's sweet voice softly reached Lin Fan's ears: "I want to drink milk tea; you said you would make it for me every day!"

Lin Fan couldn't help but smile. Although the previous dream had been full of crisis and despair, this moment made him feel a trace of warmth and relaxation.

"Alright, alright, I'll make it for you."

Small joys in life can always bring comfort during tense moments.

He quickly got to work, using the nano cube to construct a simple remote-controlled robot.

Under his control, this little guy began to busy itself with a clattering sound. The robot's movements were agile yet clumsy, much like a child who had just learned to walk.

Although Lin Fan did not have the powerful abilities from the dream and could not manifest a spiritual body, at this moment, he tried his best to bring the trivialities and joys of life into this illusory space-time.

"Here, it's done, it's warm."

Lin Fan handed the prepared milk tea to the remote-controlled robot, which obediently held the cup and wobbled toward Lin Chen's direction.

Although it was just a simple robot, in Lin Fan's heart, this thoughtful effort made him feel immensely satisfied.

"Thank you, Lin Fan!"

Lin Chen's voice sounded in his ears, carrying a trace of cheerful laughter, as if she were really by his side.

Lin Fan felt a warmth in his heart, and immediately realized that this was not just the sweetness of the milk tea, but also that mutual support and companionship.

"No matter what, I will be by your side," Lin Fan murmured to himself.

After Lin Chen finished the milk tea, a worried look gradually appeared on her cheeks.

"Lin Fan, are we still going to recruit for the harem today?"

Lin Fan instinctively wanted to say: "Of course, but I promise you, as long as we collect enough merit for ten years, we will stop!"

The words had just reached his lips when a chill ran down Lin Fan's spine; this sentence was exactly the same as what he had said in the dream. Could this dream be a prophecy!

He hurriedly changed his words: "It's not recruiting; I'm thinking of a more efficient way to both complete the villain's tasks and allow the Disciples to achieve Awakening."

Lin Chen smiled mischievously and blinked: "Are you willing to not touch those beautiful young women?"

Lin Fan paused slightly and slowly said: "A thousand appearances are formless, the infinite is formless; all passing clouds are but illusions!"

Lin Chen rolled her eyes prettily, a helpless smile on her lips.

"Alright, alright, why are you still putting on an act with me! Don't I know what you're thinking?"