The World Below Surface

Lu Yan was taken aback, his expression betraying his surprise. "He Lou? Who is He Lou?" His demeanour seemed genuine as if he were hearing the name for the first time. But inside, a tempest was already raging, churning up thoughts and questions in his mind.

Why did Chu Xiu know about He Lou? Was there a connection between them? Had he uncovered something?

He should have eliminated He Lou long ago instead of letting him live until the next mission. The most pressing issue was how much Chu Xiu knew. And if He Lou had divulged any of his secrets to others.

Chu Xiu maintained a curious expression, keeping his cards close to his chest. Naturally, he wouldn't reveal anything and only responded cryptically, "Just someone I know."

Lu Yan pondered for a moment, his mind racing. If Chu Xiu hadn't probed him, it would have been unusual. So he decided to be frank, "If it's just someone you know, why ask me specifically? Do you suspect he has any connection with me?"

Chu Xiu had to fabricate a lie to satisfy Lu Yan's inquiry, "He came to this city before, but I lost contact with him afterwards. I'm concerned that he may have encountered some supernatural events, so I wanted to ask you for information."

"Such matters should be reported to the authorities, not me."

Lu Yan's response put Chu Xiu at ease. He knew he had likely hoodwinked the other man and nodded in agreement. But just as he let his guard down, Lu Yan continued to probe, "What kind of events did he experience? Perhaps I know something."

How could Chu Xiu possibly know? He Lou was an adept hacker, only revealing what he deemed necessary through his online presence. Chu Xiu feigned recollection and sighed, "I'm not certain. But he...later on..." He trailed off as if he couldn't or wouldn't say any more.

Lu Yan "understood" and didn't press any further, feeling relieved. Chu Xiu didn't appear to be privy to much information; his questions were merely a test.

Lu Yan needed to ensure Chu Xiu didn't blabber on after returning home.

As the sun set, the pale horizon gradually transformed into a fish-belly white, and the road was jammed with more vehicles, bringing a slight relief. Lu Yan drove to the nearby family hospital, and the on-duty doctor promptly attended to Chu Xiu's injuries.

Lu Yan had a few superficial scratches, but Chu Xiu's wounds were severe. Blood loss had drained the colour from his face, and the white bone of his thigh jutted out, skewering his leg. The hasty bandage failed to stanch the flow, and blood saturated the seat. Lu Yan had to support Chu Xiu as they exited the car.

After the doctor tended to their injuries, they waited outside the hospital ward. Chu Xiu surveyed the people already queued up and whispered, "Can you help me again?"

Chu Xiu's injuries rendered him incapable of walking or running, let alone participating in the dangerous activity tonight. His chances of survival had plunged following the car crash. Chu Xiu finally realized the significance of Lu Yan's prior statement: Shi Yan and Nie Yun Zhen had "resurrected" without a price to pay because of Chu Xiu's actions, and the cost had to be reclaimed.

"I won't sacrifice myself," Lu Yan refused point-blank.

"It's not about sacrificing you; it's about bargaining," Chu Xiu calmly countered. "I sense that you're fascinated by the omniscient god. If you help me this time, I will hold the god statue for a month, record all the details, and provide video proof. Furthermore, I'll pay the price upfront and make a wish to ensure both our survival."

Chu Xiu had no other options and doubted he could deceive ordinary people. Only Lu Yan could assist him in surviving.

Lu Yan appeared intrigued by Chu Xiu's proposition.

Seeing the glimmer of interest on Lu Yan's face, Chu Xiu continued, "Also, look at my legs. You can run away if something happens; all you need to do is watch and lend me a hand." The game did not require a mandatory number of participants, and he didn't want Lu Yan to participate for various reasons.

If Lu Yan died accidentally, the aftermath would be troublesome.

Lu Yan fell silent, considering the proposal.

Chu Xiu didn't interrupt, formulating his plans for the night. After a while, Lu Yan said,

"Deal." Replied Lu Yan, "As long as it doesn't jeopardize my safety, I don't mind accompanying you. But be warned, should anything untoward occur, I will not be able to rescue you."

Chu Xiu nodded in acknowledgement. "That suffices, thank you."

He withheld from disclosing to Lu Yan that his sole aim was to complete the game by traversing the four levels and, thus, immediately return to his world. As such, he felt no pressure when Lu Yan proposed abandoning him and running away. Unbeknownst to Chu Xiu, the danger would depart with them once the last contestant exited or perished.

The two conspirators concealed their ulterior motives and agreed to an ostensibly equitable arrangement.

"Since we're playing the game, do you have a mirror?" inquired Lu Yan.

"I will purchase one later," replied Chu Xiu. The mirror needed to reflect his countenance, and he needed to inscribe his name with his blood at the end. Undoubtedly, the mirror could not be too small.

After sitting for a while, Chu Xiu declined the doctor's proposal for hospitalization and limped out using a crutch when his IV bag was nearly empty.

Their hospital was situated proximal to the school. Chu Xiu purchased a half-face mirror of the appropriate size to reflect his entire face without appearing too extravagant. Additionally, he carried a small black blade that students were fond of using for sharpening pencils, fearing that he may encounter difficulties biting his fingers later.

Moreover, he disguised himself as a schoolteacher and piloted a small electric scooter straight onto the campus to investigate.

All appeared ordinary.

He targeted the teaching building closest to the main entrance of the school. Everything was prepared, awaiting the stroke of midnight.

At this moment, the bell for the end of class rang. Hordes of students streamed out of the school, chatting and congregating in groups of three to five en route to the cafeteria to grab some sustenance. Numerous people were befuddled and assumed Chu Xiu was a teacher, even greeting him.

Chu Xiu smiled, resembling a genuine educator and reciprocating the greeting. Meanwhile, Lu Yan was also meandering around the campus, observing.

This game was peculiar. Previous games were not at specific places aside from the Yin-Yang road. So why was the game set in a school this time? What was unique about this place?

Lu Yan could not discern the reason. Just as he was about to depart, the conversation of two girls who passed by seized his attention.

"Hey, have you heard? Those who went to play hide and seek yesterday returned with 1,000 yuan."

"That's fantastic! They stated that it was not frightening and that they merely played before returning."

"I wish I had gone with them yesterday. I want to participate as well."

Lu Yan overheard more conversations but failed to catch them clearly. However, a single sentence stood out and struck him deeply: "Yesterday, those students who played hide and seek, have they come back?" He shuddered at the eerie implications of the phrase, wondering what it meant. Who, or what had returned?

Lu Yan turned to look, but the two girls had vanished into the crowd, and he couldn't distinguish them from the others. He had to pause and ponder his next move.

The campus boasted an excellent student bulletin board, and Lu Yan made a beeline for it. With his sharp memory, he could easily recall the names of the participants in the game of hide and seek from the previous night. Wen Qing's stood out in particular among the photos and names displayed on the board.

"Wen Qing, Class 11, Grade 2. Exceptional academic achievements..." After carefully perusing the information, Lu Yan decided to investigate further. He roamed around the campus, taking note of his surroundings.

The campus was bustling with life in the aftermath of school hours. The tantalizing aroma of food wafted from the cafeteria, and Lu Yan walked against the tide of students streaming out of the buildings. He searched each classroom but found nothing unusual, forcing him to abandon his search.

He failed to notice that, when he left the room, his shadow on the glass window revealed a forest of white bones! The wind blew through the window, scattering pen bags on students' desks. Lu Yan looked up and saw an ordinary scene.

Later that day, Lu Yan bumped into Chu Xiu and briefly compared notes on their investigations before parting ways. Lu Yan then posed as a teacher and sauntered through the teaching building's corridors, pretending to be on official business.

Class 11, Grade 2...

Lu Yan deduced that all classes from 1 to 11 of Grade 2 were situated on the building's fourth floor, with Class 11 being the farthest from the staircase. The corridor was typically noisy, and the lighting was poor.

Class 10 was in session, so Lu Yan stood by the stairs and peered through the classroom's central window. His eyes quickly settled on Wen Qing, seated in the middle of the room, diligently scribbling notes like any other student.

After a moment's observation, Lu Yan departed for the teacher's office.

"Excuse me, is the homeroom teacher of Wen Qing here?" He knocked on the homeroom teacher's office door, and abruptly, all chatter ceased. The voice on the other side instructed him to enter. Lu Yan produced his work ID and feigned interest in investigating the family life of standout students on campus. He pelted the teacher with a volley of questions, not just about Wen Qing but also about many other exceptional students' academic and personal lives. Lu Yan, typically a man of few words, could spin yarns like a master salesman. Alas, his efforts were in vain as the teachers refused to spill any beans.

"Thank you all for your cooperation. Oh, before I go, I have a small question. Yesterday on the school forum, I saw a post inviting students to play hide-and-seek on Yin—Yang Road. Did anyone actually go there?"

Teacher Li's countenance transformed in an instant. "No! Where did you come across that?" He speculated that Lu Yan might be a journalist and did not wish to offend him. Perhaps a fib would suffice. Teacher Li quickly shifted his tone. "That post was a sham. It emerged out of nowhere. Our students are well-mannered and focused on their studies. Nobody went there."

"Are you sure? I overheard some students talking about it at school..."

"Who? Which student was it?" Teacher Li exploded with rage and pounded the table. "We've already clarified this. Can you tell us who's spreading these rumours? We will definitely punish them."

The other teachers nodded in agreement.

"Unbelievable."

"These students are always playing dangerous games. We inspected the dormitories yesterday and received feedback from parents. Everyone returned home on time. We hope there won't be any more of these lies..."

The peaceful environment so painstakingly constructed was destroyed in a flash, and several teachers appeared ready to write "get out" on their faces. Lu Yan had no option but to bid them farewell and exit the room.

A chilly breeze whipped past him as he stepped outside, and he suddenly realised. Yes, who were the two girls discussing it? Why didn't their faces ring a bell? It appeared that the entire school was abnormal, not just Wen Qing.

As Lu Yan departed, the oppressive air lifted in the office with a subtle hint of reprieve.

Teacher Li fretfully inquired, "What's to be done? Another journalist has come snooping around."

Others attempted to reassure him with a placating grin, "Fear not, our principal shall deal with it. Over these years, what reporter has dared to speak up? Just settle down."

Nonetheless, Teacher Li remained anxious, hastily rising, "I shall return to the classroom and reiterate its significance. Any bastard who dares to say anything, watch me kill him."

"Off with you, then."

In Teacher Li's wake, the remaining educators indulged in the leisure of their time, sipping tea, correcting assignments, and perfecting their lectures.

Their unspoken rule was that if any person dared to pry into the secrets of Yin—Yang Road within the school's confines, that individual would quickly meet their untimely end.