Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Thin is all astonished, repeating, the Internet? The Internet?!

He and the teenage girl glance at each other, and instantly works out the answers to their suspicions from before after the initial shock.

Jiang Shuangjie quietly mutters, so we should disconnect the Internet of the apartment building Or just shut down the electricity?

It might be a way, Thin replies, it might not be the True End, however.

Jiang Shuangjie says, we dont necessarily have to achieve a True End this time, and she continues, looking at Thin and the teenage girls rather unexpected expressions, we have enough information now for a Normal End, so we can leave first before trying for a True End in the future Isnt it safer this way?

Thin and the teenage girl say nothing else.

This is what many humans would refer to as the mystical Save/Load cheat saving for safety, loading for a redo.

Many Missiontakers follow that in principle as well. Still, its rare to say it out loud like Jiang Shuangjie just did, although thats what the Jiang sisters have been doing since many years ago.

True, they know about the problem with this method causing them to become lethargic, to hesitate and doubt themselves when in a critical moment of decision, however, the sisters that have been floating up and down the bottom floor and the few floors above that could suggest no other more effective methods anyhow.

They have to at least ensure they dont become lost in a Collapsed Nightmare.

In fact, neither Thin nor the teenage girl wished for a True End either; theyre here by accident, so theyre happy to leave earlier, returning to the bottom floor of the Tower for their unfinished assignment.

Besides Thin glances over at X Beijin and Lin Qin discreetly, thinking about how theyve managed to uncover more information than expected in this Nightmare.

Thin thus says, if so, we would aim to achieve a Normal End as soon as possible, to leave safely?

Jiang Shuangjie nods.

Thin then looks at the others, who also all nod, and Lin Qin also just shrugs to indicate hes fine either way; Thin is relieved, then suggests, how about we return to the apartment building, then, and try to see if we can shut down the electricity?

They nod, and all five of the Missiontakers leave the bookstore.

X Beijin then glances back at the stream, to only realise all of a sudden, that Muscular is already out of Room 807, and is walking through the eighth floor corridor.

X Beijin is surprised. Why did Muscular leave the apartment unit? Did he give up on the utility card?

Since Thin and co. would take time to return to Luoke Apartment as well, X Beijin then switches the stream over to Muscular.

The viewers become surprised in turn, all typing,

ah! its director Bei working!

morning director Bei! director Bei is also hardworking directing today!

every time Beibei changes the camera to someone else, I really feel like Im watching a TV drama

speaking of which, this stream has been three hours already i couldnt feel the time pass at all

cuz Beibeis handsome!

X Beijin

So his handsomeness is a solution to any and all problems?

If only that were truly the case

He sighs quietly, then rests his chin on his hand to focus on the stream.

Muscular is currently waiting for the elevator, all frustrated-like.

The rest of the Missiontakers are now aware that elevators, both in the apartment building and the commercial complex, are dangerous. Other than the elevator that enjoyed self-deprecating humour and complaining, the rest of the elevators are uncharted territory.

However, Muscular didnt miraculously end up waiting for the known harmless elevator; in fact, he doesnt even have the awareness that the elevators spell trouble at all.

He should be behaving much more cautiously, but he isnt, because, The Devils Mask, the utility card has worked with and amplified his nature of being reckless and arrogant, so that he is much more uncaring and careless at this point qualities that are often lethal in Nightmares.

When once, as someone who concealed his own Carddealer identity, the other Missiontakers may have carried him all the way to the finish line together, but this time, he has already been exiled by the rest of the Missiontakers. So he really did know nothing about this Nightmare at all, and he himself isnt interested in exploration either.

Therefore, when the elevator reached the eighth floor, he just walked inside and pushed on 1 without concern.

He is still thinking about how he wants to retrieve his two utility cards.

Even though, back on the ground floor, in the letter of complaint that he and Shen Ynj has found, it was clearly written that a tenant on the eighth floor experienced the elevators suddenly falling through the shaft when descending, but he does not recall it here.

Not only did he not recall, but when the elevator similarly started to fall, he goes into panic and cusses, kicking at the elevator body and smacking on the elevator door, as if it would somehow stop because of that.

Suddenly,

The elevator did stop. And, the elevator doors opened as well.

Muscular is already sitting on the floor anxiously at this point, and he wants to leave the elevator reflexively. Gasping, with cold sweat dripping down his forehead, he is climbing outside the elevator on all fours.

He realises the elevator has stopped between some two floors, with only a small exit opened up right down there. He tries to push his head out, and then squeeze his shoulders out to allow himself out of this damned elevator.

Then, hes stuck.

Then, the elevator starts moving.

Then, he watches as his own head, with a terrified expression, rapidly approaches the floor below.

Smack, crack

X Beijin moves the camera away instinctively.

Then, the screen goes darkThe Nightmare has restarted.

The viewers

have you ever seen watermelons never mind

I thought, this nightmare was more the spooky, uncanny kind, but not the gory eugh

The rest of the audience agrees, but X Beijin doesnt say anything.

The viewers of the stream do not know that, deaths in the Tower, actually do mean experiencing death as realistically as possible.X Beijin hasnt tried it himself, of course, but he can imagine the terror.

If death is also a kind of punishment

X Beijin sighs discreetly, deciding to drop these annoying thoughts from his mind.

With the Nightmare restarted again, an hour of boring waiting awaits. He glances at the list of locations on the right of his streaming screen while thinking about which one to focus on this time Or should he set up that simultaneous seven small screens schtick again?

Yet he looks up and down, and suddenly realises, something is off.

Then, he quietly counts the number of names following the names of locations in the list on the right.

One, two, three, four, five six?

Only six names?

X Beijins eyes widen.

Muscular, who died the last run, is missing!