6:30 AM, morning reading begins.
Jiang Mu slid back into her seat, her gaze quickly scanning the entire class.
There were fifty-two sets of desks and chairs in the classroom, yet only forty-one students were present. Eleven seats remained empty, scattered around the room.
The orderly, rhythmic sound of reading surged like waves, crashing through the classroom and creating a chilling sense of “normalcy” within this hive of insects.
Amid the group of mechanically rote students, Jiang Mu’s sharp eyes caught two anomalies—
Two rows diagonally ahead, a girl with a ponytail sat with her body slightly tilted, her head turned just enough to occasionally cast furtive, probing glances.
Though her movements were minimal, the eyes full of curiosity and urgency were precisely caught by Jiang Mu.
Elsewhere, three rows directly ahead, the silhouette of a boy also drew Jiang Mu’s attention.
His shoulders were tightly hunched inward, his head hanging low, shrinking like an ostrich, his breathing exuding a gloomy timidity.
On the far left of the blackboard, today’s class schedule was firmly written. The first lesson was Mathematics.
Jiang Mu tapped her long, slender fingers against the casually brought books—one Chinese, one English.
Accompanied by the clear, loud reading voices, Jiang Mu stood up without warning.
Her movement didn’t attract any attention from the other students.
The girl who kept looking back didn’t expect Jiang Mu to approach her. Her body stiffened noticeably as she hurriedly pretended to focus on reading.
Jiang Mu walked to her side, casting a slender shadow.
“Classmate, may I borrow a book?”
Before Jiang Mu could finish, Lin Lulu noticed her action. She was about to turn and look closer but was caught by the gaze of the boy sitting behind.
That boy’s face was pale as paper, his teeth clenched tightly on his lower lip, as if experiencing unbearable terror, on the verge of mental collapse.
The reading voices in the classroom remained loud. Standing here felt like mistakenly entering a grand puppet show.
Everyone had their own script, immersed in their own worlds.
Lin Lulu hesitated for a moment, then also stood up and walked toward the boy. “Classmate—”
Before she could finish, the room suddenly fell silent.
The previously noisy reading abruptly stopped, as if every student in the class had “come alive,” all raising their heads in unison, hollow eyes occasionally flashing with malicious glances toward Lin Lulu.
Lin Lulu’s voice stuck in her throat.
The silence lasted only a moment before whispers spread like a tide, students leaning close to exchange surprised and mocking murmurs.
Jiang Mu’s delicate brows furrowed, but the hem of her clothes was tugged twice— the girl who had just been pretending to read gently searched Jiang Mu’s clothes and shook her head.
“Classmate, may I borrow a book?” Facing the all-around stares, Lin Lulu said coldly, finishing the interrupted sentence.
“Pfft…” Sharp hissing laughter came from the boys’ row behind.
A flamboyantly dressed girl seemed to find the scene extremely amusing, covering her mouth and mocking, “You want to borrow from her? She won’t lend it to you.”
Upon hearing the girl’s voice, the boy trembled violently as if hearing a demon’s call, lowering his head even further, almost shrinking beneath his desk.
This scene was like a slowly unfolding drama.
…This version of the story is finally starting to take shape? Lin Lulu’s guard rose as she looked at Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu hadn’t responded yet, but her clothes were tugged twice more firmly.
The taunts and provocations continued; that girl even deliberately reached out to check the collar of the boy’s school uniform.
School rule #2 states: [There is no bullying on campus. Any behavior suspected of bullying among students is merely intense play. Do not panic; tell yourself it is just student play, no need to intervene.]
Uncertain whether this rule had been corrupted, Lin Lulu’s lips pressed tightly together as she caught the hint for Jiang Mu to ignore it. She stayed silent and returned to her seat.
“…” Jiang Mu lowered her eyes, silently watching the girl beside her who was excluded from this act. The girl held her book tightly with both hands, her knuckles white from the pressure.
Morning reading continued. After returning to their seats, the ripples on the lake’s surface gradually calmed, returning to the initial tranquility.
This time, the clear reading voices brought an almost soothing calm.
Jiang Mu opened the borrowed book; the first page bore the girl’s neat handwriting—Wu Chenyu.
The unusual girl’s name was Wu Chenyu.
Her interaction with Jiang Mu did not attract the other students’ attention, but Lin Lulu’s attempt to talk to the boy in the back row triggered an abnormal mechanism.
Wu Chenyu subtly reminded Jiang Mu to keep silent, obviously knowing some inside information.
Now was not the time to ask questions. Jiang Mu sorted through the rules in her mind—
The first set of rules they had seen was the dormitory agreement.
Dormitory Agreement Article 1: “School rules override dormitory agreements. Dormitory agreements operate only within the bounds of school rules.”
School rules held absolute priority.
Besides school rule #2, there was also rule #10: [When you hear sounds resembling screams, crying, or heavy objects falling, ignore them. They are not real.]
Both seemed to point toward campus bullying and its possible severe consequences.
The response to both was to “ignore.”
Rules were originally established to benefit humans. Ignoring doesn’t always help, but paying attention often risks danger.
So far, it was impossible to determine if these two rules were corrupted.
[4. Strictly follow the class schedule. Monday follows Monday’s classes, Tuesday follows Tuesday’s, and so forth.]
Rule #4 seemed trivial but appeared significant by its inclusion.
…Time and curriculum aligned? Perhaps it was a reminder to pay attention to what day of the week it was and attend the corresponding classes.
[5. Duty students are responsible for cleaning the classroom and public areas. Cleaning inspections occur Tuesday at 6 PM. Duty students must wait in the classroom for inspection. If the cleaning is not up to standard, cleaning must continue until qualified.]
“Cleaning committee members” were very likely fallen students. “Cleaning until qualified” had no specified time limit, but it certainly wasn’t indefinite—probably no later than before evening self-study.
Consequences of unfinished cleaning before evening self-study were unpredictable.
Rules #3 and #6 related to leaving the classroom during class—
[3. Wearing the school uniform during the school term is mandatory. Even if the uniform is damaged or stained, those not in uniform are considered outsiders and will be removed from the classroom.]
[6. All activities follow the school bell. Unless for valid reasons (like physical education), leaving the classroom during class is strictly forbidden.]
These two rules jointly indicated that classrooms were relatively safe during class time, while the outside held hidden dangers.
This was also reflected in rule #7: [During class, grade leaders conduct patrols. If they determine you are not studying seriously, you will face punishment.]
Not attending class was equated with not studying seriously, which would be punished.
Jiang Mu suspected these “leaders” were part of the external dangers.
Additionally, school rules #12 and #13 confused her.
[12. The school offers physical education classes.]
[13. This school does not offer swimming classes.]
There were two possibilities: either swimming wasn’t considered part of physical education or one of these rules was corrupted and swimming classes did exist.
Jiang Mu ran through the rules from beginning to end. Rules #1 and #11 seemed unremarkable and were temporarily set aside.
The most critical condition was rule #14: [Midterm exams will be held Wednesday and Thursday. Only after the exams have been properly completed may students leave the school.]
Leaving depended on the “proper completion of exams.”
Once exams ended, students could leave. Today was Monday, so if all went smoothly, departure would come Wednesday or Thursday.
“…“ Thinking of the chaotic time here, Jiang Mu fell silent.
The class bell rang, and morning reading seamlessly transitioned into the first lesson.
A tall, slender figure strode into the classroom and climbed onto the podium.
Jiang Mu’s slender back slowly leaned against her chair, expressionless as she observed the first teacher who appeared.
“Alright, let’s start class…” On the podium, the Mathematics Teacher was tall and thin, his eyelids drooping listlessly, his skin tinged with an unnatural bluish-purple hue.
When he spoke, his mouth pulled back, revealing a mouthful of sharp, pointed teeth.
“Wait a moment—” He seemed to have noticed something, placing both hands on the podium as his gaze swept quickly across the class, locking onto Jiang Mu and Lin Lulu.
“Look, it seems the class has gained a few cute new classmates~”
The Mathematics Teacher slowly raised his sharp fangs, his tone mocking, as if looking at pitiful mice caught under a cat’s paw.
Jiang Mu’s eyes widened slightly—she hadn’t expected to have any presence in this class after all!
Apart from Wu Chenyu and the timid boy, the other students sat like puppets on strings, completely indifferent to their presence.
Jiang Mu glanced at the Mathematics Teacher’s expression, which was somewhat pleased—good, at least someone treated them like people!
The Mathematics Teacher, catching the strange look, said, “Hm?”
A faint sense of suspicion, tinged with offense, spread within the Mathematics Teacher.
Light streamed through the window, falling on Jiang Mu’s pale arm, making it look almost paper-white… a malnourished fragile mouse, unaware of the fate awaiting her…
The Mathematics Teacher gritted his sharp teeth and decided to temporarily forgive Jiang Mu’s ignorance.
No matter where, the power of a math class was truly not to be underestimated. Even the puppet-like students would bow before the might of the first math lesson in the early morning.
Jiang Mu’s eyes lovingly watched the boy sitting in front of her, his head nodding like a pecking chicken.
But each time he was startled awake, he would unconsciously glance toward the window.
…Window?
Following the boy’s gaze, Jiang Mu’s eyes turned to the window near the corridor, suddenly meeting a pair of murky eyes.
A person was clinging to the outside of the window like a gecko, peeking inside.
Jiang Mu’s fingers twitched slightly, faintly pushing away the gaze and turning back to the podium.
The Mathematics Teacher was also looking at her.
“…“ A deliberate targeting feeling arose, stirring a subtle discomfort deep inside Jiang Mu.
The Mathematics Teacher put down his chalk, clasped his hands behind his back, and with a wide smile, stepped toward her.
“Jiang Mu, do you take the lessons seriously? Come on, answer this question on the blackboard.”
A strong, pungent stench rushed into Jiang Mu’s nostrils. She calmly stood, looking at the blackboard…
…an incomprehensible symbol?
“…“ What’s written? Can’t understand it.
“Don’t know?” The Mathematics Teacher sneered disgustedly, leaning in closer, his nose almost touching the back of Jiang Mu’s neck. “Jiang Mu, come on—”
“Choose A.”
Jiang Mu quietly distanced herself from the Mathematics Teacher, her face composed.
The room fell into silence.
Lin Lulu: “1 T 1”
She was young, just graduated high school and now a first-year university student. Even though most high school knowledge was nearly forgotten… worried about mental pollution, she glanced briefly at the blackboard’s question but—
This question wasn’t a multiple-choice at all???