There is a beast in the bright morning.

Chapter 178 Walnut is Trapped in a Dream

After Hao Chen got drunk at Di Ting's place, Di Ting sent him back to the Deer Man Shop.

However, because of the strong smell of alcohol on his body, he was disgusted by the four-legged creature. Not wanting his bed to be covered in the smell of alcohol, the four-legged creature had no choice but to help Haochen take a bath before going to rest.

After all that work, the four-legged creature was exhausted and slept straight through until noon the next day before getting up to cook.

However, after the Four-Faced Beast finished cooking, it frowned as it watched Tianlu and Walnut eating heartily: "Why does it feel like something's missing?"

Tianlu, chewing on a chicken leg, mumbled after hearing the Sibir's mutterings, "Sibir, I just went to wake Haochen up, but he was still sleeping, so I didn't disturb him."

"No wonder it felt so quiet today," the four-legged creature exclaimed in sudden realization.

Normally, Haochen likes to fight with Tianlu and Hetao for food during meals, but today he's still sleeping and hasn't gotten up yet. Could something have happened?

Before the four-legged creature could wake Haochen, Walnut had already stood up from her seat and volunteered to take on the task of calling Haochen downstairs for dinner.

"Haochen, you lazybones, Walnut got up very early today."

However, after waiting downstairs for most of the day, the Four-Faced Beast did not see Hao Chen come downstairs. Instead, it heard Walnut's cries for help.

"Hey, come quick! No matter how I call Haochen, he doesn't respond."

Upon hearing Walnut's words, the Four-Faced Beast quickly pulled Tianlu, who still wanted to continue eating, upstairs to find out what had happened.

"Pipi, stop eating! Haochen is in trouble."

"What could be wrong? He's probably just too tired. Don't worry about him, Four-Legged Beast. Let me finish this chicken first!"

"What are you eating? That's a chicken leg with walnuts inside. Be careful, or walnuts will cry to you later."

Under the disdainful gaze of the four-legged beast, Tianlu shamelessly swallowed the chicken leg that Walnut had been given, and then followed the four-legged beast upstairs with satisfaction.

After examining Hao Chen's condition, the Four-Faced Beast immediately instructed Tian Lu to fetch the Flower-like Bird, suspecting that Hao Chen had a health problem.

Tianlu realized the seriousness of the situation, because he had been stepping on Haochen, trying to wake him up, but Haochen didn't react.

If he hadn't still been breathing, he and the four-legged creature would have almost thought Hao Chen was dead, and they were even about to call Di Ting.

Just then, Walnut suddenly tugged at the paw of the four-legged creature: "Four-legged creature, how about I go into Hao Chen's dream and wake him up?"

"In a dream?!" the Qilin exclaimed in surprise. "Walnut, you can now enter dreams so skillfully?"

Seeing Walnut nod, the Four-Faced Beast was even more surprised by Walnut's talent, even though it knew that Meng Ji had the ability to enter dreams and could even be called the master of dreams.

But Walnut is still a child, and he doesn't have his parents around to teach him. It seems that Walnut has a lot of talent.

Seeing that the four-legged creature was distracted and didn't answer him, Walnut took it upon itself to come to Haochen's side and place its paw on Haochen's forehead: "Let Walnut wake Haochen up in his dream."

As Walnut activated his dream-entering ability, he lay down next to Hao Chen and fell asleep.

Just as the four-legged creature was waiting for Walnut to wake Haochen, Haochen suddenly opened his eyes.

When the four-legged creature saw that Hao Chen had woken up, it assumed it was thanks to Walnut, but then it realized that Walnut was still asleep.

"Oh no, did one of them just wake up and the other fell asleep again?!"

The four-legged creature, in a panic, grabbed Hao Chen's shoulder and shook him, saying, "Hao Chen, did you see Walnut, the child, when he went to wake you up in your dream?"

"Stop shaking the four-legged creature, it's making me dizzy!"

Hao Chen slapped away the paw of the four-legged creature. After asking it a few questions, he learned that because he was sleeping too soundly, Walnut had come to wake him in his dream.

Looking at Walnut beside him, whose breathing was steady and who even had a smile on his lips, Hao Chen knew that Walnut was trapped in a dream for some reason.

"Don't worry about the four-legged creature. Walnut must have seen something in its dream and doesn't want to wake up."

Hearing Hao Chen's explanation, the Qilin frowned and said, "How can that be? I've heard that if a mythical beast like Mengji isn't old enough, it can't stay in a dream for long, or its body will collapse."

"Don't worry, I'll go take a look."

As Hao Chen was speaking, there was a knock on the door downstairs. Hao Chen patted the monstrous creature on the shoulder and said, "Leave the walnuts to me. You go and greet the guests."

"Are you sure it's okay?!" The four-legged creature was a little worried. He had just seen Hao Chen secretly playing with the walnuts while they were sleeping.

Hao Chen patted his chest and said, "With me here, there won't be any problems. I guarantee it in the name of Tianlu!"

Hearing Hao Chen's words, the Four-Faced Beast became even more worried about leaving Walnut alone. It was thinking of letting Walnut sleep upstairs for a while, then pulling Hao Chen downstairs and waking Walnut up together later.

Seeing this, Hao Chen instantly switched into his dramatic act, slumping to the ground, one hand holding the Qilin's hoof, the other clutching his chest in pain: "Qilin, I never expected you to distrust me so much. What happened to the trust we promised?"

"Alright, alright, I'll let you stay, okay?" Looking at Hao Chen's terrible acting, Si Bu Xiang felt it was an eyesore and quickly shook off Hao Chen, preparing to go downstairs by himself.

Before leaving, the four-legged creature warned Hao Chen, "Walnut is still a child. Don't go too far with it, or I won't be able to explain it to his parents."

"..." Hao Chen was very hurt. He did like to play with walnuts, but he shouldn't be that perverted, right? This thing looks like a strange creature, and he looks like he's eaten a walnut. Doesn't he know that a walnut is still a child?!

"Alright, let's wake Walnut up first, then go see the new big cat, then take Zhanhu for a walk, and finally cuddle Tianlu to sleep. That'll be another perfect day."

Hao Chen placed the walnuts carefully, then lay down next to them, his consciousness quickly entering the walnuts' dream.

With a sudden burst of light, Hao Chen saw four Mengji, three large and one small, happily playing a game.

"It's walnut, and his mother cotton boll, his father cloud bean, and his uncle oleander, but it seems that walnut's uncle edamame is missing."

However, as he watched this heartwarming scene, Hao Chen gradually frowned, and a phantom image of the sun flashed in his eyes.

As Hao Chen's gaze swept over them, the figures of the cotton boll, cloud bean, and oleander beside Walnut instantly became illusory, as if they would disappear at any moment.

"Dad! Mom! Don't go, don't leave the walnuts behind."

The walnut lunged at the cotton boll, but passed right through it and missed.

Seeing that Walnut was crying, Hao Chen felt sorry for her, but what was fake was still fake, and he couldn't let Walnut continue to be obsessed.

"Don't cry, Walnut. I don't think your parents would want to see you crying either." Hao Chen slowly stepped forward to Walnut's side, took out a handkerchief, and wiped away Walnut's tears.

Walnut stared at Haochen with her big, watery eyes and pleaded pitifully, "Haochen, can you let Mom and Dad appear in Walnut's dreams again?"

Hao Chen shook his head: "I'm sorry, Walnut, you just touched the seal on my primordial spirit. The seal, out of self-protection, transformed into your parents to confuse you."

"??? Haochen, what are you saying? Walnut doesn't understand."

Although Walnut couldn't understand Haochen's words, he knew he couldn't play games with his parents and uncle like before, and he immediately lowered his head in frustration.

Hao Chen was also helpless. He couldn't just trigger the protective mechanism sealed in his mind to make Walnut happy and conjure up the parents that Walnut most wanted to see!

Hao Chen waved his claws, and the illusory cotton peaches and the others shattered instantly.

Then Haochen pulled Walnut up and said, "Walnut, we should go now. Don't worry, your parents are fine. I'll take you to see them later, okay?"

"Really? Can you really take me to find my mom and dad?"

"Of course, our walnuts are so cute, I think your mom and dad must miss you very much."

Hearing Hao Chen's words, Walnut proudly raised her head: "Of course! I inherited the best qualities of my parents. I'm smart and cute, and my parents love me very much."

"Yes, walnuts are the best, so walnuts certainly won't get lost in false dreams!"

"I understand, I will find my real mom and dad."

Seeing that Walnut's mood had improved, Haochen was relieved and took Walnut out of the dream.

As soon as she woke up, Walnut jumped out of bed and looked at Haochen excitedly: "Haochen, thank you. Even though they weren't real mom and dad just now, I'm still very happy."

"Go play if you're free. Shota is still waiting outside for you to take him to catch loaches."

"Oh, I almost forgot that I'm taking Shota to catch loaches to eat today. I'm going to find Shota now. Goodbye, Haochen."

Seeing Walnut go downstairs to find Shota, Haochen stopped smiling, sighed, and said with a weary look in his eyes, "The seal can actually be triggered by Walnut. It seems it will be broken soon. Chaos is about to return."

(Because the volume division was wrong and can't be changed, let's leave it like this. Chapter 177 follows Chapter 175, then Chapters 176 and 178.)