Chapter 179: Red Maple Boarding School (16) “You wouldn’t want…”

In the center of the dining hall, a giant blackboard was set up, and Ms. Medina held a piece of chalk, swiftly writing lines of English on it.

The text was translated by the system interface into the players’ native languages, allowing everyone to understand it.

Ms. Medina wrote one sentence, and the players read one sentence according to her gesture, giving off the impression of preschool children learning to speak.

The game seemed unwilling to make things difficult for the players in this regard; after the players read out the words on the blackboard in various languages, Ms. Medina showed no dissatisfaction.

Predictably, everyone’s strange pronunciation had been automatically converted into the correct form by the game system before it reached her ears.

“Five people died on the very first day. Based on the number of people, this instance should last about six days…”

Jiang Junjue finished counting the number of players sitting in the dining hall and quietly made his judgment.

Ms. Medina cast a glance over.

He recited the text without changing his expression: “Under the wise guidance of the Great King, navigators found this barren land…”

Ms. Medina shifted her gaze.

Chen Lidong lowered his voice and asked, “Do you know something? Just because someone didn’t show up doesn’t necessarily mean they died.”

“If they didn’t come, we’ll treat them as dead. Even if they aren’t dead now, they will be once Ms. Medina conducts her reckoning.” Jiang Junjue slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and preparing to light it. “However, I might actually know some things you don’t…”

Ms. Medina turned her head, her gaze sharpening: “Let me see who is whispering?”

Jiang Junjue and Chen Lidong immediately stopped talking. When they spoke again, it was in the clear, standard tones of the textbook: “Navigators lit the fire of civilization on the strange land, bringing new crops and livestock…”

Zhang Yiyu sat in a corner near the door, absentmindedly following along with the text.

The bloody scent, which only she could smell, enveloped her like a woven net, emitting a lush fragrance and stirring a restless hunger deep in her stomach.

Last night, she had only eaten one arm before retreating to her room due to time constraints, but before leaving, she hadn’t forgotten to quickly clean up the traces—like wiping her mouth clean.

She originally thought she could hold out for a bit longer, but she realized some tastes, once experienced, could never be forgotten.

Although she had eaten not long ago, when touched by the scent of the same origin, she still couldn’t withstand the stimulation.

She quietly swallowed her saliva, her consciousness floating between clarity and haze, until only one thought remained in her mind—to eat.

If she just left for a little while and took another bite, surely no one would notice, right?

Zhang Yiyu deceived herself, looked around, and seeing that Ms. Medina had her back to her and the other players were focused on the blackboard, she immediately crouched down and tiptoed out the door.

She jogged all the way and plunged into the Archives.

Upon seeing the bloody corpse on the ground, she could no longer suppress her instincts, pouncing like a beast and fiercely biting the limbs that were still smeared with blood.

Flesh and blood rolled down her throat into her esophagus, bringing an intense sense of satisfaction, and her nose caught a refreshing fragrance.

Zhang Yiyu thought, she was becoming more and more like a monster.

This time, she had covered herself in blood, which was bound to make other players suspicious; even if she managed to leave the instance alive, the Investigation Bureau wouldn’t let her go… Things shouldn’t have been this way. It was agreed that that big shot would take care of her, yet now she was abandoned here alone… Yes, the Investigation Bureau never took responsibility for her, only coerced and exploited her, and if any problem arose, they would definitely lock her up again… The resentment she had intentionally suppressed was now being ruminated upon. Zhang Yiyu felt an inexplicable exhaustion, squatting down weakly on the spot, staring blankly at the remains before her.

Scrambling footsteps sounded behind her ear. Zhang Yiyu smelled a strange, pressing aura closing in.

A long, narrow shadow fell over her head, bringing intermittent crimson light, and a sense of fear rooted itself deep within her soul.

Trembling, she turned her head and saw the NPC boy who called himself “47” standing loosely in the doorway, staring at her with a half-smile.

Black smoke shifted shapes behind him; blood-colored halos and golden vines intertwined and swayed, intermittently revealing faint specks of light.

In the dim morning light, the boy’s face was obscured by shadow.

He stood with his back to the light, smiling as he asked knowingly, “What are you doing here?”

…When Qi Si finished his Dark Cuisine, the hour hand of the Pocket Watch of Fate pointed exactly to seven o’clock.

He casually strolled back to the Cement Building, hearing the players’ chaotic reading sounds coming from the dining hall in the distance. Because the specific content was unclear, it sounded like wailing ghosts.

He had no desire to join the army of text-readers too early, so he simply walked toward the Office.

The reading sounds faded as he moved further away, and faint, indistinct noises began to surface from below, becoming clearer as he walked on.

“Crunch, crunch” sounds came one after another, as if someone was fiercely chewing hard bones.

Swallowing sounds and the “slurp” of saliva followed closely, constantly announcing that an anomalous entity was eating ahead.

The sound came from the Archives, where Yamakawa Nobuhiro’s corpse lay.

Qi Si mentally reviewed the clues he could still remember, holding the Pocket Watch of Fate, and strolled over casually.

What met his eyes was Zhang Yiyu, who was devouring the corpse’s flesh like a beast.

The girl was kneeling on the ground, fiercely gnawing on the corpse before her, almost rapturously drinking blood and eating raw flesh, completely oblivious to someone approaching.

The phrase “Good Kids Don’t Want to Eat Rice, They Only Want to Eat Dirt” seemed to be coming true at this moment, yet the corpse hadn’t had time to acquire the texture of dirt.

But this was not important to Qi Si, whose position had long since detached from the instance.

The 【Crimson High Priest】 is destined to remain outside, stay behind the scenes, and usher in disaster.

Only when immersed in despair are people willing to pray to Gods; only when reaching a dead end do they pin their hopes on ethereal faith, right?

Qi Si moved closer and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Then he saw the girl raise her head and threaten him with a show of bravado: “47, you wouldn’t want Ms. Medina to know that you were the one who set the fire in the Archives, would you?”

Qi Si: “…”

Zhang Yiyu had been inexplicably interrogated by Ms. Medina this morning, and now she was starting to understand: the Archives had been deliberately set on fire, and Ms. Medina hoped to find the arsonist without alerting them.

As an important NPC, 47 suddenly appearing in the Archives could not possibly be a coincidence.

Furthermore, given his close relationship with the Evil God, no one would believe him if he claimed the fire in the Archives had nothing to do with him.

Zhang Yiyu had heard Ning Xu say that even the most dangerous NPCs, before fully revealing their terrifying claws, leave room for verbal maneuvering.

Although 47 looked like an anomaly more dangerous than Ms. Medina, he hadn’t fully awakened yet. Maybe she could really scare him into letting her pass?

Fortune favors the bold. The more the girl thought about it, the more determined she became, staring intently at Qi Si’s churning, dark red eyes.

The owner of the eyes was stunned for two seconds, lowered his head, and said nervously, “Number 16, since you already know, how about we keep each other’s secrets? You don’t tell Ms. Medina about my arson, and I won’t tell them about you murdering and eating people…”

He admitted it after just a slight bluff—this NPC doesn’t seem very smart… Zhang Yiyu felt a bit more reassured.

She crossed her arms and said coldly, “I didn’t kill anyone; I was just possessed by a ghost and accidentally ate someone. Clearly, your arson is the bigger deal, and since I’m a good child, Ms. Medina will certainly be more willing to believe me.

“From now on, you follow my instructions. If I tell you to go east, you can’t go west—and I won’t tell Ms. Medina. How about that?”

Qi Si indignantly clenched his fist, remaining silent for a long time, and finally mumbled with insufficient confidence: “But no matter what, you, the person-eater, look scarier than the real murderer. They will isolate you just like they isolate me… However, I can help you get rid of the suspicion of murder, as long as you don’t tell on me.”

Success!

Zhang Yiyu relaxed, subtly nodding without changing her expression.

Then she heard the NPC boy change the subject: “But I have already dedicated my soul to the Lord God. Everything I do must be known to Him. Could you sign a Contract with me under His witness?”

A Contract? She hadn’t played the game for four years—had NPCs evolved to this extent?

Zhang Yiyu was confused, but she tentatively asked, “What kind of Contract?”

Blood beads precipitated in the void in front of Qi Si, condensing into a scarlet scroll upon which golden characters were written: “I will help you survive.”

Phantom vines wandered between heaven and earth, slicing space into fragments like broken diamonds; brilliant colors burst forth in the gaps, reflecting bizarre scenes whose meaning could not be discerned.

Zhang Yiyu looked at the magnificent special effects of the Soul Contract, silently noting, “This NPC is indeed not simple.”

Previously, seeing such a strange situation would only make her wary; but now, she felt a sense of secret delight.

Making a huge profit on her first adventure—this is how playing a game should be!

The scarlet Contract had terms written in golden script: “Pledge of Belief to the Evil God.” Zhang Yiyu didn’t think there was anything wrong with this.

It was known that “47” was related to the Evil God, and her identity mission also happened to involve the Evil God. If “47” got her to sign such a Contract now, didn’t the logic align perfectly?

What did it matter if she believed in some chaotic existence? It wouldn’t count once she left the instance anyway.

She just wanted to survive. Now, the strongest NPC in the instance was willing to guarantee her survival. This was a chance she couldn’t afford to miss.

Immediately, Zhang Yiyu no longer hesitated, picked up the Golden Quill, and signed her name on the scroll.

Qi Si finally learned the name of this newly appointed tool.

Zhang Yiyu, a very ordinary surname and given name, not easily noticed or remembered anywhere.

【Soul Contract has been signed. This Contract is guaranteed by the World Rules, and no entity may defy it.】

A system prompt refreshed, and Zhang Yiyu noticed the 【Evil God Believer】 marker added to her system interface, making her feel inexplicably uneasy.

Just as she was about to ask a question, she saw the NPC boy in front of her raise his hand and rub the side of his face, slowly peeling off a Human Skin Mask, revealing a young man’s face.

Pale complexion, delicate features, a typical Asian appearance, completely unrelated to the native inhabitants of this instance.

All her bad premonitions were now realized. The frantically jumping danger warning reached its peak. Zhang Yiyu’s eyes widened, and her tongue tied up: “You… you are…”

Qi Si paid attention to the Contract signing status. After Zhang Yiyu signed her name, the newest slot in his inventory flickered twice, solidifying into a golden leaf.

He found that the “Pledge of Belief” was indeed equivalent to the “Soul Mortgage” clause, allowing him to obtain others’ Soul Leaves.

The incidents involving White Crow and Xu Yao could be considered coincidences resulting from devout prayer, but Zhang Yiyu’s case verified this equivalent clause once again, which truly made Qi Si pay attention.

The Soul Contract definitely had a trap. Would his painstaking effort to control other players’ souls end up benefiting Qi instead?

Of course, now was not the time to consider these issues.

The Contract scroll dissipated into invisible specks of light, turning into a sky full of blood rain that silently poured down and vanished into the dust.

Qi Si held the Human Skin Mask and smiled at Zhang Yiyu: “Yes, I am a player. You can call me ‘Si Qi’.”

Si Qi… A familiar name… It’s over, it’s over. If he were an ordinary NPC, he could still be fair and just under the rules; if he were an ordinary player, as long as she was obedient enough, she would be fine… But the problem was, “Si Qi” was officially certified by the Investigation Bureau as a Psychopath!

Zhang Yiyu’s face instantly looked constipated: “Si Qi, how could you…”

How could you appear here? How could you possess the Authority of the Contract? How could you be involved with the Evil God?

“I am the earthly representative of the Lord God Qi, possessing some of His authority, so naturally, I can do many things beyond your understanding.”

Qi Si lowered his eyes, looking at the cowering girl, placed his index finger to his lips, and smiled gently: “You don’t need to be so hostile toward me. The Contract we signed is still valid.

“In this instance, I will ensure your survival.”

The opportunity to obtain the 【Crimson High Priest】 card was hard-won, so naturally, he had to ensure nothing went wrong, including strict role-playing.

The phrase “behind the scenes rather than upfront” concerned him. If his guess was correct, he needed a representative, a… chess piece.

Zhang Yiyu knew she had boarded a pirate ship with no way back, so she plopped down on the ground, about to burst into tears.

“Why did you lie to me? I could have survived on my own without you… If I hadn’t thought you were an NPC, I never would have said those things to you…”

Hearing this, Qi Si smiled coolly: “Do you really think surviving is easy?”

Zhang Yiyu slowly lifted her face, staring blankly at him.

“You made too much noise. I could hear it standing at the School Gate, and they must have heard it too, but they couldn’t break away to come here.”

Qi Si sighed, looking at the girl with a hint of pity: “It is human nature to reject anomalies within a group. They will always find excuses to judge the black sheep among them, and at that time, you will have nowhere to escape under the spotlight of ‘Justice.’

“—Or, did you deliberately make the murder known to everyone out of some kind of desire to perform?”

Zhang Yiyu’s voice was tearful: “But I really didn’t kill anyone… and I was being careful not to be discovered…”

Qi Si countered, “Do you think they will believe you?”

“Uh…”

Right, no one would believe her. “Not of Our Kind, Their Hearts Are Surely Different”—this is a common perception for most people.

Four years ago, after coming out of the Dialectical Game, she foolishly posted on a Game Forum. While replying to comments, she received a call telling her to go downstairs to pick up takeout.

The call was urgent, so she went downstairs without thinking much. Little did she know that instead of a delivery person, fully armed investigators were waiting for her.

Upholding her consistent trust in the Federation, she believed she could prove her innocence and obediently got into the car with those people… How could she have known that what followed was four years of imprisonment, control, and experimentation… Zhang Yiyu covered her face in distress, and then heard Qi Si ask indifferently, “Zhang Yiyu, as a member of the anomaly, yet controlled by humans everywhere, are you truly willing to accept this?”

Is she willing?

Zhang Yiyu’s thoughts drifted, recalling Ning Xu’s words threatening her Mother.

How could she be willing? Anyone treated like that would be unwilling, right… But what could she do even if she was unwilling? She lived among humans after all; she couldn’t actually become a ghost, could she… Qi Si scrutinized the girl’s expression, curled his lips, and adopted the tone of a spiritual charlatan preaching:

“Anomalies will eventually run rampant in the world, and the mysterious will ultimately descend upon the mortal realm. When that time comes, you can kill anyone, without reason or deliberation.

“All you need to do is completely obey my orders and bow down to the Gods of the Ruins of the Sunset.”