Chapter 203: Genius Kindergarten (Part 16)

Chapter 203: Genius Kindergarten (Part 16)

Intelligent people are not only quick thinkers but also remarkably efficient in getting things done.

After lunch, Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming descended the stairs and saw from a distance that Zhang Siquan was already at the school gate, engaged in conversation with two elderly security guards.

Even from afar, they couldn't hear the details of the conversation, but the sheer delight on the faces of the two old men was strikingly conspicuous.

Upon their arrival, Zhang Siquan introduced everyone.

However, the guards' faces tightened somewhat at the sight of Jie Fangcheng. After all, just yesterday, Teacher Liu had stormed down, brandishing a teaching stick, only to have it snatched and snapped effortlessly by Jie Fangcheng. The fluidity of his motion gave the impression he had broken countless such sticks before.

Both old men felt certain their aging bones wouldn't withstand the force that had shattered that metal rod.

Were they really going to adopt such a formidable figure?

Oblivious to their apprehension, Jie Fangcheng greeted them with a sunny wave. "Hi."

"Hi... Hi."

Jie Fangcheng was no fool. Seeing the wary expressions on the NPCs, he realized his actions yesterday had left an indelible impression, and he had now been recognized.

Could adoption still be on the table? Would these NPCs actually go through with it?

As he pondered, the two old men exchanged a resolute glance and took decisive action.

"Shall we proceed with the paperwork this afternoon, after our shift?" one of them proposed.

Zhang Siquan nodded. "Sounds good."

Both men were elated, not looking like they were about to adopt someone but rather like they were the ones being adopted.

After a brief, cheerful exchange, they scurried back into their security booth, leaving Jie Fangcheng feeling slightly bewildered.

"Hey, what did you say to them?" Jie Fangcheng asked curiously. "They seemed somewhat afraid yet also eager to adopt both me and Xiaoming. What's going on?"

Zhan Xiaoming was equally curious.

Zhang Siquan was straightforward: "I offered them money."

"Huh?"

For a moment, Jie Fangcheng couldn't connect the dots. After a brief pause, he spontaneously reached into his pocket, pulled out the wallet he had borrowed from Teacher Liu yesterday, took out a few bills without looking, and handed them to Zhang Siquan.

"Is this enough?"

Zhang Siquan was both amused and bewildered. "I didn't mean you should give me money. I told them that by adopting you two, they would receive a substantial monthly income."

And not just that...

"This income would be tied to their performance. The highest salary they can get? I'm willing to double it."

As for the origin of Zhang Siquan's money... Don't let his high school student status fool you; he already owns a studio and clearly has his own means of income.

He was particularly intrigued by one phrase: "Their performance?"

"Exactly."

Zhang Siquan neatly arranged the money handed over by Jie Fangcheng and picked up his own wallet again—a wallet that was unmistakably feminine, complete with lipstick inside. But Zhang Siquan didn't ask to whom it belonged; there was no need. He presumed it was probably a kindergarten teacher’s.

Jie Fangcheng's character was clear-cut; he was not a violent person. With his capabilities, what couldn't he steal if he wanted to? The villa district near the Genius Kindergarten couldn't be far, and this wallet seemed aged and carried little money—clearly, the owner wasn’t wealthy.

It was quite possible that, besides money, there was something else that made this target worth robbing for Jie Fangcheng.

Recalling how the kindergarten teacher had chased them with a teaching stick, it was evident that this teacher was probably not very kind to the students.

With parents like that, teachers like this—looks like the players aren't having an easy time either.

These thoughts flashed through Zhang Siquan’s mind in an instant, but his hands didn’t falter in their task.

He organized the money neatly back into the wallet and handed it over to Jie Fangcheng.

Jie Fangcheng was still puzzled: "What does ‘their performance is tied to their income’ mean?”

Zhang Siquan explained succinctly: "If you are satisfied with them, it means they’ve performed well."

Is it that straightforward?

Zhan Xiaoming on the side was perplexed: "Huh? What’s the point of whether we're satisfied with them or not?"

Besides providing some temporary gratification, did such conditions have any other value?

Jie Fangcheng, who had run many instances with Zhang Dao'an, understood instantly: "If we have no expectations of these NPCs, they might take liberties. But when we do expect something from them and treat them better, their opinion of us will also improve."

Just like at 996007 Company... no, it didn’t even have to be like that company. Jie Fangcheng had been in the Underworld 007 for many years, and when he initially heard about plans for modernizing the Underworld, with automated reports and no more handwriting, he was even more enthusiastic about overtime.

Jie Fangcheng’s zeal for those extra work hours intensified for a couple of days.

What is this?

This is human nature at its worst!

But this skillful manipulation of human emotions… Is it just this kid, or is it a trait of all clever people?

Jie Fangcheng lapsed into contemplation.

Zhang Siquan was somewhat surprised at how quickly Jie Fangcheng caught on, but then again, he also found it to be expected.

"Yes, so there's no need to treat them overly well for the next couple of days. When the time is right, simply maximize their satisfaction level," he advised.

The right moment.

Clearly, although Zhang Siquan wasn’t a gamer, he could deduce that the duration of these instances wouldn't be long, even without knowing that Liu Feiyao and others had received a notice about a test in three days.

Put simply, if the purpose of these instances is to unlock small worlds, and if they could persist indefinitely, then they wouldn’t be called instances; they’d be hunting grounds.

However, based on what Jie Fangcheng said yesterday, this clearly wasn't feasible.

Instances consume large amounts of game energy to materialize; the longer they last, the more energy they consume.

Therefore, even if not explicitly stated in the instance requirements, there must be a time limit for completion.

Upon hearing this, Jie Fangcheng nodded in agreement and proceeded to divulge the current situation regarding Liu Feiyao and the others.

"A test in three days?"

"Yes."

Zhang Siquan smiled, "That’s a clever solution."

“Clever.”

Judging by his reaction, this ‘clever solution’ seemed trivial to him.

"Ah? Do you have another strategy in mind?"

Zhang Siquan spoke nonchalantly.

"The clues have already hinted: Teacher Liu rewards the top five students and punishes the bottom five daily. Doesn’t this resemble a ranking system based on test scores? Moreover, it’s evident that the parents at this kindergarten place a lot of emphasis on academics. The clever girl you mentioned—her approach is ideal for ordinary players."

"However, the nature of your instance has now transcended 'ordinary.'"

Jie Fangcheng was puzzled, "What's so extraordinary about it?"

"You’re in it," Zhang Siquan gestured for him to look behind.

Jie Fangcheng turned around.

Lunchtime was designated for rest. School regulations required teachers to accompany all students to the resting area after lunch.

Not Jie Fangcheng though; after lunch, he and Zhan Xiaoming wiped their mouths and left the cafeteria as if Teacher Liu didn’t exist, completely ignoring her soft calls of, “Don’t run around.”

They walked straight out towards the main gate. By now, all the other children had been shepherded into the rest areas, while these two still lingered at the entrance, with Jie Fangcheng appearing rather engrossed in conversation.

Behind them, in the building housing the resting areas, teachers from various classes and the kindergarten principal stood dumbfounded in the corridors, staring at him.

Next to Teacher Liu, some NPCs were nudging her, evidently urging her to call them back.

Teacher Liu stretched out both of her arms, desperately blocking the staircase entrance, refusing to come over.

Well, that's indeed different...

"Now that Teacher Liu is so intimidated by you, if you make small, harmless suggestions, she'd probably be more than willing to oblige," he remarked.

Even if she isn’t willing, she’d have no choice.

Zhang Siquan continued, "What if you propose an additional exam at this point?"

Jie Fangcheng had an epiphany: "If parents were to set the questions, there's no telling what they'd ask. However, I can review whatever Teacher Liu comes up with, get the answers, and share them with the other players. Their scores would certainly be among the top in the class."

Zhang Siquan nodded in agreement, "At the end of the day, parents are mainly concerned about their children's academic performance. Even if a player gets everything right in a home test, without a benchmark for comparison, parents might not be entirely satisfied."

Liu Feiyao's strategy for completing the game is indeed valid. In fact, her approach would work for any player, regardless of whether Jie Fangcheng was present. It's a highly adaptable game strategy.

However, the method Zhang Siquan proposed is unique, relying solely on Jie Fangcheng's overwhelming power.

Upon hearing this, Jie Fangcheng nodded in agreement.

"I think your idea makes a lot of sense."

Clearly, since Liu Feiyao had found her own way to complete the game, she wasn't looking for assistance. Thus, Jie Fangcheng wouldn't interfere unnecessarily.

That's great, all the players have their strategies now... Well, except for that one person, whoever they might be.

Not only did that particular person lack a strategy, but the other players didn’t want to team up with him. Today, Zhou Yian carefully distinguished who the real players were and who were just NPCs.

After distinguishing, he was taken aback.

Was it because no one got criticized yesterday? Are all the characters in the classroom just regular NPCs?

Regardless, building a good relationship with the NPCs is always the right move.

As an adult, it's relatively easy for him to win over these kids. And while doing so, Zhou Yian noticed that Liu Feiyao seemed to be isolated.

He had left the lounge earlier than others the previous day and was engrossed in his thoughts about dealing with parents in the evening. Naturally, he wasn’t aware of the ongoing events outside.

Hence, he only just found out that Liu Feiyao broke the game rules yesterday. She should have been punished, but she returned early.

"She's not a good student! We shouldn't play with her!"

"Exactly!"

The NPCs chimed in agreement.

Zhou Yian didn’t realize that she wasn't just isolated; she had managed to intimidate so many kids on her own.

Of course, the NPCs disliked this rule-breaking student. But if not for Liu Feiyao's prompt action of giving the bully a "Bottom Five Phone Package" as a warning yesterday, she would have been tormented to a grave extent today.

Don’t be fooled by their appearance; these NPC kids might look harmless, but they are capable of plotting against their peers.

Zhou Yian wasn't attuned to all the nuances here. In his eyes, what did it matter if one wasn’t good at hide-and-seek or skipped a punishment? What big waves could these brats possibly stir up?

Isolated?

Tsk.

Zhou Yian finally got it. There's no need to fret about the so-called punishments. As long as the teacher doesn't mind, there's absolutely no issue.

Why should there be any stress in this game? Play if you can, and if not, just give up!

With these thoughts in mind, he drew the ghost card during the draw.

The ghost card, huh.

That's fine too.

Confident in his abilities, Zhou Yian wasn’t concerned about drawing the ghost card.

But as the bell signaled the start of the hide-and-seek game, he turned around to a surprise.

By the bookshelf, Liu Feiyao was methodically searching for useful books, acting as if no one else was present.

This…

Surely, Zhou Yian couldn’t be blamed for this?!

She chose not to hide. Even if he didn’t tag her, wouldn’t the other ghosts do so upon seeing her?

Rather than letting other NPCs benefit, he thought it might as well contribute to his score.

Zhou Yian quickly decided and swiftly approached Liu Feiyao, firmly grasping her shoulder.

"Gotcha! You're the sacrificial lamb now!"

Liu Feiyao seemed unresponsive, continuing her search on the bookshelf.

After their traumatic experience yesterday, Han Ruihang and Pei Xiaodong were still in shock. From their demeanor, Liu Feiyao knew they’d consider it a success just to remain unnoticed by the real ghosts during the hide-and-seek phase.

So, she didn’t urge them to help her with the books. Instead, she comforted them and advised them to lie down and cover their eyes to remain undetected.

As for herself... Liu Feiyao wasn't afraid at all.

She even prepared paper and pen. If she could take the books out, that would be great; if not, she’d have to use this lunch hour to jot down as much content as she could.

Seeing her so diligently searching, Zhou Yian was initially puzzled. A glance at what she held revealed it all.

"Preschool Language Enlightenment 2", the same book Zhou Yian had been forced to study by his parents the day before.

Does this mean Liu Feiyao also has a test in three days? Is she prepping for it now?

Right! Why didn't I think of that?

Zhou Yian thought to himself, a surge of joy filling his heart.

Now that he had captured Liu Feiyao, his score wasn't zero, and he clearly wouldn't face punishment.

Why not stay in the first resting room and read a few more books?

The only question is whether a real ghost might appear later... Perhaps he should just grab a few books and sneak into the group of NPCs when they go to search the second resting room?

Just as Zhou Yian was internally brainstorming a hundred brilliant ideas, a passing NPC curiously asked him, "What are you doing? What's the point of catching her? She's not participating in our hide-and-seek game."

"What?" Zhou Yian paused for a moment, his first thought being: Could it be that I'm not allowed to join the game of hide-and-seek because I'm being ostracized?

But immediately afterward, Zhou Yian sensed something amiss.

As he turned his head, he saw two lumpy shapes lying on the large, wooden bunk bed across the room.

One of the figures had its face completely wrapped in the blanket, leaving Zhou Yian to wonder if it would even remember to breathe.

The other had only the corner of the blanket covering its eyes, revealing half of a rather distinctive face.

Could it be Han Ruihang?

Then does that mean the other one, wrapped so tightly, is Pei Xiaodong?

Are they not participating in the game of hide-and-seek either?

If Liu Feiyao is being ostracized, then what's going on with Han Ruihang and Pei Xiaodong? Why aren't they playing?

Disbelieving, Zhou Yian took two steps towards the bunk bed and firmly gripped Han Ruihang's shoulder.

Startled, Han Ruihang's shoulder jolted violently, causing him to press the blanket against his own face, swiftly transforming into a second Pei Xiaodong.

"Hey! You've been caught!"

Han Ruihang, who was lying on the bed, initially wondered if something had gone awry with today's game of hide-and-seek. Why was it that just as it started, someone—or rather, some ghost—had already come looking for him?

But then he heard the voice.

Damn it! If it isn't that scumbag Zhou Yian!

What's he playing at, trying to scare people?

Cursing inwardly, Han Ruihang continued to press the blanket against his face.

"Han Ruihang, say something! What are you doing??"

Han Ruihang ignored him, but could feel his face being tugged by the blanket.

Damn it again! Why won't this kid just leave??

After tussling with him for a bit, Zhou Yian realized that Han Ruihang was resolutely ignoring him. Even if he continued this childish struggle, he'd only end up facing a visage of annoyance.

But why?

Even if he hates me, is it really necessary to find even a mere glance at me irritating?

Just as Zhou Yian melodramatically pondered this, he quickly came to a realization.

The way Han Ruihang is covering his face and eyes, it looks more like he's afraid of seeing something rather than being annoyed by me.

What could they possibly fear seeing in this instance?

Soon, Zhou Yian came up with an answer.

—Fear of encountering ghosts.

In an instant, Zhou Yian understood.

It's likely Liu Feiyao told both of them, so none of the three are participating in the game of hide-and-seek; after all, they aren't afraid of isolation.

Under these circumstances, if a ghost did appear in the first rest room, surely it couldn't catch those who aren't playing hide-and-seek?

As long as you "can't see" the ghost, it can't harm you.

Realization washed over Zhou Yian, who then cast a somewhat disdainful look at Han Ruihang and his companion lying on the large bunk.

Cowards!

So frightened, so timid, outdone even by a girl!

Damn, if I were Liu Feiyao's teammate, I'd certainly outshine these two!

Not only did Zhou Yian think this, but he genuinely wanted to discuss teaming up with Liu Feiyao.

This girl really is incredible; she’s brilliant even without special gadgets or abilities. Just look at her choosing all these study materials on Chinese language and so on. I could surely make use of these as well.

As for me? My abilities are very strong! Liu Feiyao and I would complement each other perfectly!

Liu Feiyao is smart; she will know what the best choices are.

However, when Zhou Yian sidled up to Liu Feiyao, whether he was subtle or explicit, she seemed not to notice him, making his blood boil.

Damn it, do they really think I can't clear this stage without them?

Carrying this sentiment, Zhou Yian finally stopped pestering the trio.

While the other NPCs were seeking out civilians, Zhou Yian stood by the bookshelf. Like Liu Feiyao, he soon found the book he was looking for.

Zhou Yian’s internal reasoning was impeccable. After all, participating in this hide-and-seek game was irrelevant. He had joined and become one of the ghosts, but he didn’t intend to catch anyone. He'd just hang around with these NPCs. As long as he ignored any penalties, he’d be fine, right?

Let them ostracize him if they want! It's not as if he's a real child who’d be afraid because of this playacting.

The urgent matter at hand was to prepare well for the exam in three days. As long as he passed, nothing else mattered!

Zhou Yian had it all planned out, but he forgot one thing: were the NPC penalties truly inconsequential?

He had no idea that the reason the NPCs did not penalize Liu Feiyao and her friends yesterday was that her actions had triggered the teacher's protective instincts. She had been the victim of bullying by the other kids, so the teacher had protected her.

Would it be the same today?

As he was about to leave the first rest room, Zhou Yian turned his head.

This time, Zhou Yian and Liu Feiyao finally locked eyes.

Standing amid the bookshelves, Liu Feiyao held a few books in her hands, her youthful face a portrait of composure.

Behind her, a ghost had already emerged from a cabinet. Yet she showed no sign of setting down her books; she stood there as if she genuinely couldn’t see any of the apparitions.

Zhou Yian couldn't help but marvel yet again—no matter her level of power, this woman's mental fortitude was genuinely extraordinary.

"Thud."

The door to the resting room closed.

Liu Feiyao looked down at the books in her hand—books they were no longer. Above her latest selection loomed a grotesque head, peering at her, seeking signs of fear in her expression.

Yet, Liu Feiyao remained unmoved. She simply placed the book back onto the shelf and picked up another.

As she turned, Liu Feiyao quickly took stock of the number of ghosts in the room.

Ten.

The number of ghosts had increased.

It seemed the quantity of ghosts wasn't related to the number of players in the rest room, but rather to the number of NPCs.

Over time, the number of regular students in each class was dwindling. Children chastised by the teacher the day before would turn into ghosts.

Although within the academic building, only students who had turned into ghosts on the first day would return to the classroom. Class 4 was a case in point; since Teacher Liu had reprimanded no students yesterday, none had turned into ghosts.

The hide-and-seek game obviously wasn't subject to these constraints, and Liu Feiyao suspected she might encounter familiar faces among the ghosts...

"Ah, it’s you!” A ghost, whom she had just seen yesterday, hung its hanger-adorned shoulders in front of her. "You’re cunning, aren’t you? You can obviously see me, but you act as if you can’t. Do you think that makes me powerless?”

Liu Feiyao remained unfazed, continuing what she had been doing.

She felt her current state was quite odd. Although she had yet to receive any rewards for clearing this instance, her mental strength felt somehow fortified.

No matter how much the ghosts before her threatened or intimidated her, their words sounded no more menacing than the buzzing of mosquitoes.

The ghosts attempting to frighten her soon realized they were ineffectual. Despite their various tricks, Liu Feiyao seemed impervious, as though she couldn't see them at all.

At a loss, they thought—well, aren't there still two others?

The host of ghosts slowly converged around Han Ruihang and his companion.

Han Ruihang was a bit braver—or perhaps he should thank Zhou Yian for that initial scare and constant tugging at his blanket, which had prepared him for the arrival of these ghosts. He now maintained an aloof indifference.

What was there to fear? These ghosts were even less menacing than Zhou Yian; they couldn't even touch him, let alone tug at his blanket.

“Hey, wake up. Come play the game!"

A stifling sound resonated by his ear, as if ghosts were whispering and blowing air into it.

Han Ruihang lay perfectly still, pretending to be a corpse.

Beside him, Pei Xiaodong couldn't help but shudder. Quick-witted as he was, he used the shudder as an excuse to pretend he was dreaming, flipping over to lie face-down on the bed.

Inside the first rest area, ten ghosts showed their various powers. But as time passed, whether they howled in anger or wailed in sorrow, the three living humans in the room remained unresponsive, either standing or lying down.

"Ahhh! I swear I'll kill you all!"

The impotent screams came to an end; time was up.

The ghosts in the first rest area, unwilling as they were, had no choice but to return to their respective compartments one by one.

Han Ruihang and his companion finally began to lift the quilts from their faces.

The well-lit rest area outside greeted them, where Liu Feiyao gave them a nod of acknowledgment.

"Hurry up and study."

"…Alright!"

The two walked over and picked up the books that Liu Feiyao had prepared for them.

This is great; the dungeon seems so simple now!

—Indeed.

This dungeon is just too easy!

Zhou Yian thought the same.

He genuinely took the opportunity to focus on studying. A game? What game? Why worry about a punishment that's just a game of "isolation"?

Until the bell rang, Zhou Yian discreetly stashed the book into his clothing. He even appeared rather arrogant, as if the punishment was of no concern, and prepared to head back to the classroom with the surrounding NPCs.

An NPC beside him shouted, "Hey! You lost the game of hide-and-seek! You can't go back! You have to face the punishment!"

Zhou Yian said nothing and continued to follow the NPCs into the classroom.

As expected, his approach was correct.

Because the children around him could only glare at him with eyes full of anger, accusing him of breaking the game rules.

So what if I broke the rules? What's the big deal…

Just then, the teacher NPC appeared before him.

"Zhou Yian! Everyone is participating in the game. How can you break the rules?"

As soon as Teacher Liu finished speaking, a child nearby promptly spoke up, "Teacher! Not only did he break the game rules, but he also secretly took a book from the rest area!"

Zhou Yian hastily began to explain, "I'm just more academically inclined, so I took the book to—"

Teacher Liu interrupted him impatiently, "What's wrong with you? Playing games with your classmates and yet you cheat? Who taught you to disregard the rules? And now you're stealing books from the rest area? Your behavior is absolutely unacceptable! I'm very angry!"

Teacher Liu glared at him, visibly infuriated, yet there was an undercurrent of excitement flickering in her eyes.

"After school, you'll stay behind! I want to have a proper conversation with you and your parents. I want to see how they've been raising you!"