Chapter 27: The Consultation

Liu Guangyao nodded with a vacant expression, then continued, speaking as if to himself: "I had another dream. In the dream, the Blood God died, and it was being eaten by someone."

"Being eaten?" Xia Shou frowned slightly.

In reality, it was he who had consumed the Blood Demon—or rather, his shadow had consumed it. Now, in this man’s dream, someone else had also devoured the Blood Demon. This could not be a coincidence.

Truth be told, although his shadow had helped him many times, Xia Shou still knew nothing about it. It seemed to possess an immense power capable of converting anomalies into the buoyancy of the Sea of Origins, but this was likely not an ability he had brought with him when he crossed over. Like Alice, it was a legacy left behind by the previous owner of the *Death Records* notebook.

According to the Control Bureau’s records, the personalities contained within the *Death Records* were not necessarily benevolent. The previous owner might not have been helping him at all; they could have been using him. It was even possible that the shadow wasn't providing him with buoyancy, but that he had been forced into the role of a feeder, hunting down anomalies to satiate the shadow. Was there something even more terrifying and dangerous than the Blood Demon lurking beneath that dark silhouette?

"You say someone was eating the Blood God. Did you see what that person looked like? And are you sure it was a person, and not something else?" Xia Shou asked cautiously.

"I can't remember their face. I only remember... he was wearing a very, very dark outfit, and a hat like the ones pirates wear, and then... I, I really can't recall anything else."

Liu Guangyao gasped for air, his expression twisting as if the act of remembering caused him immense agony. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, visible and rapid.

"Alright, alright! Let’s not think about that; it’s not important. Just tell me, where did you hear the name 'Blood God'?" Xia Shou immediately changed his line of questioning to calm the man down.

The term "Blood God" troubled Xia Shou deeply. In the description of the cost for the skill [Blood Riot]—which he had gained from devouring the Blood Demon—there was a mention of "Him." It stated that when his understanding of blood reached a certain level, "He" would bestow a trial upon him. It was clear that this "He" was not the Blood Demon Xia Shou had slaughtered, but a higher-order existence—one from whom the Blood Demon likely derived its power.

If possible, he wanted to understand the source of this power so that if the trial truly came, he would not be caught unprepared. From the fact that Liu Guangyao called the Blood Demon the "Blood God," it was clear that some people had built a religion-like organization around it. He might be able to start his investigation there.

"Hah... hah... I... I heard it from the people who were trying to kill me. Sometimes, in my dreams, I go to a place I've never been before. The space there is all distorted; doors and windows are connected haphazardly, and up, down, left, and right are all inverted. That’s where I saw what they called the Blood God. It’s just like the painting you saw... that’s exactly what it looks like."

Entering the Blood Demon’s House through a dream? Was this some kind of mechanism of the house? But didn't the Bureau’s records state that since Edward entered the Blood Demon’s House, incidents involving the Blood Demon in reality had been completely eradicated?

"Did you encounter anything else in your dreams? People, or other monsters like the Blood God?" Xia Shou pressed.

"I met many people I didn't recognize. I don't know why, but I couldn't remember their faces before. But today, seeing you, I suddenly remembered what they looked like. It feels so strange... wait!"

Liu Guangyao suddenly seemed to realize something. His eyes widened as he looked up at Wang Long and Xia Shou. "I can only see their faces clearly in my dreams. Could it be that I’m still in a dream? I’m still in a dream right now!!"

Liu Guangyao leaped from the bed, letting out a terrified scream. Wang Long lunged forward to hold him down, shouting, "No! You are awake! This is a hospital. Look, the ceiling and the floor here are normal, unlike in your dream!"

Liu Guangyao panted heavily, staring neurotically at Wang Long, his expression caught between belief and doubt. "Really?"

"Really. And in your dream, your arm would be healed, right? But look, your hand is still like this!" Wang Long gestured toward the bandage-wrapped arm.

Liu Guangyao looked at the rotting limb and calmed down slightly. He sat back on the bed and began to draw again. "That’s true. It’s so strange, though. If I’m not in a dream, why can I remember their faces so clearly? Is my brain starting to fail?"

During their conversation, the first drawing was completed. The person in the portrait was clearly a foreigner. Since his skill was average, it wasn't photorealistic, but compared to having no clues at all, it was at least a direction for investigation. Wang Long immediately took a photo of the sketch, intending to send it to his superiors, but he struggled for a long time. "Is the network really this bad? Didn't they just install a new wireless system in the hospital?"

Liu Guangyao had already started drawing the second picture in silence. This time, it was a full-body portrait. The figure in the drawing wore a coir raincoat and a conical hat, looking like an ancient fisherman. But as the details were refined, the figure’s iconic features emerged: curly hair, noted as being yellow.

"This person is a foreigner. He has yellow hair and green eyes. His clothing is different from everyone else's. I drew it like a raincoat, but the strips on it aren't straw; they are long, blue-green gemstones. It’s very beautiful," Liu Guangyao explained.

Su Weiyu, who had been silent until now, saw the drawing and her eyes lit up. She pointed at the portrait and said, "Edward! That’s Edward!"

"The S-rank legendary investigator?" Xia Shou confirmed in surprise.

Su Weiyu nodded vigorously. "Before I entered the house, I investigated thoroughly. This is the gear Edward was equipped with when he last entered the Blood Demon’s House! And the blonde hair and green eyes match his physical description!"

Xia Shou remembered that after he killed the Blood Demon that day, the investigation team had searched the house but never found Edward. His life-lamp at the Bureau was still lit, but the man had vanished without a trace.

It could be said that what Liu Guangyao had just provided was the most recent clue regarding Edward.

Xia Shou looked at Liu Guangyao again and asked softly, "What was he doing in your dream? Did he ask you to do anything?"

Liu Guangyao stared into space for a moment, then muttered, "He seemed to ask me to pass on a message, but I’ve forgotten it now. In the dream, he protected me many times. His martial arts are incredible; those killers were no match for him. As long as you met him and stayed by his side, you wouldn't die in the dream."

*Plop!*

A piece of plaster fell onto Liu Guangyao’s hospital bed. Xia Shou looked up at the ceiling and saw that the yellowing plaster was covered in cracks, as if it were about to fall apart at any moment.

He picked up the piece of plaster and crumbled it between his fingers into fine powder. The dust wasn't dry; it felt damp and clammy, as if it had been soaked in moisture for years.

Xia Shou frowned. He remembered that when he first entered this room, it hadn't looked this dilapidated.