When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 182: Growing Distance

Chapter 182: Growing Distance

At the navigation bridge, red alerts flashed across the radar systems, and panic spread among the crew. "The navigation system is down!"

"Backup instruments aren’t working either!"

"How about the communication device? Can we send an SOS signal to the coast guards?!"

"No signal! We’re cut off!"

"Oh God, why the hell is this happening?!"

In the midst of the chaos, they belatedly realized their captain was missing. "Where’s the Captain? We need him to make a decision!"

Suddenly, the door burst open and someone rushed in, his face twisted in horror. "N–Not good! Outside, there are..."

He had not even finished his sentence yet when without a warning, scales emerged beneath his skin, and his nails elongated. The fear and dread in his eyes was replaced with pure hunger. With a roar, he pounced on the person closest to him, causing screams to fill the entire space.

***

Realizing that the ’queen’ might be after the mermaid, the trio rushed to the fifth floor from the second, wishing that they could grow out wings like Noir. Worse still, the sticky substances also covered the stairs, nearly causing them to slip a few times in their haste.

Shen Nianzu stumbled on his feet only to be caught by Jin Jiuchi before they continued running. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath, "Damn it, this is a trap!"

The ’queen’ had deliberately trapped them in an enclosed realm so that they would not hinder it from feeding its hatchling. It not only used the NPCs as nutrition, but it had also set its eyes on the mermaid, whose flesh and blood was said to be able to cure illnesses and grant immortality! Such a tempting lure was not only effective on the NPCs, but also the nightmare creature!

They had to protect Ariel as securely as possible before she returned home, or else they would fail the mission!

"Are you okay, Nian’er?" Jin Jiuchi asked while opening his arms. "Do you want me to carry you?"

If Shen Nianzu was in a child form, he would have rode on Jin Jiuchi without any hesitation. But right now, he was an adult. "Forget it!" He spoke through gritted teeth. "Let’s just run faster!"

Not surprisingly, Jin Jiuchi was the most stable among them. He maneuvered his way through the slippery floor akin to fish swimming in water. On top of that, he even used it to his advantage as he slid through the floor like skiing, finally fulfilling the act he had missed on the night before. "Hold on to me!" He said before grabbing Shen Nianzu and Gu Luoxin by the arm, and the next second, the trio glided across the floor as if they were skating across ice.

"AHH—!" Gu Luoxin screeched on top of his lungs.

T–Too fast! This was worse than riding a rollercoaster. With every thrilling turn, he had to be careful not to slam his face on the wall and break his nose! Not to mention how he almost bumped into a fleeing NPC once every few seconds!

They reached the fifth floor just in time to spot a familiar back walking down the hallway. Jin Jiuchi skidded to a halt while stretching his arms to stop both his teammates from falling straight on their faces. "Eh? Isn’t that the Captain?"

They watched as an NPC rushed towards the Captain and asked in panic, seeking reassurance, "C–Captain Rick, have you seen that thing downstairs? What is—AHH!!" His words broke off into a scream when the Captain suddenly shoved him away, causing him to tumble over the railing and fall downstairs!

The trio was shocked at his cruel and decisive act. Could it be that their prediction was correct that the Captain was truly the ’queen’?! He pushed people down, and right now he was also heading straight to their room as if he already knew that Ariel was there!

In regard to this matter, Shen Nianzu expressed that he couldn’t care less about it. No matter if the Captain was really the ’queen’ or not, one thing for certain he was feeding the cocoon below, and that was enough reason for Shen Nianzu to get rid of him! He summoned his transparent blade and instructed the two others, "Stay put, I will deal with him quickly!"

With that, he rushed forward with his sharp gaze fixed on the Captain’s back, the blade in his hand thrumming with icy purple energy. He was prepared to swing his blade and end this once and for all, but then he abruptly realized that... his distance with the Captain had not changed?!

Shen Nianzu was running, while the Captain was walking in steady and measured steps. In hindsight, he should be able to reach him sooner or later. But something was clearly amiss this time. Instead of shortening, the gap between them only grew larger and larger!

Damn it, this was space distortion!

"Nian’er!" "Xiao Shen!"

Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin caught up to him, but they couldn’t seem to close the distance between them and the Captain, who was drawing closer to the room where Ariel was. It was no use no matter how fast they were, as the space around them had been manipulated so that they could never reach him!

Gu Luoxin was so anxious that his eyes turned red. "W–What should we do? Can we break through with force like Mr. Noir did?"

"That only works if we have a powerful momentum," Shen Nianzu said in frustration.

"Oh, I know!" Light bulb floated out of Jin Jiuchi’s head, and then before anyone could react, he reached out and wrapped an arm around Shen Nianzu’s waist, catching the latter off guard.. "Nian’er, remember the spider creature from the Shishen Apartment? Should I toss you like I did back then?"

Of course, Shen Nianzu still remembered. However at that time, they were in the middle of the atrium and Jin Jiuchi was throwing him upwards without any obstacles. Whereas this time, the hallway was quite narrow, and Shen Nianzu had to move in parallel. There was also the space distortion as well...

Even then, it was still worth a try!

He nodded firmly, a determined light flashing through his eyes. "How will you do it?"

"Ain’t it simple?" Following those words, he suddenly picked Shen Nianzu up like he weighed nothing at all. Shen Nianzu panicked a bit when his feet left the ground, but Jin Jiuchi’s arm was solid around him, not allowing him to fall. Jin Jiuchi grinned at him, "It’s just like throwing a bowling ball. Are you ready, Nian’er? One, two... three!"

On the count of three, he lowered his body, sprinted ahead a few steps, and relied purely on his arm strength to propel Shen Nianzu forward! But how could a person be equal to a bowling ball? In order to gain the maximum force, Jin Jiuchi ended up losing his balance and falling face-first onto the sticky floor!

Shen Nianzu, on the other hand, was focused on shattering the distortion like Noir did earlier. Gripping his blade tighter, he let out a roar and swung it with all of his strength!

A domineering wave of icy purple energy surged through the air, rolling and tumbling like mighty waves towards Captain Rick’s back.

But then...

Before it could make contact, it sizzled and dissipated in the air like fading smoke, not even leaving any trace behind. And Shen Nianzu, who was unprepared for this outcome, also fell face-first onto the sticky floor like a crushed pancake. There was even a ’splat’ sound.

Gu Luoxin: "..."

.

.

Mini interview

Q: How are you feeling right now?

Shen Nianzu (furious): Long distance battle has never been my forte. Water must have seeped into my brain for me to agree to Jin Jiuchi’s suggestion!