Scarred For Life

Xinxin, who wore a girly hair clip, who had delicate features that people would call 'moe', who was so timid that she would be the first person to scream and cry every time something happened… was actually a 'he'?!!

All at once, Tang Ye recalled the instances when he had tried to chat Xinxin up, flattered her, flirted with her, and even offered to take over some heavy work on her behalf. To think that such a cute and delicate girl was actually a boy to begin with… Tang Ye suddenly felt his vision going dark.

Xinxin let out a nervous laugh, "B–Brother Yang, what are you talking about…"

Hearing that, Tang Ye was instantly rejuvenated and he clung to Xinxin's words like a dying man gripping onto the last straw. "That's right! On what basis do you say something like that, Brother Yang? Xinxin is so cute, how can you accuse her of being a boy?!"

Jin Jiuchi tilted his head, amused and puzzled in equal measure. He had known since he smelled Xinxin for the first time that he was a male, and that's why he was utterly baffled when he saw him entering a different shower room from them. But why were Xinxin and Tang Ye so insistent on not acknowledging the truth? "But I didn't accuse him," he tried to defend his innocence, not realizing that he was steadily pushing Tang Ye into a brink of despair. "If you don't trust me, just let him shower together with us?"

"S–Shower together…" Tang Ye sputtered out. He looked at Xinxin's tiny and delicate stature, and his face flushed when he imagined 'her' taking a bath with them. However, before he could come to Xinxin's rescue, he was beaten by the other person.

"How…" Xinxin sniffled with a wronged expression. "How did you find out? I thought I had concealed myself very well…"

Tang Ye: …?!!

Jin Jiuchi let out a victorious laugh. "Well, you forgot to conceal your scent! It's so obvious that—" he leaned over Xinxin, ready to take another whiff so that he could keep the scent in mind when a strong force suddenly hauled him from behind, dragging him toward the shower.

"You damned husky!" Nian gritted out in anger as he continued to yank the struggling Jin Jiuchi inside. "Don't sniff other people as you please!"

"Ah, ah, ah…!" Jin Jiuchi had difficulty gaining his balance when he had to walk backwards. He cried out for mercy to no avail, "Nian'er, Nian'er, don't pull on me!!"

The scene of a small child dragging a big adult twice his size behind him was so bizarre that Tang Ye could only gape, unable to react for a moment. When he finally snapped back to his senses, he saw Xinxin passing by him to enter the… men's communal shower.

No, no, it couldn't be…

Still feeling utter denial to the reality in front of him, Tang Ye scrambled after the three people who had entered first. His gaze fleeted past the half naked Jin Jiuchi who was pestering his little brother to take off his clothes and shower together, to land on Xinxin who had taken space in the stall opposite the two.

He watched, frozen, as Xinxin held the hem of 'her' shirt and pulled it over 'her' head to reveal a wide expanse of fair milky skin and a chest as flat as board, and then when 'she' tugged down her trousers…

'Damn!' Tang Ye was certain he blacked out for a split second when he saw the thing hanging between her legs. 'How… it's b–bigger than mine…'

"What?" Xinxin shot him a quiet glare when he noticed Tang Ye gawking at him. He tugged on the plastic curtain so that only his head was showing, but it was no use for the sight of the boy's large appendage had already been seared to the back of Tang Ye's eyelids. He stuttered with an angry yet bashful look, "S–Stop staring at me like that! Never saw a drag queen before?!"

A drag queen…

A drag queen…

A drag queen…

Those words reverberated in Tang Ye's mind again and again like a curse. Coupled with the fabulous sighting he had glimpsed upon earlier, Tang Ye felt like his lifespan had instantly been cut into half. He clutched his chest with a pained look, "Why didn't you tell me sooner…?!"

Xinxin blinked and said innocently, "Where's the fun in that?"

Muffling in a chuckle, he yanked on the plastic curtain so that it covered his body from sight, then he started to shower while humming a random tune, leaving Tang Ye to deal with his ashen heart that had been scarred for life.

***

At first, Nian thought that he would need to find a suitable time before curfew to warn Xinxin and Tang Ye about the nightmare creature who had disguised himself as Zhi, but now that all four of them were showering together, he immediately seized the chance to do it. He still had no idea how superb that nightmare creature's hearing was, but he still turned on all the showers in the room to mask the secret conversation.

And as expected, Xinxin and Tang Ye were horrified when they heard the news. Thanks to Jin Jiuchi's admirable feat in exposing Xinxin's real gender earlier, the two did not even doubt it a bit when Nian told them that it was Jin Jiuchi who had noticed something was off.

"Damn…" Tang Ye felt like he couldn't endure any more surprises tonight. First, he found out that the girl he had been wooing turned out to have a bigger asset than him, and then one of the players had died without anyone realizing?! He rubbed his face roughly, "What the hell is wrong with this Cycle?! Two of our most experienced players are dead and now, there are only the four of us left!"

Xinxin clasped his mouth in shock, tears pooling in his eyes. "Brother Zhi…"

Nian shot him a complicated look. He, too, had not realized that this 'girl' was actually a fake. It seemed like the Cycle was indeed filled with many unique people. He informed them, "That's why I am planning to check the kitchen before curfew tonight."

Jin Jiuchi corrected him seriously, "It's 'us', Nian'er. Not 'I'!"

Nian rolled his eyes, but then nodded. "Me and this man are going. So how about you two?"

Shocked, Tang Ye tried to stop Nian and Jin Jiuchi from going, "Why would you want to check the kitchen? What if there's a nightmare creature waiting for you there?! Furthermore, we are not even certain that Brother Zhi's body is still in this Cycle or not!"

Xinxin nodded wholeheartedly in approval.

"Just checking," Nian said without elaborating further. "The nightmare creature has harmed someone today. I don't think he will be able to do it again within such a short time lest he will be breaking the rules in the Cycle."

What Nian said made perfect sense. It was not only the players who had to adhere to the rules, but the nightmare creatures were also bound by it, for the Nightmare had always been neutral and impartial. Just like a God… or a superior being who looked at lowlives with indifferent eyes.

Tang Ye and Xinxin deliberated for a while and decided not to go. Nian did not fault them. At the end of the day, humans would always prioritize themselves first and foremost before others.

It was not like Nian was such a saint either. What did Zhi's life and death have to do with him? However, they had made a deal, and the thing he wanted – the journal – was still with the other man. Nian needed it if he wished to achieve his purpose in this Cycle. It did not actually matter to him whether Zhi's body had disappeared or not. What was most important was the journal. It was an item from the Cycle, so even if Zhi was gone, the journal must still be there on the place where he had met his demise.

And for that, he had to make a trip to the kitchen.

The four of them parted ways after that, with Nian and Jin Jiuchi heading to the first floor. The hour hand of the clock was pointing at eight, with the minute hand at four. They had less than two hours to check the kitchen and returned to their room before curfew.

"Are you ready?" Nian asked as they stood at the mouth of the dark hallway leading to the back kitchen. It was pitch-black all around as if the ordinary hallway had transformed into the gaping maw of a beast, ready to devour them at the slightest carelessness.

Jin Jiuchi had his hands shoved into his pocket. Hearing the jade doll's words, he blinked and returned the question, "How about you, Nian'er? Are you ready? If you're afraid, don't hesitate to tell me." He patted his puffed-out chest with a reassuring grin. "Gege is here with you!"

Scoffing, Nian took a step forward without any hesitation.