Shi Yao and Li Yuan knew their next step—if they wanted answers, they had to start with those who had fallen into the dream.
By carefully questioning those who had been trapped, they gathered fragments of recollections, piecing together the common thread in their memories.
Each person remembered being led toward the altar.
But none of them could remember what happened after that.
Shi Yao frowned. Someone ensured that the altar was the last thing they saw before their minds slipped into the void.
Which meant—
The answer had to be within the altar itself.
That night, under the cover of darkness, they returned.
The grand hall stood silent, bathed in the dim flicker of torches. The altar loomed before them, seemingly unassuming—yet Shi Yao knew better.
Li Yuan knelt beside it, his fingers tracing along the intricate engravings. His eyes gleamed with sharp calculation. "These carvings aren't just decorative," he murmured. "They hide something."
Shi Yao watched as Li Yuan worked—his movements precise, his understanding of craftsmanship deeply ingrained.
Then—
A faint click.
Stone shifted ever so slightly. The altar groaned, resisting the intrusion.
Li Yuan pressed forward, revealing a hidden compartment beneath.
Then—
A shadow flickered.
Shi Yao stiffened. Someone was inside.
Before they could react, a figure stumbled back from the depths of the altar, their breath ragged.
The maid.
Shi Yao's pulse quickened.
She wasn't just an ordinary palace servant.
Li Yuan stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "You knew about this place," he accused. "You used it."
The maid's gaze darted between them, but there was no fear in her eyes—only an unshaken resolve.
Her voice was steady. "I did not create the dream," she said. "I only made sure it continued."
Shi Yao narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
She exhaled, her fingers trembling, yet her words remained firm.
"Because the palace took Concubine Li away from me," she whispered. "And I will not let those responsible rest peacefully. Someone did this to her—someone made her fall asleep, never to wake. If they think they can sleep soundly, they deserve the dream's punishment."
A vow. A revenge.
But had she found the right culprit?
The silence between them was thick, stretched by unspoken thoughts and lingering tension. The maid's confession had laid bare her reasons, her unwavering determination to seek justice—or revenge—for Concubine Li.
But she didn't know the truth.
Shi Yao met her gaze, his voice calm yet firm. "You believe someone in the palace did this to Concubine Li," he said. "But that isn't what happened."
The maid stiffened, her expression shifting ever so slightly. "What do you mean?"
Shi Yao took a slow breath, piecing together the fragmented moments of his dream. "I saw her," he murmured. "Concubine Li spoke to me."
The maid's breath caught.
Shi Yao pressed on. "She never intended for this to happen. She never meant for people to fall into endless dreams. She only wanted to be with everyone again—to be in a dream where she wasn't alone."
The maid's fingers curled into fists. "That doesn't make sense," she whispered, shaking her head. "She wouldn't have allowed this—she wouldn't have trapped herself."
"She didn't," Shi Yao replied, his voice steady. "The dream misunderstood her. It twisted her wish into something beyond her control." He met the maid's eyes, letting the weight of his words settle. "It wasn't the palace that did this to her. It was the dream itself."
The maid faltered, her resolve cracking ever so slightly.
"But the dreams won't end," she murmured. "They are endless—no one can find a way out."
Shi Yao hesitated, remembering the candle's light, the moment everything shattered. He thought of Concubine Li's shock, her last words before the dream collapsed.
"There is a way," he said finally.
And for the first time, the maid looked uncertain.