Is it the novel that's gone crazy? But the novel that Charles Carter secretly posted on Qidian ended up a miserable flop and has been discontinued for several months now. He hasn't even opened the Qidian app in all this time.

Usually, he's perfectly fine—working out, playing sports, even a member of the archery club. What a healthy lifestyle! So how did things end up like this?

Listlessly leaving the school gates, he found the student street rather quiet during morning class hours. Still, there were quite a few couples skipping class to stroll around and eat. Sharing a grilled sausage, taking turns with each bite, made Charles Carter roll his eyes.

He just wanted to stuff that sausage into that vixen's mouth.

Honestly, even a single guy can't help but feel a little jealous inside... Charles Carter curled his lip and looked away from the lovey-dovey couples, then suddenly turned and slipped into an alley off the student street.

It was a dead-end alley, lined with shops, most of which were closed at this hour. Charles Carter walked to the quiet end of the alley, where a small shop was open. The sign above the door bore the black calligraphy “乱世屋” (“Chaotic Times House”), and a plaque by the door read “Fortune-telling, Dream Interpretation.”

This fortune-telling shop had only been open for three days, extremely low-key, but its reputation had spread quickly.

The reason was simple: the fortune-teller was a woman, and a very beautiful one at that. A bunch of hungry guys had been gossiping about her for two or three days. Charles Carter had heard about it yesterday and came to check it out, but his reason was different from the others—he genuinely wanted his dream interpreted.

He strolled into the shop. The lights were off inside, making it a bit dim. A short-haired woman sat quietly in a corner, eyes closed, sorting through cards on the table.

She was dressed in a black ancient warrior outfit, just like someone out of a martial arts movie—truly beautiful. Especially with her eyes gently closed, she looked like a serene statue. But as Charles Carter watched, all he could feel was a sense of mystery and eeriness.

Can normal people organize things with their eyes closed?

“When you’re telling fortunes, closing your eyes can create a vibe, but why are you closing your eyes even when you’re just tidying up alone in your shop?” Charles Carter suddenly spoke up.

The woman didn’t even look up, as if she’d known he was coming: “Why can’t it be because I’m actually blind?”

“You don’t even have a cane—who are you trying to fool?”

“I don’t need one,” the woman replied calmly. “But you—yesterday you called me crazy, and today you’re back. Have you finally realized that the crazy one is you?”

Charles Carter said, “Because your so-called dream therapy sounds way too fake. Anyone you tell that to would call you crazy.”

The woman said blandly, “Not necessarily. When I told others, several sincerely invited me to enter their dreams with them... I think you might find your answer here—why you don’t have a girlfriend.”

Stung, Charles Carter could only regret having revealed so much personal information yesterday just to get his dream interpreted. He stiffened his neck and said, “Who the hell wants to enter a dream with you... By the way, how can you say things like that with such a flat expression and tone, like a robot?”

The woman said, “Stating facts doesn’t require any particular expression or tone.”

Damn it... Charles Carter changed the subject directly: “No matter how fake it sounds, I’m here to try it today. So, what’s this dream-entering thing about?”

“Most people, when having lucid dreams where they can fully control their actions, are omnipotent in the dream. Whatever outcome they want, that’s what happens. You’ve had dreams like that, right?”

“Yes.” Charles Carter felt her wording was getting odd, like using “之” instead of the normal “的.”

The woman continued, “But in your recent dreams, you can only control your own actions, not anything else. Things always go against your wishes, right?”

“Yes.”

“You’re trapped in a nightmare, endlessly looping, because your unfulfilled desires in the dream haven’t been completed. If you finish them, you can break free.” The woman asked, “So what outcome do you want to achieve? For example... defeating a certain opponent? Killing everyone present? Or just escaping the battle? Maybe even dominating the world? No matter how easy or hard, I need your real thoughts, otherwise it’s meaningless.”

What outcome did he want to achieve?

A shadowy figure in black flashed through Charles Carter’s mind, and he blurted out, “Of course I want to kill that vixen!”

The woman’s always-calm expression twitched almost imperceptibly.

“What? That jerk has to die, is there a problem?”

“No,” the woman regained her composure and said slowly, “What outcome you want is your business. I can’t go in and help you. I just need you to confirm your goal, know what you need to do, and how to end it, that’s all.”

“If you can’t help me, what if I still can’t beat the vixen after entering the dream? Am I just going in to get killed?”

The woman silently pushed over the cards she’d sorted: “Draw three.”

“What’s this?”

“The first card gives your dream self an ability to help you achieve your wish.”

“So this is like a bonus cheat?”

“It’s a dream, after all. Nothing strange about having special powers.”

“Fair enough... What about the second card?”

“It determines your starting location. You won’t be dropped right into the most dangerous spot, so you can prepare.”

“That’s good, that’s good. And the third?”

“A clue to help you achieve your goal. Like who she really is, or how to find her.”

Charles Carter was stunned for a moment, puzzled: “If you have a clue, just tell me. Why do I have to draw it myself?”