Illusion Report

Chapter 219: Chapter 182: Mai Mingle: Hurricane Makes Landfall in Florida

’Is this really not a dream?’

She was lying on the road, the Milky Way spilling down before her eyes.

Beneath the silent, dark sky, amidst the empty buildings and streets that resembled Blackmoor City, stood a single parked car. Its engine was still running, its headlights washing over half the road. The low thrum of the motor and plumes of white exhaust drifted lazily up toward the starry heavens.

Beside Mai Mingle, however, was a person who seemed to be only a voice, with no physical form.

"Have you made your decision? Aren’t you afraid? You heard what was said just now, didn’t you?" the person asked.

’So this is the Nest...’

she suddenly thought.

’I always used to feel like I was in the wrong place.

I spent my life just like everyone else, never knowing what other paths looked like. No one ever showed me another way—probably because it seemed most people were also busy hiding the fact that they didn’t know the way themselves.

I was born with two eyes, yet only ever saw a single corner. My feet were in shoes that didn’t fit, and when I walked, I suspected it was my feet that were badly formed.

It felt like I could still do something more.

That feeling haunted me for decades, until at eighty-six, I finally realized I really could do something more.

After all that long, wasted time, I now have a chance to make up for it. How could I possibly shrink back now?’

"I’m not afraid."

Mai Mingle replied in a low voice, "Even if I don’t participate, would they really let me go? I don’t know why, but they’ve targeted me. They’ll want to eradicate me completely, just to be safe. Since I can’t change that, I might as well follow my heart and do as I please. Don’t you think?"

If the man was willing to tell her why she had been targeted, this was the perfect moment. But he didn’t. Instead, he asked, "What is it you want to do?"

’He’s not going to tell me, even if I ask,’ Mai Mingle thought. His tone and manner subtly, yet politely, conveyed as much.

She still couldn’t sit up from the road, or even turn her head. Only the use of her lips, teeth, and tongue had returned to her so far.

"...I want to see the things I’ve never seen before," Mai Mingle said. "I want to pick more daisies."

The male voice gave a low "Mm," and it was impossible to tell if he understood, but he didn’t press the matter.

"May I ask you a few questions?" Mai Mingle said. "You don’t seem to mean me any harm."

"You’re right about that," the man chuckled.

"This... Dominance Game... are you the one running it? Why would you let other people rule over you?"

"Me? Oh, you’ve misunderstood. I’m a bit more powerful than the average resident, but I certainly don’t have the power to create a Dominance Game out of thin air."

After a few seconds of silence, the man, as if sensing Mai Mingle’s unspoken question, continued, "You’re aware that everything in the Nest originates from humanity, aren’t you?"

"I know."

"The Dominance Game is no exception. It’s also something that came from within human beings.

"It’s not that the Nest wishes to be ruled. Rather, among the humans from whom the Nest was born, there is always a certain portion who scheme endlessly to control others. If everyone were equal, they would feel worse than death. When those kinds of people die in the Nest, their desires don’t die with them. And that is what gave birth to the ’Nest Dominance Game.’"

Mai Mingle was taken aback. ’So that’s how it is. That makes perfect sense.’

"To use an analogy, for the Nest, the ’Nest Dominance Game’ is like a hurricane making landfall in Florida—it’s an irresistible natural disaster. The faction of residents who want to kill you are basically saying, ’If a hurricane is about to hit, let’s just tear down the coast first.’ It’s idiotic. If it weren’t you, it would be someone else, sooner or later."

"Then what role do you play in all this?" Mai Mingle asked, cutting straight to the chase.

"Me? I suppose you could say I’m in the faction that’s thinking about post-disaster reconstruction."

’What did he mean by that? It was a bit hard to understand.’

Before she could decide how to phrase her question, she suddenly felt movement returning to her fingers. Mai Mingle’s fingers twitched slightly, and the man seemed to notice. "Any other questions?" he asked immediately. "I can’t stay here much longer."

Mai Mingle asked hurriedly, "Why was I chosen? Who invited me to join? The Nest?"

"Do you know what kind of person is best suited to lead humanity?" the man replied, answering her question with one of his own.

"...I’ve never considered it."

The man laughed.

"The people best suited to lead humanity are never the ones who are desperate for the job, so they never join the race. It’s a fundamental paradox of your species. And from my humble perspective, I see no way to break the cycle."

’Is he hinting that I shouldn’t try to win the game?’ Mai Mingle was confused.

In any case, she had no interest in ruling the Nest. Her own mind, thoughts, and intelligence were finite—as is the case for any single individual.

The idea of shaping something as wondrous and unimaginable as the Nest according to the limits of her own finite mind... Mai Mingle could hardly think of anything more dull.

"I’d never have guessed you were a resident," she said sincerely. "You’re so rational... and you sound so well-educated."

The man suddenly began to laugh. Unlike his earlier polite, radio-host-like chuckle, this laugh was laced with cold fury. Though it sounded no different from an ordinary laugh, it seemed to carry an inexpressible hatred that made one’s very organs slowly clench.

"Is that so? Then I really must thank you for the compliment."

As he spoke, he seemed to rise from his position beside Mai Mingle. He was clearly very close, yet she couldn’t see him at all.

"After all, my education is poor; I only finished elementary school. As for being rational... perhaps it’s because I am still wholly myself. I’ve never been dissolved."

’What he means is...?’

’Could it be that as a resident, he wasn’t born from within someone, but was instead a complete person who was transformed directly into one?’

’That didn’t seem impossible. Hadn’t that Dream Screenwriter almost turned himself into just such a resident?’

"Wait, I have a companion with me, do you know where he—"

Before Mai Mingle could finish her question, she was interrupted.

"Once you’ve recovered and can get back on your feet, you’ll find him."

The man’s voice returned to its usual gentle, low tone. "One more thing. As a contestant in the Dominance Game, you are at a considerable disadvantage compared to the others... The ’Nest Dominance Game’ prefers all its participants to start on a level playing field, as much as possible. After you return, you will receive an ’Illusion Report’ to compensate for your disadvantage."

Mai Mingle wanted to ask what an "Illusion Report" was, but the man had already turned to leave. Though he seemed to be without form, every footstep landed firmly on the ground. Then, between one step and the next, he simply vanished, never taking another.

As the stars began to fade and darkness fully enveloped the sky, Mai Mingle pushed off the ground with one hand, finally able to move freely and climb to her feet.

The taxi and the host were long gone. The only vehicle left on the road was the car—it looked to be the very one she had driven here before it went missing.

Because the headlights were still on, she saw at a glance that in the car that had nearly killed her, a figure was slumped limply over the steering wheel—it was Hai Luwei.

Mai Mingle dragged her feet over to the car and opened the door.

The most important thing right now was to leave the Nest with Hai Luwei. The things that man had so casually glossed over could be analyzed later, once she was home.