Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Beep… beep… beep…
The call was disconnected again.
After an unknown amount of time, a new comment refreshed in Qiao Yu’s Live Stream Room.
-Sadako: Heh. To the person who dared to hang up on me, listen well. If you know what’s good for you, call me back immediately, or I’ll show you what a real version of The Ring looks like!
-…I’m tired of saying ‘666’.
-Can I ask a quick question? Is this streamer’s style always like this?
-An anonymous victim tells you: Yes!
-Let me unmask that person. The one above is Li Xiaoqin. Because the streamer has only participated in her Instance.
-Li Xiaoqin: Get lost! No one will think you’re a mute if you keep your mouth shut!!
-Holy crap, that scared me so much I quickly noted down his ID. I need to avoid him in advance so I don’t lose face in a Live Stream Room later…
-The person above is being too dramatic. What are you scared of? Go for it!
-Why don’t you go for it?
-I… I’m just scared, okay?
-Fuck, as if I’m not scared! Get lost~
A dreamless night.
At least, that was the case for Qiao Yu’s sleep. As for the others, it was hard to say.
Judging by their mental states… it seemed no one had slept very well. That included Shang Yan.
When No. 15 got out of bed, he looked like he hadn’t woken up yet. He swayed unsteadily and accidentally bumped into Qiao Yu’s shoulder.
No. 15 frowned and half-opened his eyes. The moment he saw Qiao Yu in front of him, all traces of sleepiness vanished. He immediately bowed and made a ‘please’ gesture, saying respectfully, “Brother, you first. You go first…”
Qiao Yu scratched his head, looking completely baffled.
Meanwhile, No. 17, who had been giving him the cold shoulder yesterday, was now trying his best to minimize his presence. He was terrified that this guy would have Sadako give him a real-life performance of The Ring.
Trailing at the very back, No. 17 watched Qiao Yu skipping along in front of him with a complicated expression.
How did such a weakling-someone who looked like he couldn’t lift a finger or carry a load-manage to subdue a top-tier vengeful spirit like Sadako?
Could Sadako be a face-con?
Even if she were, wouldn’t it be more logical for her to be a fan of the guy standing next to him?
So what on earth did Sadako see in him?!
At that moment, No. 18 suddenly looked back at him. The morning sunlight hit his exceptionally pale face. His deep eyes were clear, the black and white distinct, yet his emotions were impossible to read. A chill inexplicably shot up No. 17’s spine, and he hurriedly looked away, letting out a fake cough.
Only after that cold, indifferent gaze vanished did he wipe the cold sweat from his forehead in lingering fear.
A strange suspicion couldn’t help but bubble up in his heart.
This No. 18… couldn’t be the ghost hidden among them, could he?
**
In the early morning, No. 23 woke up and immediately looked at No. 22 in the opposite bed.
On No. 22’s bed, the blanket was bunched up high, making rustling sounds.
He let out a yawn and called out, “Hey man, stop lying around. It’s time to get up for class.”
But No. 22 didn’t pay him any mind, continuing to move around under the covers.
No. 23 jumped off his bed impatiently and stepped forward to pull back No. 22’s blanket. No. 22 was facing away from him and had stopped moving.
He reached out and gave the other a shove. “Don’t play dead. Everyone else is up except for you.”
As he spoke, No. 23 looked at the other streamers in the dorm who were silently dressing and washing up, his eyes showing a hint of urgency. “Hurry up!”
At that moment, No. 22, who was facing away from him, slowly turned his head. His neck made a series of ‘crack, crack’ sounds.
Brother Crocodile used a paper towel to wipe the water from his face and looked toward the source of the sound with curiosity.
Being the closest, No. 23 was startled. “What’s wrong with your neck?”
“Crack, crack-”
No. 22’s head actually twisted a full 180 degrees to the back in a bizarre fashion. Beneath those unfocused eyes, his face was covered in blood and bits of shredded meat, coating half his face.
Then, under No. 23’s horrified gaze, he lifted a hand. That hand… was a bloody mess, looking as if it had been gnawed on by something.
No. 23’s pupils dilated instantly. After letting out a scream, he bolted out the door.
Everyone was stunned. Man-Eating Crocodile took two steps back, finally seeing clearly that No. 22’s chin was pressed against his own back, his blood-stained teeth clicking and clattering…
“Ah-!” he shrieked, following the others as they rushed out of the dormitory.
After bursting out of the room, he chose the opposite direction from the crowd and immediately began pounding on the door of Room 305. “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy…”
He shouted incoherently while banging on the door, but the door to Room 305 remained tightly shut. There wasn’t a single sound from inside.
It was then that he noticed something slightly off.
It was time for class. Logically, the dormitory building should be very lively. Why wasn’t there a single sound in the hallway? The silence was suffocating…
Crack, crack, crack!
Following the sound, he looked toward Dormitory 306. He saw that No. 22 had somehow crawled off the bed. A small piece of pinkish shredded meat hung from his chin as he stared at him and muttered, “Meat… I want to eat meat…”
Man-Eating Crocodile glanced down and saw that the other person’s heels were facing him. His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.
“Ah-you, stay away from me!!”
**
The schedule began at five in the morning. Half an hour was allotted for tidying the dorm and another half hour for breakfast.
By six o’clock, they had to be seated in the classroom for morning self-study. This was followed by two long morning classes, each lasting an hour and a half.
There was a ninety-minute break for lunch and a nap, followed by another two long classes.
Dinner lasted one hour, followed by two hours of evening self-study.
Finally, they returned to the dorms at 9:00 PM to shower and were required to be in bed by 10:00 PM.
The entire day was packed to the brim. There were only seven hours of sleep available, and that was only for those who could pass out the moment their heads hit the pillow without any history of insomnia.
Qiao Yu’s expression was grim as he walked, looking at the schedule. Such a tight schedule was simply ridiculous.
Setting aside streamers like them, students were in their growth phase and needed at least eight hours of sleep a day. Getting less than that was detrimental to their development.
He let out a yawn and irritably crumpled the schedule into a ball, tossing it into a trash can.
When he entered the classroom, it was already 5:58 AM. Most of the class had arrived. Qiao Yu and Shang Yan took seats on the left and right sides of the back row, respectively.
Six o’clock was the start of morning self-study. Qiao Yu scanned the room but couldn’t find Brother Crocodile. The rest of the streamers from their dorm were also missing. A rare hint of anxiety flickered in his eyes.
The Additional Clauses had explicitly stated not to be the last one to enter the classroom.
“What’s wrong?” Shang Yan asked, noticing his restless demeanor.
“Did you see my ‘dear son’ when you left?”
“…” Shang Yan remained silent for a moment before shaking his head with difficulty. He changed the subject: “I’ve been meaning to ask you, when did you develop this habit of being everyone’s father?”
“I didn’t. That guy just shamelessly chased me around calling me ‘Dad.’ I couldn’t get rid of him even if I tried.” After speaking, Qiao Yu cursed the damn Live Stream Room in his heart for being so inhumane and ruining his reputation.
As they spoke, Head Teacher Liu arrived at the classroom exactly at six o’clock, as if she were timing it to the second. A female student entered right on her heels.
Despite her frantic pace, she failed to get inside before Head Teacher Liu. The school bell had already rung.
Head Teacher Liu turned to look at the sweating No. 03. With a cold expression, she pressed an alarm. “You’re late. Solitary confinement.”
No. 03 trembled, but fortunately, she remained relatively calm. She raised her hand before the Execution Squad arrived.
Head Teacher Liu nodded. “What is it?”
“Report. How long is the confinement?”
“Twenty-four hours.”
No. 03 took a deep breath and followed the Execution Squad out of the classroom without a struggle.
Qiao Yu watched No. 03’s departing back, taking special note of this female streamer.
Though she looked delicate, her mental fortitude was quite strong. She hadn’t panicked in the face of an emergency, which was more than could be said for many male streamers.
As he was thinking, he suddenly felt a gaze so intense it felt physical. He turned his head to find Shang Yan staring at him with a look of deep resentment, his eyes full of unspoken grievances.
Then, the other man’s thin lips parted as he silently mouthed three words: *Is she pretty?*
Qiao Yu: “…”
This guy really was useless at everything except being the world champion of sarcasm!
He couldn’t be bothered to respond, only to be targeted by Head Teacher Liu, who had been waiting for an excuse to pick on him since early morning. “No. 18, stand up.”
Qiao Yu stood up slowly and said in a soft, polite voice, “Reporting.”
“Have you memorized the School Rules?”
“I have.”
“What is the third rule of classroom discipline?”
“No whispering or talking during class; do not interfere with the teacher’s lecture.”
“School Rule number two.”
“Students must wear their school uniforms and maintain a neat appearance while on campus.”
“The seventh rule of conduct.”
“No smoking or drinking.”
“School Rule number sixteen.”
“Intimate relationships between students are forbidden. No dating.”
“Your parents sent you here because of your smoking problem. However, you performed well yesterday and did not break any rules. I hope you will continue your efforts,” Head Teacher Liu said with a nod, signaling for him to sit. She then gave Shang Yan a warning look. “I hope you remember that last rule well. Don’t fix one mistake only to commit another. If I catch you, I won’t go easy on you.”
After speaking, she moved on to a second student to quiz them on the School Rules.
Shang Yan, however, looked at Qiao Yu with a thick-skinned grin, mouthing: *Don’t worry, she won’t find out.*
Qiao Yu: “…”
He was exhausted. Would this guy actually die if he went a single day without acting like a flirt?
But… how did Head Teacher Liu know he hadn’t smoked yesterday?
While he was lost in confusion, he heard Head Teacher Liu lecturing the second student: “You were sent to this school because of your fighting issues. You must take this as a warning and control your temper. You cannot let a situation like yesterday happen again.”
No. 17 nodded as if he understood, then took his seat.
It took him a good while to process what Head Teacher Liu had said. He couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief.
Luckily, a fight hadn’t broken out yesterday, or he would have been in deep trouble.
Actually, yesterday had been a series of coincidences. His companion had played a prank on him by sticking a Bad Luck Talisman on his back. In a fit of rage, he had kicked the guy a few times, never expecting to be pulled into an Instance the very next second. That was what triggered the chain reaction of mishaps that followed. To put it bluntly, it wasn’t really the other person’s fault; he had truly been looking for trouble himself.
*Sigh, is that No. 18 a human or a ghost?*
Qiao Yu glanced at No. 17, who was sitting as quietly as a quail, and seemed to understand something.
Just as the Head Teacher was about to continue calling on people for spot checks, No. 14 suddenly raised his hand.
Head Teacher Liu asked, “What is it?”
“Report! The students from Dormitory 306 haven’t arrived. I don’t know where they went, but they are late.”
Head Teacher Liu flashed a bizarre smile and said, “They have their own place to be.”
Then, her gaze softened slightly as she looked at No. 14. “You are a good child. It just so happens our class hasn’t chosen a class monitor yet. Why don’t you take the position? Continue to help the teacher supervise your classmates in the future.”
Instantly, everyone’s expressions changed, all of them looking at No. 14 with condemning glares.
There really were snitches everywhere.
Qiao Yu sighed. He hated people like that the most, and yet this guy was in the same dormitory as him.
Thinking of this, he glanced in Shang Yan’s direction, only to see the fellow with his eyes half-closed, looking half-asleep.
Tsk, what a headache!
But what did Head Teacher Liu mean by “they have their own place to be”?
It sounded like something ominous was afoot.
Qiao Yu’s index finger involuntarily rubbed his palm, and then he suddenly raised his hand.
“No. 18, what is it?”
Upon hearing this, Shang Yan’s eyelids, which were about to glue shut, snapped open as he looked at him curiously.
Qiao Yu feebly clutched his forehead. “Report, Head Teacher Liu. I’m feeling terribly dizzy. Can I request leave to go back to the dormitory and lie down for a while?”
Head Teacher Liu stared at him fixedly. During this time, no one dared to even breathe loudly. Qiao Yu stood steadily under that gaze for a full minute until Head Teacher Liu finally nodded. “Fine. I’ll give you a pass for the entire morning. Remember to come to class in the afternoon.”
As she spoke, Head Teacher Liu scribbled a few lines on a leave slip. Before handing it to Qiao Yu, she added, “Remember, you have used up all your leave requests for this week. Next time, even if you’re dead, you have to come to class for me. Do you understand?”
Qiao Yu nodded and finally received the slip.
Dead or alive, he’d worry about the future when it came.
At that moment, he felt a sensation and looked back, catching a glimpse of Shang Yan craning his neck with an eager expression.
He couldn’t help but let out a long sigh in his heart, shaking his head at this little clinger.
Seeing this, Shang Yan retracted his neck, and his spirit instantly withered.
Qiao Yu didn’t care what the guy thought. He took the leave slip and ran, fearing he would be entangled again if he moved too slowly.
He stuffed the slip into his pocket and stood at the stairwell, lost in thought for a moment.
Where should he go to find his “dear son”?
Call him?
But he hadn’t contacted Brother Crocodile privately and had no idea what the other’s phone number was.
Qiao Yu flipped through his call logs, and his gaze settled on that eerie string of numbers. The next second, a wicked smile curled onto his lips.
– *For some reason, I just felt a chill down my spine.*
– *Holy crap, can the White Moonlight stop smiling like that? It’s totally ruining his image!*
– *Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, Guanyin Bodhisattva please manifest and take this menace away.*
– *LOL, is the person above actually a believer?*
– *Not necessarily? I believe in whatever I need at the moment.*
– *…Understood.*
Qiao Yu clicked redial, but strangely, the other party was busy. He tried again, and it was still busy.
Then, as if thinking of something, he looked up at the Live Stream Room. “Sister Sadako, can you stop for a moment? I have business with it.”
– *Sadako: Received~*
This time, when Qiao Yu called again, the call was connected instantly.
“Sizzle… sizzle…”
Qiao Yu: “Are you busy?”
The Phone Ghost: “??”
“Let me ask you something. You don’t even know me, so how were you able to call me?”
The Phone Ghost felt inexplicably uneasy. “That… I’m actually quite busy.”
Qiao Yu checked the time. “Busy making calls? But it’s only 6:30 in the morning. Don’t you start work at night?”
The Phone Ghost: “……”
“Your ability is that you accurately know everyone’s phone number, right?”
The Phone Ghost paused, responding hesitantly, “…Yeah.”
You could put it that way~
“Then tell me the phone number for No. 20 of Class F.”
The Phone Ghost: “…………..”
*Is there something wrong with you??*