Matryoshka Off-Limits Chapter 118 Part 2

Chapter 118.2 Merfolk Shore

Comprehensive Building.

People at Mingzhu Academy seemed to dislike turning on lights. Even in broad daylight, the building was dark and gloomy.

As Wen Shi went upstairs, he searched for the【King’s Card Box】in the in-game store, thinking of buying one just in case. However, upon seeing the price, he silently withdrew his intention.

It was quite expensive.

This price could buy him the use of his sword skill, and still have some left over.

Throughout Wen Shi’s journey, there was only one office with someone inside.

The room was even more damp and humid than outside. Today, the sunlight was scarce. Mr. Ruan’s desk was by the window, with most of his body covered in shadows.

Wen Shi knew why he was summoned, but he didn’t show it on his face. He stood before Mr. Ruan, head bowed.

“What happened at the library last night?” There was no buffer in Mr. Ruan’s question. He stared intently at Wen Shi’s expression, as if trying to decipher every subtle change in his demeanor.

The library was closed today, and in the morning, Mr. Ruan had gone to the scene. The merfolk figure seemed as if it had been wax-sealed, frozen in a half-kneeling position, with a plaque hidden in its abdomen. The scene was eerie and distorted.

Wen Shi remained silent for a few seconds, as if recalling his words carefully, then slowly began, “When I went there, the senior students had just finished playing the Ouija board game. I use the headmistress’ name to deliver the booklets, fearing they wouldn’t read them. I quietly stayed back to observe…

“Luckily, everyone was very interested and fully engaged in their books. However, not long after, strange sounds started in the library. It sounded like a cat’s meow mixed with a fox’s cry…”

Every word he spoke was cautious, as he made a deliberate effort to emphasize that he was earnestly handling the book delivery task.

Upon hearing that Wen Shi had specifically stayed back to ensure students were reading, a rare sense of satisfaction bloomed in Mr. Ruan’s heart.

“I thought the sound might be caused by the wind. I was preparing to close the windows…”

Wen Shi’s tone grew hurried and nervous. As he spoke, he fumbled to take out his phone, trembling as he opened the photo gallery.

He seemed quite frightened, his fingers shaking increasingly. Finally, in a moment of inadvertence, his phone slipped from his grasp.

The screen was falling to the ground, but Mr. Ruan caught it just in time.

Wen Shi continued to speak intermittently, repeatedly emphasizing the fear he experienced last night.

Mr. Ruan had to search for the photos himself. He first came across a barely discernible picture of a fox, the low resolution somehow adding to the fox’s otherworldly aura.

These were all materials that Wen Shi had prepared in advance. The fox spirit belonged to a rather unique type of creature, possessing a physical form that could be captured in photographs after sustaining significant injuries.

While scrolling through the images, Mr. Ruan suddenly paused, his attention drawn to a particular mirror. “What’s this?”

Wen Shi explained, “It’s an item from when I was in a drama production. After the performance ended, the teacher allowed each of us to take one as a memento of our participation. However, I’m planning to sell it these days.”

Before Mr. Ruan could question the authenticity of this explanation, Wen Shi provided a plausible reason, “I only have 50 yuan in my campus card. It’s not nearly enough.”

The special admissions students at Mingzhu Academy generally came from modest backgrounds. That was why the school preloaded their campus cards with 50 yuan. The school wasn’t keen on providing more, and the administration didn’t intend for these special admissions students to stay too long anyway.

Mr. Ruan felt an uncontrollable surge of frustration upon seeing the mirror. Unfortunately, it was a necessity of life. He gazed at the mirror in the gallery and said, “I’ll give you 100 yuan for it. Bring the mirror to me later.”

Wen Shi readily agreed.

Using the pretext of retrieving the mirror, he left the office.

Upon returning to the dorm room, he found a lunchbox on the table. It was the meal he had entrusted Ji Yuanzhi to bring back for him earlier.

Wen Shi never treated himself poorly. He decided to finish his meal before going to deliver the item.

The mirror stood against the table, and while eating, he occasionally caught a glimpse of it from the corner of his eye. Influenced by the mirror, which symbolized dialectics, the hypnotic effect that was already close to expiration for Wen Shi began to waver again.

“Wusa Kingdom.”

He unconsciously muttered it once, his brows tightly furrowed.

Meanwhile, Ji Yuanzhi noticed this scene, confirming that King Asa would soon “pass away.”

Unfortunately, the person in question was unaware.

Wen Shi felt his head growing heavy and muddled. He was still resisting this negative buff with all his might. He quickly took a few more bites of his meal and headed out to deliver the mirror.

Simultaneously, inside an office of the comprehensive building, the perfect merfolk that only existed in the game model was frozen on the wall like a bas-relief. The deadly lake-blue curly hair fluttered gently even without a breeze.

This merfolk was the assistant of Mr. Ruan, who had once wreaked havoc in the cafeteria.

On regular days, he would never set foot in the comprehensive building. But today was different. Many staff members had returned to their dormitories due to the rain, and the principal was still dealing with matters at the library. The chances of being discovered here were quite low.

“I rarely go to the library, so I don’t know what happened last night,” the enchanting voice sounded distant, as if unreachable, due to its coldness.

“Since this group of special admissions students arrived, strange things have been happening one after another. That student who just came to find you, his aura resembles that of a stupid cat I once saw.”

The merfolk spoke coldly, “The timing of the appearance of that stupid cat coincides with the first day of the new students’ enrollment.”

In the past, he wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate such a suspicious presence. However, now that the awakening of the king was at a critical juncture, there were many matters they couldn’t intervene in directly. They must find an intermediary.

Only the new students meet the conditions. The school treated them as a source of nourishment and didn’t implement strict control. Unlike regular senior students, each floor had a floor leader, and even rehearsals for programs required advance reporting. Their daily routines followed a militarized management.

“I’ve already probed him once. Since you have suspicions, then try again.” Mr. Ruan’s expression turned slightly cold. “Even if there’s a slight doubt, snuff out this source promptly.”

There was no room for error in this matter.

Because of heavy rain, the campus was deserted. Downstairs, a young man was entering the comprehensive building while folding his umbrella. The merfolk in the office vanished momentarily at the sight.

The cold air outside didn’t manage to clear Wen Shi’s mind.

Whenever he held the mirror, he would inadvertently recall the attribute panel’s entry for “False King Asa.” The adjectives preceding it silently pricked at his brain nerves.

Feeling unwell, Wen Shi didn’t notice the fleeting glint of killing intent in Mr. Ruan’s eyes as he entered the office.

According to Mr. Ruan, the school administrator claimed that the surveillance data had been deleted. He couldn’t imagine any supernatural being capable of erasing surveillance footage. As a witness to the library incident, Wen Shi became a little bit more suspicious in the eyes of Mr. Ruan.

“Thank you for making the effort,” Mr. Ruan considerately handed over a paper cup, “Have some hot water.”

A sip of water snapped Wen Shi back to alertness.

The water wasn’t too hot, and a few tea leaves hadn’t fully unfurled yet. The tea’s bitterness couldn’t mask the faint fishy smell at the bottom of the cup.

There was something off with the water, but Wen Shi didn’t have a choice.

Mr. Ruan’s seemingly gentle aura masked his authoritative nature. Wen Shi had long figured that out.

Certain that there couldn’t be any hesitation, Wen Shi thanked him, a bit startled by the kindness, and immediately took the cup.

As the rim of the cup touched his lips, he remembered the dinner that night and consoled himself that even if this cup of water was potent, it probably couldn’t surpass the uncooked meat.

Naturally, Wen Shi began contemplating how he had managed to endure the mental contamination from raw meat that night. After a taxing mental effort, fragmented and disjointed memories emerged in his mind, causing a thin layer of sweat to form behind his neck in the cold weather.

Gulp.

In front of Mr. Ruan, Wen Shi started drinking water voraciously.

A drop of merfolk blood was added to the water. After flowing through his esophagus, Wen Shi’s gaze became a bit unfocused, but that was all. The influence of merfolk’s mental contamination on him had significantly diminished since he established his own kingdom.

“Earlier, you mentioned that your goal was to participate in the music concert,” Mr. Ruan’s voice held a hint of perplexity, more than usual, further weakening his defenses, “The academy will start selecting performances tomorrow. With your qualifications, it’s impossible to get chosen even after three more years of practice, unless I use my personal influence to push you in…”

He looked at Wen Shi, who had a vacant look in his eyes, “But if I do that, it will surely raise suspicions from the school authorities.”

Mr. Ruan’s tone shifted abruptly, “There’s another rather troublesome matter…”

He didn’t finish all his words at once, the implicit subtext being that Wen Shi needed to display corresponding value for him to consider making an exception.

Wen Shi’s heart tightened. This was likely the beginning of the introductory quest mentioned by the chubby player earlier.

He could only follow up, “What matter?”

As he worried about the quest, the thoughts in Wen Shi’s mind grew increasingly tangled. His memories traced back to when he possessed the item called【Pen Stylus】. The promotional leaflet wasn’t a classic text. He had written it himself, with the purpose of… deceiving people.

Suddenly, a moment of clarity pierced through his consciousness.

So, was his kingdom nonexistent from the very beginning?

Mr. Ruan stood up and walked over to the staff photo hanging on the wall. The principal standing in the center made his pupils constrict abruptly, his unmasked hatred evident. “The reason the principal managed to stand strong all these years is that he dig the heart of the Merfolk King. He…”

“No!”

A wailing cry interrupted Mr. Ruan’s speech.

Wen Shi’s face turned pale, as if he had been struck by lightning.

His expression contorted greatly, a state that couldn’t be feigned. Even the other merfolk who had been observing from the shadows was taken aback by this reaction.

However, both sides were thinking about different things.

Wen Shi completely shattered the hypnotic barrier, his mind filled with: What have I done? What have I actually done!

In his original conception, he might have indulged in some unconventional behavior, but it certainly wouldn’t have escalated to hiding a scroll in a fish’s belly. He had even shouted “Wula” loudly in front of his family members, and even intended to crown A’Sang as Asa II.

Wen Shi swayed, feeling as though he was about to collapse.

The same scene, viewed by both Mr. Ruan and the observing merfolk, took on different interpretations.

The agonizing pain that Wen Shi displayed, akin to losing his entire family, was his reaction to learning about the Merfolk King’s heart being dug out. Therefore, the merfolk naturally assumed that his shouts were for the Merfolk King.

When they first discovered the Merfolk King’s heart had been taken out, their emotion was purely anger, without a hint of sorrow.

In contrast, the student before them wore an expression of utter despair, as if they wished to evaporate from this world immediately. Their demeanor of grief seemed to surpass even that of an actual merfolk.

Mr. Ruan narrowed his eyes, confirming the absence of any signs of deception.

Acting also required a certain preparation time, and this person didn’t display any forced emotional transition–it was a one-step delivery.

“No!” A hoarse cry was about to burst forth again.

Worried about drawing attention, Mr. Ruan instinctively covered Wen Shi’s mouth with his hand. He naturally had strong physical strength, and with Wen Shi’s unstable stance, the push ended up with him against the wall.

Wen Shi’s eyes widened abruptly, almost as if he was etching the unspoken “no” onto his pupils.

Gritting his teeth, Mr. Ruan whispered a threat, “I know you’re upset, but please stop shouting.”

His fingers were long, and while covering Wen Shi’s mouth, he inadvertently obstructed his breathing. As his breath caught in his throat, his eyes starting to redden.

The observing merfolk had already vanished, having heard the sound of high heels approaching. Wen Shi also heard it. As soon as Mr. Ruan released his hand, Wen Shi suddenly grabbed it again, pressing it against the wall to make it look as if he was being trapped.

Then, he successfully shouted again, “No—”

“Mr. Ruan, the music concert program—”

Wen Shi intentionally hadn’t closed the door tightly when he came in, ensuring an escape route in case of trouble. Lily knocked a couple of times before simply pushing the door open. She had been looking down at something in her hands, but when she looked up and saw the scene, she was dumbfounded.

“……”

Three seconds later, Lily silently retreated and casually closed the door behind her.

The assault victim, now twisted in mind, had turned into the aggressor, venting the pain he had endured. It was quite a reasonable course of action.

Since Mr. Ruan’s claws hadn’t reached out to regular students, Lily decided to ignore it. After all, the purpose of these special admissions students was to be consumed no matter what method.

Politely crossing herself over her chest, she made a final prayer for the student in question.

The office was frighteningly quiet.

Wen Shi’s current state was peculiar. On one hand, due to the tea laced with merfolk blood, his thoughts hadn’t gathered, and he spoke whatever came to mind. On the other hand, he reflexively seized upon anything advantageous for the task at hand.

While adjusting his breath, he began, “You mentioned earlier that if you used your private influence to insert me into the concert, it would surely arouse suspicion from the school. But now, it’s different.”

Addressing Mr. Ruan with gravity, despite not having done anything, Wen Shi declared, “Backdoor deal is the best explanation.”

The past of juvenile romanticism couldn’t be salvaged, but he looked ahead. “With a witness in place, when you put me in the program selection tomorrow, the principal will undoubtedly raise questions. Then, Ms. Lily will restrain the principal and say, ‘I saw Mr. Ruan making advances on him.’ The principal won’t let such a scandal break out. For the reputation of the institution, in the end, he’ll turn a blind eye and tacitly approve my inclusion.”

The lines between the words vividly painted the potential scene that could unfold.

Wen Shi was almost tempted to applaud himself for his clever improvisation. In fact, he did clap his hands together with a “clap.”

“That’s fantastic! Now no one will suspect us!”

Nobody would doubt Mr. Ruan’s intentions. His earlier explanations held no weight, and there was no excuse to assign himself high-difficulty quest.

Forget about the principal and the Merfolk King’s heart. Those were clearly not favorable assignments. The【King’s Card Box】was too expensive, so Wen Shi could only manually refresh the difficulty level of the side quest.

Seeing Mr. Ruan purse his thin lips, Wen Shi took it as his agreement and continued, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave, Sir. By the way, I’m not really good at singing, so please don’t go overboard and put me in as a backup dancer.”

He wasn’t picky.

Just before leaving, he made a deep bow.

“……”

Without exaggeration, in that moment, Wen Shi managed to unnerve a special NPC to the point of trembling hands.

The vintage mirror on the table bore witness to it all and was close to spamming “666.”

“My King, Eternal God!”

this eternal god expression (yyds) is actually the Chinese equivalent of GOAT (greatest of all time)

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