Nightmare’s Call

The translation was painstakingly slow. Lin Sheng’s lack of grammatical knowledge on the Rehn language meant that he could only translate it one word at a time, just as the search engines did. The problem was particularly apparent when it came to slang words.

After he experienced the dream for the second time and memorized the book, Lin Sheng could now go to the manor every night. Each time he got in, he would write down a sentence or two and translate them into Xilin, which was his everyday language. This went on for four days. With the aid of the studies and experiences from his past life, Lin Sheng’s translation became better.

As the Rehn text was not a niche language, there were many related grammar books available for download on the Internet. By referring to those materials during the translation process, Lin Sheng was able to verify the results repeatedly. And soon, he finished the first page of the book.

“My memory is what’s holding me back.” Lin Sheng sat silently in one corner of the sofa, recalling what he had translated the day before.

It was a Sunday. His uncle and cousin, Lin Zhenyu had come for a visit. Lin Zhenyu, who was nineteen this year and a year older than Lin Sheng, possessed a gentle disposition. He wore a pair of square glasses, sitting silently beside his father and reading a foreign language book with his head down.

Lin Tao, Lin Sheng’s uncle held a cup of tea in his hands with his brows knitted together as he discussed the condition of their grandfather with Lin Sheng’s dad. Lin Tao opined that Grandpa was old and ill now; it was time to write a will. But he wanted to know what everyone thought.

There was a more urgent problem, though, and it was about the purchased of a grave plot for Grandpa. Lin Tao was concerned about who should bear the cost of the purchase and whether they should evenly share the cost. After all, some of them were on the breadline and could barely contribute much. Grandpa was still alive, yet all Lin Tao cared about was his share of the estate.

Meanwhile, Lin Sheng’s dad, Lin Zhounian, who rarely talked, listened on with a grim expression.

Lin Sheng did not like his uncle and his family. His cousins, Lin Zhenyu and Lin Xiaoxiao, who lived in clover, loved to frequent the bars and KTV. They also occasionally backpacked together in search of life experiences. Naturally, their social circles and activities were a class higher than that of Lin Sheng’s.

In contrast, all Lin Sheng could afford to do was mostly visit the arcades and internet cafes. So, Lin Sheng and Lin Zhenyu may have been of similar age, but they shared no common interests.

Lin Zhenyu’s eyes occasionally swept past him, and it felt as if Lin Sheng did not exist. This cousin of his was a top student, who had landed a top ten spot in the last weekly exam in his school. Huaisha First High School, which Lin Zhengyu attended, was one of the top schools in town. It was of a different league compared with Hui An High School, where Lin Sheng studied.

Lin Sheng could not care less about Lin Zhenyu and vice versa. Lin Sheng had his full attention on the books in his dream. The translated text was still flashing across his mind’s eye.

For a long time, I, Ravel, a Class II Swordsman of the Empire, have wanted to record a biography on myself.

I have fought on the battlefield of Sharn and defeated seven elite enemy soldiers. I am not extraordinary, but I deserve my reputation as a Class II Swordsman.  

Now, I am old and returning to my hometown. In this desperate time, I want to leave my legacy.  

I can still see fire and hear explosions at the outpost. Shells pierce the air and glittering cold weapons clash in conflict, while my comrades and I ruffle against each other’s armor.  

Some people fall, and some get back up. There is a loud bang coming from the shield tower at the front, and smoke is rising like a stone column into the air. I am not afraid of death, but I do not want to die for nothing.

That was it. That was the only part Lin Sheng had translated after he went through the trouble of buying a dictionary and scouring the internet for grammar materials. He just pieced the words together and discovered their meaning.

“An actual soldier left this book behind,” Lin Sheng inferred.

After days of hard work, Lin Sheng finally grasped some of the ancient Rehn language’s basic vocabulary. He spent all day and night on the translation, eating, sleeping, and breathing the Rehn text whenever he was free. He swore that he had never been so crazily enthusiastic about learning. The books in his dream were like deadly poppies with a tempting aroma and appeal. He was eager to know what the Class II Swordsman represented and whether he could learn the art of sword fighting from the Handbook of Swordsmanship.

‘The graphics I saw before could be an illustration of how to learn swordsmanship.’ Lin Sheng thought.

“Lin Sheng? Lin Sheng?”

Suddenly, a call jolted him out of his thoughts. Lin Sheng noticed a frowning Lin Zhenyu, who had been calling him several times.

“What’s up?” Lin Sheng quickly replied.

“What revision materials do you need? I’ve got a lot, and you can make a copy of them,” Lin Zhenyu said.

Lin Sheng was stunned and turned to look at his dad. Apparently, Lin Zhenyu did not make the offer on his own accord but at his dad, Lin Zhounian’s request.

As his son was about to take the college entrance exam, Lin Zhaonian was worried because Lin Sheng’s academic performance had always been mediocre. So, he figured that his son could learn something from Lin Zhenyu.

However, Lin Sheng was not interested. He had the memories of his past life and was far more mature than the average student. When it came to academics, he was so-so, but it was only because he did not want to learn.

Not only was Lin Sheng not interested, but he also did not agree with the exam-oriented education system there. He thought that it was merely a waste of time. Barely scraping by in his studies only to pacify his parents, Lin Sheng was not willing to invest more effort and time in competing for marks with other students because he already had enough of those things in his past life.

“Revision materials? Thanks, but no thanks, Brother Zhenyu. I have enough here,” Lin Sheng replied.

“Fine.” Lin Zhenyu could not have cared less. “Next week is Xiaoxiao’s birthday. We’re going out to have some fun, do you want to join us?”

“I can’t go. I’m strapped for time.” Lin Sheng could not be bothered as he was too engrossed in his dreams.

“You should expand your social circle. Plan for your future and think about where you want to go.” Lin Zhenyu always held a sense of superiority but pretended to be modest. “Spend less time on video games and magazines. We should be responsible for our future.”

Lin Zhenyu’s father felt proud of his son while Lin Zhounian stayed silent.