When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 150: I Will Do It!

Chapter 150: I Will Do It!

When Gu Luoxin thought of how he had to share a room with a player even more godly than Shen Nianzu, his legs turned to jelly and his vision darkened for a split second. W–What if Noir suddenly found him an eyesore and decided to murder him in his sleep?!

His tearful gaze involuntarily landed on the black cat, who made itself comfortable by lying on the crook of his arms like a little furry baby, and all of a sudden, he had a hunch that his survival for the next five days lay under the feline’s little mighty paws.

"Little ances— no, Little Master Lucius!" Gu Luoxin held onto the cat’s front paw tightly – he definitely did not take the chance to knead the squishy beans a few times – and pleaded with tears in his eyes, "I will take good care of you so... please! Please send only kind words to your owner! My life and death depends on you now!"

Lucius: "...meow?"

As Gu Luoxin desperately tried to forge an unbreakable bond with the feline, Jin Jiuchi was sniffling by the side as he offered his injured face to Shen Nianzu, feigning misery, "Nian’er, it hurts..."

He had just uttered those words when Shen Nianzu abruptly applied extra pressure with the handkerchief he used to wipe away the blood, prompting a dramatic howl from Jin Jiuchi. Shen Nianzu glared at him coldly, "Who told you to act so touchy-feely?"

Jin Jiuchi parted his lips, ready to put on a more pitiful look when realization abruptly dawned upon him like a ray of blinding light that pierced through the fog of darkness. "Oooh~" he drawled out, a mischievous grin forming on his lips.

Shen Nianzu had an ill premonition when he saw Jin Jiuchi like this, and sure enough, the next moment he heard the man say,

"Nian’er, are you jealous?" Jin Jiuchi poked the jade doll’s soft cheek with his finger, his tone playful and teasing, "Nian’er, you’re jealous, aren’t you? Geez, how can you be jealous of a—aoow!!" Jin Jiuchi let out a pained yelp when Shen Nianzu twisted his finger, almost shattering his bones. "Nian’er, it hurts! It hurts!"

Shen Nianzu wore a charming smile on his face, though his eyes were cold with murderous intent, "What did you say just now? I didn’t catch it."

Driven by a surge of survival instinct, Jin Jiuchi shook his head like a rattle drum, "I... said nothing just now. Yes, Nian’er must have heard me wrong!" He let out a huge sigh of relief when Shen Nianzu released him. But his expression soon turned aggrieved as he blew on his red and tender finger like a fragile maiden, "What a liar..."

Shen Nianzu snapped to him with an icy glare, and Jin Jiuchi immediately looked away and hid his hand behind his back, whistling.

"Hmm?" Jin Jiuchi’s attention shifted to a passing group of people, and he sniffed the air a few times. "Nian’er, Nian’er..." he scooted closer to the jade doll and whispered in a hushed voice, "They are players."

Hearing that, Shen Nianzu immediately put away his temper and followed Jin Jiuchi’s line of sight, seeing a group of four a few meters ahead, chatting and laughing among themselves. At first glance, nothing looked out of place with them, as though they were truly passengers who came here for a vacation.

"But not the third from the left, he smells the same as the NPCs outside," Jin Jiuchi added, perplexed. "Why would three players be together with an NPC? Could that person be the core NPC we’re looking for?"

"No, he’s not..." Shen Nianzu slowly shook his head and withdrew his gaze before anyone in the group could notice. Seeing that Gu Luoxin also leaned in with a curious look, Shen Nianzu signaled for them to start walking.

He explained, "In mid or high-level Cycle, it’s best to blend in with the crowd and pretend to be one of them. Not only can we gather more information, but we can also avoid drawing attention from other players. Remember, there is no such thing as friendship or camaraderie in this place. Fights can break out even between players on the same team, let alone strangers. If you get in my way, I won’t hesitate to eliminate you. That’s more or less everyone’s mentality."

Gu Luoxin swallowed nervously. "But..." he furrowed his brows, unable to figure out one thing. "Wouldn’t it be better if we all worked together to complete the task? Why would they choose to kill each other..."

"What if I told you the rewards are limited?"

That one question shut Gu Luoxin up in an instant, and he turned to Shen Nianzu, disbelief etched on his face. "L–Limited...?!"

"As I mentioned before," Shen Nianzu added callously. "This Cycle will be very different compared to the ones you have been through previously. Here, tens of players are vying for the same resources. Unlike the low-level Cycles where cooperation is still necessary, there are formidable players who can complete the task on their own here. Imagine this, if you could clear the Cycle alone and hoard the rewards all for yourself, would you want to share it with others?"

Dread settled heavily on Gu Luoxin’s chest. Of course, the answer was no. Moreover, he recalled Shen Nianzu’s previous explanation that the quality and quantity of rewards in mid-level Cycles significantly surpassed those in low-level ones, making them highly coveted among players.

Unbidden, Gu Luoxin found his mind wandering to the young man they had encountered earlier, Noir.

If it was him... if it was the player ranked 28 on the leaderboard, he must be able to deal with this mid-level Cycle by himself, right?

Just as Gu Luoxin’s thoughts began to spiral, Shen Nianzu concluded his statement, "But don’t worry, it’s nearly impossible for a mid-level Cycle to be cleared by a single player, unless they are on Elite or Legendary rank. The difficulty level is too high for that."

"So..." Gu Luoxin asked weakly, "Teammates?"

Shen Nianzu hummed, "That’s why players enter with those from the same organization. As for those who come alone, they will seek companionship sooner or later."

They walked through the reception area and all of a sudden, a world of opulence enfolded before their eyes. The grand atrium greeted them with its soaring ceilings adorned with crystal chandeliers that cast a warm golden glow upon the marble floors. Melodic tunes from a pianist drifted through the air, intermingling with the laughter and soft conversations of the guests. The entire space exuded timeless elegance, showcasing the ship’s status as a first-class luxury vessel.

"Wow..." Jin Jiuchi stared at the atrium above, forgetting to close his gaping mouth. "What a huge ship... it’s even bigger than the entire Shishen Apartment we used to live in! How many floors does it have?"

Shen Nianzu’s keen eyes caught sight of a tour brochure on a nearby shelf, and he picked it up. "Ten," he replied, scanning through the list of activities and services offered on the ship. "There are ten floors here, including crew cabins, restaurants, a theater, live performances, spas, swimming pools, and bars..."

"Sounds awesome!" Jin Jiuchi exclaimed in excitement. "Nian’er, Nian’er, I haven’t heard of the spa, swimming pool, theater and bar before! We have to try them out one by one!"

Gu Luoxin, on the other hand, kept his focus on track. "T–Ten floors?!" He stuttered out in disbelief. "And we have to search for the core NPC in this vast area?! Can we really find them? What if they’re hiding in one of the rooms and we miss them during our stay here? Won’t we..." he trailed off with a pale face.

Chills ran down his spine. What if they did not manage to locate the core NPC within these five days? They would not be able to obtain the return ticket and escape this Cycle alive!

"Don’t worry," Shen Nianzu said as he patted Jin Jiuchi’s shoulder. "This is where Da Shen’s ability comes to play."

Jin Jiuchi blinked in confusion, "...Huh?"

Shen Nianzu turned to him with a sweet smile, "You still remember the scents of Madam Liu and Anna, don’t you?" When Jin Jiuchi hesitantly nodded, Shen Nianzu clapped his hands and beamed, "Great! Now use your nose to track down someone with a similar scent here. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, right?"

Jin Jiuchi stammered out, still unable to wrap his head around this heavy responsibility that suddenly befell his shoulders. "I... I..."

Shen Nianzu inched closer and whispered to his ear in a gentle and bewitching tone, "I will accompany you to the spa— no, if you find the core NPC, I will accompany you wherever and whenever you want."

Jin Jiuchi: "...!"

A brilliant spark ignited in the depth of Jin Jiuchi’s silver eyes. The words of reluctance that hung on the tip of his tongue suddenly transformed at the last moment, "I will do it!" He puffed up his chest with confidence. "Nian’er, just watch me! I will definitely find that person tonight!"