Just thinking about this gave Gu Hedao a bit of a headache.
He felt this was inappropriate. After all, the two-headed specter was the principal, who was definitely the most terrifying specter in the Scarlet Dream. If things got out of hand, they would all face absolute destruction.
But Xuan Jingyuan was extremely confident in his talent and was bent on having his own way.
Although he also knew that tonight's Scarlet Dream was their last chance to repel a specter, and if they missed it, then the future...
Gu Hedao sighed softly.
Forget it. Xuan Jingyuan was the Emperor. Why was an old geezer like him worrying about this?
Not only would the other party not appreciate it, but he would also think Gu Hedao was sticking his nose where it didn't belong.
Zuo Lin'an sat on his bed, pondering what Ming Ruofeng's words, “I saw it,” could possibly mean. Naturally, he didn't notice Gu Hedao's unusual behavior.
On the other hand, Xu Youyou's gaze drifted back and forth between Zuo Lin'an and Gu Hedao. Did he need to think about something too?
He felt a bit out of place right now.
Just then, Zuo Lin'an noticed a message on his phone.
He pulled it out and saw it was from the principal.
Did he finally remember something?
【Principal: I have no memory of this incident, but I just checked the surveillance footage. I did indeed take three students—one male and two females—from Class One this morning.】
【Principal: After walking out of the academic building, the two female students were left near the exit. The male student and I walked into a surveillance blind spot, where we stayed for about one to two minutes.】
【Principal: Afterward, I returned directly to the administrative building, and the three of them returned to their classroom.】
Zuo Lin'an knit his brows tightly.
【Zuo Lin'an: Principal, what do you think happened?】
【Principal: According to my analysis, it's not simple. First, it is certain that the other party used some kind of specter item, and this specter item has an effect that makes people forget.】
Zuo Lin'an obviously knew this.
After all, in National War Dungeons, when players used specter items or talents, there would be system notifications.
Yet the principal had no recollection of it whatsoever. It was highly likely that the specter item's special effect had caused him to forget even the system notifications.
【Principal: But if it were just memory erasure, it wouldn't have taken one or two minutes. Something else must have happened during that time.】
Zuo Lin'an felt a heavy weight on his chest.
【Principal: Student Zuo Lin'an, regardless of what he did or what he found out, we must prepare for the worst.】
Zuo Lin'an nodded silently. They indeed had to prepare for the worst.
【Zuo Lin'an: Principal, putting everything else aside, absolutely nothing can go wrong with my gold hairpin!】
【Zuo Lin'an: Since the players only have four cards left anyway, once tonight is over, I'll hand the gold hairpin to you tomorrow. You can help me hide it outside the school until the dungeon ends.】
Sitting in his office, the principal read Zuo Lin'an's reply and agreed.
【Principal: No problem. You don't need to come find me tomorrow morning. I'll have a security guard wait for you at the school gate. You can hand it directly to him.】
There were always players staking out the administrative building.
If Zuo Lin'an came to find him too often, it might lead to complications.
【Zuo Lin'an: Principal, what about the cards on me? Ming Ruofeng likely already knows about them. If he tries to snatch them, I won't be able to stop him.】
After all, they couldn't transform into specters within the school unless they were in the Scarlet Dream.
【Principal: There's no way around that. The cards are clearing items, so they must remain within the dungeon's boundaries. I'll have to trouble you to find a place to hide them.】
【Zuo Lin'an: Principal, do you have any recommendations?】
【Principal: You could find a random spot to bury them when no one is looking. However, I wouldn't advise doing that right now. You've already been targeted, and there are surely many eyes watching you in secret.】
【Principal: No matter where you go, what you do, or who you contact, they will know.】
【Principal: I suggest keeping the cards exactly where they are for now. Do not think about moving them, because the moment you take them out, you'll be spotted.】
A total of seventeen cards... If they were stolen by players, it would be a disaster.
【Zuo Lin'an: Understood.】
He chatted with the principal for a bit longer before deleting their entire chat history.
Slipping his phone under his pillow, he got up to wash up in the bathroom. It was already past nine o'clock, and counting the time, the players attending evening self-study in the classroom would be returning soon.
Once he finished washing up, he lay down on his bed and pulled up the covers. He placed his schoolbag against the wall next to his pillow, clutching the gold hairpin tightly in his hand.
Zuo Lin'an lay quietly on his bed, hoping no one would disturb him before ten o'clock.
Fortunately, everything remained peaceful when Xuan Jingyuan and the others returned and got into bed.
Until the clock struck ten.
Zuo Lin'an once again experienced the familiar transition. The moment he regained control of his body, he stood up and turned to look at the blood-red moonlight spilling through the window.
Xu Youyou leaned in from behind.
“Brother An, something's off with you.”
Zuo Lin'an sighed and told him everything that had happened when he went to retrieve the gold hairpin, as well as his messages with the principal.
Xu Youyou frowned.
“It's fine. I'll kill this Ming Ruofeng.”
“When you killed him yesterday, it was past eleven, but it's only ten right now. That means the cooldown for his talent, 【Demon-Slaying Sword】, definitely hasn't finished yet.”
“Besides, after what he went through yesterday, he shouldn't have many trump cards left. There shouldn't be any issues if I go put an end to him.”
At this point, he looked at Zuo Lin'an's silent, frowning face.
“This is already Ming Ruofeng's third time entering the Scarlet Dream. If we miss this chance, we'll have to hope the players turn on each other if we want to kill him later.”
“And to kill Ming Ruofeng, it would require other players at the Xiantian Rank to make a move.”
Zuo Lin'an nodded.
“I know, but I want to go myself.”
As Zuo Lin'an spoke, he separated his living body. Soon, a familiar figure appeared behind him, holding the gold hairpin and a stack of cards.
Xu Youyou said, “Go on then. With the gold hairpin, Ming Ruofeng won't be able to kill you anyway. But first, let's find the principal and confirm his location.”
Zuo Lin'an said, “And the Lin sisters, Lin Taoyao and Lin Taozhi. Those two players each have a card. We need to snatch them as a backup plan.”
“After all, we might not succeed in killing Ming Ruofeng this time. Snatching those two cards will cut off his escape route and at least prevent him from clearing the dungeon.”
Xu Youyou said, “Let's go then. No time to lose.”
The two concealed their figures and left the dormitory.
However, as soon as they stepped outside, they saw numerous players who had appeared in the dormitory area starting to gather in the open space between the dormitory buildings.
Rate on N.U.
