The Monster in My Dream Has Grown Up - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lu Jibai’s hand stopped mid-air.

I grabbed the white porcelain medicine cup from the counter and hurled it at his feet.

The cup shattered, scattering the reviving powder all over the room.

Lu Jibai coughed and stepped back half a step.

I seized the chance to flee through the back door.

The West Market was sparsely populated in the early morning; the steamed cake stall had just been set up.

As I ran, I gripped the boning knife hidden in my sleeve.

The handle was soaked with sweat, my fingers trembling so much I could barely hold it.

There were no footsteps behind me.

But I knew Lu Jibai wouldn’t let it go so easily.

He was the youngest medical officer in the Imperial Academy of Medicine.

If he wanted to catch me, he didn’t need to do it himself.

Sure enough, as soon as I turned into Zhuque Street, I saw two bailiffs in black uniforms guarding the alley entrance.

One of them held a portrait.

The portrait was of me.

I froze.

Lu Jibai’s voice came from behind.

“Mianmian, stop fooling around.”

He stood at the end of the alley, the wind lifting the hem of his robe.

“I’ve already informed Jingzhao Prefecture that you’ve been bewitched by a Nightmare.”

“They will take you back for treatment.”

I looked at him.

“Treatment, or entering dreams?”

Lu Jibai said gently, “You just need to sleep for a while.”

My vision darkened.

The cost of seven days without sleep caught up with me at that moment.

My stomach churned, my ears buzzed, and even Lu Jibai’s face briefly split into two.

The bailiffs walked toward me.

Just as they were about to touch me, the shadow on the ground suddenly moved.

A black hand stretched out from my shadow and grabbed a bailiff’s ankle.

The bailiff screamed and fell.

Everyone on the street looked over.

I lowered my head.

My shadow had grown very long.

So long it no longer looked like mine.

It slowly raised its head in the sunlight, splitting open a narrow crack along the ground.

From the crack came that voice.

“Wen Mian.”

“Close your eyes.”

I gritted my teeth.

“I can’t sleep right now.”

“Not sleep.”

The Shadow said, “Just borrow some of your dream.”

The next moment, all the sounds on the street went far away.

I saw a ring of grey mist floating behind Lu Jibai.

Within the mist hung many fine threads.

At the end of each thread was fastened a sleeping person.

There were regulars from the medicine shop, patients from the Imperial Academy of Medicine, and several children I didn’t recognize.

Their eyes were closed, their faces pale and greenish.

Inside Lu Jibai’s sleeve was hidden a small bronze bell.

Every time the bell rang, those people would frown.

I abruptly opened my eyes.

Lu Jibai had already come right in front of me.

“You saw?”

he asked softly.

“So you should be even more obedient.”

I raised my hand and slashed with my knife.

The blade tore through his sleeve.

The bronze bell rolled out.

In the same instant, my Shadow lunged forward and swallowed the bell in one gulp.