Wu Liang simply asked me to open the door. “Didn’t you ask me to help greet whoever came looking for you? So, I stood outside. After the corpse of the dream monster sunk into the Inner World, I saw several people enter the library.”
I summoned my powers and frowned as I opened the door. Who on earth would come looking for me in the dead of night?
Outside the door, a male student paced hesitantly. He startled at the sight of the storeroom door opening, then, recognising me as the one who had opened it, covered his mouth in excitement to stifle any sound. He then seemed to be signalling to others to come over.
“What’s going on?”
It was several boys and girls who were still lucid at this ungodly hour who came looking for me. Leading them was Wang Meng’er. I promptly ushered them into the secure storeroom before feeling comfortable enough to speak with them.
“Linlin, when I returned this afternoon, I attempted to apply for the leave certificate with my roommates. To prevent forgetting the whole issue once outside, as you suggested, I carved this reminder into my arm with a knife just before leaving the school ……” She showed me the wound, a knife-carved mark.
【This afternoon, she applied for leave with her classmates and successfully exited the school premises.】
The characters carved by Wang Meng’er remain swollen and reddened, though they no longer bled. They hadn’t yet healed, their vivid crimson hue indicating that little time had passed since the injury occurred.
I continued, “So you realised your memory of applying for leave and leaving school was entirely fabricated? It was only after seeing the words carved into your arm that you understood all this was true?”
Wang Meng’er nodded.
“The school-leaving certificate is forged; we’ve all been deceived by the Headmaster. This is nothing but a circular game. The few classmates I’ve brought along are those who haven’t yet been assimilated or brainwashed, and who are willing to resist the Headmaster alongside you. Moreover, we’ve broken the rules — we’ve spoken to members of the opposite sex and stayed out overnight. We’ve all resolved to oppose the Headmaster.”
I counted the number of people present — only five in total. So few.
“Where are your two roommates? Are there really only five people left who haven’t been brainwashed?”
Wang Meng’er replied with a look of agony, “There were many of us at first, but after I told them the leave certificates were false, most fell into despair. They were swallowed up and consumed by the darkness.”
I fell silent. It’s perfectly natural to feel despair when faced with such a situation.
I then relayed my findings to Wang Meng’er and the others. When I mentioned Wu Liang’s involvement, the others instantly grew agitated. In their eyes, Wu Liang has long been a dead man. How could a dead man speak and ask for favours?
I realised these people were unable to see Wu Liang’s ghost. Wu Liang hovered beside me, looking utterly helpless. I pointed into the air beside me and said, “He’s right here.”
The students were startled by my words and instinctively drew back, pressing themselves against the wall. Wang Meng’er, sensing a glimmer of hope, rallied her courage to reassure them not to be afraid. She then pressed me for details on how they might locate Wu Liang’s body parts.
“Wu Liang can sense it; just follow him. But the number of people affected by the eerie presence at school keeps growing. If time runs out, I reckon there won’t be a single survivor left in the school.”
The remaining few decided that I, Wang Meng’er, and another boy would act together, while the other two boys and one girl would hide in the library’s storeroom. For the time being, this was the safest place in the entire school. As long as they didn’t venture out of the storeroom unnecessarily, there shouldn’t be any trouble.
“Nowadays, there are inspections for head-tilting rates everywhere outside. Surveillance has been extended to the dormitory areas. Students whose head-tilting rate exceeds 0.5 have all been taken away by the dormitory supervisors. We have no idea where they’re being taken, but it’s likely to be nothing good.”
I nodded in agreement with Wang Meng’er’s words, then produced a small watch given to me by the library staff: “Do you have one of these? Someone gave it to me while I was researching in the library, saying it could check one’s own head-tilting rate.”
The others exchanged glances and shook their heads, “How did you come by such a thing?”
I replied, “I was looking over the materials, constantly consulting the dictionary – you know, the one you mentioned, Meng’er, about the Underworld script. I became so engrossed that I lost track of time. Then a librarian came to fetch me. Oh, and the library staff only appear once I’m seated in my chair. They must belong to a different realm altogether.”
The boy who’d agreed to help me search for the remains thought I’d lost my marbles: “The librarians are always there, aren’t they? How could you possibly not see them? We all avoided them when we came in.”
I froze, “You’ve been able to see them all along?”
They nodded.
What on earth is going on?
Wang Meng’er felt it best not to expend energy on this matter at present. If possible, the search for Wu Liang’s remains should ideally be done in the dead of night, as that was when all staff and students would be asleep and no one would lightly break the rules. I agreed, and then Wu Liang informed me that besides his head, another part of his body was in the library – on the third floor.
Third floor – that must be the staff rest area mentioned in the library regulations.
I instructed Wang Meng’er and the others to remain on the second floor. Should we proceed to the third floor, I must go alone. Possessing both specialised skills and the means to defend myself, and being immune to psychic assaults, it was better for me to undertake this task alone.
Wang Meng’er was a little concerned. “If you feel unwell, don’t push yourself.”
“When have I ever been forced? I’d simply kill anyone who stands in my way.”
My supremely confident demeanour gave all the students present considerable hope, visibly easing their nerves. With my SAN gauge already maxed out, I instantly activated my Level 3 mental barrier ability. Accompanied by Wu Liang’s ghost, I made my way to the third floor of the library alone.
The staircase linking the second and third floors of the library lay shrouded in utter darkness, not a glimmer of light to be seen. From the far end of the steps came a faint rustling sound. I asked Wu Liang to try sensing again. He was certain his perception was correct – a part of his body was indeed on the third floor.
I made my way step by step up to the third floor. By the time I reached the middle of the staircase, the surrounding area had been completely swallowed by darkness. Feeling my way along the wooden steps, I began dismantling them with brute force without a word.
I tore down the wall panels and stair railings, leaving gaping holes everywhere. Like a raging bull, I charged upwards, then pulled out my knife to continue the destruction.
It felt as though I’d collided with something hard yet yielding, like a massive door. Within my domain, anything visible could be destroyed by me. I didn’t care what that thing was – once I’d smashed through everything, light finally appeared around me. A warm, comfortable hall appeared before my eyes.
In the middle of the hall sat an old man on the sofa, glaring at me angrily.
“You’re a bloody lunatic, aren’t you? Have you gone completely mad? You’ve smashed my staircase and walls to pieces!”
This white-haired old man was hurling abuse at me, so I lunged forward, grabbed him by the collar and demanded he hand over everything he’d taken earlier.
“We’re robbing you. Do as I say, or I’ll f*ck you up before I kill you.”
The old gatekeeper, surveying the vandalised wall and the fierce young woman before him, instantly softened his tone. His face creased with wrinkles as he smiled at me, “Young lady, I’m 63 years old now. Could you please stop this? You don’t seem to be short of money, do you? How did you get up to the third floor? You’ve broken the library rules, you understand that?”
The surroundings shifted abruptly, as countless shadowy figures materialised from all directions, closing in to encircle me.
“If you release me, I might let you go.”
I went up and gave him two resounding slaps across the face: “You old fool, you’re going to get yourself into trouble!”
I’d never seen the likes of him before. I smacked the old man’s head clean off, and it flew up off the ground, lunging to bite me. I swatted it away again, then grabbed the head in my hand like it was a basketball.
“Do you have any treasures here? Hand them over, or I’ll tear down the third floor of the library tonight.”
The old codger was scared stiff. His mental attacks had failed to work, and this time he truly backed down, telling me where to find the treasure on the third floor of the library.
“It’s not exactly a treasure trove, merely the Headmaster’s storage space. Truth be told, apart from this contraption, the library holds nothing else.”
I told him to take me there, and he’d best not be messing around with me, or I’ll wring his neck.
The old man wept bitterly as he begged for mercy, then led me up to the third floor to what he called the staff lounge. Within, countless shadowy figures and malevolent spirits swirled about, the floor littered with bones that had clearly been gnawed on for ages. The stench of a butcher’s shop hit me like a punch, nearly knocking me off my feet.
“Bloody hell, it stinks to high heaven. We’ll have to demolish the third floor after all.”
Upon hearing my words, the old man grew agitated. He barked at the resting staff to get cleaning immediately, “Is this how lax you lot are? Throwing your rubbish on the floor after eating, with no sense of tidiness or care for the environment whatsoever. Just wait until I impose yet another rule on you – from now on, the staff quarters will also be bound by regulations to keep you in line.”
Upon hearing the old man’s words, the ghouls all began clearing rubbish. It was clear this old fellow held sway over the library’s third floor. I marched through the ghouls with his head in hand, each one eyeing me strangely. I took great offence at such looks, and grabbed one ghoul, kicking him hard.
“What’s with those looks? Fancy a go at me? Let me tell you, I’m busy.”
The old man soothed my nerves once more, then led me to a room at the end of the staff quarters’ corridor. He informed me that the treasure I wanted lay within.
I kicked the door open with one foot, first tossing the old man’s head inside to scout the way, then entering the room myself.
This is a crimson chamber, every ornament within it a shade of red, rendering the scene utterly eerie. The sole feature jarringly out of place are two embalmed arms displayed in a glass case at the centre.
“This is the treasure you sought. Beyond this, our library holds no other curiosities. Do not destroy the library, I beg you.”
My curiosity about the old man got the better of me, and instead of retrieving the two arms, I asked him, “What’s your relationship with the Headmaster?”
The old man sighed and replied resignedly, “Actually, I’m the Headmaster’s brother.”
“That’s impossible. Don’t take me for a fool. The Headmaster isn’t from this realm, is he?”
The old man was puzzled as to how I knew this. “Ordinary folk wouldn’t possibly know such things. What sort of person are you, exactly? Aren’t you a student?”
I grinned widely, “You’re not in a position to question me. First tell me what exactly your relationship with the Headmaster is, or I really might tear the entire third floor apart.” With that, I began violently dismantling the wall right before his eyes.
“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you everything you want to know. Truth be told, I’m trapped here by the Headmaster too. I’m not allowed anywhere except the library. The Headmaster really is like a brother to me, though we’re not related by blood. When he was wandering alone, my parents took him in. But I never imagined he’d turn out to be this sort of person. It’s truly a shame.”
I smashed the glass case and retrieved the two arms from within, while the old man stood by remarking, “Had an ordinary soul laid hands on this, the fiends I’ve bred would have swarmed forth and torn them to shreds.”
I snorted coldly, “I’m no ordinary person. These are Wu Liang’s arms, aren’t they?”
The old man was even more astonished, “You know Wu Liang? How do you know Wu Liang? Where did you hear that name? Are you perhaps a third-year student?”
I shook my head, “No, I encountered him on the second floor of the library. He had transformed into a creature capable of drawing people into dreams. After slaying the monster, Wu Liang’s spirit emerged from within it.”
The old man was overcome with emotion, tears welling in his eyes. “What? My own flesh and blood, whom I’ve longed for day and night, was right under my nose all along – transformed into a dreadful monster! And I knew nothing of it! Damned Wu Mingda, you’re a heartless wretch! You’ve ruined an entire family!”
I had intended to ask about Wu Liang, but Headmaster Wu Mingda clearly had strict rules regarding the strange creatures within the school. The old man couldn’t tell me anything; he could only speak of matters concerning himself.
“Since you’ve managed to break through the darkness of the third floor and stand before me, perhaps this truly is fate. Even the heavens can no longer tolerate his actions. But if I tell you, you must do one thing for me in return. This is an equal exchange. Even if you threaten me, you must abide by this rule. Otherwise, I cannot give you any information whatsoever.”
I’m all ears.
“The task I’ve set for you is to eliminate the Headmaster. Are you capable of it? This requires you to defy the very rules governing the school. Even if you are exceptionally powerful, you are bound to have moments of carelessness. Relying solely on yourself, do you truly believe you can see this through to the end?”
“I possess immense confidence in my abilities. Whatever obstacles stand in my way, I simply eliminate them.”
Translator’s Corner: If you see any grammar/spelling errors, please let me know. Enjoy the chapter ~
![The Strongest Auxiliary[Holographic]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Strongest-Auxiliary.jpg "The Strongest Auxiliary[Holographic]")
