Chapter 13: Death Acrobatic Troupe 13

That veteran player, shivering, stammered out the new anomaly that had occurred in this instance.

“…A Roaming-Class Boss has infiltrated this instance. Just tonight, just moments ago.”

“A Roaming-Class Boss is a type of Boss in the Infinite World that likes to wander through various instances, treating human lives like weeds.”

This instance was originally a simple one, intended mostly for Novice Players.

Players could rely on wit, physical strength, luck, etc., to survive.

But once a “Roaming-Class Boss” joins, everything changes.

What the survival difficulty of the instance becomes depends entirely on the Boss’s mood.

These veteran players still remembered the last time a “Roaming-Class Boss” appeared in a normal-difficulty instance.

That instance had two highly-ranked teams join. By all rights, all team members should have survived and even gained many Items.

But the “Roaming-Class Boss” unexpectedly spawned there.

In the end, not a single person came out alive.

This veteran player’s voice wasn’t loud, but due to the extreme silence in the dormitory, most players heard the terrible news he delivered.

Players sat on their own beds, heads hanging low, silent, their faces ashen.

Several Novice Players even started sobbing quietly. …Roaming-Class Boss—just the name sounded ominous.

Why was their luck so terrible? Why did the very first instance they entered have to turn out like this?

Jian Bumian didn’t care how the instance difficulty changed. He only caught one keyword—Roaming-Class Boss.

The stronger the Malicious Ghost, the tastier.

Was the Infinite World sending him a bonus meal?

Jian Bumian asked inwardly to the system that had been silent for ages: “You there?”

Ah. Jian Bumian raised an eyebrow, his long, curled eyelashes fluttering: “This Boss… is it delicious— ah, no, powerful? Compared to the target NPC I need to strategize, which one is stronger?”

He almost slipped up due to the surging excitement inside him.

Almost exposed his foodie nature in front of the audience.

【…………】

【I don’t know that either. At present, neither has appeared yet. However, whether strong or weak, they can both override the lives of the players.】

【By the way, I’m reminding you that the countdown for completing your Conquest Mission—only twenty-four hours remain. If the mission isn’t completed when time runs out… Erasure… %¥&#@#4@&%!…%】

The system didn’t finish its sentence. As it spoke, its voice suddenly turned into a string of garbled, unintelligible code.

Jian Bumian recalled the Dorm Manager NPC who talked to him earlier—her words also devolved into random code halfway through.

Wait…

How could the time remaining for the Conquest Mission only be twenty-four hours left?

Jian Bumian remembered the time should be longer than this?

Could it be that the Roaming-Class Boss spawning in this instance caused the time count to become chaotic?

Would this countdown suddenly shorten again?

Jian Bumian curled his lip.

Perfect.

He also wanted to eat delicious food faster.

He was already unbearably hungry.

The viewers in the Livestream Room reacted completely opposite to Jian Bumian’s excitement.

【??? It’s over!! One of the most feared things in the Infinite World is time skips!! Who knows how much the countdown might suddenly shorten! If you snap back and only one second is left, it’s all over!】

【Who is this Roaming-Class Boss? Any players know? Pray it isn’t the same person as Mianmian’s Strategy Target, or Mianmian is definitely dead.】

【………… I used my Item to check, but I couldn’t find out who this Roaming-Class Boss is either. Probably very good at disguising themselves.】

【I’m tense. What will happen tomorrow?】

【I’ll say it here! If this Novice Player can get out alive, my team will definitely be the first to invite him!】

With the anomaly occurring in Jian Bumian’s instance, the traffic to his bound Livestream Room surged, continuously pushing him to the top of the newcomers leaderboard!

After waking up, Jian Bumian followed everyone to the Circus Hall.

The Staff NPCs had already prepared breakfast.

Today’s breakfast was much more lavish than usual, laid out table after table, dazzling the eyes.

No one had the appetite. The abnormally rich meal… couldn’t help but remind people of the “last meal” before an execution.

Jian Bumian hadn’t eaten dinner yesterday and had been starving all night.

He wanted to eat breakfast ravenously, but remembering he would be eating delicious Malicious Ghosts tonight, he rationally controlled his impulse. He only took two soft, fluffy little custard buns, saving room for tonight’s feast.

He didn’t look for Qin Yihan, taking his breakfast to a small corner to eat.

The custard buns were delicious. The bread was steamed soft and tender, the custard filling thick, sweet but not cloying.

If only the flavor of that Strategy Target NPC was custard-flavored.

As Jian Bumian secretly licked the custard residue off the corner of his lips with the tip of his tongue, footsteps came from the darkened area of the hall.

The players instantly fell silent.

Another NPC was coming!

…It was that big fatty from last time.

Every time it came, the news was never good.

Now, coupled with the instance’s anomaly, nobody knew if it would bring even more terrifying bad news.

The fat NPC still dragged its Iron Chain covered in minced flesh. It cracked its mouth open, sizing up the players present with an indecipherable gaze.

A rough, unpleasant voice sounded.

“Acrobats, I have good news for you. Today, you won’t be doing acrobatics training! The troupe grants you a day of rest!”

The players’ eyes widened in surprise. That’s it…?

Some instinctively let out small cheers.

But after speaking, the fat NPC didn’t leave. Its tiny eyes, squeezed by the fat folds of its face, rolled a few times, as if secretly sneering at these acrobats who didn’t know their fate.

“Another piece of good news for you,” it continued. “By the Distinguished Guest’s request, the acrobatics show has been moved up. It will take place tonight at seven o’clock!!”

The players instantly fell deathly silent. The ones who had just been cheering stood with mouths agape, looking around blankly and panicked.

Several experienced veteran players quickly realized.

Ever since discovering the Roaming-Class Boss had entered this instance, the instance’s plot was no longer following its original trajectory…

Based on the initial conditions given, they were supposed to survive until the acrobatics show on the fifth day. The fifth day would be the most perilous, with the highest death count. Those who survived the fifth day would successfully pass this instance.

And the acrobatics show was on the fifth day—meaning something extremely terrifying would definitely happen during it.

Now, the time of the acrobatics show had been moved up…

This completely deviated from the instance’s original plot path, heading towards an even more dangerous direction!

Jian Bumian didn’t pay much attention to the fat NPC’s words. He sat in the corner, slowly eating his little custard bun.

Qin Yihan popped out from somewhere and squatted in front of Jian Bumian, his face full of panic: “Stop eating your breakfast! Didn’t you hear the other players saying this instance had an anomaly?!”

He patted Jian Bumian on the shoulder.

Jian Bumian hadn’t expected Qin Yihan to suddenly appear, nor sensed the pat on his shoulder.

He stumbled forward from the pat, and the custard bun in his hand rolled and tumbled onto the floor, covered in dust.

That was the last custard bun.

He had specially nibbled off the bland bread around the edges, leaving only the thick, fragrant custard filling, preparing to eat it in one bite.

Jian Bumian: “…”

He wasn’t angry. He still wore that well-behaved expression, head slightly lowered. The round, soft swirl of his hair was a little messy, his curled lashes casting a pitiful, glimmering gaze.

But it was precisely this mild appearance that made him seem even more weak and innocent.

It made Qin Yihan feel very uncomfortable.

Qin Yihan changed the subject: “Tonight is the acrobatics show, and it’s also when the instance ends. I’m afraid there’ll be a major slaughter before then… plus attacks from that Roaming-Class Boss.”

“For us Novice Players who haven’t experienced many instances, it’s really hard to survive.”

Jian Bumian: “Mm.”

“Right…”

Qin Yihan remembered something very important. He slapped his thigh and then shook Jian Bumian by the shoulders with both hands: “You also have to play the Attendant NPC at the acrobatics show, serving that Distinguished Guest! Heavens, this…”

Jian Bumian froze.

He recalled that indeed was the case.

That time was the first he broke the rules, sneaking out of the dorm late at night, and encountered the Acrobatic Troupe Leader NPC.

To avoid having to swallow a sword, he took the initiative to read aloud the letter sent by the Noble Guest for the Troupe Leader.

Although Jian Bumian couldn’t understand the text in the letter at all, the content he recited was completely made up.

He fabricated that the Noble Guest required a personal attendant.

And then he volunteered for the role of that personal attendant.

Jian Bumian did it for no other reason… than to get close to the Strategy Target.

That way, he could also eat him faster and reward his hungry stomach.

Thinking this, he felt a strange anticipation for tonight’s acrobatics show.

The custard bun he’d just found delicious suddenly tasted bland.

But Qin Yihan’s reaction was completely different:

“This isn’t a joke! This means you’ll have to hover right next to that Noble Guest up close! And, and… what if the Troupe Leader and the staff figure out you fabricated the content of that letter? You’ll die horribly!

Besides, we have absolutely no idea what that letter actually said!! What if the Noble Guest never asked for an attendant at all? Aren’t you doomed?!”

He desperately wanted Jian Bumian to survive. His emotions were intense, his words firing like cannonballs, banging into Jian Bumian’s ears:

“And that group photo on the back of your neck is also a ticking time bomb. Who knows what danger it might bring you.”

The viewers in the Livestream Room chimed in agreement.

【Ah, despite everything, I originally thought wifey could survive, but hearing this guy’s analysis, suddenly wifey seems in great danger.】

【Mianmian, to prevent the troupe from discovering he made up the letter, will disguise as an Attendant to approach the Noble Guest. But the Noble Guest could be very dangerous—getting close means possible death. Yet, if he doesn’t, the troupe will discover his lie. Isn’t this a checkmate?】

【I’m still more concerned about that letter. Mianmian threw it away. What if it contained crucial clues? But Mianmian seems to not care at all. I think he cares more about food.】

【You guys are dumb! The Noble Guest IS Mianmian’s Strategy Target! Mianmian did this to make it easier to capture the Strategy Target. It’s still very dangerous though. No idea if Mianmian will get done in.】

Listening to Qin Yihan’s words and glancing at the barrage, Jian Bumian didn’t understand why these people were so panicked.

He stood still, lowered his head, clutched his clothes, and pitifully blurted out: “I know. I just want to eat something tasty, that’s all. Didn’t think too much.”

He came here truly with only one goal.

To eat that reportedly powerful and delicious Strategy Target.

Qin Yihan: “…………”

Livestream Room Viewers: “…………”

【Ah??? Did I hear right? Fine. When it comes to food, survival and death don’t matter.】

【Is the food in this instance really that good? This beauty is still thinking about food at death’s door.】

【Wuwuwu, Dumb Beauty wife is so pitiful. Did he starve his brain out in reality?】

【Hey, you guys think Mianmian is all pitiful now? Don’t forget, he’s someone who can destroy a training ground!】

【As an A-Rank player, I think Mianmian can survive. I watched the earlier recordings. This player is not simple—definitely a Two-Faced type. Once he’s out, I’ll definitely add him as a friend.】

Jian Bumian’s livestream viewership steadily increased.

The audience members were also players in the Infinite World. Quite a few now expressed wanting to invite Jian Bumian to join their team or add him as a friend privately after he finished this instance.

After all, who doesn’t like a beautiful and interesting player?

But even more people believed he wouldn’t survive.

After telling Qin Yihan to leave, Jian Bumian continued sitting in his corner, eating his unfinished breakfast.

A male player had been listening nearby to their conversation for a while.

He was a Western man with golden curly hair and a pair of passionate blue eyes.

He walked up to Jian Bumian and squatted down, speaking in clumsy Chinese: “Little player, I heard you’re going to play the Attendant by the Noble Guest’s side tonight?”

Jian Bumian raised his head and nodded.

“This is indeed suicidal behavior… hmm…”

The Golden-haired Player thought for a moment: “I don’t have much to help you with. Let me use an Item to conjure a set of clothes for you. Going to the Noble Guest like that, everyone will misunderstand.”

Jian Bumian: “?”

Jian Bumian glanced down at his own clothes.

The suit jacket from yesterday had already been washed by him and hung up to dry in the dorm.

He was still wearing the white pajamas, the thin hem barely covering his knees.

A breeze could easily lift the hem; the silk-like fabric could easily be torn.

He didn’t understand what there was to misunderstand about this outfit.

But before Jian Bumian could ask, this kind player had already used an Item to transform his clothes.

Immediately, the players and Livestream Room viewers who saw Jian Bumian were instantly stunned.