Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“Teacher Wei, is something the matter?” The principal slowly turned his head, though his body remained facing straight ahead.

The principal’s face was exactly like those of the forty-three students in the classroom: bloodless, pupil-less, and frighteningly stern.

Wei Sen became certain of her guess.

The rules said not to make eye contact or speak with people walking against the flow, but if they were on the same side, there was no problem.

For example, right now, she had circled around behind the principal, so she was on the same side as him.

And although the principal had turned his head 180 degrees, his body was still facing forward, so it did not count as breaking the rule.

“Principal, there’s something I’d like to ask you about.”

School Rules, Article Three: if you have a question, you may ask the principal!

“Go ahead.”

“Why were Wang Hua from our class and Sun Qiang from fifth grade punished with school probation?”

The moment Wei Sen asked, the principal’s expression visibly grew even more severe.

“They had a minor conflict with classmates.”

Wei Sen pressed on. “Can you tell me exactly what happened?”

If it really had only been a minor conflict, they never would have received such a serious punishment.

The principal’s head was stiff as a puppet’s. “It was too long ago. I can’t remember.”

“Does the school have an archive room or something? Maybe I could look it up.”

At that, the principal’s eyes turned blood-red. “All files are in my office, but do not go near my office! Remember, teaching and educating students is your duty.”

School Rules, Article Three: if something comes up, you may ask the principal. But as a faculty member of the school, you must obey the principal.

Wei Sen did not continue asking, but she already had a good idea of the situation. “I understand. Thank you.”

The principal’s head did not turn back, yet his body began moving away. His gaze remained fixed tightly on Wei Sen, as though in warning.

It seemed the information NPCs could reveal was limited. The principal definitely knew more, but he refused to say it.

If she wanted to figure out what had happened between those two students, she would have to think of another way…

Wei Sen was deep in thought. Even after the principal disappeared at the stairwell, she still stood there, completely unaware of the black shadow approaching from behind her until a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

She jolted, and as she glanced back, she saw a hand wearing a round-faced watch.

A living person!

But if she turned around and spoke to that person now, she would violate the rule.

Wei Sen chose to stand where she was without turning back and asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m the homeroom teacher and math teacher for Class 2, Grade 3. This class is mine,” a man’s voice came from behind her.

Wei Sen recalled the big group message she had seen that morning and asked, “Zhou Junjie?”

“Yes, that’s me!”

“Keep your voice down,” Wei Sen reminded him.

“Oh, right. No loud noises in the corridor. Are you not turning around because of the rules too?”

“Teaching Building Rules, Article Four.”

“Let me see…”

Wei Sen heard the person behind her take out a slip of paper.

“Do not speak to or make eye contact with anyone walking against the flow… Oh, right, right. There are too many of these rules. I keep forgetting them. Good thing I ran into you. You’re the language arts teacher from the first period, right? I remember seeing you on the playground,” Zhou Junjie said.

Wei Sen glanced at her watch. “There are still three minutes before your class starts. Wait here for a moment. I need to go back to the classroom.”

“What’s the situation inside the classroom? Is there anything I should watch out for?” Zhou Junjie hurriedly asked.

“Confirm where you are in the lesson. Don’t trust the classroom clock. Don’t pay attention to any sounds from the corridor.”

“Oh…”

///Ding~ Congratulations, Host, for giving someone a friendly reminder. Merit Points +3.///

Wei Sen returned to the classroom once more. All the students were still seated neatly in their places, as if none of them had moved at all. But her emotions no longer fluctuated in the slightest, unlike the faint surprise she had felt the first time she saw them.

“May I ask which student is Wang Hua?” Wei Sen swept her gaze over the room.

A short boy in the last row raised his hand.

Wei Sen walked up to him and looked him over from head to toe. White sneakers, blue school uniform, the same expression as everyone else. Nothing about him seemed unusual.

“Teacher, what do you need me for?” Wang Hua blinked his empty eyes, his face innocent.

“Mm. I wanted to ask you why the school previously issued a public criticism against you. Perhaps I can plead with the principal on your behalf and have the punishment revoked, but first, I need to know the whole story from beginning to end,” Wei Sen said, patiently guiding him.

The corners of Wang Hua’s mouth gradually split open. “Heh heh heh…”

A terrifying laugh rang out. Wei Sen glanced at the time. There were still two minutes before class began.

“Does Teacher really want to know?” Wang Hua blinked, the corners of his mouth nearly splitting all the way to his ears.

“Mm.”

“Come to the Gymnasium at midnight tonight, and I’ll tell you, Teacher.” Wang Hua’s head swayed left and right, his smile becoming even stranger. “I can also tell Teacher how to leave this place.”
He knew how to leave this place?

Wei Sen paused, then glanced at her watch. It was about time.

She got up and left. Zhou Junjie was standing at the door.

Only now did she get a clear look at him. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and looked refined and scholarly.

“Uh…” Zhou Junjie seemed about to say something when he saw her.

But Wei Sen didn’t give him the chance to open his mouth and break the rules. She brushed past him and quickly left the classroom.

Current Merit Points: 356.

After thinking it over, Wei Sen edited a message and sent it to the large group chat.

[Teachers teaching Class 2, Grade 3, please pay attention to the following:

1. Confirm your lesson progress before class.

2. During class, the principal may randomly inspect your lesson. Remember the Teaching Building Rules and the Teacher’s Rules. Do not be influenced.

3. There is a round clock at the back of the classroom. The clock will be affected by Contamination from an Eerie Entity’s power. Do not trust it.]

As soon as the message was sent, the electronic voice in her head sounded again.

///Ding~ Congratulations, Host, for achieving a kind reminder to others. Merit Points +10. Current Merit Points: 366.///

Even a mosquito was still meat.

Wei Sen thought to herself.

It was still early. She could search the school for clues.

Right now, the most important thing was finding the real way to leave the Instance.

As for what Wang Hua had said in class earlier, that if she went to the Gymnasium at midnight, he would tell her how to leave…

If the words of an Eerie Entity could be trusted, then there wouldn’t be any danger in this school at all.

Just then, her watch vibrated. It was a private message.

[Xu You: Sister Sen, are you done with class? Can you come to the Infirmary? I need your help.]

Wei Sen read the message and headed toward the Infirmary.

Helping others should earn her quite a few Merit Points too.

In the Infirmary, Xu You sat in a chair wearing a white coat, completely baffled.

“What’s wrong?” Wei Sen asked as she walked in.

Xu You handed over a wooden box from the desk. “I searched the Infirmary again today and found this thing.”

Wei Sen took the wooden box and examined it. The box was only about half the size of an A4 sheet of paper, but it was locked with an old-fashioned metal combination lock. She had to turn the numbered dials to form a four-digit code before it would open.

“I really have no idea what the password is. I’ve tried everything I could think of.” Xu You sat back down and let out a long sigh toward the ceiling.

Wei Sen tried turning the combination lock. She tested every number related to this Instance that came to mind, but none of them was correct.

“Where did you find it?”

“All the way inside the medicine cabinet. It looked like someone deliberately hid it there. That’s why I think there must be something really important inside!”

Wei Sen held the wooden box and lowered her head in thought.

A four-digit password…

0302. Wrong.

2001. Wrong.

1111. Wrong.

2222. Wrong…

“Are there rules for the Infirmary?” Wei Sen suddenly looked at Xu You.

“No, but I found the School Doctor Rules in this uniform.”

“Let me see.”

[Zhihui Primary School Doctor Rules:

1. Your working hours are from 9:00 to 18:00. During work, aside from going to the restroom, you may not leave your post without permission. If the principal discovers this, the consequences will be serious.

2. During work, you may not shut students out. Otherwise, the students will tell the principal, and you will face severe punishment.

3. In addition to common medicines, there are two kinds of special medicine in the medicine cabinet: blue and red. If you cannot treat a student’s illness, you may prescribe special medicine for them. For male students, give him three Red Special Medicine pills. For female students, give her four Blue Special Medicine pills. Remember, you must make them swallow the medicine in front of you, no matter what method you use.

4. Zhihui Primary School has only one school doctor. There is no second one, but some students may remember incorrectly. If someone mentions another school doctor, confirm their identity. If they are a student from Class 2, Grade 3, ignore them, immediately return to the Infirmary, and lock the door from the inside until the person outside leaves.]

“Well? Is the password hidden in the rules?” Xu You asked curiously.

“Something like that.”

After saying that, Wei Sen raised the wooden box high over her head and smashed it down hard.

Since the rules hadn’t said they couldn’t damage objects, then she could just smash a wooden box open. Why bother guessing the password?

The wooden box shattered into pieces on the floor, and a slip of paper was exposed.

///Ding~ Congratulations, Host, for achieving helpfulness. Merit Points +20. Current Merit Points: 386.///

Xu You was stunned by the whole sequence. “Y-you can do that…?”

Wei Sen picked up the slip of paper, and Xu You leaned in as well. Their pupils instantly dilated.

On that slip of paper was the real way to leave the Instance!