When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 210: [Bonus - ]Still The Prettiest

Chapter 210: [Bonus Chapter]Still The Prettiest

The infection continued to progress, and by evening, Shen Nianzu’s pupils had become slit and his once round and beautiful nails were now sharp.

Fearing that the merfolk clan might sense something amiss, he dismissed the guards with a random excuse and made his way to the top of the building, where he found Noir on the neighboring spire a few meters away, basking in the evening sun with his eyes closed, Lucius curling up beside him.

He merely opened one eye when he noticed Shen Nianzu’s presence before closing them again.

Shen Nianzu couldn’t help but feel a little amused. Somehow, Noir reminded him of Jin Jiuchi in their ability to maintain a vacation-like aura even while challenge the Cycle, unlike himself who was always alert and took everything too seriously.

"Sorry," he took the initiative to break the silence. "Did I disturb you?"

"No," Noir pushed himself into a sitting position and ruffled his hair, making his brown curls even more of a mess. "You’re infected?" The tone he was using couldn’t be more casual, it was as if he was merely asking about the weather.

Shen Nianzu hummed, "I was not careful."

Noir paused for a second before stating, "...You will live."

Shen Nianzu raised a brow, surprised. Could the Great Noir be comforting him? This man always had an indifferent look on his face, seemingly as if he would remain unfazed even if the sky came crashing down. While others might mistake him for arrogance, Shen Nianzu had come to learn through these past few days’ interaction that Noir simply cared very little about his surroundings. However, there were rare occasions when glimpses of different facets of his personality showed through— his sadistic side, and surprisingly, his caring side.

The corner of Shen Nianzu’s lips curved into a smile as he responded firmly, "Yes, I will."

Seating himself on the ground, he gazed into the distance and squinted his eyes when the sunlight fell upon him. From this vantage point, he could see the entire expanse of Atlantis— the bustling streets, the merfolk diligently crafting huge shell statues in memory of the deceased King, and he could also spot Ariel, giving a smile to everyone who encouraged her.

It used to freak him out how realistic these NPCs were, how similar they were to humans in every way. But over time, he had come to terms with this peculiar aspect of the Nightmare Cycle. He learned not to invest too much emotional energy in it and instead take everything in stride.

Shen Nianzu was well aware that nothing in this world was certain. Though he had estimated that he would be able to escape this Cycle alive, there were so many unknown variables in between that might disrupt his plan. His life was literally hanging by a thread now, yet he discovered that... he was unexpectedly calm. So calm that it surprised even himself.

It seemed like once you had gone through numerous life-and-death situations, you would become somewhat numb already toward this kind of thing.

Sighing, he asked out of nowhere, "Do you want to join my organization?" He had considered this carefully. Having Noir in the team would be a significant boost of power, considering how their teamwork these past few days was not bad.

However, Noir’s response was an immediate and direct refusal, "No."

Shen Nianzu was a little speechless. "...You are not even giving me the chance to persuade you? Why? I noticed that you get along quite well with Xinxin, don’t you? My organization only has three people— me, Da Shen, and Xinxin, so you don’t need to worry about being tricked into a pyramid scheme."

"No," Noir refused again with nary a hesitation in his tone. "You are all good, but... I’m better off alone." He was saying it casually, yet for some reason, there was a hint of melancholy that radiated off him.

"Fair enough," Shen Nianzu nodded, deciding not to push him any further. Some players were just like that; they worked better alone, and they were capable of thriving on their own. Separated by a few meters, the two silently enjoyed the breathtaking scenery from the spire. Shen Nianzu thought that their conversation would end like this – after all, it’s not like they were close enough to make small talk – but then he heard Noir ask,

"About him... is he really a player?"

Shen Nianzu knew who Noir was talking about at once, and his body instinctively tensed in vigilance. "What do you know?"

"He’s dangerous," Noir said lightly. "Not a human."

"Then, what do you think he is?"

Noir opened his mouth to answer, but hesitated at the last moment. Just then, a series of loud and chaotic footsteps rushed up the stairs behind Shen Nianzu, followed by the sound of a door being flung open.

"Nian’er!"

"Xiao Shen!"

"Nian’er, Nian’er!" Jin Jiuchi bounded towards him and asked, "Why does the scarecrow win an award?"

Shen Nianzu looked at him blankly. Before he could even process what Jin Jiuchi was up to now, Gu Luoxin piped in behind him, "Because he is outstanding in his field!" Then the two of them threw their heads back and laughed out loud, though they quickly stopped when they noticed that Shen Nianzu remained expressionless.

"Psst," Jin Jiuchi nudged Gu Luoxin with his elbow and whisper-shouted, "You said the joke is funny and will make him laugh!"

"I don’t know either! Xiao Shen is at the boss level, you know?" Gu Luoxin rubbed his face roughly. "Wait a moment, let me think of another joke..."

"..." Shen Nianzu couldn’t help but roll his eyes and tried to remind them of his presence. "I can hear you loud and clear. What the hell are you two doing?"

Like two children being caught red-handed by their teacher, Jin Jiuchi and Gu Luoxin hemmed and hawed without saying anything. Shen Nianzu thought about it a bit and felt like he knew what they were trying to do. He was moved yet exasperated at the same time. Just as he was about to tell them not to go through the trouble to cheer him up, Jin Jiuchi suddenly crouched down beside him and looked him in the eye, "Nian’er, are you... sad?"

Jin Jiuchi’s eyes were too clear and bright, they shimmered as if untouched by the world’s impurities. Under the evening sun, they became even more dazzling just like the mirror reflection of a lake, and Shen Nianzu caught a glimpse of his own face within them— slit pupils and a mouth that would soon be marred by jagged fangs. The longer he looked, he seemed to see his own distorted features with a swollen head too.

All of a sudden, Shen Nianzu couldn’t bring himself to look anymore and he averted his gaze, saying in the calmest tone he could muster, "Why would I be sad? Don’t worry about me unnecessarily, okay?"

"Liar," Jin Jiuchi harrumphed softly. "Do you think I can’t smell your mood, Nian’er? You have been sad... anxious and afraid."

Shen Nianzu almost choked on his breath when he heard that. That’s right, he had forgotten about how keen Jin Jiuchi’s nose was. There was no way he could continue to lie— both to Jin Jiuchi and himself. He was infected, he would soon become a hideous creature. He would probably lose his humanity and live a life worse than death, just waiting for someone to kill him. How could he not be anxious? How could he not be afraid? He had just been reassuring himself again and again, for he was too used to bottling his feelings inside.

But against Jin Jiuchi, all of those moves were rendered useless.

His words easily cut through the softest part of Shen Nianzu’s heart like a knife, leaving behind a painful ache. He attempted to cover it with a dismissive snort, "Why are you looking at me for so long? Do you think I’m getting uglier by the minute?"

Shen Nianzu regretted it one second after saying that. He bit down on his tongue by reflex, but words that had already been said could no longer be taken back and he could only curse at his own impulsiveness. What was he hoping to achieve by sharing these feelings with Jin Jiuchi? Did he want comfort? From Jin Jiuchi? Hell no! Even Noir could say consoling words a thousand times better than Jin Jiuchi.

Shen Nianzu bet that the man was going to say something along the lines of ’Don’t worry, there are a thousand people uglier than Nian’er’ but Jin Jiuchi was strangely silent. He was so silent that Shen Nianzu began to think that something was off.

He chewed on the inside of his cheeks and was ready to change the topic when all of a sudden, something landed on top of his head.

"Huh? This..." He touched it gingerly and brushed against the smooth surface of shells. He asked Jin Jiuchi, stupefied, "Isn’t this the wreath the bus officer gave you?"

"Uh-huh," Jin Jiuchi cupped his chin with a hand and tilted his head to smile at him. "I think the bus officer gave it to the wrong person. This wreath is pretty, and it can only be worn by someone who’s pretty too. So shouldn’t it be natural for Nian’er to wear it?"

Not giving him any chance to react, Jin Jiuchi urged hastily, "Come on, come on. Where’s your necklace? Take it out and wear it too!" Under Jin Jiuchi’s persistent urging, Shen Nianzu blankly took out the necklace for the man to put it around his neck.

"Me too, me too!" Gu Luoxin also handed his bracelet over. "Xiao Shen, this... this is for you!" After saying that, he couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer, and tears gushed out of his eyes. He turned away, crying, "S–Sorry, you guys continue!!"

Shen Nianzu: "..."

Shen Nianzu was still unable to come to his senses when he suddenly found himself wearing a wreath, necklace and bracelet. But Jin Jiuchi’s smile remained ever bright and brilliant as he asked, "See? Nian’er is still the prettiest."

"You..." A lump formed on Shen Nianzu’s throat. He could feel his eyes turning hot, and he quickly averted his gaze away. "Foolish husky, why are you such a busybody?" In the end, he did not take them off despite knowing how ridiculous he must have looked. A tiny smile hung on the corner of his lips.

After a simple lunch, they oversaw the intricate process of erecting protective domes throughout the city. Each dome was infused with the mystical power of magic stones blessed by the Goddess herself. Alongside this, they also planned a formation to safeguard the city from threats approaching from all directions.

As the sun gracefully dipped below the horizon, welcoming the arrival of the night, Atlantis was in a great alert state, ready for the final battle.

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A/N: not me playing Lana Del Rey’s young and beautiful on loop again *blow handkerchief*