Chapter 493: 493. Evil Spirits
"So that’s when you slipped into the dream."
Mana’s tone was flat, almost clinical, "Slipped in?" she echoed.
He took a step back and said, "Nope..
You... saved me from that dream."
Mana lifted one brow. "Hmm ... Looks like you wanted that dream to continue."
Tyler’s cheeks flushed a little. Probably the aftermath of dream. He ran a hand through his hair. "Those three girls —who were they, really? They felt like somebody I used to know."
"They weren’t girls," Mana corrected, folding her arms. " They were probably parasitic shadows, like a type of Evil Spirits— entities that forge themselves from fragments of a person’s subconscious. Their tactic is elegant and cruel: weave false intimacy from stolen memories, then use that intimacy as a hook."
"How do you know?" Tyler asked.
"I have studied them in the Academy library. As a spirit, I should have knowledge of other Spirits." Mana said.
"Yeah... cool." Then Tyler frowned. "You mean they built themselves from my memories?"
"Not Exactly." Mana paced slowly, the adult form she wore lending gravity to her words. "When a mind leaks emotion — fear, longing, guilt — it leaves behind architecture those parasites can map. They take what your brain hands them, reassemble it into convincing silhouettes, and then whisper; they make you accept the lie because it’s shaped like truth."
He tilted his head. "But why didn’t they go all the way? They didn’t rewrite me."
"They almost did," Mana said. "You have a strong defensive pattern — messy, yes, but strong. That high Divine Sense acted as a barrier that built around your consciousness stopped them. It’s not seamless protection; think of it as an iron web. The shadows could pass the outer threads but not the core structure. They fractured on contact."
Tyler let out a slow breath. " I remember sleeping with all those girls I slept before. But the lore is not accurate."
"Hmm... looks like this type feeds on Pleasure. Making you vulnerable with some twisted desires." Mana explained. "When they felt my presence they panicked. These Parasites hate Ghost Spirits like me after all. I can eat them like I eat ice creams."
A cold shiver traced Tyler’s spine. "So they really wanted to twist me into some sort of sex addict that never cares about my partner in my bed."
"Dreams are doors," Mana agreed. "And doors are tempting. These parasites like a locksmiths. They don’t need to be powerful; they need to be persuasive. They just want to turn you into something. My question is when did they even started targeting you? We just arrived here."
Tyler frowned, "Maybe... They just randomly picked me."
Mana smiled, faint and dangerous. "Hmmm.. there is a chance that they are not dream parasites. If I ate atleast one of it I might able to guess what they are. If they are that type of parasites, They’ll taste like old regrets and burnt sugar. Next time, if you sense a familiar figure in a dream and the feeling spikes — don’t engage. Contain it. Lock it with your divine sense and call me. I’ll unmake it. I will gobble them like an Choco-Mint Ice Cream."
He tried to picture it—summoning Mana to devour those dream-parasites—but a flicker of unease crept in. What if, while feeding, she accidentally peeked into his memories?
"They tried to rearrange my memories," he mused, quieter now. "If they succeeded, I wouldn’t even know I’d been changed."
"Exactly." Mana’s voice softened. "That’s the danger. Not the wound that bleeds, but the wound that smiles and says it has always belonged to you."
"Wow, that’s a good sentence." Tyler nodded, the corner of his lips quirking. The laugh returned—smaller this time, steadier. "All right. If this happens again, I’ll contain them first, call you second... and let you have dessert."
"Mmm." Mana hummed, sounding far too indulgent. "Try making better choices about your subconscious. And for heaven’s sake, stop dreaming about the girls."
"..."
Tyler had no words for that.
Just then, the door slid open and Myrtle, Zuzia, and Lanny stepped inside.
Zuzia, ever the sharp-tongued one, smirked at his haggard face. "Looks like Sis Mana sucked you dry of everything."
"She was so gentle... unlike some dragon beast." Tyler smirked, leaning back with a tired ease.
Zuzia’s eyes narrowed instantly, her cheeks puffing as if she’d just been gravely insulted, "Who are you calling beast? Rawr!"
Without another thought, she pounced at him, claws of mock fury extended.
Tyler let out a chuckle, half-heartedly dodging while raising his hands in surrender. "See? This is exactly what I mean!, Hey... Stop Removing my pants..."
┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉
A week later.
Across the vast expanse of the Northern Seas, colossal waves rose and fell like the breathing of an ancient beast. Yet cutting through them effortlessly was a gleaming vessel, its sails white as snow and its hull reinforced with arrays that shimmered faintly under the sun. This was a luxurious ships that roamed the Northern waters, a floating fortress and the pride of White Merchant Group. It’s the White Pearl.
Inside the CIC room — Some people are standing before the glowing screens formed from arrays. Tuman, broad-shouldered and disciplined as always, stood in front of one such screen. His voice was calm, yet every syllable carried weight.
"We will reach the Red Dragon Boat in a week," he reported, his gaze fixed on the trajectory plotted across the shimmering map.
Lily leaned lazily against the polished table at the center of the room, her eyes gleaming. Even dressed casually, she carried that air of mischief and command. "Su Fei sensed a ship tailing us. Are they Hunter Pirates?"
"I anticipated that possibility," Tuman replied, swiping his hand through the air. The array in front of him shifted, a live projection opening like rippling water. "Madam Serena already dispatched a few stealth drones. They’ve just sent back visuals."
On the screen, a shaky view zoomed in on a battered pirate vessel cutting through the waves behind them. Its crew looked more desperate than dangerous, their ship straining to keep up with the White Pearl.
Lily smirked, her lips curving into that devilish smile that often spelled doom for anyone foolish enough to cross her. "Just a bunch of random pirates testing their luck, hm?" She tilted her head, tapping her chin. "Good. Let them taste what bad luck really means. Slow us down. Let them think we’re easy prey. Once they catch up..."
She didn’t finish the sentence. She didn’t need to. The grin on her face promised only ruin.
A quarter of an hour later, the deed was done. The pirates who had chased them so eagerly were now bound and thrown into the Pearl’s holding cells, while their ship smoldered and slipped beneath the waves. To the White Pearl, it had been less of a battle and more of a passing annoyance.
As the crew finished securing the prisoners, Lily felt a faint vibration against her palm. She lifted her hand, revealing the sleek communication device strapped to her wrist. A soft chime rang as she tapped the crystal, and a translucent projection bloomed in the air.
"...It’s indeed as you said. She was hypnotizing ship after ship and continuing her journey. I’ll try to find new clues and message you later... Also how are you doing?... Where are you now?" The voice was calm. It belonged to Ling Tian.
Lily ignored the latter part. Then she noticed the timestamp on the message. Two days ago. Only now had the signal connected to her NN line.
The White Pearl’s network coverage wasn’t flawless. Unlike the grand Dragon Boats, which had uninterrupted NN access across the Northern Waters, their ship’s coverage came and went depending on weather and interference. Still, after she had invested in specialized equipment from a Dragon Boat, their ability to stay connected had improved drastically.
Lily exhaled, rolling her shoulders as she typed back a reply, her fingers dancing lightly across the array keyboard.
’Take your time. Don’t rush. Send me every scrap of information you uncover. If you find her don’t get charmed and get eaten already.’
Her devilish smile returned as she looked out the porthole, the endless expanse of white-tipped waves reflecting in her eyes.
"Thinking about Tyler?" a calm voice teased.
It was Darla. She eased into the seat beside Lily, glancing at the stack of glowing documents Lily had been reviewing.
"Hmm..." Lily rested her chin on her palm, a sly smile curling her lips. "I wonder if Tyler already pushed those girls down."
Darla let out a soft laugh and flicked her hand. The documents dissolved into particles of light, fading into nothingness. They had only been holographic projections.
"Hmmm... nope." Darla stretched her arms, though her tone lacked conviction. "It’s been just over a week. Even for him, that’s a little too soon, don’t you think?"
Lily shrugged, her eyes glinting with mischief. "You’d be surprised. Tyler has his ways."
Before Darla could reply, a shimmer filled the air, and a green-haired woman’s projection materialized before them.
"Serena," Lily greeted, straightening in her chair. "What’s up?"
Serena’s voice was steady, but her words carried weight. "The sleeping half angel has woken."
Both Lily and Darla froze. Then their eyes widened with simultaneous surprise and delight.
"Astrid..." Both of them said.
After so many days of uncertainty, the half angel had finally awakened.