Chapter 5: Station 21: The Corridor

Chapter 5: Stop 21: The Corridor

Yao Kunrui vomited again.

The others couldn't hold back either, their legs weakening as they heaved bitter acid.

Ming Yiyang closed his eyes and reopened them to find his irises returned to normal.

He ran a hand through his hair, only to find it drenched in sticky crimson.

Glancing sideways, he saw that Yan Qiling was still looking at him.

The other's delicate porcelain-like face was inevitably stained with large patches of blood, now dripping down his jawline like pomegranate seeds.

This color, instead of tarnishing his image, added an alluring, vibrant hue.

Ming Yiyang instinctively felt that this appearance, emerging from a sea of blood, was the true nature beneath this man's gentle facade.

All that warmth and kindness was merely a disguise.

Yan Qiling held the lifeless pencil, shaking off the sticky blood droplets that clung to his sleeve.

Ming Yiyang noticed a subtle hint of displeasure etched between the other's brows.

In all their disputes or instances of isolation, Yan Qiling had never shown any negative emotions, not even when executing threats.

But now, he was subtly frowning at the bloodstains covering his body.

Suddenly, Ming Yiyang felt a twinge of schadenfreude.

Could this guy possibly have a cleanliness obsession?

The more he pondered, the more convinced he became.

Yan Qiling clenched his fists, the thick blood feeling disgustingly sticky like burnt caramel, making him extremely uncomfortable.

With no immediate means of cleaning up, he decided to let it be.

He picked up the roster again, only to find the four names circled by the Pen Spirit scribbled over and ruined by external force.

He could vaguely make out the original content: Jiang Nanzhu, Jiang Yunzhen, Jiang Minzhen, Cui Xishan.

The repetition of surnames caught his attention. Scanning through the register swiftly, he soon discovered the issue.

In this class, the majority of the children shared the surname Jiang, while a smaller portion had the surname Cui. Only a few children bore other surnames, among which was Jin Shuen.

The sudden blaring of the bell startled those who had just recovered from the gory scene.

Outside the window, the gloomy sky had darkened even further, as if signaling that it was time to depart.

The countdown on the train ticket had also shifted its digits.

Despite only one class period having passed, the countdown indicated that ten hours had elapsed!

It was unclear whether they should feel relieved or anxious.

After all, they knew nothing about this perilous and bloody world they now found themselves in.

Underneath the question written in chalk, a row of bright red characters had appeared: Jin Shuen.

The classroom door creaked open, revealing the dark and seemingly endless corridor beyond.

Seemed like they had indeed guessed correctly.

But what was the point? Even if they answered correctly, it seemed they wouldn't escape the so-called "Unseen Master."

A faint sense of despair crept over everyone's hearts.

Si Shuhao, who had finally found her voice, asked,

"Are... Are you two alright?"

Yan Qiling reassured her with a gentle tone,

"We're fine. We found a pen used for the spirit-writing ritual; it should come in handy somewhere."

Szu's complexion was alarmingly pale. If not for leaning against the blackboard, she might have slumped onto the pool of blood on the floor,

"... You, didn't you say... The Unseen Master's goal is to kill us? If this pen is useful, could it... Be some sort of trap..."

The man gazed down at the pen in his hand, a gentle smile playing on his lips as if he had just thought of something amusing.

"Of course it would be, but so what?"

"Since we want to live, we can't let fear stop us from eating."

Hu Zhicheng was more pragmatic, struggling to ask the next question,

"Where do we go from here?"

Ming Yiyang stepped directly over the pool of blood and scattered organs.

"Obviously, we need to get out first."

Upon hearing they could leave, Yao Kunrui was the first to feel relieved. He followed eagerly behind Ming Yiyang, as if his tail were on fire.

However, the dark corridor quickly doused that flame.

After taking two steps, he retreated back to the entrance, standing within the illuminated area and blocking the way for the others.

Pushing the guy away with dissatisfaction, Hu Gaoming grunted,

"Hurry up and move, don't be in the way."

Startled by this, the hesitant Yao Kunrui snapped,

"What are you pushing for? Can't I walk on my own?"

Yet, in reality, he stepped back again, blocking the door once more.

The others: "..."

Ming Yiyang returned from the darkness, annoyed by the group's indecisiveness,

"What are you all standing around for? Waiting to be fed to ghosts?"

Hu Gaoming was the first to complain,

"Brother Ming, he's refusing to move from here!"

The tall youth casually pushed him aside, effortlessly removing the bothersome Yao Kunrui from his path. He said impatiently,

"Useless."

Yao Kunrui nearly stumbled, staring at the other party in disbelief. Ever since the bus incident, he had been on Ming Yiyang's side. He couldn't believe that the other person hadn't sensed it! It would have been fine if they just exchanged a few words, but to humiliate him in front of so many people!

Feeling uncomfortable, Yao Kunrui was further irritated by Yan Qiling's smirk-like expression - as if it was mocking his poor choice in allies.

He gritted his teeth and grumbled behind Ming Yiyang,

"How the hell was I supposed to know I was in their way? The damn least they could have done was say something!"

The young man casually smoothed out his bloodstained silver hair and glanced back with a cold glint in his dark eyes,

"If you have something to say, take it to Hu Gaoming."

Yao Kunrui paused, noticing that the other party didn't seem to want to pursue the matter. He huffed and continued to complain.

"I damn well won't go! I'm telling you this right here, Ming Yiyang. I'm on your side, so don't give me that attitude."

The youth paused and turned half his body back, his face now hidden in the darkness, revealing no expression.

"Try mentioning 'Mom' again and see what happens."

Yao Kunrui hadn't expected such sensitivity from the other party and felt a bit intimidated. However, having already said it, there was no taking it back.

Seeing the guy not utter another word, Ming Yiyang looked away.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Yao Kunrui muttered softly,

"What's wrong with me mentioning 'Mom'? What the hell is it to you...?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his vision blurred, and in terror, he realized he was off the ground!

The youth, who had lifted him by the collar, radiated such ferocity that it was daunting to meet his gaze. The clotted blood on his face accentuated his thug-like demeanor.

"I'm not as patient as you think when it comes to reasoning," he growled.

Yao Kunrui struggled with all his might, his limbs weak like a chick in front of the man, overwhelmed by suffocation and fear.

The man revealed his gleaming white teeth, his dark eyes resembling an unfathomable abyss:

"Next time, I'll beat you until your own mother won't recognize you."

Yao Kunrui was ruthlessly slammed onto the ground, his head buzzing from the impact.

Seeing the creature unable to crawl back up, the young man didn't bother further and walked away.

The others, observing this, quickly passed by him with downcast eyes, maintaining their composure.

In the darkness, only the distant echoes of footsteps remained, while the bright light behind him vanished with each breath.

The red-haired youth, now immersed in terrifying silence, struggled to prop himself up, realizing no one was waiting for him. In the echoing corridor, where footsteps were barely audible, the pain he felt prevented him from standing, making tears well up in his eyes from frustration.

Just then, a hand suddenly tapped his shoulder.

Trembling with fear, he shrieked and cowered into the corner, terrified that some monster might come to scavenge.

By the faint light filtering through the empty classroom, he barely made out the striking features of the face before him—astonishingly, it was Yan Qiling who had touched his shoulder!

The man's exquisite features etched a tapestry of varying shadows in the dim light, his heterochromatic eyes shimmering subtly within the gloom.

Especially the red one, it seemed to shine brighter than the blue.

The man was still smiling, much like he had on the bus earlier.

"Are you still able to walk?"

Yao Kunrui felt a mix of fear and resentment.

Gauging the other person's temperament, his pent-up anger finally found an outlet:

"I didn't ask you to wait for me! It's none of your business whether I can walk or not... Mind your own affairs!"

The man chuckled.

"I won't disturb you then."

Yao Kunrui hastily grabbed the corner of the other's blood-soaked robe, barely maintaining his facade as a paper tiger:

"You're the one who pulled me off the bus. In my current state, you can't leave... Or else I'll never let you off, even in death!"

To his surprise, Yan Qiling actually stopped.

As he struggled to his feet through the pain, he heard the gentle inquiry:

"Can I go now?"

Feeling slightly reassured, he reluctantly said,

"Walk in front of me."

Yan Qiling complied and walked ahead.

Suddenly, he didn't find the other person quite as intimidating.

Most importantly, he was much easier to talk to than Ming Yiyang, who would resort to violence at the slightest provocation.

Upon seeing the cold glow of the streetlamps outside the academic building, Yao Kunrui was ecstatic with joy.

Light had given him a renewed sense of confidence.

Unable to resist, he turned his head back to glance at the now pitch-black corridor behind him. The sudden surge of fear urged him to quicken his pace, passing by Yan Qiling in two strides to reach the illuminated area first.

After all, Yan Qiling was more capable than he was; he refused to be the last one behind.

As he rushed out, he noticed that Ming Yiyang and his group were still there, seemingly waiting for him.

The assurance of safety rekindled his humanity, and an unexplained sense of gratitude welled up within him.

Before he could utter a word, Ming Yiyang raised his sharp eyebrows and looked at him, "Where's Yan Qiling?"

Recalling Yan Qiling, who he had left behind, he averted his gaze as if to conceal his guilt.

"He's just walking slowly, trailing behind."

"Is that so?"

Ming Yiyang chuckled mockingly, elongating his words.

"I thought he was waiting for you inside. Turns out he's just walking slowly."

Yao Kunrui clenched his fists uneasily.

He was only scared, but Yan Qiling wasn't. Was there something wrong with him arriving under the lights first?

He hadn't left either. Even if Ming Yiyang and the others weren't there, he would still wait for Yan Qiling to come out!

He pressed his lips together, noticing that everyone held a sign in their hands. He tried to change the subject.

"What are these?"

The atmosphere immediately fell silent.

Suo Bao glanced around, noticing that no one was willing to answer. Although he understood the reason, he still felt sympathy for the embarrassed red-haired young man and whispered softly,

"It's a dormitory card. Someone must have nailed it to the street lamp. We should be entering the dorm building soon."

His heart raced, fearing that there might not be one for him.

"Is that all the cards?"

Suo Bao nudged Si Shuhao's arm subtly.

Si Shuhao, pretending to be clueless, rolled her eyes and tossed him a card nonchalantly, "Here's yours. Everyone has one."

Yao Kunrui exhaled in relief and examined the card closely.

It was a pristine white card with no words on it, bearing neither a dorm number nor a name. He had no idea what its purpose could be.

Despite the delay, Yan Qiling still hadn't emerged.

Beneath the curious gazes around him, Yao Kunrui couldn't help but look towards the academic building. He remembered it was just across the atrium, so why did it take so long for them to come out?

By the time that figure finally appeared at the entrance, he felt like he had waited an eternity.

Ming Yiyang seemed to merely be confirming that everyone was present; without waiting for Yan Qiling to approach, he turned and walked away.

Yao Kunrui, afraid of being left behind, hurriedly caught up with a few steps.

But Si Shuhao wasn't afraid of the dark anymore. She deliberately slowed down and handed her card to Yan Qiling.

"Why were you so late? Is everything alright?"

Yan Qiling smiled, casually brushing past the silver filigree bracelet on her wrist.

"I'm fine... Oh, what's this card for?"

"It's the dormitory access card."

The young lady replied promptly,

"We've just studied the map. The dormitories are located near the back mountain, in an H-shaped building. It seems to be co-ed... That's quite friendly. Otherwise, if I were to live separately with Su Bo, I wouldn't know if we'd see the sunrise tomorrow."

The man looked up at the towering structure with a glass roof, feeling the pencil in his sleeve, and smiled gently,

"Rest assured, I'll do my best to ensure everyone's safety until we reach the exit."

The young lady's face expressed gratitude,

"I knew you're much better than that Ming Yiyang! And don't worry, with me around, Ming Yiyang wouldn't dare bully you!"

Yan Qiling smiled as his gaze softly circled between the young lady and the silver-haired youth, nodding slightly,

"Then, thank you very much."