The last rule of Chapter 14
Zhuge Jin sat calmly on the fishing platform, his eyes beneath the white veil revealing a serene composure that indicated he had everything under control.
He could clearly feel the almost tangible inquiry and trust from his readers, like the purest power of faith, flowing in continuously and nourishing the persona of the "prophet".
These experiences sharpened his senses and allowed him to resonate more deeply with the underlying rules of this instance.
Furthermore, the percentage of people impersonating the prophet reached an astonishing 80%.
The survivors slumped in their seats, trying to calm their wildly beating hearts and their nerves that felt like they were about to explode.
Their brief but information-rich exchange with Guo Wangfei, and Teacher Li's final, chilling glance, made them feel as if they had just escaped death.
“Respect your teacher… you must never question them…” Bai Muling repeated this rule, sewn together in blood, her face pale, her voice trembling, “This… this is simply…”
"This is utterly absurd!" Xin Yuan'er couldn't help but mutter under his breath. Although he was scared, he couldn't help but feel indignant. "This isn't a school, it's a concentration camp! A twisted one at that!"
Di Wenzhou sighed heavily: "Now we know more and more rules... No crying or shouting, we must respect teachers, no making noise or moving around after lights out, we can't look up during class, we can't gather in groups of three during breaks, and boys and girls must keep a one-meter distance..."
He counted on his fingers, and with each item he listed, his expression grew more unpleasant.
Yue Qingqing added softly, "Also, maybe... we can't waste food..."
She remembered the cafeteria rules.
“Yes, adding them all up…” Bai Muling’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Aren’t we almost all of them? We seem to have matched most of the students with stains in the graduation photo, right? Yan Ruxuan, Sun Yifan, Li Fei, Tan Nianci, Guo Wangfei… We’re still missing…”
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the female ghost, Lin Yurou, whose neck was twisted 180 degrees and facing everyone.
This was one of the first names they identified through the honor roll and desk information.
"Is it... her?" Bai Muling asked with a mixture of hope and urgency.
"Lin Yurou? We haven't verified it with her yet... Maybe she knows the last rule?"
Her string of successes and the hope of soon gathering all the rules made her somewhat less cautious than before.
“Wait,” Jun Xiangbei interrupted, his brows furrowing slightly. “The characteristics don’t match perfectly yet, and the risks are unknown.”
His calculations told him that approaching a new target without complete information, especially Lin Yurou whose neck didn't have a shadow in her graduation photo, was extremely risky.
But Bai Muling seemed to be blinded by the hope of her imminent success, or rather, the immense pressure made her eager to grasp at any straw.
She jumped up: "We can't wait any longer! Let's give it a try! What if?"
As she spoke, she actually called out that name directly in Lin Yurou's direction from a distance:
"Lin Yurou?"
The words had barely left his mouth—
The female ghost with the twisted neck suddenly let out a sharp, piercing scream!
The neck, which was originally just stiff and twisted, emitted a sickening cracking sound, as if it was about to break further.
She suddenly opened her mouth, revealing a dense array of sharp teeth, and a chilling resentment rushed towards Bai Muling like a whirlwind.
"Who gave you permission to call me that?! Get out of here!" The voice was twisted and frantic, filled with the fury of having one's territory invaded!
Bai Muling was so frightened that she staggered backward, but the resentful aura swept across her shoulder, and she immediately felt a cold, piercing pain.
At the same time, a cold system notification sounded in her mind:
[Player Bai Muling violated the rules and disturbed classmates, resulting in a deduction of 1 credit. Current credits: 2.]
"Ah!" Bai Muling cried out in pain, her face turning deathly pale instantly. It wasn't just the physical pain, but also the fear of losing credits.
"Sister Bai!" Yue Qingqing exclaimed, almost instinctively reaching out her hand. A soft, vibrant green light emanated from her palm and enveloped Bai Muling's shoulder, which was being eroded by resentment.
The cold, stinging sensation quickly subsided, replaced by a warm and comfortable feeling.
Healing ability!
This was the first time Yue Qingqing had used her abilities in front of everyone.
However, the use of these abilities also seems to have attracted the attention of the rules.
Once again, a faint, cold sense of being watched could be felt from outside the corridor.
Zhuge Jin said calmly, "Stop."
Yue Qingqing immediately withdrew her hand like a startled deer, and the healing light vanished instantly.
She glanced nervously at the doorway, then at Bai Muling, whose expression had eased slightly but was still terrified. Her face turned even paler than Bai Muling's.
Jun Xiangbei quickly stepped forward, blocking the two behind him. His cold gaze swept over Lin Yurou, who was still hissing but seemed unable to move further due to some kind of restriction. Then he looked warily towards the classroom door.
Fortunately, the sense of being spied on seemed to be just a routine patrol, and no further "violations" were found, so it slowly faded away.
The crisis has been temporarily averted.
Bai Muling slumped to the ground, clutching her shoulder, which, though healed, still trembled with fear. Her face was filled with lingering dread and regret: "I...I'm sorry...I was too hasty..."
Di Wenzhou's face was grim: "There was almost another accident!"
Xin Yuan'er patted his chest: "You scared me to death... Sister Bai, you're too brave..."
Jun Xiangbei withdrew his gaze and looked at Bai Muling and Yue Qingqing, who were still in shock, with a serious expression: "The rules are summarized, and there is no room for luck. Every name must correspond to a specific source of suffering."
His tone carried a hint of reproach, but more so, lingering fear. If only the attack of resentment had been stronger, or if the teacher had reacted more quickly…
His gaze unconsciously searched for that silver-white figure again, seeking some kind of confirmation or... comfort?
Zhuge Jin didn't look at him, but said softly as if talking to himself, "They are active at night and hide during the day, their rules are different. How could a soul imprisoned in the dark show itself in broad daylight?"
His words were like cold water, waking everyone up.
Yes, most of the rules they summarized before were based on daytime observations and communication.
This instance exists during the "night" period, and Shi Zihao disappeared and died after going out at night!
“The last rule…” Di Wenzhou murmured, “could it be at night?”
“Shi Zihao…” Yue Qingqing also remembered the first player to die, her voice filled with fear, “He went out at night… and never came back…”
Jun Xiangbei instantly connected all the clues: Did Shi Zihao go out to the toilet at night?
The reasons given by Teacher Li—disappearance, death, and the fact that running in the corridor was "very dangerous"—may only be superficial. The truly fatal rule was not explicitly stated...
“At night, outside the dormitory, there are likely even more dangerous rules that we are not yet aware of,” Jun Xiangbei concluded, his expression extremely solemn.
Everyone's hearts sank.
Nighttime exploration? That sounds even more deadly than interacting with ghostly students during the day!
Just then, Zhuge Jin spoke again, his voice ethereal and otherworldly, as if transcending time and space, bringing the whispers of the night:
"In the stillness of the night, in a place where all is silent, the water for washing drips incessantly, as if there is lingering sorrow and endless weeping."
In the stillness of the night, in a place where all is quiet.
The water in the bathroom dripped incessantly, as if an unresolved wound was weeping softly.
A clear warning! At night, in the washroom, there may be dripping water and the sound of crying, but please be careful as crying is prohibited by the rules.
This undoubtedly points to the last rule, and it also coincides closely with the location of Shi Zihao's death.
Hope was rekindled, but it was accompanied by a deeper fear.
"Going to the toilet at night?" Xin Yuan'er swallowed, her voice a little weak. "This...this sounds like a standard suicide scene from a horror movie..."
But this is the only clue we have.
“Someone must confirm this,” Jun Xiangbei said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.
He is the most suitable candidate, the most capable, but also the main vigilant and commander.
“I’ll go,” Di Wenzhou suddenly said through gritted teeth. Although he looked scared, his eyes were firm. “I’m physically strong, so if anything happens, I can run faster.”
He seemed to want to make up for some of his previous timidity.
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin added casually, "Isolated yin cannot produce life, and solitary yang cannot grow. When exploring dangerous places at night, going in even numbers may slightly reduce the misfortune."
It's not good to go to places with heavy yin energy alone; going with someone might reduce the chances of disaster.
It implies that it's best to travel in pairs.
Jun Xiangbei immediately made a decision: "Di Wenzhou and I will go. The rest of you will stay in the dormitory and remain absolutely quiet. No matter what noise you hear, do not come out or make a sound."
He looked at Zhuge Jin, his eyes asking if the arrangement was feasible.
Zhuge Jin nodded slightly, which was considered as approval.
The plan was thus finalized.
Night fell as scheduled.
After the lights-out signal sounded, the dormitory building fell into a deathly silence and darkness.
Inside dormitory 205, Yue Qingqing and Bai Muling squeezed onto one bed, covering each other's mouths and breathing as softly as possible.
Xin Yuan'er nervously pressed his ear against the door, trying to listen to the sounds outside.
Jun Xiangbei and Di Wenzhou, like two ghosts, silently clung to the back of the door, waiting for the right opportunity.
Time passed second by second, and every second was incredibly agonizing.
Just when everyone was about to be crushed by the deathly silence—
"Tap...tap...tap..."
Extremely light, slow, and dragging footsteps, accompanied by the faint sound of water droplets hitting the ground, drifted from the direction of the water room at the end of the corridor.
It's here!
Jun Xiangbei and Di Wenzhou exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with sternness.
The final clue to the rule lies in the sound of dripping water and footsteps.
Jun Xiangbei took a deep breath, a resolute glint flashing in his clear, cold eyes in the darkness, and gently turned the doorknob...
Zhuge Jin lay on the bed near the door, his eyes beneath the white gauze silently "gazing" at the ceiling, sensing the gradually clearing fluctuations outside the door, filled with intense resentment and the power of rules.
The climax of the play is about to begin.
And the most important audience members have already stepped onto the stage he has carefully guided.
Author's Note:
This story is almost finished. I'll be changing the cover and the title to "The Whole World Is Imagining My Power." Feel free to recommend any titles! [heart emoji]
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