The parking area was hushed, the air heavy with impatience and anxiety. They all knew what was stake, and also knew that they were in new territory. A gamble had to be made, and quickly. They understood Liwu’s motives, just as they understood Weijun’s anger and need to stop her.

The couple was facing off, each unwilling to give in.

Liwu was the first to break the air. Her eyes flashed with frustration. "So you are okay with other people risking their lives, as long as it is not me! Weijun, I have understood the situation perfectly. I am the only one that can go in and end this quickly. I am trained for destruction and I will have a guide."

Weijun’s jaw tightened. "And what if the dream system hosts gang up on you in there? It is not enough to go with a guide we don’t even know well. What if the rogue dreamer is waiting for you in there? What if your mind is twisted?"

Her voice rose, sharp as a blade. "What is I do nothing? What if those children never wake up? Will you explain to their parents that we sat by and waited for months while the mayor of their city ignored a possible solution?"

She pulled Qiren’s hand, and started dragging the dreamer in the direction of the hospital. Weijun followed, loudly protesting the plan. They walked past anxious parents, as the argument escalated. Soon, they were in a private room, with two bed, voices competing with each other.

Nurses peeked nervously around corners, officers shifted uneasily. Liwu’s teammates stood awkwardly outside, just like Weijun’s people. They all pretended to be checking something, while secretly listening to every word.

And poor Qiren, she was stuck in the room, unable to escape.

Finally, a new voice cut through the tension.

"Enough."

Tai Alix strode into the room, followed doctors and experts with systems. She had also brought more agents to lock down the hospital. Hr presence silenced the room instantly. Dressed in a crisp white suit, her aura radiated authority.

"Mother," Liwu breathed, relief and dread mingling. "You came. I am so glad, because Weijun is not listening to me."

Alix’s eyes swept the room, pausing briefly on Qiren. "Of course I came. Twelve children in a coma, trapped by a system host in a dream. This is the kind of rogue we set up teams like yours to catch. Although, I am not sure why my own daughter insists on charging headfirst into danger without consulting me." She paused, her gaze piercing Weijun. "And you. You forbid her? Hmph. You forget who she is. She is my daughter and I trained her personally to escape every trap, seen and unseen. She is a detective. She is equipped for this and she will go."

Weijun bristled. "Mother-in-law, wit respect--"

"When we are at work, I am your superior, not your mother-in-law. Not Liwu’s loving worried mother." She interrupted. "I know where you are coming from, but your fear blinds you. Liwu is not reckless. She is prepared. And I will prepare further."

Liwu’s heart surged with gratitude. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, mother....President Tai."

Alix gestured briskly. "Bring me the equipment."

Technicians rushed into the room, wheeling carts laden with wires, monitors, and crystals. Alix explained how things would work. "According to your dreamer, the rogue dreamer has built a world tailored for children. To infiltrate it, Liwu’s mind must appear childlike. Otherwise, the dream will reject her, or worse, the rogue will harm her."

Liwu frowned. "And how am I going to become childlike?"

Alix smirked. "Leave that to me and your sister Sangzhu."

Liwu’s eyes widened. Yes, Sangzhu had a system, but she was only eighteen. Her system was still fresh...only a year old.

Zhang Sangzhu strode into the room, with a circlet of silver and glass. "This device will filter your thoughts, soften your logic and amplify your imagination. It will make your brainwaves resemble those of a child, You will laugh at nonsense, cry at cartoons, and believe in magic. In short, you will fit in."

"So basically, she will be Xuanji." Linlin snorted from the sidelines.

Xuanji bristled. "Hey!"

Everything was suddenly moving at a fast pace. Technicians pulled Liwu to the bed and strapped her down. Electrodes were attached to her temples. On the next bed, the same electrodes were attached to Qiren’s temples. A technician explained, "This will sync your brain waves like threads, tying you together in the dream world. Even if you are separated, you will find each other."

"Ma’am, the monitors are alive." A technician sitting behind a computer shared. Not just one laptop but there ten on the table. It almost seemed like the operation had been set up months ago.

Alix adjusted the setting personally, "The transformation will be temporary. Once you exit the dream, your mind will return to normal. But inside, you must remember: play along. Be a child. Only then will the dream accept you."

Weijun’s face darkened. "This is madness."

Alix’s eyes narrowed. "Madness? No strategy. So you think that I, the president of the bureau would dabble in madness? Liwu will go, and she will succeed."

Liwu squeezed Weijun’s hand, her voice softening. "Trust me, I will come back."

He looked at her, torn between affection and fear. Finally, he surrendered, because he was defeated. "You have two hours maximum, and then I come in and pull you out whether you have finished your mission or not."

Liwu smiled. "Just say you want to see the dream park and go another food tour. An all you can eat buffet of candies, without fearing calories and sickness."

He laughed.

The preparations continued. Sangzhu calibrated monitors, Linlin whispered encouragement. He Xiao Yi went over his lists of suspects. He was sure that one of the children in the coma was the mastermind behind this. He was whispering about probabilities while the algorithm examined the children’s history.

At last, Alix stepped back. "It is ready."

Liwu lay down on the bed, wires trailing from her temples, crystals glowing around her. Her team gathered close, solemn now. Weijun gripped her hand more tightly. He had been afraid many times before, but never rattled to this extent.

If his wife didn’t make it back, he was not sure if he would be stopped from punching his own mother-in-law.