Xunian reflected on Yuan Shen’s behavior over the past few days but couldn’t find any flaws.
“Yuan Shen didn’t break any Rules, right?”
Qi Ye thought for a moment. “It seems… he really didn’t.”
At least in front of them, Yuan Shen hadn’t violated a single regulation.
[Rule Five]: Do not linger in the classroom after school ends at 7 p.m.
If Zhang San died because he broke Rule Five by staying in the classroom, then how do they explain Yuan Shen’s death?
Could he die without breaking any Rules?
The Rules are supreme in the Guaitan World. Maybe he broke some hidden, unknown Rule?
Xunian thought about the erased marks beneath the fifth Rule on the Blackboard and frowned slightly.
Perhaps, there is a Rule Six…
“Hey, Qi Dong, I’m talking to you. Did Yuan Shen break any Rules?”
Ran Feng waved his hand in front of Qi Dong, who was acting mysteriously, but she gave no response.
“We’re doomed, she really came to get us… we’re finished…”
Qi Dong seemed deaf to his words, collapsed on the tiled floor of the bathroom, crying and muttering to herself as if possessed.
Ran Feng couldn’t get anything out of her in that state.
Glancing at his watch, less than ten minutes remained before class started. He finally suggested,
“Let’s just go to class first.”
“What about Qi Dong?”
Qi Ye glanced at Qi Dong with some pity in his eyes.
“She’s like that now. We can’t get anything out of her. She’s useless.”
Ran Feng held a grudge—he hadn’t forgotten that Yuan Shen and Qi Dong had teamed up to spread rumors blaming him for killing Zhang San.
“Yeah, she’s useless.”
Shen Mosi repeated his words from beside him.
Qi Dong shuddered at her voice.
Xunian regarded Shen Mosi thoughtfully, then looked at the pitiful Qi Dong. Rarely taking the initiative, she spoke up,
“Let’s just leave her here. Keeping her around is just a burden anyway.”
Hearing Xunian’s words, a flash of disgust crossed Qi Dong’s dull eyes.
Qi Ye’s eyes widened in disbelief. He never thought Xunian, who always seemed cold but kind-hearted—helping him so many times—would say something like this.
If even someone as kind as Xunian didn’t want to help Qi Dong, then it must be Qi Dong’s own problem.
Everyone else turned to return to the classroom, and Qi Ye was about to follow.
Just as he reached the door, something tugged on his pant leg.
A woman on the ground, face disfigured, begged him, “Save me…”
After hesitating for a long moment, the man finally crouched down.
……
Ran Feng asked, “What class is this?”
“Language Class.”
Qi Ye entered and subconsciously answered for him.
The woman no longer acted arrogant but followed him timidly, her hand bound by an Iron Chain, the other end attached to a bloodstained Iron Bracelet.
“Why did you bring her back?” Ran Feng asked with displeasure.
Qi Ye sighed. “I just… felt sorry for her.”
Qi Dong tried to grab his hand dependently, but he pulled away.
Displeasure flashed in Qi Dong’s eyes.
She cursed silently, “Idiot,” then reverted to a timid, cautious demeanor, clutching the hem of Qi Ye’s clothes.
Xunian watched this scene and felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Wasn’t this the same tactic Shen Mosi often used on her? The tea-drama flavor was almost overflowing…
It’s true: the one involved is blinded, but the bystander sees clearly.
Only after seeing Shen Mosi’s true colors did she realize how petty she had been back then.
Suddenly, a warm touch appeared on her hand. Slender fingers tried to intertwine with hers.
Xunian glanced to the side and met Shen Mosi’s radiant smile, sweet as honey.
Her heart skipped a beat.
She seemed used to this fluttering feeling by now, able to keep calm even when her heart pounded.
Xunian didn’t pull away and allowed Shen Mosi to hold her hand.
Shen Mosi looked at her sitting so seriously, her ears burning red as she let out a barely audible giggle.
Noticing the secret smile, Xunian shot her a glance.
She was already pushing her luck again.
Class time arrived.
The Players held their breath, waiting for the eerie Teacher to appear.
The door creaked open slowly.
But outside was empty.
Where was the Teacher?
A gust of wind blew in, rustling the Class Schedule pinned to the edge of the Blackboard.
Everyone’s heart raced as they stared at the door, fearing something unexpected.
Still, no sign of the Teacher.
Suddenly, the Chalk Eraser on the podium floated up, flying toward the Blackboard, catching everyone’s attention.
The sound of the eraser scraping against the board echoed sharply in the quiet classroom, as harsh and grating as nails on rusty iron.
As the Chalk Eraser cleaned the board, chalk began to float up and write—one stroke at a time—something on the board… a poem?
“Recite. Exam in ten minutes.”
Out of nowhere, a middle-aged man’s voice sounded, catching everyone off guard and sending cold sweat down their backs.
“Li Yue, you come up and recite.”
A book on a desk floated into the air.
“Very good.”
The voice suddenly whispered in Qi Ye’s ear, startling him. He glanced nervously at the air beside him, feeling a chilling breeze pass by—it was eerie.
“Next, Xue Buhui.”
No one stood up.
Fear gripped everyone’s hearts.
“No answers?”
Ran Feng suddenly realized something, jumped onto a chair, and frantically opened his book. The name “Xue Buhui” was clearly written inside.
This is bad!
He immediately began reciting aloud, “From the thirty-thousand-li-long river eastward into the sea, five-thousand-zhang-high mountains touch the sky…”
But he was too slow. It was already too late.
The ink on the pages suddenly pooled and seeped into his hands. Before he could react, his veins darkened and turned murky black.
He could only hold his arm tightly and forced himself to finish reciting the rest of the poem.
The moment he finished, the ink inside him stopped spreading.
Ran Feng collapsed back into his seat, barely catching his breath before his face changed.
He gagged and covered his mouth.
Then black ink began to spill from the corners of his lips.
Unable to hold on any longer, Ran Feng clutched the desk and vomited large mouthfuls of thick black liquid.
“Ugh—”
He kept retching, as if trying to expel everything from his stomach.
When he could vomit no more, his face still looked unwell. Desperate, he reached his fingers into his throat.
More dry heaving followed, and the jet-black bile dripped onto the floor.
Ran Feng seemed completely drained of strength, resting his head on the desk and gasping for fresh air.
The invisible Language Teacher continued the lesson above.
Except for Qi Ye, who frowned in terror at Ran Feng’s black vomit, no one else seemed to notice.
Xunian paid no mind to Ran Feng’s commotion.
She listened to the lesson while piecing together fragments she had taken from Shen Mosi’s desk.
As the pieces formed a photo, the image gradually emerged.
Xunian felt a flame of anger ignite inside her.
Her previously calm gaze grew icy cold, and her brows furrowed tighter.