Chapter 81

Chapter 81

"Burp."

The same sound came from different corners as the students who had narrowly escaped death and transformation into dolls rubbed their bellies. Night had deepened, and their hunger seemed to grow.

Although toys that move consume energy and thus require energy intake, discussing the law of conservation of energy in this world that has been so thoroughly warped seemed absurd.

The eight students who remained at the school looked out through the air vents of the empty classroom at the pitch-black sky. Being alone evoked an indescribable sense of loneliness.

"I wonder how the others are doing. It's been so long, and we haven't encountered a single student yet."

With nearly one-seventh of the game time already passed and no clues in sight, they couldn’t help but wonder what new rules and hints would be introduced tomorrow.

"I don’t know what’s happening outside. Several times, people have suddenly died in waves."

"The main storyline is already 17% complete. Everyone must be busy. Too bad we can’t get out." The students on the shelves also discussed the possible situations outside.

These students were a stark contrast to those outside. They appeared unaffected by the game world's malice, staying on the toy shelves with nothing to do but chat.

The game had been running for over fifteen hours, with fifty-five deaths, half of them official students. The losses were severe across various countries. In the previous scenario, the Hungry Academy was hell-bent on eliminating ordinary students, but in this scenario, it was targeting elite students.

The students on the toy shelves were unaware that they were among the luckiest, able to survive until the end without much effort.

At this moment, the NPC teacher in the scenario had swiftly made its way to the highest point of the red nest.

The high area consisted of a central part with a massive pipe, surrounded by countless floating steel bars and houses hanging like suspended gourds.

The NPC teacher entered one of these houses.

Like the classrooms, the floor of these gourd-like houses was made of steel bars, but the lower layer was opaque, covered with a thin layer of ash.

A relatively normal desk rested on these steel bars, with metal walls dividing different sections, giving the impression of a nine-grid hot pot.

However, instead of ingredients, the nine grids contained NPCs with metallic limbs.

"Back? Did you hear about the trouble in the basic class today?" A three-legged mechanical NPC emerged from the nine-grid area. Its head was wet and slimy, like an octopus, constantly changing colors, but connected to metallic machinery. "I heard about it, but only a student and a teacher died. Not a big deal," the NPC teacher said coldly.

"Hmph, I knew this day would come. Those brats think we don’t know what they’re hiding. Toys, food, useless things—all contraband. In my opinion, these rule-breakers should be expelled."

The NPC teacher's electronic face turned silent before speaking again: "We’ve all been through that phase. When they grow up, they’ll understand that failing to adapt means elimination. They must work hard to choose their future lives."

"Are you going out now?" The NPC teacher politely changed the subject.

The three-legged NPC's octopus face showed anger. "To give a report. Some fool mixed up two acids, delaying the entire class’s progress. Damn it, tomorrow is a practical session. If we can’t collect enough energy fluid, we won’t meet this month’s quota."

"Even the chemical engineering class makes such mistakes?"

"Hmph, I suspect something inappropriate has entered its mind. Perhaps we should contact its parents and remove that unnecessary thing created solely for reproduction."

Talking about this further enraged the three-legged NPC: "Society assigns them the most suitable partners, but they waste time on those boring, stupid, low-level emotions. As a chemical engineering student, committing such a low-level mistake is unacceptable. I shouldn’t have accepted someone with such a high pollution value into this class."

It looked at the NPC teacher: "I advise you to expel the unstable, highly polluted students from your class. Otherwise, once they graduate from the vocational preparatory class and enter the vocational class, they will make even bigger mistakes in the factories. I’ve seen it before—underachievers remain underachievers, always trash."

The NPC teacher’s mountainous face showed hesitation: "I’ll consider it."

The two long-legged mechanical NPCs then passed each other—one leaving the room, the other entering.

"...Wow, the information overload is overwhelming. My processor is almost overheating. This world seems extremely extreme. After learning basic literacy and arithmetic, the children enter vocational preparatory classes, then vocational classes, and finally employment? Their lives need nothing else?"

"The pollutants are peculiar, making people see the inner world and ‘polluting’ others. Does pollution mean revealing the truth?"

The designated pollutants appear to be things that bring joy to the children, such as painting, music, sports, and games—things some consider mere play.

What happens if they encounter pollutants? Do they become happy? So, in this world, happiness is a sin?

The audience outside the scenario struggled to comprehend this distorted world, especially the younger generation from the wasteland. However, the older generation of JiuZhou and those from East Asian cultural circles could somewhat understand this madness, having heard stories of similar extremes.

The N-country viewers, in particular, had vivid memories of the intense competition during their tutoring days, which had driven many to the brink.

"To secure better, more stable jobs in the future, they seem to have evolved beyond 'sleep.' Every day is spent studying, attending tutoring classes, exercising, and then repeating the cycle. Because it’s so exhausting, they don’t even want to date or marry and have children."

"When the era of great pollution arrived, everything became meaningless. All their efforts seemed futile, and life lost its purpose. I remember the river under the bridge was filled with bodies every day."

The N-country viewers shared their experiences.

While the live stream audience reminisced about the past, the NPC teacher did not sit down. Instead, it entered a small room adjacent to the bathroom, closed the door, and locked it.

One of its mechanical claws retrieved a necklace from a tiny drawer at its waist. The necklace had an oval-shaped mini picture frame attached, a rare item unrelated to 'learning.'

Ji Xinghai saw the swinging picture frame through the mirror’s reflection, but he couldn’t make out the details. The live stream camera, however, showed the audience the image—a bird-shaped doll holding a colorful plush flower, smiling happily.

"Is this the NPC’s child?" the audience wondered.

The NPC teacher put the necklace back, clicked a button somewhere on its body, and its mountain-like upper half detached from its body.

This turned out to be a cover, revealing a small bird-shaped doll face underneath.

"Huh?"

Underneath the cover was not the terrifying adult form but a childlike, fluffy, and whimsical doll body.

As if the adult retained the innocence of childhood.

'Pollution'?

The word flashed through Ji Xinghai’s mind.

Is this why this NPC is different from the others?

He watched as the NPC teacher approached the mirror and carefully scrutinized the furry doll face, which showed both fear and an indescribable determination.

He tilted his head, and the green garlic bulb followed suit.

Whether it was the previous doll or the current teacher, whether in the residential area or the school, everything felt suffocating.

"Hate this feeling, don't even want to think about it. If only I could blow it up," Ji Xinghai thought simply and brutally.

"Huh?" He recalled their earlier conversation.

Chemical engineering class, hazardous chemicals...

Hazardous chemicals.

Chemicals.

Ji Xinghai's eyes lit up, shining like stars.

Soon after, the NPC teacher put on its electronic hood again and entered the nine-square grid, sitting down in one of the seats.

Ji Xinghai took the opportunity to climb off and hide in a corner under the desk.

The NPC teacher didn't notice, and its mechanical arms extended from its waist, each with six flexible 'fingers,' and began operating the computer.

The room fell silent once more, with each long-legged mechanical NPC doing its own thing, sparing no attention for anyone else.

The environment was just as lifeless as the previous classroom.

Ji Xinghai didn't make any rash moves, guessing that there might be surveillance devices nearby. Otherwise, why would the NPC teacher go to the restroom for air?

Of course, it could also be that the teacher was just cautious.

He sat quietly in the corner, eventually lying down when he got tired, his face clearly saying, "So boring, so boring, need something to do."

Unexpectedly, after just a few minutes, a notification came, calling the NPC teachers to the meeting room. All the NPC teachers stood up.

As soon as they left, the office emptied out, the lights dimmed, and the door closed, leaving him alone in the vast space.

Now, Ji Xinghai had two choices: either take a risk for a big payoff or continue hiding.

Given Ji Xinghai's character, there was no guessing. He immediately came out to explore.

Better to try than not; if caught, he'd just run. He had experience with that.

In the darkness, Ji Xinghai slowly slid down the table leg, feeling for a moment like a cockroach lurking in the room, invisible and elusive.

"Map, map, map..." the clown doll muttered the three words. The audience couldn't understand why he suddenly started thinking about maps. Did this have anything to do with the main storyline of the scenario?

"Why does it have to be related?" the Minister asked with a smile. "Are you still fixated on the treasure chests given by the Hungry Academy? This scenario doesn't require them to advance the main storyline, yet everyone is focused on it. What's the point? To get the treasure chest?"

Everyone in the Command Unit was stunned.

Right, why must they push the main storyline? Does it kill someone if they don't? The game's requirement is to regain freedom; why are they pushing the main storyline?

Damn, they were misled by the Hungry Academy. Inertia of thought can be deadly.

"Luckily, Ji Xinghai isn't like you."

"...Sorry, we messed up."

Inside the scenario, Ji Xinghai continued searching.

The seats in this room were all centered, while the NPC teacher's position was at the corner, now freely accessible to him as long as he remained quiet.

He started checking the NPC teacher's desk, then moved to the next one, and the next.

Textbooks, no use.

Teaching aids, useless.

Shift schedule, keep for now.

Files, keep.

Confiscated toys...

Ji Xinghai looked at the round Barbie doll head and then at the disassembled box.

"Huh?"

He grabbed the hair and lifted the entire head. The Barbie head dangled in mid-air, looking completely lifeless.

"Brother Hai, what are you doing? That student is dead."

"No, she's still alive. She's one of the five confiscated students."

"What?!"

The Barbie doll, with her head and limbs disassembled, lay motionless. No one would think she was still alive. Yet her live stream was still active, which wouldn't lie.

"Is it because of the Barbie doll's characteristics? The student seems affected by the setting."

The Barbie doll's features were similar to those of a BJD doll, with detachable head, body, and limbs connected by mechanisms. Perhaps that's why the student remained alive even with her head removed and limbs disassembled, unable to control her body but still alive and quiet.

There were four other confiscated toys like her.

Given this world's hatred for toys, these confiscated items would eventually be destroyed. "This is bad. Who would think she's still alive?"

Seeing Ji Xinghai remain motionless, the audience couldn't help but shake their heads. If they didn't know that the live stream was still on, they wouldn't believe he could still be alive after being disassembled like this.

So in the end, he was still put aside, abandoned, and left to die.

"I hear the sound of a heartbeat." But Ji Xinghai didn't give up. He slightly leaned closer with his head held up, his wide, glassy eyes curiously observing the lower part of the skull. "It was originally separated, so it won't die even if it's apart. I see."

His hand moved up his neck, fingers slipping into the seam between the head and the neck, his face clearly showing 'curiosity, wanting to dismantle.'

The audience broke out in cold sweat, almost thinking Ji Xinghai would dismantle himself. Thankfully, he didn't do that, muttering regretfully, "But if I dismantle it, it won't move anymore."

"Phew—"

Thank goodness, Brother Hai is still rational.

"Who locked the door? Where's the key?" A voice from an NPC came from outside the door.

They were back and ready to come in.

The office was dim and quiet, making the rustling sounds from outside exceptionally clear, bringing a sense of tension.

With enemies just a wall away, the viewers of both live streams held their breaths.

But Ji Xinghai had always been good under pressure. Amidst the sound of unlocking the door, he pulled open a drawer slightly, took out the torso inside, and reattached the head and limbs.

In the blink of an eye, these limbs became a complete Barbie doll again.

"Done. Next time, don't lock the door when you leave; there's no one else here."

"Just a habit."

Outside, the sound of the lock turning was heard. Ji Xinghai pushed the opened drawer shut with one hand and pulled up the reassembled Barbie doll with the other, placing it against the wall.

The Barbie doll wriggled, and after some special effect, her limbs gained the texture of human skin. Her eyes, nose, and heart started moving.

She took a deep breath, the excitement of surviving the ordeal manifesting as twitching muscles.

The doll came to life, transforming into a student.

"Click." The door opened, followed by a faint button press, and the lights flickered on, turning the office as bright as day.

The newly revived student was startled. Before she could react, Ji Xinghai covered her lips and made a 'be quiet' gesture.