After having confirmed everyone’s intentions, Mu Jiashi immediately went for Xü Beijin without delay to tell him about the candidates.
XĂĽ Beijin is naturally surprised at the expedition with which Mu Jiashi has assembled Missiontakers.
And as Mu Jiashi lists the people out one by one, XĂĽ Beijin is speechless.
What, is this a highschool reunion?
Never mind. At least people that know each other in general would be more reliable than strangers.
Mu Jiashi explains, “some of the Missiontakers were recommended by Ding Yi and Jiang Shuangmei. I was going to invite the two of them, but…”
Xü Beijin interrupts him to ask, “Ding Yi?”
Mu Jiashi blanks out for a moment, and asks, “yes… what is it?”
“She was a… Necessities Merchant?”
“One of the most well-known and prominent Necessities Merchant… once upon a time. Yes…”
Xü Beijin falls into thought for a moment, and tells Mu Jiashi, “please, ask her to come here for a bit. I have a favour to ask of her. Also, the list is good. Let’s go with that.”
Mu Jiashi nods, and is curious why XĂĽ Beijin is looking for Ding Yi.
He wastes no time, though, and gets ahold of Ding Yi as soon as possible. She’s also confused that Xü Beijin wants to ask her a favour, but regardless, they’re back at Xü Beijin’s bookstore.
When they arrive, they see XĂĽ Beijin standing by the window, staring out at the grey fog intently.
But his expression is tired, and his eyelids look like they might snap shut at any moment; he is deep in thought.
Mu Jiashi, curious again, observes XĂĽ Beijin quietly.
He is really interested in knowing what this mysterious and puzzling bookstore owner knows.
Was it really Lin Qin who changed his stance? Wu Jian seems adamant, but Mu Jiashi still finds it hard to believe.
After all, Xü Beijin looks nowhere like someone who acts on impulsion or love. Actually, it might be the other way around, with Lin Qin’s brawn overshadowing his brain…
Perhaps Xü Beijin could change because of Lin Qin, but it’s hard to imagine him completely reversing a stance because of love.
How did it happen? Would it relate to his identity as a Tower resident somehow?
But wait… A Tower resident?
Mu Jiashi suddenly realises something.
This is contradictory, but they have never noticed it before.
That is, if XĂĽ Beijin were a Tower resident, it must mean he is one of them. A human.
Then why, through all these years, would he have done nothing about it? Why would he not want his Nightmare to open up?
Clearly, some circumstances must be at play, here.
And his stance, too. He should naturally be on the side of the humans! He is a human, after all!
There must be something more to it.
Mu Jiashi so thinks.
After interacting with him more, he has come to understand that while XĂĽ Beijin often acts rather mysteriously and enjoys speaking in riddles, but he is definitely not a difficult person to deal with. And he has seen nothing that would suggest that he is antagonistic in any way.
So what could lead to him staying silent for years on end?
He knows the truth. Then why is he unwilling, or more likely, unable to save the humans trapped in the Tower?
With the list of Missiontakers and everything else settled, and only tomorrow night’s entry into Xü Beijin’s Nightmare awaiting them, Mu Jiashi has time to overthink things.
Xü Beijin heard them come in already, and so turns around, only to see Mu Jiashi looking odd. He asks, “what’s wrong? Do you have something you still don’t understand?”
Mu Jiashi hesitates a bit, but he finds the question too gnawing not to ask, “can I ask why… all these years, you have not said a single word?”
Xü Beijin’s eyes widen a little.
Then shortly after, he sighs, and says, “to put it in your words…”
Mu Jiashi, confused, looks at him closely. What do you mean to put it in his words?
Xü Beijin then says, “I’m a loser.”
Mu Jiashi “…”
Ding Yi reflexively wants to chuckle, but then, realising what XĂĽ Beijin must be referring to, her expression becomes more conflicted.
Xü Beijin says, “before this time… I have been powerless,” then he forces a smile and tells them, “I do apologise. Maybe I should have done this earlier…”
“No,” Mu Jiashi interrupts him, saying, “this is not your fault.”
Mu Jiashi’s rather sharp, and perhaps uncompromising nature is showing through his tone, “a defeat will always come to pass. There will come one day, when we can leave this damned place,” he says, “yes. One day.”
XĂĽ Beijin is looking at him with a heavy complexion. He does not even at least affirm Mu Jiashi, who can see that there is something he wants the both of them to know. Something he cannot put into words.
But soon enough, Xü Beijin puts his mask back on. He calmly smiles, and says, “of course. And good luck.”
Mu Jiashi, surprised by the development, still wants to ask something.
But Xü Beijin has already turned around to speak to Ding Yi, “there is something I need to ask you to do.”
Ding Yi nods firmly, “yes, sir…”
Xü Beijin is already too used to it to care about the Missiontakers using weirdly deferential terms of address——There’s Mu Jiashi, and now there’s Ding Yi. Is he really that much of a high and mighty figure that they have to put distance between them while speaking?
Of course, it’s too petty to point that out right now.
“If you want to leave the Tower, you will need to trigger…” Xü Beijin pauses before continuing, “what you call, the Ultimate Nightmare.”
Mu Jiashi and Ding Yi both appear stunned.
Then Xü Beijin explains, “I will need you to convince as many Missiontakers as possible, to perform a certain action at a certain moment in the near future——In order to open up the Ultimate Nightmare.”
Ding Yi nods solemnly, and then, she seems hesitant, but still asks, “what is there in the Ultimate Nightmare?”
Xü Beijin pulls the excuse he gave Dai Wu and Su Enya back out, “in a certain sense, the exit to the Tower, is inside the Ultimate Nightmare.”
Hearing that, while Ding Yi didn’t seem to react strongly, but Mu Jiashi’s face quickly pales.
He is recalling the humorous discussion he had with Fei and Wu Jian.
What kind of information would be something that only NE would know about?
——Where the exit to the Tower is.
XĂĽ Beijin says that the exit to the Tower is in the Ultimate Nightmare. He is also implying that he knows exactly how to get into the Nightmare.