Outside the instance, the audience could only see two people holding cups of water, standing side by side at the door, watching the sunrise. Strangely, though, they couldn’t hear what the two were saying. It was as if the video had been muted.
The audience grew anxious:
[What’s going on?! How can such advanced technology glitch like this???]
[What are they talking about?! Why is it muted? Even the video looks blurred, we can’t even read their lips!]
[Did Li Jianxi use some kind of item to block us?]
[What the heck, Xiao Li, what exactly are you discussing with your wife that you have to go so far as to block us outsiders?!]
[Even though we can’t hear them, this scene is so soothing to look at. Screenshot, saved! Wallpaper, Get!]
…
Li Zhi didn’t speak for a long while. She lowered her head, gazing at the sunflower pendant in her hand. Bathed in the morning sunlight, it emitted a gentle glow and felt tangible in her hand, an item that could be taken out of the instance.
Objects from the real world cannot be taken into the instance, and aside from items given to players by the system, nothing else from the instance can be brought out.
The pendant Li Jianxi had given her was clearly an item.
Why did an NPC have a player’s item? Could it be like what the forum said, that he’s a special NPC who drops affection points and easter eggs? Or…
Li Zhi raised her head, smiling slyly as she asked, “So, can I use this to contact you the next time I enter the instance?”
Li Jianxi’s tone sounded lighter than usual, “Yes.”
The others had packed up and were leaving the adjacent dormitory, heading to the cafeteria for breakfast. Li Zhi put away the sunflower pendant, glanced toward the direction of the administrative building, and curiously asked, “Teacher Li, you said last night that you were going to call their homeroom teacher—were you serious or just threatening them?”
Li Jianxi replied, “It could be serious.”
Li Zhi laughed, “Then, help me with one more thing…”
Li Jianxi leaned in to listen to her, his brows furrowing slightly as she finished, but he still nodded. Li Zhi waved at him and followed her companions out of the infirmary. After watching them walk away, Li Jianxi slowly turned off the device in his hand that was blocking the sound.
The morning energy of the school returned to its usual vigor.
Lian Qinglin, who had overheard Li Zhi’s conversation with Li Jianxi, couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Zhi, do you want him to report Zhou Jianzhang and the others for violating the rules last night?”
Her companions, who had turned into monsters, were terrifying. If they didn’t control them during the day, they would likely go on a rampage again after dark, chasing them all over the school.
Li Zhi, however, shook her head, “I want him to report me.”
The others all gasped, “What?”
Li Zhi looked toward the administrative building across the playground. The morning’s brightest sunlight enveloped it, but the building still appeared eerie. At this moment, the iron gate below was locked, sealing off the only entrance and exit.
“The key to breaking the situation should be in the principal’s office, but we can’t get in during normal hours.”
Tan Manyu suddenly realized, “You want to deliberately get punished and have the homeroom teacher take you inside?”
Li Zhi nodded, “It’s the only way to get in without obstruction and see with my own eyes what the principal is up to.”
She had initially thought this plan was risky and didn’t want to use it unless absolutely necessary, but today, it had become that moment of necessity.
“Zhou Jianzhang and the others have completely mutated. During the day, they are still somewhat restrained by the school rules, but at night, they will undoubtedly attack us again. Even the infirmary won’t be safe tonight. So, we have to deal with the principal’s office today and eliminate the main control over them. Without that, Zhou Jianzhang and the others will be much less dangerous. Once we subdue them, we can return to the dormitory to play games and clear the level.”
Tan Manyu frowned. “This is too risky.”
Pink Hair, having gone through the last instance, immediately suggested, “We could set a fire! Burn down the whole building. Whatever’s inside, we’ll burn it to death!”
Li Zhi shook her head. “The school’s fire safety measures are very thorough. Even if we start a fire, it would be put out quickly. Besides, we don’t even know what’s in the office yet. If we act rashly and alarm the target, what if the principal escapes with it? Then we’ll have no chance.”
To truly understand what the principal had done to those students, and what had happened in that office, she would need to experience it firsthand.
Lian Qinglin hesitated. “But even if you’re reported today, they might not take you in right away. Didn’t the other students have a probation period? Like Xie Cong—he wasn’t taken right away either.”
Li Zhi smiled. “No, I don’t think it can wait any longer.”
In Xiang Min’s diary, Xie Cong was only taken to the principal’s office for reformation after several offenses. However, just a few days ago, Wang Zhiyuan was taken after failing to recite The Peacock Flies Southeast one morning. The time between offenses and punishment had shortened significantly.
Moreover, the behavior of the reformed bad students—enticing the good students to play horror games and infecting them—convinced Li Zhi that whatever entity resided in the principal’s office, whether it be desire or hunger, was growing with each offering.
It was no longer content with parasitizing just a few bad students—it wanted more tributes.
Since Wang Zhiyuan, no students had been taken to the principal’s office. Perhaps there were few uninfected tributes left in the school, and now that she was offering herself up as a clean, untainted sacrifice, could it resist?
“You going in alone is still too dangerous,” Tan Manyu thought for a moment before speaking seriously. “Here’s the plan: after you’re taken, we’ll find a way to follow you. We’ll subdue the security and the homeroom teacher if needed and catch up to you.”
As they discussed their plan, they walked toward the cafeteria. Just as they entered, they ran into Zhou Jianzhang and his group.
As soon as daytime came, they reverted to their normal human forms. However, there was a lingering, sinister aura about them. Their eyes were full of malice, and the undisguised hostility they directed at Li Zhi and her group made their skin crawl.
Li Zhi peeled a tea egg and leisurely asked, “Don’t they just look like they deserve a beating?”
The others clenched their teeth and nodded, especially when they remembered being chased by them last night. The thought filled them with both anger and fear.
Li Zhi took a bite of the perfectly marinated egg white and said slowly, “Don’t worry. I’ll help you beat them up later.”
The group was confused. “Huh?”
The audience thought Li Zhi was just making an offhand comment. They never expected her to actually mean it.
During the morning self-study period, amidst the sound of students reading aloud, Li Zhi suddenly picked up her chair, walked straight over to Zhou Jianzhang, and, with a faint smile, swung the chair down on his head.
She moved so quickly. One moment she was smiling, and the next, the chair was crashing down.
Zhou Jianzhang didn’t even have time to react before the blow hit, sending stars spinning before his eyes. Clutching his head, he let out a miserable cry and collapsed to the ground. The surrounding classmates were startled, and Bei Xuan screamed as she jumped up. “Are you crazy?!”
Li Zhi shot her a cold glance. “Come any closer, and I’ll hit you too.”
A sharp, inhuman screech came from Bei Xuan’s throat.
Zhou Jianzhang was still dazed from the blow, and Li Zhi didn’t give him a chance to recover. She raised the chair again and brought it down on him several more times.
The classroom was in chaos, and the homeroom teacher soon arrived at the scene of the “crime,” yelling angrily, “Li Zhi! What are you doing?!”
Only then did Li Zhi toss the chair aside and rub her hands. With the demeanor of a school bully, she replied, “I don’t like him.”
The teacher was so furious that they almost laughed. “Good! Great! I just received a call from another teacher this morning saying you were caught wandering around the school late at night, breaking curfew, and now you’re fighting?! I think you’ve really lost it!”
The teacher shoved her roughly. “Go stand in the hallway as punishment!”
Li Zhi originally wanted to continue her act as the rebellious student, maybe even go as far as beating up the teacher. But after thinking it over, the combination of getting reported and fighting should be enough. Anything more might be overkill, so she held back and obediently went to stand in the hallway as punishment.
Lian Qinglin and the others subtly gave her a thumbs-up from their seats.
Zhou Jianzhang, who had just taken a beating, was helped into a sitting position. His face was full of murderous intent, but the entity inside him made him fear the school rules. At least for now, in the classroom, he didn’t dare do anything. He had to swallow his rage in silence.
The audience was thoroughly entertained:
【Hahaha, he didn’t expect to get beaten up after grinning like a maniac while chasing Li Zhi last night!】
【This is hilarious! Li Zhi really looks like a school bully! I knew Zhou Jianzhang was no match for her!】
【Li Zhi’s arm strength is no joke. Those chair swings—oof, I felt that for Zhou Jianzhang.】
【Zhou Jianzhang probably can’t feel pain now, right? He’s not even human anymore.】
【Monsters can still feel pain! Without those bugs, Zhou Jianzhang would have no chance against Li Zhi.】
【Is Li Zhi going to be taken to the office soon? I’m getting nervous—what’s really in there?】
【No risk, no reward! Our fearless leader is diving straight into the nest! Give her all the votes! Li Zhi deserves it!】
…
Li Zhi’s punishment lasted until noon, showing just how furious the homeroom teacher was with her behavior today. However, just standing there wasn’t going to meet her goal. Li Zhi was already planning to take matters into her own hands if she was kept standing there in the afternoon—this time, she’d beat up the homeroom teacher too.
Thankfully, the teacher didn’t give her that opportunity. Before afternoon classes began, everyone was seated for self-study when the homeroom teacher suddenly appeared at the door, a dark expression on her face. “Li Zhi, come out.”
Li Zhi stood up, and Tan Manyu gave her a knowing glance.
At the doorway, the homeroom teacher’s face was cold, but her eyes glinted with something strange. “Follow me.”
Li Zhi followed as they left the teaching building and headed toward the administrative building across the way.
Tan Manyu had been keeping a close watch from the classroom window. Seeing the two figures heading toward the administrative building, she quickly signaled the others. The remaining six students got up and swiftly left the classroom.
Zhou Jianzhang and his group, who had been reading, noticed them leave. The eight exchanged glances, smirking eerily, and followed.