Chapter 166 The first day of the debriefing is finally over
There were two more classes, but no further danger occurred.
The first class was math. You were initially worried you wouldn't be able to handle it, since you'd completely forgotten all the high school math material. But with the teacher's permission, you used a translator to look at the in-class exercises, and instantly let out that signature Chinese laugh.
This is at most a junior high school level. It's a piece of cake for you, and your teacher keeps praising your math skills.
The last period was a second foreign language class. The school here naturally chose flower language for you. Not many students study flower language as a second foreign language, and the teacher wasn't very enthusiastic, so you just coasted through the class.
School's out. Meiling, Huimin, and the three girls you met while playing sepak takraw are waiting for you at the door of your second foreign language classroom.
"Let's go get something to drink." Meiling took your hand.
It seems that the hallucination last night left Meiling with some psychological trauma. This time, she took you to a more fashionable coffee shop, which is also suitable for chatting with friends you don't know very well.
The five of you girls sat around a sofa in the coffee shop, with Meiling and Huimin diligently acting as your translators to the three Thai girls.
"Don't you guys find it strange? Why did our sepak takraw play become so... weird today? My mind is filled with the scene from that time, but I can't remember any of my feelings or emotions. It's as if the attacks on you and the injuries on our bodies didn't happen to us at all," the short-haired girl said. "Not only that, I had an experiment in class this afternoon, and I saw the teacher cutting his own hand and putting the blood into a medicine bottle!"
Huimin nodded, and after receiving a look of approval from you, she recounted what had happened in the cafeteria with lingering fear: "It wasn't just that. We also saw many people eating meat like starving ghosts in the cafeteria, it was really scary! The scariest thing was that after they finished eating, they all went back to normal... I don't know how to put it."
The three Thai girls across from you exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a subtle mix of wariness and curiosity. The one who talked the most, the one with short hair named Wente, finally looked at you hesitantly after listening to your story and said, "We remember that when we were playing sepak takraw, the two of them were always listening to your advice. You transferred from Thailand... do you know something?"
We've finally gotten to this point in our conversation.
The last two casual lessons gave you ample time to reflect. As you realized more people were beginning to awaken and notice the anomaly, you started to feel that this instance was becoming increasingly subtle.
Especially when combined with that inexplicable 12th rule. A question mark.
But you have absolutely no clue what to do. And your goal is survival, so you can't see how this situation will affect your future survival. Even if all the locals realize that something is wrong with the world they live in, what then? You're only staying here for a month, and then you'll happily go home.
If something like excluding others actually happens, you can still protect yourself by using the interpretation of rule 11, which is to play your role well.
So, will you choose to go with this trend?
You slowly put down your cup and look at each of them: "I'm not someone who was born knowing the truth. It's just... sometimes, certain things suddenly 'reveal' to me at a certain moment."
“Manifestation?” Mint tilted his head.
“Yes, yes, her father is Ajarn, and she can also communicate with spirits.” Meiling readily agreed with this rumor about your family. You remained noncommittal; it was true, you did have some abilities.
“Like today.” You look out the window at the light and continue to recall with a mysterious air, “I don’t really understand what happened with that ball, but I know that if we keep ‘playing,’ something worse will happen.”
"So... that ball was deliberately designed to make us hurt each other?" Went's voice rose slightly in excitement. Then she realized it wasn't just that, and her face turned deathly pale. "And there are quite a few monsters like that in our school?"
“That’s right.” You nodded, carefully choosing your words: “At times like this, we need to stop for a while. Analyze the situation and find a way to break through. Of course, if all of us could stop, instead of just the three of us fighting it like this afternoon, it would probably lose its power much sooner.”
You paused, then changed to a more relaxed but mysterious tone: "That's why I said some things... are unseen, but they do exist. And some 'rules' can only be used to protect oneself by those who know them in advance."
"For example what?" Meiling was also hearing you say this for the first time, and she immediately perked up and moved closer to you.
“For example,” you hold up a finger and tell them the rules of copying that you have seen and verified, “often putting your hands together in a gesture of respect to people may provide some protection and prevent clashes.”
"So, you just say 'wah' (a greeting)?" Moonte and the others put their hands together, making a neat, standard gesture. "Like this?"
The locals do it perfectly, so you immediately imitate them and return the greeting with a solemn expression, saying, "Yes, just like that. Don't overlook these many etiquettes."
"What about food?" another girl asked in a low voice. "You said we can't eat meat... why is that?" These girls had most likely eaten those kinds of food in the cafeteria.
"Have you ever considered that all these strange things have subtly seeped into my life, one by one? That's why you 'can't see' them?" — The more easily you spoke, the more you felt like a born charlatan.
The group looked at each other, no longer denying it, nor daring to think about it any further.
"Actually, I don't know exactly what it is, but I know that unclean things don't come close to us openly. They use some 'daily' things, like the meat supplied by the school, to change us little by little."
You paused, then looked at them: "But 'beautiful' people are often chosen. They are either tried to devour or given power."
"Huh? But we're just ordinary-looking people."
“Beauty can also be vitality, good character, and the brilliance of humanity. In other words,” you thought for a moment, taking this rule, which always seemed absurd when viewed on its own, and applying it to the more easily accepted and understood marketplace, “doing good deeds and having a kind heart will lead to new opportunities.”
They deeply agreed with what you said and then clasped their hands together in a gesture of "Wow!"
But... "Regarding what you've said..." Moonte hesitated for a moment, as if making a major decision, before finally saying, "We can't be with you every single moment. You've only just arrived here. What if we encounter new situations?"
You look her straight in the eye: "I can see some trends that you can't. But most of the time I can only find clues as events unfold and progress, and you can try to do that too. Then... we can share and analyze them together."
After a moment of silence, you continued, "Right now, I'm not sure how many people are still 'sane,' or if anyone is manipulating all of this. But I do know one thing: we have to stick together."
You look around at them, your eyes sincere and calm: "Don't tell anyone, and don't believe what others say. From today onwards, we are a small alliance. If you're willing, I'll slowly tell you everything I know and think of."
“Then we can help you think of a solution together.” Meiling immediately took the lead in agreeing, and Huimin nodded in agreement.
Went and her teammates whispered among themselves for a while, then nodded: "I don't quite understand what you're saying, but I believe you. If it weren't for you guys getting that ball on the court today... the three of us would probably have been more seriously injured."
Even so, the three of them were still covered in plasters and looked extremely disheveled. After you all sat down in the cafe, the owner came over to check on you several times under the pretext of ordering more snacks, as if worried that you, Meiling, and Huimin, the three "flower children," had bullied their Thai children.
Upon noticing that you immediately shut your mouths and became wary of everyone around you, the manager probably thought you were just a bunch of brats. He muttered something and then ignored you.
You all turned your attention away from the shop manager, and Meiling told you with a smile that the manager was cursing that all the children of her generation were spoiled rotten, a product of their mothers and fathers getting their comeuppance. You all burst into mocking laughter, like teenagers.
Let's go back to the topic we just discussed.
For Minte and her friends, this surreal secret known only to themselves was both exciting and interesting. Although it was also dangerous.
But for these girls, life isn't really free. Even if this is a copy (for you only), they still have to learn to adapt to a completely real society, with many things they are expected to imitate and are required to obey.
Now, suddenly, a "flower country girl" transfers in from outside, and after just one game of ball with you, the world has changed. You always seem a bit mature for your age, for some reason, even though your face looks like a high school student's (in their eyes). Your demeanor and speech always give people the feeling that you are not their age, and you seem to be able to speak the hidden truth like a half-wizard. Instead of being repelled, they are quickly attracted to you—a bit like how little kids prefer to play with older kids.
They stopped asking you questions like "Who are you?" They were more interested in whether "this world is really as we think it is."
And you, of course, hope they can really keep the secret.
If they can all keep quiet, then you can hide yourself more confidently, and with so much help, explore while secretly observing the further development of the dungeon; but if one of them can't help but tell others about it, then it might be a test of the "trigger mechanism".
Ultimately, you're not here to be a savior; you're just trying to survive.
Previous dungeons felt like open-world games, but this one feels more and more like... a box from a horror story.
You're trapped here, restricted by your status as a minor, lacking sufficient personal freedom. Unlike in other instances, you can't decide what you want to do; your exploration is limited to your home and school. And none of your experiences so far have included what it's like to be a high school student.
Then you can slowly test it and see when it explodes.
After chatting, they exchanged contact information and went their separate ways. The girls said reluctantly, "See you at school tomorrow."
You agreed, and left, exhausted.
So sleepy, so tired, so hungry.
It was still early today; when you got home, it was still broad daylight. Your mother was chopping vegetables alone in the kitchen, the TV was on, playing a Cantonese sitcom, noisy and disruptive, creating a strange contrast with the quiet atmosphere at home.
The man who was supposed to be your father wasn't there; it seemed his business was doing well today. That was a relief, saving you the trouble of dealing with him again.
You explained your situation, saying that you were very tired from studying today, and that you needed to take a shower first, then eat, do your homework, and then go straight to sleep, asking that no one disturb you.
So you locked the door. You diligently worked through about ten pages of the workbook your Chinese teacher had given you that morning, and then started memorizing another set of 'rapidly learned phrases in Mandarin' while watching a video.
Having traversed so many country-specific versions, you've likely developed a very useful method for quickly learning a language. Memorizing phrases is convenient, but if you really want to start learning grammar, there's another approach.
First, memorize all the pronouns and their conjugations. Then, randomly memorize a few verbs, nouns, prepositions, adjectives, and adverbs that will help you construct sentences. After that, you can spend just a few hours going through the grammar from low to high levels, and then use those same few words to create sentences.
In this way, you've "learned" all the grammar—of course, this will require a few more days to solidify it. The remaining issue is vocabulary. Open a dictionary and start reading words like you're reading a novel, making some impressions in your brain. Then, watch advanced reading videos and practice directly alongside them. After 30 days, your progress in both speaking and listening will be rapid. It will be enough to handle most situations in life, and even language tests.
Two more hours passed in this way. You propped your head up, looking at the textbook on the table, feeling your eyes sore and strained you could barely keep them open. You were truly exhausted.
Then you lie down on the bed, with the beginner's listening exercise still playing in your headphones, and fall asleep.
It wasn't a nap; he completely passed out.
The whole day was so long, you didn't get a moment's rest.
You woke up around 3 a.m.
The body always reacts like this after staying up all night: once you fall asleep in one go until late at night, your body will automatically wake you up, not letting you get a comfortable full night's sleep, as if it's taking revenge on you for staying up all night.
I need to use the restroom. Ugh, this is so annoying! If I get up in the middle of the night, I probably won't be able to fall back asleep, and then I'll be listless again tomorrow.
As you were thinking about this in a jumbled mess, you slowly opened your eyes, which were unusually dry from staying up all night and then going to sleep again.
The streetlights outside the window illuminate a corner of your house, and there, at the foot of your bed, stands a figure.
A human-shaped black shadow stood there, motionless.
Your heart stops beating, and your breathing becomes rapid.
Your brain is desperately telling itself that this might be an illusion, a clothes hanger, a blanket, or a projection, but your body has completely lost the ability to move.
You close your eyes, stiffen your body, and remain motionless. You feel like your heart is pounding so hard you're about to die.
—Anyone who opens their eyes to something so scary pressed against their face when they're already feeling a bit sleepy and their heart is pounding would feel utterly hopeless!
What are you going to do? What can you do? How did this thing get here? There wasn't a single sign of it!
Splash.
—Footsteps. Something is being dragged across the floor.
That thing is walking.
It circled your bed slowly.
You closed your eyes and clenched your teeth. You didn't want to look, and you didn't dare to look.
In situations like these, playing dead is always the most effective solution!
The footsteps were light, yet very noticeable.
Then, a breeze brushes against your face.
This family doesn't like to turn on the air conditioner, and your mother repeatedly told you to set a timer before bed and not to leave it on for too long. By this time, the air conditioner had already been turned off. Since the air conditioner was on before bed, it wouldn't be the draft from outside the window.
Your brain isn't fully awake yet; your thinking is still sluggish.
Ah, you suddenly realize that it's a damp scent, brushing against your skin. You can even feel it passing over your head, and the air seems to drop a little as it sits at the head of your bed.
And then—that was it.
It disappeared.
The sound stopped, the breath dissipated, and the room became quiet again.
You don't know how much time has passed, you only know that your urge to urinate is getting more and more urgent. You really can't take it anymore.
You take a deep breath, close your eyes, and turn on the bedside lamp—with a snap, the warm, orange light shines down. You glance through your eyelids and feel it all.
Then slowly open your eyes.
There was nothing there.
The floor is clean, there's nothing at the foot of the bed, and your school uniform, which you hung up yesterday, is standing obediently in the closet.
It seems that not only the school, but even this family is not normal.
You have a vague feeling that this dark shadow isn't the first time it's come tonight. Maybe it comes every night, watching you as you sleep. Last night, you were awake all night. So, is it hiding in some shadow outside the door?
You don't plan to investigate further for now. You have a lot of information to process at school, and at home, you can only choose to observe for the time being.
Anyway, you plan to only attend classes here for two weeks, after which you'll claim illness and take leave. If the situation at home doesn't worsen, maintain a facade of compliance and stability, and avoid creating any unnecessary complications.
If things in this house become unruly, then you should find a way to get rid of it—besides, you were planning to do so anyway, and you can't let your father live under the same roof for long.
You sit up, slowly get out of bed, go to the bathroom, and then come back.
I have three hours left, I should try to get some sleep, I have class tomorrow.
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Author's Note: Let me tell you a true and scary story. I actually experienced a shadowy figure appearing at the foot of my bed while traveling in Thailand, but of course, the aftermath wasn't as fantastical as described in this article. Most likely, I was just half-asleep... I had a nightmare and woke up terrified, sitting up immediately. Then I opened my eyes and saw a large, dark shadow at my feet. I screamed loudly, startling my mom. Then I blinked again, and there was clearly nothing there on the wall. Anyway, because my mom was there, I wasn't scared anymore. She hugged me, and I closed my eyes and fell asleep again. After that, I continued enjoying myself and didn't encounter any other scary things.
Let me tell you another true and scary story. This one is really terrifying. I had just graduated from junior high school and went on a ten-day trip to Zhejiang with a classmate. We visited different cities and stayed in several hotels. At one of the hotels, we noticed the elevator buttons were a bit strange; there was a large gap between the buttons for the 2nd and 3rd floors. We didn't think much of it and went to check in on the 3rd floor. In the first room, we found cockroaches. As a northern tiger, I'd never seen cockroaches before! So we called to change rooms. The next room we got was one with a computer. We used the computer to watch movies and listen to music. My friend was taking a shower, and I was playing on my phone. The computer was playing a song by a female singer—I don't remember who—when suddenly I heard a voice saying "Brother~," which startled me. I immediately stopped the computer and called my friend out. Then we listened to it again together, and it was indeed at a very strange moment that the voice said "Brother~," completely unrelated to the song. We investigated and found that many people had heard this song, and everyone had different opinions, but most said it was probably a recording error in the studio. We figured that since so many people had heard it, it couldn't be anything supernatural. The next day, after dinner, my friend suggested we walk up the stairs to digest our food, and I agreed. So we started climbing. When we reached the actual third floor (the staircase was built in the middle of the first floor, with the passageways on either side), we saw two brick walls blocking the way. In other words, the actual third floor was blocked off. We were terrified and scrambled up the stairs, finally reaching the hotel, which was actually the fourth floor but marked as the third. We became increasingly frightened and called our parents to ask for a different hotel. That's what happened. It's been a long time since then, and I can't remember exactly whether the floor number changed from fourth to third, or if the elevator skipped a floor, but the memory of a brick wall blocking a floor is truly unsettling.
The last language learning method I mentioned is genuinely effective, and you can definitely refer to it if you need it. I have a very strong learning ability (I'm an incredibly smart person, of course), and the method I summarized should be quite effective. For speaking and listening, just practice using my shadowing method. Once you're fluent, you'll find that everything else is not a problem. You don't need to memorize vocabulary; just watch the bilingual subtitles while shadowing. For example, I got a proper C1 certificate in German after four months of study, and passed the N2 level certificate in Japanese after a little over three months of a language course. As for English, I never memorize vocabulary or do much homework, but I've always had good English grades since I was little. Although I haven't taken any exams, my level is roughly C1 fluency and B2 vocabulary. And now I suddenly have the urge to learn Arabic... and also Latin and Spanish... um... I'm thinking about all of them...^^ Love!
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