Chapter 50: Fire

A sudden explosion shook almost the entire Science Building, instantly drawing a crowd of students.

“What happened, what happened?”

“Damn, there’s a fire on the sixth floor!”

“Could it be a terrorist attack?”

Many people upstairs were escaping down the fire escape, and more and more people gathered below, with some even pulling out their phones to record.

“Aren’t there a lot of Club Classrooms on the sixth floor? Someone must be in real danger up there!” a teacher who arrived late blurted out.

Snapping back to his senses at those words, Lu Yunze muttered instinctively, “Jiang Sui…” Without a second thought, he dashed straight into the Science Building.

While everyone else was panicking and fleeing, only he was running against the flow, his figure especially conspicuous, ignoring even the teacher’s shouts behind him.

Relying on the explosive strength of the Anchor Point in his legs, Lu Yunze leapt over entire flights of stairs at a time, reaching the sixth floor in just moments.

Though the acrid black smoke obscured his vision, Lu Yunze could still tell where the fire had started—it was the Music Club’s Club Classroom!

A student, covering his nose and mouth, ran out of the smoke and nearly crashed into him.

“Where are the others?” Lu Yunze remembered he was also a member of the Music Club and quickly stopped him to ask, “What exactly happened?”

Why would there be an explosion in the Classroom out of nowhere?

“I—I don’t know.” The student was already scared out of his wits, barely able to speak. “If you don’t want to be burned alive, just get out of here.” With that, he ran off.

Was he the only one who made it out?

Lu Yunze tore a strip of cloth from his shirt, ran to the restroom to soak it with water, wrapped it around his face, and then rushed into the blaze.

The once lively Classroom was now left with only “heat.” The raging flames dyed everything in sight red, thick black smoke stinging his eyes and nerves with every passing second.

The awards and Club commendations hanging on the wall had long since turned to ash in the flames, and the musical instruments had become fuel for the fire.

Many people lay on the floor, some still conscious, others completely passed out.

Anyone who entered his line of sight, Lu Yunze would hoist onto his back and carry out, setting them down in the hallway before rushing back into the flames.

He moved quickly and urgently, nearly tripping several times, but always steadied himself at the last moment, remembering he carried someone on his shoulders.

More and more people were laid out in the hallway, and soon there was almost no one left in the Classroom.

Standing in the heart of the fire, Lu Yunze rubbed his smoke-stung eyes, not missing a single corner with his gaze.

“Is… that you, Lu Yunze?”

That voice…

Following the sound, Lu Yunze saw the Club President, Wu Xuan, collapsed in the corner, his raised arm about to fall like a kite with a broken string.

“Senior!”

When he got closer, Lu Yunze finally saw his miserable state—no wonder he hadn’t noticed him before.

The conference table had been overturned by the blast and pinned Wu Xuan beneath it. That he was still conscious was a miracle.

“Lu Yunze, get out… It’s going to collapse.” Wu Xuan’s voice was barely a whisper. “Save yourself first, I’m afraid I won’t make it.”

The table was heavy and already glowing red-hot. Wu Xuan was suffering both from the weight and the heat.

Lu Yunze said nothing, clenching his fist and striking down with all his strength.

Bang!

Before Wu Xuan’s stunned eyes, the table was sent flying by a single punch, crashing into the wall and shattering.

“Let’s go, Senior. The Club still needs your leadership.”

Lu Yunze carried Wu Xuan out of the Classroom and laid him down in the hallway, together with the other Club members.

He wanted to go back in and check one last time, but the sound of collapsing debris behind him told him there was no way back in—the entrance was completely blocked.

Exhausted, Lu Yunze slumped to the ground. Soon, the distant wail of sirens reached his ears, and fully equipped Firefighters rushed up the stairs.

Even the Firefighters were stunned to see the injured lined up neatly in the hallway, but quickly began evacuating them, including Lu Yunze, whose clothes were only singed.

Thanks to Lu Yunze’s heroic actions, no lives were lost in the accident. Only Wu Xuan was seriously injured and was the first to be taken away in the ambulance.

As the Sunset faded and Nightfall blanketed the sky, the aftermath of the incident gradually settled. The Science Building, once surrounded by onlookers, became quiet again.

When the students detoured around the Science Building and began discussing what to eat for dinner, Lu Yunze, under the Moonlight, slipped past the Police guarding the scene and returned, his face grave.

Among those rescued, Jiang Sui was not found.

The Firefighters who went down after putting out the fire didn’t find any other victims inside, either.

Where had Jiang Sui gone?

Thinking she might still be nearby, Lu Yunze had returned, but even after the Firefighters left, he still didn’t see any sign of her.

The fact that the Club Classroom had exploded for no reason already made Lu Yunze uneasy. Not seeing Jiang Sui, who should have been inside, made him even more unsettled.

There had to be something fishy about this!

He quietly climbed the stairs to the sixth floor, crossed the Police tape, and stood at the doorway, surveying the devastated Classroom.

It was scorched pitch-black.

There was no sign of any living person.

Could it be that I’m overthinking things, and Jiang Sui had already gone home?

But then, what about Wu Xuan’s call? From the time Lu Yunze received the call to the explosion, it had only been a few minutes.

If Jiang Sui had really left earlier, what would have been the point of her coming to the Classroom?

Recalling the mysterious smile on that girl’s face and her talk of a “Secret,” a terrible thought took root in Lu Yunze’s mind.

He rubbed his chin, trying not to let that thought take over.

Better go home first. With Jiang Sui’s cleverness, she’d surely find a way to escape even in danger.

Just as he turned around, Lu Yunze suddenly froze at the sight of something in his field of vision. He hurried to the edge of the corridor railing and looked up.

“That person is…”

It was too far to see clearly, so Lu Yunze ran upstairs at once, kicking open the rusted iron door to the rooftop.

Bathed in Moonlight, he finally saw the full figure clearly, his pupils trembling slightly.

“Jiang Sui?”

Hearing his voice, the girl turned around, a flicker of surprise in her indifferent eyes.

“What are you doing here? I thought something had happened to you.”

Lu Yunze’s smile froze halfway through his sentence.

The Jiang Sui before him showed no reaction upon seeing him, her pale purple eyes reflecting only the cold light of the moon.

The night breeze lifted her hair, raising and dropping it stiffly; a few strands clung to her pallid cheek, yet didn’t tremble in the slightest. Moonlight flowed along her shoulders, pooling in the folds of her clothes like silver frost, outlining a scene both beautiful and eerie.

Lu Yunze’s smile faded.

“You’d better explain the explosion this afternoon. Was it your doing, or your friend’s?”

As he spoke, he approached her, watching her every expression closely.

His hostility was obvious, but Jiang Sui still didn’t react, nor did she answer his question.

“If something happened, just tell me. You’re a Servant of the Luo Family. No matter what, I won’t just stand by and watch.”

Jiang Sui finally responded. She raised her hand and pointed behind Lu Yunze.

“You should be worrying about yourself.”

“Behi—”

Lu Yunze instantly bent down, dodging a deadly attack from behind.

“Hm?!”

The attacker clearly hadn’t expected to be discovered, glancing back and forth between Jiang Sui and Lu Yunze.

Pulling back, Lu Yunze sized up the figure before him—a person in a black robe, hood up, only the hand gripping the dagger gleaming with a chilling light.

As the two faced off, Jiang Sui leisurely strolled to the edge of the rooftop, crossed her legs, propped up her chin, as if watching a good show.

“Tsk, why are there always so many busybodies?”

While the black-robed person was still complaining, Lu Yunze had already sprung into action.

The instant he moved, cracks spread under his feet. With the explosive power of the Anchor Point, Lu Yunze’s figure turned into a blur, shattering the air as he charged straight at the black-robed person.

The black-robed figure reacted and retreated, but Lu Yunze’s hand still grazed their cheek.

Rip!

Lu Yunze forcibly tore off the hood. Seeing the face beneath, he couldn’t help but exclaim:

“Jin Shun?”

After the initial shock, Lu Yunze’s expression turned to anger—this was exactly the sort of thing he’d do.

Was this aimed at me, or at Jiang Sui?

Exposed, Jin Shun’s face turned pale, then green. As Lu Yunze lunged again, Jin Shun simply stood there, grinning.

Lu Yunze’s fist went straight through his body—no resistance at all. Jin Shun dispersed like mist in the wind right before Lu Yunze’s eyes.

What kind of Secret technique was this?

Not sure what trick the other party had played, Lu Yunze remained alert for a while before confirming he had truly left.

Turning again to Jiang Sui, Lu Yunze couldn’t help but speak.

“You showing up here—was all this planned?”

“……”

“Not talking, so you’re admitting it?”

Jiang Sui poked her lower lip, just gave a faint smile, waved goodbye, and let herself fall backward.

“Hey!”

Lu Yunze rushed forward, but looking down, all he saw were the brightly lit streets—there was no sign of the little maid at all.

Lu Yunze pressed his lips tightly together, maintaining that posture until the commotion drew the Police up to take him away.