Chapter 12: Fearless Nerves and Ghosts Be Gone
I furrowed my brow and sighed, “Alright… Let’s pretend I didn’t ask or hear what he said.”
“Go for it!” Qing Ming extended his fist towards me. I sighed and raised my hand, giving his fist a bump.
“I… I’ll accompany you,” Si Yino said, nodding as he stood up, clutching Xiao Bai tightly in his arms. I glanced at him, thinking of his young age and smiled, “Are you participating in the freshman test?”
Blushing, he hid behind the white snake and whispered softly, “I… I repeated a grade…”
Ignoring his confession, I stayed silent.
“I did too…” Suddenly, Mao Mao and Han also raised their hands, silently agreeing with Si Yino.
A wry smile formed on my lips. Perhaps it wasn’t my turn to repeat a grade since I couldn’t even make it past the entrance!
As we reached the entrance, I politely declined Xiao Yino’s offer, saying, “Don’t bother escorting me. I don’t want to embarrass you by being seen together.”
Si Yino looked at me, and Qing Ming chimed in, “You need to have some style.”
Observing Qing Ming’s composed demeanor, he was right. Even if I’m just an ordinary person, even if no one has high expectations of me, I should still carry myself with confidence!
“Alright! Xiao Nuo, accompany me!” I made up my mind, flicked my long hair, and off we went!
“Got it!” Si Yino replied earnestly. In an instant, the white snake transformed into a majestic white python. I quickly mounted it, and without hesitation, we soared into the sky. Mao Mao, Han, and Qing ming stood at the entrance, bidding us farewell. Although we had only met on the first day, I genuinely felt a fondness for them.
No one was allowed to witness the freshman test, but it was being live-streamed on the campus network. They could watch my entire examination from the comfort of the cabin.
Suddenly, I was on television. I had to perform well! I couldn’t give up until the final moment! Not only for the sake of avoiding embarrassment, but also for myself, and most importantly, to stand up for ordinary people!
But… what if… I couldn’t hold on until the very end?
Oh my goodness, I’ve never encountered such a situation before. Suddenly, I had to face it head-on. Even if it were as simple as catching a chicken, I wouldn’t be able to do it without practice.
Sitting on the back of the massive white python, I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Unconsciously, I began to hum, “Ah~~~ Oh-hey! Ah~~~ Oh yeah! Ah~~~~~ Cough cough cough!!!” Well, it helped me relax a bit, despite getting a bit carried away.
Just then, a grand open-air pavilion appeared before my eyes. Below the towering white python was a colossal palace, reminiscent of an ancient Greek temple!
With its white roof and sturdy stone pillars supporting it, the square milky-white translucent tiles were arranged in perfect symmetry, exuding a magnificent aura.
Xiao Bai brought me to the foot of the steps, and Si Yino, peeking shyly from behind his long bangs, said, “Big sister, good luck.” With those parting words, he rode away on his white snake.
I carefully placed the talisman paper that Han had given me on the same milky-white, slightly translucent steps, marveling at the ethereal beauty surrounding me.
Suddenly, I spotted Zombie Sister, but she didn’t seem to notice me. With a swift movement, she dashed up the stairs, followed by her hopping zombies who passed by me then glanced at me.”Um…”
Well, I’ll take it as its way of greeting me, since it was the only one who acknowledged my presence. I smiled and waved at it. “Good luck!”
It blinked and replied, “Um…” before hopping away.
Next, I noticed several familiar faces from the waiting room. They effortlessly zoomed up the stairs like characters from an anime, while I, exhausted, lagged behind, gasping for breath like a dog.
Finally reaching the top of these ridiculously high stairs, I proudly stood as the last one, with no one behind me. Couldn’t they consider the feelings of a mere mortal like me? Perhaps they should install an elevator or something.
As I lifted my head, I saw everyone standing within perfectly square and enormous tiles, exuding an aura of experience and composure.
I noticed that the last tile was still empty, so I stepped into it, hands on my hips, panting heavily. “Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.”
“Congratulations, students, on successfully entering the University Division of the School of Magic. Your new studies will now begin…” A clear female voice resounded from above as I looked up and caught a glimpse of Yunliu flying overhead. “To better assess the situation and abilities of each new student for placement, an entrance test will be conducted within the Magic Cube. Once inside, you will have fifteen minutes to prepare before the ghosts are released. Your task will be to subdue them. Good luck, and may you achieve excellent results in the test.”
Magic Cube? What exactly is that?
While I looked around, my feet suddenly lost support, and I found myself plunging into a sea of blinding white light. So, the area below me was the Magic Cube!
“Ah—————” I couldn’t help but let out a scream, as anyone would when falling. After a while, I realized my feet were firmly planted on solid ground. I stood there, dazed for a moment. “Ah…” Then, the engulfing white light gradually dissipated, revealing a room that resembled a villa.
“The countdown for the preparation time has begun.” Suddenly, a floating holographic electronic timer appeared above me. Wow! It was ticking down.
“Tock, tock, tock, tock.” Each second that passed heightened the tension in the room.
I quickly covered my head, took a deep breath, and slapped my own face lightly. “Xia Xiaolan, you need to calm down. Stay composed! Inhale—exhale—inhale—exhale…” I regained my composure and surveyed the entire living room-like space. There was a grand door behind me and a staircase ahead. It truly resembled a villa!
After fifteen minutes, the ghosts would be released. Han and Qing Ming had told me that as long as I didn’t fear them, their power wouldn’t strengthen. However, they were still ghosts, and I couldn’t afford to be passive.
I remained rooted to the spot, observing my surroundings. As a mere mortal, aimlessly running around wouldn’t suit me. In horror movies, protagonists who ran recklessly always met a grim fate!
I turned my gaze towards the door. I couldn’t escape right from the start; it would be too embarrassing! Besides, if I ran away like that, wouldn’t I fail the test?
I reached into my pocket and felt for the talisman paper. Time was slipping away, and I couldn’t afford to wander aimlessly. I needed to find a strategic spot to defend myself.
Without wasting a moment, I briskly moved towards the right side of the hall and spotted the kitchen. My mind immediately shifted into high gear, as if I had entered a gaming mode where every second counted. I analyzed the situation with precision, making sure not to waste any time or effort.
The kitchen had an open layout, boasting luxurious built-in cabinets and a central marble countertop with a sleek stove and hood. The black stove, with its four embedded burners on the marble surface, exuded a sense of sophistication.
Upon entering the kitchen, I promptly opened all the drawers and cabinets, starting my search.
To my delight, I came across a toolbox—a stroke of luck!
Next on my agenda were knives, forks, and spoons. I couldn’t help but recall countless horror movies where the protagonists met their untimely demise at the hands of these very objects. However, I wasn’t skilled like Jackie Chan, capable of deftly evading flying cutlery. Nor did I possess any special abilities to slow down time and outmaneuver danger. Therefore, I made the wise decision to discard these items. Besides, in the realm of horror movies, knives and forks proved futile against ghosts. I couldn’t recall a single instance where someone successfully vanquished a ghost with such utensils. On the contrary, attempting to attack a ghost with a knife often resulted in the knife being hurled back at the assailant, leading to their own demise.
Taking precautionary measures, I meticulously wrapped all these potentially hazardous items in plastic wrap. As I turned to open the kitchen window, a sense of futility washed over me—the window was securely locked. It became evident that the entire testing facility was designed to prevent any chance of escape.
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Translator’s note: this is a bonus chapter. I’ll be uploading Mon to Fri, 2 chapters each day for this novel.
