Chapter 197: The Genius Kindergarten (Part 10)

Chapter 197: The Genius Kindergarten (Part 10)

The high schooler, surnamed Zhang, spoke as if he were a regular passerby concerned for a child, but that's not how it sounded to Jie Fangcheng.

Both were aware that Jie Fangcheng wasn't a regular child and that the "shell" he was in might contain something entirely different.

This made Zhang Siquan's behavior all the more intriguing.

Knowing that Jie Fangcheng was no ordinary child, Zhang still feigned ignorance and made a show of concern.

Was this another test?

What was he testing for?

Strangely enough, while Jie Fangcheng usually had little patience for such tests, something about Zhang Siquan's demeanor made this one tolerable.

Hearing Zhang Siquan say this, Jie Fangcheng actually played along: "A parent? He's back?"

Saying so, Jie Fangcheng quickly finished off the skewers in his hands, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and stood up.

"I should go check." This he said to Zhan Xiaoming.

Zhan Xiaoming hesitated briefly before also standing up.

"Jie Ge, I'll come with you!"

He was genuinely scared—scared of encountering that terrifying monster alone again.

And being with Jie Fangcheng, well, it was clear whether humans should be afraid of monsters, or monsters should be afraid of humans.

Jie Fangcheng didn't have any objections, but Zhang Siquan's bicycle could only carry one passenger. Although it wasn't far, who would want to run when there was a bike available?

Zhan Xiaoming was quick to notice and promptly said, "I can just run over there."

For a player, this distance was genuinely trivial.

Contrary to expectations, Jie Fangcheng shook his head: "No need."

No need? The back seat can't accommodate two people, can it?

Just as Zhan Xiaoming was pondering this, Jie Fangcheng turned and walked a few steps, entered a hardware store, and quickly emerged again.

"Let's go, we're taking a cab." Jie Fangcheng patted his bulging pocket.

Zhan Xiaoming: "…"

He had never heard of a player robbing an NPC in his life.

There was no denying it… how exhilarating was that?!

The two youngsters huddled together, Zhan Xiaoming looking at Jie Fangcheng with stars in his eyes.

The pair seemed to be discussing something, and Zhan Xiaoming could vaguely hear questions about robbery, happiness, and players.

Zhang Siquan, standing to the side, silently observed them, his dark eyes inscrutable.

All three got into a taxi and quickly reached their destination.

Leading the way, Jie Fangcheng grabbed a pair of coal tongs that someone had left downstairs as they passed by.

He was rather meticulous; while walking, he took out a napkin from his pocket and wiped down the tongs without slowing down his ascent up the stairs.

The two following him had different expressions on their faces.

Zhan Xiaoming already knew that this "big brother" was no ordinary one, but the fact that he'd wipe down his weapon before a big battle was beyond most people's imagination.

As for Zhang Siquan, he subtly adjusted his glasses, maintaining an unreadable expression.

When he arrived at the barbecue stand earlier, he had heard Zhan Xiaoming's last sentence.

Worlds on the brink of collapse, huh?

While he wasn't sure about the specifics, it was evident that these two "kids" knew something.

Of course, Zhang Siquan had also noticed something was off with the nearby genius kindergarten as of this morning.

Zhang Siquan was a person of set routines, getting up at six every morning to go for a run around the Dong River, which also helped him think.

He'd be home by seven, ready for school.

His grades were exceptional. After transferring to his current high school, the teachers hardly paid him any attention—his attendance was immaterial.

One of the reasons he attended school was out of concern for a mystery.

Over a year ago, a girl named Qiao He died under baffling circumstances.

The ninth-grade girl used to be his neighbor. While their families weren’t particularly close, there was one thing that had always bothered Zhang Siquan.

The autopsy of Qiao He showed a heavy blow to the back of her head, but security footage revealed that she was wearing only a thin sweater on a cold winter day, rushing toward the vicinity of Dong River.

In the hours both before and after her arrival, no other person was visible in the footage. Her body was later found downstream.

The initial conclusion was that she had accidentally fallen into the river and died from striking her head on a rock.

However, Zhang Siquan vaguely remembered that winter being exceptionally cold—cold enough for the Dong River to freeze over.

Zhang Siquan had been practicing ice skating on the river and had even purchased special skates for the purpose.

His recollection was vague because, despite his ordinarily clear and powerful memory, it was as if something had been erased regarding this incident. All he remembered was ordering the skates and a seemingly reasonable explanation: "I suddenly felt like ice skating; there's an indoor ice rink in the city, isn’t there?"

But that didn’t add up.

The only indoor ice skating rink was located in the eastern part of the city, while he currently resided in the west.

He wouldn't go to the eastern part—doing so could risk exposing that he was not, in fact, "Zhang Siquan."

Over three years ago, he began noticing a series of strange occurrences in his surroundings.

Sudden deaths that seemed plausible; abrupt changes in city bus routes; unexpected reconstruction of a supermarket building that had already been demolished...

Everything around him had become surreal, marked by abrupt changes that no one else seemed to find unsettling.

Except for Zhang Siquan.

He sensed that something was happening.

This included the newly-appeared genius kindergarten. As soon as he woke up, he felt that something was off.

Why would a kindergarten suddenly appear near this residential area?

Even though the memories in his mind told him that this kindergarten had been operating for several years, with children attending every day and garnering good reviews for its disciplined students.

It still didn't make sense.

Most simply put, if this kindergarten had been around for several years, why did most of the parents he knew in this community prefer to send their children to another kindergarten that was a good ten minutes away?

Why would they ignore a nearby kindergarten with such a good reputation in favor of a more distant, ordinary one? If it were just one or two families, it would be one thing, but when the entire community behaves this way, it becomes rather intriguing.

Moreover, there were no stores selling children’s supplies around a kindergarten.

The moment Zhang Siquan saw the kindergarten in the morning, he instantly felt something was off and headed straight for the stationery shop at the entrance of the community.

The shop stocked various learning supplies but no toys or similar items.

Zhang Siquan casually brought it up, "You've been operating near a kindergarten for so long, why haven't you stocked any children's toys?"

"Ah?" The shop owner was taken aback, finally snapping to attention, "You're right! I should stock some toys... You students really think faster; how did I never think of this?"

Isn't that odd?

A stationery shop owner, in business for so many years, seemingly oblivious to the presence of a nearby kindergarten, needed a customer to point out the obvious business opportunity of selling children's toys.

It was highly suspicious, prompting Zhang Siquan to immediately do some research.

Online, everything seemed normal; a handful of forum posts complained about the kindergarten's subpar meals, but otherwise, it appeared to be just an ordinary kindergarten.

But he couldn't overlook the details.

Tracing the IP addresses of those who posted, Zhang Siquan discovered that many had no connection whatsoever to the kindergarten.

And a search for their alumni yielded nothing.

What foundation does a castle built in the air have? The inconsistencies were glaringly obvious.

This evoked a vague sense of familiarity in Zhang Siquan.

It seemed he had previously discovered a few glaring inconsistencies, but those memories had been erased.

Would it be the same this time?

Zhang Siquan decided to take the initiative.

Coincidentally, the family living above Guan Qi had a child attending the mysterious kindergarten.

Establishing a relationship with this parent wasn't difficult. A midday visit to the person's workplace was all it took for Zhang Siquan to gauge the kind of person he was dealing with.

Fond of drinking?

Zhang Siquan pulled some strings, arranging for the person's coworkers to invite him for drinks.

A bit of casual probing heightened the sense of inexplicable strangeness.

Not only had the school appeared out of nowhere, but this "parent" also seemed to have materialized out of thin air.

A company employee for over a decade with no promotions, divorced, reclusive, and virtually invisible within the workplace.

While a person might have a negligible social presence, one would expect their work to, at least, have some impact, right?

No impact whatsoever.

This person was like a benign wart on the body of humanity—his only function seemed to be signaling that he existed, nothing more.

With all these problems adding up, Zhang Siquan couldn't help but reach the same conclusion he might have reached before.

His world had been invaded by a group of people whose purpose remained unclear.

These individuals were playing house, masquerading as teachers, parents, and children in this so-called "Genius Kindergarten," their motives shrouded in mystery.

Perhaps they had appeared in this world before, which might explain the litany of peculiar events.

Now following behind this child named "Jie Fangcheng," Zhang Siquan couldn't shake the feeling that he'd met him before—his name seemed to leave a deep impression.

Was he someone from a previous encounter in this world? Did his sense of familiarity stem from fondness or aversion?

Fondness, perhaps?

Zhang Siquan couldn't be sure but instinctively felt that this individual could be a breakthrough point—a person unlikely to harm him.

This so-called Jie Fangcheng, although ostensibly a five or six-year-old, had eyes devoid of youthful naivety.

He showed a momentary pause upon hearing the surname "Zhang," and his expression seemed tinged with a strange sort of nostalgia—as if seeing someone else through Zhang Siquan.

However, the surname "Zhang" was a ruse. Although Zhang Siquan's real surname was also "Zhang," it was a rare character that few could pronounce correctly upon first encounter.

Had they met before?

Zhang Siquan had no answers, but he felt that this person might represent his best opportunity, regardless of past interactions.

That's why Zhang Siquan went out of his way to contact Jie Fangcheng's so-called "parent," asking if the child had been seen.

Drunk and incoherent, the parent quickly revealed his true nature.

"Damn it...where the hell did that little brat go? When I find him, I'll beat him to death!"

Taking it upon himself to find the child, Zhang Siquan found Jie Fangcheng wasn't hard to locate. His pale, radiant complexion and devil-may-care swagger belied his young age, evoking the aura of a roguish young debtor.

Zhang Siquan asked around as he went and quickly located Jie Fangcheng.

Never did he expect to find him enjoying skewers and sipping water, accompanied by a young boy who looked like he'd survived a disaster, seemingly saved from some calamity.

Was he rescued by this "Jie Fangcheng"? Then his abilities must be considerable.

And for that reason, Zhang Siquan decided to give it another try.

If the other's capabilities were substantial, then perhaps they could collaborate.

And if Jie Fangcheng were weaker, Zhang Siquan's presence would hopefully deter any violent actions by his "parent."

Following behind Jie Fangcheng, Zhang Siquan weighed countless possibilities in his mind.

Jie Fangcheng ahead of him had hardly overthought the situation. Reaching home to find the door ajar, he swung it open without hesitation.

A wave of repugnant alcohol fumes instantly assailed him.

The stench was unbearable! Jie Fangcheng had to take a couple of steps back, pinching his nose as he peered inside.

Upon hearing the noise outside, a balding, portly, middle-aged man with a beer belly emerged quickly from within the house.

His face was flushed from drinking, and he clutched a bottle of beer in his hand.

Seeing Jie Fangcheng, the man hesitated for a moment before recognizing that the child in front of him seemed to be his son.

"You...hic...you dare come back?!"

Jie Fangcheng stood a couple of steps away from him, his expression equally laden with meaning.

"You dare to return, huh?"

With the house in such a state, lacking any semblance of cleanliness and reeking of alcohol, how could even an NPC live here?

After hearing Jie Fangcheng's rhetorical question, the NPC seemed stunned for a moment. It took a while for his alcohol-clouded mind to comprehend what was being said.

"What did you say?! You little brat, are you asking for death?!"

One glance at this "parent" made it clear that he was more formidable than the one Zhang Siquan had encountered earlier. His enormous hand, fan-like in size, was about to descend in a slap.

Jie Fangcheng promptly extended the coal tongs he was holding under the man's swinging hand.

"Ahhhhh!"

The man screamed in agony, his wails only intensifying his rage.

"Damn you, little wretch! I'll kill you—Ahhhhh!"

While fighting in the hallway wasn't exactly civilized, Jie Fangcheng didn't have the courage to step inside the apartment. The stench inside seemed to have coagulated into a dark green mist; entering felt like stepping into a realm more dangerous than the very depths of hell.

But in the corridor, it was fair game. Jie Fangcheng could do whatever he pleased.

To prevent further disturbances from this "parent," Jie Fangcheng didn't hold back. Two blows, and the man was unconscious.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Jie Fangcheng couldn't help but feel that leaving this unsanitary man in the corridor wasn't ideal—but neither was dragging him back into the house.

"Allow me."

Zhang Siquan appeared unflustered, as if unfazed by the unbearable odor.

He bent down to lift the "parent," entering the house and promptly opening a window.

The night breeze swept in, dispersing the musty smell that seemed to have settled in the house for years. Meanwhile, his mind began to race as he started tidying up the living room.

As expected, it seemed that no one had lived in this house for a long time.

This "home" was just like the Genius Kindergarten—a castle in the air that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

And there was something unsettling about this house...

A hand lightly touched his shoulder before quickly withdrawing.

While bent over cleaning the cluttered living room, Zhang Siquan felt a sudden warmth spread across his body, dissipating the bone-chilling cold that had settled in him.

Jie Fangcheng was indeed a bit of a clean freak, but it seemed inhumane for him to do nothing while someone else was busy cleaning.

As Zhang Siquan tidied up the living room, Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming, the two players, entered the bedroom.

The stench in the bedroom was nearly unbearable. Caught off guard, Jie Fangcheng took an unfiltered breath and felt immediately faint. Zhan Xiaoming hurriedly opened a window to let in some air.

The breeze from outside revived Jie Fangcheng.

Looking around, he could tell that this was once perhaps a cozy, if impoverished, family home.

The wallpaper, probably applied years ago, showed signs of mold and warping. Yet the childish drawings made with crayons were still clearly visible.

A family of stick figures: two adults holding hands with a smaller one—likely a child's artwork.

But apart from the stick figures, the surrounding scenery was depicted realistically, an indicator that an adult with artistic skills had contributed.

Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Siquan had finished cleaning the living room and glanced at the wallpaper as he passed by the bedroom.

"They say Jie Jianye," he paused, leaving the identity of the individual unspoken. Of course, everyone present knew who he was referring to; after all, there were only two people with the surname 'Jie' present.

"Studied fine arts in college."

Ah!

Besides the child's doodles and the adult's assistance, the walls bore marks where picture frames had once hung. Over time, however, these imprints had faded.

Jie Fangcheng wasn't particularly talented at finding clues. After scanning the room and finding nothing noteworthy, he was about to suggest, "Should we go stay at a hotel?" when Zhang Siquan interrupted, "Do you guys have a mission or something?"

Jie Fangcheng was momentarily stunned. Before he could react, Zhan Xiaoming stepped in front of him and feigned innocence: "What mission? We're just ordinary kindergarten kids."

"Ordinary kids?" Zhang Siquan chuckled but didn't press the matter. "Alright, you're ordinary kids."

Hidden behind Zhan Xiaoming, Jie Fangcheng peeked out at that moment.

He scrutinized Zhang Siquan from head to toe.

"Have you discovered something?"

Zhang Siquan met his gaze but didn't answer the question directly: "May I first ask what your mission is?"

"Oh," Jie Fangcheng didn't hide it, "To become a well-behaved child approved by the parents."

As he spoke, Jie Fangcheng's expression was calm, exuding a sense of assuredness.

Zhang Siquan asked, "You've already thought of a solution?"

"Yes, I have."

"What's the plan?"

Jie Fangcheng was straightforward: "Fight it out until they approve."

Crude but effective.

Zhang Siquan hadn't expected that answer. He paused for a moment before chuckling.

"An excellent idea. But your mission has a potential pitfall. What counts as parental 'approval'? Verbal approval but emotional rejection—does that qualify as mission complete?"

Jie Fangcheng was even more composed: "That's okay. People's true thoughts tend to surface when they are in life-or-death situations."

Clearly, brute force could eliminate any and all problems.

While this method might work for Jie Fangcheng, it was not applicable for other players.

Though aware that the man before him was an NPC, Zhan Xiaoming couldn't resist joining the conversation.

"Do you have any ideas?"

Zhang Siquan was quite amiable. When asked, he didn't hesitate to answer.

"Well, I do have a suggestion. Since the mission is to earn 'parental approval,' wouldn't fulfilling the 'parent's' wishes be the most effective way to accomplish that?"

"Ah, but how would we find out what an NPC's wishes are?"

NPCs? And the term 'players' that they'd accidentally let slip?

So, these people were actually players from some game, and the world Zhang Siquan inhabited was the game's stage?

Zhang Siquan remained poker-faced, maintaining a friendly demeanor.

He looked at Jie Fangcheng.

"I think a few light hits should suffice for the 'parents' to openly express their wishes, don't you think?"