Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Lin Qin did not go deal with the ex-decadents that other Missiontaker mentioned the other day, because who knows if its really true? Are those people really planning to do something with X Beijins Nightmare?

Although he had no such intentions, some kind of rumour about it seems to have spread out after the meeting. Those people apparently concluded that Lin Qin was going after them.

So soon enough, some were anxious enough to invite Lin Qin in for a talk. Their talk is hosted at this empty house that Lin Qin is entering right now.

What is unexpected for him is that, the leader of these Missiontakers present, is Jiang Shuangmei, who he only just met in the Nightmare not long ago.

Was it this woman who managed to gather the ex-decadents under one banner?

The moment Lin Qin is inside, before he could say anything, Jiang Shuangmei speaks up first.

Dalao, I arranged for this meeting in order to clarify one thing to you clearly, Jiang Shuangmei takes a deep breath, and says, knowing that you like X Beijin

Lin Qin is stupefied.

He was listening half-heartedly at what Jiang Shuangmei wanted to say, but here, he is suddenly astonished.

Wait.

What?

He likes X Beijin?

Why did he not know that?

Lin Qin looks at Jiang Shuangmei like looking at a member of the intellectually challenged, as he says, how did you know I like X Beijin? Then he pauses, as he realises the problem with his wording, and adds, I mean

Jiang Shuangmei immediately sighs in relief when Lin Qin admitted the fact, and quickly says, we promise that, because we know you like him, we definitely wont be bothering him, or spy on your private lives. Definitely.

Lin Qin

Yes, that is exactly what he asks of everyone, but why does this logic seem terribly iffy to him?

Wait, so, like, on what basis is Jiang Shuangmei convinced that he likes X Beijin in the first place?!

Lin Qin, furrowing his brows, asks, what I mean is, what is it that made you think I like X Beijin? How did you come to that conclusion?

Though thinking about it some more, the meaning still feels off; it is still failing to imply that he did not, in fact, like X Beijin Hes confused.

Jiang Shuangmei thinks about the young mans words for a moment before a light bulb goes off in her head. She gets it!

Dalao Lin Qins feelings must still have been a secret right now! He must have thought he hid it so well that it couldnt have been discovered! Hes feeling unhappy because she just spilled the beans!

Jiang Shuangmei is also dissing inside, that with how obviously hes making it all look by warning basically the entire power structure of the bottom floor, and he still thinks he has it under wraps?

Not that she dares to frustrate him even further, and so just quickly tells Lin Qin the information she knows with this half-probing, half-ingratiating attitude.

She leaves out the involvement of Muscular and The Devils Mask while telling him about everything she has seen within thus far, with a healthy dose of rumours shes heard sprinkled in.

While its a total lie how she got these information, but she is confident everything she said was what Lin Qin did so far, action for action, without a shred of doubt!

After hearing Jiang Shuangmeis explanation, Lin Qin is in a daze.

Giving presents without expecting anything in return, trying to learn about his likes and preferences, involving himself in his life, worrying about angering the person and causing him to dislike him, spending free time with him, feeling an inexplicable joy when meeting and seeing the person

So, this is like?

Lin Qin falls silent

Like, or more generally, romance, is a topic far too complex and mysterious for Lin Qins simple worldview. He has never considered it, even though in the Tower, matters related to love and romance have become completely open, straightforward, and even cold.

He has never considered if he liked a person, just like he has never considered his missing memories, or felt pity about it. Nor has he ever thought about, if it was possible to remember his past.

His life, only contains the present.

But, X Beijin?

X Beijin has brought something different into him. He is like the only source of brightness inside his life that is pitch black, like an abyss. He lit up his world, somehow, although Lin Qins first reaction to that was feeling irritated at how sudden and blinding it was.

So he wanted to snuff the light out when he saw it, just like no OCD patient can stay calm seeing a sentence like its so simple to endlessly frustrate an OCD patient, isnt that right.

The most fundamental reason he wanted to have a brawl with X Beijin is that, for him, besides actual, physical conflict in a fight, he cannot come up with any other way to make the light in his life go away.

He was frightened. Anxious. He felt instinctively that X Beijins existence was going to change something of him. Whether it was his life, or his soul. Something about this mysterious man That something, frightens him.

That is why he desperately wanted to fight with X Beijin.

Since when did that change, he wonders?

Was it when he knew that X Beijin liked drinks, and gave him drinks of his own volition?

Was it when he visited X Beijins bookstore of his own volition?

Was it when he invited himself into X Beijins lonely, still, tedious lifestyle?

X Beijin, in turn, has invited himself into Lin Qins own lifestyle as well.

What was Lin Qins daily life like?

Perhaps it was even less meaningful than X Beijins. He spends even more time blanking out than X Beijin; he has told people he isnt interested in Nightmares, but, besides entering Nightmares, he had nothing else to do in the Tower.

The whole stuffiness of it may be the reason why he sometimes throws temper tantrums like some mad dog.

Ever since he came to know X Beijin, though, his temper has improved for the better. The only time he felt like intervening in a Nightmare, was even because he couldnt wait to visit X Beijin again.

Is this, like?

Lin Qin does not know. He searches fruitlessly in his vast, empty mind, but there is no explanation he can come up with. Therefore, he forgoes that path, and instead makes an analysis based on what Jiang Shuangmei said.

Giving presents without expecting returns, learning what his preferences areHe wanted to pinpoint a possible course for X Beijin to agree to fighting with him;

Spending free time with X Beijin

His smooth analysis comes to a sudden halt. Lin Qins brain, like cogs out of step with each other, stops, as it keeps repeating this sentence on loop.

Whydidhe visit X Beijin? Even if it was only for giving presents to X Beijin, why would he stay in the bookstore, spending the whole day there afterwards?

Lin Qin thinks for a really, really long time, long enough that Jiang Shuangmei is feeling anxious, until he finally realises, that is because, when he is by X Beijins side, he does not feel bored anymore.

Is this, like?

He doesnt understand.

There are a lot of things Lin Qin does not understand. His great physical prowess allows him to do as he pleases, to ignore all the things he cannot understand or comprehend; however, this powerful cheat he has been blessed with, no longer seems useful, when it comes to X Beijin.

He is unable to ignore the problem like usual either. He feels like he has to get to the bottom of this.

That said, he is likely not going to find an answer here for now.