Chapter 9: Death Acrobatic Troupe 09

After coming out of the training ground, Qin Yihan had been waiting for Jian Bumian in the Circus Hall.

Players gradually finished their acrobatics training and emerged from their respective training grounds.

The number of surviving players grew fewer and fewer, down to a tenth of the original count.

Qin Yihan still hadn’t seen Jian Bumian among those players.

…If he couldn’t find him, it meant he had died during the acrobatics training.

Someone saw Qin Yihan waiting for someone in the same spot and walked over, casually saying: “Are you waiting for that really pretty boy? The one with the fair skin and caramel-colored eyes?”

Qin Yihan nodded.

The person speaking to Qin Yihan was a highly experienced A-Rank Veteran Player. He sighed:

“Don’t wait anymore. Based on my experience, he won’t survive. Look, when he drew that training content, the troupe even said it was the hardest… that’s basically official confirmation. And he’s a Novice Player, no Items, even his body seems frail. He can’t survive.”

“That’s how the Infinite World is. Having just a pretty face is useless. He’s just a vase. Stop waiting, go back to the dorm and rest…”

That A-Rank player rambled on in Qin Yihan’s ear.

What this A-Rank player said was the truth.

In the eyes of other players, Jian Bumian, while good-looking with a very well-behaved, polite personality—someone who’d be very likable in reality—

But this was the Infinite World…

Qin Yihan lowered his gaze, his heart heavy.

Qin Yihan had experienced three instances before. In those three instances, he’d made quite a few good friends.

But none of them survived. They all died in front of him, one by one.

He didn’t want Jian Bumian to die.

Qin Yihan raised his eyes, looking at the Circus Hall.

No more players were coming out of the training grounds. Those who hadn’t emerged were forever left inside.

Qin Yihan hung his head low. His chest felt blocked, heavy, unable to breathe.

The eerie, piercing child’s voice broadcast echoed through the Circus Hall.

【Congratulations! You have successfully completed today’s acrobatics training!】

To Qin Yihan’s ears, the sound of this announcement was undoubtedly the declaration of Jian Bumian’s death.

He half-knelt on the ground, letting out a heavy sigh.

But then, he heard the A-Rank player beside him exclaim as if seeing a ghost: “Th-this, how is this possible?!”

Qin Yihan looked up and saw the other’s horrified expression. Following his gaze, he saw Jian Bumian leisurely walking out from the training ground’s main door…

Jian Bumian!

Jian Bumian was completely unharmed. He wore white pajamas, the hem fluttering lightly, faintly revealing slightly pinkish, rounded knees. His hair was a bit messy, with a few soft, fluffy strands sticking up.

He looked like he had just woken up.

His appearance was very conspicuous among the players who were ragged and wretched from their narrow escapes.

Sensing everyone’s astonished, burning gazes, he gave them a shallow, polite smile.

The instant he walked out, the door behind him was sealed with a blood-red strip!

The eerie child’s voice broadcast exclaimed a few times, saying:

【Oh dear, our acrobat Jian Bumian accidentally destroyed the training ground during his training.】

It paused briefly, seemingly pondering if this act violated any rules.

But it couldn’t determine if this action was right or wrong.

Because no acrobat had ever been able to destroy the training ground before.

【The destruction of the training ground is due to our troupe’s negligence in maintaining the facilities. We hereby apologize to the acrobats.】

What did it mean “accidentally” destroyed the training ground?!

The moment those words were spoken, all the players immediately erupted.

Each of them had used every ounce of their strength just to keep half their life in that training ground, some even losing half a leg or an arm to survive.

But among them appeared someone who could “accidentally” destroy a training ground!

Had an S-Rank top-tier player infiltrated this instance? Or had some player obtained an overpowered cheat Item?

All present players started searching the crowd for the player named Jian Bumian.

A few players possessed Items capable of revealing names and quickly found Jian Bumian.

…Jian Bumian hadn’t realized what was happening.

He stood blankly in place, his face full of confusion, his eyes innocent and clear.

Having been an NPC for too long, he was a bit socially anxious and not used to so many gazes suddenly focusing on him.

Jian Bumian shrank back, hiding behind Qin Yihan, only revealing a tuft of soft black hair.

Qin Yihan: “????”

No, don’t come over here!

The players were in an uproar.

This player… wasn’t he that pitiful little guy muttering about being hungry this morning…?

The players had a deep impression of Jian Bumian’s appearance.

The youth had a thin figure, wearing thin pajamas, looking like he hadn’t slept well, pitifully murmuring about his stomach being empty. Many players, feeling sorry for him, gave him their uneaten breakfast.

He was also very polite, thanking each player who gave him breakfast one by one, his voice very sweet.

His first impression was that of a very polite, well-behaved child.

But now…

???

What’s going on?

How could a player who looked so pitiful and weak on the surface “accidentally” destroy a training ground?

And wasn’t that the training even the troupe certified as the hardest?!

As everyone was whispering and discussing Jian Bumian, heavy footsteps suddenly echoed in the Circus Hall.

An NPC was coming!

Everyone instantly fell deathly silent.

The NPC emerging from the darkness was that fatty they met on the first day arriving at the troupe!

The fatty still dragged the long Iron Chain, festooned with minced flesh and severed limbs.

It walked to the center of the crowd, coughed heavily a few times, and enunciated word by word:

“Two days from now is the day you perform acrobatics for the Distinguished Guest! Tonight, the Distinguished Guest will be staying at our troupe. I hope each of you will abide by the rules, not cause any unnecessary trouble for the Distinguished Guest, and continue training hard to present the most thrilling and exciting acrobatics for the Distinguished Guest!”

After delivering the information, the fatty turned around and dragged its heavy chains back into the darkness.

Only then did the players remember another key point of this instance.

The acrobatics show on the fifth day.

What would happen during the show? How different were the acrobatics they’d perform then from now?

Who was the Distinguished Guest?

Why were the acrobats informed that the Distinguished Guest was staying tonight? Did the Distinguished Guest also affect their survival?

Thinking of this, the players’ faces turned pale. They just wanted to go back to the dorm and sleep well! Nobody wanted to experience last night’s Nightmare again!

Jian Bumian listened quietly from the corner, catching a key point.

—Tonight, the Distinguished Guest would be staying at the troupe.

A faint blue light shimmered in Jian Bumian’s eyes. An excited curve formed on his lips, his earlobes flushing abnormally.

He welcomed this very warmly.

After all, it was food delivering itself to his door.

“Jian, Jian Bumian?” Qin Yihan felt a bit scared seeing Jian Bumian’s untimely smile. He patted the other’s shoulder: “Let’s eat quickly.”

Jian Bumian came back to his senses. Only then did he see Qin Yihan had brought two boxed meals over.

Fruit and vegetable salad with lemonade.

The salad was in a small bowl, drizzled with creamy white dressing and refreshing fruit sauce.

The lemonade was freshly squeezed, the glass garnished with a lemon slice. The air was momentarily filled with the fresh, sweet scent of lemon.

It was precisely the food he’d been craving in the training ground.

“Thanks.”

Jian Bumian took the boxed meal and started eating delicately.

But after only a few bites, he put it down, pursing his lips tastelessly, then carefully covered the box and placed it by his feet, convenient for the Staff NPCs to collect later.

Qin Yihan gnawed on a large braised chicken drumstick. Seeing Jian Bumian put his food down so abnormally, he asked curiously: “Why aren’t you eating? Isn’t the food to your liking?”

“It’s not that.”

Jian Bumian shook his head, answering seriously: “Because there’s something even tastier waiting for me later. I want to save some room. If I’m too full, I won’t be able to eat it.”

“Huh?” Qin Yihan was a bit baffled.

Something even tastier…?? What was that??

But Qin Yihan was already used to Jian Bumian’s ways. He continued gnawing his drumstick, mumbling vaguely: “Then congratulations, getting to eat something even tastier.”

Jian Bumian suppressed the excitement threatening to burst out, sticking out the tip of his tongue to secretly lick the corner of his lips:

“Yeah, it’s so delicious…”

The Evil Ghost part of him was already impatient.

After the two finished eating, they returned to the Acrobat Dormitory.

Time blinked, and it was already evening.

The fatty said the Distinguished Guest would arrive tonight. Since the NPC specifically emphasized this to the players, it meant this event would definitely trigger something plot-related.

At the very least, the character “Distinguished Guest” had a significant role in this instance.

Whether that role would help players pass or threaten their lives… was hard to say.

Everyone was on edge, lying in bed too afraid to sleep.

No one knew what horrors tonight would bring.

Jian Bumian wasn’t asleep. He suddenly remembered the cloth bag holding the photo. He quietly asked: “Qin Yihan, have you seen that flesh-colored cloth bag?”

Qin Yihan dragged the bag out from a corner: “Yeah, I grabbed it and brought it back to the dorm.”

Inside the bag, besides the group photo, was also Jian Bumian’s leftover breakfast trash from this morning, making it bulge.

The bag twitched, as if something inside was struggling to burst out angrily.

Qin Yihan: “……????”

Suppressing the urge to jump in fright, he unhesitatingly tossed the bag into the corner.

He wanted to tell Jian Bumian to open the bag and see what the photo inside had turned into.

But Jian Bumian had slipped away to shower at some point.

Inside the Acrobat Dormitory was a tiny shower room, with soap, towels, a mug, toothbrush, etc.

However, in this situation, most players could barely protect their own lives, let alone have the leisure to bathe.

Besides, in the Infinite World, being alone in a confined space was one of the ultimate taboos!!

Listening to the sound of rushing water from the small shower room, a faint milky scent of soap spreading through the air, Qin Yihan figured Jian Bumian should be fine.

Jian Bumian’s luck couldn’t be that bad.

So he lay down on his bed, preparing to sleep soundly.

Suddenly, he heard Jian Bumian’s voice through the water, sounding distant and hazy.

“Qin Yihan, um… could you come here for a sec?”

Jian Bumian’s voice, like his appearance, was very deceptive—sounding soft, clean, and crisp, carrying no temper whatsoever. It was impossible to tell if he was scared or something else.

Qin Yihan was half-asleep, drifting into dreams. Hearing Jian Bumian call him, he assumed it was some small matter. Eyes closed, he mumbled: “Hmm…? Did you forget your bath towel? Just grab some clothes and wipe off…”

The voice from the bathroom was silent for a moment, then sounded again: “I didn’t forget my bath towel. It’s just that a lot of people suddenly appeared on me.”