Vol. 1 Chapter 6 – Fresh Flowers Scorched Earth Campus. (6)

The breakfast at Anyang High School’s cafeteria was simple but tasty. Yin Liuming felt satisfied as he walked to the school building after eating a few steamed buns and a bowl of millet porridge.

He first went to the third senior year, Class 3.

It was morning self-study time for high school students, and they were reciting a mix of English words and Chinese poetry. It all seemed weak and pointless.

Most of the students were daydreaming, and some were whispering to each other.

The students in the third senior year, Class 3, were all alive. They had different heights and weights, but they were full of energy.

It was totally different from yesterday’s classroom, which had a scary sense of death.

Yin Liuming looked around and frowned a bit.

Chi Xi also saw that something was wrong. “Why are there a lot fewer students?”

Yesterday, when the students were acting like zombies, most of the seats in the class were full. Today, there were suddenly seven or eight empty ones.

Yin Liuming thought for a moment, knocked on the door, and walked in, standing in front of a serious student in the front row.

The student looked up, a bit confused as he stared at him.

Yin Liuming pointed to the empty seats behind and asked, “Excuse me, why aren’t there any students in those seats?”

The student turned to check and scratched his head. “Yan Hang and his friends often skip class; they never come to the morning self-study.”

“Who is Yan Hang?”

The student shrugged. “He’s just the type of troublemaker student… It’s best not to ask about them; they even dare to hit teachers.”

Yin Liuming nodded, thanked him, and turned to leave the classroom.

After leaving the classroom, Yin Liuming looked at Chi Xi and said, “If you want to follow me, I’ll give you a task.”

Chi Xi, who was worried about not being useful, brightened up. “You say it, Brother Yin.”

“Talk to the students in Class 3; find out what’s been happening recently and who is missing.” Yin Liuming thought for a moment. “Dreams can be unclear and confusing, but they often show what people see and experience in their everyday lives. If this dream was created by a student from Class 3, then the fears represented by the zombies and the ivies should lead us to something. The key to solving the makeup classes should be found within.”

Chi Xi nodded solemnly.

“Other players may come asking as well; don’t mind them.”

“Where are you going, Brother Yin?”

Yin Liuming gently rubbed his chin. “I’m going to do an experiment.”

……

Aside from Class 3, there were actually no other students in this school building.

Yin Liuming casually found an empty classroom, went in, and took out the illustration book.

This classroom was basically the same as Class 3’s, the only difference being that the textbooks and exercise books on the desks were all opened, and the ballpoint pens hadn’t been capped, as if the students had been urgently called out and didn’t have time to put the caps back on.

Shen Lou floated out slowly, his light blue eyes resembling a fine cobalt crystal, staring at Yin Liuming.

Yin Liuming ignored him and simply opened the illustration book.

Sure enough, there was an extra record on the second page of the illustration book.

[Corpse-Eating Ivy]

[Dream Source: Fresh Flowers Scorched Earth Campus.]

[Rarity: ★]

[Strength: 5]

[Aggressiveness: 9]

[Rationality: 1]

[Description: A plant transformed from some kind of essence has been searching for something. It possesses the ability to devour corpses.]

[Illustration Book Unlock Skill: Devour Zombie Lv1 (actively devours zombies, no points consumed, and requires a 5-hour cooldown after each devour).]

Yin Liuming raised his eyebrows slightly.

This thing actually have rationality?

He released the ivy from the illustration book.

This ivy was nearly torn to pieces by the irritable Yin Liuming before being added into the illustration book, and when released, it shrank into a small ball, wanting to roll away.

“Come back.”

The ivy ball stiffened for a moment but obediently rolled back.

Yin Liuming then released the zombie student from the illustration book.

The zombie student still stood obediently in place, showing no difference from before.

The ivy seemed to sense the scent of the zombie, cautiously raising its leaves as if it were afraid to act rashly because of Yin Liuming’s presence.

Yin Liuming said, “Eat it quickly.”

The ivy tensed for a moment but then spread out freely, wrapping around the zombie gently as if it were embracing a lover, soon completely enveloping it.

The zombie student began to emit low howls.

Yin Liuming pulled out a chair and sat down, focused on watching the process as the ivy devoured the zombie.

From Shen Lou’s perspective, Yin Liuming’s handsome face was shrouded in shadow, with only his delicate, thick eyelashes fluttering slightly, making him appear somewhat fragile.

… If only one could forget his violent behavior from last night.

Monsters with lower intelligence have a limited understanding of the person holding the illustration book.

The ivy was able to follow Yin Liuming’s commands obediently largely because it was frightened by the beating it received from him last night…

Shen Lou stared at him for a moment and suddenly said, “You looked more pleasing last night than you do now.”

Yin Liuming looked up, somewhat surprised. “Mr. Shen likes it a bit violent?”

Shen Lou leaned down slightly, his slender, ethereal fingers gently tapping Yin Liuming’s chin. His ice-blue eyes revealed no emotions as he asked, “Are you unhappy?”

Yin Liuming was stunned. “Why?”

Shen Lou’s tone revealed an unclear meaning. “Because I didn’t warn you last night.”

Yin Liuming blinked, slightly amused. “There’s no such clause in my contract with Mr. Shen; how could I be unhappy about it?”

“Don’t lie to me,” Shen Lou lightly humped, retracting his fingers. “I told you, I can sense your emotions.”

Yin Liuming thought to himself; it was apparent he was trying to deceive him.

He smiled and said, “Since Mr. Shen says so, then it is; I won’t argue.”

“So…”

“So what kind of compensation does Mr. Shen plan to give me?” Yin Liuming speculated, “It doesn’t need to be too complicated; just add some points for me.”

Shen Lou: “……”

If he could directly give players points, why would he need Yin Liuming to help him collect the record in the illustration book?

“Principally, I won’t intervene in the dreams you face.” Shen Lou raised his head, speaking somewhat reservedly. “Considering this is your first time in a dream, I’ll give you a chance to borrow my power.”

He gently curled his finger, and a fragment of shimmering blue light fell into Yin Liuming’s palm, transforming into a winding shape.

“When you encounter danger, activate it to temporarily increase the level of any skill in the illustration book.”

Yin Liuming was relatively taken aback, but a benefit was a benefit; his smile became much more sincere. “Then thank you very much, Mr. Shen.”

Only then did Shen Lou glide back to the illustration book, satisfied.

Looking at the illustration book, Yin Liuming subtly rubbed his chin.

Turns out Shen Lou wasn’t just a pretty face.

Although he couldn’t understand why Shen Lou had acted so oddly, Yin Liuming hadn’t known him for long. Given that it was said most powerful spirits were mentally unstable, he felt no hesitation in not dwelling on it.

Before him, the ivy slowly withered and fell away, revealing a young and friendly face.

It was a girl who appeared quite beautiful.

Looking around in confusion, the girl asked, “Where am I?”

Yin Liuming raised his eyebrows. “Do you remember who you are?”

“Um, my name is Ye Qingqing.” The girl looked up, and upon seeing Yin Liuming’s face, her eyes sparkled with amazement. “Who are you, handsome? Are you the new teacher? What subject do you teach? Honestly, that subject is my favorite!”

Yin Liuming: “…….”

He rubbed his forehead. “Do you remember what you were doing before?”

“What was I doing before?” Ye Qingqing hesitated for a moment. “I just had lunch and was taking a nap in the dormitory.”

A nap?

Yin Liuming’s expression was a bit complex.

It seemed that Ye Qingqing had no memory of being a zombie, which meant that regular students turned into zombies during the lunch break.

Suddenly, Yin Liuming had an idea. He picked up the illustration book, touched the record for the zombie, and whispered the word. “Retrieve.”

Ye Qingqing suddenly vanished before him.

The illustration book displayed a simple illustration again, no longer a scary zombie but a girl entwined by vines.

The information also changed:

[Zombie Student (Revived State)]

[Dream Source: Fresh Flowers Scorched Earth Campus.]

[Rarity: ★]

[Strength: 2]

[Aggressiveness: 1]

[Rationality: 10]

[Description: The soul returned to the body, and vitality regained the upper hand. However, she is still a zombie—proceed with caution.]

[Illustration Book Unlock Skill: None.]

The ‘death state’ that had concerned Yin Liuming had indeed changed.

Yin Liuming released Ye Qingqing again.

Ye Qingqing entered the illustration book, her face filled with shock as her worldview shattered. “What was that just now? Was that a Pokémon Poké Ball?”

“You can say that.”

Even knowing that Ye Qingqing was a zombie, Yin Liuming couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with her. He pulled out a chair for her and asked her to take a seat. “Could you share your experiences from the last few days?”

Yin Liuming took out the neglected teaching plan from his bag and waved it slightly. “I’m your physics intern teacher. I have to do a one-on-one mentorship task and need to submit a summary report.”

“Of course, no problem!” Ye Qingqing cupped her face in her hands and boldly asked, “After you finish your questions, can I shake hands with you?”

Yin Liuming: “… Sure.”

……

Chi Xi was earnestly sharing his senior year experiences with a boy who was intently playing a game on his PSP. “In senior year, you really need to study hard and can’t play games anymore. The school prohibits electronic devices. Do you think I’d tell the teacher? You really have to believe me—after you go to college…”

The boy casually rolled his eyes at him. “Who do you think you are? Get out of the way and don’t block me from playing my game.”

Just as Chi Xi was about to say more, he suddenly felt a gentle pat on his shoulder.

Turning around to see Yin Liuming, Chi Xi’s face lit up instantly. “Brother Yin!”

Yin Liuming glanced at Chi Xi and then at the boy. “So is this how you gather information?”

Chi Xi belatedly blushed. “S-Sorry.”

As Yin Liuming left the classroom with him, Chi Xi noticed a little follower trailing behind. “Brother Yin, who is this?”

“This is my one-on-one tutoring student,” Yin Liuming replied without changing his expression. “Her name is Ye Qingqing.”

Ye Qingqing’s gaze fell on Chi Xi as she circled him twice, a playful grin spreading across her face. “Easily blushes, looks good, and the height difference is perfect—great! Amazing!”

Chi Xi: “…?”

Yin Liuming rubbed his forehead once more. “You should go back to class now.”

Ye Qingqing answered disappointedly, “Yes, Teacher Yin.”

After Ye Qingqing ran back to class, Yin Liuming asked, “Did you find anything?”

“Most students seem to have no suspicions,” Chi Xi recalled. “But they all seem to be very scared of Yan Hang and his gang.”

“Yan Hang?” Yin Liuming remembered. “The ones in those empty seats?”

“Mhm. Those boys are known to smoke, drink, fight, and bully their classmates, not just in class, but they’re troublemakers throughout the school. Since Yan Hang is Vice Principal Yan’s grandson and his dad is a prominent leader in the province, regular teachers don’t dare to manage them too strictly. They can only move them to the back row and then leave them alone.”

Chi Xi frowned in disgust. “I heard that last semester, a student was beaten and ended up with broken bones. It took them several months to come back to school.”

Yin Liuming furrowed his brows and fell silent.

Chi Xi scratched his head awkwardly and murmured, “Sorry, Brother Yin, that’s all I found…”

“No, it’s very useful.”

Yin Liuming shook his head. “Don’t you remember? This dream is the dreamer’s. If most students don’t like these people, it shows the dreamer’s subconscious dislikes them too.”

Encouraged, Chi Xi’s eyes lit up, then he looked worried. “But Ding Pei’an and his group know about this too. Yang Jiao told me, they’re searching for those troublemaker students everywhere.”

Yin Liuming was not surprised at this. “It’s alright.”

Although he doubted Ding Pei’an’s claim of having passed a three-star dream, he knew that Ding Pei’an was an experienced player who wouldn’t overlook this detail.

Yin Liuming looked at his phone. “It’s almost lunchtime. Let’s find a safe place to wait.”

“A safe place? Is there danger?”

“Maybe.”

……

As soon as the lunch bell rang, the students rushed out, eager to get to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria at Anyang High School was right next to the dormitory building. Yin Liuming and Chi Xi sat on the concrete ping-pong table¹T/N: In many Chinese schools, especially public ones, there are outdoor ping-pong tables made of concrete or stone. These tables are extremely sturdy, weather-resistant, and permanently installed in schoolyards, dorm areas, or open spaces. below the dormitory, watching the other students hurry to get food.

Next to them were a few steamed rolls, steamed buns, and hot soybean milk bought from the school cafeteria.

Yin Liuming had no resistance to the simple lunch. He leisurely sipped his soybean milk while watching the students quickly finish eating and hurry back to the dormitory one by one.

In the crowd, they even saw Ding Pei’an and his two companions, all wearing cold expressions.

Ding Pei’an seemed to have found some information and had an arrogant look on his face. He shot a fierce glare at Yin Liuming as he walked by.

Wei Zilong still couldn’t face Yin Liuming, hurriedly hiding behind Yang Jiao with his head down when he passed by.

But Ning Yuanyuan was nowhere to be seen.

“Ding Pei’an had previously asked us to share clues… He obviously found some but didn’t tell us,” Chi Xi grumbled with dissatisfaction. “Brother Yin, should we follow them to take a look?”

Yin Liuming drained his soybean milk, instinctively biting the straw and sighing slightly, “Plastic straws really are more comfortable to bite.”

He put down the paper cup and said to Chi Xi, “No need; something big might happen during lunch, so let’s just wait.”

Once most students had gone into the dormitory, the area became completely silent.

Chi Xi suddenly turned toward the cafeteria and said, “Brother Yin, do you smell something? It smells like the boy we met this morning…”

“Smell?”

Chi Xi moved his nose to carefully distinguish the smell and hesitated, “It seems a bit… um, burnt?”

Yin Liuming concentrated, his nostrils flaring slightly. Then he stood up and followed the smell of burning to the boiled water room behind the cafeteria.

The boiled water room was filled with a nauseating burnt smell.

Yin Liuming stood at the door of the boiled water room, frowning as he looked inside.

A few students were laughing loudly as they surrounded another student in the center, who was holding his head and they seemed ready to kick him once more.

“Where’s the money I told you to bring this morning? Don’t you know Brother Hang has no money for cigarettes?”

“A disabled father, a dumb mother, their son’s just a useless piece of trash!”

“Useless!”

Punches and kicks accompanied by verbal insults created a vivid scene of school violence.

The boy with dyed red hair took a puff of smoke, squatted down, and gently blew it into the face of the boy he was teasing, playfully patting his face. “Weren’t you tough last time? Still brave enough to give gifts to Chu Dang?”

Without warning, he turned his hand and pressed the still-lit cigarette butt directly onto the back of the boy’s hand.

The boy immediately let out a piercing scream.

Watching the scene unfold, Chi Xi felt a surge of anger rise in him, his face turning red as he shouted, “What are you doing?!”

Strangely enough, the people over there had no reaction to Yin Liuming and Chi Xi’s presence.

Chi Xi widened his eyes and wanted to step forward, only to realize there was a transparent barrier blocking them.

It felt as if they were merely watching a ‘plot show,’ powerless to intervene.

Yin Liuming silently watched the boy rolling in pain.

“Remember, next time Brother Hang tells you to do something, just do it obediently—your mom sells stuff on Wenhe Road, right? Haha!”

The boy suddenly froze, his voice trembling with a sob. “B-Brother Hang, don’t…”

The boy with red hair spat at him, then stood up straight and arrogantly declared, “If you behave, things will be easy.”

The boy curled up on the ground, covering his injured hand and quivering slightly. After a moment, he pulled out a few crumpled bills from his pocket along with something wrapped in a plastic bag, uttering submissively, “Brother Hang, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it…”

Brother Hang accepted it with satisfaction, saying, “If you had been this obedient sooner, everything would have been fine!”

Counting the money, he looked somewhat dissatisfied. “Is this all?”

“I-I don’t have any more…”

“If there’s none left, wouldn’t you steal?”

Brother Hang kicked him again and shouted, “Useless!”

The boy trembled but said nothing.

The group of students, appearing to lose interest, warned him a few more times before leaving the boiled water room with cigarettes dangling from their mouths.

The moment they stepped out of the boiled water room, their bodies suddenly underwent a transformation.

Their once smooth and youthful skin rapidly decomposed, changing their arrogant, malicious eyes into vacant, hollow sockets. Hair fell away, and a dreadful odor permeated the air.

It felt as though their souls and bodies had exchanged places, shifting from life to death in an instant.

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  T/N: In many Chinese schools, especially public ones, there are outdoor ping-pong tables made of concrete or stone. These tables are extremely sturdy, weather-resistant, and permanently installed in schoolyards, dorm areas, or open spaces.