Chapter 34: Wen Ke's Request

What exactly have I missed?

Lu Yuan frowned deeply. This vague feeling of having overlooked something, yet being unable to pinpoint the root of the problem, was like a cat scratching at his heart—it was maddening. After pondering for a long time, he still could not catch that fleeting spark of insight, so he had to set the matter aside for the moment.

The television screen lit up once again.

[Respected psychologist, after a conversation between friends, Zhuo Yan’s favorability toward you has increased.]
[Your chat has slightly alleviated Zhuo Yan’s psychological condition.]

Lu Yuan was not surprised. In the process of psychotherapy, conversation is actually a crucial therapeutic tool; the foundation of resolving any pathology is built upon communication. Only when a patient is willing to open their heart and pour out their inner thoughts to the therapist can the next step of treatment begin. Clearly, Lu Yuan had successfully taken the first step.

Since the task requested by the television had been initially completed, this meant Lu Yuan could leave the Weird Dream World. He was gradually figuring it out. Each entry into the Weird Dream World was mandatory, and to leave, one had to complete at least one task issued by the television.

"No, that's not quite right."
"To say 'complete' is a bit too absolute."

Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered. Some tasks were impossible to finish in a short time, so they would be broken down into steps. For instance, treating An Shi and Zhuo Yan. Treating psychological disorders, especially those of "Weird" entities, required a long and arduous process. The television could not possibly expect Lu Yuan to cure them in one go; therefore, as long as there was progress in the treatment, it could be considered as having completed a task.

A thought struck Lu Yuan. Could this be considered a bug? If he entered the Weird Dream World every day to have a therapeutic chat with Zhuo Yan, he could then go to sleep and wake up in the real world the next day. In other words, as long as Zhuo Yan’s condition remained unresolved, he could exploit this "task bug" to exit the dream world at will. While it wasn't exactly fair to Zhuo Yan, she was, after all, a "Weird" entity, and Lu Yuan naturally had to prioritize his own interests.

"If I treat this Weird Dream World as a game, then I am currently just a novice who has barely glimpsed the entrance."

Lu Yuan knew his position clearly. An irrepressible sense of excitement and curiosity surged within him. This mystery of exploring the unknown was always filled with infinite curiosity and anticipation, yet it was also accompanied by terrifying danger.

Lu Yuan exhaled, casting aside the stray thoughts in his mind. His current task was to sleep; he had important things to do when he woke up tomorrow. He closed his eyes.

***

He did not know how much time had passed when a wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he sank into a deep sleep. When he woke up the next day, it was already nine in the morning. Since he had no patients anyway, Lu Yuan could sleep as long as he liked. After a quick wash, he buried himself in his studies; if he could pass the exam to become an auxiliary officer for the police department, the benefits would certainly be far better than being a psychologist.

It wasn't until the afternoon, when his stomach growled with hunger, that he finally closed his study materials. Leaving the clinic, he grabbed a quick meal at a small restaurant before searching online for information about Mingzhi Elementary School.

"Mingzhi Elementary doesn't seem to have anything special about it."

Following the map on his phone, Lu Yuan walked toward the school. Mingzhi Elementary was located in the northern district of S City, about an hour's walk from his clinic. The news online regarding the school was mostly positive, with no negative reports to be found.

When Lu Yuan arrived, it was just in time for dismissal. The school gate was bustling with people—parents picking up their children and street vendors hawking snacks. Standing across from the gate, Lu Yuan recalled the map in his mind.

"It takes an hour to walk here from my clinic; if I were running, it would take at least forty minutes. But from An Shi’s villa, it wouldn't take less than three hours."

Lu Yuan’s eyes narrowed. In the Weird Dream World, there were no vehicles; one had to rely on their own two feet to get from one place to another. He also had to consider that in the dream, he was using An Shi’s body. An Shi was over fifty years old; his physical condition couldn't keep up with a young man’s, meaning the travel time would be even longer. Conservatively estimated, it would take at least five hours to get from the villa to the school gate.

"Five hours... that’s too long."

Lu Yuan didn't know the Weird Dream World well yet, but he understood one basic truth: the world outside the villa was far more dangerous than the inside. In a sense, An Shi’s villa was his safe house. Leaving the villa meant stepping out of his comfort zone. The longer he spent outside, the more danger he had to account for.

Just as he was deep in thought, a steaming starch sausage was held out toward him, smelling incredibly fragrant.

***

Lu Yuan was stunned. Wen Ke’s eyes were full of surprise: "We really have quite the connection, meeting here of all places."

It was Wen Ke again. Lu Yuan also felt that he and Wen Ke had been running into each other far too often.

"Want some?" Wen Ke shook the sausage in her hand.

Lu Yuan chuckled and took it. "Isn't it said that starch sausages aren't hygienic? As a police officer, shouldn't you set a better example for the kids?"

Wen Ke patted her backside and sat down directly on the curb, tossing her short hair. "I’m in plainclothes; these kids don't know I’m a cop. If I want to eat it, I buy it—why be so fussy!"

Lu Yuan followed suit, sitting down on the curb beside her as they watched the street traffic. "Are you here to investigate the Zhuo Yan case?"

Wen Ke took a bite of the hot sausage, the spicy flavor lingering on her lips as she stuck out her tongue because of the heat. "That's just how being a cop is."

Lu Yuan nodded. Police work was indeed hard and dangerous. He actually admired those who chose to be officers; the conviction to sacrifice oneself for others at any moment was something he didn't quite understand and couldn't emulate.

Wen Ke turned to look at him. "Then what are you doing here?"

Every place Lu Yuan appeared was suspicious. Last time it was An Shi’s villa. This time, it was Mingzhi Elementary. It was hard not to be suspicious of where he turned up.

Lu Yuan was momentarily lost for words. He couldn't think of a suitable excuse. After a moment of silence, he replied calmly, "I saw some leaks online claiming the deceased from the villa was a teacher at Mingzhi Elementary. Since this case has some connection to me, I wanted to see if I could find any clues to help you."

Wen Ke didn't seem too skeptical; many online leaks had already guessed Zhuo Yan’s identity, which had indirectly made the investigation more difficult.

"Any leads?" Lu Yuan asked casually.

Wen Ke looked haggard and shook her head. "This case is much more complex than I imagined. It's unlikely to be fully solved in the short term."

Lu Yuan responded instinctively, "Do you need my help?"

He was only being polite, not expecting a real answer, but Wen Ke looked at him quite seriously. "Actually, there does seem to be one favor I need from you."