219: Chapter 220 The Current State of Non-Human Hosts, The Scheme of [Gods] and [Dominators]

————[One year after Dream System Update Version 2.1]————

Time quietly passed as the [Dream World] and the [Real World] intertwined and merged. A year after the [Dream System] was upgraded to version 2.1, the Non-Human Hosts had found their respective places within the [Dream World].

Most Non-Human Hosts, fearing and facing persecution from many nations in the [Real World], traveled through [Dream Gates] scattered across the globe to the [Dream World], which was more inclusive of their existence. Only a very few Non-Human Hosts remained hidden in the corners of the [Real World], making their presence increasingly rare there.

In the [Dream World], various Non-Human Hosts settled in diverse, characteristic settlements according to their natures and races. During this time, several [Gods] and [Dominators] became involved. This was a Gambling match between the order side [Heavenly Dao] and the chaos side [Earthly Dao], the pillars of the [Dream World].

Atop the high mountains, [The City of Art and Dolls—Bridat]

This was a paradise exclusive to avian Non-Human Hosts. After a year of construction, the entire city now used ivory white and gilding as its base colors. The surfaces of the buildings were carved with openwork decorations of musical instruments and palettes. The bell tower at the center of the city randomly played various types of music every hour—grand classical, cheerful jazz, rhythmic pop, or pulsing electronic music. The walls of the buildings lining the streets were natural galleries; avian Non-Human Hosts could often be seen using brushes made from their own feathers to paint "living" light-and-shadow works on the walls, where every stroke changed color with sound and light. Parrot-men stood on street corners, mimicking the sounds of various instruments, while passing pedestrians occasionally harmonized with them to create entirely new movements. Crow-men resided in Gothic-style dark vintage bell towers, using black feathers dipped in pitch-black paint to sketch deep and impactful dark artworks on the stone walls. Peacock-men gathered in the art square at the city center, lightly sweeping their tail feathers across harp strings to play soul-soothing melodies.

This was an artistic utopia, protected by the [God of Art], allowing every avian Non-Human Host to fully immerse themselves in artistic creation. However, in the unnoticed studios and music rooms on the city's outskirts, paintings were filled with eerie colors that caused mental derangement, and music was laced with a power that bewitched the heart. The power of the [Lord of Madness] was quietly infiltrating the city, leading art to the brink of madness and losing control.

Beneath the deep sea, [The Lost City of the Ocean—Atlantis]

A massive bubble enveloped the entire city. This site, originally the ruins of the Mermaid Kingdom, had now become a settlement for fish-type Non-Human Hosts. Glowing coral grew on collapsed stone pillars, and broken steles were engraved with runes recording mysterious powers. Whale-men, with their massive bodies, guarded the city's perimeter, wielding giant runic harpoons to fend off the Deep Sea Behemoths that occasionally appeared outside the city. Shark-men formed patrols, weaving through the city streets, their sharp teeth glinting with a cold light and their scanning eyes alert for any abnormal movement. Tuna-men entered the deep sea in schools to catch native fish of the [Dream World] to meet the city's daily needs.

The protection of the [God of the Ocean] was like a gentle tide, surrounding the bubble that encased the city, resisting the pressure of the deep sea. While isolating the seawater, it granted every fish-type Non-Human Host the ability to breathe in the air. Every resident here lived peacefully in the deep sea, studying the secrets of ancient runes. However, as Deep Sea Behemoths carrying the [Deep Sea Power] of the [Lord of the Deep Sea] passed near the city from time to time, some fish-type Non-Human Hosts became contaminated—giant sea worms crawled out of the mouths of Shark-men, abruptly devouring lone Clownfish Hosts in corners; the tentacles of Jellyfish-men twisted the buildings they touched into tentacles with petrification abilities.

On the vast plains, [The City of Competitive Sports—Sport]

The cheers in this city never ceased day or night. With fair competition as its basic principle, a massive arena stood in the center of the city, its entrance built as a grand Hall of Honor. Werewolves and Lion-men were regulars in the arena's combat events, sometimes fighting with sharp claws and teeth, and other times using various weapons in duels, sweating on the field to win honor through strength and skill. Deer-men and Rabbit-men preferred racing competitions, running at high speeds around the arena's extra-long track, enjoying the thrill of speed. Bear-men and Elephant-men liked to participate in strength competitions; their thick muscles could easily lift weights several times their own, and whenever a projectile was slammed into the ground, it would kick up clouds of dust and leave deep pits.

Here, winning or losing was not the only pursuit; fairness, justice, and adherence to rules were the main themes of this city of competition. Under the protection of the [God of Contracts], the rules of every competition were upheld, and the various mammalian Non-Human Hosts were united in maintaining the city's rules and order. However, beneath the surface of fairness and justice, the power of the [Lord of Lies] was quietly dismantling this purity—some participants began to use drugs secretly, using lies to cover up traces of cheating; some participants set traps in secret to hinder others for the sake of victory. Lies, like vines blotting out the sky, quietly entangled the air above the city of competition, and dark thoughts and behaviors began to be subconsciously learned by the originally simple Non-Human Hosts.

In the boundless desert, [The Oasis City—Dacesis]

An oasis, like a brilliant emerald, bloomed with verdant life amidst the desolate yellow sands. This was a home built together by amphibian and reptilian Non-Human Hosts. Lizard-men used their scales to resist the scorching sun while digging canals in the desert to lead groundwater to the oasis. Snake-men were skilled at sensing the breath of the earth to find water sources hidden beneath the desert. Frog-men and Toad-men cultivated farmland on the edge of the oasis, planting drought-resistant crops.

With the concerted efforts of all races, they gradually transformed the desolate desert, causing the Oasis City to expand continuously. The protection of the [God of the Earth] made the soil within the city's range exceptionally fertile, nourishing every inch of the originally barren land, resulting in bountiful harvests, lush natural vegetation, and pure flowing river water. However, the boundless desert was still constantly affected by the power of the [Lord of Desolation]. The yellow sands at the edge of the oasis rolled with the wind, continuously encroaching upon the oasis; the bodies of some reptilian Non-Human Hosts became parched and cracked, and their personalities became solitary and violent, constantly destroying the vegetation, water sources, and land of the oasis, always looking forward to the day the Oasis City would be swallowed by the desert.

Unlike the settlements of other Non-Human Hosts, plant-type Non-Human Hosts did not choose to move into or establish cities. Instead, they built scattered small villages in forests, by streams, and in valleys throughout the [Dream World]. Each village was surrounded by dense vegetation, with various flowers, plants, and trees intertwining to form the outlines of houses, which glowed in various colors under the sunlight. Most plant-type Hosts did not like moving long distances, so once they took root, they basically never chose to leave their villages. Insect-type Non-Human Hosts formed a close symbiotic relationship with them because of this—Butterfly-men traveled between villages with spices made from petals; Bee-men packed nectar and specialty plants to sell in other settlements, exchanging them for supplies needed by the villages; Ant-men helped the plant-type Hosts loosen the soil and clean the village environment.

The protection of the [God of Life] filled these villages with vitality, with evergreen plants and abundant fruits. At the same time, the power of the [Lord of Corruption] had quietly spread among the villages. The petals on the heads of Rose-men became increasingly crimson, even starting to leak blood-like crimson sap, and the centers of the flowers even turned into eerie maws dripping with foul-smelling saliva. Mantis-men became frenzied, starting to frantically destroy village buildings and attack other Non-Human Hosts. This cast a shadow of corruption over the symbiotic villages that originally radiated vigorous life.

The settlements of the various races in the [Dream World] were like independent [Small Worlds], operating peacefully under the protection of [Gods] while facing crises under the influence of [Dominators].