Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Everyone looked toward the doorway. The moment they saw the state of the person standing there, they could hardly tear their eyes away. Disbelief filled every face.

Xiao Huai’s hair was disheveled, with a few locks visibly singed. His face was pale as paper, his clothes lay in tatters, and bone-deep wounds covered his body, pouring blood. Yet the corner of his bloodstained mouth curved gently upward.

Under everyone’s stunned gaze, he slowly walked to his seat.

The smell of blood abruptly filled the classroom. Hu Jiang could not stop staring at Xiao Huai. In a soft, concerned voice, he asked, “Xiao, are you all right?”

Only half a day had passed. That morning, Xiao Huai had left with nothing worse than a broken wrist. Why did he look half-dead upon his return?

Xiao Huai raised his right hand, which had sustained less damage than any other part of his body.

“I’m fine. I can still write.”

He delivered the airy reply, then took a roll of bandages from his pocket and did his best to tend to the wounds that were still bleeding.

The players beside him did not even dare to look. Damn, it hurt just watching him.

Without so much as furrowing his brow, Xiao Huai sprayed medicine directly onto the exposed bone. The mingled stench of blood and medication made everyone nearby pinch their noses.

Xiao Huai ignored them. Only the fresh cold sweat beading across his forehead proved that he really was human.

He truly was in agony.

He Lecheng arched a brow and studied Xiao Huai for several extra moments. Two minutes remained before evening study.

Whatever Xiao Huai chose to do during those two minutes was irrelevant.

As for how he had been injured so severely, only Xiao Huai knew.

After the test, He Lecheng smiled at everyone. “Rest well tonight, students. I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t forget: the standardized exam is in four days.”

Only after He Lecheng left did the players breathe sighs of relief.

Xiao Huai remained asleep with his head on his desk. The instant he had finished the test, he had fallen asleep.

But anyone with eyes could tell that he had not simply dozed off. Exhaustion had made him lose consciousness.

Pan Qing looked at Xiao Huai, intending to ask what he had done all afternoon. One glance at his condition promptly made him abandon the question.

Ning Gaoqiang spat on the floor. “Serves him right. That bastard is always courting death.”

Hu Jiang responded timidly, “Brother Ning, you can’t say that… He’s still our roommate.”

“Heh. So what if he’s our roommate? I can’t stand pretty boys. Look at the state of him now. I’m glad someone finally taught him a lesson.”

Hu Jiang glared at him. “You!”

He knew Ning Gaoqiang was no decent man, but cursing a teammate like this was going too far.

Just then, Xiao Huai’s low laughter drifted from the desk by the window.

Ning Gaoqiang immediately shut his mouth.

Xiao Huai raised his eyes. Several streaks of dried blood still marked his face, lending him a sinister air.

“I was wondering where that stink came from. So it was you talking with that mouth of yours that does nothing but fart.”

He stood and walked up to Ning Gaoqiang. A small teddy bear doll appeared in his hand.

At the sight of it, Ning Gaoqiang’s pupils contracted sharply. Was that not the same white teddy bear doll that had appeared when Hui Yulian died?

Why did Xiao Huai have one too?!

Toying with the teddy bear doll, Xiao Huai spoke softly. “Tell me. As long as I want it, couldn’t any part of your body end up inside this doll?”

He lowered his eyes, his pale, thin lips rising slightly. Every contour of his face appeared gentle, yet concealed a razor-edged chill.

Ning Gaoqiang felt cold all over. His face went deathly pale, and he could not utter a word. Only after Xiao Huai walked away did he realize his palms were drenched in sweat. He stood rooted to the spot, not daring to move a muscle.

Hu Jiang followed behind Xiao Huai. Since they shared a room, he asked quietly out of concern, “Xiao, how did you get that doll?”
Xiao Huai did not look at him. “Played a game.”

His reply was indifferent.

“Oh… You played a game. Wait, a game? You went off to play a game?” Hu Jiang repeated in surprise once the words sank in.

Xiao Huai turned his head toward him with a faint smile. “Yes. I played a game with Hanako.”

He answered breezily, as though it were not worth mentioning at all.

“Then what about those injuries?” Hu Jiang asked, looking at Xiao Huai’s wounds, which were still trickling blood.

Xiao Huai faced forward again. “As long as I’m not dead.”

Hu Jiang understood that Xiao Huai had no intention of offering any more details.

Even novices in the horror game knew how valuable information was.

Besides, they were little more than strangers who had met a handful of times.

After returning to the dormitory, Xiao Huai wiped his face and collapsed onto his bed without even changing his clothes.

Hu Jiang turned on a lamp and studied at his desk.

It was nearly eleven, but Ning Gaoqiang still had not returned. Hu Jiang glanced toward the door. “Why isn’t Brother Ning back yet? If he doesn’t hurry, he’ll be in trouble when the matron makes her rounds.”

Xiao Huai suddenly laughed. Hu Jiang turned toward the sound and met his eyes.

Xiao Huai spoke softly. “Would you want to live with a roommate who might kill you at any moment?”

With that, he rolled onto his side.

Hu Jiang instantly realized what had happened. He climbed into bed and waited for the dormitory matron to arrive.

When she came to inspect the room that night, she added, “Children, Ning Gaoqiang has requested a transfer to another room. The two of you should get along from now on.”

After the matron left, Hu Jiang’s eyes widened slightly. “You can actually change rooms?”

“Of course. It doesn’t violate any dormitory rules,” Xiao Huai replied in a low voice. Apparently, he had not been asleep.

Hu Jiang sat up and looked at him. “Xiao, are you really a novice? You seem awfully good at this.”

Xiao Huai did not answer immediately. After a moment, he said, “Yes.”

Yes?

Hu Jiang was about to speak when Xiao Huai continued, “Everything is about to end. This dream.”

His voice was very soft when he uttered the final words, but he was certain Hu Jiang could hear them.

Hu Jiang’s pupils contracted. He said nothing more and lay down to sleep.

At two in the morning, Xiao Huai woke. He sat up and looked toward Hu Jiang in the neighboring bed.

His gaze was icy.

What a convincing performance.

* * *

Day Four.

No one had died overnight, but every surviving player was nearly dead from sheer physical and mental exhaustion. They were reaching their limits.

The daily food made them nauseous. Worse, they had to study every day until they felt ready to go bald, and a poor score was an immediate death sentence.

But when the bell rang for the first class, He Lecheng did not appear.

The players looked at one another. “Is our homeroom teacher not coming today?”

“No idea. Can NPCs even be absent?”

What they did not know was that a student wrapped in a disorderly mess of bandages sat inside He Lecheng’s office, his eyes heavy with indolence.

“Sir, everything written in the school rules is true, isn’t it? School Rule Seven: when the pressure becomes too great, students may take certain measures to relieve it.”

He Lecheng looked at Xiao Huai with a beaming smile. “Yes.”

NPCs in first-floor instances could not lie.