Zuo Lin'an had only just sat down when he realized his schoolbag was empty, so he got back up to head out.
Xu Youyou quickly followed him. “Oh? Going to buy snacks? I'll come too.”
Gu Hedao watched them leave, only for them to return just a few minutes later.
When they returned, the empty schoolbag was stuffed full of snacks and drinks once more. Zuo Lin'an tossed it casually onto his bed, scattering the snacks all over the mattress.
After a brief glance, Gu Hedao withdrew his gaze and pulled a few textbooks from his clothes, preparing to study.
Zuo Lin'an knew his prediction had been correct. Even if Gu Hedao skipped evening self-study, he was still going to study.
After all, he wanted to clear the dungeon too.
Besides, he happened to have a card in his possession.
Over the next while, Zuo Lin'an and Xu Youyou chatted, munched on snacks, and occasionally pulled out their phones to pass the time.
It went on like this until it was ten minutes to nine.
Zuo Lin'an picked up an empty wrapper. “This flavor is pretty good. I'm going to buy some more.”
Xu Youyou replied, “Sure.”
Since they had repeated this routine several times already, Gu Hedao didn't suspect a thing.
Zuo Lin'an left the dormitory and carefully probed his surroundings. Perhaps because Gu Hedao was also staying in the dorm tonight, there didn't seem to be any other players keeping watch outside.
Once he confirmed it was safe, he slipped away toward the administrative building.
Zuo Lin'an made his way to the vicinity of the gymnasium. As long as he rounded this corner, the administrative building would come into view.
He was going to retrieve his gold hairpin.
More importantly, he needed to ask the principal what exactly had happened that morning.
But just as he approached the turn, a figure suddenly rounded the corner ahead, startling him.
Someone was there! How could anyone have bypassed his Perception? He hadn't sensed a single trace of a living aura or a specter aura!
Was it not a living person? Or a specter, for that matter?
Zuo Lin'an quickly noticed the somewhat familiar security guard uniform the figure was wearing. It was a security guard. He breathed a sigh of relief.
The guard said nothing. His face was rigid and his expression vacant, like a puppet under someone else's control.
Zuo Lin'an knew this was a dungeon puppet of Lingyang First High School. These puppets were the remains of players who had failed to clear the dungeon in the past but hadn't died either.
The guard reached into his shirt, pulled out a blood-stained gold hairpin, and handed it over.
It was clear that the principal had stationed this guard here. The reason was simple: players were keeping a secret watch on the administrative building.
But Zuo Lin'an still had many questions he wanted to ask the principal. “Is everything alright on the principal's end? He caught people in puppy love this morning—why did he let them off so easily?” Zuo Lin'an asked as he reached out, took the gold hairpin, and tucked it away.
The security guard stood in silence, acting as if he hadn't heard a word.
Zuo Lin'an fell silent for a moment before asking, “What's the principal's phone number?”
The guard remained motionless.
Seeing that this was a dead end, Zuo Lin'an didn't waste any more time.
He turned and walked back toward the dormitory area, pulling out his phone to send a message to Liu Gaomei.
【Zuo Lin'an: Teacher, could you send me the principal's contact info?】
【Teacher Liu: Sure.】
A moment later, Liu Gaomei sent over a phone number.
Zuo Lin'an immediately sent a text to the number.
【Zuo Lin'an: Principal, this is Zuo Lin'an. What happened this morning?】
【Principal: Nothing happened.】
Zuo Lin'an stared at the reply, taken aback.
【Zuo Lin'an: Didn't you catch someone for puppy love?】
After sending that message, he received no further response.
Zuo Lin'an didn't press the matter and made his way back to the entrance of the dormitory area.
There, he spotted a familiar figure.
Ming Ruofeng was standing next to the campus shop on the first floor of the dormitory building, looking as though he was waiting for someone. When he saw Zuo Lin'an, he offered a smile.
Zuo Lin'an walked over with a calm expression, brushed past him into the shop, and picked up a few more snacks.
Ming Ruofeng called out with a smile. “Brother An.”
Zuo Lin'an paused in his tracks, then turned to face him. “Aren't you resting in your dorm?”
“Seeing how much you like them, I figured I'd try some of the snacks here too,” Ming Ruofeng replied.
“Are they good?” Zuo Lin'an asked.
Ming Ruofeng's gaze lingered on him, filled with a subtle, knowing intensity. “They are. Very good indeed.”
Zuo Lin'an couldn't help but tense up.
The gold hairpin was currently hidden on his person. If Ming Ruofeng decided to strike right now, he would easily be able to snatch the specter item away.
And once the gold hairpin fell into Ming Ruofeng's hands—even for a single second—its ownership would change, officially becoming Ming Ruofeng's loot.
If that happened, Zuo Lin'an wouldn't be able to reclaim the gold hairpin even if he killed Ming Ruofeng.
It was too dangerous. He couldn't stay here.
Zuo Lin'an turned and walked past him, heading straight back to his dormitory.
He had to be quick. As long as he made it back to his room—or even just opened the door—Ming Ruofeng wouldn't dare to make a move. Gu Hedao was inside.
But Ming Ruofeng quickened his pace, keeping right on Zuo Lin'an's heels.
Just as Zuo Lin'an braced himself for an attack, the other man simply whispered...
“I saw it.”
His voice was barely a murmur, but Zuo Lin'an heard it with absolute clarity.
“Saw what?”
Ming Ruofeng merely chuckled and said no more, turning to walk up the stairs.
Watching his departing figure, Zuo Lin'an felt a heavy dread settle in his chest. He hurried back to his room. When he saw Gu Hedao sitting there, he actually felt a strange sense of security.
Gu Hedao looked up as he entered. “What took you so long?”
“I ran into Ming Ruofeng outside,” Zuo Lin'an said. “He held me up for a quick chat.”
Gu Hedao cast a subconscious glance toward the door but didn't pry further.
He was currently preoccupied with the Scarlet Dream that would take place tonight.
Tonight would mark their third time entering the Scarlet Dream.
He, Xuan Jingyuan, and the rest of the imperial court faction would all be forced to enter. After tonight, they would no longer enter the dream, regardless of how many school rules they broke.
Which meant...
Tonight was their last chance to help every single one of their allies who had yet to complete the main quest, 【Repel Specter】.
During the first Scarlet Dream, thirty-five of their people had successfully repelled a specter. That night had also seen their highest casualty rate, with nearly fifty people dying.
Most had been slaughtered by specters before they could even react.
In the second dream last night, over fifty people had completed the main quest, while thirty lost their lives.
According to their tally, after two nights of hunting, they had exactly one hundred people left who still needed to complete the main quest.
As for the total number of specters in the Scarlet Dream...
There were one hundred mobile student natives, and twenty-one specters anchored to fixed locations.
Finally, there was the principal—the two-headed specter.
The two-headed specter could be repelled repeatedly. Once defeated, it would quickly respawn in the administrative building.
Because of this, Xuan Jingyuan had decided that once they repelled every huntable specter in the school tonight, they would march on the principal's office in the administrative building.
There, inside the principal's office, he would trigger his talent, 【Ninth-Five Sovereign】.
Rate on N.U.
