Jian Bumian’s clothes were no longer the plain, thin white pajamas, but a black tailcoat.
This tailcoat was the most orthodox style from medieval Europe, elegantly crafted with smooth fabric, and undoubtedly expensive.
At the same time, it was the highest form of etiquette in gentleman’s formal wear.
The tailcoat, conjured by an Item, was completely tailored to Jian Bumian’s figure.
The black fabric outlined the youth’s slender, delicate form, making his skin appear even whiter—dark hair, pale skin.
His soft hair fell obediently, and his small, rounded Adam’s apple was concealed by a white bow tie.
His boutonniere was a pure white rose, freshly bloomed and sacred.
He looked like a beautiful robin trapped in a gilded cage, waiting to be unwrapped as a gift.
The Golden-haired Player was very satisfied with the outfit he chose. He whistled: “Indeed, it suits you perfectly. Even if you die like this, you’ll die brilliantly and vividly, earning the frenzy of a huge crowd. Consider it dying without regrets.”
All the players present had their gazes fixed on Jian Bumian, their stares burning, mixed with considerable pity.
Such a good-looking player, but unfortunately, the very first instance he entered happened to be one undergoing an anomaly. Bad luck.
The same went for the Livestream Room viewers—some captivated by Jian Bumian’s beauty, some lamenting his impending death.
【Wuwu, Mianmian looks amazing in this outfit, wearing it is especially risqué!
【Actually, I prefer wifey’s pajama look. Don’t you think that pajama fabric looks very easy to tear?】
【Ah, Mianmian is cute and cool! Looks so pinchable =w=】
【One person’s petition for Jian Bumian to survive! Praying the Strategy Target and Roaming-Class Boss show mercy!】
【Seconded!】
【…】
Jian Bumian: “…”
Couldn’t understand.
After thanking the Golden-haired Player, Jian Bumian followed everyone back to the dorm.
There was indeed no training arranged for today. Half a day to rest.
But what awaited them tonight was nothing short of an execution.
Nobody was in the mood to rest. Everyone gathered in small groups, discussing countermeasures for tonight. Unaffiliated Novice Players just sat on their beds with ashen faces, like already-dead puppets.
Jian Bumian was different from them.
His attention was drawn to his new clothes.
The tailcoat looked nice and all…
But, he felt something uncomfortable at the base of his thighs.
Jian Bumian sneaked into the restroom, wanting to see what exactly was causing this discomfort.
Strategy System 001’s Livestream Room, due to frequently featuring scenes that are explicit, applied mosaic to any part of the host’s body below the neck not covered by fabric.
So, the viewers only saw Jian Bumian run into the restroom, followed by their screens being completely mosaiced.
【??? What’s wrong with Mianmian?? Isn’t the outfit fine?】
【Damn mosaic!! Wish I were in the instance right now!】
【…?? Just now, it seemed Mianmian felt the clothes were a bit uncomfortable? But doesn’t the formal wear fit perfectly?】
A short while later, Jian Bumian came out of the restroom and quietly asked the system: “What’s the black strap tied around the base of my thighs for?”
【A clip worn to prevent a shirt from riding up, keeping it crisp and neat. It’s fitted around the thighs or clipped to socks for fixation.】
【Commonly known as, a shirt garter.】
【Your skin is too sensitive. Wearing a shirt garter for the first time will be uncomfortable; the skin will be marked with red imprints, but just endure it for a while. You’ll get used to it over time.】
The viewers in the Livestream Room suddenly had knowing expressions.
Jian Bumian didn’t understand what was so knowing about it, treating it as a mere clothing accessory. He didn’t pay it much mind.
A while later, Qin Yihan returned to the dorm.
Qin Yihan was surprised by Jian Bumian’s current attire but didn’t pay much attention. He was more anxious about whether they could survive.
In the cruel Infinite World, beauty and handsomeness were fleeting clouds.
He walked over: “Jian Bumian, turn around. Let me check what the photo on the back of your neck has turned into.”
Jian Bumian turned around, slightly pulling his collar aside to expose his nape to view.
The black-and-white photo imprinted on his pale skin had changed again.
Qin Yihan suppressed the fear welling up from deep within, his voice trembling:
“The people in the photo have completely twisted their heads around.”
Inside the photo, those “Acrobat NPCs” standing together in the group shot had forcefully twisted their heads 180 degrees.
Qin Yihan fully saw their facial features.
No mouths, no noses, no ears.
Where all the Acrobat NPCs’ eyes should have been, there were only two large, dark holes, as if viciously gouged out with a spoon.
Qin Yihan: “………………”
He stepped on his own foot, suppressing the urge to jump in fright.
Jian Bumian listened to Qin Yihan’s words without much reaction: “Oh, they turned their heads around, huh. …Is there a little girl among them with blonde braids?”
Qin Yihan looked again. Indeed, one person in the photo had golden braids, drooping softly over her shoulders: “Yes.”
Jian Bumian: “Last night, when I left the dorm to look for food, I accidentally fell into the Corpse-Disposal Pool and saw their bodies. They even tried to come bite me.”
His tone was calm, as if merely recounting accidentally stepping on an ant.
Jian Bumian continued: “Although they are acrobats like us, we are players conquering an instance, while they are the actual acrobats in this troupe.”
Qin Yihan felt chills run down his spine.
Why would a troupe have so many dead acrobats?
Why would they specifically build a pool just for storing corpses?
Could the players’ fates end up just like theirs…
No matter the guesswork from these clues, they all pointed to extremely dangerous outcomes.
—Moreover, they had moved onto Jian Bumian’s body and had now completely turned their heads around.
Who knew what they would do to Jian Bumian.
Would they turn him into a member of the photo, or a member of the Corpse-Disposal Pool?
On top of that, tonight was the most dangerous acrobatics show, the appearance of the Roaming-Class Boss, and Jian Bumian having to act as an Attendant to approach the Distinguished Guest…
Jian Bumian’s situation was akin to constantly stacking death buffs.
Qin Yihan had experienced three instances, seen many players on the brink of death, but none were as endangered as Jian Bumian.
Qin Yihan was powerless.
The players rested in the dorm for half the day. The clock pendulum in the center of the dormitory wall slowly slid towards six o’clock in the evening.
The eerie child’s voice from the troupe’s broadcast system hummed a nursery rhyme, echoing in the empty dormitory hallway, its hollow, clear sound reverberating.
“All acrobats, please gather in the Circus Hall within ten minutes! The acrobatics show you’ve been eagerly awaiting is about to begin! You will represent the ■■■ Acrobatic Troupe and present the most exciting and thrilling—Dea—th Ac—ro—bat—ics for our Distinguished Guest!”
Some player secretly grumbled: “Who’s eagerly awaiting?! Nobody’s eagerly awaiting!! The name ‘Death Acrobatics’, how inauspicious, pah!”
Jian Bumian: “…”
Actually, he was quite looking forward to it.
After all, he would soon get to eat something delicious.
At the same time, the countdown for Jian Bumian’s Strategy Target was down to only six hours.
The numbers displayed in his mind’s countdown had turned from black to blood red, as if foreshadowing Jian Bumian’s demise.
After all, no system player ever dared to leave the system mission untouched until the final moment to begin.
Six hours… could Jian Bumian really complete the system mission? Could he truly achieve a mutual confession with the “Distinguished Guest” he had never met?
Every viewer was wondering.
Yet Jian Bumian’s mind was filled solely with how to eat the Strategy Target without waste.
Where should he start eating?
If he couldn’t finish, should he throw it away or pack it to take out of the instance?
Hopefully, the Strategy Target’s taste wouldn’t be snail noodle flavor…
Jian Bumian, dressed in the exquisite tailcoat, stood obediently among the crowd.
No one knew what he was thinking.
His curled lashes lowered, concealing the star-blue glow of excitement in his eyes.
A short while later, the Acrobatic Troupe Leader arrived among the crowd.
It had specially dressed up for the Noble Guest’s arrival, but matched with its lifeless, gray complexion, this only made it look more like a corpse.
The tall, thin Troupe Leader’s voice rang out in the vast hall, its tone high and distorted, clearly trying to curry favor with someone.
“Congratulations! Tonight, you will represent this Troupe and present a thrilling and exciting Death Acrobatics show for the Distinguished Guest!”
“Now, begin the drawing of lots. The acrobatic act each person draws is the one you will perform tonight.”
A player closer to the Troupe Leader whispered under their breath:
“As long as we perform the acrobatics diligently, we can all survive, right…?”
The Troupe Leader heard the player’s quiet complaint and sneered loudly:
“This acrobatics show will continue to eliminate acrobats! But the elimination criteria is no longer simply whether you completed the acrobatics act!”
“—It will depend on whether that Distinguished Guest is satisfied with your performance! If he is dissatisfied with any acrobat’s act, no matter how brilliant the performance, that acrobat will be a disgrace to our troupe and shall be executed immediately.”
The moment these words were spoken, all players fell deathly silent, still as a pool of stagnant water.
…This way, all their lives rested in the hands of that “Distinguished Guest.”
But would the NPCs in the Infinite World truly be so merciful as to be satisfied with their acrobatics?
What even was the standard for satisfaction? Probably just based on the NPC’s mood.
………This instance was a complete checkmate.
One Veteran Player frowned: “This core NPC, who never appeared but was always central to the instance, couldn’t be the Roaming-Class Boss in disguise… could he?”
Only a Roaming-Class Boss could come up with such a twisted method of torment.
Without leaving any sliver of life.
Although players didn’t have extensive research on Roaming-Class Bosses, they all knew that instances infiltrated by one usually ended with players being wiped out in various ways.
All players fell into silence.
The Troupe Leader, seeing the fear on their faces, let out a few mocking sneers.
But soon, as if noticing something, its mocking expression vanished completely, replaced by respect and sycophancy. In its bean-sized eyes… a hint of fear actually surfaced.
It cleared its throat a few times, and its piercing, high-pitched voice rang out again: “The Distinguished Guest has arrived! What are you all standing around for?”
Everyone’s gaze followed the Troupe Leader’s line of sight.
That was where the Distinguished Guest was.
![The Evil God was Mistaken for a Delicate Cannon Fodder [Infinite Flow]](https://i0.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/conf.jpg?resize=151,215 "The Evil God was Mistaken for a Delicate Cannon Fodder [Infinite Flow]")
