When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 147: Core NPC

Chapter 147: Core NPC

The bus entered the tunnel, enveloping them in inky darkness. Within seconds, they were no longer in the middle of lush and verdant forestation, but a bustling port teeming with people.

Jin Jiuchi stuck his face to the window with his silver eyes shining in awe, "Wow, so much water..." he whipped his head to the jade doll and asked excitedly, "Nian’er, Nian’er, this is the sea, right? It’s so beautiful!"

Shen Nianzu forgot about his one-sided cold war with Jin Jiuchi and nodded wholeheartedly, as the scene before them was truly breathtaking. They had arrived just in time to witness the sun sinking on the horizon. The sky burst out in magnificent hues of golden, purple and blue, casting a shimmering glow to the surface of the water. From afar, it looked like the sky and Earth had become one.

Docked at the port was a gigantic cruise ship with an elegant inscription ’Atlantic’ on its body. The plank was lowered, forming a bridge to invite the passengers to embark.

The space before them was filled with tens, if not hundreds, of people. Some were crossing the plank towards the ship, while others bid emotional farewells on the sidelines. Laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a seemingly normal and heartwarming atmosphere— a stark contrast to the dark nature of the Cycle.

Gu Luoxin inhaled sharply, "So this is a mid-level Cycle..." he murmured in the mixture of astonishment and trepidation. "If it weren’t for the bus we are on, I would’ve thought we are here for a vacation. How scary."

Shen Nianzu nodded in agreement. That’s how treacherous the Nightmare Cycle was. The scope of low-level Cycles were very limited and gave players a sense of danger and pressure of being surrounded by the unknown. However, as they advanced to mid-level Cycles, they would step into a realm that closely resembled Earth, so much that they had to be extra vigilant so as to not be lulled by this false security and fall prey to the nightmare creature.

"But this is not a vacation," Shen Nianzu warned his two teammates, his voice firm. "We are here to challenge the Cycle. The more normal it appears at first, the more dangerous it will be later."

When he said that, he looked so upright and noble that Jin Jiuchi could not resist poking his soft cheek, earning him another icy glare in response. Unfazed, Jin Jiuchi continued, "What’s wrong with having a little fun?" He tutted. "Nian’er, you must not be so rigid!"

Shen Nianzu coldly harrumphed, "If you fall into the water later, don’t expect me to pull you out."

The bus eventually halted at an inconspicuous corner of the port. The officer cheerfully announced, "Welcome to the Atlantic Cruise Ship! Current local time is 6.05 pm and you still have twenty five minutes before boarding. Feel free to look around and take some commemorative photos. But keep one thing in mind," the smile on his face abruptly vanished without a trace to reveal a gloomy look. "You are not allowed to litter in the ocean."

Even the bus officer’s words were longer than usual, different from their usual brief and concise greetings.

Shudders ran down Gu Luoxin’s spine and he turned to ask Shen Nianzu, his voice trembling, "X–Xiao Shen, is that... a death condition? It’s a death condition, right?"

They had agreed to keep their nicknames from the previous Cycle, but Gu Luoxin kept feeling like his tongue was going to be twisted each time he called out to the Big Boss.

Not noticing the young man’s dilemma, Shen Nianzu shook his head. "We don’t know for sure. Still, it’s better to keep these words in mind. Let’s go down first."

Shen Nianzu took the lead and made his way to the door, when the bus officer suddenly offered him a stunning necklace made of colorful shells which seemed to appear out of thin air. "This is a souvenir from me. Enjoy your stay on the Atlantic Cruise Ship!"

Shen Nianzu raised a brow, and after a brief hesitation, he accepted the necklace. Though he had never experienced such treatment before, he had never heard of a bus officer harming a player on purpose, and thus he reckoned there was nothing wrong with accepting the gift.

When it was Gu Luoxin’s turn, the bus officer presented him with a bracelet crafted from smaller shells. Learning from Shen Nianzu, he accepted it gingerly and muttered, "T–Thank you."

Finally it was Jin Jiuchi’s turn.

With anticipation gleaming in his eyes, Jin Jiuchi stood before the bus officer. What kind of souvenir was he going to receive? Would it be another necklace or bracelet? Or something else entirely?

A meaningful smile spread across the officer’s face and with a whoosh, he took out a round colorful object from behind his back, handing it over to Jin Jiuchi, "This is a souvenir from me. Enjoy your stay on the Atlantic Cruise Ship!"

It was a wreath intricately woven with small and large shells, adorned with what appeared to be seaweed. Compared to the souvenirs Shen Nianzu and Gu Luoxin had received, Jin Jiuchi’s gift seemed more extravagant and exquisite.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Jin Jiuchi was unable to contain his astonishment . "Did you make it yourself? It’s so beautiful! Thank you so much, thank you..." He accepted the shell wreath and in his excitement, went to shake the officer’s outstretched hand. It felt cold and slimy to the touch, but Jin Jiuchi could not care less about it as he vigorously shook it up and down to express his appreciation. Alas, before he could pull the officer into a friendly hug, suddenly a faint ripping sound resonated through the air.

"...Huh?"

The smile on the officer’s face froze. Simultaneously, they both looked down to discover a large tear in the thin membrane between the officer’s middle and ring finger, apparently scratched by Jin Jiuchi’s nails.

Jin Jiuchi: 0.0

The bus officer: "...!"

Jin Jiuchi chuckled and offered weakly, "Will you believe me if I say I didn’t do it on purpose?"

The smile on the officer’s lips turned twisted. Witnessing that, Shen Nianzu’s eyes turned wide and he quickly dragged the dumb husky down from the bus, allowing the door to slam shut right before the officer could come down and fight him.

Even as the bus drove away, they could still see the mournful tears on the officer’s eyes as he stared at his broken membrane.

"I–I really didn’t do it on purpose! It’s... It’s his fault for having such a thin layer between his fingers!" Jin Jiuchi hastily defended himself when faced with Shen Nianzu’s stern expression. He pointed at his own eyes, "Look at me. Look at my innocent eyes!"

"You..." Shen Nianzu was rendered utterly speechless by his shenanigans. Why did Jin Jiuchi always have a feud with the bus officers whether he did it intentionally or not? Unable to come up with a response, he could only shake his head and sigh, "Forget it. Let’s get on the ship first."

Relieved that he did not have to carry the blame, Jin Jiuchi happily put the wreath on his head and twirled around, "How do I look?"

Gu Luoxin gave him a thumbs up, then he raised an important question in a hushed voice. "Do you think there’s something more to these souvenirs? And also..." He glanced at the bustling crowd around them and continued, "Previously, we were able to receive the task because there were only one or two NPCs in the Cycle, but what about now? There are so many people... does it mean we can receive a task randomly?

"No, it’s not like that." Shen Nianzu inspected his shell necklace. Not noticing anything amiss, he put it into his pocket and gazed at the ship in the far distance. "In every Cycle, there will be a core NPC. They are the driving force who breathe life to the Cycle, and it will be our job to identify them. The player’s initial location also attributes to luck. If you’re dropped near the core NPC, then you will be able to receive the task quickly. But if you’re unlucky, you may have to wait until the second half of the Cycle to receive the task."

Gu Luoxin gulped nervously. So this was how a mid-level Cycle was. Even before starting, the level of difficulty had been increased already! "Then, Xiao Shen..." he asked cautiously, "Do you have a way to quickly find the core NPC among all these people?"

The corner of Shen Nianzu’s lips hooked into a mirthless smile. "No," he said, causing Gu Luoxin’s heart to sink. "Like I mentioned before, it’s a factor of luck. Moreover, if we encounter malicious players in the same Cycle, there’s a high possibility that they will hide the core NPC on purpose to drive other players to their demise."

Gu Luoxin gasped in horror and disbelief, "H–How horrible!"

"Yes, that’s why we have to explore this place as soon as—" He had just taken his gaze off Jin Jiuchi for a few seconds and when he turned back, the man had disappeared from the spot.

Shen Nianzu’s heart lurched on his chest and his complexion blanched in anger. "Where is he?!"

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Mini theater

Guide to raise a JJ: #1 Do not let him out of your sight