When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 146: First Mid-Level Cycle

Chapter 146: First Mid-Level Cycle

Cycle 3: The Lost City of Atlantis

***

Shen Nianzu parted his lips, but no words came out of it. His throat felt extremely dry all of a sudden when he looked into Jin Jiuchi’s eyes.

H–How the hell did things turn out like this?! If he said yes, wouldn’t it mean that he was giving Jin Jiuchi the green light? This damned pervert would surely become more and more unbridled in the future!

But if he said no...

Wouldn’t that be lying outright to Jin Jiuchi’s face? What if he found out the truth from another person later? No, more importantly... what if he really thought that two men’s relationship was abnormal and turned to find a woman instead?

The mere thought of Jin Jiuchi being with someone else was enough to fuel the blazing anger in his heart, but in the next moment, he was taken aback by his own reaction.

W–What was wrong with him? Why was he so reluctant to see Jin Jiuchi with someone else? He knew from the start that he was attracted to this man, but he had believed it to be just that— a simple attraction. Simply a case of his brain sending out waves of dopamine and serotonin whenever he was around someone who fit his type. With the constant danger looming over his life where he could die at any moment, being entangled with someone else was the last thing he’d ever wanted.

His life had been turned upside down due to the appearance of the Nightmare Cycle, and now all his time and attention was focused on ways to end this nightmare once and for all.

Since when did it begin to change, he wondered? Somewhere between spending time together and relying on each other in times of adversity, unbeknownst to himself, he had grown fond of this man who was childish, annoying, reckless, dramatic and downright insane.

—A man who was not even a human to begin with.

The realization hit him akin to a bucket of icy water poured over his head, causing his breath to hitch on his throat. His pupils shook and his lips trembled in disbelief. No way, he couldn’t have...

Jin Jiuchi became concerned when he saw Shen Nianzu’s unusual reaction. "Nian’er?" He gently shook Shen Nianzu’s chin to draw his attention. "What’s wrong? Is it so difficult to answe—woah!" He almost stumbled off the bed when Shen Nianzu stretched out a leg to kick him, catching him off guard. By the time he came to his senses, Shen Nianzu had already marched toward the bathroom, forcefully slammed the door shut and locked it for good measure!

"Nian’er?!" Jin Jiuchi sprung up to his feet and pounded on the door, not giving up. "Nian’er, why won’t you answer my question?!"

"Get lost!" Shen Nianzu’s voice echoed from behind the locked door. "Think about it yourself!"

Ignoring Jin Jiuchi’s mournful cries, Shen Nianzu stood before the mirror, staring at the shock, incredulity, and confusion in his purple eyes. No way... he couldn’t have... had a real crush on Jin Jiuchi, could he?

The mere notion of it was so unbelievable that he got goosebumps along his arms. "No, no, I must be mistaken," he murmured, desperately trying to convince himself. "It must have been because I was half-asleep. Yes, that’s it. I should take a shower first."

Shen Nianzu untied his robes and discarded them into the hamper. Black lines marred his forehead as he glared at his erection as if it had betrayed him. He had no intention to relieve himself because he was certain that he would think of Jin Jiuchi when he did it, and thus further exacerbated his symptoms. Instead, he opted for a cold, frigid shower in the hopes that the icy water would jolt him back to his senses.

However, as he turned around, his attention was immediately drawn to something on his back. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the pink bruises forming on his neck and shoulder. He could not believe what he was seeing. T–These were...

His mind involuntarily flashed back to the moment when Jin Jiuchi had bitten and nibbled on him like an excited puppy, and his entire face exploded in flames. That damned husky... how dare he put hickeys on his body then turned around and asked if it was okay for two guys to fuck?! The sheer audacity!

Clenching his teeth in frustration, Shen Nianzu stepped under the showerhead and turned the temperature to its lowest setting. This time, he swore he would not allow Jin Jiuchi to do as he pleased anymore!

Shen Nianzu was a man of his word. When he set his mind to something, he would see it through to the end. That’s why for the entire day, all Jin Jiuchi faced was an icy glare from the jade doll— no, he was no longer a jade doll, but an icy marble doll!

This tense atmosphere persisted until noon when they went to pick up Gu Luoxin from his college to have one last big meal together before entering the Cycle.

In Gu Luoxin’s words, it was a last supper, because they really had no idea whether this meal would be their last. He wolfed down his food all the while glancing at his teammates back and forth, taking in the unusually cold aura emanating from Shen Nianzu, and Jin Jiuchi who looked like a puppy kicked aside by his owner.

Gu Luoxin held back the question on the tip of his tongue, and it was not until they finished their lunch and were walking back to the car that he gingerly nudged Jin Jiuchi with his elbow, "Pstt, did you make Big Boss angry?"

"How can it be?!" Jin Jiuchi retorted with a righteous tone. "We were still fine and dandy this morning until—"

Shen Nianzu cleared his throat from the front, causing Jin Jiuchi to clamp his mouth shut instantly.

"We will be entering the Cycle soon," Shen Nianzu spoke, casting a pointed look at both of them. "This is your first mid-level Cycle. You will meet not only Intermediate players, but also Veteran and Elite players. And for that, you must be on high alert. Get rid of any meaningless distraction and remain vigilant of your surroundings. I have high hopes for both of you, so don’t you dare drop dead in this Cycle. Understood?"

Gu Luoxin stood up straighter and answered firmly, "Yes, Boss! I will not let you down!"

Jin Jiuchi, however, had his focus skewed. "Nian’er has high hopes for me?"

Shen Nianzu coldly glanced at him for a moment before turning away. "Let’s go."

Jin Jiuchi: QAQ

They returned to Shen Nianzu’s villa, and as six pm approached, they ventured deeper into the mountains until a bus came into view. This time, the bus was a vibrant shade of blue with a crashing wave illustration on its body, looking very bright and awe-inspiring. They climbed in one after another and took their seats, yet even one minute before six, no other players had arrived aside from the three of them.

Gu Luoxin started to feel anxious. "A-Are we the only ones challenging this Cycle?"

"No," Shen Nianzu shook his head. This time, he no longer donned his little child’s appearance, but only used a prop to conceal his striking hair and eye color. He explained to Gu Luoxin, "The scope of a mid-level Cycle has expanded. Players will be dropped at different starting locations and that’s why we board different buses."

As he spoke, a bus officer stepped in.

"Good evening, everyone! Thank you for boarding the bus on time!"

At first glance, the officer looked every inch like a normal human being, greeting them with a wide and friendly smile. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that his ears were not human-shaped but resembled fins. A thin membrane connected his fingers, and his skin had a faint glossy sheen. When the sunlight hit his face at the right angle, the skin on his cheekbones rippled, revealing a glimpse of scales beneath.

He beamed at the three of them, "We will be heading to the Atlantic Cruise Ship now!"