Chapter 61: Not Three But Four

    "Damn it!" Nian grabbed his head in frustration.

    What the hell was Jin Jiuchi thinking?! They were already near the entrance and he... he just had to turn back and risk his own safety all over again! But the more infuriating thing was... why was Nian still standing here like a fool?! He already had the return ticket at hand, and he had also obtained the book which was his purpose on entering this Cycle in the first place. He had no more business to take care of here and the right thing he should do was to run out of his apartment and get on the bus, securing his own life first and foremost as he always did.

    So why was he still here, waiting for that man to come back?!

    Alas, a second before he could make up his mind, a shocking development suddenly occurred in the middle of the atrium.

    Tang Ye, who had pushed Xinxin behind to save his own ass, bumped into Jin Jiuchi in the middle.

    To be completely honest, he had always felt apprehensive toward this man. Not because of his towering height and muscular build, but there was just something about Jin Jiuchi that evoked an unpleasant feeling in him. His instinct told him to keep a distance from Jin Jiuchi, but because of a long-time habit, he ended up acting friendly and cordial just to make the man lower his guard. But now...

    He had found the return ticket, whereas Jin Jiuchi had none.

    Fuck, did this man want to steal his ticket?! His eyes burned red in fury at the mere thought of it. He had already come this far and the exit was right in front of his eyes, so how could he let anybody stand in his way?!

    "Get lost!" He hollered out loud. Blood was dripping from the danger in his hand, both from the rodents and spiders alike. And if the situation forced him to, he would not hesitate to plunge it into another person to secure his own life. "Otherwise don’t blame me for taking action!"

    However, not only did Jin Jiuchi not stop, he picked up his pace instead. One second he was still meters away, and the next second, he suddenly zoomed in front of Tang Ye!

    Shock flashed through Tang Ye’s eyes. H–How could he be so fast?! This kind of speed... it was not something an ordinary person should possess!

    But there was no time to think. Tang Ye lifted his dagger to defend himself, but Jin Jiuchi was literally a blur of motion, faster than the eye could follow. Before he could even react, Jin Jiuchi’s fist connected with his chin, sending him flying in an arc midair!

    "How despicable..." Jin Jiuchi murmured under his breath, his teeth grinding in suppressed anger. "Haven’t they told you to cherish the young and protect the weak?! Punching you is already letting you off easy, or else you are supposed to have your tongue chopped into pieces!"

    "Urgh...!" Tang Ye spat out the blood in his mouth, his head ringing from that one punch. He struggled to get up on his feet and glared at Jin Jiuchi.

    What kind of nonsense was this lunatic spouting? What was the use of protecting someone else if they could not even guarantee their own life? Tang Ye only wanted to survive and get out of this Cycle – as simple as that. And if he had to dirty his hands in the process, so be it. After all, who could claim that they had not killed another person within the Cycle, both directly or indirectly?

    He knew that he would not stand a chance against Jin Jiuchi in terms of strength, but he had one very great advantage that could help him turn the tide to his favor.

    That’s right, he was an intermediate player while Jin Jiuchi was merely a newbie who did not know anything about the Cycle. If there was a way to get rid of this man once and for all... it could only through props!

    Tang Ye swallowed thickly. This was his hidden ultimate weapon that could only be used once. But at this moment, the only threat in front of him was Jin Jiuchi alone, so what’s the best time to use it if not now? Making up his mind, he pulled out a lighter in his pocket and flicked it on. It was the same lighter which he had used to burn the candles earlier. But this time, instead of a crimson flame, what emerged from the fuse was a strange black colored fire.

    Jin Jiuchi’s pupils dilated when he saw this, and his instinct instantly clamored for him to get away as far as possible. Do not get caught by the flame, or else the consequences would be dire!

    The same thought also crossed Nian’s mind. He had already suspected that there was something more to Tang Ye’s lighter when he first saw it, but he could not say for certain because he had not seen the young man use it before. But now, anyone could tell that that black fire was not good news!

    "Be careful!" He shouted at Jin Jiuchi, but it was already too late.

    Tang Ye brought the lighter to his lips and whispered a spell to it. Then the next second, Jin Jiuchi’s left arm suddenly burst out into flames!

    Prop: Abyssal Ignition Charm (Valuable)

    Prop Usage: Whisper with intent and summon a black flame that consumes all in its path. It’s a tool of destruction and a bane for all beings, especially the nightmare creatures.

    As the black flame engulfed Jin Jiuchi’s left arm, the pain was instantaneous and excruciating. He couldn’t help but cry out, more in surprise than pain, as he watched the skin on his arm blacken and char, revealing a hint of white bone beneath. It felt as if his arm was being seared alive in a fiery furnace, as if his flesh was melting away like wax under a relentless sun. The pain was like a thousand hot needles piercing his skin, each one burning with an intensity that seemed to defy description.

    "Ow ow ow...!" Jin Jiuchi staggered backward and cradled his arm, feeling so much agony that he broke out into cold sweat. His ears were ringing, his vision dotted in black, and he was on the verge of passing out.

    It felt... kinda familiar somehow... this kind of bone-chilling pain. But where had he experienced it before?

    "Yang Rouchuan!" Blood drained from Nian’s face when he saw the horrific scene unfolding in front of his eyes. He snapped his gaze to Tang Ye who took the chance to dash toward the door, his small face contorted in fury. The thin and transparent blade materialized in his hand once again. "How dare you...!"

    Alas, he had just lifted the blade when in front of him, Tang Ye suddenly tripped on nothing and rolled on the ground. He let out a scream as he scrambled to reach into his pocket. "W–What the fuck...?! Hot... it’s so hot!!"

    The thing he took out from his pocket was none other than the ticket he had found in the secret chamber. But right now, that very same ticket was ignited with a black flame similar to his prop, burning the edges bit by bit.

    Tang Ye’s eyes reflected extreme horror. "No... No! Stop! This can’t be happening!!"

    He desperately tried to put out the fire, but for some unknown reason, it burned even stronger and brighter. Until the end, the ticket exploded into pieces in front of his eyes.

    But things did not end there because soon after, a huge black shadow came out of the flickering flame, looming over the players akin to the creature of shadows. Its height easily reached up to the third to fourth floor and its form was akin to a hazy indistinct mist – not solid at all.

    And amidst the darkness, a pair of cold ruby eyes blinked open.

    "NO—!!!" Tang Ye scrambled to grab onto the ashes floating in the air, despairing tears streaming down his face. "You promised me! You told me that you would give me the ticket as long as I opened the door for you! Give it to me!! GIVE THE TICKET BACK TO ME!!!"

    It was as if the appearance of the shadow had turned on a switch in Shishen Apartment, as the other creatures suddenly became agitated. The rodents squeaked noisily and the tiny spiders tapped their thin legs on the ground in a messy rhythm. From afar, Miss Zhao’s shrill terrified scream echoed in the atrium.

    Nian stared at the black shadow with sinking dread in his chest. Oh no... he had made a very grave miscalculation.

    The number of nightmare creatures in this Cycle were not only three – but four. As for the last one, it ought to be the one who caused all the tragedy in the first place. The source of the nightmare in the apartment.

    — The serial killer.