To be fair, Yan Chi didn't believe Lin Heng would betray them. For the first time, he saw a hint of heartache and helplessness on Lin Heng's otherwise calm face. He couldn't help but say to Xi Chang, "Aren't you going to listen to his explanation?"
Xi Chang was extremely hostile towards the players. He first gave Xin Xia a cold look, then fixed his gaze on Lin Heng. "He was your former teammate, right?"
Lin Heng: "...Yes."
Just when Yan Chi thought Xi Chang would ask more questions, Xi Chang took his hand and pulled him closer. His arm was cold, and he was damp. Tilting his head, he asked, "Can I just kill them all?"
"?"
Yan Chi was taken aback, pointing at himself. "You're discussing this with me?"
Xi Chang, his face serious, nodded earnestly. "I've never fought Lin Heng before, I might not be able to beat him. Can you help me then?"
Yan Chi felt Lin Heng's gaze on him, feeling immense pressure. Meeting Xi Chang's pleading gaze, he thought for a moment, then decided to side with him, nodding slightly. "But I'm not very good at fighting, I might not be able to help you much."
Xi Chang: "It's okay, the principal will help you."
Shen Mingsu, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but chuckle. In that instant, Yan Chi seemed to understand Xi Chang's true intentions; he, the little fish, was also fishing.
The fishing rod was Yan Chi, and the fish he wanted to catch was Shen Mingsu.
Yan Chi looked at Shen Mingsu, his eyes asking what to do now? Should he really attack Lin Heng?
Shen Mingsu looked at Lin Heng with schadenfreude, pulling Yan Chi to his side. "Teacher Chi, we can't let outsiders bully our fish, right? Let's watch first, and we'll go after the fry can't beat them."
This could barely be considered a promise. Yan Chi let Shen Mingsu lead him aside, saying worriedly, "What if they really start fighting?"
He had known Xi Chang for so long, and Xi Chang had always been silly and cheerful; he had never seen him show such anger. But it seemed Xi Chang's hostility towards the players ran very deep.
Shen Mingsu, unperturbed, winked at Yan Chi. "Don't worry, how can you be so sure Xi Chang can't beat Lin Heng?"
The next second, Yan Chi suddenly felt the temperature plummeting, the surrounding air seeming salty, and in the blink of an eye, the land beneath his feet transformed into a bottomless sea, with a massive black shadow swimming through the depths.
Yan Chi was startled and looked up, only to see the sea and sky merge into one, a vast expanse of azure blue as far as the eye could see.
"This...this is the sea?" Yan Chi lightly stepped forward, the water rippling gently beneath his feet, as if he were standing on a solid water ball, without worrying about falling in.
"Splash!"
Xin Xia wasn't so lucky; he fell directly into the sea. He thrashed about, choking on mouthfuls of salty, astringent seawater. Suddenly, his hair stood on end. Looking down, he saw a sea monster, dozens of meters long, lunging at him with its gaping maw.
Just then, his collar was grabbed, and he was lifted into the air.
[My god, a sea created out of thin air? This mermaid NPC is ridiculously powerful, what level is he?]
[I confess, I thought he was just a happy little silly fish playing ball with the beautiful teacher, but it turns out he's a man-eating shark...]
[So strong, could he be the big boss of this dungeon?]
[Judging from their conversation, those two NPCs who didn't attack must be even stronger. Lin Heng is probably in trouble.]
[I'm a newbie to the game, I want to know what kind of person this Lin Heng is? Is he very powerful?]
[…]
Lin Heng picked up Xin Xia and shook him, shaking off the water. Looking at Xi Chang, whose face was full of anger, he casually calmed the ten-meter-high wave that was sweeping towards him.
“Xi Chang, I never intended to betray you.” Lin Heng softened his voice, wanting to communicate with him properly. “I only just found out he came to this instance; I didn’t coordinate with him to leave beforehand.”
Xi Chang seemed deceived. “But you clearly said you wouldn’t see them again!”
Lin Heng sighed. “I came to find you. You can ask Yan Chi.”
Yan Chi was watching the small fish underwater with interest when he was suddenly called upon. He looked up at the two arguing. “Uh… yes, he came while you were retrieving the ball.”
He added casually, “He came alone.”
Yan Chi found their argument quite exhausting. Lin Heng was clumsy with words, never getting to the point, and Xi Chang was an impatient fish who didn’t like to think.
It was a very simple matter, yet they argued for so long without reaching a conclusion. Yan Chi felt tired just listening to them.
"Never mind them." Shen Mingsu casually scooped up a small jellyfish from the sea, its pale purple glow landing in his hand. He presented it to Yan Chi like a treasure. "Isn't it cute?"
The jellyfish resembled a crystal-clear amethyst. Yan Chi remembered that many brightly colored creatures were poisonous, so he hesitated to touch it. "Is it poisonous?"
Shen Mingsu: "A little, but not too poisonous."
Yan Chi was anxious. "Then why are you holding it!"
"This poison has no effect on me, and it has no effect on you either." Shen Mingsu pushed the jellyfish closer to him. "Want to touch it? It's very soft."
Yan Chi tentatively reached out and touched the jellyfish. It was cool and soft. Yan Chi smiled and nodded. "It's quite fun."
Having lived inland cities all his life, Yan Chi was seeing the sea for the first time. He found it fascinating. While Xi Chang and Lin Heng were still arguing, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu went for a walk nearby.
Xin Xia struggled to dodge the attacks of ferocious sea monsters beneath his feet, only to be drenched by a sudden downpour.
Xi Chang was busy arguing with Lin Heng and didn't really try anything with Xin Xia. Even so, the dangerous deep sea was enough to give Xin Xia a hard time. If Lin Heng helped, the two would argue even more fiercely.
The viewers in Xin Xia's live stream were dizzy from following his perspective. They noticed Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu on the other side.
【Why am I involuntarily focusing on these two NPCs' romance at this critical moment?!】
【Breaking news: They found a beach and went to collect seashells hand in hand.】
【The level of this world…】
【Don't you guys think Lin Heng and this little mermaid are also quite affectionate when they're arguing?】
【Uh… so are we also part of their play?】
[…]
On the golden sand not far away, Yan Chi had a seashell bracelet on his wrist. On a whim, two beach chairs appeared beside him, along with two pairs of sunglasses.
Yan Chi put on the sunglasses and lay down on a beach chair. "Looks like they're going to argue for a while longer. Let's sunbathe."
Shen Mingsu also lay down. "Teacher Chi, two more coconuts, please."
Sand, sun, and coconut water are a perfect match.
The two of them each held a large coconut, the sun shining on them, gazing at the beautiful sea view, their bodies and minds completely relaxed.
The beach vacation experience lasted for two hours. As the sun and sand around them began to fade, Yan Chi knew that Xi Chang and Lin Heng had finished arguing. He called to the drowsy Shen Mingsu, "Let's go, let's go see."
The surrounding scenery returned to the campus lakeside. Yan Chi saw that Lin Heng's focus had changed from Xi Chang to Xin Xia.
Lin Heng's voice was tired. "No one forced me. I stayed here willingly."
Xin Xia seemed deeply shocked, as if he had just met Lin Heng for the first time. "Why? Didn't we agree to accumulate points together to go home? Why are you giving up now that we're almost at the finish line?!"
"Almost at the finish line?" Lin Heng murmured, seemingly sighing. He looked at Xin Xia's youthful eyes. "I guess I'm tired, Xin Xia. This is the life I want."
"Aren't you going home?"
"I have no home, Xin Xia. Don't you know that?"
Xin Xia clenched his fists, looking stubbornly at Lin Heng.
He was actually the son of one of Lin Heng's teammates. From as far back as he could remember, he had idolized Lin Heng. He didn't know how long Lin Heng had lived. His father, when he was still alive, told him that Boss Lin was the most likely person to lead them home; he was the players' hope.
But now, that hope was gone.
"And you? Do you consider this place your home?" Xin Xia pointed at Xi Chang and Yan Chi. "You consider them family?!"
Yan Chi silently took a step back, thanking him for the recognition, but they really weren't close.
Lin Heng: "..."
"Teacher Lin, do you need help?" A passing student seemed to sense the tense atmosphere and stopped beside Lin Heng, looking at Xin Xia, who was clearly a player. The other students also looked in their direction.
Lin Heng rubbed his temples: "No need, everyone disperse."
The students seemed to have realized Xin Xia's weak strength and didn't think he would be a match for Lin Heng, so they left reassured.
Xin Xia was stunned. "They...they called you teacher?"
Lin Heng didn't intend to hide it from him and admitted, "Yes, I'm a teacher at this school now."
The implication was that he had completely shed his player identity and now belonged to the NPC faction.
This scene stunned the other viewers, and the live stream remained silent for a long time.
[I just looked into Lin Heng; he's currently number one on the leaderboard, with a huge gap between him and second place. He seems to be a veteran player from the very beginning of the game, the most likely to complete it. So strong!]
[Impressive, right? He's joined the NPC faction.]
[I'm going crazy! Why did this happen?! Lin Heng, don't abandon us, sob sob...]
[I thought I'd call him a traitor, but for some reason, I'm also envious of him. Sigh... I also want a place where I can live peacefully.]
[+1]
[……]
Xin Xia looked at the agreeing comments in the live stream, gritting his teeth to suppress the tears welling up in his eyes. He held back again and again, finally raising his hand to wipe away his tears. "I guess I misjudged you!"
Xin Xia ran away crying. The old man glanced at Lin Heng, then slowly followed behind him, leaning on his cane. "Slow down, kid. You'll regret it if you fall."
Lin Heng watched Xin Xia's retreating figure, the atmosphere suddenly becoming somewhat heavy.
"Teacher Xiao Chi," Lin Heng turned to Yan Chi, "After the new players arrive tomorrow, can Xin Xia go to your class?"
New players will go to various classes after entering. Yan Chi has five student slots. "Yes, he can."
As evening fell, the afterglow of the setting sun was slowly swallowed by the enveloping darkness.
Yan Chi sat on the swing, watching the remaining fiery clouds on the horizon. A chill ran down his cheek; Xie Tao was standing behind him with a bottle of iced cola. "Want a drink?"
Yan Chi shook his head, and Xie Tao sat down beside him.
Yan Chi glanced at him and asked, "How are things getting along with Ning Zhu and the others?"
"So-so. They're all a bunch of immature kids, always making a fuss and doing whatever they want." Xie Tao felt genuine admiration for Yan Chi. "You manage to maintain a healthy mindset while spending all your time with them, Xiao Chi, you're the strongest."
Yan Chi chuckled. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it out to be."
"Not exaggerated at all." Xie Tao sighed. Thinking of those kids made him feel exhausted. He changed the subject. "I heard there are new players coming tomorrow?"
Yan Chi nodded and told him about the school's plans. "Are you going to participate in the sports meet?"
Xie Tao thought for a moment and decisively shook his head. "I could run a bit in junior high, but now I'd better not. I'm afraid I'll collapse on the track."
"By the way, your students gave you a suggestion about tomorrow's opening ceremony performance. They asked me to pass it on to you."
As if remembering something, Xie Tao's lips couldn't help but curl upwards.
Seeing the smile on Xie Tao's face, Yan Chi immediately sensed something was wrong. "What suggestion?"
"Your students dancing is like a disabled person doing rehabilitation training; they know their place," Xie Tao said. "So they want you to help them backstage behind the curtain. If anyone falls and can't get up right away, just pull them behind the curtain."
The absurdity of the suggestion stunned Yan Chi for a few seconds. "...Xingluo's idea?"
Xie Tao couldn't help but laugh twice. "Yes, you really know your precious students."
Yan Chi: "..."
He knew it.
"Actually, I think it's a pretty good idea," Xie Tao unusually agreed with the suggestion. "Dragging them away is better than lying on the stage making a fool of yourself."
Yan Chi fell silent. Thinking about the chaotic scene today, he actually found it reasonable. "...Then go for me. Each class teacher has a fixed position; I can't leave without a reason."
Xie Tao readily agreed.
The next morning, the system issued a notification.
[Attention all players, the Yunzhou dungeon will be expanding its recruitment. Interested players are advised to prepare in advance. The dungeon will begin in three minutes.]
[Recruitment Quantity: 30]
Still in the same spot where Xin Xia left, the three men remained silent for a moment. They had already seen what happened in Xin Xia's livestream.
They had considered many possibilities, but they had never considered that Lin Heng would voluntarily stay in the dungeon. If that was the case, should they still enter the dungeon?
The tall, thin man lavishly used his system points to buy a pack of cigarettes. After puffing away for a while, he stubbed out the cigarette. "...Let's go. If he doesn't come back, we'll bring Xia back."
Meanwhile, in another part of the player lobby, Lu Yuanming peeked at the large screen like a hamster. He tapped Song Qian's shoulder. "Brother Song, I saw Xin Xia's livestream. Teacher Xiao Chi is in this dungeon. Should we go?"
Song Qian habitually tossed the dice. Looking at his palm, he saw it was indeed a six. It seemed that everything went smoothly and auspiciously when he encountered Yan Chi.
Song Qian countered Lu Yuanming's question, "Why are you going to see him?"
Lu Yuanming smiled sheepishly, "I'm going to seek refuge with him, Brother Song. I'm not like you guys, not geniuses or high achievers. I'm just an ordinary person... I just want to live a simple life."
From beginning to end, Lu Yuanming never felt he was anything special; he was just a pure, ordinary person.
After speaking, Lu Yuanming subconsciously looked at Song Qian, "Brother Song, if I say this, will you think I'm unambitious?"
Song Qian glanced at him, "That's what I thought too. The eldest brother doesn't criticize the second brother."
Lu Yuanming was stunned, then overjoyed, "You're going too?!"
"Yes, let's go."
[Player selection complete.]
[Number of players: 30]
[Players logging in...]
A teacher was already waiting in the botanical garden this time. Seeing the players log in, the teacher, with a melancholy expression, stepped forward and said to them, "Come with me."
Lu Yuanming and Song Qian were among the players. Upon seeing the teacher, Lu Yuanming involuntarily recalled his five-point math test, and a wave of sadness washed over him. He blinked, and tears streamed down his face.
"W-what's going on?" Lu Yuanming choked back a sob, wiping his face haphazardly. "I suddenly feel like crying, sob sob sob..."
Lu Yuanming looked up and was surprised to find Song Qian crying too. Not only him, but every player was sobbing quietly.
Song Qian was shedding tears, but his voice was steady, "This teacher is suspicious. Don't get too close to him..."
As Teacher Youyou led the players to the student dormitory, Lu Yuanming and Song Qian quietly walked at the back of the line.
Sure enough, after getting some distance from Teacher Youyou, the inexplicable sadness began to gradually subside. Lu Yuanming rubbed his eyes and saw the three extraordinary players next to him.
"They look amazing..." Lu Yuanming whispered to Song Qian, unable to discern their exact levels.
Song Qian glanced at the three. "S-rank players, of course they're amazing."
"S-rank?!" Lu Yuanming nearly cried out. He covered his mouth, his eyes darting around in astonishment. "My god, I've never seen S-rank players in my life! S-rank!"
Song Qian didn't understand his surprise. "You've seen S-rank players before, haven't you? Those boys and girls in the Snow Flame dungeon were all S-rank, and you got along really well with them, didn't you?"
"They're S-rank too?!" Lu Yuanming was dazed. "I didn't know! They invited me to play, so I went."
He'd even beaten them several times at Dou Dizhu (a card game).
Song Qian: "..."
This terrifying insensitivity.
“By the way, Brother Song!” Lu Yuanming’s eyes sparkled. “You said Teacher Xiaochi is in this instance, so are Feng Wang and the others there too? They’re all Teacher Xiaochi’s students… Teacher… wait, is this instance their school?!”
Song Qian nodded approvingly. “Not too stupid.”
Lu Yuanming instantly became expectant. “I wonder when I’ll see Feng Wang and the others again.”
Of course, Lu Yuanming didn’t expect to see them again so soon.
The following day, at the opening ceremony performance, all the teachers and students of Yunzhou gathered in the auditorium. Even including the players, there were less than a thousand people in total, making the auditorium seem exceptionally empty.
The school leaders were all in the first row, in the very center. Therefore, Yan Chi couldn’t sit next to Shen Mingsu. Shen Mingsu had begged and pleaded for a long time before arriving, but Yan Chi wouldn’t agree to change seats to sit next to him.
As a result of Yan Chi’s insistence, Xi Chang was to his left and Lin Heng to his right. The two seemed to be having a fight; Xi Chang was holding his wrist, pulling him towards him.
This is a typical example of trying to isolate someone by befriending another person; it's also quite childish.
Yan Chi's shoulder was pressed tightly against Xi Chang's. Xi Chang leaned on his shoulder, his small face tilted up, his azure eyes like sparkling sapphires. He whispered in Yan Chi's ear, "You have to be my friend."
Yan Chi couldn't help but chuckle, nodding obediently, "Yes, you're my best friend in the world."
Xi Chang was satisfied, and glared at Lin Heng.
Lin Heng: "..."
Just like the opening ceremony of any ordinary school sports meet, school leaders took turns giving speeches at the front. Shen Mingsu, as the principal, was pushed up by the director, who also handed him a speech draft.
Shen Mingsu smiled, straightened his tie, took out the speech draft, and saw the dense text, which made his smile freeze. He decisively put the draft down.
Shen Mingsu spotted Yan Chi immediately, winked at him, and then said passionately, "Good luck, everyone, at the sports meet!"
He finished those few words and ran off, the students cheering happily, while the director was furious.
When Shen Mingsu returned, he patted the director on the shoulder, "The sports meet is the students' domain. If we go up there and say too much, it'll be stealing the show. Look, everyone's having a great time."
The director retorted irritably, "At least some basic ceremony is necessary! Without rules, there can be no order!"
Shen Mingsu handed the speech back to him, "Fine, go ahead then."
The director actually took the speech and went up, then began to speak in his usual monotone tone, "Students, in this bright and beautiful autumn season, our school welcomes its annual sports meet..."
Listening to that familiar opening ceremony speech, Yan Chi, just like when he was a child, felt his eyelids begin to droop. He forced himself to stay awake; this wasn't like before when he could blend into the crowd. He couldn't fall asleep. He was sitting in the front row; the director could spot him with a glance. A dozen minutes later, Yan Chi felt a slump on his shoulder; Xi Chang had fallen asleep soundly on his arm.
Yan Chi: "..."
He wanted to sleep too!
A few more minutes passed, and the director finally finished his speech, ushering in the next segment—the opening ceremony performance.
Just as Yan Chi was about to wake Xi Chang, a deafening gong and drumbeat rang out, startling everyone who was dozing off. Several hopping zombies slowly appeared behind the curtain.
Yan Chi was startled; he had arrived late yesterday and missed this performance.
Not only the player behind him, but also the one behind him was shocked and almost ran away, thankfully being pulled back by his companion.
Then, cheerful music began to play.
"Left! Left! Right! Right! Go turn around, go! Go! Go!"
The zombies on stage began to hop and jump to the music.
Yan Chi: "..."
Players: "..."
[...If I heard correctly, this melody, these lyrics, the bunny hop?]
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