Chapter 196
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The sky was gloomy, and the classroom lights were on, but they couldn’t dispel the surrounding sense of darkness. The damp air carried a hint of an earthy smell as the monitor cleaned the blackboard, and chalk dust fell softly to the ground.
During the break, students gathered in small groups, eagerly chatting and secretly fiddling with their phones. Some even took out handheld game consoles in full view of everyone, and laughter and screams occasionally erupted from the young boys and girls. Among them, a few students glanced at Zhong Chengshuo for a while, then deliberately covered their mouths and spoke softly, obviously discussing the new classmate.
Whether they were discussing his funny name or his peculiar statement of “finding the culprit”, it was hard to say.
Zhang Hejun’s desk remained unchanged, filled with exercise books and textbooks. Stationery was casually scattered, as if she had temporarily left the classroom and would soon return.
She had bought a small magnetic doll—a rabbit with magnets on its arms—which she hugged against the metal desk leg. Its round plastic eyes were directed towards Zhong Chengshuo’s direction.
Zhong Chengshuo sat at the back of the classroom, withdrawing his gaze from Zhang Hejun’s seat.
His textbooks and stationery were provided by Shian, quite different from what he used before. However, this feeling of being detached from the situation was exactly the same as when he attended school in the past.
Zhong Chengshuo remembered everything from the very beginning.
The wish made by that ripple, the thousand-year slumber and awakening, the mysterious encounter with the baby, and his first meeting with his foster parents.
Zhong Chengshuo still didn’t know what he really was, but he was certain that he wasn’t human. Back then, when he watched his classmates running and jumping, they seemed like a school of fish crowded together in a fish tank.
Separated by a transparent, icy barrier.
Loneliness wasn’t the right word, and neither was envy. Regarding the fact that he was alone, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t feel anything special. It was similar to those distant, faint ripples around him from a thousand years ago. He simply observed them quietly.
No need for any emotions, like a plant growing in a corner.
Zhong Chengshuo pulled himself out of his memories. He had just opened the long-unopened textbook when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Young Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, looking curiously at the textbook.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see him, Lord Ghost King casually leaned on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder and said, “Wow, I can’t understand any of this.”
Given that this large Primordial Elemental still had a physical form, Zhong Chengshuo could feel Yin Ren’s breath and body temperature. Yin Ren frowned as he read the middle school physics textbook, emitting a long “hmm” from his throat. His long hair hung down along Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, sliding back and forth on the loose fabric.
…He seemed to be reading it quite seriously.
Yin Ren’s warm breath and presence were comforting, causing Zhong Chengshuo to unintentionally pause his flipping of the pages. The instinctive rejection and the genuine closeness stemmed from the strong sense of the person beside him, making it impossible to ignore.
The familiar hustle and bustle of traversing time still surrounded them, and the music during the break hadn’t changed for over a decade. He suddenly couldn’t recall that detached “plant-like” mentality from his memories.
Zhong Chengshuo gently turned his head, resting his forehead against Yin Ren’s cheek. Yin Ren adjusted his posture accordingly, continuing to study the profound scientific principles on that page.
Pitter-patter. Raindrops started hitting the glass window. Zhong Chengshuo listened to the rhythm of his lover’s heartbeat and his eyes slightly narrowed.
Meaningless memories of his student life suddenly felt much warmer.
Truly…
Before his thought of “good” could fully process in his mind, there was a loud bang on Zhong Chengshuo’s desk. Two boys who had been discussing comics nearby suddenly started fighting, and the one being pushed almost knocked over Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.
The two of them cursed with foul language that didn’t belong to their age, grabbing and pushing each other’s bulky school uniforms, trying to knock each other to the ground. Zhong Chengshuo listened with both ears as the two boys argued over the power level of two characters in the comic.
However, Zhong Chengshuo unmistakably sensed a murderous aura.
The two boys, aged around eleven or twelve, emanated intense hostility towards each other. Surrounding students gathered around, with a few even cheering them on. One of the boys had a scratched face with a bloody mark, and his face was turning red. He reached out his hand, about to grab the compass from Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.
Zhong Chengshuo caught his wrist and said, “Don’t be impulsive.”
“What the fuck does it have to do with you, you stupid idiot?” The boy gnashed his teeth.
“What kind of dog matches its owner’s power. Weak owners have weak dogs!” The other, taller boy, seeing that his opponent was held back by the “weak and thin” Zhong Chengshuo, immediately laughed and made a mocking face.
Zhong Chengshuo saw the person he was holding onto bulge with swollen veins; his face and neck turning red. The person even abandoned the compass and kicked towards the other boy. The kick swept across the other boy’s nose, and a bright red nosebleed instantly gushed out, dripping onto the ground.
The red light of the surveillance camera in the back of the classroom blinked, and the dark lens scanned the class. But after a few minutes, no one intervened.
Zhong Chengshuo helplessly surveyed the surroundings—either the students were indifferent and stayed out of it, or they crowded around to watch the commotion, without anyone going to find a teacher to mediate.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” An instigator shouted with excitement, urging others to come and watch, saying, “Let’s see who backs down. Who’s a wimp!”
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Students who had hidden their phones crowded closer, skillfully taking photos and videos.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” A few people even intentionally placed sharp objects like utility knives and compasses nearby, and then quickly stepped back.
The crowd formed a circle, and within the circle were the two individuals tangled in a fight, as well as Zhong Chengshuo standing still.
Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze scanned the classroom and stopped on Luo Chunlei. The young girl was surrounded by a few friends, staring intently in their direction. The drops of nosebleed on the ground were being trampled by the two fighting boys, staining the floor with blood.
Zhong Chengshuo blinked and raised his hand, intending to stop the two children from misbehaving. However, as he raised his hand, someone grabbed his sleeve. Zhong Chengshuo’s fist drew a perfect arc in the air and landed squarely on one of the individuals’ face.
The crowd immediately erupted in boos.
The boy who was punched happened to be the one who started the commotion. His face was still covered in the fresh nosebleed. He was tall and stout, and his face turned purple with anger. He was about to get up and teach this transfer student a lesson but slipped on the ground, landing in a standard squatting position.
This time, his face turned completely black, emanating an aura of anger and madness that didn’t belong to his age. For a moment, the boy’s presence was almost comparable to that of an evil being.
Behind him, the invisible mastermind clapped his hands; his red eyes were filled with unclear emotions.
“Wu Ge embarrassed himself. Wu Ge embarrassed himself!” The boys who were recording videos cheered.
“Isn’t it pathetic to fight two against one? Bring it on!” Wu Ge wiped his nosebleed and roared loudly.
“Why do you care about it? Who’s counting this win?” The bloodied-faced boy didn’t back down either. He raised his chin, splattering saliva, narrowly avoiding Zhong Chengshuo’s face.
Just at that moment, the familiar sound of the class bell rang, and the crowd rushed back to their seats.
A middle-aged male teacher stepped into the classroom, and his gaze swept over the two bruised and swollen individuals before settling on Zhong Chengshuo, whose desk and chair were overturned. Then, as if nothing had happened, the teacher put down his books and said, “Let’s start the class. Hello, everyone!”
“Hello, Tea-cher!” The students responded cheerfully.
In the back row of the classroom, Zhong Chengshuo tidied up his desk alone. The bloodstains remained on the floor, shining brightly with their vibrant color.
“What were you thinking just now?” After finally putting everything back in place, Zhong Chengshuo covered half of his face with a textbook and spoke in a muffled voice.
Even if he couldn’t sense the aura of magic, he knew that the boy’s fall just now was undoubtedly caused by Yin Ren’s mischief.
Yin Ren didn’t answer immediately. His gaze slowly swept over every student in the classroom, and his expression gradually became solemn.
……
Their close-range investigation this time was correct; Yin Ren was certain of that now.
When the boy wanted to grab the compass, Yin Ren suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, followed by a prickling sensation. Yin Ren was familiar with this feeling—
It was the unique sensation of being spied on.
To be precise, it was the unique sensation of being watched by a large Elemental. However, compared to Mr. Qiu, this sense of being watched was fainter and more distant.
The person spying on them was not targeting himself but the student who tried to harm others with the compass. To confirm his speculation, Yin Ren deliberately provoked the troublemaker by having Zhong Chengshuo throw a punch, exposing the troublemaker’s embarrassment on the spot.
Sure enough, under the other person’s madness, that indescribable feeling of being spied on resurfaced.
Was there another large Elemental hidden here? Could it be the rumored “Mr. Le”? But compared to Mr. Qiu’s gaze, there was something off about this feeling… There weren’t enough clues.
“There are twenty-four contaminants in this classroom,” Yin Ren leaned over to whisper in Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. “Even though Liang Shan and the others checked yesterday, there are even more now. Zhong Ge, I need your cooperation for the next step.”
“Okay,” Zhong Chengshuo replied softly.
“But given your situation, it might be a bit difficult…” Yin Ren poked his cheek.
Zhong Chengshuo’s chest felt slightly suffocated, and a subtle sense of grievance emerged on its own. “Just say it straight. I can cooperate with anything.”
Why, aren’t they the best accomplices?
“…Well then, Zhong Ge, I need you to go crazy and provoke as many kids as possible in this class.”
Yin Ren leaned in, poking his head and peeking around.
“But your parents always told me that you were unbelievably well-behaved in school. Are you really okay with this?” Yin Ren asked.
Zhong Chengshuo: “…”
Alright, it seemed there was still some distance to go to become the “best accomplices”.
Dr. Zhong could write research papers, and King Yama could slay evil creatures. He could even grow another head. But when it came to causing trouble as a student, he really lacked experience.
“I’ll do my best,” Zhong Chengshuo said, holding his textbook and mustering a reluctant tone.
……
Drizzling rain fell, drumming onto the stone bricks.
“Are they going to be okay?” Huang Jin sat on a stone bench in the school with a vacant gaze. Large maple leaves fell from the trees and lazily landed on his face.
Ge Tingting: “Pfft!” She purposely made a laughing sound with the AI.
“They should be fine. After all, it’s Yin Ge.” She bought a bag full of snacks from the school store and was currently munching on spicy sticks at the other end of the bench.
“Even the Great Celestial Master has never gone through compulsory education.” Huang Jin despondently removed the leaf from his face. “Well, it’s not like they’re in any life-threatening danger… Even if we were to wipe their ass, it’s not our turn. Hey, if you want to stay here for a bit, I’ll go out first—”
“Skipping work is wrong,” Ge Tingting sternly remarked.
Huang Jin silently placed the leaf back on his face. “It’s raining, and we’re just wasting time sitting here. Liang Shan and Lu Xiaohe at least have the office to stay in. We’re just wandering outside with nothing to do.
“It’s wrong to be lazy.”
“…Hey, did Shian secretly give you a raise?”
“No!” Ge Tingting snorted, kicked away a leaf that flew towards her, and took out the case files to read.
Lu Chunlei’s information appeared on the tablet, looking somewhat dim in the rainy weather.
“You’re still looking? Don’t you know how many times you’ve looked already?” Huang Jin finally gave up using the leaf to cover his face to avoid reality. “Her file isn’t anything special, right?”
“Hmm.”
Ge Tingting tapped the screen and increased the brightness. She enlarged the photo of Luo Chunlei, whose face looked upright, lovely, and had a smile that was quite endearing.
Luo Chunlei came from a wealthy family. Her mother was a high-ranking executive who was shrewd and capable. Her father used to be involved in the high-interest loan business and earned quite a sum of illicit money in his early years. Since the regulations became stricter, her father changed his occupation a few years ago, resulting in a sharp decrease in income. However, overall, the assets of her family were sufficient to ensure a comfortable life for her for two lifetimes.
Of course, every family had its own difficulties. Since Luo Chunlei’s father changed his occupation, his income was lower than his wife’s, and he started drinking heavily at home, often verbally abusing his wife and daughter. Physical abuse only became a recent occurrence—
Just a week ago, when he was heavily drunk, he directly smashed a liquor bottle on his wife and child’s heads. The neighbors were frightened and immediately reported it, but the matter was ultimately dropped.
“It’s just that their family relationship isn’t good. There’s no reason for that girl to go crazy like that.” Huang Jin played with a dry leaf in his hand. “To put it bluntly, if I could have their family conditions, I’d be overjoyed.”
“You shouldn’t compare like that.”
Ge Tingting, who was also an orphan, scrolled through the information.
“But you’re right. That’s not a reason for her to harm her classmates. There’s a cause and effect for every grievance. If I were her, I would deal with my father first—”
Huang Jin: “…”
Huang Jin: “…You don’t need to go into that kind of hypothetical situation.”
“—When there’s a problem, you have to solve it. If you can’t solve the problem, then transfer the malice onto others just to feel better yourself,” Ge Tingting stubbornly concluded. “Miss Ding’s way of handling things is much better.”
Huang Jin originally moved his seat a bit, seemingly trying to distance himself from his colleague. But upon hearing the latter half of her sentence, he silently moved back.
There were a few minutes left before class started, and most of the students had returned to the school building. The playground and gardens were empty, and the drizzling rain fell lightly. Maple leaves swayed with the autumn breeze, and the air seemed different from the outside world.
Ge Tingting closed her tablet, looked longingly at the children running towards the classroom in the rain, and then stuffed another spicy strip into her mouth.
However, before she could even swallow the food, she choked on the chili oil and felt dizzy.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
From the direction of the middle school building, there came distant and grating sounds of impact. The noise was accompanied by countless shouts and murmurs, as well as a creepy and sticky sound that reminded her of a group of corpses pushing open the doors of a tomb.
It wasn’t a sound of this world.
…It couldn’t even be called a “sound”. What she heard was the insane ravings of corpses, with no musical quality to it.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sounds of impact reverberated deep in her mind, as if the whole world was trembling and her brain was being pounded in a mortar. Ge Tingting instinctively covered her ears, letting out a groan of pain.
The package of spicy sticks fell on the ground, and the bright red snacks were covered in dusty soil.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong with you?” Huang Jin instantly dropped his casual attitude and half squatted in front of Ge Tingting. “Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge! Can you still speak?”
Ge Tingting’s face turned red, and she remained silent.
“I’ll contact Liang Shan right away.” Huang Jin quickly took out his phone.
“I’m fine.” Ge Tingting stared intently in the direction where the sound came from, gritting her teeth as she typed. “It should be over now. I heard some uncomfortable strange sounds… Yin Ren was right. Something is off here.”
Huang Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He touched Ge Tingting’s sweaty forehead, and his brows were still furrowed. “Are you sure I don’t need to find someone?”
“I’m really fine.” Ge Tingting wiped her face. “I…”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
For some reason, after a few minutes of silence, the sound suddenly pierced her mind again. Ge Tingting couldn’t hold back and vomited all over the floor.
“Cough… cough… cough…”
She wiped away the vomit from the corner of her mouth in agony, trying to suppress the urge to vomit deep in her throat. Fortunately, another wave of sound followed, and the previous noise disappeared, replaced by the melodious sound of the school bell.
Huang Jin hurriedly rummaged through his bag for wet wipes and then hastily composed a text message. Before he could send the message, a figure stopped in front of the two of them.
A bony hand reached out to them, holding out a thermos cup.
“Have some warm water to soothe your stomach, little girl,” the man said with a smile.
Ge Tingting struggled to lift her head.
Facing her was a thin man dressed as a school worker. His clothes were slightly wet from the rain, and he didn’t carry an umbrella. He had a bamboo-handled broom in his arms. His hair was gray, and he had two large eye bags hanging down, with the sound of wheezing phlegm in his voice, typical of someone who was sick.
Judging from his physique, he was probably in his forties, but his face appeared much older than Fu Xingchuan, who was the same age.
“Don’t be afraid that it’s dirty. I brought some sugar water, and I haven’t drunk it yet.” Seeing that neither of them accepted, the man smiled and added. He unscrewed the lid, and the brown sugar water inside was indeed full.
Huang Jin skeptically took the thermos cup—this man seemed to have no ill intentions. He casually used his personal spirit weapon to test it, and there was nothing inappropriate added to the sugar water.
After contemplating the man’s surface thoughts for a while, he found only some memories of the school students’ actions and a little concern—it seemed like he genuinely cared about Ge Tingting.
“Thank you, uncle.” Since everyone else had done their part, he couldn’t refuse either.
Ge Tingting drank the bottle of warm red sugar water, and her breathing gradually steadied. “I’m sorry for throwing up here. I’ll clean it up myself later.”
“Hey, it’s high-tech.” The school worker glanced at the AI device that made the sound and smiled with some surprise. He sat down on a nearby stone bench. “It’s not a problem. I just finished sweeping that area. Once the rain stops, I’ll clean up here.”
The cool autumn rain dripped steadily on the rain cover, and the water droplets slowly fell along the edges. The three of them weren’t far apart, but only the sound of rain filled the air.
“…Miss, I haven’t seen you before. Are you a middle school student?” The school worker naturally spoke up.
“No, I just brought my sister to take a look.” Huang Jin quickly picked up the conversation. “She wants to transfer schools, and we’re looking for a school she likes. Uncle, if you noticed, she has special circumstances.”
Ge Tingting nodded in agreement.
“No need to look further. This school is quite good.” The school worker chuckled. “I’ve been working here for seven or eight years, and I can guarantee I’m telling the truth.”
The school worker’s surface thoughts quickly recalled memories related to this school, and he didn’t seem like he was lying.
However, halfway through the recollection, the man started coughing heavily, pounding his chest.
The not-so-roomy school uniform he wore seemed loose on him, revealing protruding bone joints, and the cheap pants were creased. Huang Jin’s gaze swept over the school worker’s retro cloth shoes, then returned to the man’s haggard face.
“We’re also quite satisfied with this school, and we just want to experience the atmosphere for a few more days.” Huang Jin laughed it off.
Whether intentionally or not, Ge Tingting quickly changed the subject. “Is your health okay? You seem to be coughing quite severely. My grandmother used to cough like that… She had lingering effects from the previous famine. Everyone says that with proper care, she’ll definitely get better.”
The school worker’s expression stiffened for a moment. He grasped the broom like a chicken claw while his gaze shifted to the withering leaves swaying in the wind and rain.
“Don’t judge me based on my appearance. When I was young, I was healthy. I could eat as much as I wanted, and I could finish whatever was served.”
He chuckled bitterly, and a touch of sadness appeared on his face.
“Everyone is living well. Living a long life, eating well. Back then, I didn’t look like this… cough, cough.”
“And then?” Ge Tingting timely interjected.
“And then, there was the famine. These health problems of mine were caused by hunger. You could say they are the remnants of that. Haa, there wasn’t enough food, and I was particularly unlucky… I could only eat less and less…”
The school worker turned his clouded eyes away, and his tone became almost gentle.
Ge Tingting looked at him with a bewildered expression. There hadn’t been any reports of famine in the country recently.
“Of course, it’s my own constitution. I have a colleague who not only is younger and healthier than me, but recently, they still have as much food as they want.”
Even Huang Jin furrowed his brow this time. He couldn’t understand what the school worker was talking about at all. His narrative and specific events didn’t seem to align.
“Uncle, I have some money here. Can you bring it to your colleague and have your colleague share some food with you?” Ge Tingting didn’t think too much about it and took out her phone. “Consider it a thank you gift for the sugar water.”
“No need, little miss.”
The school worker shook his head with a smile.
“That colleague of mine passed away not long ago—life is just so unpredictable. I thought he would definitely be the one among us to live the longest.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay.” The school worker waved his hand. “There’s a saying, ‘Ignorance is bliss’.”
…As he uttered the last sentence, his tone was slightly strange. The school worker’s demeanor remained gentle, but Ge Tingting’s neck hairs remained on end. Now it seemed that it was more than just the cold rain.
Ge Tingting forced herself to adjust her breathing. She picked up the cup and walked quickly in front of the school worker.
“Uncle, here’s your cup. The rain is too heavy, so my brother and I will go back first.”
The school worker silently looked at her for a while, and his murky eyes revealed no emotion.
“Oh, come again.”
After a moment, he responded slowly.
“This is the best school.”
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The sky was gloomy, and the classroom lights were on, but they couldn’t dispel the surrounding sense of darkness. The damp air carried a hint of an earthy smell as the monitor cleaned the blackboard, and chalk dust fell softly to the ground.
During the break, students gathered in small groups, eagerly chatting and secretly fiddling with their phones. Some even took out handheld game consoles in full view of everyone, and laughter and screams occasionally erupted from the young boys and girls. Among them, a few students glanced at Zhong Chengshuo for a while, then deliberately covered their mouths and spoke softly, obviously discussing the new classmate.
Whether they were discussing his funny name or his peculiar statement of “finding the culprit”, it was hard to say.
Zhang Hejun’s desk remained unchanged, filled with exercise books and textbooks. Stationery was casually scattered, as if she had temporarily left the classroom and would soon return.
She had bought a small magnetic doll—a rabbit with magnets on its arms—which she hugged against the metal desk leg. Its round plastic eyes were directed towards Zhong Chengshuo’s direction.
Zhong Chengshuo sat at the back of the classroom, withdrawing his gaze from Zhang Hejun’s seat.
His textbooks and stationery were provided by Shian, quite different from what he used before. However, this feeling of being detached from the situation was exactly the same as when he attended school in the past.
Zhong Chengshuo remembered everything from the very beginning.
The wish made by that ripple, the thousand-year slumber and awakening, the mysterious encounter with the baby, and his first meeting with his foster parents.
Zhong Chengshuo still didn’t know what he really was, but he was certain that he wasn’t human. Back then, when he watched his classmates running and jumping, they seemed like a school of fish crowded together in a fish tank.
Separated by a transparent, icy barrier.
Loneliness wasn’t the right word, and neither was envy. Regarding the fact that he was alone, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t feel anything special. It was similar to those distant, faint ripples around him from a thousand years ago. He simply observed them quietly.
No need for any emotions, like a plant growing in a corner.
Zhong Chengshuo pulled himself out of his memories. He had just opened the long-unopened textbook when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Young Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, looking curiously at the textbook.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see him, Lord Ghost King casually leaned on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder and said, “Wow, I can’t understand any of this.”
Given that this large Primordial Elemental still had a physical form, Zhong Chengshuo could feel Yin Ren’s breath and body temperature. Yin Ren frowned as he read the middle school physics textbook, emitting a long “hmm” from his throat. His long hair hung down along Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, sliding back and forth on the loose fabric.
…He seemed to be reading it quite seriously.
Yin Ren’s warm breath and presence were comforting, causing Zhong Chengshuo to unintentionally pause his flipping of the pages. The instinctive rejection and the genuine closeness stemmed from the strong sense of the person beside him, making it impossible to ignore.
The familiar hustle and bustle of traversing time still surrounded them, and the music during the break hadn’t changed for over a decade. He suddenly couldn’t recall that detached “plant-like” mentality from his memories.
Zhong Chengshuo gently turned his head, resting his forehead against Yin Ren’s cheek. Yin Ren adjusted his posture accordingly, continuing to study the profound scientific principles on that page.
Pitter-patter. Raindrops started hitting the glass window. Zhong Chengshuo listened to the rhythm of his lover’s heartbeat and his eyes slightly narrowed.
Meaningless memories of his student life suddenly felt much warmer.
Truly…
Before his thought of “good” could fully process in his mind, there was a loud bang on Zhong Chengshuo’s desk. Two boys who had been discussing comics nearby suddenly started fighting, and the one being pushed almost knocked over Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.
The two of them cursed with foul language that didn’t belong to their age, grabbing and pushing each other’s bulky school uniforms, trying to knock each other to the ground. Zhong Chengshuo listened with both ears as the two boys argued over the power level of two characters in the comic.
However, Zhong Chengshuo unmistakably sensed a murderous aura.
The two boys, aged around eleven or twelve, emanated intense hostility towards each other. Surrounding students gathered around, with a few even cheering them on. One of the boys had a scratched face with a bloody mark, and his face was turning red. He reached out his hand, about to grab the compass from Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.
Zhong Chengshuo caught his wrist and said, “Don’t be impulsive.”
“What the fuck does it have to do with you, you stupid idiot?” The boy gnashed his teeth.
“What kind of dog matches its owner’s power. Weak owners have weak dogs!” The other, taller boy, seeing that his opponent was held back by the “weak and thin” Zhong Chengshuo, immediately laughed and made a mocking face.
Zhong Chengshuo saw the person he was holding onto bulge with swollen veins; his face and neck turning red. The person even abandoned the compass and kicked towards the other boy. The kick swept across the other boy’s nose, and a bright red nosebleed instantly gushed out, dripping onto the ground.
The red light of the surveillance camera in the back of the classroom blinked, and the dark lens scanned the class. But after a few minutes, no one intervened.
Zhong Chengshuo helplessly surveyed the surroundings—either the students were indifferent and stayed out of it, or they crowded around to watch the commotion, without anyone going to find a teacher to mediate.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” An instigator shouted with excitement, urging others to come and watch, saying, “Let’s see who backs down. Who’s a wimp!”
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Students who had hidden their phones crowded closer, skillfully taking photos and videos.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” A few people even intentionally placed sharp objects like utility knives and compasses nearby, and then quickly stepped back.
The crowd formed a circle, and within the circle were the two individuals tangled in a fight, as well as Zhong Chengshuo standing still.
Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze scanned the classroom and stopped on Luo Chunlei. The young girl was surrounded by a few friends, staring intently in their direction. The drops of nosebleed on the ground were being trampled by the two fighting boys, staining the floor with blood.
Zhong Chengshuo blinked and raised his hand, intending to stop the two children from misbehaving. However, as he raised his hand, someone grabbed his sleeve. Zhong Chengshuo’s fist drew a perfect arc in the air and landed squarely on one of the individuals’ face.
The crowd immediately erupted in boos.
The boy who was punched happened to be the one who started the commotion. His face was still covered in the fresh nosebleed. He was tall and stout, and his face turned purple with anger. He was about to get up and teach this transfer student a lesson but slipped on the ground, landing in a standard squatting position.
This time, his face turned completely black, emanating an aura of anger and madness that didn’t belong to his age. For a moment, the boy’s presence was almost comparable to that of an evil being.
Behind him, the invisible mastermind clapped his hands; his red eyes were filled with unclear emotions.
“Wu Ge embarrassed himself. Wu Ge embarrassed himself!” The boys who were recording videos cheered.
“Isn’t it pathetic to fight two against one? Bring it on!” Wu Ge wiped his nosebleed and roared loudly.
“Why do you care about it? Who’s counting this win?” The bloodied-faced boy didn’t back down either. He raised his chin, splattering saliva, narrowly avoiding Zhong Chengshuo’s face.
Just at that moment, the familiar sound of the class bell rang, and the crowd rushed back to their seats.
A middle-aged male teacher stepped into the classroom, and his gaze swept over the two bruised and swollen individuals before settling on Zhong Chengshuo, whose desk and chair were overturned. Then, as if nothing had happened, the teacher put down his books and said, “Let’s start the class. Hello, everyone!”
“Hello, Tea-cher!” The students responded cheerfully.
In the back row of the classroom, Zhong Chengshuo tidied up his desk alone. The bloodstains remained on the floor, shining brightly with their vibrant color.
“What were you thinking just now?” After finally putting everything back in place, Zhong Chengshuo covered half of his face with a textbook and spoke in a muffled voice.
Even if he couldn’t sense the aura of magic, he knew that the boy’s fall just now was undoubtedly caused by Yin Ren’s mischief.
Yin Ren didn’t answer immediately. His gaze slowly swept over every student in the classroom, and his expression gradually became solemn.
……
Their close-range investigation this time was correct; Yin Ren was certain of that now.
When the boy wanted to grab the compass, Yin Ren suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, followed by a prickling sensation. Yin Ren was familiar with this feeling—
It was the unique sensation of being spied on.
To be precise, it was the unique sensation of being watched by a large Elemental. However, compared to Mr. Qiu, this sense of being watched was fainter and more distant.
The person spying on them was not targeting himself but the student who tried to harm others with the compass. To confirm his speculation, Yin Ren deliberately provoked the troublemaker by having Zhong Chengshuo throw a punch, exposing the troublemaker’s embarrassment on the spot.
Sure enough, under the other person’s madness, that indescribable feeling of being spied on resurfaced.
Was there another large Elemental hidden here? Could it be the rumored “Mr. Le”? But compared to Mr. Qiu’s gaze, there was something off about this feeling… There weren’t enough clues.
“There are twenty-four contaminants in this classroom,” Yin Ren leaned over to whisper in Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. “Even though Liang Shan and the others checked yesterday, there are even more now. Zhong Ge, I need your cooperation for the next step.”
“Okay,” Zhong Chengshuo replied softly.
“But given your situation, it might be a bit difficult…” Yin Ren poked his cheek.
Zhong Chengshuo’s chest felt slightly suffocated, and a subtle sense of grievance emerged on its own. “Just say it straight. I can cooperate with anything.”
Why, aren’t they the best accomplices?
“…Well then, Zhong Ge, I need you to go crazy and provoke as many kids as possible in this class.”
Yin Ren leaned in, poking his head and peeking around.
“But your parents always told me that you were unbelievably well-behaved in school. Are you really okay with this?” Yin Ren asked.
Zhong Chengshuo: “…”
Alright, it seemed there was still some distance to go to become the “best accomplices”.
Dr. Zhong could write research papers, and King Yama could slay evil creatures. He could even grow another head. But when it came to causing trouble as a student, he really lacked experience.
“I’ll do my best,” Zhong Chengshuo said, holding his textbook and mustering a reluctant tone.
……
Drizzling rain fell, drumming onto the stone bricks.
“Are they going to be okay?” Huang Jin sat on a stone bench in the school with a vacant gaze. Large maple leaves fell from the trees and lazily landed on his face.
Ge Tingting: “Pfft!” She purposely made a laughing sound with the AI.
“They should be fine. After all, it’s Yin Ge.” She bought a bag full of snacks from the school store and was currently munching on spicy sticks at the other end of the bench.
“Even the Great Celestial Master has never gone through compulsory education.” Huang Jin despondently removed the leaf from his face. “Well, it’s not like they’re in any life-threatening danger… Even if we were to wipe their ass, it’s not our turn. Hey, if you want to stay here for a bit, I’ll go out first—”
“Skipping work is wrong,” Ge Tingting sternly remarked.
Huang Jin silently placed the leaf back on his face. “It’s raining, and we’re just wasting time sitting here. Liang Shan and Lu Xiaohe at least have the office to stay in. We’re just wandering outside with nothing to do.
“It’s wrong to be lazy.”
“…Hey, did Shian secretly give you a raise?”
“No!” Ge Tingting snorted, kicked away a leaf that flew towards her, and took out the case files to read.
Lu Chunlei’s information appeared on the tablet, looking somewhat dim in the rainy weather.
“You’re still looking? Don’t you know how many times you’ve looked already?” Huang Jin finally gave up using the leaf to cover his face to avoid reality. “Her file isn’t anything special, right?”
“Hmm.”
Ge Tingting tapped the screen and increased the brightness. She enlarged the photo of Luo Chunlei, whose face looked upright, lovely, and had a smile that was quite endearing.
Luo Chunlei came from a wealthy family. Her mother was a high-ranking executive who was shrewd and capable. Her father used to be involved in the high-interest loan business and earned quite a sum of illicit money in his early years. Since the regulations became stricter, her father changed his occupation a few years ago, resulting in a sharp decrease in income. However, overall, the assets of her family were sufficient to ensure a comfortable life for her for two lifetimes.
Of course, every family had its own difficulties. Since Luo Chunlei’s father changed his occupation, his income was lower than his wife’s, and he started drinking heavily at home, often verbally abusing his wife and daughter. Physical abuse only became a recent occurrence—
Just a week ago, when he was heavily drunk, he directly smashed a liquor bottle on his wife and child’s heads. The neighbors were frightened and immediately reported it, but the matter was ultimately dropped.
“It’s just that their family relationship isn’t good. There’s no reason for that girl to go crazy like that.” Huang Jin played with a dry leaf in his hand. “To put it bluntly, if I could have their family conditions, I’d be overjoyed.”
“You shouldn’t compare like that.”
Ge Tingting, who was also an orphan, scrolled through the information.
“But you’re right. That’s not a reason for her to harm her classmates. There’s a cause and effect for every grievance. If I were her, I would deal with my father first—”
Huang Jin: “…”
Huang Jin: “…You don’t need to go into that kind of hypothetical situation.”
“—When there’s a problem, you have to solve it. If you can’t solve the problem, then transfer the malice onto others just to feel better yourself,” Ge Tingting stubbornly concluded. “Miss Ding’s way of handling things is much better.”
Huang Jin originally moved his seat a bit, seemingly trying to distance himself from his colleague. But upon hearing the latter half of her sentence, he silently moved back.
There were a few minutes left before class started, and most of the students had returned to the school building. The playground and gardens were empty, and the drizzling rain fell lightly. Maple leaves swayed with the autumn breeze, and the air seemed different from the outside world.
Ge Tingting closed her tablet, looked longingly at the children running towards the classroom in the rain, and then stuffed another spicy strip into her mouth.
However, before she could even swallow the food, she choked on the chili oil and felt dizzy.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
From the direction of the middle school building, there came distant and grating sounds of impact. The noise was accompanied by countless shouts and murmurs, as well as a creepy and sticky sound that reminded her of a group of corpses pushing open the doors of a tomb.
It wasn’t a sound of this world.
…It couldn’t even be called a “sound”. What she heard was the insane ravings of corpses, with no musical quality to it.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sounds of impact reverberated deep in her mind, as if the whole world was trembling and her brain was being pounded in a mortar. Ge Tingting instinctively covered her ears, letting out a groan of pain.
The package of spicy sticks fell on the ground, and the bright red snacks were covered in dusty soil.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong with you?” Huang Jin instantly dropped his casual attitude and half squatted in front of Ge Tingting. “Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge! Can you still speak?”
Ge Tingting’s face turned red, and she remained silent.
“I’ll contact Liang Shan right away.” Huang Jin quickly took out his phone.
“I’m fine.” Ge Tingting stared intently in the direction where the sound came from, gritting her teeth as she typed. “It should be over now. I heard some uncomfortable strange sounds… Yin Ren was right. Something is off here.”
Huang Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He touched Ge Tingting’s sweaty forehead, and his brows were still furrowed. “Are you sure I don’t need to find someone?”
“I’m really fine.” Ge Tingting wiped her face. “I…”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
For some reason, after a few minutes of silence, the sound suddenly pierced her mind again. Ge Tingting couldn’t hold back and vomited all over the floor.
“Cough… cough… cough…”
She wiped away the vomit from the corner of her mouth in agony, trying to suppress the urge to vomit deep in her throat. Fortunately, another wave of sound followed, and the previous noise disappeared, replaced by the melodious sound of the school bell.
Huang Jin hurriedly rummaged through his bag for wet wipes and then hastily composed a text message. Before he could send the message, a figure stopped in front of the two of them.
A bony hand reached out to them, holding out a thermos cup.
“Have some warm water to soothe your stomach, little girl,” the man said with a smile.
Ge Tingting struggled to lift her head.
Facing her was a thin man dressed as a school worker. His clothes were slightly wet from the rain, and he didn’t carry an umbrella. He had a bamboo-handled broom in his arms. His hair was gray, and he had two large eye bags hanging down, with the sound of wheezing phlegm in his voice, typical of someone who was sick.
Judging from his physique, he was probably in his forties, but his face appeared much older than Fu Xingchuan, who was the same age.
“Don’t be afraid that it’s dirty. I brought some sugar water, and I haven’t drunk it yet.” Seeing that neither of them accepted, the man smiled and added. He unscrewed the lid, and the brown sugar water inside was indeed full.
Huang Jin skeptically took the thermos cup—this man seemed to have no ill intentions. He casually used his personal spirit weapon to test it, and there was nothing inappropriate added to the sugar water.
After contemplating the man’s surface thoughts for a while, he found only some memories of the school students’ actions and a little concern—it seemed like he genuinely cared about Ge Tingting.
“Thank you, uncle.” Since everyone else had done their part, he couldn’t refuse either.
Ge Tingting drank the bottle of warm red sugar water, and her breathing gradually steadied. “I’m sorry for throwing up here. I’ll clean it up myself later.”
“Hey, it’s high-tech.” The school worker glanced at the AI device that made the sound and smiled with some surprise. He sat down on a nearby stone bench. “It’s not a problem. I just finished sweeping that area. Once the rain stops, I’ll clean up here.”
The cool autumn rain dripped steadily on the rain cover, and the water droplets slowly fell along the edges. The three of them weren’t far apart, but only the sound of rain filled the air.
“…Miss, I haven’t seen you before. Are you a middle school student?” The school worker naturally spoke up.
“No, I just brought my sister to take a look.” Huang Jin quickly picked up the conversation. “She wants to transfer schools, and we’re looking for a school she likes. Uncle, if you noticed, she has special circumstances.”
Ge Tingting nodded in agreement.
“No need to look further. This school is quite good.” The school worker chuckled. “I’ve been working here for seven or eight years, and I can guarantee I’m telling the truth.”
The school worker’s surface thoughts quickly recalled memories related to this school, and he didn’t seem like he was lying.
However, halfway through the recollection, the man started coughing heavily, pounding his chest.
The not-so-roomy school uniform he wore seemed loose on him, revealing protruding bone joints, and the cheap pants were creased. Huang Jin’s gaze swept over the school worker’s retro cloth shoes, then returned to the man’s haggard face.
“We’re also quite satisfied with this school, and we just want to experience the atmosphere for a few more days.” Huang Jin laughed it off.
Whether intentionally or not, Ge Tingting quickly changed the subject. “Is your health okay? You seem to be coughing quite severely. My grandmother used to cough like that… She had lingering effects from the previous famine. Everyone says that with proper care, she’ll definitely get better.”
The school worker’s expression stiffened for a moment. He grasped the broom like a chicken claw while his gaze shifted to the withering leaves swaying in the wind and rain.
“Don’t judge me based on my appearance. When I was young, I was healthy. I could eat as much as I wanted, and I could finish whatever was served.”
He chuckled bitterly, and a touch of sadness appeared on his face.
“Everyone is living well. Living a long life, eating well. Back then, I didn’t look like this… cough, cough.”
“And then?” Ge Tingting timely interjected.
“And then, there was the famine. These health problems of mine were caused by hunger. You could say they are the remnants of that. Haa, there wasn’t enough food, and I was particularly unlucky… I could only eat less and less…”
The school worker turned his clouded eyes away, and his tone became almost gentle.
Ge Tingting looked at him with a bewildered expression. There hadn’t been any reports of famine in the country recently.
“Of course, it’s my own constitution. I have a colleague who not only is younger and healthier than me, but recently, they still have as much food as they want.”
Even Huang Jin furrowed his brow this time. He couldn’t understand what the school worker was talking about at all. His narrative and specific events didn’t seem to align.
“Uncle, I have some money here. Can you bring it to your colleague and have your colleague share some food with you?” Ge Tingting didn’t think too much about it and took out her phone. “Consider it a thank you gift for the sugar water.”
“No need, little miss.”
The school worker shook his head with a smile.
“That colleague of mine passed away not long ago—life is just so unpredictable. I thought he would definitely be the one among us to live the longest.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay.” The school worker waved his hand. “There’s a saying, ‘Ignorance is bliss’.”
…As he uttered the last sentence, his tone was slightly strange. The school worker’s demeanor remained gentle, but Ge Tingting’s neck hairs remained on end. Now it seemed that it was more than just the cold rain.
Ge Tingting forced herself to adjust her breathing. She picked up the cup and walked quickly in front of the school worker.
“Uncle, here’s your cup. The rain is too heavy, so my brother and I will go back first.”
The school worker silently looked at her for a while, and his murky eyes revealed no emotion.
“Oh, come again.”
After a moment, he responded slowly.
“This is the best school.”
The sky was gloomy, and the classroom lights were on, but they couldn't dispel the surrounding sense of darkness. The damp air carried a hint of an earthy smell as the monitor cleaned the blackboard, and chalk dust fell softly to the ground.During the break, students gathered in small groups, eagerly chatting and secretly fiddling with their phones. Some even took out handheld game consoles in full view of everyone, and laughter and screams occasionally erupted from the young boys and girls. Among them, a few students glanced at Zhong Chengshuo for a while, then deliberately covered their mouths and spoke softly, obviously discussing the new classmate.Whether they were discussing his funny name or his peculiar statement of finding the culprit, it was hard to say.Zhang Hejun's desk remained unchanged, filled with exercise books and textbooks. Stationery was casually scattered, as if she had temporarily left the classroom and would soon return.She had bought a small magnetic dolla rabbit with magnets on its armswhich she hugged against the metal desk leg. Its round plastic eyes were directed towards Zhong Chengshuo's direction.Zhong Chengshuo sat at the back of the classroom, withdrawing his gaze from Zhang Hejun's seat.His textbooks and stationery were provided by Shian, quite different from what he used before. However, this feeling of being detached from the situation was exactly the same as when he attended school in the past.Zhong Chengshuo remembered everything from the very beginning.The wish made by that ripple, the thousand-year slumber and awakening, the mysterious encounter with the baby, and his first meeting with his foster parents.Zhong Chengshuo still didn't know what he really was, but he was certain that he wasn't human. Back then, when he watched his classmates running and jumping, they seemed like a school of fish crowded together in a fish tank.Separated by a transparent, icy barrier.Loneliness wasn't the right word, and neither was envy. Regarding the fact that he was alone, Zhong Chengshuo didn't feel anything special. It was similar to those distant, faint ripples around him from a thousand years ago. He simply observed them quietly.No need for any emotions, like a plant growing in a corner.Zhong Chengshuo pulled himself out of his memories. He had just opened the long-unopened textbook when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Young Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo's shoulder, looking curiously at the textbook.Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see him, Lord Ghost King casually leaned on Zhong Chengshuo's shoulder and said, Wow, I can't understand any of this.Given that this large Primordial Elemental still had a physical form, Zhong Chengshuo could feel Yin Ren's breath and body temperature. Yin Ren frowned as he read the middle school physics textbook, emitting a long hmm from his throat. His long hair hung down along Zhong Chengshuo's shoulder, sliding back and forth on the loose fabric.He seemed to be reading it quite seriously.Yin Ren's warm breath and presence were comforting, causing Zhong Chengshuo to unintentionally pause his flipping of the pages. The instinctive rejection and the genuine closeness stemmed from the strong sense of the person beside him, making it impossible to ignore.The familiar hustle and bustle of traversing time still surrounded them, and the music during the break hadn't changed for over a decade. He suddenly couldn't recall that detached plant-like mentality from his memories.Zhong Chengshuo gently turned his head, resting his forehead against Yin Ren's cheek. Yin Ren adjusted his posture accordingly, continuing to study the profound scientific principles on that page.Pitter-patter. Raindrops started hitting the glass window. Zhong Chengshuo listened to the rhythm of his lover's heartbeat and his eyes slightly narrowed.Meaningless memories of his student life suddenly felt much warmer.TrulyBefore his thought of good could fully process in his mind, there was a loud bang on Zhong Chengshuo's desk. Two boys who had been discussing comics nearby suddenly started fighting, and the one being pushed almost knocked over Zhong Chengshuo's desk.The two of them cursed with foul language that didn't belong to their age, grabbing and pushing each other's bulky school uniforms, trying to knock each other to the ground. Zhong Chengshuo listened with both ears as the two boys argued over the power level of two characters in the comic.However, Zhong Chengshuo unmistakably sensed a murderous aura.The two boys, aged around eleven or twelve, emanated intense hostility towards each other. Surrounding students gathered around, with a few even cheering them on. One of the boys had a scratched face with a bloody mark, and his face was turning red. He reached out his hand, about to grab the compass from Zhong Chengshuo's desk.Zhong Chengshuo caught his wrist and said, Don't be impulsive.What the fuck does it have to do with you, you stupid idiot? The boy gnashed his teeth.What kind of dog matches its owner's power. Weak owners have weak dogs! The other, taller boy, seeing that his opponent was held back by the weak and thin Zhong Chengshuo, immediately laughed and made a mocking face.Zhong Chengshuo saw the person he was holding onto bulge with swollen veins; his face and neck turning red. The person even abandoned the compass and kicked towards the other boy. The kick swept across the other boy's nose, and a bright red nosebleed instantly gushed out, dripping onto the ground.The red light of the surveillance camera in the back of the classroom blinked, and the dark lens scanned the class. But after a few minutes, no one intervened.Zhong Chengshuo helplessly surveyed the surroundingseither the students were indifferent and stayed out of it, or they crowded around to watch the commotion, without anyone going to find a teacher to mediate.Fight! Fight! Fight! An instigator shouted with excitement, urging others to come and watch, saying, Let's see who backs down. Who's a wimp!Fight! Fight! Fight! Students who had hidden their phones crowded closer, skillfully taking photos and videos.Fight! Fight! Fight! A few people even intentionally placed sharp objects like utility knives and compasses nearby, and then quickly stepped back.The crowd formed a circle, and within the circle were the two individuals tangled in a fight, as well as Zhong Chengshuo standing still.Zhong Chengshuo's gaze scanned the classroom and stopped on Luo Chunlei. The young girl was surrounded by a few friends, staring intently in their direction. The drops of nosebleed on the ground were being trampled by the two fighting boys, staining the floor with blood.Zhong Chengshuo blinked and raised his hand, intending to stop the two children from misbehaving. However, as he raised his hand, someone grabbed his sleeve. Zhong Chengshuo's fist drew a perfect arc in the air and landed squarely on one of the individuals' face.The crowd immediately erupted in boos.The boy who was punched happened to be the one who started the commotion. His face was still covered in the fresh nosebleed. He was tall and stout, and his face turned purple with anger. He was about to get up and teach this transfer student a lesson but slipped on the ground, landing in a standard squatting position.This time, his face turned completely black, emanating an aura of anger and madness that didn't belong to his age. For a moment, the boy's presence was almost comparable to that of an evil being.Behind him, the invisible mastermind clapped his hands; his red eyes were filled with unclear emotions.Wu Ge embarrassed himself. Wu Ge embarrassed himself! The boys who were recording videos cheered.Isn't it pathetic to fight two against one? Bring it on! Wu Ge wiped his nosebleed and roared loudly.Why do you care about it? Who's counting this win? The bloodied-faced boy didn't back down either. He raised his chin, splattering saliva, narrowly avoiding Zhong Chengshuo's face.Just at that moment, the familiar sound of the class bell rang, and the crowd rushed back to their seats.A middle-aged male teacher stepped into the classroom, and his gaze swept over the two bruised and swollen individuals before settling on Zhong Chengshuo, whose desk and chair were overturned. Then, as if nothing had happened, the teacher put down his books and said, Let's start the class. Hello, everyone!Hello, Tea-cher! The students responded cheerfully.In the back row of the classroom, Zhong Chengshuo tidied up his desk alone. The bloodstains remained on the floor, shining brightly with their vibrant color.What were you thinking just now? After finally putting everything back in place, Zhong Chengshuo covered half of his face with a textbook and spoke in a muffled voice.Even if he couldn't sense the aura of magic, he knew that the boy's fall just now was undoubtedly caused by Yin Ren's mischief.Yin Ren didn't answer immediately. His gaze slowly swept over every student in the classroom, and his expression gradually became solemn.Their close-range investigation this time was correct; Yin Ren was certain of that now.When the boy wanted to grab the compass, Yin Ren suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, followed by a prickling sensation. Yin Ren was familiar with this feelingIt was the unique sensation of being spied on.To be precise, it was the unique sensation of being watched by a large Elemental. However, compared to Mr. Qiu, this sense of being watched was fainter and more distant.The person spying on them was not targeting himself but the student who tried to harm others with the compass. To confirm his speculation, Yin Ren deliberately provoked the troublemaker by having Zhong Chengshuo throw a punch, exposing the troublemaker's embarrassment on the spot.Sure enough, under the other person's madness, that indescribable feeling of being spied on resurfaced.Was there another large Elemental hidden here? Could it be the rumored Mr. Le? But compared to Mr. Qiu's gaze, there was something off about this feeling There weren't enough clues.There are twenty-four contaminants in this classroom, Yin Ren leaned over to whisper in Zhong Chengshuo's ear. Even though Liang Shan and the others checked yesterday, there are even more now. Zhong Ge, I need your cooperation for the next step.Okay, Zhong Chengshuo replied softly.But given your situation, it might be a bit difficult Yin Ren poked his cheek.Zhong Chengshuo's chest felt slightly suffocated, and a subtle sense of grievance emerged on its own. Just say it straight. I can cooperate with anything.Why, aren't they the best accomplices?Well then, Zhong Ge, I need you to go crazy and provoke as many kids as possible in this class.Yin Ren leaned in, poking his head and peeking around.But your parents always told me that you were unbelievably well-behaved in school. Are you really okay with this? Yin Ren asked.Zhong Chengshuo: Alright, it seemed there was still some distance to go to become the best accomplices.Dr. Zhong could write research papers, and King Yama could slay evil creatures. He could even grow another head. But when it came to causing trouble as a student, he really lacked experience.I'll do my best, Zhong Chengshuo said, holding his textbook and mustering a reluctant tone.Drizzling rain fell, drumming onto the stone bricks.Are they going to be okay? Huang Jin sat on a stone bench in the school with a vacant gaze. Large maple leaves fell from the trees and lazily landed on his face.Ge Tingting: Pfft! She purposely made a laughing sound with the AI.They should be fine. After all, it's Yin Ge. She bought a bag full of snacks from the school store and was currently munching on spicy sticks at the other end of the bench.Even the Great Celestial Master has never gone through compulsory education. Huang Jin despondently removed the leaf from his face. Well, it's not like they're in any life-threatening danger Even if we were to wipe their ass, it's not our turn. Hey, if you want to stay here for a bit, I'll go out firstSkipping work is wrong, Ge Tingting sternly remarked.Huang Jin silently placed the leaf back on his face. It's raining, and we're just wasting time sitting here. Liang Shan and Lu Xiaohe at least have the office to stay in. We're just wandering outside with nothing to do.It's wrong to be lazy.Hey, did Shian secretly give you a raise?No! Ge Tingting snorted, kicked away a leaf that flew towards her, and took out the case files to read.Lu Chunlei's information appeared on the tablet, looking somewhat dim in the rainy weather.You're still looking? Don't you know how many times you've looked already? Huang Jin finally gave up using the leaf to cover his face to avoid reality. Her file isn't anything special, right?Hmm.Ge Tingting tapped the screen and increased the brightness. She enlarged the photo of Luo Chunlei, whose face looked upright, lovely, and had a smile that was quite endearing.Luo Chunlei came from a wealthy family. Her mother was a high-ranking executive who was shrewd and capable. Her father used to be involved in the high-interest loan business and earned quite a sum of illicit money in his early years. Since the regulations became stricter, her father changed his occupation a few years ago, resulting in a sharp decrease in income. However, overall, the assets of her family were sufficient to ensure a comfortable life for her for two lifetimes.Of course, every family had its own difficulties. Since Luo Chunlei's father changed his occupation, his income was lower than his wife's, and he started drinking heavily at home, often verbally abusing his wife and daughter. Physical abuse only became a recent occurrenceJust a week ago, when he was heavily drunk, he directly smashed a liquor bottle on his wife and child's heads. The neighbors were frightened and immediately reported it, but the matter was ultimately dropped.It's just that their family relationship isn't good. There's no reason for that girl to go crazy like that. Huang Jin played with a dry leaf in his hand. To put it bluntly, if I could have their family conditions, I'd be overjoyed.You shouldn't compare like that.Ge Tingting, who was also an orphan, scrolled through the information.But you're right. That's not a reason for her to harm her classmates. There's a cause and effect for every grievance. If I were her, I would deal with my father firstHuang Jin: Huang Jin: You don't need to go into that kind of hypothetical situation.When there's a problem, you have to solve it. If you can't solve the problem, then transfer the malice onto others just to feel better yourself, Ge Tingting stubbornly concluded. Miss Ding's way of handling things is much better.Huang Jin originally moved his seat a bit, seemingly trying to distance himself from his colleague. But upon hearing the latter half of her sentence, he silently moved back.There were a few minutes left before class started, and most of the students had returned to the school building. The playground and gardens were empty, and the drizzling rain fell lightly. Maple leaves swayed with the autumn breeze, and the air seemed different from the outside world.Ge Tingting closed her tablet, looked longingly at the children running towards the classroom in the rain, and then stuffed another spicy strip into her mouth.However, before she could even swallow the food, she choked on the chili oil and felt dizzy.Thump! Thump! Thump!From the direction of the middle school building, there came distant and grating sounds of impact. The noise was accompanied by countless shouts and murmurs, as well as a creepy and sticky sound that reminded her of a group of corpses pushing open the doors of a tomb.It wasn't a sound of this world.It couldn't even be called a sound. What she heard was the insane ravings of corpses, with no musical quality to it.Thump! Thump! Thump!The sounds of impact reverberated deep in her mind, as if the whole world was trembling and her brain was being pounded in a mortar. Ge Tingting instinctively covered her ears, letting out a groan of pain.The package of spicy sticks fell on the ground, and the bright red snacks were covered in dusty soil.Hey, hey, what's wrong with you? Huang Jin instantly dropped his casual attitude and half squatted in front of Ge Tingting. Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge! Can you still speak?Ge Tingting's face turned red, and she remained silent.I'll contact Liang Shan right away. Huang Jin quickly took out his phone.I'm fine. Ge Tingting stared intently in the direction where the sound came from, gritting her teeth as she typed. It should be over now. I heard some uncomfortable strange sounds Yin Ren was right. Something is off here.Huang Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He touched Ge Tingting's sweaty forehead, and his brows were still furrowed. Are you sure I don't need to find someone?I'm really fine. Ge Tingting wiped her face. IThump! Thump! Thump!For some reason, after a few minutes of silence, the sound suddenly pierced her mind again. Ge Tingting couldn't hold back and vomited all over the floor.Cough cough coughShe wiped away the vomit from the corner of her mouth in agony, trying to suppress the urge to vomit deep in her throat. Fortunately, another wave of sound followed, and the previous noise disappeared, replaced by the melodious sound of the school bell.Huang Jin hurriedly rummaged through his bag for wet wipes and then hastily composed a text message. Before he could send the message, a figure stopped in front of the two of them.A bony hand reached out to them, holding out a thermos cup.Have some warm water to soothe your stomach, little girl, the man said with a smile.Ge Tingting struggled to lift her head.Facing her was a thin man dressed as a school worker. His clothes were slightly wet from the rain, and he didn't carry an umbrella. He had a bamboo-handled broom in his arms. His hair was gray, and he had two large eye bags hanging down, with the sound of wheezing phlegm in his voice, typical of someone who was sick.Judging from his physique, he was probably in his forties, but his face appeared much older than Fu Xingchuan, who was the same age.Don't be afraid that it's dirty. I brought some sugar water, and I haven't drunk it yet. Seeing that neither of them accepted, the man smiled and added. He unscrewed the lid, and the brown sugar water inside was indeed full.Huang Jin skeptically took the thermos cupthis man seemed to have no ill intentions. He casually used his personal spirit weapon to test it, and there was nothing inappropriate added to the sugar water.After contemplating the man's surface thoughts for a while, he found only some memories of the school students' actions and a little concernit seemed like he genuinely cared about Ge Tingting.Thank you, uncle. Since everyone else had done their part, he couldn't refuse either.Ge Tingting drank the bottle of warm red sugar water, and her breathing gradually steadied. I'm sorry for throwing up here. I'll clean it up myself later.Hey, it's high-tech. The school worker glanced at the AI device that made the sound and smiled with some surprise. He sat down on a nearby stone bench. It's not a problem. I just finished sweeping that area. Once the rain stops, I'll clean up here.The cool autumn rain dripped steadily on the rain cover, and the water droplets slowly fell along the edges. The three of them weren't far apart, but only the sound of rain filled the air.Miss, I haven't seen you before. Are you a middle school student? The school worker naturally spoke up.No, I just brought my sister to take a look. Huang Jin quickly picked up the conversation. She wants to transfer schools, and we're looking for a school she likes. Uncle, if you noticed, she has special circumstances.Ge Tingting nodded in agreement.No need to look further. This school is quite good. The school worker chuckled. I've been working here for seven or eight years, and I can guarantee I'm telling the truth.The school worker's surface thoughts quickly recalled memories related to this school, and he didn't seem like he was lying.However, halfway through the recollection, the man started coughing heavily, pounding his chest.The not-so-roomy school uniform he wore seemed loose on him, revealing protruding bone joints, and the cheap pants were creased. Huang Jin's gaze swept over the school worker's retro cloth shoes, then returned to the man's haggard face.We're also quite satisfied with this school, and we just want to experience the atmosphere for a few more days. Huang Jin laughed it off.Whether intentionally or not, Ge Tingting quickly changed the subject. Is your health okay? You seem to be coughing quite severely. My grandmother used to cough like that She had lingering effects from the previous famine. Everyone says that with proper care, she'll definitely get better.The school worker's expression stiffened for a moment. He grasped the broom like a chicken claw while his gaze shifted to the withering leaves swaying in the wind and rain.Don't judge me based on my appearance. When I was young, I was healthy. I could eat as much as I wanted, and I could finish whatever was served.He chuckled bitterly, and a touch of sadness appeared on his face.Everyone is living well. Living a long life, eating well. Back then, I didn't look like this cough, cough.And then? Ge Tingting timely interjected.And then, there was the famine. These health problems of mine were caused by hunger. You could say they are the remnants of that. Haa, there wasn't enough food, and I was particularly unlucky I could only eat less and lessThe school worker turned his clouded eyes away, and his tone became almost gentle.Ge Tingting looked at him with a bewildered expression. There hadn't been any reports of famine in the country recently.Of course, it's my own constitution. I have a colleague who not only is younger and healthier than me, but recently, they still have as much food as they want.Even Huang Jin furrowed his brow this time. He couldn't understand what the school worker was talking about at all. His narrative and specific events didn't seem to align.Uncle, I have some money here. Can you bring it to your colleague and have your colleague share some food with you? Ge Tingting didn't think too much about it and took out her phone. Consider it a thank you gift for the sugar water.No need, little miss.The school worker shook his head with a smile.That colleague of mine passed away not long agolife is just so unpredictable. I thought he would definitely be the one among us to live the longest.I'm sorryIt's okay. The school worker waved his hand. There's a saying, Ignorance is bliss'.As he uttered the last sentence, his tone was slightly strange. The school worker's demeanor remained gentle, but Ge Tingting's neck hairs remained on end. Now it seemed that it was more than just the cold rain.Ge Tingting forced herself to adjust her breathing. She picked up the cup and walked quickly in front of the school worker.Uncle, here's your cup. The rain is too heavy, so my brother and I will go back first.The school worker silently looked at her for a while, and his murky eyes revealed no emotion.Oh, come again.After a moment, he responded slowly.This is the best school.
