PTYS Chapter 88

After eating breakfast, the students returned to the classroom, looking downcast. Zhang Zhu, who hadn’t eaten breakfast, sat alone at his desk. Occasionally, students would glance at him, but none spoke to him.

The once cynical boy who liked to bully Liu Ya now seemed spiritless, with dark circles under his eyes, staring blankly.

Zuo Tiantian asked, “Why are they all afraid to approach Zhang Zhu?”

Xiao Muyu thought for a moment and replied, “Last night, Luo Zihao clearly came for us. Maybe witnessing death or being the last person someone sees before dying makes you a priority in the game. They seem to understand that.”

Zuo Tiantian said, “The students in this class seem resigned to their fate. None of them are trying to find out the truth, just waiting to die. It’s not good for our investigation.”

Shen Qingqiu stretched her hands, making her knuckles crack. The classroom stirred with fear as everyone watched her. With her reputation as a school bully, Shen Qingqiu had a significant intimidating effect on the students.

Shen Qingqiu said, “Looks like I have to start bullying again.”

However, before she could act, the class’s English representative stood on the podium, asking students to help move some items.

Even such a simple event caught Xiao Muyu and the others’ attention.

The items brought back were two stacks of books, listening practice materials ordered last month, one for each student.

The group leader began distributing the books. In the end, only the brown paper and string used to wrap the books were left on the podium.

Zheng Tingting, the English representative, looked around and then raised her voice, “Everyone check if anyone took an extra book.” She pursed her lips, looking uncomfortable. Seeing no one respond, she added, “The materials were ordered for each person, there should be one extra book.”

Everyone understood why there was an extra book. Zheng Tingting’s words made those immersed in their own world lift their heads and check their desks. There were no extra books.

Zheng Tingting asked again and checked around, finding no extra book.

“Maybe one was missing,” Zuo Tiantian suggested.

Zheng Tingting glanced at her, said nothing, cleaned up the trash, threw it away, and quietly returned to her seat.

Xiao Muyu frowned, pondering whether the missing book was a coincidence or a hint. After all, it’s not uncommon for such things to happen, or were they just being too sensitive?

At this moment, the boy named Xu Qing in the fourth row behind her muttered weakly, “This isn’t the first time; there’s always a book missing.”

Xiao Muyu immediately turned to him. Xu Qing was startled and stammered, “Why are you looking at me?”

Xiao Muyu asked again, “What did you just say?”

He was silent for a moment, then nervously repeated, “I said, there’s always a book missing. You should know that.”

Xiao Muyu turned away, not speaking, her brow furrowing deeper.

Classes continued as usual. Xiao Muyu, lost in thought, listened absentmindedly to the physics teacher.

Since the end of the senior year courses, they mainly went over problems. The physics teacher was discussing magnetic field problems, often a crucial topic in exams.

For some reason, Xiao Muyu focused on the topic. Though challenging, it was something she had learned well.

The teacher mentioned Lorentz force, making her feel nostalgic. She recalled Shen Qingqiu’s mention of a title and found an activation button she had almost forgotten.

As a student, the title of “top student” was invaluable. Xiao Muyu decided to activate it.

Zuo Tiantian was amused, remembering that title. Shen Qingqiu probably had the “school bully” title as well.

It reminded her of some novels, where others faced trials, but these two seemed to be academic and school bullies falling in love.

Xiao Muyu, naturally intelligent and an excellent student, found the problem on the blackboard easy. She quickly drew the trajectory of the electron.

After activating the title, even if her mind wandered, she could easily understand the teacher’s lesson. Time seemed to pass more quickly.

The third period in the morning was biology with their homeroom teacher. Upon entering, he looked at Zhang Zhu, hesitated, but said nothing.

At this point, words felt meaningless. Zhang Zhu glanced at him, then lay on his desk.

“Everyone has been working hard. With the college entrance exams approaching, the school has decided to organize a spring outing tomorrow. Take this chance to relax. Maybe things will get better after graduation.”

This announcement made the students look up, their eyes showing a flicker of hope. Would things really get better after graduation?

Xiao Muyu messaged the group: “It seems the students of Class 7 can leave the school.”

Su Jin replied: “The restriction might be time-based.”

Aside from these two events, the rest of the day was uneventful, with the students acting as usual. Xiao Muyu and her friends found no new clues.

Shen Qingqiu went out again, cornering Zhang Zhu’s friend, the boy who was with him last night, and Li Yuehang in the hallway.

Though tall, almost 1.7 meters, Shen Qingqiu effortlessly pinned Li Yuehang, who was half a head taller, against the wall.

Even without the school bully aura, Shen Qingqiu, hardened by near-death experiences, was intimidating. Li Yuehang was so scared he could barely stand.

“What do you want?” he stammered.

Shen Qingqiu released him, her gray eyes cold, “Why does Zhang Zhu always bully Liu Ya?”

Li Yuehang was taken aback, then stammered, “I don’t really know. They just got used to bullying her.”

“What did she do to deserve this?” Shen Qingqiu asked, disgusted by their behavior.

“She doesn’t talk much. Though pretty, she’s aloof and rejects kindness. Some liked her, but eventually, everyone hated her, gossiping behind her back.”

“And you?” Shen Qingqiu sneered.

Li Yuehang blushed, stammering, “I didn’t really bully her, just joined in when Zhang Zhu did.”

“How kind of you. Anyone else get bullied, or any incidents of bullying causing trouble before?” Shen Qingqiu asked.

Li Yuehang looked confused, “Maybe, I don’t remember. It’s normal for students to have conflicts, right? Other than Liu Ya, Huang Meng, and even me get bullied sometimes. But incidents, I can’t recall.”

Shen Qingqiu coldly smiled and suddenly plunged a knife into the wall beside him, making him scream, “What are you doing!”

“Is there or isn’t there?” she demanded.

“Conflicts are normal, right? Others get bullied too. Incidents, maybe, maybe not. I don’t remember. You are the real bully, asking me,” he whimpered.

Frightened by Shen Qingqiu, he started crying. Shen Qingqiu, watching him, felt disgusted. She confirmed that extracting information directly from others was unlikely.

Frustrated, she didn’t know how long Zhang Zhu would survive or if the game would happen again tonight.

Seeing the crying boy, Shen Qingqiu was annoyed, “A man crying, aren’t you ashamed?”

He whimpered, truly overwhelmed by last night’s events and Shen Qingqiu’s intimidation.

“I’m not a man yet. I can’t take it anymore!”

Shen Qingqiu looked at him coldly, “Just wait, you’ll all be finished soon. Since you’re waiting to die, why not figure out what’s causing Class 7’s curse?”

She left him standing there, his expression changing repeatedly.

Elsewhere, Xiao Muyu and Zuo Tiantian watched her from the corridor.

“Any progress?” Xiao Muyu asked calmly, without expectation.

Leaning on the railing, Shen Qingqiu replied, “With no expectation, there’s no progress.”

Xiao Muyu stayed silent. Shen Qingqiu sighed, “Scared him to tears, but got nothing. They forgot something. The boy’s reaction to bullying shows we guessed right.”

Xiao Muyu nodded, “Looks like we’ll need to investigate ourselves.”

Just then, Chen Kaijie started a group chat. Xiao Muyu joined.

Chen Kaijie said, “Can we voice chat?”

Xiao Muyu replied, “Yes.”

Chen Kaijie’s voice came through, serious, “Captain Xiao, I checked my records and the station’s records. Besides the students’ cases, there were two other incidents at Yuanning High School in early January, just before their winter break. But the details are blank, and the paper records are damaged.”

He shared photos, showing two screenshots from the police dispatch system. The incidents were at Yuanning High School, dated 2010-01-04 12:30:29 and 2010-01-08 20:25.

The January 4th record listed a security incident, a fight, but the January 8th record was blank, looking odd.

Examining the blurred handwritten records, Xiao Muyu guessed some words: “case handled, both parties satisfied.” The second record was unreadable.

“Did you ask your colleagues? How could this happen?” Xiao Muyu asked.

“I did. All involved officers have left, and others seem to have forgotten. Computer errors can’t be traced. It doesn’t want us to know,” Chen Kaijie said angrily.

Xiao Muyu remained calm, “No need to be angry. It confirms we’re on the right track. The more it hides, the more we’re correct.”

Her confident demeanor reassured those around her, bringing a sense of calm and control.