When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 301: Rabbit Offering

Chapter 301: Rabbit Offering

The one who was coming their way was indeed the female player they had encountered on the train.

In the midst of the pouring rain, she carried no umbrella and let herself be soaked down to her very clothes. Her solitary silhouette emerged from the distance before coming closer and closer until she halted before the basecamp. There was a small gap between the crumbling walls that provided a discreet vantage point for the four of them to observe the situation outside, and it was through this gap that Ying exchanged looks with them.

"Do you need something?" Shen Nianzu broke the silence, his fingers gripping the silver needles, ready to throw them forward if any unexpected situation arose. He still had not forgotten his future self’s warning about this player.

Ying, however, did not seem to harbor any malicious intentions. Her gaze slowly moved over their group, lingering briefly on Jin Jiuchi, which was a detail that did not go unnoticed by Shen Nianzu’s keen eyes. Then out of the blue, she asked, "Do you have enough food?"

"...Huh?"

"I have this here." She lifted her hand to the gap’s level, allowing the four of them to catch a glimpse of... a plump and white rabbit, drenched from the rain. It looked the same as the one Jin Jiuchi had cradled in his arms earlier. But now, the once energetic creature hung lifelessly in Ying’s grasp with a hole on its body, most likely from the arrow.

Shen Nianzu was taken aback, as he had not seen this coming at all. She came here... to send them food? Had this been the normal circumstances, he would have interpreted this as a token of peace, a sign that she might want to join forces with them or something similar. He would have been more than happy to cooperate with another powerful player. But after reading that ominous letter, he was not so certain anymore. He dared not even invite her into their basecamp, despite her miserably drenched appearance.

"We have already eaten," Shen Nianzu responded cautiously. "You should just keep it for yourself."

"Really?" This time, Ying’s gaze landed squarely on Jin Jiuchi, and indescribable emotions flashed in her eyes. It was apparent that her question was directed at him alone. "You really don’t want this? I have tried it, the meat is soft and juicy."

Flabbergasted, Jin Jiuchi pointed at his own nose. "...Me?"

Shen Nianzu’s expression morphed into a scowl. The fact that Ying seemed to pay closer attention to Jin Jiuchi had not escaped his observation. Was this what his future self meant by ’behaving suspiciously’? Why didn’t he specifically tell Shen Nianzu that this woman was courting his boyfriend?! Displeased, Shen Nianzu reached out to pinch Jin Jiuchi’s arm before the man could do something foolish like accepting the rabbit.

He curved his eyes, though they looked utterly devoid of warmth. "No need," he refused in a firm tone, leaving no room for rebuttal. "We already have more than enough supplies."

He could sense Gu Luoxin and Jin Jiuchi’s confused gaze on him, having sensed the subtle animosity he radiated toward the woman. Granted, he was not the kind of person who would turn hostile to others without a solid reason.

However, Shen Nianzu fixed his gaze on Ying with no intention of explaining his behavior. He had not told his two teammates about his future self’s warning because he had planned to observe the situation and confirm his suspicions first. He feared that he would make a mistake and falsely accuse an innocent person. But with the way Ying was acting now, his doubt instantly reached the peak, causing him to shed all layers of pretenses and reveal his vigilance.

Sparks seemed to fly between the two player’s line of eye contact, neither showed any signs of backing down.

Just as Shen Nianzu was certain that Ying would turn violent, the woman lowered his gaze and simply said, "Okay." With that, she turned and left, leaving the others perplexed.

Gu Luoxin gazed at her fading silhouette, unable to wrap his head around the current situation. "What the hell has just happened? The player ranked 16th was here to deliver a rabbit to us— no, to Da Shen? Did you two know each other from somewhere? Moreover, Xiao Shen, you..." he trailed off, unsure which appropriate words to use to describe Shen Nianzu’s unusual behavior.

Jin Jiuchi hastily shook his head to defend his innocence, "No, no, no, how can I know her? This is the first time we’ve met, and I’m positive that I haven’t seen her before!" He patted his cheek with a thoughtful look, adding, "Is it because I look too hungry, and that’s why she took pity on me?"

"Her eyes," Noir chimed in as he scrutinized Jin Jiuchi with a hint of doubt. "The way she looked at you was weird. It’s like... seeing someone she has not seen for a long time, if you know what I mean."

Jin Jiuchi was stumped for a few seconds before he hastily jumped up to rebuke, a little affronted. "I really, really don’t know her at all! How should I know where she has seen me before?! Nian’er, Nian’er," he immediately turned to Shen Nianzu and tugged on his sleeves, putting on a pleading expression. "Nian’er, you believe me, right? I really don’t know her at all!"

"Yes, yes," Shen Nianzu patted his arm reassuringly, though his expression remained distracted. "I know you’re telling the truth."

Now the main question was— why would Ying act like that toward Jin Jiuchi?

With no answers at hand, the group could only disperse with Gu Luoxin and Noir resting first, while Shen Nianzu and Jin Jiuchi kept watch for the first half of the night.

As Shen Nianzu gazed at the gloomy sky outside, a sudden realization struck him and he turned to Jin Jiuchi with a disbelieving look. "Wait a minute, you haven’t even regained all of your memories yet, so how can you say for certain that you haven’t seen her before?!"

Jin Jiuchi was instantly dumbfounded, as he had honestly forgotten about this fact. "Y–You’re right! Does it mean we might be old acquaintances?"

"No, something doesn’t feel right..." Shen Nianzu tried to recall how Ying looked earlier, drenched by the downpour while offering the rabbit to Jin Jiuchi with a strangely hopeful look on her face. The emotions in her eyes back then had been far too complex for him to decipher, and Shen Nianzu could not think of any other explanation aside from the possibility that Ying was attracted to Jin Jiuchi somehow. Still, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he had missed something crucial.

Shaking his head, he decided to put this matter to the graveyard of his mind for the time being. "Well, we will know after we interact with her again in the future," he concluded with a helpless sigh. Recalling his future self’s warning yet again, he couldn’t help but warn Jin Jiuchi seriously, "Remember, you must not be alone with her. It’s even better if you don’t leave my sight!"

Jin Jiuchi was taken aback by Shen Nianzu’s domineering statement, but soon a wicked smile spread across his face. He scooted over and poked the jade doll’s soft cheek with the tip of his finger. "Oooh, Nian’er," he teased with an evil chuckle. "Are you jealous?"

"Jea—" Shen Nianzu spluttered in disbelief. "Who the hell is jealous? I’m just worried that you will be taken advantage of without knowing anything, okay?!"

"Sure, sure," Jin Jiuchi replied with a smug expression, giving Shen Nianzu the strong urge to whack him on the head and wipe off that irritating grin on his face. He gnashed his teeth and turned away with a harrumph. Whatever, he was definitely not jealous because of this damned husky!

The two of them chatted and bickered back and forth like this in a hushed voice, until the sky outside dimmed further and further. It was then that the desolate city finally came alive...

.

.

A/N: oho last time Grandpa now it’s Ying who seems familiar with JJ?