Chapter 58: Gaoji Academy (Twenty-Three)

Chapter 58: Gaoji Academy (Twenty-Three)

The prospect of encountering students even during breaks was utterly terrifying, wasn't it?!

How could anyone find joy in that?!

However, upon further reflection, Dou Siqi understood the implications.

Residing in the villa district would allow him to interact more with the top ten students from various classes, potentially swaying them to join his class. For teachers at the result-oriented Gaoji Academy, this was indeed a coveted "reward".

But for Dou Siqi, it felt more like a death warrant.

Dou Siqi's facial fluctuations were too conspicuous, causing the once-smiling Director Wei to suppress his grin.

"Mr. Dou, what exactly is going on?" Director Wei enquired gravely, his tone tinged with scrutiny and a hint of threat, "To our Gaoji Academy, each outstanding student is of paramount importance. They guarantee the school's college placement rate and are vital resources ensuring the school's sustained excellence. While it doesn't matter how you treat the underperforming students, you must approach the excellent students with utmost caution and responsibility. Your reluctance to engage with top students suggests something amiss. Have you done something untoward?"

Dou Siqi stiffened momentarily before regaining his composure.

"No," he explained, "It's just that... I have cultivated good relationships with a few teachers, and relocating to the villa district now would..."

Director Wei's brows furrowed deeply.

"A teacher's sole duty is to excel in teaching, fostering rapid improvement in students' academic performance. Your rapport with colleagues is immaterial to the school. Mr. Dou, it's imperative that you promptly realign your mindset and priorities. Those with unsatisfactory teaching outcomes are doomed to a short stint at Gaoji Academy; fraternising with them serves no purpose. Please expedite the packing of your belongings and move to your new residence promptly."

Having said this, Director Wei's countenance softened slightly, "I'm advising this for your benefit. Residing in the villa district not only enhances your personal living standards but also facilitates frequent interactions with excellent students, which could substantially elevate your class's academic performance."

With the conversation reaching this juncture, Dou Siqi had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Returning to the dormitory to pack his belongings – in reality, there wasn't much to pack. All necessities were provided by the school upon the players' arrival, and a set of brand-new bedding awaited him at the new dormitory.

Though Dou Siqi said he was returning to pack up his belongings, in reality, he was hoping to find and speak with Xie Fangcheng once more.

Even though Zhang An had already voiced those words at that time, he still harbored a lingering hope.

After all, isn't preserving one's life of utmost importance, even if it comes at a certain cost?

However, upon his return, Dou Siqi discovered that Xie Fangcheng was not in the dormitory.

His roommate, Zhao Zhe, informed him, "Recently, Professor Xie has been spending late nights frequently in the principal's office."

The computer games in the principal's office were indeed entertaining; engrossed in desktop pinball, Xie Fangcheng had begun fantasizing about those addictive online games.

Dou Siqi was taken aback for a moment.

During this period, he had been so preoccupied with organizing student profiles that he hadn't noticed the movements and whereabouts of those around him.

Hearing Zhao Zhe's words, Dou Siqi hurriedly said, "When he returns, could you possibly relay a message for me? Ask if he could visit me in the villa area tonight? I'm willing to offer him my points and items!"

Zhao Zhe could only respond with a derisive snort.

Ever since Dou Siqi's class had ranked first in the exams, Zhao Zhe had asked him twice how he had managed to achieve this feat.

Since being assigned to the same dormitory, the two had been moving together, sharing meals and information. Dou Siqi, a language teacher, and Zhao Zhe, a math teacher, found that the relaxed atmosphere most of the time in this simulated world facilitated a rather harmonious camaraderie amongst the players.

Dou Siqi and Zhao Zhe indeed shared a certain camaraderie. Being of similar ages and sharing common interests, they had even agreed to add each other as friends once they exited this simulated world, a conversation which Zhao Zhe initiated quite candidly.

However, despite being asked twice, Dou Siqi remained reticent.

Zhao Zhe understood the situation clearly now.

At present, witnessing Dou Siqi's restless and anxious demeanor, clearly indicating that moving into the villa area was a risky endeavor for him, Zhao Zhe couldn't help but feel a certain schadenfreude.

Assist such an individual? He wouldn't even entertain the thought!

Dou Siqi had also come to a realization.

Seeing Zhao Zhe's reaction towards him, he could imagine that others would respond in a similar fashion, if not worse.

Unwilling to share his "winning secret" and viewing everyone as competitors, how could he demand their assistance now?

There would be no other players coming to his aid anymore.

Director Wei's voice echoed from outside.

"It's already half-past eleven, all teachers should return to their dormitories to rest!"

It was time for Dou Siqi to leave. He needed to familiarize himself with the environment in the villa area early on and find a way to safely get through the night.

Perhaps tonight doesn't necessarily entail a fatal conclusion? After all, those students didn't seem to possess formidable strengths, it wasn't likely that he'd be entirely helpless against them, right?

Before leaving, Dou Siqi turned around, his eyes filled with unresolved determination, attempting to sway Zhao Zhe with a heartfelt performance.

"Xiao Zhe, I just..."

"Get lost," Zhao Zhe said.

Confronted by his icy gaze, Dou Siqi opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, could only leave with a dejected expression.

Stepping out of the door, he coincidentally crossed paths with Tong Xinxin, Tan Chen, and Xu Xiuxiu who were returning from freshening up.

The trio of girls were giggling and whispering, huddled close together, and as they passed by Dou Siqi, he could faintly hear them engrossed in conversation.

They weren't discussing strategies or walkthroughs for the game, instead, they were talking about a television series that had been popular some time ago.

Before Tan Chen's demise, she had followed the series halfway through, but couldn't continue because of her sudden passing. Now, Tong Xinxin and Xu Xiuxiu were catching her up on the unfolding storyline, with the usually composed Tan Chen occasionally exclaiming in astonishment, "No way!"

Hearing this, Dou Siqi paused momentarily, cursing inwardly, "These people really are..."

Really what?

Really at ease, aren't they?

Of course they can afford to be relaxed; they are still in the same camp as Xie Fangcheng.

Indeed— Dou Siqi thought spitefully — the players' success criteria is based on a class score exceeding 562 points, something that couldn't be determined by mere power levels.

These people, so relaxed now, will soon realize that there are only so many top students, and everyone is essentially competing against one another.

When that time comes, will Xie Fangcheng still stand up for them?

Yet... it's truly enviable, isn't it?

Dou Siqi stood there, lost in thought.

Before entering this game, he had always been generous and cheerful, enjoying great popularity.

When exactly did he become so self-centered and indifferent?

.

The villa district was located behind the staff dormitory buildings, consisting of over thirty individual villas, occupying half of the total area of the school.

The majority of the villas were allocated to students, with only three designated for the teachers, one for each grade level.

This was reasonable, since for the students, securing a spot within the top ten of their class in terms of exam scores granted them the privilege to reside in the villa district.

However, for the teachers, only those whose class ranked among the top three in the entire grade level, and whose subjects were also within the top three, could qualify to enter the villa area.

In the villa designated for senior second-year teachers, there were about a dozen bedrooms, with only four currently occupied.

"Teacher Dou, you should interact more with the other teachers. I need to go check on the students, so I'll be taking my leave first."

Having said that, Director Wei promptly left the villa.

Dou Siqi glanced around at his surroundings, and couldn't help but think internally: No wonder every teacher NPC is vying for the top position.

Gaoji Academy distinctly illustrates the disparities in ranks at every corner.

Students with high academic performance and teachers with excellent teaching records belong to a higher echelon, whereas underachieving students and teachers with subpar performance find themselves at a lower tier.

This can be discerned just from the living conditions.

The environment of the staff dormitory isn't bad per se, but it undeniably gives off a vibe of simplicity and sparseness.

The beds are made of wooden boards, topped with straw mattresses and a layer of bedding. In the room, there's only a table and a chair, with little else to speak of.

The dormitory lacks attached restrooms, offering communal bathrooms instead, and each floor only hosts ten exceedingly cramped shower stalls, with hot water not available round the clock.

In contrast, the villas boast individual rooms, each equipped with private bathrooms and spacious, sunlit, southern-facing quarters. As Dou Siqi settled on the expansive bed, he noted the superior quality of the soft mattress and bedding beneath him.

Not only that, but atop Dou Siqi's table lay a fresh set of lecture notes.

Dou Siqi picked up the notes and began flipping through them.

Compared to the copy he was currently using, wherein he felt the urge to annotate every single line, this set of lecture notes in his hand seemed markedly more comprehensive and detailed.

Moreover…

Dou Siqi paused abruptly after turning a couple of pages.

[Teacher: Students, can anyone answer the question I just raised? Good, Liu Minmin.]

[Teacher: Liu Minmin's response was fantastic! Shouldn't we give her a round of applause? Next, let us hear an incorrect answer from Guan Yao!]

[Teacher: Doesn't Guan's answer lack any redeemable qualities? It indicates that he hasn't reviewed the material diligently. For students who neglect their studies, there must be appropriate punishments!]

Liu Minmin and Guan Yao are both students from class one.

Furthermore, following the mention of "appropriate punishments", a horizontal line is drawn, resembling a blank space to be filled in.

What is the implication of these notes?

As per the school's policy, teachers are not permitted to physically punish students, hence the teachers would resort to verbal reprimands, but seldom engage in any physical disciplinary actions.

But with these notes in his possession, does this imply that... he now has the authority to "punish" underperforming students?

"No wonder..." Dou Siqi muttered, gazing at the lecture notes.

The top-performing class one consists of thirty students, followed by thirty-four in the second-ranking class, and thirty-seven in the third, while the remaining classes generally accommodate forty-five students each.

It's evident that initially, each class was supposed to house forty-five students, but the missing students in the higher-performing classes have likely met tragic ends.

Despite the fact that all teacher NPCs would verbally humiliate the underachievers, encouraging them to the point of considering suicide, the discrepancy in student numbers remains significant. Perhaps this is due to the teachers of higher-ranked classes possessing these notes, granting them the power to "punish" underperforming students.

This form of punishment would expedite the demise of underachieving students, thereby elevating the average score of classes with higher academic performance.

Dou Siqi hesitated for a moment.

He had never resorted to humiliating students before. Although he viewed these students as NPCs, perhaps the impact of Zhang An's statement that day - "They are NPCs, but are you as well?" - had been too profound, or maybe it was out of fear of retaliation from Xie Fangcheng, Dou Siqi never considered progressing by demeaning others.

Now, confronted with these lecture notes, he experienced a brief internal conflict before finally setting the booklet back down on the table.

Just then, the sound of the front door being opened resonated.

Dou Siqi quickly exited his bedroom.

Coincidentally, the returning teacher was someone he recognized.

"Teacher Wang!" Dou Siqi greeted warmly.

He is the mathematics teacher for the first class.

Teacher Wang spared him a glance.

Dou Siqi speculated that his gesture of attracting the top students to class eighteen might have led to Teacher Wang's noticeably friendlier demeanor.

"Teacher Dou, so you've moved in too," Wang noted.

"Yes," Dou Siqi replied with a smile, "I've just arrived. I hope to receive guidance from Teacher Wang in the time to come."

Teacher Wang nodded without objection, adding, "Sure. Would you like to join me later to chat with some students?"

Dou Siqi paused, somewhat startled. "But... isn't it almost midnight now?"

"Didn't Director Wei inform you?"

"About what?"

Teacher Wang observed him, his eyes mysteriously taking on a profound depth.

"The villa area... is a lawless zone," Teacher Wang revealed, "As long as the students are safe, any actions undertaken by teachers within the villa area are not prohibited."

【Thud, thud, thud】.

The villa's front door was knocked upon.

Dou Siqi recognized the familiar voices of students emanating from the entrance.

"Teacher Wang— you promised to bring us to see Teacher Dou. You can't go back on your word like he did—"