When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 551: Did He Just...?

Chapter 551: Did He Just...?

Lucius’ danger radar was actually quite strong and accurate.

The moment Jin Jiuchi cast his greedy gaze over, its fur immediately poofed up into a ball, spine arching and ears folding back in a defensive gesture. It was such a pity that Jin Jiuchi was too fast— so inhumanely fast that not even a divine prop like it could follow.

Before Lucius could pinpoint the source of evil he had sensed, Jin Jiuchi popped up behind Noir like a soundless ghost, leaving only a breezy sentence before vanishing again, "Bro, my good brother, lend me your kitty again! I will return it to you later!"

"—MROOOW!"

Lucius’ enraged yowl reverberated across the forest as it was catapulted straight toward the mass of dense, twisting vines.

Witnessing this cruel and abusive scene, Gu Luoxin forgot his initial reservation and snapped at Jin Jiuchi angrily, wishing he could fight him right there and then, "How could you do that to Lucius, you boorish idiot?!"

"Oopsie, my bad." Jin Jiuchi merely stuck out his tongue in response, his demeanor devoid of guilt as he swiftly pulled the trembling black halberd out of the ground before hurling it in another direction!

On the side, Noir’s breath faltered as a sudden wave of dizziness crashed over him. He gave his head a sharp shake, his beautiful eyes squeezed tight.

Lucius was a divine prop bound to him, and hence any strong emotions it went through would be transmitted to him without any filter. For a split second there, he felt as though he had become one with the cat, feeling its insuppressible wrath, murderous intent, searing nausea and grievance slamming into his senses all at once, overwhelming his every nerve.

Noir was and always had been a man of few emotions, his heart steady and undisturbed. When had he ever experienced such a volatile emotional storm before? The sudden onslaught caught him utterly off guard, and his movements couldn’t help but slow down a beat.

Just then—

"Senior, be careful!"

Noir keenly detected the sharp whistle of wind behind his back at the same time as he heard Gu Luoxin’s panicked shout. Instinctively, he raised his arm to block the incoming attack, yet it never arrived. Instead, Gu Luoxin’s muffled cry drifted over, along with the sound of a body falling to the ground with a thud.

In an instant, Noir whipped around, forgoing the dizziness and nausea he felt, and his pupils shrunk as he took in the scene in front of him. "Xinxin!"

"Ugh, I-I’m fine! I just slipped a little!" Gu Luoxin was quick to jump to his feet, still as agile and lively as ever. His concerned eyes roamed all over Noir, inquiring anxiously, "How about you, Senior? Are you feeling unwell??"

Noir stared at him, his throat tightening. "Your face..."

"My face?" Puzzled, Gu Luoxin touched his cheek, only to wince when a sharp pain jolted through his senses. The tips of his fingers came out stained with blood, and he reckoned his face must have been accidentally scratched by the vine when he pounced on it earlier. Thanks to the adrenaline rush, he hadn’t even realized he was injured until Noir pointed it out.

Little did Gu Luoxin know, his injury was actually more severe than he had thought. The gash ran across his right cheek and almost reached below his ear, seeping out a faint trail of blood. If he hadn’t dodged in time, half of his ear would have been slashed off. Yet this timid, scaredy-cat young man unexpectedly showed little concern for his own wound and focused more on Noir’s well-being instead.

Noir was forced to reply through gritted teeth. "I’m fine."

He swiftly severed his mental connection with Lucius for the time being, yet for some inexplicable reason, the stuffiness in his chest did not dissipate. On the contrary, it grew heavier and heavier until he couldn’t resist saying a few more words, "I could have protected myself..."

He did not need this crybaby, who was far weaker than him, to watch his back.

Twice— twice already had Gu Luoxin thrown himself in danger’s way for him, with the first time when they fought side by side against a nightmare creature in the Glass Slipper Town. And Noir did not wish to see this happen for the third time. He could escape both times out of sheer luck, but what about the next?

Meanwhile, Gu Luoxin couldn’t help but scratch his head awkwardly. He could sense the grimness in Noir’s tone and knew that the man must be feeling upset again. Alas, this really wasn’t something he could control!

"I’m sorry, Senior, my body just... moved on its own?" he muttered with a sheepish look.

He understood more than anyone how presumptuous his actions had been. After all, Noir was more than capable of protecting himself! And yet, while his mind fully grasped this fact with crystal clarity, his heart seemed to sing a different tune on its own. He could remind himself a thousand times over that Noir did not need his help, but when the situation came to it, he would still jump in without hesitation— just like he had earlier.

Hesitant, Gu Luoxin couldn’t resist peeking at the man through his lashes.

Unlike before when he was so frightened by Noir’s vexation that he literally burst out into tears, this time he did not feel an ounce of fear or nervousness, much to his own surprise. Perhaps because he knew that the man was sincerely worried about him, making him feel an unreasonable surge of joy and giddiness from the bottom of his heart.

"Don’t worry, Senior, this kind of wound is nothing!" he puffed up his chest in reassurance, even thumping it for good measure. After a brief contemplation, he cleared his throat and added, "You know, I also want to become someone you can trust to watch your back rather than hiding behind you all the time..."

Halfway through Gu Luoxin’s sentence, the nightmare creatures abruptly ceased their attacks on Jin Jiuchi and their surroundings visibly changed within the span of one breath. The crimson hue of the trees faded away, revealing the lush and verdant leaves swaying gently under a soft breeze. From beyond the horizon, a burst of golden pierced through the oppressive darkness, as if the sky itself had cracked to let the light seep in.

Dawn was coming, and the Cycle finally came to an end.

At this point, Gu Luoxin hadn’t yet realized the changes around them, still absorbed in his own triumphant proclamation.

"I know my strength is still lacking, but see?" he beamed, the radiance of the first rays of sunlight glimmering on his curved eyes as he flashed a peace sign. "This time, I managed to protect you!" He sounded so proud of himself as he said that, unheeding of the blood trickling down his cheek, leaving a glaring crimson trail against his pale skin.

The sun was rising fast, bathing the once chilly and gloomy forest in a warm and serene glow. The same brilliance wrapped around Gu Luoxin, gilding the edges of his figure and casting a soft halo around his slender frame.

He looked dazzling, so much that Noir found it difficult to tear his gaze away.

"Woah, look at that!" Gu Luoxin shielded his eyes with both hands, marveling at the breathtaking sunrise. "The forest is so damn scary at night, but now... the scenery is to die for!"

Just then, a pair of shoes stepped into his limited field of vision, causing Gu Luoxin to lower his hands in surprise. "Se—"

He had just raised his head when a shadow fell upon him. Gu Luoxin’s eyes instinctively widened as Noir’s gorgeous face was magnified before him, his breath stuck on his throat. Under the golden hues of the rising sun, those emerald eyes appeared all the more enchanting, casting a magical spell that rooted him in place as they drew closer and closer...

W–What’s going on...? Gu Luoxin’s expression became stiff and wooden as a series of explosions went off inside his mind. Senior, he... he can’t be planning to—

When the tips of their noses brushed against each other, Gu Luoxin reflexively squeezed his eyes shut, the line of his shoulders tense and his toes curling up in a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

But what he expected did not come.

Right before their lips could touch, Noir tilted his head to the side and... bit his earlobe!

It was not gentle or playful per se. Noir bit him as if to vent his annoyance, sending a sharp sting that caused Gu Luoxin to snap his eyes open with a surprised gasp. He stared at the man in a daze, clutching at his throbbing and burning earshell. All the words failed his clumsy tongue, and he could only encapsulate his frantic thoughts by calling out dumbly, "S–Senior...?"

Did he... Did he just get bitten???

Noir withdrew and straightened up, casually licking the corner of his lips. His gaze fell on Gu Luoxin’s dumbfounded expression, with his face beet-red, eyes wide, mouth slightly agape in pure shock— he looked so silly. Somehow, the sight alone was enough to chip away at the knot of frustration tangled in his chest, leaving him in a fairly lighter mood.

A ghost of a smile brushed his lips as he narrowed his eyes in warning, "Remember the deal I made with your team pertaining to the location of the main reward? This is my condition."

"Don’t do something like this again in the future."

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Cycle 6: Suicide Forest— The End

A/N: *squeal* the last scene of this Chapter is inspired by a canon fanart drawn by our lovely Ying. I’ve uploaded the artwork here so please open the comment section and kindly show your love there <3<3<3<3 aren’t they the cutest?!!!

okay I know we still have a lot of questions left unanswered. What kind of ticket JJ gets in the end? Who’s the final winner? Is there a follow-up with Shang and the four members of Imhotep? Everything will be revealed slowly in the next Chapters lol I’m sorry it just feels right somehow to end the Cycle here ><