The core nature of this world was a domain expanded through the Authority of [Dream]. Everything here was dictated by Shu's cognition.
Kiana had already heard Xu Xi explain this while in the dreamscape.
Although Kiana still didn't fully grasp the exact mechanics of [Dream], it didn't stop her from recognizing the changes happening to the world around them right now.
Because Kiana had truly been by Shu's side this entire time, as an outside observer, she could see the subtle shifts in the world's fabric.
Most of the time... or rather, aside from that one specific incident, this world remained highly objective. Because Shu possessed a mature, objective worldview, the world presented itself as an authentic, believable reality.
But during that singular moment when Shu was violently jolted awake by the police sirens, the world had changed.
In that moment, the entire world had transformed into something resembling stacked building blocks—a blurry, distorted reality constructed from shattered, jagged fragments.
Kiana remembered that sight vividly.
And the moment Shu laid eyes on the lucky coin, the world instantly snapped back to the familiar reality Kiana knew.
This world was incredibly sturdy. Only when Shu was at his absolute weakest, in a state akin to terminal lucidity, had the world's structure fractured like that.
But what about now?
The moment Kiana pulled Shu out the window, she sensed the world shifting again.
Outside the window should have been a cramped courtyard surrounded by high walls topped with iron mesh. Yet, when their feet hit the ground, they were greeted by a wide, open road stretching out before them.
Were there guardrails or skyscrapers on either side? Were there pedestrians, or was it a bottomless chasm?
She didn't know. Nothing had a fixed shape anymore. But the escape route itself was undeniably right there in front of them.
Truthfully... Kiana had absolutely no idea how to escape this world. She had zero plan. It was just a sudden flash of inspiration in her head, followed by an overwhelming urge to grab Shu and run.
So how exactly were they going to escape? Don't ask her. Her only job was to run.
And Shu?
Shu's only job was to follow her. That was the agreement they had just made.
Pulling Shu along as they sprinted down the road, Kiana took a deep breath, her gaze growing increasingly determined.
The way to get Shu out of here was to make him genuinely believe he no longer existed in this world.
And the most effective way to achieve that was to make him definitively acknowledge his own death... After all... how could you continue to exist in a world if you were dead?
Definitively acknowledge his own death... isn't that just suicide?
Suicide... suicide...
Kiana refused that answer.
She stood by what she had concluded before.
If the price of escaping this world was making Shu destroy himself, then the thing that truly deserved to be destroyed was the world itself.
So she had to choose the second path.
Make Shu genuinely believe that she could lead him out of here!
It was a daunting task... Shu's worldview was robust enough to support an entire reality, and the power of [Dream] actively filled in the gaps, making the world flawless and seamless.
In a world like this, taking someone who fully believed in the reality of their surroundings and convincing them that it was all fake, and then successfully leading them to "escape"...
Did they think this was Homu World?
Sigh. Actually, this was her original plan.
Kiana's initial intention was that, after Shu lived out Rice Cake's natural life and saw the cat off peacefully, if he could continue to take care of himself, she would eventually return to take Rice Cake's place, slowly guiding Shu out of this reality.
That was her normal, sensible plan, even if she had no idea whether she could actually pull it off.
But as for their current escape...
The atmosphere was already set. She couldn't exactly kill the mood by saying something pragmatic and buzz-killing right when Shu's emotions were peaking, right?
What kind of emotionally stunted blockhead would say something like that?
Yes, Kiana admitted she was being impulsive.
But seeing the constantly shifting, twisting world around them, and the unwavering path beneath their feet, Kiana didn't want to stop.
The entire world was broadcasting Shu's current state of mind.
He truly believed Kiana could take him away. He harbored no other thoughts.
In that case... maybe—
"Shu..."
Kiana was running ahead of him. From Shu's perspective, all he could see was her back as she pulled him forward.
Her voice betrayed an unmistakable nervousness. After all, what she was about to do next involved telling a lie.
Yes, she was going to tell Shu a little lie.
She took a deep breath and, without turning back, shouted:
"Get ready—"
In an instant, the world before them mutated violently.
The end of the road was abruptly sheared off, and the scenery on either side washed away entirely.
The edge of the world materialized right in front of them, taking the form of a sheer cliff. A howling wind blasted against their faces, warning any approaching traveler to turn back.
What does this mean?
In the blink of an eye, the road beneath their feet changed again. It morphed into a congested intersection. A sea of pedestrians surged in from all sides, heading in every direction.
The massive crowd instantly swallowed them, threatening to tear them apart.
On this bustling street, everyone hurried along, oblivious to where they came from or where they were going.
But Kiana merely tightened her grip on Shu's hand.
"GET OUT... OF MY WAY!"
How could I ever lose him again?!
Leaving the chaotic intersection behind, Kiana dragged Shu forward, continuing toward the cliff at the edge of the world.
The oncoming wind grew even more violent. Then, the smooth asphalt began to heave and roil like the surface of a stormy sea, making it impossible to find purchase, threatening to plunge them into its depths.
You're overthinking it! This trick won't work on me either!!
Breaching the waves, Kiana pulled Shu back onto a solid path, pressing onward.
Suddenly, the road collapsed, a near-impassable chasm tearing open right in front of them.
Did anything else need to be said?
Jump!
Without a moment's hesitation, the two figures launched themselves from the edge of the cliff. The unreachable opposite side vanished like a phantom bubble. Suspended in mid-air, they began to fall, plummeting into an endless expanse of white clouds.
During the descent, Kiana spread her limbs. She turned her head, looking at Shu beside her, who was also spreading his body, embracing the wind resistance.
At that exact moment, Shu turned his head to look at her.
Their eyes met amidst the clouds. The next second, Kiana actively shifted her posture, reaching her other hand out to him.
Shu naturally caught it. They clasped both hands, facing each other, their arms pulled taut in a straight line.
A moment later, they burst through the cloud cover.
The true silhouette of the world revealed itself—a boundless, endless blue ocean that curved at the very edge of their vision.
Below them lay a tranquil, mirror-like surface devoid of any ripples. With the clouds gone as a frame of reference, it felt as though they were hanging perfectly still in the sky, save for the constant rush of wind surging up from below.