Since Yuan Ning High School requires students to live on campus, and teachers need to supervise evening self-study and check the dorms, teachers have their own dormitories. Naturally, Su Jin is no exception.
On the way, Xiaomuyu walked much faster than usual. If she had known the exact location, she would have walked ahead alone. While walking, she asked Su Jin, “How is she? What happened?”
Su Jin, aware of their special relationship, didn’t beat around the bush, “I don’t know what happened exactly. She suddenly came to me half an hour ago, looking unwell. I sensed something was wrong and took her to my dorm. As soon as we got inside, she couldn’t hold on any longer.”
Xiaomuyu’s breath hitched as she asked urgently, “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know what injured her, but she had a large gash on her abdomen, and her clothes were soaked with blood.”
Thinking of the scene when she checked Shen Qingqiu’s wound, Su Jin’s face turned pale. She couldn’t imagine how Shen Qingqiu endured it.
The teacher’s dorm wasn’t far, and with Xiaomuyu’s fast pace, they quickly reached the second floor.
Su Jin’s room door was closed, but the light was on.
Xiaomuyu exhaled and knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” The voice was soft, muffled through the door.
“It’s me, Xiaomuyu.”
Click, the door opened. Xiaomuyu immediately looked at Shen Qingqiu’s waist and abdomen before quickly focusing on her face.
Her complexion was indeed bad, looking even paler under the light, with dry, chapped lips.
She had changed clothes, now wearing a simple white T-shirt, her black hair loose instead of the usual brown curls. Ignoring her eyes that didn’t match her appearance, she looked like a typical high school girl.
But Xiaomuyu wasn’t in the mood to appreciate this; she smelled blood.
“What happened?” Her voice wasn’t gentle, but she reached out to support Shen Qingqiu.
With Xiaomuyu’s support, Shen Qingqiu, already in pain from her wound, leaned in, taking a breath and speaking casually, “I was just checking around the school and encountered something unclean. It caught me off guard, so I got scratched. It’s just a flesh wound, nothing serious.”
Xiaomuyu disliked Shen Qingqiu’s casual attitude towards her injuries, treating them as if they were no big deal.
Without listening further, Xiaomuyu lifted Shen Qingqiu’s shirt, revealing a bandaged wound on her waist and abdomen. The blood seeping through the bandage showed it was no small injury.
Caught off guard, Shen Qingqiu, feeling uncomfortable due to the wound, was a bit slow to react. She playfully said, “There are others here. Being so hasty isn’t good.”
Xiaomuyu’s expression turned uglier, “Aren’t you supposed to be amazing? Just gathering information and you ended up like this. The instance hasn’t even started, and you’re already hurt. What do you plan to do next?”
Anyone else would be upset hearing this, but Shen Qingqiu knew Xiaomuyu’s words came from worry and anger. Who would express their concern like this?
Shen Qingqiu shook her head inwardly, smiled gently, and didn’t get angry, “You’re right. I was careless. If something happens tonight, it might affect you. But luckily, I’m capable; otherwise, your red string would need to be replaced.”
Xiaomuyu’s heart trembled. She didn’t like how this person affected her emotions, making it hard to think rationally.
But she couldn’t resist these feelings.
Xiaomuyu knew her words were too harsh, so she held back and asked Su Jin, “Do you have a cup?”
Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian had been watching from the corner. Hearing this, Su Jin quickly said, “Yes, I’ll get it.”
She fetched a cup, poured water, glanced at the two, and handed it to Xiaomuyu.
Xiaomuyu couldn’t help but glare at Su Jin, “Her lips are dry.”
Su Jin, expressionless, turned and handed the water to Shen Qingqiu. She knew it was for Shen Qingqiu but wanted to ease the tension.
Shen Qingqiu, indeed thirsty, took the water, chuckling softly, and drank it slowly.
Zuo Tiantian and Su Jin were curious about what happened, but Xiaomuyu waited until Shen Qingqiu finished her water before asking, “What did you encounter?”
Shen Qingqiu set the cup down, looking serious, “This school, we can’t leave it.”
“We can’t leave?” Zuo Tiantian was puzzled, “Chen Kaijie and the others can come and go freely.”
“Is it you who can’t leave, or is it the wrong time?” Xiaomuyu asked thoughtfully.
Shen Qingqiu’s eyes lit up, smiling, “Your thinking is always so precise.”
“Chen Kaijie and we are both players, so he isn’t restricted. Not being able to leave shouldn’t be related to being a player.
Another identity, a student. I saw students skipping class and leaving without issues. But after dinner, when I tried to go out for information, it appeared.” Shen Qingqiu’s voice dropped, face turning serious.
Seeing her expression, Zuo Tiantian and Su Jin felt a chill, fear creeping in as they thought of the “it” Shen Qingqiu mentioned.
Su Jin’s eyes filled with worry. She looked at Shen Qingqiu and then at Xiaomuyu but said nothing.
She couldn’t imagine what could injure Shen Qingqiu so badly and scare her.
“What is it? The woman in red?” Xiaomuyu asked.
Recalling the encounter, Shen Qingqiu shivered, “No, it was a tall, thin mummy, about three meters high. It looked like a dried tree, with long, thin limbs like branches.
It appeared suddenly when I climbed the wall. It was too fast. Its limbs were too long; I couldn’t dodge. So, it’s best not to try leaving. We don’t know the restrictions, and encountering that thing would be disastrous.” She glanced at Su Jin.
Su Jin nodded slightly.
Xiaomuyu noticed their exchange but said nothing. Hearing Shen Qingqiu, Xiaomuyu felt cold. This instance wouldn’t be easy.
“Since students can skip classes, daytime should be safe. Also, besides being a student, you’re from Class 7.” Xiaomuyu added, “The instance name ‘Death Class 7′ is clear. We know this class is cursed. Judging by the teachers and students’ behavior, they seem resigned. Isn’t that strange?”
“Right, if Class 7 is cursed, the first choice for ordinary people would be to leave the class or the school.
If that didn’t work, they’d try leaving altogether. So, they must have tried but failed. Maybe Class 7 students can’t leave.”
Su Jin’s explanation made sense.
Xiaomuyu nodded, “Probably. So, as Shen Qingqiu said, don’t try to leave unless necessary.”
She looked at Shen Qingqiu’s abdomen, asking again, “Are you really okay?”
Shen Qingqiu shook her head, “Su Jin got medicine from the school clinic. I took anti-inflammatory meds, disinfected the wound. I’m fine.”
Xiaomuyu finally stopped asking.
“Are you going back to the dorm?” Su Jin hesitated.
Staying together would be best at the start of the instance. Since Chen Kaijie was busy, splitting up now would be risky.
Xiaomuyu looked at Shen Qingqiu, “Let’s stay here tonight. She’s injured; splitting up would be…”
“Warning, warning, do not violate character settings. Lights out at ten, please return to your dorms immediately!” The system interrupted Xiaomuyu.
Xiaomuyu pursed her lips, looking unhappy. Shen Qingqiu stood up, reassuring, “It’s okay. We’re in the same dorm. Having you with me is fine.”
She then told the system, “There’s no rule against a teacher and student staying together. A teacher favoring a student isn’t unheard of. So, Zuo Tiantian staying here fits the character setting.”
Su Jin: “…”
Zuo Tiantian: “…”
System: “…”
Xiaomuyu was stunned, but Shen Qingqiu had already dragged her away.
Leaving Zuo Tiantian in Su Jin’s dorm, the system seemed defeated by Shen Qingqiu’s logic.
Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian exchanged awkward glances. It was indeed good that Zuo Tiantian could stay.
As Xiaomuyu and Shen Qingqiu walked to the dorm, the school was deserted. Only their footsteps echoed in the silent night.
They found that of the three paths to the dorm, only the path used by Class 7 was lit; the other two were hidden in darkness.
Xiaomuyu stopped. Shen Qingqiu looked at her, took her hand, and said softly, “I’m here. Let’s go.”
Her hand was cold, and Xiaomuyu flinched, then held it back, “Why is it so cold? Are you cold?”
Shen Qingqiu felt her warmth, “A bit chilly, probably from the blood loss. Let’s go.”
She tightened her grip on Xiaomuyu’s hand, quickening her pace, but glanced at the school walls, eyes cold.
A large shadow, like a withered tree, stood there, moving slowly as they walked, its branches swaying.
Xiaomuyu felt something watching them and wanted to look.
Before she could, Shen Qingqiu whispered in her ear, “Don’t look back!”
Xiaomuyu noticed Shen Qingqiu’s quickened breath, her palm slightly sweaty, and understood her warning.
Both quickened their pace, and Xiaomuyu clenched her hand tightly. Shen Qingqiu felt her grip, smiling softly, “Don’t worry, nothing can hurt us.”
As they entered the dorm, lights flickered, shadows swayed, and Xiaomuyu still felt uneasy.
Only when the dorm lights stayed steady did she let out a breath, “Thank goodness.”
Shen Qingqiu smiled at her, Xiaomuyu’s face red, but she ignored it, feeling Shen Qingqiu’s hand, “Is it still cold?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded, “Better now. How about you?”
Xiaomuyu’s face turned redder, “I’m fine. Let’s go to the room.”
The dorm was quiet, no one around, only their footsteps.
Reaching the second floor, they felt relieved. The system seemed lenient with the teacher-student setting.
Shen Qingqiu opened her room door, urging, “Quick, get in.”
Xiaomuyu followed, feeling the warmth inside. The door closed, shutting out the cold night.
Shen Qingqiu leaned against the door, looking at Xiaomuyu, feeling safer, “Finally.”
Her hand was still held by Xiaomuyu. Shen Qingqiu chuckled, “Let go?”
Xiaomuyu realized, letting go quickly, looking away, face still red, “Sorry.”
Shen Qingqiu found it adorable, teasing, “No need to apologize. But I need rest.”
Xiaomuyu nodded, “You should rest. I’ll keep watch.”
She knew the dorm was safe, but wanted to stay alert.
Shen Qingqiu lay down, covered in a blanket, “Don’t be too tense. We’re safe here.”
Xiaomuyu sighed, watching Shen Qingqiu sleep, feeling a strange comfort.
The dorm was quiet, only their breathing. Xiaomuyu’s mind replayed Shen Qingqiu’s words and touch, feeling a warmth amidst the cold school.
As sleep overtook her, she glanced at Shen Qingqiu, feeling grateful and worried, hoping they’d find answers soon.
