Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Fei, Wu Jian and Mu Jiashi sit there in silence for a while, when finally, Mu Jiashi stands up to say, Ill visit X Beijin now. I have to talk to him, about his Nightmare. Maybe he will provide some clues.

Fei and Wu Jian nod, and leave the house, seeing him off.

After Mu Jiashi has left their earshot, Wu Jian asks, what do we do now?

NE, answers Fei.

Wu Jian seems stunned for a moment, before asking, uh, were going to kill it?

Fei

She gives her companion an amused are you for real right now look.

Wu Jian seems embarrassed.

Fei says, were going tocollectinformation on NE, and also tell our people to relay a message before they leave bring information on NE down to the bottom floor.

Wu Jian says, isnt the information we have on NE just vague nothings? Do you think there are new clues that could be found?

I dont know, Fei answers honestly, and forces a smile, saying, regardless, we have to dosomething, and the bottom floor of the Tower, here.

Wu Jian looks confused, not knowing where she is going with this.

Fei tells him, maybe, there are also rumours about NE here we dont understand yet.

Wu Jian suggests, we can try the Marketplace; with all the original Missiontaker demographic of the bottom floor basically gone, though, Im not sure if there might be many merchants left.

Fei nods, and says, lets go, then

When Mu Jiashi arrives at the bookstore, Lin Qin is also here.

Another True End, another time Lin Qin has chosen to stay.

If people asked why he stayed, his answer is probably still going to be, hes not interested.

X Beijin seems used to his visit, too. He merely waved a greeting before turning around to look for whatever he is looking for right now.

Lin Qin walks over, curious, and asks, what are you looking for?

X Beijin says, Im looking for a book, he says hesitantly, yes, its a book.

A book? What for?

Before Lin Qin even arrived, X Beijin has already been searching, but he couldnt find it.

The bookshelves in this bookstore reach all the way up to the ceiling. Theyre not particularly neatly organised, either.

There is a categorisation by genre, but to find the book hes looking for from the tens of thousands in the store, is probably too tall an order.

X Beijin stops searching, and asks, do you know what all these all these books in my bookstore imply?

Lin Qin, looking around the bookstore, shakes his head honestly.

X Beijin says, theyre clues on Nightmares direct or indirect ones.

Oh, I see, Lin Qin has a largely neutral tone. He doesnt seem to be able to appreciate the weight of what these clues in books would carry. Then he says, so are you looking for the clue that corresponds to your Nightmare?

X Beijin nods.

Lin Qins rather muted response was a relief to X Beijin.

Would Lin Qin actually not know the value of what he just said? Of course not. Hes unaware, but hes not dumb.

He just didnt care; when X Beijin said it, hell give him an oh or I see, to acknowledge what he said.

Or maybe, his instincts know to rein in his reactions a little?

Lin Qin says, but, its your own Nightmare you dont already know about it?

X Beijin says, what Im looking for, is not the kind of clue youre imagining spoilers or directions. None of that.

He looks like he has a hard time explaining, its something I have no idea where to even begin with, but put simply, its something special.

Lin Qin blinks, seemingly lost.

X Beijin sighs, and tells him, a really long time ago, I found it, and Ive even read it, but its been too long, so Im not sure if its still helpful. I have to see what it looks like now

As he mumbled along, X Beijin is sinking down into his own thoughts, and his words trail off into silence.

Lin Qin is used to him becoming distracted by himself already, and knows this is not him being rude or unfriendly.

In fact, he prides himself on it, as a sign that X Beijin is able to wholly relax in front of him.

Shortly after, X Beijin snaps back to reality, and tells him, I dont know where I last put it Anyway, Ill keep looking for it.

Ill help, Lin Qin says, what is the title?

X Beijin seems frustrated as he explains, thats the problem. I have no way of telling you anything about it.

Lin Qin says, its fine. Ill look for it.

X Beijin, recalling Lin Qins almost beast-like instinct, thinks it might help a little.

A minute later, he receives the Update Log Lin Qin hands him with a blank facial expression.

Lin Qin is still mumbling over there, the last time I already saw this book, and I was going to ask, but I forgot. Its still there, though so what kind of book is this, actually?

X Beijin receives it, and answers, its exactly what it says on the cover. Its the thing Im looking for, thanks for helping out.

Lin Qin nods, not seemingly feeling at all weird that he found what took X Beijin hours of looking in under a minute.

Hes simply wondering, exactly what it says on the cover?

So it is an update log?

But an update log of what?

Lin Qin, having no idea what it could be about, can only watch X Beijin read through it quietly.

A while later, X Beijin slaps the thick Update Log shut, furrowing his brows a little. He looks both relieved and concerned at the same time.

Lin Qin asks, so did you find what you were looking for inside?

I did; well, more accurately, I didnt X Beijin narrows his eyes, which should not have been the case.

So is it a good thing? Asks Lin Qin.

X Beijin mumbles, it is a good thing, even if it is really strange

So what was it that you were looking for?

X Beijin remains quiet for a bit, and answers, a bug.

Bug?

Lin Qin turns his attention to the Update Log, and wonders, so a bug is recorded inside the log?

He cant help but wonder again what kind of log this is. What bug does X Beijin mean by that?

Though he decides not to ask anymore when X Beijin looks as troubled as he is right now. Instead, he tells him, dont think too much about it. Its already a good thing, right?

X Beijin smiles, although it looks a little forced. He then pushes the Update Log into some random slot on the shelves without care.

Then he mumbles, youre right at least, the bug is still there. That is good.

He still cant help but wonder, though, why the bug is still there. Did NE not report it? There were no lines about the bug being fixed in the Update Log.

Its inexplicable.

Could NE really have switched over to the humans side?

X Beijin cant help but recall for him, it was the streaming systemAnd Lin QinThat he overcame his slump. But then, what spurred NE into action? What could have motivated him?

Hes an AI, the Server to a game. Why would he have gone against his presumed original protocol?

X Beijin cannot figure out an answer after a while of thought, and shakes his head.

He shouldnt think too much about it. Its not like he can understand NE, anyway.

Human brains operate on a fundamentally different scheme to artificial intelligences. They cannot mutually understand one another.

In any case, looking at the corner of the shelves into which he just shoved a book, X Beijin concludes, that it is a good thing.

Thats it.

With the bug still intact, there is some hope that he can escape the Nightmare unscathed. In fact, he might even

His gaze is deep, piercing and dark, Anyone else seeing it would have suspected him to be scheming something.

However, Lin Qin is merely looking at X Beijins eyebags, and thinking about how to make his Beijin sleep.

Didnt he say that hes going to make a decision in three days, by the way?

Lin Qin moves to ask X Beijin about it.