Volume 5 - CH 90.5

After Lin Qin has finished recounting what happened to the Missiontakers the last run, he asks with a straight face, “so, what do you think I should do now?”

Calmly, openly watching Xü Beijin, he looks like he would really do anything Xü Beijin tells him to. Like he said, in the Nightmare, and even in the Tower, he only trusts Xü Beijin alone.

So he would ditch his companions without a second thought and look for Xü Beijin, to ask for his advice.

… Not that he would have had the patience to deal with them regardless.

But so what? A chance to interact with his love is not to be squandered for anything. His instincts allow him to ignore all obstructions, doubts and hesitations and get to the point.

Lin Qin is pretty sure he likes Xü Beijin. Yes.

In his life, there has never been someone like Xü Beijin. His black-and-white, fleeting memories have been largely replaced by Xü Beijin alone, now.

That eyesore of a little speck of light has now already turned into something inalienable from his whole world; Xü Beijin is already part of what makes Lin Qin, Lin Qin.

So Lin Qin would say, could Xü Beijin just come and go in his mind as he pleases? Of course not.

For the empty cave is filled, and echoes rebound ceaselessly.

Xü Beijin appeared. He made him care for him, so… it’s normal for Lin Qin to feel that he likes him, yes?

Thus, he escaped all other lines of thought and meaningless confusions. That is who he is. Straightforward, simplistic, ploughing through problems like a storm, instead of thinking.

And his conclusion has been­­──If everyone says his actions can only have been motivated by romantic affection, then obviously that makes his motivation romantic affection.

This means he likes Xü Beijin.

He will worry for his body, wonder about his likes and dislikes, want to impose on his life, wish to indulge in times spent with him, wander to his side subconsciously…

So, he must like him. Yes.

Lin Qin continues the internal monologue as he watches Xü Beijin.

­­──Without a doubt, he likes him.

Lin Qin is happy and actually gloating a little in his expression. See how hard he thought about the problem, and has come up with a satisfactory answer?

In his empty world, is now finally, a refreshing, vibrant splotch of colour.

He likes how it feels. He likes how it feels like when he likes Xü Beijin.

He watches Xü Beijin, looking like he could keep staring, staring, staring, until their lives are extinguished.

Xü Beijin, meanwhile, has goosebumps all over from the stares. He has been on the receiving end of the gaze for a long time now, whether it was when Lin Qin bugged him to fight, or when Lin Qin confessed to him out of nowhere.

Xü Beijin is used to it, but right now, at this very moment, he finds Lin Qin’s gaze somewhat… diabetically sweet.

He takes a deep breath, and tries to shake what must be his imagination playing tricks on him out.

Instead, Xü Beijin decides to focus on the Nightmare at hand.

He looks at the little girl to think, then finally says, “perhaps you could try to take the little girl below the 9th floor.”

Lin Qin blinks, and blurts out, “fight fire with fire?”

Xü Beijin “…”

… If you really have to say so…

“… Yeah, kind of.”

Xü Beijin, not having anything better to reply with, says.

Lin Qin tilts his head to ask, “do you not happy with what I said?”

Xü Beijin tries to clarify himself, “I feel like that analogy isn’t too keeping in with reality, but it is quite the compelling imagery…”

Lin Qin simply, cheerfully responds, “then I’ll just not use it,” and he switches the topic to praise Xü Beijin with a genuine tone, “you’re amazing, I didn’t think of that method at all.”

Xü Beijin “…”

… Oh bugger off! Are you even Lin Qin anymore?! What is that supposed to mean? Give me back the real Lin Qin!

Xü Beijin is now looking at Lin Qin like looking at a monster.

Lin Qin returns the gaze with confusion.

The little girl is looking up at the two of them, seemingly confused but inquisitive.

While they are having a staring contest, the rest of the Missiontakers have finally hurried their way to the 16th floor all the way from the top floor.

Along the way, they looked at the 31st floor and the 20th floor, where the photograph was, but nothing fruitful turned up.

That is when Wu Jian suggested, “the dalao might have found the little girl and took her to the 16th floor.

“Possibly,” Suits nods but then asks, “why are you sure it’s the 16th and not the 9th?”

Wu Jian “…”

He awkwardly smiles. Haven’t you heard about the fiery rumours on the bottom floor? You already know the target of his affections is on the 16th floor…

Though, that said, have they actually told Suits it was the bookstore owner on the 16th floor that they talked to…? Right, no. Suits couldn’t have known even if he knew the rumour.

Talking behind the dalao’s back is not exactly on Wu Jian’s mind, as he’s kind of terrified of Lin Qin’s fighting strength. He keeps his mouth shut on the matter in spite of his urge to share, and merely tries to explain Lin Qin as he understands him, “Lin Qin dalao is a pretty straightforward guy. So, if he found the little girl, he’d probably head for the closest floor with a woman claiming to be the little girl’s mother; I would have done the same if it was me, I think.”

Suits nods and says, “I see, that makes sense,” he then counters the point, “but if he really did take the little girl to that woman, then the Nightmare should have ended. So… What’s going on?”

Fei then suggests softly, “regardless, we can go and check the 16th floor first.”

And also, she thinks, she has some… things, she would be interested in conversing with the bookstore owner about.

The mysterious bookstore owner. The Tower resident with a fearsome reputation on the bottom floor, with a Nightmare that not a single soul knows about… Could he be keeping some enormous secret hidden?

As soon as Fei realised a problem with who the Tower residents really are, she has been dying to talk to Xü Beijin.

Regarding… regarding, what she has decided to label ‘Acting.’ Regarding her guesses.

So, the Missiontakers have arrived on the 16th floor.

Lin Qin was just about to take the little girl down below the 9th floor, but with the other Missiontakers here, he decides to stop and wait.

Then he tells them what the woman explained briefly, which allows them to finally grasp what happened in this Nightmare.

Suits looks at the little girl and murmurs, “it looks like only taking the little girl with us to explore would have yielded the most information.”

Fei nods and glances over at Teen before hesitantly suggesting, “so, if we brought her below the 9th floor…”

Hearing that, Lin Qin says with a kind of kindred pride, “Beijin also told me to take her below the 9th floor.”

Beijin?

Those who know Xü Beijin looks at him with seriously odd gazes; those who don’t, noticing the others’ gazes, also look at Xü Beijin with bafflement.

Xü Beijin “…”

Finally, he has experienced what it feels like to commit social suicide, he thinks, with a poker face expression.