In the charred classroom.
A serious fire must’ve broken out here—walls that are completely black, with weird burn marks on the walls, as if somebody was trying to escape the fire.
The atmosphere was strangely dry and hot compared to the damp and chilling air that permeates the entire school. Plus, the tables and chairs were fully intact as they sat on the soot-covered ground as if they had grown back after the fire.
Hua investigated the classroom and frowned. Before this, there was indeed a classroom that had been burnt, according to the Night Division Records, but that was in a classroom on the other side of the campus.
A terrible deduction came to Hua’s mind: the school is alive and is shifting its structure.
Among the many urban legends, they have dealt with, it wasn’t uncommon to have places of gathering for urban legends. In the end, all of them would merge into one, creating a much more chaotic, unstable, and terrifying entity.
She ordered her other members to investigate the classroom thoroughly, and soon they found something.
Every member quickly gathered, and with the aid of a flashlight, the molten and cooled metal on the ground was covered with palm prints. Even just by looking at the palm print, you could feel the painful emotions contained within its twisted grasp.
“We need the fingerprints,” Hua ordered. “We’ll have to compare it with the missing person’s reports around the country. As for the others, continue investigating and see if we can find other clues.”
“Yes!”
Du Sixian’s group rushed over and entered the dark gate, and their figures seemed to be engulfed by the darkness that loomed around them.
Du Sixian felt as if many figures were hidden within the darkness; the eyes weren’t malicious but fearful.
The other three turned on their flashlights, and the dusty and decrepit teaching building was in sight.
Dust floated in the stale air, the yellowed walls were stained with large stains of unknown origin, and the metal doors and window frames on both sides of the corridor were covered with traces of rust.
The school seemed more dilapidated than the last time Du Sixian came here. She guessed that, ever since they left, the passage of time had become distorted.
She forced herself to restrain her own footsteps, pretending to be unfamiliar with the layout of the school.
Especially after she heard Group C’s reports.
All this while, she never told a single soul about her expedition here, as if something nagged at the back of her brain to prevent her from doing so. It wasn’t like she wanted to tell them anyway.
“Look alive,” An Qing comforted, sensing her apprehension. “You’ll get used to it the longer you work with us.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of.” Another member piped up. “The urban legends here are fearful and tend to stick to their own business.”
“Right? Much better than the time we had to investigate that graveyard. I got so scared I couldn’t even find it in myself to pee,” the third member chirped.
“Alright, alright,” An Qing gestured and leaned closer to Sixian. “These two have been working on the same team whenever they have a mission. It’s better to partner up with someone you trust when going out on expeditions; it’s the tradition at this point. We’re just following what that genius did back then.”
Du Sixian was slightly stunned. This must be the same genius who wasn’t talented enough to become a psychic.
She once thought that the Night Division members were all aloof, serious people, but now she finds that they have a certain charm to them that makes them endearing.
The corridors started to get familiar as Du Sixian walked towards the classroom; Hua had already investigated most of the classroom, leaving only the four corners untouched.
Entering the classroom, An Qing frowned slightly when she saw the scene in front of her. She looked at Hua, exchanged glances with her, and then turned to look at her team members.
“Come, let’s help investigate.”
The other members nodded their heads and got to work, but Du Sixian was left in a daze.
‘This classroom… could this be what happened last time? She… she must have risked her life to save me, right?’
This classroom was completely unfamiliar to her now that it was covered in soot, and she couldn’t help but think of the girl who had saved her.
“Du Sixian? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
After being in a daze for a while, Du Sixian came back to her senses only when An Qing called her out and walked towards a corner of the classroom.
Like others, she checked the area under a desk, carefully put the desks and chairs on the ground, searched the drawers carefully, and then quickly moved on to the next area.
At this moment, she vaguely heard An Qing and Hua whispering.
“What’s the situation like? Did you find anything else before we came here?”
“I thought the school was alive, but it isn’t—a fight between urban legends broke out here, and there are traces of a ritual left behind.”
“Just urban legends…?”
“I’m very sure of that.”
When Du Sixian heard this, her face changed slightly.
‘Is… is my mistress an urban legend? But she’s not evil; she saved me! This must be why she didn’t want to be discovered by the Night Division.’
‘And that voice in my head—that must be her! She guided me to the Night Division because she wants me to walk down a brighter path!’
At this moment, she felt that her mistress was incredibly benevolent but misunderstood.
“Although I’m sure that it was only urban legends…”
However, although it is certain that there have been urban legends fighting here…”
“But you can’t tell what kind of urban legend it was, correct?”
An Qing knew very well what Hua meant: the analysis of the types of urban legends through the residue of their psychic energy is affected by time. If the event occurred within an hour, she could completely restore the characteristics and abilities of that urban legend; after 24 hours, some information can be obtained; after a week, only vague information can be obtained; and after a month, next to nothing can be deduced.
Du Sixian’s hands were mindlessly searching the desks as she eavesdropped on their conversation, and she touched something.
It was smooth yet rigid and cool to the touch. She was startled and almost screamed but felt that it was familiar.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled it out, only for her pupils to shrink violently.
‘Porcelain…’
The white porcelain dish used by Pharoah and the others to play the Plate Deity game
At this moment, she heard the conversation between An Qing and Hua.
“If we find anything special, we can give it to Gu Xiliu and let her have a psychic dream to recreate the events here.”
“At least she’s useful for something.”
In the charred classroom.
A serious fire must’ve broken out here—walls that are completely black, with weird burn marks on the walls, as if somebody was trying to escape the fire.
The atmosphere was strangely dry and hot compared to the damp and chilling air that permeates the entire school. Plus, the tables and chairs were fully intact as they sat on the soot-covered ground as if they had grown back after the fire.
Hua investigated the classroom and frowned. Before this, there was indeed a classroom that had been burnt, according to the Night Division Records, but that was in a classroom on the other side of the campus.
A terrible deduction came to Hua’s mind: the school is alive and is shifting its structure.
Among the many urban legends, they have dealt with, it wasn’t uncommon to have places of gathering for urban legends. In the end, all of them would merge into one, creating a much more chaotic, unstable, and terrifying entity.
She ordered her other members to investigate the classroom thoroughly, and soon they found something.
Every member quickly gathered, and with the aid of a flashlight, the molten and cooled metal on the ground was covered with palm prints. Even just by looking at the palm print, you could feel the painful emotions contained within its twisted grasp.
“We need the fingerprints,” Hua ordered. “We’ll have to compare it with the missing person’s reports around the country. As for the others, continue investigating and see if we can find other clues.”
“Yes!”
Du Sixian’s group rushed over and entered the dark gate, and their figures seemed to be engulfed by the darkness that loomed around them.
Du Sixian felt as if many figures were hidden within the darkness; the eyes weren’t malicious but fearful.
The other three turned on their flashlights, and the dusty and decrepit teaching building was in sight.
Dust floated in the stale air, the yellowed walls were stained with large stains of unknown origin, and the metal doors and window frames on both sides of the corridor were covered with traces of rust.
The school seemed more dilapidated than the last time Du Sixian came here. She guessed that, ever since they left, the passage of time had become distorted.
She forced herself to restrain her own footsteps, pretending to be unfamiliar with the layout of the school.
Especially after she heard Group C’s reports.
All this while, she never told a single soul about her expedition here, as if something nagged at the back of her brain to prevent her from doing so. It wasn’t like she wanted to tell them anyway.
“Look alive,” An Qing comforted, sensing her apprehension. “You’ll get used to it the longer you work with us.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of.” Another member piped up. “The urban legends here are fearful and tend to stick to their own business.”
“Right? Much better than the time we had to investigate that graveyard. I got so scared I couldn’t even find it in myself to pee,” the third member chirped.
“Alright, alright,” An Qing gestured and leaned closer to Sixian. “These two have been working on the same team whenever they have a mission. It’s better to partner up with someone you trust when going out on expeditions; it’s the tradition at this point. We’re just following what that genius did back then.”
Du Sixian was slightly stunned. This must be the same genius who wasn’t talented enough to become a psychic.
She once thought that the Night Division members were all aloof, serious people, but now she finds that they have a certain charm to them that makes them endearing.
The corridors started to get familiar as Du Sixian walked towards the classroom; Hua had already investigated most of the classroom, leaving only the four corners untouched.
Entering the classroom, An Qing frowned slightly when she saw the scene in front of her. She looked at Hua, exchanged glances with her, and then turned to look at her team members.
“Come, let’s help investigate.”
The other members nodded their heads and got to work, but Du Sixian was left in a daze.
‘This classroom… could this be what happened last time? She… she must have risked her life to save me, right?’
This classroom was completely unfamiliar to her now that it was covered in soot, and she couldn’t help but think of the girl who had saved her.
“Du Sixian? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
After being in a daze for a while, Du Sixian came back to her senses only when An Qing called her out and walked towards a corner of the classroom.
Like others, she checked the area under a desk, carefully put the desks and chairs on the ground, searched the drawers carefully, and then quickly moved on to the next area.
At this moment, she vaguely heard An Qing and Hua whispering.
“What’s the situation like? Did you find anything else before we came here?”
“I thought the school was alive, but it isn’t—a fight between urban legends broke out here, and there are traces of a ritual left behind.”
“Just urban legends…?”
“I’m very sure of that.”
When Du Sixian heard this, her face changed slightly.
‘Is… is my mistress an urban legend? But she’s not evil; she saved me! This must be why she didn’t want to be discovered by the Night Division.’
‘And that voice in my head—that must be her! She guided me to the Night Division because she wants me to walk down a brighter path!’
At this moment, she felt that her mistress was incredibly benevolent but misunderstood.
“Although I’m sure that it was only urban legends…”
However, although it is certain that there have been urban legends fighting here…”
“But you can’t tell what kind of urban legend it was, correct?”
An Qing knew very well what Hua meant: the analysis of the types of urban legends through the residue of their psychic energy is affected by time. If the event occurred within an hour, she could completely restore the characteristics and abilities of that urban legend; after 24 hours, some information can be obtained; after a week, only vague information can be obtained; and after a month, next to nothing can be deduced.
Du Sixian’s hands were mindlessly searching the desks as she eavesdropped on their conversation, and she touched something.
It was smooth yet rigid and cool to the touch. She was startled and almost screamed but felt that it was familiar.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled it out, only for her pupils to shrink violently.
‘Porcelain…’
The white porcelain dish used by Pharoah and the others to play the Plate Deity game
At this moment, she heard the conversation between An Qing and Hua.
“If we find anything special, we can give it to Gu Xiliu and let her have a psychic dream to recreate the events here.”
“At least she’s useful for something.”
