Shadow Slave novel Chapter 3011

Sunny looked at the familiar door, feeling emotions swell in his chest.

It was funny, really. This modest house in a middle-range district of NQSC was not at all important, all things considered. Sunny ruled an entire region of the Dream Realm now — there was a whole city under his control, with countless homes that were far more grand and desirable than this one. He also had the Nameless Temple and the Marvelous Mimic, who could take any form. Not to mention that Sunny was wealthy enough to buy this entire district, not just one house.

And still...

He remembered becoming the owner of this home, with its grey walls and a cozy porch. How it made him feel... how exhilarated he had been, having become a homeowner after a lifetime of living on the streets.

He remembered all the things that had happened in that home, as well.

‘Goodness.'

It felt like a lifetime ago. It certainly was, in more senses than one... a thousand lifetimes, even.

Sunny inhaled deeply and looked away from the door.

"It's quiet here."

The terrace district was different from how he remembered it. There were far fewer people on the streets, and everything was quiet. Most of the homes seemed vacant, as if their owners had moved somewhere a long time ago. The green lawns he enjoyed looking at so much were still tended to, but if one looked closely, the signs of neglect were impossible to miss.

Jet answered in a neutral tone.

“Well, things change. This district was quite popular once, but a few years ago, there was a Nightmare Gate emergency nearby. The public trains had to be rerouted because of the Call, and the network connection became patchy. The Gate was eventually closed, but it was already too late — people moved on. Some moved to the Dream Realm, most simply relocated to other parts of NQSC."

She paused for a moment, then shrugged with a smile.

"Lucky for us, really. It would have been difficult to purchase this home if someone else was already living in it."

Sunny nodded, feeling strangely wistful... dismayed, even. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The fact that the terrace district was deteriorating should not have been a surprise for him, but for some reason, it was a bit of a blow. He had never stopped to think about it, but this idyllic place always felt eternal in his mind.

However, nothing was truly eternal in this world...

Only the great Void was.

Jet's smile turned a little wistful, as well.

“Actually, it's a big problem."

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

“What is?"

She gestured vaguely in the direction of the homes surrounding them.

“Real estate. People know that they will have to leave for the Dream Realm eventually, and even if most of them won't be able to become settlers any time soon, that knowledge is already influencing their decisions. Those who do leave for the Dream Realm need to sell their assets first, but nobody is buying — why would they, knowing that they would not get to own their purchases in the long run? So, the whole market has more or less collapsed. It's a mess."

Jet shook her head.

"The government had to establish a special agency that assists settlers in converting their assets to contribution points. These points can then be exchanged for stuff in the Dream Realm... basically, we are buying all the things people cannot sell at a huge loss, en masse. But our pockets are not infinite. Don't tell anyone, but the government is actually this close to going bankrupt."

She raised her hand, holding her thumb and index finger apart.

Then, she laughed.

"Oh, don't look so serious. The Immortal Flame has our backs, so it's going to be fine... well, it will be tolerable, at least.”

Then, she looked at Sunny and raised an eyebrow.

"So, are you going to invite me inside or what?"

Sunny came to his senses and took a step toward the door.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Saint Jet. Please make yourself at home."

Once the door closed behind them, Sunny was met with the familiar view.

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