Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

As the clock strikes ten, X Beijin is still standing in front of the control panel.

Hes been standing like this for almost a day now.

When he felt tired sometimes, he sits on the ground directly, and the control panel adjusts itself so that the front still faces him.

Hed make chatter with Lin Qin, but at other times, hes wholly occupied with contacting contacts and Guarantors.

After a whole day of work, everyone was in contact.

Quite a feat, really.

But its also thanks to the efforts of Ding Yi, Dai Wu, and Su Enya, having already managed to establish contact with over 90% of people in the Tower, meaning X Beijin only needed to make contact with the remaining 10%.

And also thanks to the control panelThe authority NE granted him temporarily, that helped him out greatly.

He can locate any specific persons or see their situation, and establish contact.

When it turned out some Tower resident remained out of reach, or some Missiontaker whos locked themselves up entirely, X Beijin had to take over.

There arent that many, thankfully, or they might not have completed their work in time today.

And complete in time they did.

Now theres still two hours until the moment he promised the contacts and Guarantors.

He is keeping an eye on a number.

Number of people in Nightmares.

There are very few of them. A few dozen or so.

When the contacts told everyone about the Ultimate Nightmare, they also asked the Missiontakers and Tower residents not to enter Nightmares this night, because if they can make it in time, they will all go in the Ultimate Nightmare then.

Most people listened.

Even if some people are still doubtful, not entering a Nightmare for one night isnt much either.

And of those Missiontakers of the higher floors, X Beijin also dissuaded them as soon as contact was established. Theyve stopped to wait for the Ultimate Nightmare to come.

The people of the bottom floor have also been arranged accordingly.

But even so, still a few dozen MissiontakersAnd Tower residents, have gone into Nightmares after sundown.

Maybe they didnt care, or thought it was another hoax, or are confident theyd come back out soon enough. Regardless, theyre in the Nightmares.

X Beijin reads the tens of names on the list, and slowly sighs.

Should he label them traitors?

Its probably unnecessary anyway.

As far as things have gone, hes unable to help those whove already voluntarily given up on their chance.

When the Ultimate Nightmare goes live, those who are still in the NightmaresThe owners and Missiontakers alikeWill both end up abandoned by the Ultimate Nightmare.

For a simple reason, too a player already in an instance cant enter a second one, after all.

Well, of course, there arent even any Actors besides the owner in those Nightmares, because whether and how many Tower residents end up Acting in a Nightmare is selected randomly by NE, so X Beijin just stopped it entirely.

Instead, the NPCs they face are true NPCs the game is simulating.

X Beijin thinks its quite possible the remaining people in the Tower, still waiting excitedly, arent even aware some people have gone into Nightmares.

After watching the number for a bit, he just closes the window altogether.

Watching this is meaningless. What remains is to wait until twelve. Hes done everything he could already.

After blanking out a little, X Beijin contacts Lin Qin.

His tone, a little hoarse from speaking nonstop, is still rather affectionate, good evening, little apple.

Lin Qin is sitting in X Beijins bookstore; everyone is restless outside, but Lin Qin is completely the opposite, holding a book in his hand, hes reading quietly.

Through the control panel, X Beijin sees that Lin Qin is reading

Oh. He pauses, before changing the topic, there are two more hours.

Lin Qin puts his book back down, and asks, like hes just noticing the time, theres only two more hours?

He stands up, stretching a little, then asks curiously, so what is there in the Ultimate Nightmare?

A sort of flashback, X Beijin answers, but, the two of us wouldnt be inside.

Lin Qin appears surprised.

On the one hand, neither of us are humans, in the traditional sense. Or a player as the game would label us, explains X Beijin, and on the other hand, there needs to be someone outside of the Nightmare, after all.

Lin Qin then asks, outside of the Nightmare? To do what?

To save the world, X Beijin says with a slightly amused tone, the people outside the Nightmare, will be those who truly save the world.

Lin Qin blinks, then says, Beijin, simply going off the tone, you sound more like youd destroy the world.

X Beijin

Oi!

He makes a deliberately angry comment, what in the world kind of little apple are you?!

Lin Qin mumbles, Im just speaking the truth

X Beijin

Lin Qin starts chuckling.

Then they move on to other idle chatter, like about the book Lin Qin is reading.

But X Beijin wouldnt elaborate more on what the Ultimate Nightmare is, or what theyll be doing outside the Nightmare.

At 11:30, he says goodbye to Lin Qin for now, and starts working through the contacts again, this time, finally telling them what they need to do exactly.

The contact on a certain floor appears astonished as he confirms once again, is this really what X Beijin needs them to do?

X Beijin reassures him again and again, yes, it is exactly as I said.

While confused and in disbelief, the contact still did as X Beijin asked, and X Beijin also tells everyone the same on the higher floors.

Finally, to the last floor of the Tower.

The clock is going to strike 12 sharp in no time.

X Beijin contacts Mu Jiashi, Ding Yi and the others, and tells them what they need to do, now, tell everyone, to sleep.

Sleep?

Everyone who hears that would be quite visibly confused.

X Beijin almost chuckles, and asks, youve always wondered what the Ultimate Nightmare is and how to open it upBut have you ever thought about, who the owner of the Ultimate Nightmare, would be?

Recalling X Beijins command just now, a slightly outlandish guess comes up in everyones mind.

The Ultimate Nightmare, is the Nightmare of all of humanity inside the Tower. A Nightmare owned by every single human.

Everyone can feel as if something heavy just struck their chests, hard. Having an epiphany, they also feel shocked and stunned.

X Beijins tone turns rather sombre; he sounds tired, so, when the entire Tower is asleep, the Ultimate Nightmare will start up automatically.