Lin Xiang: [Xia Bai, how are you doing over there?]
Lin Xiang: [Xia Bai, are you okay?]
Lin Xiang: [Wait for us. Brother Hua and I will come to find you soon.]
Xia Bai was jolted awake by a series of notifications.
Groggily reaching for his phone and seeing Lin Xiang’s messages, he momentarily thought he had woken up in the real world on a typical morning.
It wasn’t until he sat up and noticed the haggard expressions and odd glances of his roommates that the reality of their situation fully dawned on him.
“Morning,” he rasped out to his roommates, his voice rough from sleep.
Wen Dong suppressed himself for a while but ultimately blurted out, “You actually fell asleep? So early too. Weren’t you scared?”
Xia Bai responded, “I was. But being scared is one thing; sleeping is another.”
No one had a response to that.
The dim morning light hinted that it might be around five-ish. Using this faint light, Xia Bai noticed that the dormitory looked even more dilapidated. The damp patches on the walls had grown significantly, making the room look less and less like a Heping Medical College dormitory.
Xia Bai quickly replied to Lin Xiang’s message, [Just woke up. Everything’s fine in our dorm. Is the signal back?]
They had all checked their phones during the lock-in period, and there hadn’t been any signal, as if they were completely cut off from the world.
Lin Xiang: [Just woke up? You actually fell asleep? Haha, you do love to sleep. But bro, I’m not kidding, I didn’t sleep a wink all night.]
Lin Xiang: [You can only send messages within the game. Can’t contact anyone outside. Check your phone. Is there a new group chat? We can only contact each other there.]
Exiting his chat with Lin Xiang, Xia Bai indeed saw a new group named “Clinical Medicine Class 2.” He wasn’t accustomed to using his phone before bed, and having slept early the previous night, he wasn’t sure when this group appeared.
All nine of them were in the group, along with another twelve: eleven students and one counselor.
The group contained some files, including a clear timetable showing their class timings and venue.
This was probably the game’s guide.
In this game world, they were no longer first-year students from various majors. All of them had adopted the identity of second-year students in clinical medicine.
“Human Anatomy” was one of the foundational courses for clinical medicine. Whether it was because they were in their second year or if it was intentional, they had anatomy classes scheduled every afternoon this week. Xia Bai stared at the timetable, his eyes sparkling.
Lin Xiang: [See it? Oh, and the timetable, it’s terrifying.]
Xia Bai: [Yup, saw it.]
Lin Xiang: [Brother Hua is almost done freshening up. We’ll come pick you up soon.]
Upon seeing the message, Xia Bai quickly got up, efficiently folded his blanket into neat squares, and grabbed his little washbasin to head to the bathroom. When he came out, Hua Haoming and Lin Xiang had just arrived, followed by Song Qiang.
The duo came to invite Xia Bai for breakfast, and the other three from the dorm joined them. Song Qiang did so as well.
At the entrance of the dormitory corridor, they saw Meng Qing and Wen Qiu. Meng Qing had immediately wanted to find her son, Meng Tianyou, upon waking up. However, Wen Qiu reminded her of the dormitory supervisor’s warning from last night about the dangers of wandering into the male dorms, convincing her to wait.
As soon as she saw her son, she rushed over, checking if he was alright and wiping his hands with an alcohol-infused wet wipe. She even squatted down to meticulously clean a spot off his white sneakers. Her motions were smooth and practiced.
Even the rich boy, Lin Xiang, was taken aback for a moment.
Song Mingliang stood in a corner, casting a sidelong glance at the scene. Wen Dong curiously asked, “Auntie Meng, are you obsessive about cleanliness? You can’t stand the slightest hint of dust?”
Meng Qing replied, “Kind of.”
Not only did a new group chat appear in their phones, but there was also an app for Heping Medical College. This app contained a payment feature for buying food.
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.
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Hua Haoming replied, “Hard to say. Maybe the truth behind the game’s backstory or the reason for certain phenomena. There must be something to unearth.”
This was a general question. Hua Haoming was not a teacher, so he did not give an elaborate answer.
Meng Tianyou asked, “So, we need to find the core NPC?”
Hua Haoming glanced at the one who had argued with him the day before and said, “That’s one way to go about it.”
Amidst the chatter, an increasingly loud voice demanded, “Speak up! Everyone else has already asked their questions. There’s no way you don’t have anything to ask! Are you a mute?!”
Turning to the voice, they saw Song Qiang shoving Song Mingliang. Sensing their attention, he pointed at Song Mingliang with a grin and said, “This kid’s a lost cause! He’s too introverted and doesn’t know how to speak up. So what if he got into Heping Medical College? He won’t get far in the future. Which boss doesn’t prefer someone vocal?”
Song Mingliang’s head hung low, lips clenched, silent.
Meng Qing interjected, “Kids have different personalities. Some are extroverted; others introverted. Both have their strengths.”
As Song Qiang was about to reply, his gaze shifted outside the dormitory, “Wait! This isn’t Heping Medical College! It’s different from where we were last night.”
Hua Haoming, unfazed, responded, “Naturally. The game is set in a version of the college, but that doesn’t mean it’s the same as the real Heping Medical College.”
Yes, just last night, Hua Haoming had told them it was only a game related to the school, but he didn’t mention it was set in Heping Medical College.
As he stepped out of the dormitory, a damp wind greeted him. The early autumn in Jiangqi City was refreshing. Xia Bai found the nights comfortable, but he felt the humidity was a bit excessive when he slept last night. He looked at the lake in front of the dormitory building.
The water was green, filled with many green algae hiding beneath the surface, gently rippling with the water’s movement. Xia Bai stared at them for a while, his eyes curving in a slight smile, seemingly delighted as if caught up in the algae’s playful spirit.
Wen Dong asked, “Are we the only few involved in this game? Are there other players here?”
Wen Qiu observed the students walking around the campus and commented, “It seems like it’s just us unfortunate ones.”
While they watched the people, they familiarized themselves with the campus layout, trying to grasp its geography.
From the fact that there were only three academic buildings – one of which was locked – it was evident that the college within the game was much smaller than the real Heping Medical College.
However, essential places like the anatomy lab and the morgue were present. Both were located in a four-story red building at the northwest corner of the campus, while the dormitory was on the southeast side, opposite to them.
The cafeteria stood across the two academic buildings. Apart from that, there was a library, sports field, gym, and a man-made lake. Surprisingly, there was even a small patch of what might be farmland or perhaps a garden.
Currently, it resembled farmland more closely, since peas were planted there. It was Xia Bai who informed them. Out of the group, only he recognized them as peas.
“There are spring and autumn harvests for peas. These are autumn peas, ready to be eaten next month.”
Meng Tianyou laughed, “Xia Bai, how do you know so much? Are you from the countryside?”
Xia Bai nodded, “Yes, I’ve grown them.”
He responded naturally, as if he neither detected the mockery in Meng Tianyou’s voice, nor saw any issue in admitting that he was from the countryside.
The resentment that had been building up in Meng Tianyou since yesterday burst forth, but his attempt to vent was met with a mild response, making it feel as if he was trying to hit soft cotton. Trying to regain his composure, he retorted, “What’s the use of this? We should focus on finding the main NPC, not learning about crops.”
“How is it not useful?” Lin Xiang immediately countered, “I’m not familiar with medical colleges, but I doubt such a small one would dedicate a plot for peas. Oddities might hold clues.”
Meng Tianyou continued, “This college seems run-down and not prestigious. Management is lax. This morning, I saw the dorm supervisor washing clothes and cooking behind her desk. It’s possible that a staff member just planted something for themselves.”
Wen Qiu nodded in agreement, “Makes sense. Some lax institutions do let staff plant whatever they like, as long as it’s not too outrageous. Our neighboring college planted some walnut trees. Pea flowers are lovely; I don’t think the college would object to them.”
Feeling vindicated with Wen Qiu’s support, Meng Tianyou’s voice grew louder, “We’re currently in the dark, knowing nothing. We need to focus on the core mission, not get sidetracked by trivialities.”
Wen Qiu glanced at him, her gaze shadowing her emotions. After all, he was admitted to Heping Medical College. Despite Meng Tianyou’s evident arrogance, his thinking was sharp. Moreover, he was someone who specialized in clinical medicine.
Lin Xiang sneered, “So where do you suggest we find this main NPC?”
Staring at the rich scion, Meng Tianyou smugly replied, “Isn’t this a horror game? What’s the scariest place in a medical college? The anatomy lab. I have evidence to support my claim.”
Lin Xiang: “Where’s this evidence?”
Meng Tianyou: “The timetable. I study clinical medicine. When I chose my major, I thoroughly consulted seniors who study clinical medicine, including details about the anatomy lab classes.”
“They told me dissecting classes typically only occur twice a week since they’re long. If held daily, it would stress both students and the institution. But our timetable has it every afternoon. That’s the crux of the issue, not what plants the school has.”
Lin Xiang was about to retort when Hua Haoming interrupted. They then noticed an older woman in her fifties or sixties standing behind the peas, watching them intently with a mix of defiance and wariness.
Hua Haoming: “Let’s get breakfast.”
The college cafeteria only had tables for four. Hua Haoming led them to an empty table surrounded by other tables of people. Song Qiang and his son Song Mingliang tried to join them but had to settle at Wen Qiu and Wen Dong’s table due to the lack of space.
Watching Meng Tianyou eat smugly, Lin Xiang snorted in disdain.
Hua Haoming shot him a “seriously?” look. “You know there’s no benefit in being argumentative, right?”
Lin Xiang: “I just can’t stand him. Did I mention the fake shoes he was wearing when we first met in the dorm? I didn’t. He started it first by trying to coerce Xia Bai with money. He holds grudges, and keeps trying to put others down. Oh, and he’s a bully. Why doesn’t he pick on you instead of Xia Bai?”
Xia Bai looked bewildered.
Lin Xiang sighed, “Xia Bai is just too innocent and kind-hearted.”
Hua Haoming, who had been suspecting something was off about Xia Bai: “…”
After a moment, Hua Haoming added, “While it might sound irresponsible, not all clues have to be shared.”
Lin Xiang looked puzzled, “But didn’t you say we could only win by discovering the truth together? This isn’t some battle royale game. Shouldn’t we players collaborate?”
Hua Haoming said, “On the surface it might seem that way, but this isn’t some game where everyone gets an equal slice of cake. The better you perform, the more rewards you can earn.”
Rich and powerful, Lin Xiang, who never lacked for anything in his life, waved his hand dismissively, “I couldn’t care less.”
“This isn’t about materialistic things from the real world. All of that pales in comparison to the game rewards,” Hua Haoming continued, “Besides, the spread of the game is accelerating. Quanguang City is about to fall. Do you really think your family’s wealth and influence will remain effective?”
Lin Xiang paused, taken aback. He had never considered this before.
“Death hasn’t claimed any players yet, but once you experience it, you’ll understand just how terrifying it is. When death is imminent, many big shots from the real world would be willing to spend their entire fortune, and still, no one might come to their aid,” Hua Haoming stated. “The game rewards might be the very thing that can save your life.”
Lin Xiang questioned, “An escape-death card?”
“…” Hua Haoming silently continued eating, seemingly unwilling to divulge more.
Come to think about it, these were not things he was obliged to explain.
By the time Xia Bai was ready to eat, Hua Haoming glanced up at him, and for some reason, felt like speaking again.
“There are defense items that can block attacks, powerful offensive weapons, and extremely rare soul skills,” Hua Haoming explained.
Perhaps such topics were naturally appealing to boys, but upon hearing about these weapons, Lin Xiang’s interest was immediately piqued, and he looked at Hua Haoming with anticipation.
But Hua Haoming’s intention wasn’t to delve into weapons. Instead, he warned them, “Keep an eye on the siblings Wen Qiu and Wen Dong.”
“Why?” Lin Xiang turned to Xia Bai, “Xia Bai, did Wen Dong act strangely last night?”
Xia Bai pondered, “Perhaps one of them is a veteran player?”
Hua Haoming nodded, “Most likely.”
Lin Xiang, surprised, asked, “Xia Bai, how did you figure that out?”
“I guessed,” Xia Bai responded as he took a small sip of his porridge accompanied by a pickled radish. He explained his reasoning, “Wen Qiu immediately noticed that your watch costs millions. Even I couldn’t tell.”
“…”
Lin Xiang thought to himself, Isn’t it normal that you couldn’t tell? You haven’t used the internet for the first eighteen years of your life. Whenever our class discusses something, you’re always daydreaming.
“Wen Dong’s shoes are the same brand as Meng Tianyou’s, but from his reaction, his seem genuine,” Xia Bai, who wasn’t familiar with brands, continued his deduction. “The Wen siblings must be wealthy, certainly richer than people like Meng Tianyou who only pretend to be affluent.”
Lin Xiang probed, “Go on?”
Xia Bai said, “Our college allows students to live off-campus as long as their parents agree. If they’re so wealthy, why would they squeeze into an average dorm with three other people instead of renting a spacious, comfortable place nearby?”
“Why?”
“It might be because one of them is a player and knows that the game can manifest anywhere. If their family can’t be by their side, they’ll be safer with roommates around. At least when the game descends upon the dorm, they have classmates to rely on.”
Lin Xiang exclaimed, “That makes sense! Then I should stay on campus too. Ah, looks like my dad bought that nearby house for nothing!”
He was met with silence.
Xia Bai thought to himself, Indeed, poverty limits one’s imagination. Rich people don’t rent houses; they buy them.
Continuing, he noted, “Throughout the ordeal, Wen Qiu was tense, but not as panicked as the others.”
Lin Xiang agreed, “True, she didn’t seem that scared.”
Proudly, he declared, “Xia Bai, you’re so smart! Truly the top of our class!”
Hua Haoming thought to himself, This guy is an avid Xia Bai praiser.
Half-jokingly and with a hint of suspicion, Hua Haoming asked Xia Bai, “You didn’t seem that flustered either. Is this not your first time in the game?”
“It’s my first time. I was scared, but that won’t stop me from eating or sleeping well.” Xia Bai said, turning his focus back to his porridge.
Worried that Hua Haoming might misunderstand, Lin Xiang explained, “That’s just how Xia Bai is. Dude, you have no idea. For the first eighteen years of his life, he never used a cell phone or browsed the internet. He’s so pure, untouched by the digital world, desires little, and is untroubled. Maybe that’s why he rarely shows emotion.”
Hua Haoming: “…” Looks like he’s a fervent Xia Bai protector too.
“Anyway,” Hua Haoming advised, “just be cautious around them.”
Lin Xiang nodded vigorously, “I understand. It’s because one of them might be a veteran player, right? Knowing the potential for valuable rewards in the game, they might sabotage us at crucial moments?”
Hua Haoming agreed, “Playing the game isn’t like getting vaccinated where one dose lasts a long time. The game keeps spreading to more areas, and no one can guarantee they’ll only experience it once. Especially since some people have to enter it repeatedly. The rewards become all the more precious.”
Curious, Lin Xiang asked, “Why do some people have to keep playing?”
Hua Haoming elaborated, “If we can clear the game, we can leave, and the game will disappear from our college. But if all of us die in-game and no one clears it, the game persists and expands its range. If it’s not contained, anyone entering our college dorms will be dragged into it.”
“Can we really stand by and just watch as renowned institutions like Heping Medical College are sealed off indefinitely?”
“There needs to be a group of players who continuously enter the game to break the seals like a suicide squad.”
The two were taken aback.
Xia Bai recalled the photo he had seen on that forum post. The image of a blood-drenched Hua Haoming emerging in Quanguang City. He had a good inkling of which department Hua Haoming was affiliated with.
Hua Haoming cautioned, “In any case, inside the game, when it comes to life, death, and rewards, don’t trust in human nature. And even after leaving the game… don’t trust anyone either.”
Both of them nodded in understanding. They realized that the game wasn’t just horrifying; it also brought out the darkest parts of human nature. However, in that moment, they also understood that, unbeknownst to them, there existed a group of heroic individuals out there.
It’s getting more and more interesting!! Thank you for the update!! 🩷💖
+1 agreed! it keeps getting more and more intresting
+2 it’s riveting
Thanks for the update 🤣❤️
Xia bai has a hardcore fan and he himself isn’t even bothered by it lol. Later on he’ll have a hardcore boyfriend ( ￣▽￣). But I’ll bet he’ll choose his corpses over anything.
I can’t wait for more chapters (((o(*ﾟ∀ﾟ)o))). Thanks for the chapter!!!!
can i give Hue a hug? i feel like he needs a hug.
he must be powerful though? going in so much.
I love Lin Xiang, I hope nothing bad happens to him!
Lin Xiang the number 1 Xia Bai fan lol
Dude, I think it’s fun if we could have Lin Xiang as our ML!
I know he is most likely not (god forbid an uncapable ML in danmei smh) but yk, it would create an interesting dynamic between him and Xia Bai rather making him as another ‘good brother’ type of side character.