When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 530: Nothing is Free

Chapter 530: Nothing is Free

After this little fiasco, Jin Jiuchi successfully met up with other players in the same area. And much to his surprise, he spotted some more familiar faces such as the beefy player who had been the first to die at the tea party, and the middle-aged player who had transformed into a skeleton!

In total, there were twelve players including Jin Jiuchi, and they decided to hold a small meeting near the boundary of the Red Zone where the ghosts were scant in number. In stark contrast to the first player who had been scared into fainting, almost everyone welcomed him warmly, their eyes shining in zeal and dependance as though they had found a pillar, making Jin Jiuchi feel oddly flattered yet doubtful in equal measure. He had never received such a treatment before in his own team because both Shen Nianzu and Gu Luoxin were treating him more like a dumb husky.

After hearing that he had been ambushed and murdered in cold blood – of course, Jin Jiuchi sprinkled in a few dramatic moves here and there and fabricated a hellish battle enough to overturn the skies and dye the earth crimson – the players let out a pitying sigh, their awe and respect skyrocketing.

"Sigh, even you’ve become a victim..."

"This Cycle is sick, I told you."

"Finally, someone powerful appeared! We’ve been worried sick because we have no idea what we should do."

"Buddy, you made it just in time!"

Crudely speaking, every single person who had turned into a ghost were those who had been eliminated before— either by other players or the Cycle itself. In other words, they were considered weaklings, ranging from middle to low ranked. Even the beefy player, whose truancy nearly pierced the heavens at first, had now become more subdued and humbled, quickly ingratiating himself with Jin Jiuchi and addressing him as ’buddy’ with a familiar tone.

Jin Jiuchi automatically filtered out the empty rainbow farts and caught onto the crux of the topic with terrifying precision. "Just in time?" he asked with a puzzled blink. "Just in time for what?"

"For the main reward, of course!" The beefy player slapped his thigh and seized the opportunity to be the first one to answer.

"Let me tell you, buddy. Just before you came, we found out that one of the main rewards is here— hidden somewhere in this Red Zone!" Seeing Jin Jiuchi’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm, the beefy player cleverly arranged his words and made his stance clear, "Don’t worry, I will not fight you for it. I’m aware of my own limits. Only someone as strong and capable of you is worthy of the main reward! I’m serious!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Jin Jiuchi urged with burning impatience. "Let’s find it now!"

After all, he had promised Nian’er he would bring the main reward home. The sooner he finished his task, then... then the sooner he could return to the delicious skewer stall! What if he was late and they were all sold out?!

The beefy player, upon realizing that Jin Jiuchi was unmoved by his passionate declaration and was solely focused on the main reward, almost choked to the point of speechlessness. At this moment, another player chimed in with a frustrated sigh,

"It’s no use," he shook his head regretfully. "First, we still haven’t pinpointed the exact location of the black supply box, and second..."

Another gulped, "If the ghosts here find out that you’re not one of them, they will enter an attack mode."

Just then, a gut-wrenching shriek pierced the air. They turned to the source of the voice to find a man, clad in the same tactical gear as they were, falling on his bum with a terror-stricken expression on his face. Even then, he still tried to scramble backwards as if to flee, though his trembling limbs could no longer muster any strength.

All around him, the atmosphere that had been lively turned deadly silent with all the ghosts halting on their tracks, eyes fixated on him. Jin Jiuchi did not think this was a scene terrifying enough to make the man wet his pants, and yet he did. Tears and mucus streamed down his face as he cried out tremblingly, "No... no! Get away... please... get away from me— ARGHHHHH!"

The ghosts advanced on him akin to a pack of hyenas, their hands outstretched akin to vicious claws and eyes gleaming in a malicious hunger.

The player’s harrowing cries grew fainter and fainter until it ceased altogether, and when the ghosts dispersed, nothing remained on the spot where the man had been— no body, no blood, not even the wet patch of soil that had been stained with urine. The bustling festival resumed once more, with lively chatter and merchants selling their wares filling the air with activity.

It was as though the player was never there to begin with.

Grim silence hung over the group of players, their faces marked with dread and numbness. Until one of them spoke up, a faint tremor in his voice, "...that’s it."

"You can’t let the ghosts know your identity, or the death condition will be triggered."

Presumably recalling a horrible experience, the beefy player patted his chest, "One of the ghosts spoke to me when I had just arrived and holy crap, I barely hesitated for a minute when half of their face turned into skeleton and grinned at me!" he wiped the sweat on his forehead, traces of fear lingering in his eyes, "Fortunately I was quick to react and dispel their suspicion. Otherwise I would have been done for!"

"Yeah, me too."

"And me as well!"

Everyone chimed in one after another, telling how the ghost had ’tested’ them upon their arrival. Only Jin Jiuchi stood still and listened without a word, for he had just realized something. So when the merchant called out to him earlier... was that a test? When they handed out an eyeball skewer to him, was it another test as well?! Damn it, and here he kept gushing how generous they were to offer a freebie! He was even planning to buy all of their skewers when he returned later!

How utterly... foolish!

Nian’er was right— nothing in this world was free unless it came with a hidden agenda!

Jin Jiuchi felt like he had experienced the greatest malice of the ghost world, making him wish he could go back to his teammates right this very second. Even though Shen Nianzu often used a brutal way to show his love and Gu Luoxin had a tendency to badmouth him right in front of his face, they were completely honest and genuine. He even found himself missing Noir, who had punched the oracle on his behalf...

As Jin Jiuchi was moping, the players resumed their discussion.

"I’ve asked around for a bit. In an hour, there will be a dancing event, which is also the highlight of the festival. Those who perform the best dance will reap all the treasures in this festival. Do you guys think..."

"The supply boxes!" someone exclaimed and conveniently voiced the thought in everyone’s mind. "The supply boxes must be among the treasures! Oh God, if we’re lucky, we may even be able to obtain revival potions and other rewards!"

The mere notion of ’revival potion’ was enough to make their eyes green with greed and their blood boil with restlessness. Rather than the main reward, they were more eager to secure those potions instead. What’s the use of platinum, golden, or silver tickets if they would still be proclaimed dead in the end? No matter what, they had to find the revival potions to save themselves first and foremost!

After that, the players fell into contemplation once more. How could they procure these treasures amidst a horde of ghosts who would obliterate them at the slightest misstep?

"Should we..." the beefy player suggested tentatively, "steal it? Just think about it. The ghosts will definitely be preoccupied during the event, and that’s when we will strike! What do you think...?"

As he said that, his gaze couldn’t help but gravitate toward Jin Jiuchi, earnestly seeking advice.