Chapter 6: Station 21: The Dormitory

Chapter 6 - Station 21: The Dormitory

The dormitory consisted of three floors, with each room accommodating six students. This meant that one of them would have to spend the night alone.

Unfortunately, Yao Kunrui was that person.

The girls paired up to take showers in the bathroom, while Yao Kunrui lingered at the door, hesitant to leave.

He scratched his bloodied red hair and, glancing at Ming Yiyang's expression, awkwardly asked,

"Can I stay here with you guys tonight... I don't mind sleeping on the floor..."

Ming Yiyang was busy spreading out the school map to take a photo and completely ignored him.

Yao Kunrui felt the humiliation of being overlooked. Suppressing his anger, he mustered the courage to call out,

"Ming Yiyang, I'm talking to you."

The young man lowered his head to examine the photo on his phone, sparing him a brief glance as if he had just noticed him.

"This is a dormitory for six. Can't you understand simple words?"

Yao Kunrui felt as if he had been slapped in the face by the other's impoliteness; he gritted his teeth unconsciously, barely holding back his anger.

Yet, the lingering pain in his back reminded him just how unreasonable this person in front of him was.

He could only soften his tone and mutter quietly, "Can't you find someone to switch places with me...?"

Ming Yiyang, having confirmed that the photo was fine, settled into his chair as if observing an endangered species.

"Sure, go ahead and find someone to switch with then."

Despite being the one standing while Ming Yiyang sat, Yao Kunrui felt as if he was being looked down upon from above.

But none of that mattered now.

With permission granted, he promptly turned his gaze towards Yan Qiling, who was washing his hands in a plastic basin.

Observing his demeanor, Ming Yiyang retrieved a pack of cigarettes from the inner pocket of his coat and let out a cryptic chuckle.

This time, Yao Kunrui spoke with much more dignity:

"Yan Qiling, can we switch places?"

With water in the basin now tinted red, the man who still felt it wasn't enough wiped away the droplets on his skin with a tissue, acting unhurriedly.

In the brief silence that followed, the atmosphere grew tense.

With a light flick of the cigarette box, a silver-haired youth watched coolly from the side.

Just as he assumed Yan Qiling would finally abandon his saintly facade, the latter surprisingly picked up his dormitory card and handed it to Yao Kunrui without any change in expression.

Ming Yiyang's temple throbbed in tolerance.

Then, the man used that familiar, irritatingly gentle tone to say:

"Take a closer look at what's written on it."

Yao Kunrui was ecstatic about securing his chance to stay, and he casually glanced over with a grin, saying, "Oh, nothing much, Yan Qiling. Thanks."

The man reached out and tapped the card lightly, producing a soft clicking sound. "Take a closer look."

Yao Kunrui's peculiar behavior finally pulled him out of his joy, prompting him to take a more thorough look. His expression drastically changed!

Sometime when he wasn't looking, Yan Qiling's name and image had appeared on the previously blank dormitory card, albeit faintly, but it couldn't be wiped away no matter how hard he tried.

It was empty just a moment ago!

He hastily took out his own dorm card—only to find it in the same state!

Standing dumbfounded in the center of the room, he didn't even notice when someone snatched the card from his hand.

His mind buzzed with confusion. It seemed that paradise could turn into hell in the blink of an eye.

He deeply sensed a despair stemming from being targeted by the world... along with a malicious rejection from the human realm.

This dormitory card was given to him by Si Shuhao! That despicable person deliberately gave him the worst dormitory card, intending for him to die tonight!

This dormitory building was like a massive sacrificial altar, and he was the chosen sacrifice!

If he abandoned the idea of staying here, he might not even survive until the end of this night!

Fixated on his grim thoughts, he overlooked the fact that everyone had initially received blank cards without any dorm numbers.

Yan Qiling seemed to have read his thoughts and said soothingly,

"Don't worry, go take a shower first. Be extra vigilant tonight, and follow the rules."

The red-haired young man, his chest heaving with anger, brushed off Yan Qiling's comfort and broke down into a roar,

"It's easy for you to say! Why don't you sleep alone if you can? He... damn it, I won't survive tonight anyway! What the... what did I do wrong to deserve this? It was just running a red light, wasn't it?!"

"I don't care. If you leave me alone outside tonight, it's as good as signing my death warrant. I'm not going! I'm staying here!"

Ming Yiyang took the cigarette between his lips, his dark irises as deep as an abyss:

"I don't know if you'll die tonight, but if you keep making noise, I'll make sure of it."

Yao Kunrui's passionate protest was immediately stifled. He glared at the man hatefully, who lazily returned his gaze:

"I'll gouge out your eyes if you keep staring."

Though filled with anger, he dared not continue looking and instead plopped onto the ground, clearly not intending to leave.

The silver-haired youth removed the cigarette from his mouth, his tone a mix of advice and warning:

"You wouldn't want to know the consequences of breaking the rules in this realm, unless you've already decided on death."

Yao Kunrui's face was etched with disbelief as he lowered his head, hugging the chair leg without a word.

Surprisingly, Yan Qiling agreed with Ming Yiyang's statement this time:

"Once you defy the rules, not only will you die, but others might too."

"You should have noticed that although the Ruler of No Escape craves the flesh and souls of outsiders, they can't simply harvest them at will. They can only punish 'violators' according to the rules they set."

"The dorm allocation we currently have is also part of those rules. Allowing you to stay won't just break the rules – everyone in this dorm might be considered violators too."

The two uncles and nephew from the Hu family, who had been watching from the side, paled at these words.

Ming Yiyang found that the fake vase was rather skilled at rousing emotions, but he was quite pleased with this turn of events.

So, he put the cigarette back in his mouth and leisurely watched the unfolding drama.

Yao Kunrui picked up on the hidden meaning in the other's words and, as expected, grew anxious.

"How can you know the outcome without trying? What if nothing happens?"

Hu Gaoming shot back with a sarcastic tone,

"And what if something does happen? How many responsibilities can you shoulder?"

Hu Zhicheng remained silent, his middle-aged face as calm as water, but with an underlying hint of eagerness to use force, ready to act at any moment.

Seeing that staying any longer wouldn't yield any benefits, Yan Qiling's steadfast "violation theory" also made him hesitant. A jumble of conflicting emotions and choices crowded his mind.

He looked at the black-haired man who seemed detached from the situation, overwhelmed by jealousy, hatred, fear, and a sense of injustice. These chaotic emotions surged within him, fueling his frustration yet leaving him powerless to retaliate.

Unable to find an outlet, he could only vent through an out-of-character roar:

"You're the one benefiting, so of course, you can speak without worry! Yan Qiling, don't think that waiting for me tonight gives you the right to order me around! It's just a few steps from the corridor to outside; I'm not incapable of walking!"

"If I were to die tonight, I'll... become a vengeful ghost and drag you down with me! You'd better pray that what you said is true!"

The metal door slammed against the wall, creating a resounding echo that lingered for a long while.

The redhead left in a huff, leaving Hu Gaoming wide-eyed and speechless:

"What an ungrateful person! What was all that about?!"

Tiger Zhicheng, who had witnessed the entire scene, put down his clenched fist and sighed:

"Little Yan, you really have too much patience. For someone like that, just throw them out. Why bother with them?"

Yan Qiling continued wiping his fingers while softly chuckling in response:

"You think I have a good temper?"

Without hesitation, Hu Zhicheng replied,

"Indeed, you saved him on the bus back then. Though it was a bit... unconventional... he's still alive. Just now in the teaching building, we all left, but you were the only one who worried about him and stayed behind."

Hu Gaoming sneered and interjected,

"Pity he's an ungrateful wolf. Brother Yan, you shouldn't bother with him anymore. People like that, their death would be a contribution to society."

Hu Zhicheng glared at his nephew,

"How should a child speak?"

Hu Gaoming, still holding a grudge against the redhead for insulting his uncle, didn't hold back,

"I didn't say anything wrong. With his attitude, who would want to bother with him anyway?"

Having enjoyed the spectacle, Ming Yiyang took out a lighter to ignite his cigarette, then offered another to Hu Zhicheng with a flick of his wrist.

"Brother Hu, have one."

Just as Hu Zhicheng was about to respond, a hand that resembled a work of art extended from the side.

Despite the remnants of brownish blood still visible on the sleeves, it was exquisitely beautiful, as if carved by an artisan.

It was Yan Qiling's hand.

Without any hesitation, he plucked the cigarette from between the young man's lips.

Ming Yiyang clamped down on it, narrowing his eyes at this interfering individual.

He wanted to say something, but the person held a firm grip; any attempt to speak would surely result in the cigarette being taken away, which he was not willing to accept.

Yan Qiling maintained his usual "I'm-doing-this-for-your-own-good" demeanor:

"Smoking in the dormitory will disturb others."

Ming Yiyang couldn't hold back anymore and spoke up:

"Why are you meddling in everything? Are you an orphaned child who needs someone to take care of you? Why don't I see others being as nosy as you? Can't you just stop?"

Yan Qiling extinguished his cigarette on the cabinet:

"Stop smoking."

Ming Yiyang snatched back the withered cigarette, not bothering to argue:

"Yan Qiling, it's none of your business whether I smoke or not."

Two girls emerged, with Si Shuhao's face flushed from washing. She cheerfully exclaimed:

"The hot water here is working properly! Hurry up!"

Glancing at the now-empty bathroom, Yan Qiling felt a rare sense of urgency.

Grasping the cigarette, he crushed it and said under the silver-haired youth's astonished gaze:

"I don't like it."

Hu Zhicheng stuffed the cigarette silently into his pocket and moved away.

Ming Yiyang slapped the lighter down on the table and stood up to block the departing figure.

"Finally speaking the truth? Stop right there, I have questions for you."

Yan Qiling tried to sidestep him, but Ming Yiyang wouldn't allow it. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged over a dozen moves!

The girls were utterly perplexed, having no idea what was happening. Seeing the intense clash between the two, they promptly retreated towards the restroom, secretly observing the scene.

Not wanting to witness her own team in conflict and having boasted in front of Yan Qiling earlier, Si Shuhao quickly shouted,

"Ming Yiyang! Why are you holding him back? Let go right now!"

Just as the young man had deftly dodged Yan Qiling's elbow strike, he used his left hand, moving upward from beneath, to seize the other person's shoulder, leveraging the force of their retracting motion.

In the midst of their silent struggle, he heard the girl's authoritative command.

His brow furrowed in impatience, his snowy lashes lifting slightly to spare a frigid glance beneath them.

"Scram, it's none of your business what I do."

The young lady stood frozen in place - this was the first time in her life that someone had treated her so impolitely!

Without any apparent reason, the young girl was so flustered that she turned as red as a shrimp.

"I've paid for it! How can you treat me like this?"

Seizing the opportunity while the young man was distracted, Yan Qiling skillfully deflected his opponent's force with minimal effort, and attempted to slip away.

Ming Yiyang waited for him to move closer, then swiftly embraced him from behind, reaching up to grasp the other's neck.

Yan Qiling deftly countered with a lowered elbow, while his right heel struck back.

The young man let go and dodged aside, turning his body to block the other's path.

He was occupied and didn't spare anyone with his words.

"I'm a bodyguard, not a babysitter. Besides, it's your father who pays me, not you. My job is to ensure you stay alive."

The infuriated girl attempted to rush forward, but Sui Bo quickly held her back. With her petite frame, she wouldn't stand a chance against Ming Yiyang's strength.

With a loud crash, Yan Qiling was pinned against the storage cabinet by Ming Yiyang!