A cheap apartment on Althea Boulevard, late at night.

Once again, Edmund wakes up from his nightmare.

Outside the window, the moonlight poured in, and he sat on the bed and stared blankly at the scene in front of him.

In just a few days, Edmund looked haggard, and he could often sense the presence of the other party since he was entangled in that unknown thing.

Blood would flow from the faucet, footsteps would come from the hallway where no one would live, his hands and shoe prints would be covered in his own blood, his arms would be bloody, and the whispers in his dreams would drive him crazy.

Suddenly, a distorted black shadow flashed on the floor, as fast as a hallucination.

But he knew it wasn't a hallucination.

Ever since he went to that villa to investigate, this inexplicable thing has haunted him, Edmund has no idea what it is, he is just a trainee investigator in the inspection bureau, and there is no such thing in the common weird lessons he has learned.

He wanted to call his teammates for help, but when he remembered their disdainful and cold gaze, his throat felt like a fish bone was stuck, and he couldn't speak.

Every time I took out the captain's phone, I didn't dare to press the button.

He knows better than anyone that if he has a mental condition during the apprenticeship investigator period, he will most likely be dismissed and never return to the inspection bureau.

If he were to go back to that filthy mud again, he'd rather die right here.

There was another commotion in the apartment, and he vaguely saw someone standing in the doorway, Edmund let out a frightened scream and subconsciously turned on the light, but after the light came on, the strange phenomenon disappeared again.

There was a scolding from the neighbor next door, this apartment and his cheap rent are rotten to the extreme sound insulation, and Edmund has received several complaints from neighbors in the past few days because of special reasons.

If you come a few more times, you will probably be swept away.

Where will he go then?

It's going to die, either driven crazy by this unknown weirdness, or weird and tired of killing him.

Loneliness, despair and other negative emotions instantly wrapped Edmund, and he seemed to return to the slum of his childhood, that dirty, muddy place, as if there would never be hope.

Because of the talent called 'inspiration', he was not accepted by the people around him no matter where he was, and he was always a 'liar', 'madman', and 'liar', and when he grew up, this talent was noticed by the inspection bureau, and he originally thought that he was finally out of a desperate situation and had a companion who could accept and see the same world, but in the end, he would still die humbly alone in this cheap apartment.

No one celebrates his birth, and no one cares about his death.

Edmund hugged his head, tried his best to dispel the negative emotions that kept rising, he blinked his bloodshot eyes, he slept no more than 4 hours in the past few days, both physically and mentally at the limit.

The clock in the apartment rattled.

Edmund came back to his senses, looked at the hour and minute hands pointing to 12 o'clock, and quickly lay down again, dispelling the thoughts in his mind and imagining what it would be like to sink into the water.

Thankfully, the tiredness of these days had brought him sleepiness, and in a half-asleep and half-awake door, Edmund managed to reach the space gate surrounded by a dense fog, with a platform suspended in the void at his feet.

【Dream Gap】

That's what the inspectors call this void space door.

Only a few people can enter this special spatial door near 12 midnight, on the edge of lucidity and dreams, this is the ladder to heaven, this is the Tower of Babel, the only hope that the gods of the world have given to mankind.

There are inexplicably strange and indescribable evil gods in this world, but this world is not hopeless, and in the eyes of those who understand the mysterious world, this [Dream Gap] that only humans can enter is the path of hope for human beings.

At the same time, it is also Edmund's only lifesaver now.

Edmund came back to his senses, he was already standing on the platform, kerosene lamp in his hand, and the staircase stretched somewhere at his feet, and he hesitated for a moment, but finally took a step.

As he walked up the stairs, the fog around him immediately filled the air, but most of it was dispelled by the kerosene lamp in his hand, but even so, he could still hear strange whispers ringing in his ears, and he remembered the teachings of his predecessors and tried to ignore the voices in his ears.

The stairs were not long, but he walked with great difficulty, every step was considered for a long time before daring to fall, his forehead was soaked with cold sweat at some point, and the kerosene lamp in his hand began to flicker dangerously.

If it was usual, he would have given up at this time, but now he has no way back.

Edmund gritted his teeth and forced himself to continue, finally reaching the first platform before the kerosene lamp went out.

When he reached the first platform, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but found that the kerosene lamp in his hand was already in danger at some point, as if it might go out at any time, and the range that could be illuminated had shrunk from a diameter of 2 meters around his body to a few centimeters under his feet.

If you don't leave this place until the kerosene lamp goes out, you may be lost in the fog of dreams forever.

But Edmund had no time in reality, and his heart was full of eagerness, and he had forgotten the captain's instructions to keep an absolutely cool head in the [Dream Gap] and take it when he saw it.

He was desperately looking for a staircase to the next floor on the first platform, but he couldn't find it.

Suddenly, Edmund jerked around, feeling as if someone was walking behind him.

But you can't see anything, but you can hear the subtle sound of rustling around you.

In the strange fog, it is a terrible thing to lose vision, because it is not known if there are monsters in the fog that are eyeing this way.

Edmund's heart beat faster, he couldn't hold it anymore, he stood there and closed his eyes to get out of here and return to reality as soon as possible.

One second, two seconds.

Edmund opened his eyes, despairing to find that he had not returned to reality, and that the kerosene lamp in his hand seemed to have been completely extinguished.

This was not the end of the story, when Edmund suddenly noticed a tall figure standing in front of him at some point.

Little by little, he looked up, and then he saw—

A clown who emerged from the fog, as pale as paint, with the corners of his mouth pulled to his ears, and his bloody mouth wide open.

Under the trend of great fear, Edmund's body suddenly became uncontrollable, and he heard a huge wail that was not like that of a human, and when he listened closely, he realized that it was a scream coming from his own throat.

Edmund snapped open his eyes and found himself back in reality, the remnants of despair and fear with him, and he sat on the bed in a daze, hugging himself.

I'm sorry, Captain.

Tears fell one by one, and his heart was full of unwillingness to reality and disappointment in his cowardice.

What he knew, he knew, he knew that the key to breaking through the first layer of the Dream Gap was actually to fight against his own [fear].

There is a summary of the rules in the inspection bureau, the first layer of the platform will appear in the most fearful thing in your subconscious, as long as you can overcome your fear, the fog will dissipate, and you will initially step into the extraordinary.

But he is...... I can't do it.

The clown, the fear in Edmund's heart, was a time he would never want to remember.

The moonlight shines through the window as always, like a cold goddess, indifferent to everything that happens at the door of the world, compassionate and indifferent.

Edmund had no choice, all the ways he could try to save himself had been tried.

What else, what else can he do......

At this moment, he suddenly remembered something, and jerked up at the bedside table.

There was a blank piece of paper, lying there quietly, it was a blank piece of paper obtained from Ran's psychotherapy room, according to the rules of the Inspection Bureau, the investigators were not allowed to touch the evil gods without permission, nor could they ask for anything, and all items obtained from the evil gods had to be handed over or destroyed.

But for some reason, Edmund couldn't throw it away immediately.

It was the silk of spiders stretched out of hell.

He thought to himself.

But it was not the Buddha who let the spider silk extend, but the evil god.

……

On this day, Rann was in the psychotherapy room pondering the circle he had drawn in the Kamuyi tribe.

Although that incident had passed, and Rann had no intention of continuing to get involved, only this incident was still lingering in his mind and could not be easily ignored.

After all, it's about evil gods, and I can't pay too much attention to it.

Thinking of this, Rann tossed his memories in distress, trying to recall the information he had obtained in the game in his previous life, trying to figure out what had happened before.

Why don't you use a pointed prayer to make the circle work? Which evil god is this linked to? At what cost?

I can't figure this out, he doesn't sleep soundly.

Rann reminisced, and subconsciously started to draw a magic circle that had been used by the Kamuyi before.

Of course, it didn't work.

It's better to say that this is a normal phenomenon, and it was only hell that it worked before.

Jingle Bell –

The door of the psychotherapy room was pushed open from the outside, and the wind chimes sounded with a crisp sound, and Rann looked up and saw that it was a guest who had met before, and showed a just right smile: "It's you, welcome." ”

This smile, in the eyes of Edmund, who came to the door with the courage to do nothing, was the hunter who had already expected it and waited for the prey to come to the door.

And the prey that actively steps into the trap...... Yourself, of course.

Edmund sat across from Rann in silence, his heart full of hesitation and confusion.

He knew that his actions were undoubtedly a betrayal of the inspector's standards, and that if the matter of his coming to the evil god was discovered, he would go to the internal trial court of the Inspectorate, and there was almost no suspense that it would be a death sentence.

However, there really was nothing he could do about it.

"Mr. Edmund, right?" Rann flipped through the previous medical records, and the silent memory instantly began to float the door, and he narrowed his eyes, remembering that this was the last time he was stuck on the edge of a white prostitute and did not pay.

When such a guest comes to the door again, it is the time to turn it into a regular customer, and Rann will certainly not let it go.

"Did you solve the problem last time?"

Edmund was silent for a long time, his throat dry: "It's ...... It doesn't matter anymore. ”

Rann nodded, and made a note of the medical record, his condition had deteriorated, and he might have quit his job.

Alas, conflicts in the workplace are a long-standing problem at any time.

"I—I want to know how to solve the current problem." Edmund struggled for a long time, but finally chose to turn to the evil god for help.

Puzzle? Isn't the conflict in the workplace already ending in resignation...... Rann turned his pen around, noticing the cowardice and apprehension in Edmund's eyes.

And when he looks at the past, this person will unconsciously look away, not daring to look directly at other people's faces.

>

It is also common for you to be hit by PUA in the workplace and start to lose confidence?

It is not a simple task to rebuild the self-confidence of a person who has a psychological shadow in the workplace, and it takes a period of time to communicate openly and honestly, and to carry out short-term or long-term treatment as the case may be.

This can't be a prostitute for nothing, otherwise he will die.

Rann said tactfully, "This comes at a price. ”

Medical expenses!

Edmund pursed his lips and smiled wryly, yes, how can there be a free lunch in the world?

Making a deal with an evil god will definitely pay a price unimaginable to ordinary people.

He lowered his head: "I understand. ”

He was ready to realize it.

Rann was satisfied, and he finally received a job that matched the profession of a psychiatrist, instead of charging the player for an embarrassing conversation.

That's a good start.

Now that he was sure that Edmund would be his client, Rann began to get serious, he sat up straight, and said in Edmund's worried eyes, "Describe to me how you've been for the past few days." ”

State......

Edmund shook his body, and half-loudly, he said in a hoarse voice, "I...... I can't stand it anymore, I can't sleep for the past few days, it's been harassing me, I feel like I'm going crazy, but there's nothing I can do about it...... I can't do it, I really can't do it, I'm so scared, I can't get over my fears. ”

He spoke incoherently, in reverse order, with broken logic, bloodshot eyes, and a haggard look that could go crazy at any moment.

Rann was taken aback, he didn't expect the situation to become so serious in just a few days, could this be the kind of sweatshop that eats human blood steamed buns?

His heart gradually became solemn, but his expression remained calm and soft: "Don't be nervous, Edmund, tell me what you are afraid of?" ”

"I ...... I," Edmund hesitated.

"Don't worry," Rann said, "tell me the source of your fear, and I'll help you out." ”

If Edmund still had reason at this time, maybe he would wonder why Rann didn't help him solve it directly, but at this moment, Edmund's whole state was extremely poor, and after being silent for a while, he lowered his head and said slowly:

"It's just a very simple story."

A circus comes to a slum neighborhood for a free performance, and all the children go to see it, but no one knows that the circus clown is a pervert who loves to abuse young children.

This is the worst security area in the city, and it is also a jungle where gangs grow, compared to the children in the city, no one will care if the children here are missing, and no parents will call the police. Fall into poison. Pin, cigarettes and xingzhong, how can they care about drag oil bottles?

Edmund was one of those victims as a child.

He hid in the cupboard, and saw with his own eyes that the clown had tortured and killed his playmate, and there was blood all over the floor, blood flowing from that little body, and those eyes were still staring at him before they lost their luster, as if to question why he didn't save himself, and then the clown pulled him out of the cupboard, touched the corner of his mouth and gestured with a knife:

"Why not smile? Look at this pitiful picture, child, I tell you, the more you get to a desperate situation, the more you have to laugh. Because what people like me want to see most is your fear. ”

Even after more than ten years, Edmund could still repeat word by word what the murderous clown had said to him, he looked up at Rann with a confused face, and he didn't notice when the corners of his mouth were hooked:

[Come, laugh at it.] 】

"Come on, laugh at it."

Ran's pupils shrank slightly, and at this moment, he seemed to see the corners of Edmund's mouth faintly stained with a mad bright red.

But it seemed to be just a fleeting illusion, and Edmund still looked so depressed, clutching his head in pain: "I will never forget that moment, when I was lifted up by him, and the knife was against my chin, and I saw blood...... Blood red. ”

"And then?" Rann couldn't help but ask.

And then, and then...... I was saved, the police came, and the clown died, lying in a pool of blood, having his throat cut with his own knife. Edmund muttered.

"Did the police break in?"

"I don't know, it should, it should be."

But that scene became a nightmare that Edmund couldn't get rid of, and even if he was rescued later, to this day, he still can't overcome the fear in his heart.

Rann fell silent when he heard this, he had thought that it was a workplace issue that had made Edmund this happening, but it seemed that things were far more complicated than he thought.

There may also be a reference to the shadow of the past.

Rann turned his pen and felt that he needed to go back and rethink his treatment plan, he wanted to let Edmund go back first, but he saw the color of hope in Edmund's eyes.

"......," Rann said, taking a breath, "First of all, solving this puzzle requires you to regain your self-confidence. ”

"You are tormented by the pain of the past, but since you have come through so many years, it means that you have actually begun to forget the past, because of some reason that caused the recurrence of PTSD in the past."

Rann is well aware of this kind of psychology of being a PUA person in the workplace, and being in a long-term suppression, he will doubt himself, think that he is worthless, and is used to relying on other people's orders.

The process of rebuilding one's faith is the process of finding one's original self.

"You need to get back to your self."

What? Didn't you directly help him solve the weirdness that was wrapped around him? Edmund was a little confused: "Then when will I be able to solve the problem completely?" ”

"It's going to take a moment."

It probably takes him to suddenly figure it out one day, or find a new job, and have a new friendly workplace environment, maybe the psychological shadow and PTSD caused by the previous job will naturally disintegrate.

Edmund walked out of Rann's psychotherapy room with a little confusion, the process of seeking help from the evil god was completely different from what he thought, he was ready to sell his soul to the demon, and was ready to sacrifice his own switch to help, who knew that he came out intact, and the evil god did not use any magical powers, so he gave a few words of advice.

That's really...... Is it okay?

Edmund looked at the sky outside the mental clinic, and his heart was still uneasy, when will that so-called opportunity come?

"Let me tell you, that butterfly specimen is really hard to find, Shu Haohao and I are almost searching all over the city, but we can't find ......"

Butterfly?

Edmund's eyes widened suddenly, the word butterfly had been popping up in his mind for a few days, and whenever something strange happened, there would always be a voice in his ear saying something like 'butterfly, butterfly flew away'.

Could this be the opportunity?

Edmund hurriedly stopped the three players who were about to enter the psychotherapy room: "Are you looking for butterflies?" ”

The three players, namely Yeye, Baba and Shu Hao, had no choice but to come to Rann because of the interruption of clues, and saw if they could get some clues, but they were stopped by an NPC just about to enter.

The three of them looked at each other, and they could see that Edmund had just come out of the psychiatric room: "yes, what's wrong?" ”

"What kind of butterfly is it?"

"Forehead, black and red, with eye-like lines on the wings......"

Before the night was finished, Edmund's face suddenly changed, as he heard a nightmarish sound ringing in his ears.

【Butterfly ......】

[The butterfly is about to fly away......]

It's that monster again.

Edmund bit his lower lip, which had only appeared at night, but had now spread to daylight.

But fortunately, the strange phenomenon that only appeared at night did not appear, and he reluctantly collected his mood and asked, "Yes, do you know where it is?" ”

Ye Ye shook his head: "We are also on the way to search, if we insist on saying who knows where, maybe only Rann knows." ”

Edmund was stunned for a moment, and turned his head to look at the door of the psychotherapy room, but Ye Ye immediately said, "But even if you ask, he won't say." ”

Seeing Edmund's questioning eyes, Ye Ye shrugged his shoulders: "After all, if you know the mystery directly, it can't be said to be a game, and the official won't do it." ”

What he said was blocked by the game, and what finally appeared to Edmund's ears was "After all, if you know the mystery directly, it's not a test, and he won't do it." ”

Test? Is it a test, it is really not so simple to make a deal with the evil god, but where does he still have the mind to accept the test now?

Seeing that Edmund was a little disappointed, Ye Ye continued to say unhurriedly: "We already have some clues, sir, you seem to be looking for butterflies too?" I wonder if we can make some exchanges? ”

Edmund actually didn't know anything about butterflies, and even if he exchanged it, he wouldn't be able to come up with any decent clues, but now that hope appeared in front of him, it was impossible for him not to catch it, so Edmund nodded.

……

The other side.

After returning to Black Poker's headquarters, Cullens did not hesitate to tell the leader of Black Poker about his conversation with Rann.

"I think we have to consider the weight of Rann's words, and it's better to quickly find out who in Black Poker stole the butterfly specimen called the Soul Eater."

The leader didn't speak, just looked at Cullens with a complicated look.

Cullens was a little puzzled: "What's wrong?" boss。 ”

"It's nothing, I know, I'll let someone do it, you don't have to worry about it."

Cullens was a little unclear, because he had handled everything related to Rann before, but since the boss had already said so, Cullens would not refute him because of this matter, and turned around and left the leader's office after receiving the order.

After he left, the leader of the black poker sat in his seat, and when he saw the information sent by his men, the door wandered for a while.

"What? Regretted it? ”

An unfamiliar voice suddenly appeared in the office of the leader of Black Poker, and the boss of Black Poker was startled, but he quickly restrained his expression and looked in the direction where the voice sounded.

I saw a young man with a face that couldn't be seen clearly leaning against the wall next to the door of the office, and he didn't know when he came.

The leader of the black poker stiffened his face: "Of course I don't dare." ”

In fact, he did regret it a bit.

He followed the mysterious man's orders and sent three men to quietly attack Rann's apartment at night, but none of them returned.

The leader of Black Poker honestly voiced his fears: "As for the upcoming banquet, I'm afraid that our setup won't threaten that one. ”

"You don't have to worry about that," Amos said with a smile, "Soul Eater...... I didn't expect to see such a rare thing here, a ready-made means, isn't it already delivered. ”

Joel looked down and thought for a moment: "I see. ”

When he looked up, the mysterious young man was gone. ：，，.