When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 348: The Wicked and The Strong

Chapter 348: The Wicked and The Strong

With the Chrono beasts hot on their trail and Momoko’s vicious laughter echoing through the air, they hurried to take the right path toward the ’Endless Staircase’. Five hundred meters was a short distance to cover for players who managed to reach the mid-level Cycles, and it did not take long for them to arrive before the door.

Without hesitation, Ying yanked the door open, revealing a dimly lit area and long ascending staircase leading to unknown darkness. However, they did not have the luxury to be afraid of what they might encounter inside, not when the Chrono beasts were closing in on them. They could only play things by ear and cross the bridge when they came to it!

Ying took the lead to sprint up the stairs, followed by Shen Nianzu who was flanked closely by the twins, Gu Luoxin, Noir, and the other players.

But at that moment...

"Ah! H–Help—!" A horrified scream pierced the air, and everyone instinctively looked back to see that the last player of their group, a bespectacled man, was stuck on the doorway, his face contorted in the mixture of panic, dread, and anxiety. Veins bulged along his arms as he clung onto the door frame, yet no matter how hard he tried to propel himself forward, his feet remained rooted in place!

He cried out for help upon seeing the Chrono beasts advancing down the corridor. "Help... please help me! Why can’t I move?!!"

Shen Nianzu’s heart thudded as realization struck him like a thunderbolt.

Damn it, they must have reached the maximum capacity of tourists!

They had entered in a haste and had not even checked on the number of people allowed in this attraction! What should they do?!

Brother Zhang, who was still oblivious, frantically reached out a hand and tried to pull the man inside with all of his strength, the veins on his neck flaring from the exertion. "Come on! Why can’t you come in!"

"Wait—" Shen Nianzu began, but the next thing happened in a flash. With a loud shout, the bespectacled player tugged on Brother Zhang’s hand... and threw him out of the door, securing his own entrance!

"Y–You!" Brother Zhang’s eyes turned bloodshot in rage and disbelief, but he had no chance to utter another word because the Chrono beasts were already mere meters away. Cursing loudly, he could only scramble to his feet and continued to rush down the hallway, heading to the next attraction – Reflection of Emotions.

"What?" The bespectacled player demanded hysterically when he noticed everyone’s gaze upon him. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think you wouldn’t do the same if you were in my position? It’s not like I killed him— he can still enter another attraction!"

Qiuqiu clasped a hand over her mouth, disbelief coursing through her. It was hard to believe that this was the same person who had saved her from breaking the rule after they had gone through ’Inverted World’ together.

Alas, this was just how humans really were, right? Their true nature would only be exposed under special circumstances or when survival was at stake.

"You’re right," a youthful voice spoke up, and the bespectacled player turned to meet a pair of indecipherable emerald eyes staring straight at him. For some reason, his heart gave an ominous lurch. "This is how the Cycles work. Only two types of people can survive in the end – the wicked and the strong. Unfortunately, I really dislike the former."

Alarm bells rang in the male player’s mind and his pupils dilated sharply. Alas, Noir’s action was simply too fast and decisive. Before anyone could react, he extended a leg and delivered a powerful kick to the player’s stomach, sending him tumbling down the stairs into the waiting Chrono beasts below!

"AAHHH!!!"

The male player’s shrill scream echoed through the air, but Noir did not even spare him another glance as he continued to sprint up the stairs. Following behind him was Ying, who silently agreed with his action.

"Psst, Nian’er," silver-haired Jin Jiuchi leaned closer to Shen Nianzu and whispered into his ear. "I like him. He’s so cool."

Shen Nianzu was rendered slightly speechless before issuing a warning. "... Don’t learn from him."

In a blink of an eye, only Qiuqiu, the short-haired female player and the male player with Buzz Cut remained alongside the members of SJG, Noir and Ying. They silently raced up the seemingly never-ending staircase, no longer looking back. However, there was no escaping the sound of a ticking clock that accompanied each step they took.

Tick-tick-tick

Tick-tick-tick

Qiuqiu threw a furtive glance over her shoulder and her knees almost buckled as she saw the Chrono beasts had started to ascend the stairs as well, resembling a formidable army of steel. "Oh no, they’re chasing after us!"

Gu Luoxin wanted to cry but had no tears. "Xiao Shen, how are we supposed to throw them off?!"

Shen Nianzu’s expression was grim as he shook his head quietly, "I don’t know. Let’s just... keep running and see if we can get out of this attraction and block the door behind us."

Among them, perhaps he was the only one who had experience fighting against the Chrono beasts, but he was clearly at a disadvantage back then. If not for the black-haired Jin Jiuchi taking him away in time, he had no idea what would have happened to him by now.

Everyone focused on climbing up the stairs and gritted their teeth albeit their leg muscles began to grow sore. Ten minutes... fifteen minutes... and even after half an hour, there was still no end in sight! And to make matters worse, they were getting exhausted, while the Chrono beasts behind them were tireless and steadily closing the distance between them!

The silent yet mounting pressure caused Qiuqiu’s eyes to redden. She gasped for breath, holding onto the wall for support. "Could it be... is this similar to a ghost wall? Have we been running around in circles?!"

No, Shen Nianzu quietly denied it. His skill card type was illusion, making him more privy toward this kind of power, but he felt nothing of the sort here. This was truly like the name suggested – an endless staircase.

Though Ying and Noir had not uttered a word of complaint, it was apparent that they were getting frustrated as well. Even Shen Nianzu, who had shrunk into a small size, began to lose his strength and had to be half-dragged and half-pulled by the two Jin Jiuchis. They couldn’t go on like this; they had to find the exit sooner or later before the Chrono beasts caught up to them!

The black-haired Jin Jiuchi scanned the surroundings and murmured under his breath, "Should we tear down the walls?"

His twin’s eyes lit up at the brilliant idea. "Brother, you’re a genius! Let’s do it!"

Actually, Shen Nianzu was also contemplating this method, but before the three of them could act on it, the buzz cut player pointed at Gu Luoxin – or to be exact, the baby nestled comfortably in his arms – and demanded, "Isn’t he the tour guide?! He should be able to guide us out of here, right?!"

"T–That’s right!" The reminder sent a spark of hope in Qiuqiu’s eyes. She directed a pleading look at the little creature, "Please... can you bring us out of here?!"

Everyone’s gazes simultaneously converged on Toki, while the said baby turned to Gu Luoxin as though asking for his opinion. Under this immense pressure, Gu Luoxin could only stutter out, "W–Well, can you...?"

Toki let out another chirp and placed his tiny claw on the wall. "Hmrrph!" Puffing up his cheeks, he exerted his energy until his palm began to glow. And then a shocking phenomenon occurred. A string of light traveled from his palm toward the wall, forming four straight lines that created the outline of a door!

"For fuck’s sake..." Buzz Cut barked out an incredulous laugh. "We should have asked him first!"