Dreaming.

Lately, Rednaya started dreaming constantly.

There are two types of dreams.

The first type is when she repeatedly returns to that cold afternoon: factory, heavy snow, broken leg.

The pain keeps spreading in her thigh, and no matter how long it has been, she cannot forget.

The second type, however, involves her starting to converse with another familiar man.

"Leoz's rejection of me is reaching its limit. I don't know if I can hold out until the ceasefire in 1130. Liali is already on the verge of collapse, and I have a feeling she might be exiled in a few months."

The man lightly leaned against the armrest, resting on the lonely throne. He cupped his face, his temples graying, showing no wrinkles, yet he appeared far older compared to their first meeting twenty years ago.

Rednaya couldn't remember his face nor who he was, but she knew clearly that she had a good relationship with him.

Between her and the man whose face she could not recall, there was an intimacy akin to that of a child and a parent.

She wasn't hearing that name for the first time, and could not help but inquire:

"You and the Emperor have both mentioned the name Leoz. Who is he?"

"You know as well, this planet, Haines, is essentially a dream, manifested from the dream of a nominal creator. However, this dream is so vast that it needs an anchor point and a target to define the boundaries of the dream to prevent it from devouring the entire universe."

The man shook his head and said:

"Leoz (Realize) is that anchor point. You could understand him as the manager and the rules of the entire dream. It was he who created reality Society with his own hands."

"Reality, Secret, Outer Realm."

She murmured:

"This dream combines three social orders."

"Rednaya, in the Star Realm, civilization is a byproduct of Society. Society is a transcendent lifeform that surpasses everything. It can plunder and intervene in the real and objective world through certain concepts. Civilization is a byproduct of Society, and civilized beings are the sustenance for Society. Without the support of civilized beings, Society cannot intervene in the objective world."

The man explained:

"Behind humanity is the reality Society driven by Leoz. From this perspective, we Secret Society are the invaders, having a predator-prey relationship with reality Society. Our fundamental Task is to completely conquer reality Society represented by Leoz, allowing the Secret to devour them."

Rednaya always nodded in agreement within the dream:

"I agree with this philosophy."

She carved an apple with a small knife:

"I came back with an important purpose, to inquire about the matters of the Secret and reality - now the Professionals reforged seven times have all been exiled by reality Society. Most of the low-concentration Professionals around me can no longer contact the Secret Society, and even reforged five times Professionals can't communicate with the Secret Society."

"Leoz."

The Curator confidently said:

"Leoz must have found the communication route between Secret Society and Haines. Scholar Liali believes Leoz has completely blocked it from other dimensions."

"But I recall that Haines is not contiguous with other dimensions. To establish a connection, one must find a wormhole leading to other universes through the Star Realm."

Redd frowned:

"Unless Leoz also has helpers in the Star Realm."

"Or to take it a step further," the Curator said, "Leoz is in the Starry Sky."

If it were in the past, Rednaya would follow the dream's trajectory, answering step by step: "That's impossible, all the upper-level Professionals are in the Starry Sky, Leoz can't put himself in danger. That doesn't make sense."

But this time, when she entered the dream, she personally pushed away the girl carving the apple, stepping onto the man's armrest with platinum eyes gazing at him:

"...Are you talking about the Pantheon?"

"Rednaya—did you use the Jade Dragon's ability to come back here? Unfortunately, I can no longer be remembered by you."

"You don't need to answer these, your existence has been completely erased."

Rednaya said indifferently:

"How much do you know about Leoz? I have served by his side for a thousand years, and I still cannot see his true identity. What exactly is the Pantheon? How does Leoz control the reality world? What is his 'reality Society' plan made of?"

The man leaned on that lonely throne, his gem-like transparent eyes gazed at her.

After a long silence, the man slowly said:

"...Rednaya, you must have suffered a lot in the future."

"That's not something you need to worry about."

Rednaya's heart was as cold and hard as stone, not swayed by a few words of concern from the other person.

"I still remember the first time I met you, Rednaya. You showed up at the Tracy Family's recognition banquet, replacing my real child, Vangray Telaki, and you became the family's eldest daughter under the identity of Rednaya Telaki."

The man reminisced and smiled:

"You talked at length to me calmly, articulating your arguments elegantly and gracefully, nothing like an illegitimate child from the countryside. To be honest, your acting was terrible, almost writing 'I have backing' across your face."

"You also gave me Ether Blood, and I passed the test. Received the inheritance of the Collector—this was truly the child you needed, and my appearance and replacement accomplished just that, didn't it?"

Rednaya calmly said:

"Even though I forget who you are, I did indeed become the greatest Collector in the future."

"Rednaya... did you know? Back then, your eyes were clear, determined, dissatisfied with the status quo. You had hatred for the lower world and a belief in reaching the pinnacle."

The man equally calmly replied:

"And now, your eyes are filled with confusion."

"You've lost desire, you keep failing over and over again, betraying repeatedly, and then being betrayed by others."

"Rednaya, Redd, my child, your fire of desire has been extinguished, leaving only loneliness and emptiness. You cannot see your future, you don't know what you want. Everything you love and everything that loves you have all been consumed in your mundane life."

Rednaya showed no emotion.

The man bowed his head, sighing:

"You are smarter than anyone, Rednaya, too smart. But the path of the Collector is not meant for the intelligent. You should have learned curiosity, greed, abundance, entertainment—"

"And eternity."

Rednaya said.

"...You've finally found it, but what did you sacrifice?"

The man smiled back at her:

"Curiosity, greed, abundance, entertainment, eternity—these are the five qualities of a Collector, Rednaya. How do you understand them?"

Rednaya said frankly:

"Everything is for the sake of eternity. Without eternity, the other four are meaningless."

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