Chapter 109 Merfolk Shore
“Aaron?”
The principal remembered this name. He was one of the reported students.
Holding an important position demanded seriousness, so he couldn’t tolerate public vomiting.
“Make him stop,” the principal sternly asked Mr. Ruan.
“You can stop now, Student Eulia,” Mr. Ruan said in a cold tone.
Wen Shi’s nose twitched. He smelled a faint fishy odor around the principal. They were very close, and there seemed to be a light mist around the principal’s dark eyes. The sticky membranes around his eyes quivered briefly. The principal’s gaze suddenly focused, like a startled aggressive wolf, unkindly staring at Wen Shi who was observing him.
Unfazed, Wen Shi raised the garbage bin he held and said, “Looks like you don’t need this anymore.”
He went back to his seat, a bit disappointed, and told Jian Qingrong, “Whenever I try to please the higher-ups, they end up disliking me.”
It was the same the last time he tried to please A’Ao.
Jian Qingrong replaced the gauze over his eyes at some point. “Then take his place.”
With the Wandering Corpse setting an example, players in the entire classroom regained their confidence.
Mr. Ruan gestured for the Wandering Corpse to sit down, and expressionlessly marked a ‘-10′ in the attendance sheet.
Had the deduction points for an in-class quiz not been limited to ten, he might have included an additional zero.
“Aaron,” Mr. Ruan continued calling names.
Sitting by the wall, Xiao Li felt relieved. As of now, the one called on first was someone with a questionable identity.
If his judgment was correct, that person named Eulia failed the blood test.
A’Zhuang banged on a worn-out copper gong. “It’s not our turn.”
Xiao Li nodded.
The Wandering Corpse singing bolstered Wen Shi’s confidence. He didn’t have much talent for singing. He could occasionally hit a few notes.
“It’s a sunny day, casting its light upon…”
In just a few words, his tune went off, but Wen Shi was good at covering up. He innocently said in a low voice, “Sorry, Sir, Eulia’s singing has been stuck in my head.”
Since he didn’t mention why it was stuck, the Wandering Corpse took it as a compliment.
It was an impeccable excuse. Mr. Ruan forgave him and didn’t deduct points in the attendance sheet.
To prevent further impact on students, after seeking the principal’s approval, he announced, “We’ll take a fifteen-minute break.”
During the break, a few students went to the restroom, but most remained in their seats. Worried about being called later, they had almost come to hate the Wandering Corpse, as they have all forgotten what the original melody was like.
“It’s a… it’s a,” a player in the back row tried to find the tune, gradually losing patience, “It’s a damn ancestor…”
Luck wasn’t on his side. Mr. Ruan overheard and gently inquired about the student’s name, resulting in a point deduction.
“Do not insult music,” Mr. Ruan lectured, his expression turning solemn.
Wen Shi looked at the attendance sheet that determined students’ daily scores. He calmly thought, “Do not insult music,” or perhaps, “Do not insult this song.”
“A Warm Day in the Sunshine,” as interpreted by the lyrics, described a sunny day when a group of people went fishing at sea and enjoyed a bountiful harvest.
It praised the fishermen’s hard work and was also a song about the hardships of fishing.
Wen Shi tapped Jian Qingrong’s wrist with his fingertip and raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”
Despite the abrupt question, Jian Qingrong understood it.
Just as he had disguised himself as a Big Factory worker back then, merfolk could very well have infiltrated the school. They might be cafeteria staff, students… or even mentors or school administrators.
Some special species didn’t have an in-between appearance. They were either exceptionally beautiful or extraordinarily ugly. Judging from the overly dazzling appearance of a few special admissions students this time and the merfolk he saw last night, most merfolk belonged to the former category.
So, the scope narrowed down to mentors and students.
The mentor who came today, Mr. Ruan, had a smiling face but showed no sign of going easy on students. However, a slight fluctuation appeared when students insulted the lyrics. The other male mentor was cold and handsome, naturally attracting female students. During breaks, some female students stole glances at him. Lastly, the female mentor had red hair and fair skin, with an exotic appearance, but seemed a bit masculine.
Surprisingly, more female students took note of her than male students did.
Information obtained solely from appearances was quite limited. Jian Qingrong squinted and said, “We’ll only know after dissecting.”
Wen Shi: “……”
The break ended quickly.
No player made the simple mistake of being late. The class resumed.
Mr. Ruan initiated the harsh roll call journey, “Ni Tao.”
The called player sang quite accurately and confidently. After listening, Mr. Ruan didn’t react much, just nodded, “Not bad, you have some foundation.”
He left a mark in the attendance sheet again.
Wen Shi observed closely, only two strokes were made.
Ji Yuanzhi’s smart glasses provided the answer directly, “Deducted one point.”
Ni Tao seemed to possess a musical background, perhaps even studying vocal music, yet still couldn’t meet the mentor’s passing standard.
Song Yan: “So, does that mean students called upon in every class will lose points?”
Wen Shi nodded in agreement.
The downside of potentially exposing the identity as a merfolk had already emerged: facing the constant risk of losing daily points.
Over the course of nearly two hours, Mr. Ruan called the names of twenty-two students in total. After putting down the attendance sheet, he began discussing some music theory. When the bell for the end of class rang, Mr. Ruan promptly concluded the lesson.
The next class was to be held in a different building called Refined Music Building.
Exiting through the front door, Wen Shi noticed the principal didn’t intend to continue attending the open class. The principal remained seated, conversing with mentors, waiting for the students to leave first.
As Wen Shi passed by him, he once again caught that unpleasant, fishy-salty smell. The source of this scent was uncertain, seeming to come from the mouth and permeating through every pore.
Most players were sitting at the back, with only a few coming out from the front door. After confirming that no one was around, Wen Shi spoke up, “The fishy smell on the principal is quite strange.”
Fishy smell?
Song Yan considered himself to have keen senses, but he hadn’t detected it.
Wen Shi looked at Jian Qingrong and Ji Yuanzhi in turn. Both of them shook their heads as well.
The unanimous denials made Wen Shi question himself.
Jian Qingrong found it unsurprising. “Cats are sensitive to the smell of fish. It’s a normal thing.”
Wen Shi: “…I’m not a cat.”
It was just a transformation, after all.
Jian Qingrong got back on track, “The probability of the principal being a merfolk is quite low. The smell likely has a different source.”
If the principal was a merfolk, the academy would take on a different aspect. At least the merfolk lurking in the shadows wouldn’t need to hide anymore.
The Refined Music Building faced the shade, and the wind blowing into the corridor brought a slight chill.
The morning was filled with major classes. The last two periods were for analyzing musicals. Their instructor was an ordinary teacher who also called twenty-two names. This time, Wen Shi wasn’t spared. Thanks to Ji Yuanzhi’s glasses, he knew he had lost points.
Before the class ended, the teacher looked disappointed. “You are the most underperforming group of students I’ve ever taught. Those who couldn’t answer the questions today need to head to the library for self-study tonight. I don’t want you to be ignorant even about the basics of musicals.”
Including Wen Shi, twenty-two underperforming students received a task prompt:
【Side Quest: Evening Study Session
Task: Following the teacher’s instruction, you are required to study in the library’s study room for an hour.
Note: The evening study session begins after 10 o’clock.】
The mentor’s face remained cold as she said, “I’ve informed the library security and dormitory management. Please study diligently and don’t engage in any mischief.”
“Yes,” the students obediently replied.
As soon as she left the classroom, some players changed their expressions. “This instance is like trying to kill someone with a blunt knife.”
Wen Shi could relate.
It was too lenient.
Like a soft melody, flowing slowly, the players were frogs leisurely swimming in the sea of music, simmered gently by a small fire.
Song Yan: “Boss, is there anything I can do for you?”
Accompanying might not help, but he could contribute some points as support. After the previous instance, Song Yan had almost 15,000 points left after upgrading the mirror.
Wen Shi sighed. “You can just keep watch.”
By the time he returned, it would be at least 1:30 AM.
Players who weren’t called might not be eligible for late-night studying, so Ji Yuanzhi couldn’t accompany either.
Before Jian Qingrong spoke, Wen Shi asked, “Is the building you sponsored the library?”
“No.”
Wen Shi gestured. “Then you can keep watch too.”
There were no classes in the afternoon, so before lunch, Wen Shi planned to check out the library. However, he was stopped by a security guard at the entrance.
“Show your student ID.”
Wen Shi: “I’m a new student. I only have a campus card.”
The security guard mechanically carried out his duty. “No ID, no entry.”
Wen Shi: “The teacher sent me.”
Unfortunately, the security guard wasn’t buying it at all, “Ms. E instructed over the phone. The struggling students can only come at night.”
With no other option, Wen Shi turned around. Below the library stairs, Ji Yuanzhi and Song Yan were looking in another direction.
Following their gaze, Wen Shi saw construction taking place there, with a crane indicating a building was being erected.
“Wasn’t the school supposed to be closed recently?” Apparently, that only applied to students, as the construction crew was carrying on unaffected.
Jian Qingrong said casually, “It’s the building I donated. Once it’s completed, it will be named Nianwen Building.”
[T/N: nian: to miss/think of; wen : warmth (or the surname wen) = missing the warmth or missing wen shi ^o^]
Wen Shi: “……”
I’m still alive. What’s with the ‘missing’?
The afternoon passed uneventfully.
In the dorm room, Wen Shi felt a hint of restlessness. He reasonably suspected that the game was intentionally targeting him. Accustomed to swiftly completing instances, this situation made it difficult for him to concentrate and take notes.
Ji Yuanzhi lay on the bed, resting. Without opening his eyes, he knew what Wen Shi was thinking. He spoke softly, “For an S-rank instance, there’s a limit to even the slow-witted. Something is bound to happen tonight.”
Neither the library nor the dorm room was safe.
But if one were to compare difficulty, the risks in the dorm room were definitely lower than in the library.
“True, today is already the day.”
After Wen Shi spoke, the air fell silent for a second.
Both of them unconsciously looked in Jian Qingrong’s direction. It took them only about a day to clear “Big Factory.”
Wen Shi: I’m quite impressive.
Ji Yuanzhi gazed at Jian Qingrong: This person won’t cut it.
The cup was empty. Jian Qingrong walked out of the room in silence to get hot water for Wen Shi.
Xiao Li and A’Zhuang happened to be going to the cafeteria to buy water as well, seemingly committed to drinking mineral water till the end.
Wen Shi focused on the spot of the first bed. “I’ll go to the library to study. A good roommate also contributes.”
He then turned to Ji Yuanzhi. “If it’s convenient, let’s switch roommates.”
Ji Yuanzhi opened his eyes. “The number of new students is fixed. Even if an entire building isn’t fully occupied, their deaths won’t result in new roommate…”
His words abruptly stopped.
He thought about Wen Shi’s younger brother in “Big Factory” and the little son in “Sealed Coffin Village.”
Wen Shi raised his eyebrows with a cheerful smile.
Assured that dorm supervisor wouldn’t continuously monitor the students entering and leaving, and that the teachers only spot-checked the attendance roster during class, it was time to involve family members in a music study session.
“Speaking of which… Could it be that everyone in my family is tone-deaf? Even my old man’s singing could scare someone to death.”
As for the others, Wen Shi’s strong sixth sense told him that none of them were good with music. He even had an odd feeling that his demon little brother was probably the most extremely tone-deaf person among them.
Ji Yuanzhi stared at the ceiling in the middle bunk.
Had they evolved from being orphans to being a family now?
He wiped his glasses, thinking that since this person had overcome his tragic background, it was time to erase any pitying stereotypes.
Song Yan hesitated. “So, is it because of this similarity that the true spirits and those monsters wanted to resurrect your esteemed father using your body?”
Ji Yuanzhi almost snapped his glasses in half.
When Wen Shi and the true spirit had their face-to-face meeting, they divided into two groups, and Jian Qingrong hadn’t obtained timely information about it. Holding a thermos as he entered, his right eye seemed to gather a flurry of snowflakes, his lips curling into a chilly smile. “What did you just say?”
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