Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Who died this time?

Fei is reflexively looking for Ding Yi and Mu Jiashi as soon as she opened her eyes.

In her mind, though, another question remains.

Mu Jiashi has been to this Nightmare, and he has achieved a True End. In other words, he cannot possibly have died to the Raining Hellfire. He must have had means of avoiding the disaster.

She cant imagine him leaving Ding Yi to die, either

Perhaps when it is for the absolute necessity in achieving the maximum progress in a Nightmare, but Mu Jiashi is familiar enough with this Nightmare that there is no way that that was the case.

Of course, Mu Jiashi also isnt someone generous enough to have told them what dangers to avoid as the Nightmare started, but

Regardless, he knows the True End, so he neednt say anything. Everything remains as it is, the moment the Nightmare is over.

He wasnt fazed by He Shujn, after all.

Mu Jiashi is a cold person at heart, and Fei knows. Shes heard of his reputation on the bottom floor of the Tower by now.

She is also sure that Ding Yi wouldnt be dumb enough that she would split up, which means she would have been safe as long as she was with Mu Jiashi.

So if neither Mu Jiashi nor Ding Yi could be dead, then why did the Nightmare restart?

Finally, Fei sees Ding Yi and Mu Jiashi for herself they look normal, as expected. The change that happened to He Shujn has not afflicted them.

Which means, it was not a Missiontaker that died to the Raining Hellfire.

Buzzcut, meanwhile, also notices Ding Yi and Mu Jiashi being normal. They clearly dont look like theyve just died.

The Missiontakers are now looking at each other, until Wu Jian quietly proposes a possibility, so were in a Nightmare that loops? As long as the Raining Hellfire happens, an NPC would die to it and force a restart?

The rest of the Missiontakers have to nod.

When the situation is like this, this remains the only possibility.

Fei and Wu Jian are both looking at Mu Jiashi right now.

Wu Jian is mentioning the possibility, because naturally, theyve experienced something similar in another Nightmare, alongside Mu Jiashi.

Well, more dissimilar, because in that Nightmare, death doesnt even cause the Nightmare to restart.

In this Nightmare, though, what happened to He Shujn is proof that this absolute rule is still in place.

Well, or maybe not. Since He Shujn died to the Raining Hellfire, its impossible to tell if its He Shujns death, or someone elses death at the same time or just before her, triggered the restart.

Though looking at He Shujns behaviour, none of them would be interested in giving it a test.

Even Mr Suicide has gone quiet and secluded himself, see. There is no sign of how demented he was when he entered, never mind any other Missiontaker.

Even though Fei and Wu Jian know that Mu Jiashi knows this Nightmare through-and-through, theyre still careful to keep themselves safe, just in case the side effect of dying and resurrecting would irreversibly harm their mental state.

In a sense, how He Shujn is behaving is almost like someone successfully brainwashed and transformed by NE, isnt it?

Even if Fei and Wu Jian are questioning NEs true stance right now, theyre not going to test the possibility at all. What if NE is still fundamentally their enemy?

Feis thoughts are diverging to ever more distant directions. Countless possibilities present themselves to her.

So she decides to bitterly smile, and bite her lips, and pack the thoughts in to calm down.

Then she looks at Ding Yi, asking, what happened at the Museum the last run? Why couldnt you come back in time?

Ding Yi also lays out clearly what happened at the Museum. As for what Mu Jiashi told her regarding this Nightmare and the Apocalypse in general, though, she decides to keep them secret.

The Missiontakers look increasingly shocked as she continued her explanations, though, and soon enough Ding Yi pauses, confused.

The biggest clue they found was probably about Xie Ji and her fianc, she thinks.

Thats why Ding Yi placed particular emphasis on clues regarding the engaged couple.

The other Missiontakers are reacting really strangely, however.

Wiping the sweat on her forehead, formed from the hot summer sun, she asks, whats wrong? You all look surprised.

Fei then starts telling her what they found on their two paths.

In fact, the clues regarding Xie Ji has linked her up with the elderly security guard to the east.

The security guard also had a comrade-in-arms die early; it must have been Xie Jis father.

The problem is that Tower resident of this Nightmare, was a man!

This means that Xie Jis fianc is likely the Nightmare owner, but he is utterly unremarkable in this Nightmare. Besides the Museum, he has no links to any other locations himself.

Did Xie Jis fianc also have some extraordinary clues they havent found out about?

Anyway, besides considering that, X Xiaoli and Zhang Minglian are also important to think about and in fact, they seem to fit the bill better still.

At least X Xiaoli had something to do with the library, and he believes in the Apocalypse, which tangentially links him up with the Space Agency.

He might even be an amateur astronomer himself?

And if it comes to the owner of the Nightmare, Lu Chengzhe, who is in the library, is also possible in that case.

In fact, if you think about it, there are also many young men among the amateur astronomers outside the Space Agency.

There is also the possibility for either the Director of the Museum or the guard standing watch outside the restricted area to be the owner as well. Maybe somehow, they got a rejuvenated appearance in the Tower?

Fei thinks she must be going mad.

She shakes her head to make herself focus, and then ask, X Xiaoli, Lu Chengzhe, and Xie Jis fianc What was his name again? Does anyone know?

Ding Yi shakes her head a little.

Mu Jiashi chimes in, though, his name is Ke Zhu.

Fei nods, and then says, so these three people will be our primary targets for observation.

Ding Yi, though, is subconsciously glancing over at Mu Jiashi.

His actions have made Ding Yi suspect Ke Zhu; he was the one who pointed him out to her attention when they entered the Museum.

Now, Mu Jiashi has broken his silence thus far to tell them the irritable mans name, Ke Zhu.

Does this mean that Ke Zhu is of paramount importance in this Nightmare, or is even the Nightmares owner?

But they do not have anything to link this man with the other scenes yet. Without such links, how could his memories have constructed such a grand, elaborate scene?

Ding Yi finds herself confused.