Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 127
Ethan’s once-shrinking gaze sharpened in an instant.
His mind raced, piecing together the fragments at breakneck speed.
Only five people knew about his clears of Blackwood Castle and Madam Arachne: Clara, Oliver, Bennett, Hazel, Wesley.
From what they’d said, the Dreamplay club had a display listing uncleared Dreamplays.
It showed three states.
One: the full roster of unbeaten Dreamplays.
Two: the upcoming slate.
Three: those in progress.
Once cleared, a Dreamplay vanished from the board.
By the way, no participant names appeared; invites came via dreams three days prior.
Post-clear, they returned to the club—that’s when members learned the victors.
Ethan had never set foot in the club, so no one should’ve known his Blackwood Castle feat.
Clara pieced it together purely because the clear hit that night, yet Ethan never showed at the club.
Oliver and the other three learned from his own lips during their shared Madam Arachne run.
Clara had mentioned only four cleared Madam Arachne—no Ethan listed, meaning they hadn’t spilled at the club.
So, at least, his info hadn’t leaked there.
Could it have slipped from the Nightmare Game?
Ethan mulled it over. Per Clara, you needed five-plus Dreamplay clears for a shot at Nightmare Game entry.
Special ones fast-tracked it: no audit, just a referral.
This shadowy offline club, host unseen, offered perks.
Like previewing next month’s Dreamplays, with pick priority.
Plus, scouting backups or hiring out—though restricted.
Some Dreamplays banned outsiders; others capped at two max.
Unlike the main club, Nightmare Game listed members under selected or assigned Dreamplays.
But only Nightmare Gamers; outsiders and online clubbers stayed off.
So no exposure risk for Ethan.
Unless—
He eyed Maya thoughtfully, scanning her face for clues, as if peeling back layers.
Maya hadn’t expected the flip; his stare prickled her skin, drawing a faint frown.
Soon, he asked abruptly, “What’s your connection to Oliver?”
“Huh...?”
Maya blanked, like her brain shorted; she blinked, confusion flooding her face.
“Huh!?”
Snapping back, she bolted upright, palms slamming the table with a thunderous smack.
“Wait—”
She jabbed a finger at Ethan, sputtering “you” a few times.
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