Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Aaaah!!!

X Beijin has been snapped back to reality by the screams coming from the stream.

He turns to the stream instinctively, and then, his eyes widen, and his pupils heavily shrink.

The Missiontakers are feeling even more helplessly cheated by the Nightmare.

Yes, someone was pushed to their death by someone else; yes, his death did not restart the Nightmare; yes, they did not find the murderer, as if the person just vanished into thin air

But none of them were expecting, that the killer actually, literally did appear out of thin air, and then disappear into thin air!

Both Mu Jiashi and Fei are staring right at the edge of the rooftop with their jaws agape.

Just now, two silhouettes blinked into existence from nowhere, like two blotches of ink dropped onto a blank canvas, before one of them was pushed down the building, and the other person was wiped off the canvas in an instant.

Collector has his eyes widened with a thick smile when he comments, interesting; a sudden appearance, and a sudden disappearance, all for the sake of falling off the building Just falling off the building?

Suddenly, an idea seems to have flashed across his mind.

Mu Jiashi, with his brows furrowed, says, no This makes no sense. That bookstore owner from before once told us that falling off the building is a punishment, for those who share different views from them.

Fei then follows up, the last run, he and I were escorted here by the survivors too. How did these two people appear out of nowhere?

Theyre like shadows that shouldnt exist, Mu Jiashi analyses, saying, a sudden appearance and disappearance Shit, why?!

He suddenly turns towards Baldie and Biceps, asking, did this happen when you were in this Nightmare before?

Both Baldie and Biceps shake their heads.

Baldie tells him, we didnt see the dead person, and he cant help but look agitated, why

Could it be, that we passed by the amusement park the first run of the Nightmare? Mu Jiashi murmurs a suggestion, and asks, when you were in this Nightmare before, did you go to the amusement park in the beginning?

Baldie falls into thought before answering, no we didnt, then he seems confused, wondering, whats it got to do with the amusement park? That thats weird. Wouldnt we experience only whatever the Nightmare presents unconditionally?

Mu Jiashi does not respond, as he is thinking that something some detail, they must have ignored some detail all along

Finally, he says, no matter what, we still have to go downstairs, and check if the dead person is the same one we met.

Biceps is murmuring, meanwhile, hes dead, but the Nightmare hasnt restarted.

Baldie then says, we could stop by the bookstore too. That owner might still have more information to give.

Fei asks, surprised, what bookstore owner?

Mu Jiashi rubs his temples in exhaustion, you forgot again? He furrows his brows, and says, I keep feeling like the rate of forgetting in the second run is much faster than in the first run?

At this point, they are all just staring into each other, and among them, only Baldie and Mu Jiashi has yet to forget anything.

So finally, only Baldie answers him, yes, the more the runs of the Nightmare, the quicker they start to forget.

Mu Jiashi says, that is truly terrible.

He is silent for a while before turning to Fei.

Fei just tells him, no need to explain. Go downstairs for that bookstore you guys said. Itll save time.

Alright, the bookstore Mu Jiashi suddenly pauses, and exclaims, wait, books?!

An idea firmly takes root in his mind.

Just like X Beijin from before, he also made the connection if pen and paper produces nothing but jumbled text, then, what about the books in the bookstore?

Hurriedly, he shares his thoughts with the other Missiontakers as they descend the stairs. They first check on the dead person on the ground, and he turns out to be the same person they saw dead in the run before.

Fei asks the pertinent question again quietly, but what could it mean? Why did he suddenly appear It looks like he only appeared in order to die?

Biceps goes tch and murmurs, sure are oversuspicious as always.

Collector just says with that usual smile, if youre not sure about who he is, just use an Infocard? And you can give me the used card too, how nice would that be.

Baldie just coldly chuckles and retorts, keep that last bit to yourself, and someone might actually have done that. Now no one will use it at all.

Mu Jiashi heaves a weary sigh.

Are these seriously Missiontakers from higher floors? Humanity can really just perish.

Not that they could achieve much staring at a dead person, so they are heading back for the bookstore and X Beijin, when suddenly, they all stopped in place.

Is that the man that walked into the fog? She asks, with an almost inaudible tone.

All of them have turned their heads in the direction to see, that in the ruins nearby, that man, emaciated, with sunken cheeks, and unsteady steps, and soulless eyes, is once again drifting about like an apparition. He is holding a glass bottle, and it seems he is searching for food again.

They watch from afar as the man slinks off into some obscure corner of the ruins, and when he reemerges, he is holding a piece of bread again. Then the man turns around and slowly departs.

Mu Jiashi furrows his brows.

Biceps, confused, asks, wasnt he holding a piece of bread already? Is he hungry again?

Mu Jiashi and Fei share a look as they run forward without a word, stopping the man in his track.

The wary man holds his bread tightly and yells out with his parched tone, no robbing!

We dont want to rob your bread, Mu Jiashi observes his reaction, and it seems he really has forgotten about their meeting not long ago, and he adds, we just want to ask you something.

The man is visibly less distressed, and nods, saying, ok.

Are you here to look for food?

The man nods.

But what about the food you found earlier?

The man gives Mu Jiashi an odd look, answering, I have no food.

The Missiontakers all remain quiet.

The man explains, I have no food so, I look for food.

This makes Mu Jiashi feel inexplicably like dj vu, and he tells him, but, we saw you earlier today, and you were holding a piece of bread in your hands.

What? The man widens his eyes in shock, saying, no, no way, I never saw you. You got wrong person. I got food first time today, and met you first time.

Fei whispers to Mu Jiashi, he forgot as well.

Mu Jiashi nods.