Infinite Wealth System: Crazy Tasks, Insane Rewards!-Chapter 203: Dreaming Again

Thus, the dream continued.

The world around her was bright, yet broken. Skyscrapers that once stood as monuments of human progress lay twisted and crumbled like crushed toys.

Roads cracked open, smoke rose lazily into the daytime sky, and the echoes of explosions carried through the air like thunder.

Paula stood in the middle of it all, heart racing. Her hands shook as her eyes caught sight of them...

Towering machines...

The Sovereign Protocol soldiers in their dreadful mech suits. They moved like predators, their every step shaking the ground. Their rifles hummed with energy, discharging bursts that cut through buildings as if they were paper. Civilians screamed and scattered, only to be silenced by the relentless storm of destruction.

Her breath caught in her throat. "This is... The end... Again?" She whispered to herself, trembling.

But the dream didn’t let her wake. It forced her to watch.

She watched as soldiers in regular gear, Earth’s own forces, tried desperately to resist.

Bullets bounced harmlessly off the mech suits’ layered alloy plates. Rockets detonated against energy shields that shimmered and absorbed the blasts. The Sovereign Protocol army advanced without slowing, unstoppable, inevitable.

Paula’s knees weakened. A wave of helplessness rushed over her, as though the Earth itself had already given up.

But then, something sparked inside her. A sudden whisper in her mind that was faint but steady.

"Create."

She clenched her fists, staring at the chaos. Her heart pounded as though she already knew what she had to do.

The dream shifted at once.

Tools, blueprints, metals, and screens appeared around her like an invisible lab materializing from thin air. She stood inside it, her hands already working as the air buzzed with energy, with invention, and with possibility.

Her vision sharpened as she saw pieces of machines forming under her command.

First... The Exo-Helm, sleek and sharp, with wide lenses glowing blue instead of red, designed to amplify vision, detect heat signatures, and read enemy energy outputs. Unlike the Sovereign helmets, these carried a crown-like crest, a symbol of defiance and hope. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Then, the Core Armor, layered but flexible, woven with nano-fibers reinforced with a plasma mesh. Unlike the heavy plating of the enemy, these suits were lighter, built not just for defense but for agility. She didn’t entirely know about this, but all she felt was like she had a complete idea about it all in the dream world.

The dream showed her men and women wearing them, moving with speed and coordination, unhindered by weight.

And next, the Pulse Blasters, hand-held weapons fueled not by bullets but by condensed energy cells. They hummed with a steady rhythm, firing bursts of light capable of slicing through enemy armor.

Paula’s fingers trembled as she designed the EMP Javelins, long spears that could be hurled or planted to release electromagnetic waves, shorting the circuits of the Sovereign mechs.

Her illusional workshop pulsed with creation at that moment, the air thick with pure tension.

Drones hovered above her table, the Sentinel Hawks, small autonomous flyers that could scout, disrupt shields, and deliver pinpoint strikes from above.

And then came the Colossus Frame, towering battle suits, larger than tanks but operated by humans from within. They were not monstrous like the Sovereign machines. They bore a more human shape, forged with smooth, gleaming plates that shone silver in the dreamlight.

Built for both protection and inspiration, their chest plates carried the aura of Earth’s united alliance.

Paula’s face lit with awe as she watched them come alive. The next thing she felt was an uncontrollable flow of relief in her heart, as she stood with hope.

The field shifted again, and she stood not in the workshop but back on the battlefield again.

This time, the Sovereign Protocols were not unchallenged, as the protagonizing forces emerged strongly into the battlefield, ready to defend their world.

The Earth’s new army stood tall, glowing in silver and blue, a force reborn.

Soldiers marched with precision in their lighter mech suits, their Pulse Blasters ringing out as Sovereign armor fell, sparks bursting with every hit. EMP Javelins streaked through the air, crackling and detonating, bringing the colossal enemy machines to their knees. Sentinel Hawks darted above, raining fire, scattering enemy formations.

And then, the Colossus Frames entered. Piloted by Earth’s bravest, they struck back against the towering Sovereign Protocol units.

Steel clashed with steel, as Earth shook beneath their struggle.

The people, ordinary men and women, shouted with renewed courage. For the first time in what felt like forever, humanity did not flee.

Humanity stood its ground.

Paula’s heart swelled with hope. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she whispered.

"We can fight back. We can win."

The dream froze on the image of an Earth soldier striking hard on of a Sovereign Protocol soldier and causing a burst that assured his defeat, and that only made Paula smile.

There was hope, obviously, and it was clear that nothing could change that fact if they can do this.

If she can remember.

Because the only way to make this a reality is if she remembers and recreate it.

Then Paula woke up.

Her eyes shot open, her body drenched in sweat.

She sat up instantly, gasping for air as though she had truly been running. Her chest heaved as she grabbed the blanket and pressed it against her face, trembling, not in fear now, but in desperate need to hold onto what she had seen.

"Charlotte!" Her voice rang out, hoarse but urgent.

Charlotte rushed in at once. "Yes, Paula? What is it?"

"Bring me a book. A pen. Now!"

Charlotte blinked, startled, but didn’t question. She ran out and returned moments later with a thick journal and a fountain pen.

Everyone immediately rushed back into the room at that point, noticing that she was awake after almost five hours of deep sleep.

Paula snatched them with trembling hands, flipping to the first page.

She began to scribble furiously, sketching outlines, writing descriptions, drawing every fragment of what she remembered. Helmets, suits, weapons, drones, javelins, colossus frames...

The list went on, page after page.

Her handwriting was rushed, uneven, but her eyes were clear with determination.

Harper approached her by the bed with a curious look on her face. "How did it go?"

Paula didn’t answer, as she kept writing, scratching the pen until her fingers ached. Finally, she shoved the book into Harper’s hands, her chest still rising and falling with urgency.

Harper looked down, her eyes scanning the pages. At first, she squinted in confusion. Then her expression shifted, eyes widening, lips parting, her breath catching.

She turned the page. Another drawing. Another description.

She turned again, and her more!

Charlotte leaned over her shoulder, gasping softly.

"Oh my God," Harper whispered. "This... This is everything."

Charlotte nodded, her hand covering her mouth. "She... She remembered it all."

The room grew silent, the only sound being Harper’s unsteady breath as she closed the book slowly, clutching it against her chest. She lifted her eyes to Paula, who stood tall now, no longer trembling.

Paula’s voice was steady, low, but filled with fire.

"Now," she said, her eyes burning with resolve, "let’s get to work."

Jayden, who had been standing in the doorway almost unnoticed, let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Relief washed over his face, his shoulders easing as though a mountain had been lifted from him.

He hadn’t doubted the possibility of this happening. Of course he had always believed. He had always believed that every damn thing was going to work out the way it was supposed to, and sure, it happened to be going that way as time went on.

Delayed but not denied.

Before he could even speak, one of the guards approached him with a sharp salute.

"Sir," the guard said firmly, "someone is here to see you. She’s with a Direct Presidential Invitation Card."

Jayden frowned. "A visitor? Here?"

"Yes, sir. The card has been checked. It’s legit."

For a moment, Jayden’s mind ran through possibilities. Then the corners of his lips lifted, just slightly.

He already knew after a quick moment of realisation.

...

He adjusted his coat and walked outside, his steps steady, his heart surprisingly light.

And there she was.

Melinda.

Standing in the courtyard, dressed in a soft navy suit that carried the elegance of her new position. Her hair shimmered under the daylight, and her hands clutched the strap of her handbag nervously.

The moment her eyes spotted Jayden, her composure shattered. She rushed forward without even realising it, her heels clicking against the stone path, her arms already opening.

"Jayden!"

He barely had time to brace himself before she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a strong, warm hug.

For a heartbeat, Jayden froze, stunned by the sudden wave of familiarity, of comfort, of something he hadn’t felt in what seemed like forever.

Slowly, he placed his arms around her, returning the embrace.

Although her actions were probably crazy, he completely understood. For a woman like Melinda who loves him so much, this was to be considered a minor act to express after not setting her eyes on him for several months.