(Title is a modified idiom: 君子小人不相与: ‘a gentleman and a villain do not mix’)

    Yu Xiao felt the familiar jolts and breeze as she opened her eyes. She was in a car again, but this time it was a spacious one, not a racing one. She looked around and saw seven familiar faces, all of them her buddies. They were all waking up, too, and scanning their surroundings. There was one face she didn’t recognize, though. A man in his forties, with a plain but respectable look.

    Could he be Ripley? She wondered, narrowing her eyes. Was he the nightmare they were hunting?

    She wasn’t the only one who stared at him. Ma Shan and Kang Jun also eyed him with interest. If he was their target, killing him would earn them ten talismans. That was a hundred points in the mall. Not bad, huh!

    The man seemed to sense their tension. “Huh? Why’s everyone so tense?” he asked. “No need to fret. Being part of this project is an honour for all of us. You’ve all worked hard for years just for the chance to participate in such a grand project, haven’t you?”

    Project? What project? She and the others exchanged wary glances. What was he talking about? What project were they supposed to be part of?

    Then they saw it. Outside the window, there was a mountain. And on the slope of the mountain, there was a huge hole. Or rather, a tunnel that seemed to go on forever.

    The car drove into the tunnel, and the man smiled brightly. “Welcome to the underworld!” he announced. “I apologise for the secrecy, but you understand. This project is top-secret until you’re officially in,” he said, handing out some folders to each of them.

    She and the others took the papers, but they felt a chill as they read them. What the hell was this?

    “Three years ago, three geologists stumbled upon a gateway to the underworld here. After three years of exploration, we’ve discovered various precious minerals and exotic energy sources that don’t exist on the surface. But that’s not all. We’ve also made an even more amazing discovery,” the man said eagerly. “That’s why we need top biologists like you to join this project.”

    “We’ve discovered subterranean creatures!” The man’s voice was so full of wonder that he seemed ready to leap out of his seat. “They’re incredible, miraculous, unlike anything we’ve ever seen on the surface…”

    Yu Xiao and the others listened to his explanation with a mix of awe and confusion. They were supposed to be biologists working on a classified national research project, according to the dream logic.

    Dr. Qu truly lived up her Doctor title: even her dreams were scientific.

    The car drove on until it reached a checkpoint. The man got out to talk to the guards. He told them to stay in the car.

    As soon as he was gone, they started whispering among themselves.

    “Is this really a horror story?” Ma Shan asked, looking around nervously. “It sounds more like a documentary.”

    Tan Qiao Yin, a film buff, rolled her eyes. “Ever heard of sci-fi thrillers?”

    “Of course,” Zhou Xiao Zhen said. “Like ‘Alien’.”

    Ma Shan’s eyes widened. “Alien? You mean those things that burst out of people’s chests? How are we supposed to fight them?”

    Yu Xiao put a hand on his shoulder. “Relax, I brought a prop that can deal with any kind of ghost or monster.”

    The others sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.”

    “And Fan Xing has already spilled the beans on how to wake up Dr. Qu,” Yu Xiao added, throwing him under the bus.

    “Really?” Zhu Miao Miao perked up. “How do we do that?”

    Yu Xiao looked out the window, scanning for any signs of suspicion. Leaning closer to her companions, she lowered her voice. “Dr. Qu doesn’t have these nightmares out of fear, but due to her love for adrenaline. The more blood and terror in her dreams, the more hooked she becomes, making it harder to snap her out of it. We need to change the narrative. If we make this dream go in the opposite direction of what she desires, she’ll reach a dead-end, and she’ll wake up.”

    “Wow, that’s twisted,” Tan Qiao Yin said. “That dude just told us we’re going to examine some creepy underground creature this time. I’ve seen enough movies to know that thing is going to mutate and turn into a horrifying beast, like Alien.”

    “Exactly,” Yu Xiao agreed. “So, since we have to study it anyway, let’s put that beast out of its misery. Without the beast, this dream can’t go on.”

    “Hehehe…” the group snickered wickedly.

    “What are you guys whispering about?” the middle-aged man climbed into the car. “Why are you all grinning like that?”

    “Oh, we’re just ecstatic about joining such a magnificent research,” Yu Xiao lied, “By the way, how’s that creature doing?”

    “It’s all in the papers,” the middle-aged man said.

    Yu Xiao glanced at the papers, but they made no sense to her. She laughed and said, “We’re all a bit nauseous from the car ride, can’t really focus on anything while moving.”

    “Really?” the middle-aged man eyed them, “Are you all carsick?”

    Everyone bobbed their heads, “Yeah yeah yeah…”

    “Fine then, I’ll give you a summary…”

    He rattled off some technical jargon that Yu Xiao barely followed, but she got the main idea: it was some kind of amazing creature, not very big, shape-shifting, immune to water or electricity, and able to live for decades without eating.

    Yu Xiao zeroed in on the crucial detail. “Scared of fire?”

    The middle-aged man nodded. “It does… but only when it’s small. The more it grows, the more it can withstand the heat.”

    “And how big is it now?” Yu Xiao pressed.

    He held up his thumb as a comparison. “This big.”

    Yu Xiao felt a surge of relief. That didn’t sound too bad. She changed the subject. “Do you know if we have a person named Ripley here?”

    The middle-aged man gave her a puzzled look. “A Ripley? Why would a foreigner be involved in such a classified project?”

    She realised he must have assumed a new identity as well. He was a skilled actor. It would be hard to track him down.

    The middle-aged man smiled reassuringly. “You don’t have to worry about anything. Dr. Qu will take good care of you. She’s an expert in underground creatures. You’ll learn a lot from her.”

    Everyone perked up at the mention of Dr. Qu.

    “Dr. Qu?” Yu Xiao echoed.

    “Yes,” the man said, his eyes shining. “Dr. Qu is the director of the Underground Creature Research Institute. She’s a prodigy, becoming the director in her twenties. She’s not only brilliant, but also gorgeous and kind…”

    He went on and on, but something was off. His cheeks were flushed.

    Yu Xiao couldn’t help but poke fun at the middle-aged man. “What’s with the rosy cheeks? Don’t tell me you’re hoping Dr. Qu will dream up a handsome prince for herself. Because, he’s definitely not you.”

    They finally arrived at the entrance of the Underground Biological Research Institute, where a man in a lab coat greeted them and ushered them inside. The seven of them were impostors, not real researchers, and they felt a surge of adrenaline as they stepped into the institute. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, with sleek metal walls and high-tech equipment. sea??h thё N?velFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    They tried to act casual as they passed by some staff members, but Yu Xiao couldn’t help sneaking a peek at each one of them. She was looking for Ripley, or rather, Nightmare in the dream world.

    They followed the man in the lab coat to an office and heard a friendly female voice inviting them in. As they opened the door, they saw a man and a woman inside. The man was busy with some papers, his back turned to them, while the woman was sitting behind a desk. She was young and stunning, with a striking resemblance to the Dr. Qu they had seen in the hospital bed. Only, she was even more gorgeous and curvy.

    “The Director,” the man in the lab coat announced, “They’re here.”

    “Welcome!” The woman, who was obviously Director Qu, got up and greeted them with a warm smile. She shook hands with each of them and said, “The institute is still new, and we’re in desperate need of more staff. I’m so glad you could join us.”

    Yu Xiao shook her hand and thought, ‘If you had looked like this in the last dream, we wouldn’t have wasted so much time chasing after you.’

    “Thank you for this opportunity,” Zhao Lan said, with a charming professional smile. “It’s a privilege for us to work at your research institute.”

    Director Qu was delighted and said, “Let me show you around the labs. You’ll be amazed by what we’re doing here.”

    She added, with a hint of excitement, “Oh, and this is our Deputy Director, Shen Chuan. Shen Chuan, why don’t you come and say hello to our new colleagues?”

    Shen Chuan was a tall man, wearing a crisp white shirt. He looked slender from behind. He turned around and faced them, showing a face that none of them recognized. Yu Xiao felt a chill run down her spine.

    There’s no escape. This was Nightmare.

    Yu Xiao flashed a covert signal to the others, but they all ignored her.

    They were hopeless. ?(?益??)

    “Hello, everyone.” Shen Chuan greeted them with a warm smile and a handshake. “I’m Shen Chuan.”

    His hand was pale and elegant, with long fingers and a smooth palm. Yu Xiao hesitated when he reached for hers. She met his eyes, and saw nothing but kindness in them. She forced herself to shake his hand, hoping he wouldn’t notice her reluctance.

    “You’re very impressive.” She said politely.

    “So are you,” he said back.

    They let go of each other’s hands, pretending to be casual.

    “Alright then.” Dr. Qu looked satisfied with the introductions. She turned to the middle-aged man and said, “Why don’t you take them to change clothes, and then I’ll show them around the lab.”

    Yu Xiao followed the middle-aged man out, thinking of a way to tell the others that Shen Chuan was Nightmare, and how they could kill him.

    “That Shen Chuan.” The middle-aged man muttered. “You’ve all met him.”

    Zhao Lan sensed his resentment and asked, “Is there a problem with him?”

    “He’s nothing but a pretty face,” the middle-aged man scoffed. “He’s always kissing up to the director, that’s how he got the vice-director position. The director is blind, she thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread.”

    He glanced at them and said, “You’re not fooled by his looks, are you?”

    “Of course not,” Yu Xiao said. “We can’t stand that type of pretty boy. He makes us sick. By the way, where does he live?”

    The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. “Shen Chuan?” He echoed, disbelief dripping from his voice.

    Yu Xiao nodded curtly. “Mm-hmm.” (づ￣ 3￣)づ

    He furrowed his brows, his suspicion rising. “But you hate him, don’t you?” He asked, leaning closer. “Why would you want to know where he lives if you can’t stand him?”

    Yu Xiao put on a grave face, as if she was revealing a dark secret. “It’s for our own safety,” she said solemnly. “We need to avoid him at all costs. You know how we feel about him. He makes our skin crawl with just one look.”

    The middle-aged man nodded emphatically, a bond forming between them. “Ah, spot on! I know exactly what you mean,” he said, clapping her on the shoulder. “I’m so happy you guys joined us here.”

    ─── ? ── ☆ ── ? ───