Chapter 38.2 Red Embroidered Shoes 05
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Chen Yang looked at Teacher Li. Teacher Li answered, “It was Teacher Bai Yan. I heard she was accused of embezzlement, and the police came to arrest her. She fled to the row of bungalows in the back hill and hanged herself in the middle of the night.”
Ling Hao and Cheng Dong’s faces turned pale when they heard the name Bai Yan, clearly displaying fear. Ling Hao asked in astonishment, “Dead? She hanged herself? Why is there no rumor whatsoever in the school?”
“That day was Sunday, and there weren’t many people in the school. Besides, it’s not something to be proud of. The school concealed the news and fenced off the basketball court to prevent students from going to the back hill.”
Ling Hao and Cheng Dong still had expressions of great shock, finding it hard to believe. Kou Xuanling asked with confusion, “Why are your reactions so strong?”
Ling Ha: “My roommate… was rumored to have had an affair with Teacher Bai Yan. Could it be that Teacher Bai Yan sought revenge and killed my roommate?”
Chen Yang and Kou Xuanling exchanged glances, unable to draw a definite conclusion. They had asked all the questions they could, and those they couldn’t ask, they didn’t know the answers to. So the two of them left, leaving Teacher Li and the two students behind. Finally, Cheng Dong, in despair, said, “It must be Teacher Bai Yan coming back to seek revenge on us!”
“Nonsense!” Ling Hao angrily exclaimed. “Why would she seek revenge on us? We didn’t force her to death. She hanged herself! Teacher Li, the school did a great job concealing the news. We didn’t even know about Teacher Bai Yan’s ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ.”
“Guan Xinyu knew,” Teacher Li said coldly. “Don’t act so innocent. You, who received the card and participated in the deadly game, did you think Bai Yan would spare you? How naive.”
Cheng Dong collapsed, crying in despair, “It has nothing to do with me! It has nothing to do with me! It was clearly Guan Xinyu and Li Hui who did it, they deserved to die! But it has nothing to do with me, I didn’t do anything!”
Ling Hao grabbed Cheng Dong by the collar and said fiercely, “This is your guilty conscience! Teacher Bai Yan treated you well, don’t forget that, you ungrateful wretch!”
Cheng Dong slumped to the ground, a big boy crying, huddled with his knees pulled up. Ling Hao, on the other hand, had a face full of disdain and disgust, spitting a few irritated curses. Teacher Li sat quietly on the side, watching them with a mocking expression.
Chen Yang and Kou Xuanling, who hadn’t gone far from the door, finally left. Kou Xuanling said as they walked, “There are obviously still hidden words. Is that Teacher Bai Yan the key?”
“It’s clear that they have done something wrong. Based on the past few days I’ve spent with them, I don’t find it surprising what despicable things they are capable of.” Chen Yang despised this group of people, but he knew that there were still some who were genuinely innocent, locked inside Jinshui High School. Moreover, they didn’t even know that they couldn’t leave Jinshui High School.
“Do you remember the student who talked to us yesterday?”
“What about him?”
“He was lying.” Chen Yang walked upstairs and returned to his own dormitory. At this time, the sound of students doing morning exercises came from outside, adding a touch of vitality to the gloomy school. “It’s quite obvious that those two male students are somehow connected to the teacher who committed ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ. They didn’t even know that the teacher had already died by ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ, so how would he know?”
“Now that you mention it, it does feel a bit off. The school has concealed many things, especially the ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ of the female teacher, without any rumors circulating. Yet he knows about it, as well as the deaths in the basketball court and classroom. It’s too coincidental. But what is the reason for his lies? He doesn’t seem to be concealing any crucial information. Rather, it seems like he’s leading us to uncover the truth ourselves.”
Chen Yang took out a talisman from the box, still containing several Five Thunders talismans left, but only a few Three Days of Auspicious Blessings Talismans. Mao Xiaoli didn’t draw as many for him. He took out one Three Days of Auspicious Blessings Talisman and his phone. After composing the message, he used the talisman and clicked “send,” successfully delivering the message.
Kou Xuanlin: “Mao Xiaoli’s blessing talisman has this effect too?”
“Luck plays a significant role.” Chen Yang sent the edited message to Du Shuo, describing in detail the events and occurrences at Jinshui High School, including the difference between the lack of ghosts during the day and the overwhelming gloominess at night, and asked for an explanation.
Before long, Du Shuo replied:【Karma and retribution】,【Formation】. The last message said,【Wait for me】.
After that, no more messages were received, and the Three Days of Auspicious Blessings Talisman instantly burned and lost its effectiveness. Chen Yang swept the ashes into the trash can and said, “The fact that we’re able to send the message by relying on luck means there is a signal, but most of the time it’s absent. However, Director Jin can post orders on the APP, indicating that he has a way to contact the outside world. Being able to establish contact with the outside world, he sought celestial masters first and disappeared after meeting us.”
“Teacher Li said it was the Director of Academic Affairs, not the Director of Genral Affairs, who was involved in those death games. But it’s also possible that Teacher Li doesn’t know.”
At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Kou Xuanling opened it, revealings the Qiu siblings. As soon as they entered, they said, “We can’t leave Jinshui High School.”
Qiu Shengmi: “When the school gate opened this morning, we drove away and saw fog as we approached the foot of the mountain. We didn’t think much of it and continued driving. The route had no turns or intersections, just a straight path leading to the foot of the mountain. But after driving for a while, we suddenly found ourselves back at the entrance of Jinshui High School. We tried several times, but each time we ended up back at the school gate.”
Chen Yang informed them of what he had learned, and Qiu Shengming slumped in a chair upon hearing the news. “How could this be?” He mournfully apologized to Qiu Shengmin, “If only I had listened to you yesterday and left immediately.”
Based on their assessment, they could leave Jinshui High School if they didn’t spend the night there. Due to her ability to see spirits, Qiu Shengmin often encountered ghosts. Despite feeling fearful in the current situation, she managed to remain calm. “You obtained those cards and numbers to participate in the game, which means there’s a high possibility that the game will continue.”
Chen Yang: “I know.”
Qiu Shengmin: “I suspect there’s more to the death of Bai Yan. Initially, the people who received the cards to participate in the game were likely directly involved in Bai Yan’s death. Bai Yan orchestrated this game with the intention of seeking revenge, making those who caused her harm die in endless fear. Later participants became bystanders or even contributed to the harm, and the number of participants would continue to grow until those who were unaware of the truth were also implicated.”
“We have the same speculation.” Du Shuo’s message mentioned ‘karma and retribution.’ Chen Yang continued, “But what puzzles me is how Bai Yan had the power to trap the entire mountain. The reason why there are no ghosts during the day in the school but an abundance of Yin spirits at night, with those lonely souls and wild ghosts daring to impersonate Yin soldiers… could it be due to ‘fearlessness in ignorance’ as Guan Xinyu said?”
Kou Xuanling: “Could it be that the lonely souls and wild ghosts in the school have no knowledge of the existence of Yin soldiers? Or do they mistakenly think that they are the Yin soldiers?
Qiu Shengmin: “It’s highly unlikely. Even if the place is isolated, they shouldn’t be completely oblivious to the existence of Yin soldiers.”
“If the entire Jinshui High School is not only the students but also includes the lonely souls and wild ghosts of the school… It’s even possible that they have been confined within the school for such a long time that they have forgotten the existence of Yin soldiers or have always believed that the afterlife resembles Jinshui High School. If we consider this, Guan Xinyu’s ‘fearlessness in ignorance’ makes sense.” Chen Yang paced back and forth. “I need to think if there’s any formation that can trap them within the forest without alerting the underworld.”
After some hesitation, Qiu Shengmin asked, “Are you planning to go to the vacant lot in the back hill?” Kou Xuanling nodded, and she continued, “Let me accompany you. The school is filled with gloom, but I can still perceive ghostly aura. At least I can be of some assistance.”
Qiu Shengming anxiously stopped Qiu Shengmin. “Sis, you don’t have the ability to protect yourself. It’s better if you don’t go. If you need someone, I can go. I can run pretty fast.”
“Faster than ghosts?” Kou Xuanling countered, leaving Qiu Shengming speechless. At this moment, Qiu Shengming regretted his greed for money. Kou Xuanling continued, “During the day, going to the vacant lot in the back hill won’t lead to any trouble.”
Qiu Shengming: “But it might attract those things.”
Qiu Shengmin gave her brother a reproachful glance, silencing him while also instructing him to inquire about Director Jin and the male student who lied to Chen Yang. She was grateful that Chen Yang had shared all the information they knew, preventing them from being completely lost in fear. As a repayment, they naturally had to make efforts to uncover the truth about the school. Only by uncovering the truth could they have a chance of leaving Jinshui High School alive.
Kou Xuanling turned back and asked, “Manager Chen?”
“Let’s go.”
And so, the four of them split up. Qiu Shengming went to find Director Jin, while the other three headed to the vacant lot. As soon as they arrived, Chen Yang felt a chilling sensation. It wasn’t fear, but rather his body’s instinctive response to danger.
The vacant lot in the back hill was eerily quiet and chilly. In the distance stood a row of bungalow houses, with dark windows that seemed to hide countless beings observing the arrival of the three intruders.
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
