Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Wei Sen had just stepped out when she ran into Xu You, Lin Xiaoxue, and Chen Lin coming her way.
“Sister Sen, you weren’t replying to our messages, so we came to find you!” Lin Xiaoxue waved enthusiastically at Wei Sen.
Now that she thought about it, Wei Sen had seen a message pop up in the Group B chat earlier, but she’d automatically ignored it.
“Sorry, I didn’t notice.” As Wei Sen spoke, she walked toward them.
Lin Xiaoxue said, “I’m starving. I hope the food in this cafeteria is actually fit for human consumption.”
The group headed toward the cafeteria. It was Monday, but there still wasn’t a single student in sight on campus. Compared to yesterday, however, the playground was finally no longer shrouded in thick fog.
When they arrived at the cafeteria, they saw a notice posted at the entrance, printed in blue characters on a white background.
[Zhihui Primary School Cafeteria Rules:
1. Faculty and staff may eat in the cafeteria for free. Remember, dine-in only. No takeout.
2. The cafeteria has two windows open in total. Cafeteria workers wear blue uniforms. Remember, blue.
3. Do not waste food. After eating, trays must be returned to the designated area.
4. We recommend the cafeteria’s rice noodles with duck blood and pickled peppers. The school’s faculty and staff all love it.
5. The cafeteria is only open during the following times:
Breakfast: 6:30-8:00
Lunch: 11:30-13:00
Dinner: 17:30-19:00
During these periods, the cafeteria is absolutely safe.]
“The cafeteria rules are pretty simple,” Xu You said.
Chen Lin asked tentatively, “And the last rule says the cafeteria is absolutely safe during opening hours. Does that mean if we run into danger outside, we can come into the cafeteria during those times to hide?”
“You’re smart. That should be the case,” Wei Sen replied.
///Ding~ Host’s Merit Points +1. Current Merit Points: 204///
“Th-thank you.” Chen Lin lowered her head shyly and pushed up her glasses.
The moment they entered the cafeteria, Wei Sen spotted Xia Susu standing behind Window 2. She was wearing a blue staff uniform and boiling noodles with a look of utter disgust on her face.
“Pfft. She really is a cafeteria lady,” Lin Xiaoxue laughed.
Xia Susu heard her and noticed them as well. At Lin Xiaoxue’s mockery, she looked like she wanted to say something, but she forcibly swallowed it back. All she could do was serve food while glaring resentfully at Lin Xiaoxue.
It seemed the rules of her role restricted her from communicating with others during work hours.
Wei Sen ignored Xia Susu and carefully observed the two windows instead.
Behind Window 1 was an auntie in a blue work uniform. She looked no different from a normal person, except her eyes were empty and lifeless, and her movements were mechanical.
In front of her were common breakfast foods like steamed buns and mantou. There were many people lining up at that window as well. They should all be faculty and staff of the school, but every single one of them seemed like an NPC. None of them had any expression, nor did they communicate with one another.
Standing behind Window 2 was Xia Susu. She was also wearing a blue work uniform. The breakfast items in front of her were noodles and rice noodles, which she had to cook on the spot.
“Sister Sen, what’re we eating?” Xu You asked. After she finished, all three of them looked at Wei Sen in unison.
Wei Sen thought for a few seconds, then headed toward Window 1. The others hurried after her.
“Sister Sen, is Window 2 unsafe?” Lin Xiaoxue asked.
Wei Sen ordered one mantou and a bowl of soy milk at Window 1, then looked at Lin Xiaoxue and said, “I don’t trust the cooking skills of the person at Window 2.”
With that, Wei Sen headed toward an empty seat.
The others exchanged glances, then looked at Xia Susu at Window 2. She was flustered and fumbling as she made duck blood rice noodles for the people in line. She did look a little unreliable.
“Then I’ll have mantou and soy milk too!” Lin Xiaoxue immediately ordered the same thing as Wei Sen.
Xu You and Chen Lin followed suit and chose the same items.
Wei Sen noticed Bai Xue sitting at another table with a tall, thin boy. She said to the others, “You eat first. I’ll go take a look over there.”
When Wei Sen arrived, Bai Xue raised a smile at her.
“Hello.”
Wei Sen sat down, broke off a piece of mantou with her hands, and put it into her mouth. “I don’t have anything to share for now.”
Bai Xue smiled faintly and said, “That’s fine. My intuition tells me you’re a decent ally. Want to work with me?”
“How would we work together? And why should I work with you and him?” Wei Sen asked, glancing at the man across from her.
The man remained calm and composed. He looked to be in his early thirties. They had already finished eating, and it was obvious they were waiting for her.
“Ah Wen is a police officer. I think that’s a very useful identity. And you, your calm and intelligence under yesterday’s circumstances made me think you were okay too.” As Bai Xue spoke, she took out a sheet of paper. “This is the way out. You can read it first, then give me your answer.”
Wei Sen took the note in confusion. On it was a single line written in black gel pen:
Every Sunday, a Red Door will appear at random somewhere in the school. It will only remain for ten minutes. Pass through it, and you can return to your original world! But only three people can pass through the door at a time, and the key is on the Academic Affairs Director. Get it, and you can leave!
“Well?” Bai Xue still wore that smile, as if victory were already in her grasp.
Without a change in expression, Wei Sen handed the note back to her and silently started drinking her soy milk.
Bai Xue had actually found a way to survive. And as luck would have it, she herself was the Academic Affairs Director holding the key.
This Red Door that could let them leave the Eerie World would only appear randomly somewhere in the school on Sunday, and only for ten minutes.
If Bai Xue were alone, it would be almost impossible for her to find the Red Door within ten minutes unless her luck was exceptionally good.
So she needed allies. But since only three people at most could leave, she only had two spots for allies.
“What do you think would happen to you if word got out that taking the key from the Academic Affairs Director would let people leave this place?” Wei Sen looked at Bai Xue expressionlessly.
The smile on Bai Xue’s face visibly stiffened. Then the curve of her lips grew even wider as she stared straight into Wei Sen’s eyes. “But I believe you won’t refuse me, will you?”
Wei Sen finished her breakfast and turned to Bai Xue. “Fine. I agree.”
Bai Xue and Ah Wen both clearly let out a breath of relief.
They also knew that if Wei Sen announced the way out, then the others would very likely team up in groups of two or three and try to seize the key from her in order to survive and leave.
Fortunately, she hadn’t. After all, when it came down to it, everyone looked out for themselves.
Right now, this was Wei Sen’s best option.
“Don’t worry. When we leave, I’ll leave both the key and this note behind. That way, if they can last another seven days, they’ll still have a chance to leave alive,” Bai Xue said.
“Whether they live or die has nothing to do with me,” Wei Sen said flatly. “Tell me. How do you want me to cooperate?”
Bai Xue smiled. “I like working with smart people. You don’t need to do anything right now. In a few days, tell the people in your group that you discovered a Red Door will appear in the school on Sunday, and that the rules say the Red Door is very dangerous. If anyone finds it, they should notify everyone in the group chat, and no one should go near it.”
Bai Xue’s words were within Wei Sen’s expectations. She gave a slight nod. “No problem. But Academic Affairs Director, since we’re allies now, shouldn’t you share any other information you know?”
“Of course! I’m very honest with my allies.” As Bai Xue spoke, she handed Wei Sen another document.
It was a notice of criticism and disciplinary action, but the contents were overly brief.
After deliberation by the school, it has been decided that Wang Hua of Class 2, Grade 3, and Sun Qiang of Class 1, Grade 5, will be placed under probationary status on campus.
“This is all I’ve found so far. As for the rules tied to my identity, I can’t share them with you all. Otherwise, I’ll violate the rules,” Bai Xue said.
“All right.” Wei Sen did not linger. She returned the items to Bai Xue, then left with her tray.
“Sister Sen, did you go exchange information with that lady?” Lin Xiaoxue asked in confusion when she saw Wei Sen return.
Wei Sen said nothing. She walked straight toward the tray return area. Seeing this, the others quickly finished what was left of their food and went to return their trays as well.
Once they walked out of the cafeteria, Wei Sen’s expression turned grave. She lowered her voice and said, “From now on, if we find any clues, we discuss them face-to-face or in private messages. Don’t post them in the big group chat, and don’t post them in the team group chat either.”
“Why?” Xu You asked, puzzled.
Wei Sen looked back at Bai Xue, who was still smiling at her from afar, then toward Window 2 of the cafeteria, where Xia Susu had somehow already changed into a red employee uniform. Slowly, she said,
“No one here can be trusted anymore.”