When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 521: The Nightmare’s Message

Chapter 521: The Nightmare’s Message

Among the trio, Shen Nianzu was the first to react. His brows furrowed as he repeated, "A message?"

"From t-t-the Nightmare?!" Gu Luoxin’s voice turned shrill until it nearly cracked, his expression terror-stricken.

And finally, Jin Jiuchi pointed at his own nose, baffled. "For me???"

A flicker of doubt crossed Noir’s emerald eyes as his gaze alternated between Jin Jiuchi and the oracle, though in the end he opted to stay mum and remain on the sidelines as always.

In response to this varying degree of reactions, XXX let out a low chuckle, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach.

His carefree expression crumbled in an instant. "Do any of you have food? I’m almost starved to death here..." he pleaded in an almost pitiful manner.

"Uh," Gu Luoxin hesitated for a split second, but Jin Jiuchi swiftly replied with a firm shake of his head and a loud, "Nope!"

Don’t even mention Noir – he was gazing at the night sky in the far distance, pretending as if he heard nothing.

Shen Nianzu: "..."

Who said that a Legendary player did not need to hunt for supply boxes?

***

In the end, after a brief discussion, XXX agreed to lead them to a perfect hideout in exchange for a package of biscuits, a sausage, and a bottle of mineral water. Having the Divine Oracle leading the way was akin to carrying a portable cheat. They had just stepped out of the area when the green forest behind them turned red with a speed visible to the naked eye!

"See?" The oracle had his mouth full of food, causing his voice to become muffled. Amidst the rising screams and chaos from afar, thick smugness bled from his tone as he boasted, "Aren’t you guys grateful to bump into me? No one ever loses out when they make a deal with me, I told you!"

He erupted into a peal of uproarious laughter. But alas, against the eerie backdrop of blood-red foliage and the distant echoes of battle, it made him sound more like a cold-blooded villain instead, one who relished in common people’s suffering.

Jin Jiuchi would have applauded and praised him unabashedly if his gaze hadn’t been so transfixed on the half-eaten sausage in the oracle’s hand. He couldn’t resist gnashing his teeth, always feeling like this person had snatched the portion which was meant to be his. Everytime he barely managed to distract himself, the sausage always turned up and waved itself right in the corner of his eye as though afraid that its presence would be forgotten!

Jin Jiuchi had reasons to suspect that the oracle must be getting under his skin on purpose!

"Alright, let’s go." With a wave of his hand, XXX took the lead to turn away. Once again, the sausage just happened to move across Jin Jiuchi’s face, carrying a burst of tantalizing aroma that tickled his nostrils.

"Grrr..." a low rumble reminiscent of an irate beast emanated from his throat, catching Shen Nianzu, who was carried in his arms, utterly off guard.

The jade doll cast him an odd look, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Jin Jiuchi was so aggrieved that he nearly shed a bucket of tears. Who could understand the hardship he was going through right now? Alas, woe is him!

Following the oracle’s lead, they traversed through the pitch-black forest, avoided several groups of players who, at first glance, were apparent to have hailed from big organizations, and climbed a small hill cloaked in dense foliage. Eventually, they came to a halt on a gentle slope, where XXX announced with a grin,

"Alright, here we are! I can guarantee you will be safe from the Red Zone for a while. How about it?"

Shen Nianzu surveyed the surroundings with critical eyes. The higher altitude offered them a clear vantage point, allowing them to spot any intruders with ease. The thick canopy of towering trees concealed their presence sufficiently, and he could also hear the soft, trickling sound of water somewhere nearby, which indicated the presence of a stream not far away.

He finally nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad."

They cleared the area for a while before settling down. A fire crackled to life in the middle, casting flickering shadows over the looming trees. In the distance, the cuckoos cried out once in a while, the haunting calls adding on to the already mystifying atmosphere. The oracle had barely plopped himself beneath a tree when Shen Nianzu broached the topic,

"What’s the message all about?"

"Patience, kiddo," XXX clicked his tongue in mock admonishment. "Do you not have the slightest bit of compassion toward your senior?"

Unfortunately for him, Shen Nianzu was in no mood to play around. He had been burning with impatience and anxiety since the oracle first mentioned the message. Were it not for the pressing need to secure a safe place, he would have forced the oracle to spill the words long ago. Who was he kidding? This was a message from the Nightmare itself – addressed to his boyfriend!

What could have been so important that it would borrow the oracle’s power to deliver it?

Although there had been a lot of theories and speculations about the Nightmare’s origin, it had always been surrounded by an impenetrable veil of mystery. Some believed it was a product from a far future to drive mankind into the path of evolution, while others hypothesized that it was actually a life form from a higher dimension with unknown purposes. One thing for certain, in their recollection, the Nightmare’s prompts had always been cold, mechanical and emotionless, just like a robot faithfully executing a task which had been programmed into its system.

And now, this kind of detached and inorganic creature actually wanted to send out a personal message??

"Augh, just get to the point, will you?!" Jin Jiuchi burst out, unable to wait any longer. "What does it want with me? Another duel? Fine, I accept! Tell it to come here right here and now if it dares!" he even bared his teeth and rolled up his sleeves to emphasize that he meant every word he said.

"Alright, alright," XXX raised both hands in a gesture of playful surrender. A lopsided smirk tugged at his lips as he leaned closer to Jin Jiuchi. The blazing flame reflected on the surface of his sunglasses, yet somehow no one could catch a glimpse of the eyes beneath. It was as though a pitch-black abyss was grinning at them menacingly, making one feel a strange chill and discomfort from the depths of their hearts.

XXX’s voice dropped, low and deliberate, until it was nearly a whisper.

"It wanted me to ask you..." he paused for a more dramatic effect, his smirk deepening, "...How much longer do you plan on playing around, you disobedient children?"