Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

Chen Simiao appears to be in shock.

Eyes widened, he is looking at X Beijin with terror in his eyes.

He would scream, but his voice actually lowers in volume instead, creating an almost threatening tone, how can you say that! How dare you How would you even do it?!

Ive done nothing yet, and youre already saying I cant? X Beijin throws the question back at him, why do you think I cant do it?

Chen Simiao just stares at him, like some kind of monster; after all these years, with humanity trapped in the Tower, too, someone jumps out to say, he can save humanity.

Chen Simiao finds it laughable.

How amusing.

If he could do it, why didnt he do anything back then? Instead of now?

Humans have already lost hope, and are going to live and die in the Tower. Then he jumps out, and says, he will save the humans?

Wow. What a saviour you are. You jump out when you want to, but faff about when you dont want to?

After that brief shock and disbelief, Chen Simiao is fuming instead.

Not just from X Beijins calm attitude, but also because of a feeling of inferiority.

What X Beijin just said is ringing about his earsWhy did he immediately rule out his success?

What if he could? If he really could, then why is he, why is Chen Simiao trying to stop him?

So what if he told him about the gap?

Chen Simiao doesnt believe anything other than them could take advantage of it anyway Or rather, he doesnt believe humans would be able to exploit it at all.

So whats the worst that could happen if he told X Beijin? If its all the same to humanity, then isnt it the same if he told or didnt tell him?

He says its useless so he doesnt tell X Beijin, but

Chen Simiao finally comes to a conclusion.

He, Chen Simiao, is a coward.

He cant bring himself to face the fact that the student he is most proud of, is a traitor; he does not have the courage to go up against the ones who locked them up in this damned prison; he doesnt even dare to help others in their struggles for freedom.

X Beijin looks at him in silence, before saying, if you told me, and we succeeded, youre part of it; if you didnt, and we failed because of that, then, just like your student

Youd be a traitor to all humanity.

Shut up!

As if the words are threatening to trigger some trauma of his, Chen Simiao screeches, with bloodied eyes and popping veins.

No longer looking like an intelligent, educated professor, but more a patient for the psychiatric hospital.

He probably knows it, too, as he drags on his tie and collar. His tattered, dirtied suit becoming even more ragged after the brutal treatment.

Then he just sits on the ground where he stood, his head hanging low and watching the colours dance on the ground, which in turn, colours his expression changing and unreadable.

A bit later, he says, Ive never Ive never betrayed humans, his tone turns sombre, I love my species, I love Earth. I love my family, my friends, my students

But that student never loved you. He betrayed you; he betrayed all humanity.

Chen Simiao shudders like someone who just woke up from a nightmare. He stays quiet.

X Beijin continues, I think you know what I want to say enough. Youre wavering, too. Why are you not willing to tell us where that gapcough, gap, is?

X Beijin felt a wave of dizziness washing over him as the sentence progressed. He coughed and forced himself to finish the sentence.

His face is as white as paint at this point.

Chen Simiao cant see X Beijins plight, as he is too absorbed in his own thoughts.

He mumbles, the gaps whereabouts whereabouts is that even useful?

He doesnt hear X Beijin answer.

After a bit, Chen Simiao looks up, to see the man who has been sternly coercing his cooperation, all limp, having slipped down the wall, without so much as a whimper.

His eyes are shut. His head is hanging on his shoulders. The myriad of lights makes it impossible to tell the colour of his face, but it doesnt hide how handsome or weakened, he is.

Chen Simiaos eyes widen, and he hurriedly stands to walk to X Beijins side. He doesnt know what happened to this young man, or if its safe to touch him. He just asks, whats wrong? Um Mr, Mr X? Are you alright?

Though calling out to him doesnt draw any responses.

Remembering that this mans companions said to return in half an hour, hes panicking a little.

Uncharacteristic for someone of Chen Simiaos age, and certainly worse than how youd expect him to react in such a situation.

Being trapped in the middle of this labyrinth for years has clearly and irreversibly hampered his brains logic and reaction capabilities.

His memories and his sanity have been slipping. He is behaving unlike a man his age should behave. He has become ignorant, easily triggered, and paranoid. So right now, he doesnt know what he should do.

Then, Chen Simiao stares at the unconscious X Beijin, and says, Ill tell you where the gap is, so please wake up

Hes about to say it when he stops to mumble, no, wait, thats wrong. I should go look for your companions. You cant hear what Im saying right now. No

After saying that, he turns to leave the central, flat area of the labyrinth.

Leaving behind only X Beijin, with furrowed brows and ghostly pale face, half-leaning, half-sitting on the wall, trapped in whatever nightmares the mind has conjured.

Lin Qins heart skips a beat.

It makes him stop in his tracks and his expression clouds over immediately.

A-Two is with him; the two of them headed to the right at the end of the middle path of the labyrinth.

Its been about ten minutes, but they havent run into anyone; Lin Qin has stopped, though.

Given Lin Qins inexplicably intact sense of direction in the labyrinth, A-Two is trusting the young mans lead without question. So he asks him, dalao, whats wrong?

It was a momentary feeling, but his danger senses are blaring in full force.

Lin Qin seems to fall into thought about how to describe the feeling, but gives up soon enough, and turns around without any hesitation.

Not even uttering a word to A-Two in the meantime.

Shocked, A-Two quickly follows, but unfortunately, hes completely unable to keep up with Lin Qins rather inhuman speed.

Though he also has an inkling of what must be going through Lin Qins mindWhat could cause Lin Qin to react so drastically and worriedly?

Of everything that is in this labyrinth, only X Beijin could possibly elicit such a response.

Though, X Beijin should be with Chen Simiao right now, so that conclusion is making him deeply concerned. Whats going on?

Why is Lin Qin hurrying back that way? Could something have happened to X Beijin?

While thinking like that, theyve already returned to the middle of the labyrinth here, he sees Chen Simiao lying on the side, whimpering, like he was thrown there.

Then A-Two sees Lin Qin and X Beijin, who is in his lap; apparently, hes fainted. He thinks he is able to work out what happened.

Its most likely that X Beijin fainted, and so Chen Simiao wanted to get help, running into Lin Qin who was rushing back, and was then dragged right back here.

Examining Chen Simiao closely, he can see him looking at Lin Qin with confusion and fear. It seems that is whats happened.

Though that aside

What happened, to X Beijin?