The lights on the judgment bench were still so cold, and a small number of people had already left, adding a little abruptness to the originally full standing.

Merlin also stood on the stage, constantly looking around in a cramped atmosphere. When he saw Sheldon, he realized that his "father" was watching him too.

"It's fine." Sheldon smiled gently, "However, I'm really sorry for you for such a trip." ”

"Hmm." Merlin didn't know how to answer, after all, he realized now that he was still a very small child. He put on an innocent look, smiled at Sheldon, and turned his head away without replying.

"After a day, everyone should have some points in their hearts." Barbatos looked at everyone condescendingly, "So, do you still need time to argue?" ”

No one answered.

"Then," the puppet sitting on the stage seemed to be different from before, and the red glow in his eyes became deeper and more suffocating, "let's just start voting." ”

Not surprisingly, everyone voted for the dead Houston. What's even more interesting is that the icon representing Houston is actually off-white. Sheldon hadn't noticed that everyone at the trial could even vote for the deceased. Of course, this does not violate the rules set by the nightmare, after all, a premeditated suicide is also considered homicide.

Soon, the white lights swirled and finally converged in one place. Bright silver rune light spots appeared out of thin air, arranged in order in front of everyone, forming familiar words.

[Congratulations...... Everybody! The murderer in this case is: Number One! 】

[I'm sorry that the perpetrator was the person who committed the crime, so I couldn't carry out the execution I deserved.] 】

"It's really an unexpected result, I think back then, when he sealed me, it was really beautiful~" Barbatos joked, "It's not that I grabbed the handle and became my nourishment!" Great Barbatos, Lord of Nightmares! ”

"Clean shit!" Nightmare scolded in Merlin's sea of knowledge, "It's a shame for Nightmares......"

"Okay...... "Márquez was already surprised, "how is the magic absorbed?" ”

"As expected, so-so." Merlin said lightly, "It's still very easy to kill this Barbatos in seconds. ”

"......," Márquez had never seen a nightmare speak like that before, "and can I use your magic?" ”

"Yes, but it's not the right time, I've closed off your perception of magic, and it's never too late to open it again. I'll help you if you want to make a move. ”

Anyway, this power is still in the hands of Nightmare in the end, and Márquez can't say much.

"Also, your body is no longer the same as the average person." Nightmare reminded, "Your body and mine are now in a semi-spiritual state, which is a semi-magical state. ”

"What does that mean?" Merlin clenched his fists, he could easily sense the presence of his body.

"The two of us now share control of the body, and of course you're the master." Nightmare explained, "You're now giving me some of your power, mainly in terms of controlling the magic. I can't do anything if I want to force it back, but I advise you not to. ”

"What do you mean by semi-magicalization?"

"It's a word I made up because it's more intuitive." Merlin continued, "This means that your current body can switch between a physical body and a more casual nightmare body. Of course, Nightmare's body also has many limitations, at most, it just makes its body more elastic and can isolate most of the impact. Don't think about it, we're not a nightmare after all. ”

"Of course, it's not human."

"But...... If you switch too often, your own body may be infected by the power of runes, and you may become extremely vulnerable, I don't know. "The flesh has a limit, our nightmare magic has no limit, when the flesh and magic continue to merge, your body may have a series of changes...... That's all I know. ”

Márquez was still a little puzzled: "So what? What do you want to tell me? ”

"Please take good care of your body! If you're gone, I'll have to disappear! Nightmare didn't have a good airway, "So, there are some things that I better deal with." ”

"I didn't say I wouldn't let you do it...... I haven't tried to feel as laid-back as yours. Márquez said shamelessly.

"Come on, you can take care of yourself first." Nightmare snorted.

Since there was no execution, the significance of Barbatos' stay here is debatable. So, the puppet stood up from its own seat, and the wooden mouth kept opening and closing: "But this game is almost over, and if it continues like this, I believe that [Killer] itself has nothing to do, right?" ”

Only then did the rest of the people realize that there was still such a thing as a [murderer], and they couldn't help but turn their heads one after another, look sideways, and keep looking at everyone around them.

"However, this is also a matter for you, and it has nothing to do with me." Barbatos said coldly, "But there is one last link in this trial, are you willing to sacrifice one person as the price of leaving the dream world?" ”

The puppet raised his hand, his hard shell glowing a cold yellowish glow in the pale light, and the oil shimmered, and his obsidian-black eyes lit up with a dark red light.

"Hehe......" There was a naked mockery in his smile.

Number Eight immediately snapped the button on the table, and his choice was [Refuse]. All of a sudden, everyone turned their heads to him, and their faces were not very good-looking. Although Sheldon knew that most of the votes would not come out this time, he refused too quickly!

"I'm the one I don't want to die." Eight's guttural voice was hoarse, as if he had a mouthful of thick phlegm, "That's all." ”

At this point, everyone originally wanted to say something, but for some reason the words came to their mouths like a fish in their throats, like extremely strong wine that they couldn't bear to swallow, making people's hairs stand on end.

There was no hesitation in his voice, nor the timidity of before, but with a blade-like sharpness, it seemed that he could appear next to everyone in the next second, plunge the dagger into the other's chest, and then pull it out without mercy, drawing dizzying blood.

"So......" Peman's cheeks twitched, the first time he had spoken to the master of the dream realm, "anything else?" ”

The puppet laughed, and his body lifted up strangely, as if pulled by a thread. Immediately, he clapped his hands, and the crooked lights in the air gradually spun and retreated, and the entire judgment table shrank back.

"Of course—nothing." Barbatos tilted his head and joked, "Anyway, you guys are so attentive, you didn't even wait for the lack of rooms to kill like this...... It's really commendable~"

Sheldon immediately picked up Merlin and looked around to show that he was not a [murderer], but his face was also tense. He didn't hesitate in the slightest, and strode out before Barbatos could finish speaking. His shoes slammed to the ground, thumping and whirling silently down the small hallway.

"Well...... Barbatos said aggrievedly, "since you don't want to listen to me so much, then I don't need to stay with you any longer." After all...... There are other people waiting for me. Cluck! Giggles! ”

"The murderer is now in a very disadvantageous state," Nightmare said next to Márquez's consciousness, "and with the fact that he kills by touch and is harmless on the day, he can do murder without knowing it, and without revealing any feet." ”

"Why is it unfavorable now?" Márquez was a little confused, "Isn't he okay to kill people all the same?" ”

"Because as the number of people decreases, it is now becoming clearer and clearer about the identity of the killers." Nightmare said, "Of course, this has nothing to do with getting out of the dream world, and the problem is basically unsolvable. ”

"Okay......" Márquez is now fully self-aware.

He had been telling himself before that his body was still a child, his body was still a child, his body was still a child!

"I don't know where your father is taking you, I guess it's going to the guest room."

As the nightmare expected, he was ushered to a brand new guest room, and Sheldon carried him to the center of the bed, and sat down on his own with a sigh of relief.

Sheldon himself didn't have much confidence, he himself was actually scared to death, you know, when he first thought he was killing someone, he almost rolled his eyes and fainted. However, the concern for Merlin eventually saved him. Of course, at that time, Sheldon was thinking, if he died, who should he entrust him to?

The purpose of his bringing the child back was actually because Merlin looked too tired, which made him a little worried about whether the child would fall down in the next second.

"Whew! It's okay...... It's okay! Sheldon stretched out contentedly, like a child pleading for his success, "Would you like to sleep for a while?" After all, it's been so long before. ”

"Okay......" Merlin was indeed tired, and it took him a lot of effort to run around before, "It's really tired......

"Haha......" Sheldon didn't rest with Merlin in the end, he sat down with Merlin for a while, and soon climbed out of bed to carefully examine everything in the room. He stuffed the weapons that would be rationed in the guest room into a drawer, took a book from the shelf, and prepared to flip through it with his hands.

Boom! Knock knock!

There was a knock on the door. It seems that someone is looking for him, or for his children. The possibility of finding his child was of course slim, and carefully weighing the possibility that the other party might rush in and commit murder, Sheldon put the weapons rationed in the room into his pocket, crept to the door, and unscrewed the wooden door.

"Shh After opening the door and seeing Martin, the first thing Sheldon did was to put his index finger in front of his mouth and motioned for the other party to whisper, "The child is resting." ”

Martin nodded, and with Sheldon's permission, he closed the door softly, and the two whispered outside the door.

"But you're really hard, and I'll wonder if it's time for me to ask my wife and have children. If you think about it, milk costs money, clothes cost money, food costs money, toys cost money...... Anything costs money! Where can I raise a dead salary like mine...... The cost of dipping for one gold coin! Grab the money! Does that Charlie guy know what a gold coin is? The kind of gold coin that can bite the bend in one bite! No one collects the privately minted rags......"

"If you have a wife, it won't be so hard...... Besides, it's easier for two people to take care of a child than it is for me to take care of a child. Sheldon was speechless.

"You have money, but I don't!" Martin's tone was categorical, he paused, the corners of his mouth curled, and his eyebrows raised slightly, "Dude, why don't you share it with me?" Maybe you can buy a house early and help me get out of the misery of being assigned a dormitory? ”

"Come on, you, instead of daydreaming here, you might as well think about how to get out of the dream world now." Sheldon chuckled, the tension that had accumulated on weekdays was finally relieved at this moment, "There are not many people now, and what Barbatos said is not wrong at all, the [Killer] itself has not yet made a move, but there are already so many fewer people." With so many murders, we can already preliminarily deduce which people may be the "killers". ”

Seeing that Sheldon didn't have the heart to pick up his topic again, Martin sighed, and the corners of his mouth kept scrolling down: "Okay, then let's talk while we go, the director has personally invited everyone to the restaurant to have a small meeting again, which should be about the identity of the [murderer]." ”

"Then nothing will happen to my son...... Since everyone goes. Sheldon nodded, on the contrary, his stay in the room may be an obstacle to Merlin's rest, "But in the end, there will definitely be another death, because the trial must be held after the murder, which means that if there is no murder, then the remaining rooms will also be devoured by the monsters in the dream world, and we will have to finish the game too." ”

"Aren't we stuck in an endless loop?" Martin wondered, "Isn't there a solution?" ”

"Yes," said Sheldon lightly, "there are many options, but it depends on the cost." ”

First, use brute force to destroy the entire dream world, or tear a hole in it, so that people can enter and exit. However, the cost is usually too great to bear, and torn dreams are often quickly repaired, and under Sheldon's guess, it is usually only possible to go out of one, and if you open it again, you have to open it again. He didn't know if he had the ability to do that right now, and besides, if he did, he would have to take his son out. Secondly, he is still the general affairs management consultant of the Dream Division, and it would be too unconscionable to run away alone.

The second method is the usual murder trial, which usually involves two deaths at a time, and if you want to get out, you have to sacrifice an additional member. But here's the problem, several people have been tried in a row, but no one wants to be the victim.

"I'm sure you want to live too." Sheldon smiled and patted him on the shoulder affectionately, "Don't worry, you're my subordinate now." ”

"Well......" Martin was a little entangled at this time, "but it's really bitter for you, and your son is also involved...... I don't know what will become of the Dream Division this time. ”

"Let's take one step at a time." Sheldon said freely, "The third method, you should also know very well, is that the last person to survive wins. ”

There are fewer and fewer members, and although the definition of the killer is becoming clearer, the motivation for killing is also getting stronger. You know, according to Barbatos, the [murderer] kills people basically without making any noise, and they die at the slightest touch. If there are only two people left in the end, one of them is a murderer, and the other is a low-level warlock who has nothing, then what capital does the other party have to fight against the murderer?

"That's right," Martin hunched up in frustration, and he could only sigh because he didn't have much strength, "I don't want to die either...... I still have so many good times......"

"Let's go over and take a look first, after all, there is only one [murderer], and now we still have the advantage in numbers." Sheldon was much more relaxed than before, "Everyone is present in the meeting, and once you touch the killing, you will definitely recognize the [killer]...... Let's see the No. 3 arrangement when the time comes. ”

Martin nodded, and said no more. The two stopped talking, quickened their pace, and walked through the crimson carpet, through the gaps between roses and roses. They walked down the familiar staircase again, their perspectives shifting, and the two of them knew each other that all they could maintain now was frozen silence.

The two of them heard the bustle inside the door not far from the door of the restaurant, which must have been quite lively. Sheldon pushed the door first, and Peman, who was standing in the doorway, turned his head first, and the chatter stopped abruptly as they arrived.

"Welcome." Peman stretched out his hand and greeted the two of them, "Then sit down." ”

"I just sent my son to the guest room to rest and he was really tired." Sheldon sat down and said in a voice that everyone could hear, "So, what are we going to do next?" ”

"We also believe that a one- or two-year-old, two- or three-year-old child should not be able to do anything harmful." Peyman originally wanted to use this sentence to ease the tension of the previous argument, "We were talking about what to do next." Time and retention are running out, and there is nothing that can be done about it right now, but it is important to discuss countermeasures. ”

"The main thing is that the identity of [the killer] hasn't been revealed yet......" Sheldon muttered quietly, and when he looked around, he suddenly realized that there seemed to be one less person here, "Wait, is there still someone who hasn't come?" ”

"Yes......" Peman said with some embarrassment, "No. 8 he refused to come no matter how much he persuaded him, looking at that kind of posture, I believe you can't do anything about him." ”

"Indeed." Sheldon agreed, "I just hope he's not [the killer], it's not too late......"

"Now that everyone is here, let's get to the previous topic. In other words, if there is another murder case, how should we deal with it next? Peyman clapped his hands and led in the tone of being the director of the Dream Division, "If you want to speak, you can raise your hand." ”

I don't know why, since Sheldon and Martin arrived, the atmosphere of the conversation seemed to have changed, as if a stinky sock was stuffed in the middle of a salted fish, and I couldn't understand what I said, so I had to cover my nose and find something useful to come out between all kinds of nonsense.

By now, the most convincing thing is that the killer will be forgiven, but will be the price for others to get out of their dreams. Sheldon suggested that for now, they were just assuming that the act of [forgiveness] could continue to the final step out of the dream world, and if they found out later that forgiveness had not followed, it would be troublesome. People die and nothing is done, and it's a real headache. What's more, when the time comes, it is still unknown whether it will succeed if it is done. But there has been some progress in this matter.

There's still a lot of time to do today, and they can talk about it here after dinner, and it's okay to continue arguing after dinner.

"Ho...... Ho...... Ho ......"

As everyone knows, at the other end of the closed restaurant door, the bloodshot No. 8's left ear is close to the cold door, and cold sweat keeps sliding down. He believed that no one would observe more closely than himself. He pressed his breathing to the extreme, and peeked into the conversation through the crack in the door, his Adam's apple constantly flipping up and down. If someone stops to watch, the first thought that comes to mind is that this person has been hysterical to the extreme.

The end of fear is boundless coldness and sharpness.

It's useless to listen to it any longer.

"Whew...... Whew...... "Extremely quiet, but extremely noisy breathing."

Close your eyes, open your eyes, close your eyes again, open your eyes again. He had expected it. He is the Murderer.

He trotted all the way, and climbed the spiral staircase with ease. He gasped, but an infinite amount of fire poured out of his body, rushing to his limbs and bones, urging him to move forward.

Squeak –

The first door was unscrewed open, and Eight entered the room with the blood-red carpet on the soles of his feet, peeking in cautiously and finding nothing, so he left in a huff.

The second and third ......

Ultimately......

"Ho...... Ho......! It was a morbid euphoria, and the sharp breathing of Eight deep in his throat was like a hoarse rooster, shredded and messy.

"Hu ......" Merlin in the center of the quilt only showed one head, blonde hair was scattered, a small face that could be blown and broken, and his cheeks were slightly red.

Merlin was asleep.

He was so tired that he didn't even notice that such a big person walked up to him lightly.

"Huh...... Cluck! Eight stretched out his right hand and slowly grabbed Merlin's neck.

As long as he shook it lightly, the little guy in front of him would die.

He didn't have a choice.

At this time, in Merlin's sea of consciousness, Nightmare was spinning around in a panic beside the sleeping Marquez.

"Hey! Marquez! Wake me up! Nightmare stretched out his illusory tentacles and shook the soul that belonged to Márquez - Nightmare didn't even think that in the soul, they could actually touch each other!

And now Márquez shows no signs of wanting to wake up, he still sleeps like a dead pig.

"Hey! Wake me up—" Nightmare turned to look at the spot that connected Merlin's vision.

It's too late.

"Haha! Hahahaha! Merlin's body was like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered, at the mercy of Eight's thin arm.

He felt it...... He felt it! A surge of power is surging in your body!

The moment Number Eight touched Merlin, countless dark golden lines lit up on his skin, like lively fish swimming in the water, they all jumped up and down in unison, slamming left and right, and finally all concentrated on the fingertips of his right hand.

Wow——!!

"Hmm——!" Merlin's long blonde hair fluttered wildly in the air without wind, ripple after stubble ripple around him, shaking the space around him.

The power was transmitted from Eight's right hand to the poor boy's neck, and it immediately turned into golden roots, which stretched inward in his body with impunity!

This is a decay visible to the naked eye, and the nightmare just watched the vitality in Merlin's body quickly overflow!

"Get out of the way!" Merlin violently pushed away the throne that belonged to Márquez, and before the little master of the body could react, he had to do something.

Merlin's skin was rapidly sagging and wrinkled, his hands and feet were bending, and his hair was gradually turning from a shiny golden yellow to a haggard, and finally washed away from the lead and turned to the weakest pale.

If it weren't for Merlin's body, which was no longer a human shell, he would have been dead a long time ago.

"Ahem...... Ahem! Under the surprised gaze of No. 8, the baby in front of him actually coughed twice and slowly opened his eyes!

It was a deep purple that penetrated the bone marrow and pierced the soul. It's weird, it's terrifying, and it's full of infinite possibilities.

At this time, Eight felt that the powerful force that emerged from his body out of thin air was being forced back by a strange barrier, like a snowball meeting a soaring flame, and they were constantly fleeing!

The golden veins returned to wherever they came from, and they frantically withdrew from the unfathomable husk in front of them, and eventually flowed back into Eight's body, where they disappeared.

"How, how is it possible!" Eight watched Merlin's body quickly change back to its original form, and the way the other man looked at him was like looking at a dead man.

His skin was plump, his bones were reborn, and his bruised lips were rosy.

However, Merlin's hair did not return to its original golden color. The tips of the pale hair were dyed with a very light purple for some reason.

"So what! Give me death! Eight put his left hand around the baby's neck, exerting great pressure on each of his fingertips.

"Hmm! Quack——! The next moment, Merlin's eyes, which were still purple, suddenly turned into clear golden!

"Uhh——!hh Within the sea of knowledge, the nightmare thrown out by the powerful impact hit the barrier of nothingness, and finally slipped dejectedly.

As the master of the body, Márquez finally woke up, and he took the place of Nightmare as a matter of course, taking the lead.

But what awaited him was the pressure on his neck, which forced his eyes to roll up, and the endless fear of death.

"Hurry up! Let me take over—uh-ahem—" The nightmare's soul raced towards Márquez's kneeling soul - the nightmare stumbled and lost its way from a strange sense of oppression.

Is this what it feels like to be suffocating......

In a critical moment, the touch acting on the body can actually be transmitted to each other between the two souls!

Merlin's short limbs swayed weakly, his crystal sticky saliva slid uncontrollably down the corners of his mouth, his golden eyes turned up weakly, and his long hair that had been flying fell like raindrops one after another.

"No matter what kind of monster you are, you have to die ——!" Eight roared hoarsely, and the pent-up fear and anger in his heart exploded in an instant.

In the next second, the body that was constantly writhing in his hand hung down weakly, and he could clearly feel that the body in his hand was paralyzed and inactive.

"Haha-uh!"

He was choked by an invisible hand.

Soon, the pressure on his neck gradually lifted, and under the weak kick of No. 8, he found that his body was involuntarily floating in the air.

He no longer had the strength to hold the baby in front of him.

Because the "baby" on the other side is holding his throat with his extremely small hands.

The other party's hands were clutched in front of him, his face did not have the slightest expression, and his purple eyes were still so untouchable.

"Goodbye." Merlin raised his eyes and said hoarsely.

Click!

As far as you can see, the world is spinning. A blinding red.

That's what he's most afraid of seeing.

It was scarlet blood spurting from his neck.

"Huh...... This is, you owe me ......"

Before losing consciousness, the corners of Merlin's mouth curled slightly, and the purple glow in his eyes faded like a tide, leaving only the original godless golden.

It's like falling into the abyss, and it's fascinating.