She wore a loose, flowing long dress. Its original color was indiscernible, now appearing somewhere between the hues of blood and brown. It draped over her, obscuring what lay beneath.
Her hair was gone, as were her eyes. Only her mouth remained, agape to an unsettling width, like a fathomless abyss, more distorted than the face depicted in “The Scream.”
Her presence carried an emotion, potent and undeniable, though it was difficult to discern whether it was madness or sorrow.
Beside her lay what seemed to be a fetus. Its tiny arms wrapped around its knees, curled up as if resisting the world.
Next to this fetus was another, one not yet fully formed. It was incredibly tiny, its features barely discernible, its body not yet fully developed.
By its side lay a man, his exposed skin coated with an aged, gray-brown patina, separating him from the world.
Pushing open the door and stepping under the stark white light, Xia Bai and Hua Haoming found themselves in a silent morgue, confronted by these human specimens directly facing the entrance.
The potent aroma of formaldehyde within was even more intense here, stinging their eyes and causing them to tear up. Their vision blurred by the tears, the distorted human specimens seemed to shift and change before them. It took several blinks before the two could clearly see the room’s contents.
No eerie entities suddenly leapt out. The morgue felt as though it had been sealed for years, silent and undisturbed.
Apart from the bodies on the beds, all immersed in formaldehyde, there was a row of human specimens lined up against the wall, roughly around twenty in total, varying in decay.
No wonder those who had ventured in before commented that nothing seemed to happen. The morgue in the game’s version of Heping Medical College indeed appeared normal.
If they had to point out an anomaly, it would be the tiny, not fully-formed fetal specimen. Having read about deformity fetishes that morning, the fetal specimen seemed slightly deformed, its legs not having grown at all.
With a mere glance, Hua Haoming located Cadaver 5, which they were supposed to take to the lab.
He looked at Xia Bai, unsurprisingly finding the latter’s eyes slightly widened. They were gleaming in elation. Xia Bai looked as if he had entered heaven.
Hua Haoming: “…”
He was now in a dilemma.
Indeed, as Xia Bai had said, the morgue might contain crucial clues. That teacher named Wang Badan had livestreamed from within the morgue, and all those who entered had transformed in some way. They should carefully inspect and investigate the place.
However, since everyone transformed after visiting this place, they speculated that there might be some form of spiritual contamination or possession. To avoid complications, they shouldn’t look around recklessly but instead promptly remove the cadaver.
Ultimately, Hua Haoming pulled Xia Bai along, interrupting his eager attention and making him focus on completing the task at hand.
Cadaver 5 was submerged in formaldehyde. They needed to retrieve it and transport it to the lab.
More tears welled up in their eyes.
Xia Bai wanted to carry the corpse to the lab on his own, but Hua Haoming stopped him. Together, they lifted and transported the body to the lab.
Once in the lab, following their counselor’s instructions, they tidied up a bit, sanitized the necessary teaching tools, and set everything in place, completing their preparatory work.
Just like the previous times, nothing unusual happened. The whole process went so smoothly that it was eerie.
—Based on their experiences so far, something should have happened at such a crucial location.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
As they were about to leave, Xia Bai pointed to the corridor on the first floor, silently conveying his thoughts: since they were already there and had finished their tasks, why not explore a bit further?
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The unlocked morgues were probably meant for students preparing for their lessons. Their interiors resembled morgue number four’s — there were old corpses lying within. Some were human specimens placed against walls, some were submerged in formaldehyde waiting to be used, while others lay on beds.
For other rooms, they could only peek through the windows set high up on the doors.
The two split up, each heading to different rooms.
Hua Haoming tapped Xia Bai, who was peering into the first morgue, captivated by the fresh corpses. He led him to the entrance of an animal specimen room, pointing to the right front corner.
The medical school had animal specimens since many medical colleges offered veterinary specializations.
Most of the specimens were common pets and domesticated animals like cows and sheep. Only one creature was unfamiliar to Hua Haoming, marking the first peculiar thing he’d discovered on this floor.
Xia Bai, being slightly shorter than him, had to stand on his tiptoes to see through the high-set window.
The entire room was filled with animal specimens, both whole creatures and organs.
Xia Bai, with a glance, realized what Hua Haoming was referring to because many specimens of that particular creature lay in glass containers.
They floated in formaldehyde, their tiny protruding eyes still visible. Some had bodies resembling fish, while others looked like snakes. Some had sprouted tiny feet, like lizards crawling on the ground. Some bore spots, with their overall colors ranging from black, red, white, and even pink.
They could see primitive markings on their bodies unique to creatures born in the depths of water.
Upon seeing them, Xia Bai lowered his head.
The corridor’s floor was damp, and something seemed to grow between the cracks, looking like moss under dim light.
As he was about to crouch for a closer look, Hua Haoming pulled him by the arm, pointing towards the exit.
It was time for them to leave. Classes were about to start, and they had to relay a message to those waiting outside.
Xia Bai followed Hua Haoming out.
As expected, as soon as Lin Xiang saw them, he rushed over in distress, “Why did it take so long? Class is about to begin!”
Hua Haoming replied, “We were just taking a look inside.”
Lin Xiang asked, “Did you find anything?”
Hua Haoming replied, “We’ll discuss later, let’s get to class first.”
Once in the anatomy lab, Hua Haoming sent Xia Bai a message before Professor Liu arrived, asking if he recognized what the creatures were.
Unfortunately, Xia Bai was engrossed in his anatomy lesson, or rather his close interaction with the cadaver, and hadn’t checked his messages.
They were running short on time. Hua Haoming was anxious, hoping that Xia Bai would check his phone after class. However, Xia Bai ended up discussing academic matters with Professor Liu.
So not only did he not get a response, but he also had to wait with Lin Xiang outside the teachers’ office for Xia Bai.
To pacify him, Lin Xiang remarked, “Top students are always like this.”
Hua Haoming snorted, thinking, ‘What good is that in a game?’
When Xia Bai emerged, noticing Hua Haoming’s darkened expression, he preemptively said, “It’s a species of salamander.”
He cut off Hua Haoming before he could speak further, “Professor Liu told me. It was brought to the lab by Wang Badan.”
Upon understanding the situation, Lin Xiang said, “I can’t believe Professor Liu shared such vital information with you.”
Xia Bai nodded, “I asked him, and after a moment’s hesitation, he told me.”
Lin Xiang exclaimed, “Not only are top students favored by teachers in reality, but their status is also quite handy in games!”
Hua Haoming: “…”
“But, why would Wang Badan bring the salamander to the morgue?” Lin Xiang pondered.
“Someone once told me about salamanders when they were talking about a game’s DLC,” said Hua Haoming. “They apparently possess incredible regenerative abilities. Even if their brains are cut, they can regenerate, earning them the title of ‘undying creatures’.”
“Exactly,” Xia Bai said. “Professor Liu mentioned that last year, when Wang Badan was an associate professor, he was researching skin regeneration. Salamanders are rare creatures that can regenerate without leaving scars, and he had gathered many types for his studies.”
While that explanation made sense, they all knew it couldn’t be that straightforward.
Lin Xiang’s imagination ran wild, “What if Wang Badan was experimenting on deformed humans with substances extracted from salamanders, and then live-streamed it for those with twisted tastes? Because of the salamanders’ regeneration, the deformed humans would keep regenerating, enduring unimaginable pain. After death, they’d become vengeful spirits, lingering in the morgue to exact their revenge.”
The group fell silent, at a loss for words, but they couldn’t deny that possibility.
Feeling something was missing, Lin Xiang pondered, “We lack a key piece. What could it be? A main character?”
Hua Haoming sighed, “Let’s get something to eat first.”
Because Xia Bai spent quite a bit of time speaking with Professor Liu, by the time they reached the cafeteria, Wen Qiu, Wen Dong, and Meng Tianyou had already finished eating and were leaving.
At a distance, Lin Xiang remarked, “I always feel like they’re hiding something. Did they really not find out anything this morning?”
“Do you even need to wonder?” Hua Haoming declared confidently, “Of course they’re hiding something. They’ve joined forces, aiming to discover the truth before we do and claim the game’s reward.”
Hua Haoming added, giving a stern reminder, “Don’t let your guard down just because you’ve seen Wen Qiu in tears or glimpsed her vulnerable side.”
Ever since they arrived at the dormitory, there was animosity between them and Meng Qing and Meng Tianyou. Given that Wen Qiu was a veteran player, surely she’d want the game reward. Plus, considering that she roomed with Meng Qing recently and was seen with Wen Dong and Meng Tianyou, it made sense for them to team up.
It was just surprising that Hua Haoming was so wary of Wen Qiu from the start.
Xia Bai confirmed, “It wasn’t a guess. You knew that Wen Qiu was a veteran player from the start.”
“Yes,” Hua Haoming admitted. “I’ve long known she’s a player. Not because I saw her details in the Game Management Bureau — with tens of thousands of registered players, I couldn’t possibly recognize every one of them. I recognized her because the player group she belongs to is closely monitored by the bureau.”
“Is it a dangerous group?” Lin Xiang asked.
Instead of directly answering, Hua Haoming shared what he knew, allowing them to decide for themselves.
“After the game emerged, many players have been trying hard to clear the games and research its mechanics. Their ultimate aim is to end the game and banish it from our world. However, some players believe the opposite: that the game represents the principle of ‘survival of the fittest.’ They view it as a beneficial, grand selection process for humanity, weeding out the weak and leaving only the cream of the crop. They consider it human evolution, and they believe the game’s spread shouldn’t be stopped.”
He continued, “Most players from the Divine Game Guild are radical. Sometimes, they even assist the game in this ‘internal selection of humanity.’ They typically strive for game rewards at any cost to become armed players. Once they do so, they can then ‘select’ others.”
Lin Xiang was taken aback. “Such a group actually exists?”
Hua Haoming said, “I don’t think Wen Qiu possesses any powerful weapons or skills. Being part of such a guild, she’s bound to do everything in her power to secure the reward this time.”
Xia Bai remarked, “We’re at a critical point right now. Her unwillingness to share information suggests that she has a lot of clues and feels confident about clearing this game.”
“She might have the key information we’re lacking,” Lin Xiang pondered. “If only we knew what they’ve discovered.”
Xia Bai smiled, “It’s pretty simple.”
He entered the dining hall, sweeping his gaze around before heading towards a particular table. Both Hua Haoming and Lin Xiang realized where he was headed — the table where Wen Qiu and her group had sat earlier.
He was greeted enthusiastically. “Xia Bai, you were fantastic in today’s anatomy class!”
“Xia Bai, the anatomy class prep went fine today, right? We can’t afford to lose you.”
“Xia Bai, what did you discuss with Professor Liu?”
“Xia Bai, we’re counting on you for tomorrow’s anatomy class!”
After responding to their enthusiasm, Xia Bai asked directly, “I wanted to come over this morning, but saw Wen Qiu and her group here. What were they discussing with you?”
“They were asking about Chu Xuelin.”
“Yes, that missing guidance counselor. They were acting really strange and sneaky.”
Lin Xiang: “…”
Hua Haoming: “…”
Lin Xiang muttered to Hua Haoming, “Is this the terrifying charm of a top student?”
Hua Haoming: “…!”
The author has something to say:
Hua Haoming: It’s my fault that I suck at studying. It’s too loud.
Thank you for the update 💝
Thanks for the chapter!! Merry Christmas!! (If you celebrate)
Thank you for the update and happy holidays!
a top student is so useful 😂
If being a top student in the game is useful, hey, I might survive!!
all praise the stop student magic, ah!
thank you for the chapter!~
the power of a top student xDDD
Merry Christmas! Also Xia Bai do be working his charm 😂
definitely lol
God, what a cool job this is, thank you for your work! Merry Christmas 🤤
Behold the power of the top student
Thanks for the chapter
lmao the favouritism is real!
Tbh, if the top student who saves us from being called on in class talked to me, I’d happily answer all of their questions