"Enter the Nightmare World!!"
With a focused thought, Zhou Yu projected his consciousness into the Nightmare World. The moment his mind stirred, he prepared to step through the Gate of Nightmares. However, entering and exiting the gate was not without cost. Each passage required the payment of 1,000 star coins as a toll. After all, activating the Gate of Nightmares consumed energy, and that cost had to be borne by the travelers themselves.
The fee of 1,000 star coins also served to limit how often ordinary citizens could enter the Nightmare World. After all, dying even once inside could cause serious spiritual damage. Too frequent an entry risked permanent harm.
With a single thought, he stepped through the gate.
Whoosh!!
In a flash of light, Zhou Yu felt as if the earth itself was quaking and the heavens trembling. Despite his cultivation and power, he couldn't resist the overwhelming force. When he finally felt solid ground beneath his feet again, he quickly opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings.
"This isn't right... I'm on a ship!?"
Zhou Yu's expression turned to one of surprise.
He had once been a naval commander, undefeated in water battles throughout his life. He was intimately familiar with ships and the sea. Within an instant, he knew—he was aboard a warship.
But how?
Based on reports from the masses who had entered the Nightmare World, the scenery upon entry was always gray and hazy. But what surrounded him now was entirely different.
He looked around carefully, astonished.
This wasn't the Nightmare World—it was a normal realm. A real world, with skies, sea, and earth.
"This... feels so familiar."
He swept his gaze across the scene, and an intense wave of familiarity surged over him.
He stood on a warship, its sails billowing in the wind. Upon one of them was a large, bold character—"Zhou"!!
"Commander, the wind is picking up. You should head inside the cabin."
At that moment, a voice sounded by his ear.
"You are... Gongfu!?"
Zhou Yu turned and saw a figure that made him tremble. He cried out in astonishment.
It was Huang Gai, styled Gongfu, a senior general of the Wu Kingdom. Stern and disciplined, he was renowned for training elite troops and for his valor in every campaign. He had played a crucial role in the famous Battle of Red Cliffs, where he and Zhou Yu had staged the infamous self-inflicted injury ruse, resulting in the burning of Cao Cao's fleet and the eventual division of the realm into three kingdoms.
Back then, the two were the best of friends and often drank together when not at war.
"Commander, what's wrong? Of course I'm Gongfu," Huang Gai replied, puzzled.
"It's nothing. What's the current situation?"
Zhou Yu, ever composed, examined his surroundings. This was clearly his old Eastern Wu naval fleet. Dozens of ships were anchored at the harbor, with soldiers patrolling the area.
"Liu Bei's strategist, Zhuge Kongming, has arrived at our naval camp. He seeks an audience with you to discuss strategy against Cao Cao. He is currently waiting in the main hall. When would you like to see him?"
As soon as Zhou Yu heard this, he immediately deduced the current timeline: the Battle of Red Cliffs. This was the moment when he was about to meet Zhuge Liang to strategize against Cao Cao.
Yet his mind was flooded with confusion.
"Why is this happening? Why am I in the Three Kingdoms period, and why during the Red Cliffs campaign? Have I... transmigrated again? But that seems impossible."
"I entered the Nightmare World through the Gate of Nightmares, yet the world I arrived in is unlike the others described... Could it be that the world I entered is a different kind of Nightmare World?"
According to legend, the Nightmare World was born from the dreams of countless beings. Constantly shifting and unpredictable, it held both danger and destiny. Every moment, dreams were born and shattered. Surely, someone had dreamt of the Red Cliffs.
This must be a Nightmare Dream World—a dream realm based on the Three Kingdoms.
What's more, Zhou Yu had taken the place of the historical Zhou Yu, effectively becoming himself in this timeline. This gave him an incredible advantage.
"This is the Three Kingdoms world... I wonder if it's possible to bring back the treasures, soldiers, or even talents from here. If I can, then this would be an unimaginable opportunity, one that could greatly increase my status within the Great Yi Dynasty."
His thoughts raced.
Zhou Yu was a man of rare brilliance. In mere moments, he had analyzed the entire situation: his environment, his identity, and the potential outcomes. With his foresight, he already knew how the Battle of Red Cliffs would unfold. Armed with this knowledge, steering the outcome of the war would be child's play.
"Cao Cao commands countless talents. If I can capture them and bring them back to Great Yi, it could transform the dynasty."
Indeed, the Three Kingdoms were never short on talent. Not just Cao Cao—every major faction had their own formidable strategists and warriors.
Meanwhile, Yi Tianxing remained unaware of Zhou Yu's situation.
Ever since the Gate of Nightmares was opened and integrated with StarNet, the national fortune of the Great Yi Dynasty had surged at a visible pace. The Luck Spirit of the dynasty had grown to a towering one hundred and thirty to forty zhang, and the gate alone had added over ten zhang to its size. Undoubtedly, the gate had been a great boon to the dynasty.
At this moment, Yi Tianxing was receiving a report from Xinghai.
"Father, since the Gate of Nightmares was opened, the number of Great Yi citizens who've entered has reached 350 million. However, only less than 30 million have returned safely. The rest… didn't make it. The Nightmare World changes constantly and is extremely perilous. Even those at the Dharma Image Realm struggle to survive for long. The Nightmare Force mutates creatures unpredictably, causing sudden and explosive power surges."
Xinghai gave his report swiftly.
This data had been gathered from countless citizens and collated for analysis. The Nightmare World was too dangerous—were it not for the fact that people entered as spiritual projections, the Great Yi Dynasty might have suffered irreparable losses.
"Good. Continue monitoring. If anyone dies inside, they must wait at least half a month before reentering. Prioritize the safety of our people."
Yi Tianxing gave firm instructions.
"Yes, Father!!" Xinghai responded without hesitation.
Then he departed.
Time passed quietly. In the blink of an eye, two to three months had gone by. And now, the time for the Hanhai Dragon Palace banquet was fast approaching. During these months, Great Yi had continued to change in subtle but meaningful ways.
Many had returned from the Nightmare World with rare treasures, and even martial arts techniques—some of them of excellent quality.
These new techniques became their personal foundations. Though not necessarily peerless, many were not recorded in the Great Yi Scripture Pavilion, meaning they could be passed down freely, without any binding heart-demon oaths.
Naturally, this inflamed the public's passion. Their desire to enter the Nightmare World only intensified.
At the same time, various pieces of intelligence about the Nightmare World were continually being reported, and with StarNet's aggregation, a broader understanding began to emerge. Though still just the tip of the iceberg, it was far better than knowing nothing at all.
"The banquet is about to begin."
A flash of light appeared in Yi Tianxing's hand. The invitation from the Dragon Palace, acquired earlier, now glowed with divine brilliance, accompanied by faint dragon roars.