Chapter 781: The Town After the Bell Toll

After a few simple tests, Gawain confirmed that Daniel’s situation was indeed different from his own.

It wasn’t just the obvious difference in their surroundings; more importantly, Daniel didn’t seem to be in a state where he could disconnect from the network at any moment, unlike Gawain.

After multiple failed attempts to break free from the network, Daniel reported back with a hint of worry: “My lord, I can’t sense the boundaries of the real world. This hazy, illusory fog seems to not only block my five senses within the dream realm but also disrupts my ability to locate the real world. Without locating reality, I can’t disconnect from the network.”

Interference, huh…

Gawain didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he silently analyzed the situation.

The fact that he could still connect to Daniel’s consciousness meant Daniel’s mind was still inside the network, but some unknown “force” was shielding him. That hazy, illusory fog Daniel described—something that blocked the senses and disrupted reality’s coordinates—was likely the manifestation of this shielding force on Daniel’s side.

Yet, this interference clearly had no effect on Gawain, an otherworldly drifter who had piggybacked into the network.

Could this peculiar “immunity” be used to help Daniel escape?

Gawain wasn’t sure. He figured he needed to pinpoint Daniel’s “location” first and then make contact to test his theory.

Within the mental network, it was possible to “locate” others—a technology he and Daniel had developed together. This was partly why Daniel had successfully advanced from nightmare mentor to bishop rank.

But the strange “shielding” state Daniel and the others were trapped in seemed to interfere with the network’s positioning function. When Gawain tried to search for Daniel’s location, all he saw was a void of chaotic shadows.

However, just as Gawain had left a slew of secret ports and exploitable vulnerabilities in the network’s login and communication layers, he and Daniel had also embedded nearly a dozen “backchannels” into the positioning system—essentially a hidden secondary positioning mechanism, invisible to the mental network’s monitoring and unknown to anyone but themselves.

With a plan to test this, Gawain closed his eyes slightly and quietly activated a network link he had never used before. In the midst of the hazy darkness, a faintly glowing “web” appeared in his mental vision, overlapping with the eerie town.

A flickering point of light appeared nearby—that was Daniel’s mind.

Gawain felt calm, almost expectant.

Sure enough, the power of Sandbox One had no effect on the secret ports and links they had set up.

Because these secret channels were unknown to outsiders—unknown to the Sleepless, unknown to the mental network—Sandbox One, built by the Sleepless and rooted in the mental network, naturally had no knowledge of them.

Just as Gawain had suspected: a virtual system couldn’t simulate what lay beyond itself. No matter how powerful the “weirdness” brewing inside Sandbox One was, it couldn’t touch what it didn’t understand.

This was probably why Gawain himself was unaffected by Sandbox One’s strange forces: as an otherworldly drifter who had piggybacked into the network and whose soul didn’t belong to this world, he was the most ineffable, incomprehensible “thing” to Sandbox One. It likely couldn’t even perceive his existence on an architectural level.

Much like the Sleepless priests who had accompanied Gawain all this time but remained completely unaware of him.

But this limitation might only apply for now. If Sandbox One’s power transcended the sandbox and became some kind of godlike entity, whether this restriction would still hold was another matter.

As these thoughts swirled, Gawain strolled through the silent, empty streets of the town and arrived at a narrow alley near the square.

This was where the positioning system indicated Daniel was.

Yet the place was deserted—not a soul in sight.

Gawain closed his eyes briefly. In the illusory positioning grid, Daniel’s light flickered steadily right before him.

“My lord,” Daniel’s voice echoed in his mind, “I sense you are nearby, but I cannot see you…”

“I can’t see you either,” Gawain replied calmly in his mind, “But since you can sense my presence, it seems this ‘shielding’ of Sandbox One has some loopholes. It can’t block the ‘deep channels’ we set up. You should be able to use them to disconnect from the network.”

“Try it first, but don’t fully disconnect yet—this town still feels strange. Let’s explore a bit more.”

“I’m also curious where the others who were ‘deleted’ ended up.”

“Yes, my lord,” Daniel responded respectfully, then fell silent as he began attempting to reestablish contact with the real world through those deep channels that bypassed the mental network’s surface.

After about ten seconds, his voice returned, tinged with relief and respect: “My lord, as you said! After activating the deep channels, I can sense the boundaries of reality again. I should be able to break free from this state.”

“Good,” Gawain nodded. “Next, we need to find your true location…”

As he spoke, he scanned the surroundings, searching for anything out of place.

Daniel’s “location” was definitely here. Sandbox One couldn’t block the secret links in the deep channels, so the positioning system should be working properly. Yet, he saw no one… Sensory interference? Parallel space? Or something else…

Lost in thought, his gaze fell on a small puddle on the ground.

It sparked a memory—the reflections he’d seen in the water at the square.

He approached the puddle and looked into its mirror-like surface, which reflected the surrounding streets—just like the reflections at the square. In the reflection, the phantom town was lit by warm, bright street lamps; every house had its lights on.

Gawain crouched by the puddle, recalling his knowledge of the occult, and a realization dawned.

He reached out and gently touched the still water. Ripples spread across the reflection, causing the town’s image to shimmer and shake. As the water calmed, he saw the reflected town’s lights extinguish, swallowed by endless darkness.

Standing up, he heard faint laughter and chatter from nearby houses. The iron-black street lamps cast warm, bright light onto the streets, stretching his shadow long across the pavement.

This was the town after the bell had tolled.

He had somehow pierced through a kind of “veil” and arrived at the “other side” of the town!

And there, he saw Daniel.

The old mage stood quietly under a street lamp a short distance away, his back bent, eyes vacant as if lost in thought, completely unresponsive to Gawain’s presence.

Gawain frowned. He recalled that when Daniel entered the mental network, he had taken the form of a refined middle-aged mage. But now, Daniel appeared as his true self in the real world—had this strange town stripped away Daniel’s disguise? Or had Daniel, after being “deleted” and mentally disturbed, unconsciously dropped the illusion?

The question flickered through Gawain’s mind as he stepped closer to Daniel. First, he confirmed no sign of Selina or the others nearby, then lightly placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

It was just a test—but it worked immediately.

Gawain distinctly felt a dense, twisted aura shatter and dissipate under his touch. Daniel blinked twice, the dazed, absent expression vanishing. He instinctively tensed, then saw Gawain and the lamp-lit street around them.

“My lord,” Daniel bowed deeply, then looked around in confusion. “What is this…?”

“If I’m right, this is the phantom town after the bell toll,” Gawain said gravely. “I came through the water’s reflection—some unknown force has split the town into two parts: before and after the bell toll. The part after the bell is hidden deep inside. You’re trapped here, and the others probably are too.”

He paused, a faint smile crossing his lips. “Looks like my very presence disrupts the ‘rules’ here. I didn’t expect waking you would be so easy—I was prepared to try something more drastic if a simple touch didn’t work.”

“Your power is incomparable,” Daniel said with awe and gratitude. Then he noticed his own appearance and frowned. “Why have I changed to my real-world form…?”

Gawain glanced at the old mage. “I’m curious too. You don’t know why?”

“I’m not sure,” Daniel frowned. “It’s strange—not only have I changed to my real form, but I can’t disguise myself again…”

“Maybe the town’s strange power suppresses foreign influences,” Gawain speculated, eyes scanning deeper into the street. “Or perhaps the town’s core doesn’t support ‘virtual forms.’ Either way, stay alert. I really feel… this town is alive, and it means us no good.”

“Yes,” Daniel said respectfully, following Gawain’s gaze. “My lord, what shall we do next?”

“First, let’s find the others. We can investigate along the way,” Gawain said casually. “Using the deep channels, you should be able to locate them, right?”

Daniel tried, then nodded. “Yes. I’ve sensed Magnum and Yuri nearby—they seem to be together.”

“Let’s go see what’s going on.”

They left the spot and headed deeper into the streets. The occasional voices from nearby houses mingled with the glow of various lights, casting an eerie, unsettling atmosphere over the old, shadowed buildings and alleyways. Daniel, cloaked in black robes with his nerve-like tendrils slowly writhing behind him, only intensified the mood.

It seemed nothing fit the “haunted town” vibe better than a gloomy black-robed old sorcerer.

As they walked, Gawain glanced at Daniel and casually asked, “Your mental state should be stable now, right?”

Daniel didn’t know why Gawain brought it up but answered immediately, “Yes, thanks to your gift, I’ve been freed from that terrible mental torment.”

“Have you thought about changing your style or demeanor in the real world?”

Daniel looked a bit lost. “Mary did mention wanting to prepare some new clothes for me, but… no, it’s nothing. If this is your will, then I…”

Gawain quickly cut off the thought forming in his mind—images of the old mage’s style makeover spiraling into chaos—and interrupted before Daniel finished: “Forget it, I was just saying. Don’t worry about it.”

As always, Daniel responded without hesitation, “Everything as you wish.”

Gawain gave a soft hum in acknowledgment, glanced ahead, and gradually came to a stop.

He spotted two figures standing awkwardly not far off—two other Archbishops of the Sleepless who, like Daniel, had been “shielded” to this side.

Their disguises had been stripped away, revealing their true appearances in the real world. They stood by the roadside, dazed and lost in thought.

One wore a white robe, exuding a refined air, with a monocle perched on his face. Though aged beyond middle years, with more wrinkles and streaks of white hair, it was unmistakably Archbishop Yuri. His figure had grown a bit rounder.

The other was undoubtedly Archbishop Magnum. Compared to his virtual avatar, his real-world appearance hadn’t changed much—except his height had shrunk from over two meters to roughly one and a half, about the same as Amber’s.

Gawain cast a quiet glance at the two archbishops nearby, then lowered his head and said to Daniel, “There are certainly some very distinctive personalities among the Sleepless.”

Daniel replied, “…Indeed, as you say.”

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(End of chapter)