On the underground platform, Vale Valetti looked puzzled after hearing Lin Yu's explanation.

"How could this be? The nature of Fear Oil is quite stable, and it's very difficult to transform it into an unstable state."

As Vale Valetti spoke, Lin Yu shook his head.

"I have a solution for that. Right now, I need to confirm two crucial points with you..."

"First, the Fear Oil that transformed into this guy lying on the ground existed in reality, not in some dream scenario I wasn't aware of, correct?" Lin Yu asked cautiously.

Vale Valetti nodded: "Correct. Fear Oil itself can simulate various things in reality... That's precisely why the company values it so highly."

"In other words, this monster can actually create fear in reality too?"

"Yes," Vale Valetti nodded. "Though normally, it's more 'convenient' to manufacture fear within dreams, since dreams... don't need to follow the physical laws of reality."

"Not only does this produce more intense fear, but it also consumes far less resources - whereas transforming real physical Fear Oil in reality is much more laborious!"

Lin Yu looked at Vale Valetti and gave a slight nod.

"I understand. Now for the second important question... Researcher, since you can currently be considered part of that monster, to what extent can you influence its judgment? And how much can you affect its actions?"

Lin Yu asked seriously.

Though he didn't understand why Vale Valetti's soul hadn't been devoured or assimilated, maintaining independent consciousness...

This guy, while preserving his "self," must still be able to significantly influence the Fear Oil.

Vale Valetti looked at Lin Yu in surprise.

"How did you know? I hadn't had the chance to tell you this yet."

"I never suffered any attacks from this monster in the dreams - that must have been your doing... And the 'past scenes' you showed me were essentially using the same methods this monster employs to 'manufacture fear,' weren't they?"

Lin Yu continued while taking out the map: "Not only that, these 'strongholds' were probably created to lure people to Extreme Winter Mountain and make them feel safe enough to sleep..."

"But the fact they're arranged to spell 'cheat' on the map must be because you secretly influenced the details, right?"

"Leaving clues, yet doing so in such an awkward and obscure way, combined with your behavior in the 'dreams' I mentioned... I suspect you can influence some of the monster's operations, but not too much."

"Also, your promise just now - you could even guarantee that people in the dream wouldn't be able to speak to each other."

As Lin Yu spoke, Vale Valetti sighed and nodded: "I wasn't wrong about you. You truly are capable of ending all this."

"My interference with its cognition and behavior is limited to simple obfuscation."

"To put it visually, it's like these 'strongholds' - I made slight coordinate adjustments to their originally random placements, eventually forming them into meaningful connectable patterns."

"In the dreams, I've constantly been interfering, trying to make it ignore your presence as much as possible."

Vale Valetti then looked at Lin Yu: "So, what do you need me to do?"

Lin Yu replied: "Simple. In about... forty hours, I need you to make it notice my existence, notice that I'm unaffected by the 'Dream Manufacturing Device,' notice that you harbor hopes I can end it."

Vale Valetti froze: "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Lin Yu nodded firmly. "And when the time comes, I'll need your help with one more thing... though you'll understand what that is when the time comes."

Vale Valetti hesitated slightly at Lin Yu's words.

But ultimately, he nodded.

"Alright, I believe you."

"Though... why forty hours?"

Lin Yu didn't answer the question.

"Since we're on the subject, can you keep these guys trapped in dreams without waking up?"

He pointed at Furbollo lying on the ground, referring to the other players.

Vale Valetti didn't press further, simply nodding in agreement to Lin Yu's new request.

Lin Yu exhaled and slowly sat down on the ground.

"Next... I just need to make sure I don't fall asleep."

"Or at least, don't let me encounter them in dreams."

Closing his eyes lightly, Lin Yu began to rest.

"I've done all I can. Now it's just... doing my best and leaving the rest to fate."

Soon, Lin Yu felt drowsiness washing over him.

It seemed Vale Valetti had chosen the latter option.

When he opened his eyes again, Lin Yu felt much more refreshed.

Furbollo was still snoring on the ground, with Vale Valetti standing nearby.

"As an imprisoned soul, you no longer feel fatigue, do you?"

"Indeed not," Vale Valetti responded.

Glancing at the Black Oil below, he said quietly: "To be honest, your companions actually caused it some trouble..."

"But correspondingly, three of them died."

Lin Yu checked - the lost abilities were 『Otaku』, 『Enforcer』 and 『Thief』.

"No big deal," Lin Yu shook his head.

As long as the 『Soldier』 and 『Doctor』 abilities remained, that would suffice...

Right now, he just needed survival capabilities.

Then Lin Yu looked at Vale Valetti: "The 'Dream Manufacturing Device' still has no effect on me. Among the three who died, none had abilities that would affect my immunity to it."

As Lin Yu spoke, Vale Valetti nodded.

"I can somewhat guess the first step of your plan, but what comes after... I still can't see through it."

Vale Valetti's body emitted waves of "belief."

Lin Yu's earlier words had 『materialized』 - using 『Official』 to obtain rule exemptions that should have been invalid, they became effective again.

"Thank goodness this NPC is smart enough..."

Probably Vale Valetti, who had been observing everything, had guessed that Lin Yu could gain special abilities by claiming different false identities.

But he didn't understand the underlying mechanism.

So all Lin Yu needed was to make vague statements, and someone as sharp as Vale Valetti would naturally comprehend and "believe" his words.

Having resolved the "Dream Manufacturing Device" issue once more, Lin Yu waved his hand.

"Alright, Vale Valetti..."

"Let's begin. Let this monster witness my existence."

As Lin Yu finished speaking...

Vale Valetti suddenly sensed it -

The aura emanating from the youth before him had abruptly undergone some fundamental transformation!