Lucid Dreamer: Dream Hunt

Chapter 8: The Rectification Association

The next morning, Lu Ziyan went to the school gate to meet up with Qing Wen—Qing Wen's home was quite far, so he stayed in the dormitory even during the holiday.

They waited at the gate for Birch—or, as he now preferred to be called, Yang Zhuohua.

"Just call me Zhuohua! We're this close, using codenames is too formal!" Yang Zhuohua chirped, clapping Lu Ziyan on the shoulder. His sunny disposition was identical to the day before.

Lu Ziyan agreed verbally, but his eyes involuntarily scanned the car's interior, a private anticipation tucked away in his heart—might that long, wine-red hair make an appearance? However, she wasn't there.

He hadn't mustered the courage to ask Yang Zhuotong for her contact information yesterday, so he could only suppress that vague sense of loss. Leaning on his crutch, he and Qing Wen got into Yang Zhuohua's familiar Sky Dome A9.

The car's destination was the CBD of Shannan District. Skyscrapers stood like a steel jungle; the closer they got, the taller the surrounding buildings became. Glass curtain walls reflected a cold, expensive glare in the sunlight, and the well-dressed people on the streets hurried along. The air seemed to carry the scent of caffeine and money.

Finally, the car stopped in front of a strikingly prominent skyscraper office building.

"We're here, Dingsheng Tower," Yang Zhuohua was the first to jump out, looking up at the towering structure with a barely noticeable hint of pride in his voice.

Lu Ziyan and Qing Wen followed his gaze. The glass exterior of the tower shot straight into the sky, majestic and imposing. Several massive logos were visible on the building: Yufeng Pharmaceuticals, Red Cap Logistics, Zhenwei Security, Mingyang Investments... each one was a household name and a leading giant in its respective industry.

"These companies..." Qing Wen's eyes widened in astonishment.

"That's right," Yang Zhuohua nodded, his tone as casual as if he were introducing his own backyard. "The Association manages all of them. To be precise, this entire building, along with all the enterprises inside, are the Association's assets."

Qing Wen inhaled sharply, awed by this unimaginable display of financial power. Although Lu Ziyan had previously glimpsed the tip of the Association's iceberg, seeing the physical embodiment of its vast industry still made his heart skip a beat.

The security guards at the tower entrance were tall and sharp-eyed. After Yang Zhuohua presented a card, they immediately and respectfully let them pass.

Inside the luxurious, multi-story lobby, the polished marble floor reflected the hurried figures of the business elite. Yang Zhuohua paused: "The directive only told me to bring you here. Someone else will take over—I don't recognize the codename, so maybe it's someone from the Integrated Intelligence Bureau?".

Just as he finished speaking, Lu Ziyan's attention was drawn to a figure not far away.

In the lounge area to the side of the lobby, a young woman in a sharp OL suit stood beside an empty wheelchair, a bright smile on her face, seemingly having waited for a long time. Her gaze accurately locked onto the trio who had just entered—specifically, on Lu Ziyan, who was using a crutch.

Waiting for whom with a wheelchair? The answer was obvious.

She quickly pushed the wheelchair toward them, her smile warm and lively: "Hello! You must be Lu Ziyan and Qing Wen? I'm 'Flower**'** from the Integrated Intelligence Bureau, a department under the Association. I'm responsible for showing you two around Dingsheng Tower today and handling your subsequent orientation for onboarding."

Lu Ziyan looked at the wheelchair, feeling a bit awkward: "Um... I can just use my crutch, I don't need to sit in this, do I?".

"It's policy!" Flower winked in a practiced manner, but her tone allowed no refusal. "The headquarters is huge. If you 'tap-tap-tap' your way through it, it'll be dark by the time you're done! Don't worry, it's very easy for me to push, hop on!".

Lu Ziyan had no choice but to awkwardly sit in the wheelchair with her assistance. Qing Wen struggled to suppress a laugh on the side.

"All the paperwork has been settled for you. My task today is to give you both a tour, let you get familiar with the environment, and then deliver you to the department you'll be joining." Flower pushed Lu Ziyan, speaking quickly as they walked: "We'll start with the lower floors."

The interior of Dingsheng Tower was even more astonishing than its exterior. Flower explained that the entire building had 110 floors, but they were currently only authorized to move freely between floors 1 and 25.

The ground floor lobby, aside from the front desk, was dominated by omnipresent security personnel with sharp eyes and communication equipment. "Most of them don't know about the Dreamworld or the Association," Flower explained in a low voice. "They just think this is an important corporate headquarters and are responsible for security in the Real World."

Floors 2 through 12 were the actual offices for the Association's subsidiary companies in the real world. Through the glass doors, they could see busy staff, densely packed workstations, and constantly flickering computer screens, looking no different from the entry-level offices of any top-tier corporation.

"The dispatch center for Red Cap Logistics, the analysis department for Mingyang Investments, the command center for Zhenwei Security... they're all here," Flower recited like a well-stocked inventory. "Many of the big shots from the Audit & Accounting Bureau also set up their base here."

Floor 13 housed the massive employee cafeteria. The environment was comparable to a high-end food court, with diverse cuisine and rich aromas.

"Association benefit, meal subsidies for work meals," Flower introduced. "It's free for all employees working overtime after 9 PM."

The real change began on Floor 15.

The moment the elevator doors opened on Floor 15, a surge of noisy human voices spilled out. The sight that greeted them made both Lu Ziyan and Qing Wen stare in astonishment.

It didn't look like an office building; it resembled a massive, science-fiction-inspired "Mission Hall". The open space was divided into multiple zones: huge electronic screens scrolled various information feeds; behind the circular front desk, staff wearing headsets were busy handling matters; people in various outfits sat in small groups in the lounge area—some conversing quietly, some resting with eyes closed, and others pointing at virtual projections; bulletin boards were plastered with mission briefs, their font colors and markers hinting at a sense of mystery. Figures in white Association uniforms and black formal wear were everywhere, but there were also a few in plain clothes, like them. The air was filled with the smell of caffeine, a faint hint of sweat, and an invisible, taut energy.

"Welcome to Floor 15, one of the main gathering and mission-handover locations for the field personnel of the Combat Integration Bureau," Flower said with a smile. "The white trench coats are the uniform for the Combat Integration Bureau, while those like me in black formal wear are from other departments. Everyone wears the Association's emblem and Lapel Rank Insignia on their collars."

"Wow... so many people!" Qing Wen couldn't help but exclaim.

"This is nothing," Flower pushed Lu Ziyan forward, skillfully navigating the crowd. "There are probably two or three hundred people on this floor normally. Mission posting, handover, and squad coordination for the Combat Integration Bureau all happen here. It was even more crowded last year, packed in like sardines."

"Why are there fewer people now?" Lu Ziyan asked curiously, looking at the lively but far from packed crowd.

"The Bloodthirst Syndrome outbreak in the north is severe. After Nishio took office as the Chief Coordinator, he transferred over seventy percent of the Rectifiers from the capital to support the northern operations. I wanted to apply for a transfer too, but there are too few spots in the Integrated Intelligence Bureau—and they're all for combat personnel, not for a civilian like me," she said with a mix of longing and regret.

"Go north? Isn't it safer and more stable to stay in the prosperous capital?" Lu Ziyan was puzzled.

"The benefits are great!" Flower's eyes instantly lit up. Counting on her fingers, she listed: "As long as you stay in the north for one year, the Association will reimburse up to two million in housing expenses—all the Rectifiers who went north bought houses there! And their base salary is directly raised by three tiers! Plus, if you tough it out for two years, you can apply to transfer back, and your resume is golden. It's totally worth it!".

Flower continued the tour, introducing the Association's structure: "The highest administrative body of the Rectification Association is the Coordination Committee, composed of six coordinators. Only the Chief Coordinator makes their identity public; the current one is Nishio . The committee manages three major bureaus: The real-world corporations you just saw are managed by the Audit & Accounting Bureau; the fighting, killing, and cleansing of the Asura in the Dreamworld are mainly the responsibility of the Combat Integration Bureau—there are still nearly a thousand full-time combat personnel permanently stationed in Dingsheng Tower. The third is my department, the Integrated Intelligence Bureau, which handles intelligence and technology, and also internal supervision and punishment. The IIB has a lot of power; the three bureaus are nominally equal, but in reality, other departments dare not offend people from the IIB. The IIB also has a small number of combat personnel; the Anti-Subversion Unit only reports to the IIB Director and is the sharpest dagger of the Association. Four of the twelve Sequence Rectifiers serve in the Anti-Subversion Unit."

"Sequence Rectifiers?" Qing Wen was interested in the title.

"They're the twelve strongest combatants in the Association. 'Falling Moon**' Xu Liusè** is the Sixth Rectifier!" Lu Ziyan whispered an explanation to Qing Wen. Recalling Xu Liusè's ice-cold face and the use of the term "Master," he felt a little uneasy again.

Flower nodded: "That's right! The Sequence title represents top-tier strength and status. Alright, let's keep going." She pushed the wheelchair toward an inner elevator.

Just then, a Rectifier nearby, who was carrying a stack of thick paper documents, seemed to trip over something, and the documents scattered on the floor with a whoosh. Lu Ziyan and the others looked over. The man looked to be in his twenties, wearing a white uniform, and was looking down at the fallen documents with annoyance before crouching down to pick them up. He inadvertently looked up and saw Lu Ziyan sitting in the wheelchair, and his actions suddenly froze.

"Lü Xin?!" A flash of extreme astonishment crossed his eyes.

"Ah... sorry, sorry, I've mistaken you for someone else," the man collected himself, realizing his blunder, and quickly forced a smile. While rapidly gathering the files, he explained: "My apologies, I just now... almost mistook you for a colleague I know." A subtle sadness tinged his voice.

Flower smiled and nodded, saying nothing more. However, Lu Ziyan's heart sank slightly; that look... it was as if the man had seen someone who was no longer there, through him.

Past the busy Floor 15, the atmosphere drastically changed from Floor 16 to 21. In the massive, open-plan space, countless... beds were neatly arranged. They were simple metal-framed beds, covered with white sheets. At the moment, many people were lying on the beds, dressed in comfortable clothes, with small sensors attached to their arms or foreheads. Their eyes were closed, and their breathing was even, clearly in a state of deep sleep. The entire space was exceptionally quiet, with only faint breathing and the low hum of machinery.

"What are these..." Qing Wen whispered.

"The workstations for the full-time Rectifiers," Flower lowered her voice. "Unlike non-full-timers like you who can enter the Dreamworld from your own beds, they must enter the Dreamworld to work from the Association's 'Safe House'. This facilitates centralized management, information synchronization, and emergency support. Dedicated personnel monitor their physiological indicators and the stability of their dream connections."

Lu Ziyan looked at the large expanse of sleeping bodies, and an indescribable sense of the bizarre welled up in his heart—sleeping in reality in order to fight and kill in another world.

The tour continued. Floors 22, 23, and 24 housed the offices and command centers for the various departments of the Combat Integration Bureau , where the atmosphere was distinctly more serious and tense than Floor 15.

Flower then described the Association's stronghold in the Dreamworld—the Hall of Solemn White . "That's a Fixed Dream jointly constructed by many Rectifiers," Flower explained. "It's incredibly solid and won't vanish if a few individuals wake up. It's our base of operations in the Dreamworld."

"Fixed Dream?" Qing Wen didn't understand.

Lu Ziyan instinctively took over the explanation: "It's a public dream constructed and maintained by many Lucid Dreamers . It's very stable. Unless all the constructors leave or die, it won't collapse. The Association must have dedicated personnel rotating shifts to maintain it, which is why the Hall of Solemn White can exist continuously."

Flower nodded in approval: "Exactly! Looks like you know a lot."

Having toured up to Floor 25, Lu Ziyan suddenly remembered a question: "Flower... Sister, you didn't introduce Floor 14?".

Flower's steps paused almost imperceptibly. The bright smile on her face receded slightly, and after a few seconds of silence, she spoke: "Floor 14... is the Association's Euthanasia Facility. It's where we bid farewell to our colleagues."

The word struck Lu Ziyan and Qing Wen like a block of ice.

"Only Rectifiers who lose their heart in the Dreamworld, and their colleagues who go to say goodbye, enter that place," Flower's voice became very soft. "The progression of the Bloodthirst Syndrome is too painful. Most colleagues choose to leave peacefully and with dignity here."

A chill crawled up Lu Ziyan's spine. He instantly thought of the foreign, still-beating thing in his own chest.

"So, among us Rectifiers, we've gotten used to referring to a sacrifice in the dream as 'going to Floor 14'," Flower took a deep breath, trying to lighten the mood. "A few more colleagues chose that path this morning. Right now, Floor 14 is full of colleagues going to see them off, so we won't go visit."

She forced a smile: "I hope you never have to go to Floor 14."

Lu Ziyan let out a massive sigh of relief at her words.

"Good thing," he tried to dispel the heavy atmosphere with a light tone, as if reassuring himself and Flower. "Qing Wen and I will probably be assigned to a support civilian role, right? Fighting and killing is too dangerous; a job like yours, Sister Flower, is much better. I figure I'll never have to go to Floor 14 in my life."

Flower was pushing him toward an office inside Floor 25. At his comment, her steps paused, and she displayed an extremely strange expression, mixed with surprise, sympathy, and a hint of pity. She looked down at Lu Ziyan, blinked her large eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering, and then said in a very cheerful yet somewhat cruel tone:

"Huh? Who told you you were being assigned a civilian role?".

Lu Ziyan's heart plummeted with a thud. A foreboding sense instantly gripped his heart.

Flower tilted her head, looking at Lu Ziyan. Her voice rang clearly in the hallway, like a piece of ice shattering on a smooth floor:

"The directive I received is very clear: After the tour, I'm to take you both to report to the Eighty-Sixth Rectifier Unit, the 'Executioner ', which reports to the Capital Headquarters of the Combat Integration Bureau—that's a front-line combat unit."

"Wha... What?!".

The color instantly drained from Lu Ziyan's face. The shout of surprise caught in his throat, leaving only silent terror and disbelief.

He desperately gripped the wheels. The wheelchair could not roll forward another inch. The color whooshed out of his face. He felt his breathing stop, and his mind went blank. The cold crutch in his arms fell to the floor with a powerless clatter.