As An Antique Shop Owner, It's Only Reasonable That I Know A Bit Of Magic - Chapter 40

Watching Su Fan brush off his hands, Annie was completely bewildered.

“What did you just do?”

“Don’t worry, I just knocked them out,” Su Fan explained matter-of-factly.

“Of course I know you knocked them out! But why would you do that? They weren’t asleep yet! Now they’ve been pulled into Freddy’s dream world, haven’t they?”

Annie was frantic with worry.

Wasn’t this just handing Freddy the perfect opportunity?

“Relax. People don’t dream when they’re in a deep sleep or unconscious.”

“The hits I gave them were just the right force—perfectly safe, no brain damage.”

“And to prevent them from being pulled back into the dream world and killed after they wake up, I put Evil-Warding Talismans on them.”

“Perfect.”

Annie looked down at the large bump already swelling on the director’s head, then glanced warily at Su Fan. “Are you sure it’s really okay?”

“Of course it is. Not only is it okay, but once they learn the truth, they’ll even thank me.”

Su Fan was completely serious.

“Alright, it’s about time.”

His gaze shifted to the wall, as if he was locking eyes with something unseen.

Beside him, Annie guessed what was happening and held her breath, not daring to make a sound.

“What’s wrong? Too scared to invite me into your nightmare kingdom?”

As soon as Su Fan finished speaking, the scenery around them violently transformed!

Raging flames erupted, surrounding the two of them!

A wave of scorching heat hit them, accompanied by countless embers that danced like fireflies.

Annie could even feel her hair beginning to curl from the intense temperature.

The floor and intact furniture were instantly swallowed by tongues of fire.

Thick smoke crept up the walls, the paint cracking and peeling before the roof above them collapsed with a thunderous roar.

Annie instinctively covered her head and crouched, but the expected pain never came.

A faint golden light emanated from both of them, shielding them from the falling beams and rubble.

Su Fan waved his hand sharply, and a powerful gust of wind swept through, blowing all the debris away!

[You used Wind Control. Proficiency +1!]

[You are facing a powerful evil spirit blessed by a malevolent god.]

[Defeat him to receive a generous reward!]

A notification sounded in Su Fan’s ears.

Before it could finish, a rhythmic, heavy thud echoed from ahead, occasionally mixed with the sound of scraping metal.

“Bravo!”

A horrifying figure with a grotesque face stepped out of the shadows, clapping loudly as if genuinely applauding Su Fan’s previous move.

“I’ve never seen power like that before. How did you get it?”

Once she got a clear look at his face, Annie began to tremble uncontrollably. A sharp pain suddenly shot through her abdomen!

She looked down to find her clothes already soaked with blood!

At that moment, Annie vividly recalled her previous experiences in the dream. As the memories flooded back, wounds began to appear on her limbs, blood gushing out!

Fear, like relentless waves, crashed against the defenses of her reason!

“Stay calm!”

Just as Annie was about to lose control, Su Fan’s voice came from above.

“Don’t forget, fear becomes his nourishment!”

Su Fan’s voice acted like a powerful sedative, injected directly into Annie’s heart, gradually suppressing the swelling terror.

Seeing this, Freddy looked immensely disappointed, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

“The taste of fear is still so intoxicating. What a pity a party pooper had to ruin the fun.”

“Well then, are you ready for the nightmare?”

The remaining traces of light around them vanished completely. In the blink of an eye, the world transformed into a cold, dead, silent night!

The moonlight struggled to break through the thick clouds, casting a weak, pathetic glow on the ground.

The two found themselves in front of a dilapidated house where a dozen or so children were playing a game, jumping rope.

The children looked innocent and lively, dressed in bright, cute clothes. In a park, the scene would have made many people smile.

But here, in front of this sinister wooden shack, it felt utterly eerie!

They seemed completely oblivious to Su Fan and Annie, continuing to play by themselves, singing a nursery rhyme in childish voices.

Annie listened carefully to the lyrics and felt her hair stand on end!

One, two, Freddy’s coming for you
Three, four, better lock your door
Five, six, grab your crucifix
Seven, eight, gonna stay up late
Nine, ten, never sleep again…

The creepy atmosphere made Annie shrink behind Su Fan.

“They…”

“They are the children Freddy tortured and killed in his past life. Their souls are trapped in his nightmare, unable to find salvation.”

Su Fan’s eyes held a deep intensity; he could see their true forms.

“Let’s go. They pose no threat to us.”

The two stepped inside the abandoned house. A stench of rotten wood mixed with other foul odors assaulted Annie’s nose, making her turn pale.

Covering her mouth and nose, she glanced at Su Fan, who looked completely unfazed.

“How are you doing that?”

“Just imagine it.”

“Imagine?”

Su Fan’s answer left Annie stunned.

“Although Freddy has the ability to manipulate dreams, ultimately, you are the master of your own dream.”

“If your will is strong enough, you can control your own dreamscape.”

“In real life, many people practice dream control. It’s not difficult to learn if you put your mind to it.”

“Like this.”

Su Fan’s calm words were suddenly drowned out by the roar of an engine.

Annie looked down, startled to find a chainsaw now in Su Fan’s hands!

He revved the throttle. With a sputtering “vroom,” the chain began spinning at high speed.

“To be honest, I thought of this method this afternoon. I just didn’t expect my first attempt to work so well!!”

Su Fan’s voice rose sharply as he suddenly swung the chainsaw behind him without warning!

An earsplitting screech instantly erupted!

Annie spun around and witnessed a scene she would never forget for the rest of her life!
The chainsaw was blocked by a pair of bladed claw gloves. The sparks flying from their collision illuminated Freddy’s hideous face!

His expression was full of shock, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a sinister grin. He forcefully pushed back, creating distance, and then disappeared into the darkness!

“This thing really works wonders.”

Su Fan looked at the chainsaw in his hands with admiration.

Right on cue, a notification sounded in his ear.

[Using your imagination and will within the dream, you created a chainsaw and repelled Freddy!]

[In this process, you seem to have begun to comprehend something.]

[Dream Control ability +2! Soul Strength +2!]

Su Fan could feel his movements within the dream becoming more natural, no longer plagued by the previous sense of disconnect between his body and his mind.

His perception also sharpened.

But what truly surprised Su Fan was the second part of the notification.

It actually increased Soul Strength?

Unless one reaches a certain level of cultivation, increasing soul strength is typically a very slow process!

Yet here he was, gaining soul strength.

Was it because he held fast to his spirit and repelled the Nightmare King, Freddy, within the dream?

Once he figured it out, Freddy suddenly seemed almost… endearing in Su Fan’s eyes.

Su Fan revved the chainsaw again, a smile even tugging at his lips.

“Come on then, Freddy. Let’s see where you’re hiding.”