The next morning, as dawn broke, Yan Chi got up, intending to wait for Shen Mingsu at the door to talk to him about Ding Yang and Xue Shun. Before leaving, he suddenly realized how foolish this action was.
It's the information age now; he could simply send Shen Mingsu a message.
The school doctor had given him Shen Mingsu's contact information on the first day, but he'd been too busy and forgotten.
Soon, he found Shen Mingsu's number, but hesitated about whether to add him. Shen Mingsu's profile picture was simple, with a calligraphy template as the background, displaying two characters: "Shut up."
His nickname was even simpler—just one word: "Get lost."
Yan Chi: "..."
Had he really not added the wrong person?
This indiscriminate, manic attack on everyone was completely different from the kind and friendly Shen Mingsu that Yan Chi remembered. Wouldn't adding this person just result in him being verbally abused for no reason?
Yan Chi hesitated, struggling with his decision for a few minutes before pressing "add," adding a note: "Principal Shen, this is Yan Chi."
The request was accepted almost instantly. Yan Chi was taken aback by the speed; he had expected at least an hour or two, as this was the normal speed for a leader.
"Get lost!" had already sent a message.
[Get lost: Yan Chi?]
[Gulu: Good morning, Principal. It's me, Yan Chi.]
Shen Mingsu didn't reply. The conversation abruptly ended there. Yan Chi felt uneasy. Had he said something wrong? Why was Shen Mingsu suddenly not replying?
Next door, Shen Chang Le was sound asleep when the door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang by some rude guy, startling Shen Chang Le awake. "What's wrong? Did a player call?"
Shen Mingsu, in a state of excitement, plopped down on the edge of his bed, his phone screen almost touching his face. "Look!"
Shen Chang Le leaned back and glanced at the chat. "Teacher Xiaochi added you?"
"Yes, he added me first!" Shen Mingsu's thin lips curled into a smile, his eyes brimming with barely suppressed amusement. "What do you think Teacher Chi means by this? He actually added me automatically and even said good morning to me. Is he hinting at something?"
"Hinting at what?" Shen Chang Le couldn't fathom Shen Mingsu's thought process. "Uncle, are you delusional? Besides, Teacher Xiaochi is your employee. Is it possible he's adding you because he wants you to give him a raise?"
Shen Mingsu's smile vanished. He snatched back his phone and coldly retorted, "You're really rude."
Then he turned and left without looking back, closing the door behind him.
Shen Chang Le: "..."
Is he really sick?
Unable to contain his excitement, Shen Mingsu forwarded the message to his friend Lin Heng. Lin Heng replied with a question mark: [So?]
Shen Mingsu smugly replied: [You don't understand. Anyway, I'm about to cut ties with bachelors like you. From now on, don't call me when you go fishing; I won't be going.]
Lin Heng: [...]
After boasting to his friend, Shen Mingsu suddenly realized he'd neglected Yan Chi for so long and quickly messaged him.
[Get lost: Good morning, any plans for today?]
Yan Chi was taken aback by this message. What plans could he possibly have? Just work and give lectures, what else could he do? Could it be… he was giving him a warning? Checking if he was working hard?
Yan Chi pondered for a moment, then replied: [Of course I'll work hard during work hours, no other plans.]
[Get lost: Is work very busy? Don't you have any free time?]
[Gulu: Not busy at all, I love my work.]
[Gulu: Kitten holding up flowers.jpg]
Shen Mingsu looked at this smiling kitten, his heart trembling. He stared at the emoji for a long time, not even noticing when the corners of his lips turned up.
"Uncle."
Shen Mingsu sparingly gave Shen Chang Le a glance.
Shen Chang Le: "...Your smile is so smug."
Shen Mingsu: "Get lost."
Yan Chi's message came through again, and Shen Mingsu's gaze immediately went to it.
[Gulu: Principal, actually I came to see you because I found two children yesterday. They were likely abducted here by human traffickers. I was thinking of taking them to the police station so they could help find their parents.]
Meanwhile, Lin Heng's message arrived on time.
[Of the five players who smuggled in yesterday, three died. Two younger ones were taken back by Yan Chi. See what to do with them.]
Shen Mingsu sat up straight, pondered for a moment, and naturally replied to Yan Chi's message first: [Give the children to me, I'll take them to the police station.]
[Gulu: It's really too much trouble for you.]
[Get lost: It's okay.]
[Gulu: Little cat bowing.jpg]
Shen Mingsu admired the photo for a while until Lin Heng sent a message urging him to hurry.
[Never Air Force: What are you doing? Reply to my message.]
[Get lost: Don't worry about it, I'll arrange it.]
……
With the children's whereabouts settled, Yan Chi finally felt a weight lifted from his heart. After having breakfast with the two children, he told them the news.
After a night's rest, Ding Yang and Xue Shun were much better, but upon hearing the news, their faces turned deathly pale, as if Yan Chi wasn't sending them home, but pushing them to their deaths.
Xue Shun's hands trembled. "C-can we not go?"
The night's safety only made it harder for Xue Shun to accept the perilous nature of this world. He was terrified, afraid to face those terrifying monsters again.
Yan Chi understood his fear and gently comforted him, "Don't be afraid. The principal will take you to the police station. The police will help you find your families."
Ding Yang was uneasy. "What if they can't find them?"
Ding Yang didn't know if there were really police in this instance world, but they knew for sure that the police couldn't find their families; they weren't from this world.
Besides, they didn't know if the principal was good or evil.
Kind-hearted NPCs who would help were rare, and Ding Yang didn't dare gamble that the principal would be like Yan Chi.
Ding Yang's words startled Yan Chi. He hadn't even considered the possibility of not being able to find his family. "It shouldn't be... the police are very efficient."
Ding Yang pleaded, "We don't want to leave you."
Xue Shun nodded repeatedly, "Please, just let us stay with you."
Yan Chi was in a dilemma.
A few minutes later, Shen Mingsu arrived at Yan Chi's house, and Yan Chi led him in.
As soon as Ding Yang and Xue Shun saw the tall man behind Yan Chi, they both stood up and moved aside, distancing themselves from Shen Mingsu, while silently observing him.
Shen Mingsu had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and was a head taller than Yan Chi. His features were handsome, and his mysterious dark green eyes, when looking at Yan Chi, were full of gentle smiles, softening his otherwise stern aura.
Anyone who didn't know better would think he had naturally smiling lips.
But the moment his gaze fell upon the two of them, the corners of his lips instantly flattened, the smile vanishing completely. It only took a second for his tenderness to turn into cold indifference.
A man whose expression changes so instantly is definitely not a good person.
Ding Yang and Xue Shun both thought of this simultaneously.
Yan Chi sensed the awkward atmosphere. After a moment's thought, he pulled Shen Mingsu aside. Shen Mingsu stared blankly at the pale hand on his arm, then instinctively followed him to the guest room.
Yan Chi released his hand and explained the situation, his expression somewhat troubled. "Those two kids might have been a little traumatized; they're not too keen on going to the police station with you."
Shen Mingsu smiled. "That's alright. How about letting them stay at school for a couple of days, and I'll send someone else to look for their parents."
Players only need to stay in the instance for three days. Once the time is up, they automatically leave. They can then tell Yan Chi that they've found their parents.
As for the two little players, Shen Mingsu knew at first glance that they posed no threat. The girl was somewhat clever, while the boy was pitifully stupid.
After discussing it, the two decided that Ding Yang and Xue Shun would attend Yan Chi's class for two days. As for accommodation, Ding Yang, being a girl, would share a room with Mingcai and Ahui, while Xue Shun would share with Ning Zhu and Lian Deng.
...
"Classmates, due to some special reasons, these two new students will be staying in our class for a few days. Please get along well and study hard together."
Yan Chi introduced Ding Yang and Xue Shun to the students with a smile.
Beside him, Ding Yang tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, her fingertips turning white. Xue Shun's eyes were filled with terror. He immediately recognized Sethia and Tan Mo—two faces he could never forget.
Especially the blond, blue-eyed Sethia; he had almost eaten him alive yesterday!
Sethia met Xue Shun's gaze, baring his small white teeth fiercely. Xue Shun trembled in fright and quickly hid behind Ding Yang, nearly bursting into tears.
Mingcai observed the two "new classmates" with interest. "Sethia, you were so embarrassing last night."
Clearly, she already knew what had happened last night.
Sethia said sullenly, "I don't know why I suddenly changed back. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let them stay around the teacher. Players are all bad; they definitely have bad intentions."
And Teacher Xiaochi is too soft-hearted and easily deceived by bad players. If Teacher Xiaochi discovered that the child he was wholeheartedly helping was actually being used, he would be very sad.
Sethia nudged Mingcai's arm. "Or, why don't you kill them all?"
Mingcai glanced at him. "No."
"Why? Don't you hate players too?"
"I hate players who killed our companions." Mingcai corrected him, raising her light gray eyes. "But these two are, for now, relatively good players. I have my principles."
Sethia was unhappy that his best friend wouldn't help him, his cheeks puffed up in a huff.
Not only Mingcai and Sethia were paying attention to their new classmates, but other students also stared at them curiously, then whispered among themselves.
Feng Wang next door started giving his younger brother a series of instructions, nagging incessantly: "Keep at least three meters away from them. Don't talk to them, and definitely don't let them touch you. Don't leave my sight until they leave..."
As he spoke, Li Huai covered his ears.
Feng Wang pulled his hands away. "Don't be impatient. This is what Father asked for. If he finds out I didn't protect you well, he'll definitely beat me. Of course, I'll beat me too."
Lian Deng, sitting in the back row of the classroom, secretly took a cardboard box from his desk. Inside were several terrifying-looking little monsters. Lian Deng had thoughtfully folded a small bed and pillows for them out of paper.
The little monsters, smelling the aroma of food in the air, became restless, nuzzling Lian Deng's hand and making soft noises.
—Hunting! Hunting! We need to hunt to raise Deng Deng!
Lian Deng patted the monsters' heads reassuringly. "No, you can't. Teacher will be angry."
The monsters quieted down, slumping listlessly in the cardboard box.
On the podium, Yan Chi scanned the classroom. Remembering the empty seats in the next classroom, he figured there should be some spare chairs. He picked two male students, "Feng Wang, Chang Le, could you please go to the next classroom and bring over two desks?"
Feng Wang: "Okay."
Shen Chang Le: "Sure."
They got up and left the classroom. While moving the desks, Feng Wang didn't understand Yan Chi's actions. "Why doesn't the teacher just kill them? What's the point of keeping them alive? If he can't bring himself to do it, let me do it."
Shen Chang Le: "Just move your desks."
Feng Wang: "After you're done moving them... go kill?"
Shen Chang Le took a deep breath. "It depends on the teacher's opinion."
Feng Wang nodded. "Then I'll go ask him, and then kill?"
"..."
Shen Chang Le fell silent. He was utterly exhausted by this classmate whose mind was constantly filled with killing. "If you want your parents called in, then go."
Clearly, his father's iron fist could suppress Feng Wang's burgeoning murderous intent. He finally behaved himself. "Then forget it."
The two boys were strong and quickly carried the desks and chairs back to the classroom. Yan Chi arranged for Ding Yang and Xue Shun to sit down, gave them textbooks, and then began the lesson.
Xue Shun and Ding Yang's seats were right next to Lian Deng and Ning Zhu. Along the way, classmates frequently glanced at them.
Lian Deng's cardboard box was on the table. As Xue Shun passed by, he could clearly see the small monsters inside.
One of them was unmistakably the multi-legged stick insect that had bitten off the veteran player's arm last night. Even though it had shrunk, Xue Shun could tell at a glance it was the same one from last night.
The monster that could tear off an arm in one bite was now unusually docile, rubbing its little head against Lian Deng's fingers in a sticky, affectionate way. Lian Deng smiled, his eyes crinkling, "So cute, baby."
Xue Shun's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at Lian Deng.
Baby?
This thing is a baby?!
Ding Yang pulled Xue Shun to sit down, trying her best not to look at Lian Deng, desperately trying to minimize her presence. The detector on her wrist had completely stopped working the moment she stepped into the classroom.
This class consisted of powerful NPCs whose levels were impossible to discern.
Suddenly, Xingluo, who was in front of them, turned around and said with a grin, "Classmates, you should open your books and listen attentively in class. You should respect the teacher's hard work, right?"
Ding Yang forced a smile, opened her book, and said, "Yes, yes."
Surrounded by various high-risk NPCs, the two weak players began to listen to the lesson.
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