Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Having calmed down, Mu Jiashi then puts the question to X Beijin, was that information sufficient for you to tell us what the book is all about?

They can read, but the explanation from X Beijin will clearly save some time; they really need time.

Especially when, just now, he noticed both Collector and Wu Jian looking distinctly lost. They look like people just woken up their first day on holiday in a hotel, wondering why theyre there, or

Well, Collector is wondering why theyre there, just as he thought, but Wu Jian is actually wondering who the man sitting behind the counter actually is.

Wu Jian probably forgot what happened the entire first run already, and is now already forgetting about the second run. If he completely forgets, then the Nightmare will be restarting again.

Mu Jiashi also has a feeling that this book right here would actually be the key to them finally figuring out what is going on in this Nightmare.

He is looking intently at the bookstore owner in front of him, hoping for him to tell them critical information.

X Beijins gaze, meanwhile, lowers onto the book on his counter.

A horror novel.

He begins describing, I heard that the inspiration for the protagonist of this novel, is actually someone to whom the author holds a grudge; the author wrote his enemy into the novel on purpose, setting his character to do meaningless things over and over again, as a revenge.

That last part of what he said has made Mu Jiashis face turn sour.

Dryly, he mutters, forgetting, too?

X Beijin does not directly answer the question, and instead continues his description, this protagonist is some survivor on some nondescript, post-apocalyptic land. Every day, his everyday life consists of collecting the food he needs.

The ruined lands are dangerous, so he doesnt dare eating food out in the open. He had to first move the food back home, putting it into his small warehouse where he stored all his food.

However, the moment he put his food inside, hell forget the fact that he acquired food. Then, as hunger continues to plague him, he will have to leave his house once again, and head to the ruined lands to look for food once more.

Every day, he repeats this process, until his very demise. He will have a hoard of food in his warehouse, but ignore all of it, until he died in fear, desperation and starvation.

As the monotonous story retelling went on, the ruins itself seemed to have jolted slightly. A low rumbling sound then followed, until it all subsided, and all appeared to be unchanged.

When X Beijin is finally finished with the story, Collector, who is standing next to the window, says with a rather surprised tone, the fog is gone.

The fog is gone?!

Compared to the other Missiontakers, Fei and Wu Jian had the biggest, quickest reaction. They rush to the window and lean their entire body on it, staring at the edges of the ruins in shock and horrorThe fog, has really gone missing.

And they can see, from a distance, the silhouette of the rubbles further afoot in the city.

Both Baldie and Biceps also make their way to the window, and they are equally shocked, asking, a new location?

All of them ignored X Beijin entirely, save for Mu Jiashi, who wholeheartedly thanked X Beijin for the help, and then, looking at his erstwhile companions, he adds an apology on their behalf.

X Beijin doesnt really mind, and just shakes his head.

He is keeping the time in his mind, and Dai Wu should be here for him soon.

Though the Missiontakers learning about the contents of the book seems to have fundamentally changed the Nightmare somehow. The fog is gone, and the explorable area has visibly expanded.

If so, perhaps the sequence of events to follow would change as well?

X Beijin eyes the book thoroughly, and sinks into thought.

Hes wondering, if the Nightmare is really just the book?

Something doesnt add up.

After all, Nightmares are, in essence, dreams, not books or plots. Even if the Nightmare may be related to the book, it is at best a by-product or some other relationship.

Does that mean, that the owner of this Nightmare, would be the author of the book? Or even that enemy he holds a grudge towards, i.e. the protagonist? Or some other largely unrelated individual entirely, like someone who has read the book?

He checks out the list of camera sources he can switch to on the right of his streaming screen, and sees that the fog dissipating did not, in fact, add any new locations. Does this mean that the stream already included all the places outside of the fog?

Its possible. Although the Missiontakers have basically gone through the entirety of the ruins already, according to their positions on the streams list the whole time, they havent been to the half of everything.

Over fifty locations are listed in the stream, but he estimates the Missiontakers having been to a third or so of them.

It can only be because those other locations are hidden behind the fog, right?

While thinking, Fei and Wu Jians helpless yelling drags him back to reality.

Impossible! Feis tone is sharper than usual, almost uncomfortably screeching at the ears. She is looking at the scenery outside in a trance, still saying, impossible How can the fog be gone?!

Meanwhile, Wu Jian is clearly calmer than Fei. Or possibly, just more disappointed and dejected. He says, this Nightmare, is not the one were looking for

Collector immediately raises his eyebrows at that, asking, oh? Excuse me If I understood you correctly, you mean you came to this Nightmare on purpose?

Fei gives Wu Jian a death glare. Damn him and his big mouth.

Then she had to explain, uh Yes, you can understand it as so, but please do not misunderstand. We are only here to to verify something.

Collector asks, clearly intrigued, and what might that be?

Fei remains silent for a bit before finally explaining, about the amnesia, and the Impurities, the Apocalypse. In some other Nightmare, these words would also appear, and it all seemed to point to She bites her lips before continuing, at least, we think it is trying to imply something.

Collectors interest merely deepens, and asks, so, in this Nightmare, your objective is to He picks his next words very carefully, seek the truth?

Fei takes a deep breath, and says, basically, yes, then she glances at Wu Jian, and adds, when we knew that this Nightmare had elements similar to how it is outside, we decided to check it out; there is a question, we wanted to try and prove.