“Li Qingyuan?”
Upon hearing that familiar name, Xu Wenxing was first stunned.
He didn’t understand why the middle-aged man would specifically mention his own name.
Then, he looked at the middle-aged man’s familiar face and the familiar school before them.
It clicked in an instant.
Li Qingyuan?! Isn’t that the Professor’s name?!
How was that possible?
The Professor was an old man! Where would he get the energy to work as a ride-hailing driver?
‘This is definitely just a stranger with the same name! Absolutely!’
‘Yes! That’s it!’
Xu Wenxing thought to himself, using these lame excuses to comfort himself.
He tried his best to calm down and stop his mind from wandering.
Sitting in the front seat, the middle-aged man noticed Xu Wenxing’s reaction.
Knowing that the boy had guessed his true identity, he spoke slowly.
“Don’t be afraid. I am indeed not the professor from your memories. After all, with his academic credentials, he has no need to earn money as a ride-hailing driver like me.”
“Ah, I knew it…”
The moment the words left his mouth, Xu Wenxing realized something was wrong.
He looked at the middle-aged man in horror, not understanding how he knew so much about the Professor’s life.
“Young man, don’t be nervous. If I wanted to make a move on you, I would have had 10,000 chances to kill you by now. Why would I wait until this moment?”
“I just want to talk to you and hand over some important matters.”
Hearing this, Xu Wenxing felt a little better.
What the man said made sense. If he wanted to harm him, Xu Wenxing would have died 10,000 times over already. There was no need to wait.
After waiting for a moment and seeing that Xu Wenxing had finally calmed down, the middle-aged man let out a long sigh. He shook his head and revealed a startling fact to Xu Wenxing.
“However, I am indeed a professor at this school, and I am indeed that stern Mr. Li Qingyuan.”
“What?”
Xu Wenxing stared at him blankly, unable to comprehend why the man was telling him this.
Ignoring his reaction, the middle-aged man continued.
“There is no need for me to lie to you. After all, when you were in my class, I was the one who told you to go to the office to get the assignment notebooks, wasn’t I?”
“How… how do you know that? Did you install a camera in the classroom?” Xu Wenxing asked nervously.
“…No, I didn’t install any cameras. I told you, I am the professor of your school.”
“Then you — “
Xu Wenxing’s throat tightened. He looked the man over from head to toe, failing to see any resemblance to the professor he knew.
Whether it was his appearance, his words and actions, or even his family situation, this man was nothing like the Professor.
The Professor Li Qingyuan he knew had a harmonious family, successful children, and students all over the world.
He was nothing like this middle-aged man who worked as a ride-hailing driver and suffered the pain of losing a daughter.
It wasn’t scientific, and it defied logic.
“Actually, at this point, there’s no use hiding it anymore,” the middle-aged man said with a low laugh.
“Every human whose soul is collected at the Caesar Grand Hotel will experience an out-of-body state where they believe they are themselves.”
“…Huh?”
Hearing these strange words, Xu Wenxing couldn’t process them for a moment. He didn’t understand what kind of nonsense this was.
What did he mean by Soul Collection? What was an out-of-body experience? What did he mean by “believing they are themselves”?
None of it made sense. The man hadn’t been drinking, so why was he talking like this?
“Young man, consider this a warning. If possible, never step foot into the Caesar Grand Hotel for the rest of your life.”
Suddenly, the man’s expression changed. He warned Xu Wenxing in an extremely serious tone.
Hearing this, Xu Wenxing scratched his head and replied.
“…Uh, I definitely won’t go to the Caesar Grand Hotel. Don’t worry.”
“You might not want to go, but there will always be people who want you to go,” the man said.
“You’ve been targeted. From now on, they will try every possible way to get you near the Caesar Grand Hotel. Then, they’ll find someone to knock you out and eventually collect your soul, leaving you as a vegetable for the rest of your life.”
A chill ran down Xu Wenxing’s spine. Just thinking about that terrifying scenario made him feel afraid.
He nodded quickly and made another promise.
“Don’t worry! I’m definitely not going to that cursed place! I won’t even go within 1,000 meters of it! I promise!”
“…Heh, good. I believe you.”
Seeing Xu Wenxing’s reaction, the middle-aged man nodded, satisfied that the boy was now on guard against the Caesar Grand Hotel.
He then looked out the window at the laughing and chatting students.
“I was originally a separated Wandering Spirit. I only happened to gain self-awareness and met a young girl by pure chance, which allowed me to establish a foothold in your human society.”
“You…”
“But after she died, I realized my true identity, and I understood why those people specifically collect souls.”
At this point, the middle-aged man sighed softly, as if lamenting his own existence.
“I don’t want to be an enemy of humanity, but I’m almost unable to restrain myself.”
“The Collectors on the third floor of the Caesar Grand Hotel are mostly pitiful people who couldn’t control their own desires and thus laid hands on you humans.”
“If you get the chance, please find a Magic Girl. Have her send them away from here and back to their original bodies.”
Listening to the man’s words, which sounded like a farewell, Xu Wenxing’s mind wandered. He blinked and stared blankly at him.
“…I’ve craved the time in the human world for too long. Now that I’ve reached this place, it’s time to go back.”
“Take care, young man. From now on, don’t ever think of yourself as useless.”
“You’ve fulfilled a wish of mine. That is your achievement.”
Under Xu Wenxing’s watchful gaze, the middle-aged man claiming to be “Li Qingyuan” slowly began to fade away within the car.
His body emitted a faint light as he vanished into thin air, flying toward the distance.
After witnessing the man’s departure, Xu Wenxing’s head suddenly erupted in excruciating pain.
He couldn’t help but clutch his head, letting out a low growl as he tried to resist the unbearable agony.
Ultimately, the pain exceeded his limit. Xu Wenxing collapsed and lost consciousness on the spot.
……
When Xu Wenxing woke up again, he was in a place that couldn’t be more familiar.
A familiar computer, a familiar keyboard, and a familiar environment.
It seemed he was back in his dormitory?
Xu Wenxing looked up.