Chapter 18: Death Acrobatic Troupe 18 Part 2

The Players present froze.

Jian Bumian, who would he choose?

Jian Bumian stood among the crowd, raised his head, and cast his gaze toward the Malicious Ghost in the high-up glass room.

—Then he threw a beautiful, extremely provocative smile at the Malicious Ghost.

Like a tender rosebud, covered in thorns, ready to bloom. Dangerous and beautiful.

Jian Bumian retracted his gaze and spoke calmly toward the broadcast in the center of the Circus Hall. “I choose that Noble Guest who just arrived.”

All Players fell silent instantly.

The Bullet Comments in the Livestream Room were scrolling in fits and starts.

【??? Shocked!! There’s even this kind of operation!】

【Hahahaha see!! Our wifey isn’t a pushover! Absolutely not to be trifled with!!】

【Is an operation like this… allowed? Sure it won’t be judged as a violation?】

【So nervous!!! Rub rub wifey!】

The Acrobatic Troupe broadcast hadn’t expected Jian Bumian to actually choose the Noble Guest as his partner.

It fell silent and said no more.

The Players’ hearts were instantly in their throats—could Jian Bumian be judged as violating the rules for this?

Jian Bumian chuckled softly. “The paper slip I drew didn’t state that the partner must be an Acrobat. You have no grounds to judge me as violating the rules.”

The paper slips the Players drew for their acrobatic acts were equivalent to alternative rules within this Instance.

Breaking the rules meant Death, but if the rules weren’t broken, the Instance had no reason to condemn the Player to Death.

In the entire, silent Circus Hall, the broadcast emitted a fuzzy, indistinct sound of static. It didn’t know how to answer Jian Bumian for a moment.

Jian Bumian’s clear, pure voice followed.

“Moreover, that Noble Guest really enjoys participating in acrobatic performances. We were just playing together earlier.”

Jian Bumian was undoubtedly indirectly provoking the Noble Guest!

That was his Strategy Target for the Conquest Mission!

What if he angered the Noble Guest? It would be tantamount to ruining the Conquest Mission.

The fuzzy static abruptly vanished. The strange, crisp child’s voice rang out again, simultaneously laced with many garbled sounds, as if deliberately interfered with by someone.

“Acrobat Jian Bumian has successfully chosen %#￥￥@ as his Death partner…”

“…………Two-person act—’Chainsaw Devil’—will begin in three minutes!!”

The Circus Hall, packed with Players, suddenly erupted with dense applause and cheers.

But the Players themselves were already utterly despairing, downtrodden and waiting to die, with no heart to applaud and cheer at all.

They suddenly screamed in alarm. “It-It’s appeared!!”

Jian Bumian followed the others’ gaze and looked.

The Malicious Ghost, who had been in the VIP viewing room high above, had somehow already stepped down the Spiral Staircase.

His leather shoes stepped slowly on the cold, hard floor, making his footsteps utterly silent.

The man was tall and large, clad in a form-fitting white suit. His silver long hair hung behind his shoulders, swaying slightly with his slow, deliberate steps.

His skin was pale, his face handsome. His red eyes were long and narrow. Every part of his features seemed to have received the Creator’s wholehearted favor.

Simultaneously, the entire Circus Hall suddenly shook violently, as if in an Earthquake! The tremendous roar of stone floors cracking apart pounded against eardrums, as if some giant object was about to burst from the ground!

Some Acrobats who couldn’t steady themselves fell to the ground, expressions panicked. “W-What’s happening??”

In the blink of an eye, a giant Performance Stage abruptly rose from the floor in the center of the Circus Hall!

This Performance Stage matched the Acrobatic Troupe’s style perfectly. It was strange, eerie, and magnificent. The stage curtains were painted with many comical clown portraits, making one’s hair stand on end at a glance. Stage lights shining down from the top of the Performance Stage flickered with brilliant golden light, illuminating everything in dazzling splendor.

A cheerful, bouncy nursery rhyme played from the Performance Stage, in an Instance Language the Players couldn’t understand. But presumably, this song was certainly welcoming the Noble Guest and the Acrobat’s Death.

Simultaneously, the Players also clearly saw the object placed on the wooden floor in the center of the Performance Stage.

…A black Coffin.

What drew even more attention was the giant Chainsaw beside the Coffin.

Jian Bumian walked forward a few steps, propping one hand on the edge of the Performance Stage. His Tailcoat hem lifted with the motion, and he flipped himself up onto the stage with ease.

He walked to the center of the Performance Stage and picked up the giant Chainsaw, which was more than half his own height.

Jian Bumian flipped the Chainsaw’s switch. The silver-white sharp gears spun at high speed. The piercing noise of the Chainsaw drowned out the cloying nursery rhyme.

The cold wind generated by the spinning gears blew his black hair strands up, completely revealing his exquisite looks.

His eyes flickered madly with an excited blue light, as if all the stars in the night sky of this Instance had secretly stolen into his eyes.

The beautiful, slender youth, holding in hand a giant murderous Chainsaw only seen in movies and shows, his expression excited and frenzied.

It didn’t cause any dissonance. Instead, there was a strange beauty in the contrast.

Jian Bumian tilted his head, casually scrutinizing the running Chainsaw for a few moments, and curled his lip.

“Not bad.”

Just right for slicing apart the Malicious Ghost he wanted to eat, so he could eat it slowly without choking.

He temporarily turned off the noisy Chainsaw, raised his head, and looked at the Malicious Ghost—or more precisely, at his meal.

The Silver-haired Man followed the stairs and unhurriedly stepped onto the Performance Stage.

His figure was very tall, more than a head taller than Jian Bumian. A dense black shadow completely covered Jian Bumian.

Very oppressive.

Jian Bumian wasn’t afraid at all. On the contrary, because the food was approaching, he felt an inexplicable pleasure.

Facing the Malicious Ghost, he extended his hand, wearing a black glove, inviting the other to come closer.

Jian Bumian’s movement was very elegant. Combined with his proper, handsome Tailcoat, his entire person truly seemed like an obedient, well-behaved little Attendant in a noble palace, respectfully inviting his Master to dine.

If one ignored the giant Chainsaw by his side.

The Silver-haired Man raised an eyebrow and placed his cold hand onto Jian Bumian’s palm.

Even though the youth was wearing thin, black formal gloves, the Malicious Ghost could still feel it was a delicate, beautiful hand. Warm skin, soft palm.

If he squeezed hard, it might leave an indelible red mark on the other’s hand.

The Malicious Ghost thought with pleasure.

Suddenly, the broadcast from the Circus Hall sounded:

“Esteemed Noble Guest, good evening. The acrobatic performance of ■■■ Acrobatic Troupe has begun. Next, we will present to you the first magic acrobatic act—’Chainsaw Devil’!”

“Acrobat, please do your utmost to deliver a thrilling and exciting performance for the Noble Guest!”

“Only by receiving the Noble Guest’s satisfactory evaluation will the Acrobat not be eliminated!”

The acrobatic performance had begun.

But before this, no one could have imagined that the honored Noble Guest would actually become the Acrobat at the mercy of others on the Performance Stage.

In the next instant, Jian Bumian abruptly lifted his foot and forcefully kicked the waist of the man beside him! Bang! He accurately kicked the other party into the black Coffin!

Jian Bumian approached the black Coffin.

The Silver-haired Man hadn’t expected that Jian Bumian, who seemed so gentle, would even resort to such a sneak attack when the other wasn’t prepared.

The Coffin was very large, just perfectly accommodating his figure.

His long silver hair spread out casually like silk brocade.

The originally uncreased fabric of his suit now had a faint shoe print at the waist from Jian Bumian’s sudden attack, very conspicuous and messy against the white fabric.

He narrowed his blood-red eyes, staring at the youth before him.

Jian Bumian also studied the person in the Coffin with considerable interest, looking down from above.

One had to say, this piece of his food was indeed very handsome.

Even he, who didn’t care much about appearances, thought so.

However, for Jian Bumian, handsomeness wasn’t important. What was important was that it was delicious.

This Coffin could perfectly serve as his plate, avoiding a mess when eating later.

Everything was prepared and ready. Only the two actions of cutting it into a size suitable for his eating and devouring it remained.

Hm… cut it first.

Bang!

Jian Bumian shut the heavy Coffin lid without any mercy!

Suddenly, Jian Bumian heard the cold, mechanical voice of the System resounding in his mind.

It somewhat spoiled the mood.

【Dear Mr. Jian Bumian, there are only the last five minutes remaining until the end of your Conquest Mission.】

【00:05:00】

【00:04:55】

The Countdown turned blood-red and began to jump rapidly.

The speed was much faster than before.

It seemed the entry of the Roaming-Class Boss had indeed disrupted all Time within this Instance.

And the Time was only decreasing, never increasing…

The Viewers had been completely engrossed in the standoff between Jian Bumian and the Malicious Ghost, having completely forgotten the existence of this Mission.

【?? Damn, I’ve been so focused on wanting Mianmian and the Malicious Ghost to fight quickly, I completely forgot Mianmian still has to confess mutually with the Malicious Ghost…】

【Five minutes??! Before it was clearly two hours!! This Instance is way too cheap!】

【Aaaaaaaa Mianmian, hurry and use that Threatening Knife!! Threaten this damn Malicious Ghost hard! Force him to say ‘I love you’!!】

【Replying to the brother above, it can’t be used. This Malicious Ghost is a Roaming-Class Boss, not a regular NPC. If the Threatening Knife is used on an overly powerful Malicious Ghost, the Player will suffer backlash instead, and thus be Erased.】

【…………Then I can’t think of any other way for Mianmian to complete this Conquest Mission. I’ll just silently pray! QAQ】

【Wifey has provoked this Malicious Ghost many times. I don’t know if the Malicious Ghost is angry, but anyway, the Malicious Ghost definitely won’t say ‘I love you’ to Mianmian now…】

Jian Bumian frowned. Finding the Bullet Comments noisy, he completely shut off the entire Livestream Room.

This System Mission, which he had almost forgotten, actually appeared right when he was about to enjoy his delicacy…

It really ruined his mood.

Jian Bumian lifted the heavy Chainsaw, his expression excited, murmuring:

“Earlier, you played Two-Person Blindfold Knife Throwing with me. This time, how about another acrobatic act with me? It will be a spectacular one, guaranteed to severely make up for the… regret you left in the Two-Person Blindfold Knife Throwing.”

He was actually a bit petty and held a grudge. He remembered how this piece of food had used the thrown dinner knife to cut several strands of his hair.

Growing hair wasn’t easy for anyone these days!

Jian Bumian pressed the red switch of the Chainsaw. The Chainsaw’s gears spun rapidly, flashing a silver-white afterimage!

He raised the Chainsaw and heavily slashed it down toward the black Coffin!

The magnificent, heavy black Coffin was split into two halves!

Even the wooden floor of the Performance Stage was cleaved open with cracks by the strike!

【Conquest Mission End Countdown: 00:03:20】

Jian Bumian pulled out the Chainsaw embedded deep in the floor and once again struck the Coffin!

The rapidly spinning Chainsaw gears kicked up gusts of strong, cold wind. Jian Bumian’s fragmented bangs were blown up strand by strand. His pretty face was filled entirely with an excited expression, the blue light in his eyes flickering madly.

What sprayed out from his Chainsaw strike just now wasn’t blood, but a rich, fragrant aroma of red wine.

A food scent that only Jian Bumian, who had been a Malicious Ghost before, could smell.

He desperately longed for the sweet, delicious red wine liquid to wash over his parched throat, to sate the part of his Soul belonging to the Malicious Ghost with a full meal.

Crunch—!

【Conquest Mission End Countdown: 00:03:20】

The Coffin was completely cut into three pieces.

The completion of this acrobatic act also required confirmation that the Acrobat inside the Coffin was intact.

An excellent magician would surely use various magic tricks to allow the partner in the Coffin to safely avoid the Chainsaw.

But Jian Bumian wasn’t a magician. He was just an ordinary Player who wanted to eat a Malicious Ghost.

Jian Bumian bent down to look at the severed cross-section of the Coffin where the Chainsaw had cut, and prepared… to have a full meal.

But when he looked at the severed Coffin cross-section… he actually found it black and empty inside.

The Malicious Ghost had long since escaped.

So, the original Malicious Ghost was the excellent “magician.”

Specialty: Running away.

Jian Bumian raised an eyebrow in displeasure, straightened up, and looked around.

Then, in a dark corner of the stage, he caught the food that had escaped.

Jian Bumian grabbed the man’s suit tie tightly, forcing the other to bend down and meet his gaze.

The man, unexpectedly, cooperated with Jian Bumian. His long silver hair, following the motion of bending over, fell strand by strand over his shoulders.

Jian Bumian was very displeased that the food he’d virtually had in his mouth had run away, and escaped completely unharmed!

He gritted his teeth, his expression flashing with anger.

Unfortunately, Jian Bumian’s outward appearance was too gentle, like a soft, fluffy kitten. Even when angry, he held no sense of threat whatsoever.

At most, one might just think his fluffed-up fur wasn’t comfortable to hold.

【Conquest Mission End Countdown: 00:02:00】

【Conquest Mission End Countdown: 00:001:58】

【…】

Only the last minute remained!

Yet Jian Bumian’s Conquest Mission was still without any progress.

Even at zero progress.