What It's Like Being a Vampire

Chapter 616: Chapter 616: Who Wakes Up from the Great Dream First (Part 1)

In the midst of an ancient architectural complex, a lofty pavilion stands proudly into the sky.

On the outermost wall of the architectural complex, a battle raged. A general who had just fought a bloody battle and repelled enemy’s attack rushed down from the wall, got on his horse, and charged towards the pavilion in the city.

Above the pavilion stood a woman dressed in lavish attire with an ethereal aura. Leaning on the jade stone railing, she looked down at the approaching general, her expression grave. Although distant, her vision seemed to be able to focus infinitely, allowing her to clearly observe people and objects from afar.

The general soon arrived at the foot of the pavilion, handed the reins of his horse to the guard below, then hastily ran up the stairs.

Upon reaching the top floor, he slowed down, removed his helmet revealing a shiny bald head and adjusted his waist-attached sword. The hilt of the sword was conventional, but the blade was exceptionally unusual. It didn’t have a scabbard, but was a narrow and elongated 104-key keyboard.

The general arrived in front of a screen, saluted and said loudly, “Princess Nana! The enemy has reached the city, please cast a spell to drive them back!”

The screen whisked away automatically, revealing Tang Baona in a lavish ancient-style dress behind it.

She had a sorrowful expression, “General, there is nothing I can do! The qin is broken, it’s silent!! I can’t play the Devil-subduing Melody!!”

Helplessly, she pointed at a qin placed on a nearby platform. However, it wasn’t actually a traditional qin, but a somewhat age-worn electric piano. Compared to her attire and the surroundings, it extraordinarily mismatched, except for its compatibility with the keyboard hanging on the general’s waist.

“Oh? It’s broken?! What should we do? Are the batteries dead?” The bald general squatted beside the piano and anxiously inspected it. “I’ll take the batteries out of my keyboard for you. Umm, they won’t fit, the sizes are different. Let’s see, is there a power cord?”

“Princess Nana” also squatted next to him and said quietly, “I don’t know, it just stopped making sound. Hey, General Xiang, I’m a bit hungry, why don’t you get some food? I feel like eating some meat.”

The bald general grumbled, “Princess Nana, what’s the right time you speak of? The enemy is killing their way to us, do you understand that the soldiers are at the gates…?”

“I can’t do anything about it! The piano keys are unresponsive, what can I do?” As “Princess Nana” spoke, she angrily and forcefully tapped a few keys on the electric piano. Besides the petty sounds of the keys hitting, no corresponding notes sounded.

“If the keys on your keyboard don’t respond, you also will not be able to go to battle. It’s the same thing! You either help fix my piano and I will play music, or you cook for me and fill my stomach first,” “Princess Nana” argued righteously.

The bald general let out a sigh as if to convey a “you really are helpless” look, he stood up, and began to remove his armor.

“Princess Nana” on the side snickered and passed a apron with her picture printed on it. After removing his armor, the apron was tied onto him. Then, with a snap of her fingers, there emerged a modern kitchen filled with a faucet, stainless steel sink, gas stove, range hood, oven, and other modern cooking appliances.

The bald general, immediately turned into a bald chef after he donned the apron. As he began to cook, “Princess Nana” rubbed her hands together, her expecting face looking at him cooking, with her tongue unconsciously licking her lips from time to time.

Suddenly, pleasant music sounded, followed by a familiar female voice humming a pleasing melody.

“Princess Nana” paused briefly, tilting her head to listen. This melody is so beautiful. Who’s singing it? I want to buy her album. Wait, it sounds more and more familiar. Doesn’t it sound like me, eh? Wait, what?

“Nana sister, Nana sister…”

In her confusion, a similarly familiar voice softly called to her..

Everything around her, whether the various objects on top of the building, or the bald chef cooking nearby, all became blurry. Particularly, the face of the bald chef which turned into a white haze, and his facial features couldn’t be discerned.

Am I dreaming?

A thought rose in her mind. Then she immediately became aware of her state and recalled what she did before going to sleep, remembering that she went to bed this time to help Xiang Kun confront a powerful but elusive existence.

Then, she saw Old Xia appear in front of her, and everything around her, including Baldy, the general, vanished.

Tang Baona’s magnificent palace attire had also reverted to her previous bear pyjamas. A little embarrassingly, she asked Old Xia, “Did you see everything just now?”

“No, I just got here,” Xia Libing said.

“What should we do now?” Tang Baona clenched her fists, rubbing her palms together, her eyes darting around as if looking for a big boss to face off against. “How can we help Xiang Kun?”

Xia Libing looked around the empty dream space and said, “It seems that it hasn’t affected your dreams yet, or Xiang Kun and Alice intentionally thwarted its influence for you first.”

Tang Baona couldn’t help but scratch her head,”What does that mean? Do Xiang Kun and Alice think I’m too weak and need to protect me? But…I’m clearly the oldest among us.”

“It’s not that they think you’re weak, they need you as backup.” Xia Libing said, “You and I, we’re both backups.”

Tang Baona was puzzled, “Backups?”

…

Yang Zhen’er, clad in silver armor and carrying a great sword, rode a white balance scooter, slowly progressed in the middle of the vast highway. She looked majestic, as if she was a landlord patrolling her own territory.

The streets were deserted, completely devoid of cars.

On both sides of the street, you could faintly see pedestrians, who retreated into various storefronts, from where they regarded her in the distance, watching her with respect.

Yang Zhen’er held her head high and chest out, pride in the feeling of guarding this land, this city, and her people.

Before long, an obese little girl dressed in a cat-eared magic robe, appeared, pedalling a kid’s bike with training wheels to the front. She looked up and loudly said, “Lady Silver Armor Fairy! I want to fight the monsters with you!”

Yang Zhen’er nodded in satisfaction, lifted her broad-backed great sword and lightly touched the little girl’s shoulder with the tip of the sword, saying, “I allow you to follow me.”

The little girl cheerfully followed behind her on her bicycle, slowly moving forward.

Next, a tall girl with a high ponytail and a cute girl with round glasses appeared, one calling her “my dearest cousin,” the other “my dear Zhen’er,” both joining the team.

Although neither of them had any means of transport, they trod along briskly, not falling behind Yang Zhen’er on her balance scooter, or the chubby girl on her kid’s bike.

Ahead, a bald warrior and a young assassin girl with a blindfolded eye appeared; one calling her “Lady Silver Armor”, the other “Fairy Sister”, both joining the team.

The team progressed in grandeur to the end of the road. A giant black creature towering more than ten meters high stood in front of everyone, its entire body shrouded in swirling black fog. Looking at its shape, it was like an evil rabbit in Chibi style, with both its eyes gleaming a terrifying red.

Yang Zhen’er jumped down from her balance scooter, grabbed her broad-backed sword, pointed forward and shouted, “Follow me and charge!”

She let out a battle cry, raising her great sword with both hands, charging towards the evil rabbit.

The evil rabbit swung its front claws nonchalantly, knocking Yang Zhen’er down. She was then stopped by its hind paw and was unable to move.

“Quick! Attack it now, this is a good chance!” Yang Zhen’er swung her great sword, trying to hack at the giant rabbit’s foot that was pinning her down, then yelled out loudly.

But after yelling for a good while, Yang Zhen’er realised that apart from her, no one else was attacking the evil rabbit. She turned to look and saw that the “companions” who had followed her all the way here were standing where they were, indifferently watching her. None of them had any intention of helping her or attacking the evil rabbit.

“What…What are you guys doing? Hurry up and move! This is the perfect opportunity!” Yang Zhen’er yelled.

Yet, the few “companions” continued to watch in cold silence, unmoving.

“Don’t just stand there! Xiao Lingdang, Chef Xiang, Old Xia, Little Apple, Nana, come and rescue me!” Yang Zhen’er shouted desperately.

However, not only did the “companions” refuse to move, they even stepped backwards.

Yang Zhen’er felt hopeless. After being ruthlessly pummelled a few times by the evil rabbit, she couldn’t help but start to bawl her eyes out. Tears and snot smearing her face, her vision began to blur.

It wasn’t that the blows hurt, the evil rabbit was extremely large but its blows felt more like cotton candy than anything serious.

She simply felt despair, a sense of abandonment, of betrayal, of loneliness and desolation.

So she was alone. There was no team.

Suddenly, a rhythmic beat echoed in her ears, resounding throughout the city.

Boom!

Boom, Boom!

Boom, Boom, Boom!

A reed flute’s notes rose, the drumbeats quickened.

A hollow woman’s voice began to hum, carrying with it an air of tragic determination, an unstoppable urge despite facing insurmountable odds.

For a moment, the music gave her a sense of a righteous execution of One Punch Man or the background music of Water Margin when a fight scene was about to start. Her feelings of despair and loneliness was swept away, replaced by excitement and passion.

“Yang Lao San, stand up!”

A familiar woman’s voice echoed in her ears as if from a dream.

“Ah! – Ha!” Yang Zhen ‘er shouted, the dazzling light ribbons swirling around her, the Great Sword in her hand sending out an arc of electricity. Defiant and stubborn, she rose to her feet in high spirits.

After a terrified bleating sound, the evil rabbit made of black mist dissipated. Yang Zhen’er, like a deity, leapt into the air and fell from a height of ten meters with her Great Sword in hand.

Her feet, clad in Silver Boots, landed on the ground, scattering debris and forming deep footprints.

“Lady Silver Armor Fairy, you’re amazing!” The “Little Fatty Girl” who had just been standing on the side rushed over excitedly, wanting to hug her.

Yang Zhen’er lifted her Great Sword and aimed it at her bottom, slapping her into the sky, she disdainfully said:

“You’re not Xiao Lingdang! Xiao Lingdang never called me like this!”

A girl with a ponytail approached, “My dearest cousin…”

“Imposter!” Yang Zhen’er swung her Great Sword, sending her flying into the sky.

A girl in glasses stepped forward, “My dearest Zhen’er…”

“Gross!” Another person was sent into the sky.

After using her Great Sword to whack all five of them into the sky, Yang Zhen’er looked around thoughtfully, then at her own hand, then at the weapon in it. She carefully listened to the humming still echoing between heaven and earth, and suddenly felt something strange, as if everything around her was…fake?

“Cousin.”

A familiar voice sounded and she turned her head to see Old Xia walking towards her.

“Not again!” Yang Zhen’er furrowed her brow and swung her Great Sword towards the tall girl’s bottom.

Her large sword, which seemed wider than a girl’s thigh and was surrounded by arcs of electricity, was easily blocked by the girl with a casual raising of the hand.

“How can you block it, this is my dream!” Yang Zhen’er instinctively shouted, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she froze, mumbling: “Eh? My dream? Am I dreaming?”

“Cousin, wake up.” Old Xia came closer, removed her helmet, held her face with both hands and gently rubbed it.

This was something Yang Zhen’er often did to Xia Libing when she was young.

“I’m awake! I’m awake!” Yang Zhen’er laughed, moved Old Xia’s hands away, then suddenly hugged her tightly: “Old Xia! I missed you so much!”

She was talking to Old Xia just before sleep, right before she closed her eyes. But after the lonely and deserted experience, after feeling abandoned and betrayed, facing the real “Old Xia” now made her feel grievances. She felt like a wanderer who had been drifting for decades and suddenly saw a familiar face.

“Right! We’re dreaming to help Brother Xiang, what’s in this dream? That black rabbit just now? I’ve already easily defeated it by myself. Does that count as a great deed on my part?” Yang Zhen’er suddenly remembered something, let go of Old Xia and asked.

“No.” Xia Libing said, “Those false images of me and Xiang Kun might be part of it. Anything that doesn’t belong to your dream, anything that feels off, could be it. I’m here to help you find those things.”

“I get it! It’s like playing a game of Spot the Difference!” Yang Zhen’er’s eyes lit up, “Where’s Nana? Xiao Lingdang, Little Apple, Chef Xiang, Alice, where are they?”

“Focus and make good use of time.” Xia Libing said.

“Okay, don’t worry, in my own dream, I, the Silver Armor Old Fairy, am definitely the most formidable!” Yang Zhen’er confidently put her helmet back on, picked up her Great Sword, and strided forward to lead the way. She was ready to sweep her dreamland with Old Xia.

Unbeknownst to her, the background music of the dream now became soothing and rhythmic, even a little playful and funny.

…

Apart from Old Xia whose dream progressed the quickest due to her special task, according to Xiang Kun and Alice’s plan, the others from Yang Lao San, Tang Baona, Little Apple to Little Fatty Girl, basically had their dreams started at the same time.

Old Xia was a guide, a free agent and a reinforcements wandering in the dream. Tang Baona’s special melody was an important part of the awakening process. She worked as logistical and technical support.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

She was playing the melody in her dream directly. With Alice’s distribution, she could ensure that everyone else was “awakened” from their dreams.

Until Yang Lao San was “awakened”, the plan ran smoothly, everything was within the expectations of Xiang Kun and Alice.

But at Little Fatty Girl’s, there was a minor hiccup.