When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 335: [Bonus - ] Punishment

Chapter 335: [Bonus Chapter] Punishment

"So what kind of tradition were they talking about?" Shen Nianzu inquired. All in all, this situation actually benefited him as he could talk as long as he wanted with the two Jin Jiuchis without fearing that they would be interrupted midway. "Also, don’t you think it was too much of you to kill him just like that? See where it brought you!"

On the next bed, the twins lay like a pair of tiny starfishes and turned their heads away in a comically similar manner, harrumphing, "Who told him to set his eyes on Nian’er? He got what he deserved, at the very least!"

"Nian’er doesn’t need to concern himself with the tradition. It’s utterly boring and lame. Not worth your time and attention at all!"

Despite their words, Shen Nianzu still couldn’t get the earlier scene out of his mind. What kind of monstrous strength was needed to crush someone’s body into such fine particles? And to think that the twins had not even moved from their spot!

It seemed like Shen Nianzu had to re-evaluate their real strength in this Cycle. It would be awkward to keep treating them like fragile and vulnerable dolls when they had the power to wreck havoc to the world.

Speaking of strength, Shen Nianzu tested the metal restraints around his wrists and found that they were rock solid. Even him, a veteran player, couldn’t easily break free. Well, perhaps he might manage it under extreme circumstances. But what about the children? They clearly possessed incredible strength. Was there nothing they could do rather than to be subjected to such a punishment?

When Shen Nianzu asked about it, he received a disheartening response.

"It’s no use," the black-haired Jin Jiuchi replied with such calmness that it sent a pang of ache to Shen Nianzu’s heart. "Even if we can break free, then what? They can and will always capture us again and again. In the end, we will be punished more severely."

"It’s sort of nice like this, don’t you think so?" Silver-haired Jin Jiuchi shrugged nonchalantly. "We get to sleep and be lazy as much as we want, and we will go outside once they come to get us."

Judging by their reaction and the officer’s earlier remarks, Shen Nianzu surmised that they had faced punishment so many times that they had grown indifferent to it. He clenched his fists tightly and took a deep breath to alleviate the heaviness in his chest. Now he felt like he could understand what the Nightmare meant by giving him this personal task. He must bring Jin Jiuchi away from this place as soon as possible.

Determination set ablaze in his heart. Alas, nothing changed the fact that he was currently restrained and unable to move.

Shen Nianzu sighed, "How long will we remain like this?"

"Not sure..." Silver-haired Jin Jiuchi mused. "If the officer is in a good mood, he might let us out after three or four days. But oops, he mentioned that he wanted to set you as an example, so you might not make it out until next week, Nian’er."

Next week?! The veins on Shen Nianzu’s forehead throbbed. No, he could not afford to be idle for so long. He had to find a way to escape somehow!

Shen Nianzu began to formulate plans in his mind. First, he had to discover the layout of this area. Second, he needed to get in touch with Noir again and proposed to work together. The room fell into silence as Shen Nianzu immersed himself in thought, until the silver-haired Jin Jiuchi suddenly whimpered,

"B–Brother, my back is itchy. I think I’ve been bitten by an insect!"

His twin released a long-suffering sigh and demanded, "Turn around."

Sniffling, the silver-haired Jin Jiuchi twisted his body to the best of his ability to present his back to his brother. And the black-haired Jin Jiuchi stretched out a leg in an attempt to scratch the other’s back. Alas, it failed spectacularly because his leg was just too short and clumsy. "I-I can’t reach..."

"Ah ah, it’s so itchy!!"

"Wait, my leg is cramped!"

Shen Nianzu: "..."

Now he truly wondered how they managed to endure being in this room for days.

Signing, Shen Nianzu summoned his blade and used the blunt end to scratch the silver-haired Jin Jiuchi’s back, earning him a blissful cry. "Nian’er is the best!"

Next, Shen Nianzu turned his attention to the shackles around his wrists. Seconds ticked by into minutes as he meticulously worked with his silver needles, hoping to undo them. Eventually, the sound of soft and rhythmic breathing filled the room, and Shen Nianzu noticed with not so little amusement that the two children had drifted off to sleep. Granted, they must have been exhausted after the long journey today, even though Shen Nianzu had practically carried them all the way back.

He gazed at their peacefully sleeping faces, and a fond smile crept up to his face. "Just wait for a little longer," he whispered softly. "I promise I will get you out of here."

Shen Nianzu had no idea how long he worked on these stupid shackles, when all of a sudden, he heard a crackling sound from his earpiece. His heart instantly leaped to his throat and he held his breath sharply, concentrating on the voices on the other side. Who was it this time? It couldn’t be his other self again, could it?

"...lo... hello, Xiao Shen?"

It was Gu Luoxin’s voice!

Shen Nianzu’s eyes lit up with joy and relief. Since his hands were bound, he could only make use of his shoulder to tap on the earpiece, answering in a hushed voice, "This is Nian. Xinxin, can you hear me?"

"Xiao Shen!" came Gu Luoxin’s relieved voice from the other side. "Where are you now? We have gone through two attractions by now!"

"I am at the hospital," Shen Nianzu replied without elaborating further about his current state. But then, he was caught off guard when Gu Luoxin audibly gasped and spoke to another person,

"Oh my God, you’re spot on, Da Shen! Xiao Shen has really arrived at the hospital!"

Shen Nianzu’s breath stuttered as he heard that name. "...What?" He did not even realize how his voice was shaking, or the fact that the two dumplings were roused awake by the noises and were now staring at him curiously. "Who did you say you’re with?!"

"Oh, you must be confused." Gu Luoxin proceeded to explain how Jin Jiuchi from Team 14 had joined them and how they planned to lead Team 4 toward the exit. He also recounted how they had crossed Dimensional Carousel and adopted a dinosaur egg which turned out to be Toki, their tour guide. All the while, Shen Nianzu did not say a word, too shock by the rapid development of events.

"Right now, we’re heading to the hospital. How about you, Xiao Shen? What’s the situation like there?"

Shen Nianzu swallowed past his dry throat and said, "I met... Noir here."

"What?!"

Shen Nianzu explained the oddity of the man he encountered in a few brief sentences, before he ended it with, "Going by Da Shen’s words, it seems like the person I met here is Noir from the future? However, something is clearly off in this place. I still have no idea why he looked and behaved like he did. I will try to find out more soon."

The other side was silent for a moment, presumably shocked by the unexpected information as well.

Shen Nianzu opened his mouth, intending to warn them to be careful as well when a deep and velvety came through his earpiece, making his heart tremble, "Nian’er?"

All the words Shen Nianzu intended to say was lost on his constricted throat as his attention narrowed down to the dearly familiar voice. Sourness tinged his heart. He tried and tried to suppress it, but this single word had almost shattered the armors around his heart. He missed Jin Jiuchi, missed him so much that it hurt. Even though Jin Jiuchi was technically right beside him, Shen Nianzu couldn’t deny the longing he felt for this particular Jin Jiuchi.

The Jin Jiuchi from this timeline.

"Nian’er, are you okay?" Jin Jiuchi asked with a hint of concern in his tone. "You’ve seen my... um, my other selves, haven’t you?"