Chapter 5: Death Acrobatic Troupe 05 Part 2

Jian Bumian pressed his lips together: “Don’t rush to swallow just yet. I heard other Staff members coming this way, seems like they’re in a hurry.”

He had heard new footsteps.

Just as expected.

Footsteps, growing clearer, emanated from another large door hidden in the darkness.

A tall, thin man emerged from the door.

A small nameplate hung on his chest, stained with blood, but the text could vaguely be made out: —Acrobatic Troupe Leader.

It was the Acrobatic Troupe Leader!

Just from the name, this role was clearly a very important NPC in this instance.

The Acrobatic Troupe Leader swept a glance over Jian Bumian and the Handstand Ghost and frowned.

“What are you two doing here? A letter has arrived from the distinguished guest who is coming to watch the acrobatic performance in a few days, but I’m illiterate. Can one of you read it for me?”

Jian Bumian’s eyes lit up like a cat’s. He raised his hand: “Me! I’m literate!”

【Countdown: Three minutes (If the Sub-task is not completed after three minutes, the Player will be Erased on the spot. Time is life!)】

The Acrobatic Troupe Leader pulled a Letter from his Coat pocket and handed it to Jian Bumian.

Jian Bumian instantly tossed the Sword in his hand onto the ground in front of the Handstand Ghost with a clang and took the envelope.

The envelope was an overall platinum-white, engraved with slightly raised, gold-stamped intricate and magnificent patterns, sealed with a red wax seal that had already been opened. Even the envelope alone manifested the esteemed status of the guest who sent it.

Ah.

Jian Bumian’s long, thick eyelashes hung low. His eyes, now dusted with a layer of star-blue shimmer, were filled with an excited look.

He had discovered a treasure.

Jian Bumian suppressed the hand trembling slightly with delight and pulled the Letter paper from the envelope.

The platinum-white paper was similarly smooth, a faint scent of ink and paper emanating from it.

Jian Bumian unfolded the paper and glanced at the text written on it.

Immediately, he was dumbfounded.

The handwriting, written in black ink, was sloppy and careless.

…It looked a bit like cursive English script, but upon closer inspection, also somewhat resembled French.

Or perhaps it was a unique script created by this instance itself.

Jian Bumian glanced at the Handstand Ghost, who had been staring at him the whole time from the side.

The Handstand Ghost was very displeased he had thrown the Sword on the ground; it picked it up and sized him up with ill intent.

Far better to read the Letter than to swallow the Sword.

He could only ad-lib.

Given that the Acrobatic Troupe Leader NPC was also illiterate.

The similarly illiterate Jian Bumian held a piece of paper he couldn’t read at all and began to fabricate convincingly.

“Esteemed Acrobatic Troupe Leader, I shall grace your Troupe’s performance with my presence in three days. At that time, I hope to witness a splendid and brilliant acrobatic performance.

Furthermore, I hope the Troupe’s Staff can prepare a delicious meal for me. I enjoy eating rich, fatty foie gras, slightly stinky truffles, thick cod caviar, golden-fried crepes, duck confit with herb sauce… mm, and preferably paired with some aged red wine…”

In his narration, that mysterious and esteemed Guest seemed to have become an insatiably gluttonous, starving ghost.

The Acrobatic Troupe Leader listened silently and suddenly said: “Are you finished reading?”

The Handstand Ghost stroked the blade of the Sword with withered fingers, leaving traces of pale yellow, viscous Liquid on the smooth metal.

“Let him finish reading quickly. Once he’s done, I still need him to test the length of this sword.”

Jian Bumian realized that this troublesome ghost hadn’t been brushed off.

To swallow this disgusting Sword? He’d rather starve to death outright.

Simultaneously, the System’s amplified alarm sound rang in his ear.

【Countdown: One minute (If the Sub-task is not completed after one minute, the Player will be Erased on the spot. Time is life!)】

Acting as if he hadn’t heard the alarm, Jian Bumian’s expression showed no alteration, his gaze focused on the incomprehensible Letter paper, his mind full of improvised nonsense.

He cleared his throat lightly and continued:

“Finally, one ultimate request of utmost importance.”

“—I desire an Attendant to accompany me while watching the acrobatic performance. This Attendant must be a young male, with black hair, of an Eastern complexion, and imperatively, his body must be completely free of any damage.”

Hearing this, the Acrobatic Troupe Leader immediately revealed a profoundly meaningful, bizarre expression.

The Guests who came here to watch performances were mostly high-ranking and wealthy, often requiring some adorable, pretty little playthings to liven things up.

【Countdown: Twenty seconds】

Jian Bumian wasn’t flustered and continued his slow, deliberate fabrication:

“Troupe Leader, once you have selected a suitable Attendant for me, please have him take the dried Black Rose from within the envelope. When the time comes, upon seeing the person wearing that Rose, I will know he is my Attendant.”

Inside the envelope, there was indeed a dried, blackish Rose.

Jian Bumian had absolutely no idea what the purpose of this broken flower within the Letter was.

“Troupe Leader, that is the missive from the esteemed Guest.”

Jian Bumian placed the Letter paper back into the envelope.

【Countdown: Ten seconds】

He lifted his head and looked at the tall, thin NPC before him.

“Troupe Leader, I have a small request. Could I be allowed to receive this Black Rose and become the Attendant for that honored Guest?”

His voice, as always, was light and gentle.

His messy black hair stuck to the sides of his face from nervous perspiration, the corners of his eyes tinged with a faint blush. His eyes, concealed by long lashes, were filled with brilliant, starry blue specks of light.

Whether in the eyes of NPCs or Players, Jian Bumian’s first impression was always—very suited to being an excellent decorative piece.

The Troupe Leader scrutinized Jian Bumian for a few moments and nodded: “Good. You shall be the Attendant for that Guest. I will send you to his side when the time comes. And you don’t need to maintain the Troupe’s equipment, nor swallow the Sword. The Guest said your body must not be damaged.”

The Handstand Ghost gnashed its teeth in frustration and turned away most displeased.

【Countdown: Five seconds】

【Five】

【Four】

Jian Bumian chuckled softly: “Thank you, Troupe Leader.”

He opened the envelope and gently extracted the plant inside.

A Black Rose, darker than the deepest night, lay silently in the youth’s starkly pale palm.

【Two…】

The countdown suddenly froze.

【Congratulations! You have successfully completed Sub-task 001 at the very last second!】

【You have successfully obtained an item heavily tainted with the target NPC’s aura—the Black Rose! Please bring this delicate yet pitch-black Rose and have a romantic mutual death confession with the Malicious Ghost NPC!】

Jian Bumian lightly held the thorny stem of the Rose between his thumb and forefinger, letting out a faint, almost indiscernible chuckle.

From the moment he took this Letter from the Acrobatic Troupe Leader, he had smelled the aura of a Malicious Ghost.

Having served as a Malicious Ghost NPC for so long, he was naturally very familiar with this aura. It was the scent of his own kind.

And Jian Bumian could discern—

This Malicious Ghost was very powerful.

More powerful than all the other NPCs he’d encountered in this instance combined.

Following the usual pattern of the conquest target assignments…

The owner of this Letter was very likely the target NPC referred to by the 001 Strategy System.

Between the envelope and the Rose, he chose the Rose, as its aura was stronger.

He guessed that compared to the envelope, this Rose was the item that the target NPC had personally handled.

Very fortunately, he had bet correctly on both counts.

It seemed some small habits leftover from his time as an NPC, like the ability to discern if an aura belonged to a stronger Malicious Ghost, could still be useful in critical moments. Just a tiny bit of use.

Jian Bumian brought the Rose close to his nose tip and lightly sniffed.

His starkly pale skin formed a stark contrast with the Black Rose.

The night-black Rose petals slid down the youth’s nose tip until they lightly touched his rosy lips.

He lowered his eyelids and parted his lips. His snow-white teeth left a watery bite mark on one petal.

The aura clinging to the Rose, upon careful smelling, carried a hint of an elegant wine-like scent.

It was an aroma he liked.

Jian Bumian anticipated the day he would meet the target NPC more and more.

He put away the Rose and looked down, glancing at the Letter still in his hand.

The script on the Letter, upon closer inspection, was actually quite elegant and dignified, densely covering a large area.

It looked as if this target NPC wanted to convey something important.

Too bad Jian Bumian didn’t know this script. Whatever important thing the other party wrote was for nothing. Who told them not to speak human language?

Besides, the only use for this Letter had already been exhausted by him.

Jian Bumian crumpled the Letter into a ball, tossed it lightly onto the ground, and walked over it carelessly.

The viewers in the livestream room were dazed by Jian Bumian’s series of operations.

Initially, Jian Bumian had been at a complete disadvantage.

About to be Erased by the Strategy System, forced by the NPC to swallow a sword, confronting the Acrobatic Troupe Leader…

But from the moment he took the “Guest’s Letter” from the Acrobatic Troupe Leader, the situation suddenly reversed.

【Does Mianmian actually know this script or not? Were the things he said real or just made up on the spot?】

【If he completely fabricated the content of this Letter, he’s done for. It means he’ll have to play the role of the NPC Attendant at that time, maneuvering around the most dangerous Guest. But, his prop for playing an NPC is already used up; he has no way to impersonate an Attendant NPC. If the Acrobatic Troupe Leader finds out he was lying, the consequences are unimaginable.】

【How did this player detect that the Letter carried the aura of the target NPC??】

【…Feels like wifey biting the Rose was so hot, aaaaaaah, I saw tiny tiger teeth!!】

【I’ve imagined the scene: a powerful Malicious Ghost and a beautiful little Attendant who proactively delivered himself. Slurp, slurp.】

【Looking forward to seeing what methods wifey uses to entice the target into saying ‘I love you.’ I believe wifey can win!】

After the Acrobatic Troupe Leader left.

Jian Bumian wanted to return to the dormitory to see what befell those who had run out of it.

As he took a step, he suddenly remembered someone else was following him.

Jian Bumian turned his head and saw Qin Yihan, utterly terrified.

Qin Yihan stared wide-eyed at Jian Bumian.

In Qin Yihan’s eyes, the youth’s gentle and mild expression was now tinged with a hint of excitement.

He saw in Jian Bumian’s eyes a glimmer of something inhuman—a blue Light.

This blue Light seemed vaguely familiar.

Like the starry river in the deep, dark night after rain.

Twinkling, dazzling, pristine.

Simultaneously, like an endlessly quiet abyss, capable of swallowing everything.

Qin Yihan suddenly felt an inexplicable fear.

His mind was completely blank—

Finally, Qin Yihan gasped sharply, his voice trembling:

“Jian, Jian Bumian, why… why were your eyes glowing blue just now?”