The Nightmare

When Jin Jiuchi sensed it, he was walking toward the communal shower on the third floor with Nian, Tang Ye and Xinxin.

Tang Ye made an excuse to join them, saying how he was the only one left in the fifth floor and it would be too scary to shower all on his own. He couldn't join Surnamed Zhi on the fourth floor either because… it seemed like there was a bubble between the man and Sister Hong that he could not pierce through. Left with no other choice, he could only beg to come along with Jin Jiuchi and Nian. Even though one of them was a newbie player and the other was a child, at least they were humans and not a ghost in disguise!

"But Brother Yang… you're really not a ghost, are you?" he asked with a nervous laugh upon recalling how Jin Jiuchi had come along with them without a bus ticket and how he had never shown fear no matter what he had seen in this place.

When he got no answer, Tang Ye turned back and saw that Jin Jiuchi had stopped in his tracks with an unusually somber look on his face. "Brother Yang…?"

Hearing this, Nian and Xinxin who had walked in front also stopped and turned around in confusion.

Jin Jiuchi blinked slowly and offered him a sharp grin that showed all of his teeth. "Ah, sorry. I was just thinking of something just now. What did you say again?"

For some reason, that grin sent chills down Tang Ye's spine and he did not dare to ask again. "No, no, it's nothing…" he walked faster to catch up with Xinxin in front, leaving Jin Jiuchi behind.

Nian deliberately slowed his steps to match Jin Jiuchi and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nian'er…" Jin Jiuchi's whole body was on the state of great alert now. The line of his muscles were extremely tense and his silver eyes gleamed in a dangerous light. He was keeping an eye on the glass roof through his peripheral vision, desperately curbing the desire to snarl. The cold and inhumane gaze was ever present, landing on his body like caterpillars crawling across his skin. "Can you do something for me?"

"...What?"

Jin Jiuchi gently tugged the jade doll toward him and placed both hands on his small shoulders. "Look up," he instructed.

Nian did not suspect anything at all and raised his head in confusion.

In an instant, his entire body turned rigid and he quickly dropped his head again. Jin Jiuchi watched as trembles wrecked the small body. This was almost the exact same reaction as Old Guan, except Nian was braver and better at controlling himself not to scream out loud. The sour scent of fear emanated from his body, making his wintry and sweet fragrance become a tad unpleasant.

Jin Jiuchi frowned. He walked forward and crouched down in front of Nian, and his frown deepened upon seeing the jade doll's ghastly complexion and slightly trembling lips. "Nian'er?" He reached out to hold Nian's little balled fist and rubbed it between his hands to chase away the lingering chill. "What's wrong? What makes you so afraid?" Jin Jiuchi kept rubbing until Nian's delicate hand was warm and toasty and only then did he move to the other hand.

Perhaps Jin Jiuchi's method of comforting really worked, Nian sucked in a shuddering breath and let the tension flow out of his body. Even then, Jin Jiuchi could still see beads of cold sweat forming on his hairline. "...It's the Nightmare."

Jin Jiuchi blinked, "The— what?"

"The Nightmare – the All-seeing Eye. Hearsay it is the one who creates the Cycles and drags us to this place."

Jin Jiuchi tilted his head. "You mean, like a Big Boss?"

Nian couldn't help but snort when he heard that, his body relaxing further. Jin Jiuchi delighted in the fact that he did not look on the verge of fainting anymore. "You can also call it Big Boss. Nobody really knows what it is or what it looks like. Some said it's an evil deity, but there are also people who believe that it's an existence that is far superior to humans, or in other words, aliens. Words spread that when you lay your gaze upon it, you will see all your worst nightmare materializing right in front of your eyes. In the end, you will lose your mind and die." Nian let out a wry chuckle and rubbed his eyes. "It seems like the rule 'never look at the Nightmare in the eye' is not just a tale. I have only seen it for a split second earlier and I'm already…"

Jin Jiuchi caught the jade doll's wrist before he could irritate his eyes further. "Did you see your worst nightmare, Nian'er?"

Nian gave him a somber nod.

"Hmm, so that's the case…" Jin Jiuchi nodded in understanding even though many questions were swirling in his mind now. The Nightmare? The All-seeing Eye? And everyone who looked at it would go crazy? Judging from Old Guan and Nian's reaction, he could conclude that it was the truth, but… why didn't the same apply to him?! Last night, he had stared at the glass roof for more than ten seconds but let alone his nightmare, he did not even see anything other than a stretch of pitch-black darkness!

This was so unfair! He also wanted to see what kind of nightmare he would have!

Was it because he was an intruder in this place and that's why the same rule did not work on him? That was plausible. After all, he had tagged along without a bus ticket and forcefully inserted himself into this group of players. It was no wonder that the 'house owner' did not welcome him!

Jin Jiuchi tried to put himself in the Nightmare's shoes. If there was someone who suddenly encroached upon his territory, he would also be hella mad!

Should he… climb to the roof and offer a sincere apology to the Nightmare and ask to be included in the list of players along the way?

The more Jin Jiuchi thought about it, the better the idea sounded. But of course he could not ask Nian to come along with him; he did not want the jade doll to go crazy! Perhaps if the Nightmare saw how sincere he was, it would stop staring at him like he was an exotic animal. Jin Jiuchi felt like he had to make it clear how much he despised being spied on! But when should he do that…

The line of Jin Jiuchi's thoughts was broken off when the jade doll suddenly grabbed his wrist in a tight grip, his pale purple eyes wide in fluster. "I just remembered one more thing…"

"The appearance of the Nightmare inside the Cycle…" Nian stared at Jin Jiuchi in muted horror. "It means that the difficulty will increase a few folds!"