Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Owing to the vast area within the Ultimate Nightmare, people might end up never running into someone they know. Of course, its possible they meet up very quickly.

Case in point, Mu Jiashi and Shen Ynj.

Both were surprised at the other when they saw each other, then they both sigh in relief.

Never mind whether it is helpful to encounter a companion in this situation; it is at least reassuring mentally.

Did you run into anyone else? Mu Jiashi asks, someone you know, or someone that is clearly still awake.

Shen Ynj shakes his head, replying, Ive met people I knew, but they have all succumbed.

Mu Jiashi sighs, and says, same here.

He met A-One, actually, but the guy, with his phone in his hand, playing his mobile game attentively, happily passes by Mu Jiashi without even so much as a glance. Mu Jiashi didnt even know how he should call out to him.

Shaking his head at the memory, he says, it seems it would be adequate for now to follow X Beijins advice to the letter. Stay awake, stay sane in this Nightmare. Hopefully, that is enough to let us win the Ultimate Nightmare.

Mu Jiashi isnt feeling quite ambitious Or rather, he has fallen back to the most efficient choice with the maximum probability of success.

Right now, staying safe and awake in the Ultimate Nightmare, keeping his sense of self with him, is a far more realistic and practical goal than looking for the truth and ways of achieving a True End.

Shen Ynj nods in agreement.

Theyre outside a university, from which Mu Jiashi just emerged, and Shen Ynj just passed by. Shen Ynj cant help but glance at the name of this university.

Qcheng University.

Noticing that gaze, Mu Jiashi explains, I am studying postgraduate here, apparently I dont remember the major, but something related to biology or chemistry. I just left a lab.

Shen Ynj sounds surprised, and he hesitantly asks, you still remember?

Not exactly Mu Jiashi says, I think I entered the programme when the Apocalypse was already ongoing But after I woke, I looked around myself and got information.

Shen Ynj nods, quiet as is his habit, but then, after thinking a little, also tells him his situation, I believe Im an office worker, andhave been for several years. What happened during the Apocalypse I dont know, and Im not planning to find out.

Mu Jiashi says same, then he adds after a pause, seeing others tragic experiences is different from seeing your own tragic experience.

They continue walking past the university campus, and they start talking about something else soon enough.

Mu Jiashi suggests, we should find a safe location first, take stock, and try to find the other companions; Ive tried using the Internet in the campus, and it still worked, but we dont know when it will go down.

This scene is too big, we might not be able to meet up in time, Shen Ynj says monotonously, we might have to be dispersed.

Thats alright, as long as we stay sane.

They continue discussing their following steps with a dry and mechanical tone.

Up to this point, the two of them have taken this Ultimate Nightmare as a simple recreation of the Apocalypse.

They havent fully grasped the reason that this Nightmare is branded Ultimate.

They reach an intersection, when screams erupt nearby, and they turn to see someone in shock, limping, escaping from a bakery the bakerys window is full of splashed blood.

The escaping person sees Mu Jiashi and Shen Ynj, and they lock eyes with one another.

Then the person quickly yells, youre awake, arent you?! You know the Tower, Nightmares and damned scene is fake!

The man is so agitated and fearful his words are getting incoherent, but the implication to Mu Jiashi and Shen Ynj is clear enough, and they both appear surprised in response.

The man pleads with them, please, my coworkers, they dont believe me. They want me to stay inside the bakery with them, I did all I could to run away

He shows them his bloodied, bleeding thigh, theyve slashed my leg

Behind the man, there are already people pouring out from the bakery.

Mu Jiashi immediately takes the man by the arm while Shen Ynj takes his other arm, and they successfully half-drag-half-run away with the man in their tow.

They run for a while under the overcast, gloomy skies, until they arrive outside of the walls to a residential community a while later.

The man is thanking them profusely, although he looks quite in pain from his wound.

Mu Jiashi examines the man the very first stranger Missiontaker? Actor? hes met that is still awake since entering the Nightmare.

A youthful man in his twenties, it seems. Rather ordinary in appearance, but the fright on his face when he escaped from the bakery is still quite vivid in his memories.

He asks, so you were in that bakery when you opened your eyes in the Ultimate Nightmare? Why didnt you leave immediately?

The man has a pained smile as he explains, I just couldnt react in time. I know its the Ultimate Nightmare, but I didnt know itd be this. Itd be the past.

His tone trailing off, his expression contorts visibly.

Then he continues, And my colleague told me to get to baking, and I just followed the orders without thinking much, getting scolded for doing a poor job too

Mu Jiashi furrows his brows at the rather useless descriptions and asks, when did you realise something was off?

It was, like, the mood, the man says, they were acting weirdly fixated, dedicated to a really strange degree. I could be convinced theyve fallen in love with the bread theyre baking

It was enough to give me goosebumps, so I said I didnt feel well and wanted the day off. They were unwilling to let me go, telling me I cant leave work early. I cant I cant betray the bread and things like that.

Some kind of strange mood seems to be overtaking him. He mumbles, I think, if I stayed any longer, Ill become them. I like it at the bakery the bread is so soft

I like it I love it I adore it

He keeps mumbling like that.

Mu Jiashi shuts him down calmly, I see.

The man freezes for a while, before looking terrified and asking, what was I saying?! Shit, am I still under that places influence? The madness is it infecting me?!

Shen Ynj furrows his brows and suggests to Mu Jiashi, would this mean that we mustnt stay somewhere same for long? Or the madness there would start to infiltrate

Mu Jiashi asks, do you still remember the scene He Shujn and Mystic ended up in, in X Beijins Nightmare?

Exploring Ruins I think they call it something like that, but they say that people who explore the ruins left behind after the madness might bring that madness out.

Shen Ynj quietly comments, almost like a virus.

The poor guy, meanwhile, is looking at them, confused and still in shock.