"2 June. Yunnan Province's Nanjiang City Second High School. Three girls were playing Dianxian in the classroom at 10.00 p.m.
A died on the spot. The other two died the next day after returning home.
Before they died, B's family received a phone call from their daughter.
She claimed that there was someone at home … She didn't know who it was. The doors and windows were not open. She checked all the doors and windows, but there was no one at home. Yet, she could clearly hear the sound of breathing coming from behind her. "
"Two hours before C's death, C's father received a phone call from his daughter. She also claimed that there was someone at home. She was doing her homework in front of the window, and she felt as though someone was watching her from the window.
He remained motionless, staring at her silently.
However, her home was on the sixth floor.
Three hours after the phone call, C died on her desk with a look of extreme terror on her face. "
Rows of words were imprinted on a pair of clear eyes. The owner of the eyes had a good face.
His facial features were soft and supple, and his face exuded a youthful aura. His eyebrows were thick like swords, yet they didn't appear overly sharp. His hair was straight like an ordinary student's, and his bangs were slightly long.
He was approximately 1.75 meters tall.
With the help of a book on his desk, he flipped through the news on his phone with a burning gaze. His slender fingers swiped across the phone screen.
He didn't even lift his head.
"8 July. Gan Province's Paulownia High School, Class 2 and 3, suffered a sudden power outage for three minutes.
Not a single power outage occurred in the neighbourhood. Tests revealed that there were no issues with the local power grid.
Three minutes after the end of the evening self-study session.
Nine students died with a smile on their faces. "
"12 June …"
Whoosh … Before he could finish reading, his phone was snatched away from his hand.
Qin Ye lifted his head slightly, and the surrounding scenery entered his eyes.
Qingxi High School, Xichuan Province's Rivergorge City, Qingxi County, was the only high school in the entire county.
In the bright and clean classroom, there was a blackboard full of things on the opposite side. The slogan "365 days until the college entrance examination" was stuck on the blackboard.
The words "Study hard and improve every day" were incomparably eye-catching.
The desks in the classroom were somewhat old.
The old yellow paint was peeling slightly, revealing the dark brown wood underneath.
It was currently 5 p.m., and the last class had just ended.
There weren't many people in Year 3-2 anymore.
There were only him and the two tall and burly students who were sloppily sitting at the table to his right.
The one on the left had a buzz cut. His uniform was wide open, revealing a cheap silver-plated chain that had faded a little.
The one on the right was wearing high-end clothes, but he clearly looked like a decent person. However, he pretended to be ruthless and forced a sneer on his lips, making the two of them look like two crooked seedlings.
Qin Ye's heart skipped a beat.
Zhang Yilong and Wang Chenghao were the two infamous ruffians in the class.
Fighting, smoking, flirting with girls, there was nothing they wouldn't do. He had always minded his own business with them and avoided them as far as he could. He didn't expect that he would be so engrossed in his phone that he didn't leave with his classmates.
In any school, in any class, there were plenty of people like him. They were angry at the ruffians who targeted them for no reason, but they did not dare to say anything.
School violence has always been an unspeakable dark side of the education industry.
Click … A cheap plastic lighter ignited a cheap Red River cigarette. The pungent smell of smoke caused Qin Ye to furrow his brows slightly, but he soon relaxed them.
Zhang Yilong pretended to be mature as he took a deep breath and exhaled a mouthful of greenish-blue smoke. Then, he looked at the phone in his hand and sneered, "Are you an idiot?"
"Dish Immortal … Nine female students died tragically … Tsk, tsk, tsk, whoever believes this is an idiot.
How can something like this make the headlines today?
Do these editors have nothing better to do? "
"I heard that you sell flower wreaths at home?" Zhang Yilong glanced at Qin Ye.
Qin Ye pursed his lips, "Give me back my phone."
"Bloody hell …" "Give it back to him."
Before Zhang Yilong could even finish speaking, Wang Chenghao had already plopped down on the table with one foot on the chair and raised an eyebrow at Qin Ye, "This kid has a temper. Do you think he's the same as that fat guy in class?
He can't even let out a fart even if you beat him to death? "
"Fuck!"
Zhang Yilong exhaled a mouthful of smoke onto Qin Ye's body and turned around with a snort. The phone drew a parabola in the air, and Qin Ye casually grabbed it.
"What's the matter?" Qin Ye placed the phone in his trouser pocket and suppressed the nervousness in his heart.
"Nothing … it's nothing."
Wang Chenghao stared at Qin Ye for several seconds, before leaping down from the chair and wrapping his arms around Qin Ye's neck, "Pretty boy, it's nothing.
But today … Zhang Yilong and I are going to clean up the place.
It just so happens that we've got something to do later.
Do you … want to do it? "
Qin Ye's gaze shifted slightly, and he glanced around the classroom.
Sure enough, it was a complete mess. Not even the blackboard had been wiped.
"What are you guys up to?" Qin Ye deliberated, "The school has a rule that all students must be out of school by 6 p.m.
Three days ago, and they've been playing it over and over again.
If you don't leave, you'll be expelled from school.
I'm not free. "
Before Qin Ye could finish speaking, Wang Chenghao's grip tightened, and his voice deepened, "Hmm?"
Qin Ye didn't dare to continue speaking.
Wang Chenghao tilted his head and took a puff of his cigarette, before blowing it onto Qin Ye's face. Qin Ye coughed several times.
Wang Chenghao's voice grew somber, "What's the meaning of this?
I'm asking you for a favor, but I can't get you to do it, can I? "
"6 p.m. …"
Before Qin Ye could finish speaking, Wang Chenghao tightened his grip around his neck, causing Qin Ye's face to turn pale. He forcibly swallowed the rest of his words.
Zhang Yilong had already walked over with a broom in his hand. He tossed the broom into Qin Ye's arms and raised his voice by an octave, "Sweep!"
His voice reverberated throughout the empty classroom. Qin Ye gritted his teeth and struggled to free himself from Wang Chenghao's grip. Then, suppressing his anger, he barked, "I'll … sweep.
But you guys have to help. Otherwise, I won't be able to finish sweeping by 6 p.m. "
"Are you an idiot?" Wang Chenghao spat out the cigarette butt and ground it hard, "Do you really expect me to do it at 6 p.m.?
What's wrong with not leaving at 6 p.m.?
Do you think you're an idiot just because we're telling you to leave? "
"Don't be so shameless!
I'm already showing you respect by letting you sweep!
Stop grumbling and whining!
Sweep!! "
Qin Ye drew a deep breath and bit down on his lips, "Don't you guys find it strange?"
"Ever since last week, there's been a sudden increase in supernatural incidents on the news.
These things used to be completely banned by the state!
Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has already issued a decree stating that classes must end at 4.30 p.m.
School used to end at 5.30 p.m.
We've been told time and again that we have to be home by 6 p.m. Even if we can't, we have to be together! "
"And there's also the school's radio broadcast. Do you think the school is playing a joke on us?"
There was a sudden silence.
Zhang Yilong and Wang Chenghao stared at Qin Ye as though they had just seen a ghost. Seconds later, they burst out laughing in unison.
"Hahahaha!
Hahaha!! "" I'm dying of laughter! "
"What day and age are we in? How can there still be idiots who believe in such things?" "Bloody hell … I can't take it anymore … I really can't take it anymore!
I'm dying of laughter! "
"To think that the school's regulations would be applied to something as mindless as today's headlines. What a joke!
What a joke! "
The two men laughed like toads as they sat on the table, panting heavily.
Qin Ye looked at them expressionlessly, "Today is the 15th day of the seventh month on the lunar calendar."
"W-what do you mean?" Wang Chenghao wiped away the tears of laughter.
Qin Ye shook his head and continued solemnly, "Halfway through the seventh month, ghosts run amok, and the gates of Hell open.
This is also one of the three major ghost festivals, the Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival. "
"Puhahahaha!!" "Yue Laan Hungry Ghost Festival, hahaha!
Bloody hell, I've almost forgotten this name!
No wonder your family runs a wreath shop! "" Hahaha, Brother Wang, that's not a wreath shop, it's a funeral shop!
What do you know … I can't take it anymore, I'm dying of laughter!
Hahaha!! "
Qin Ye chuckled bitterly and sighed.
It didn't matter whether others believed it or not. His family ran this business, and he would rather believe in such things than not.
But now?
How many people would still believe in such things?
Qin Ye picked up the eraser and began to wipe the blackboard.
Wang Chenghao and Zhang Yilong sat on the table with a smile on their faces. None of them had the slightest intention of reaching out.
Instead, they lit up another cigarette and began to discuss Qin Ye's words and actions with hushed voices.
Qin Ye could vaguely hear phrases like "idiot", "He looks just like a ghost …" and so on.
Time trickled by. Qin Ye didn't expect the two men to reach out to him at all. He was so busy that he was sweating profusely.
It was nearing graduation. Not only were the blackboards densely packed, but there were also plenty of papers and tattered exam papers scattered all over the floor.
There were even spoilt pencils, erasers, and so on and so forth.
"Huuu …" After an inordinate amount of time, Qin Ye finally straightened his back.
Zhang Yilong's impatient voice called out, "Are you done?
How much longer do you have?
Sweeping the floor is so troublesome. Can you still do your job? "
Before he could finish his sentence, the school's broadcast suddenly sounded without warning.
"Dear students, it's six o 'clock again.
The school has once again solemnly reminded all students to leave the campus grounds within twenty minutes. This is the final deadline.
Any violation of this rule will result in expulsion from the school.
The school will not be held responsible for any consequences. "
Qin Ye stood up, and his voice reverberated throughout the empty campus grounds.
Wang Chenghao and Zhang Yilong remained indifferent.
"To all students who are still on campus, please leave the school grounds before 6.10 p.m.
Please do not walk in rooms that are covered in glass or that have not been opened for a long time.
Do not approach the old teaching block.
These areas are currently under construction, so please pay attention to your safety. "
"All personnel on duty are to be assigned to groups of five.
The school will ensure that there will be no power outages throughout the night.
Until 5 a.m. tomorrow.
This notice shall take effect immediately. All personnel on duty are to evacuate outside of the school grounds.
There is no need for patrol checks at night. "
What they didn't know was that all 23 provinces, 661 cities, 1,636 counties and 41636 towns and villages across Cathay were all broadcasting the same broadcast.
At this very moment, there were over a billion people across Cathay. Apart from places without access to electricity, taxis, subways, televisions and radio channels, there was no news whatsoever. Even the most popular celebrities had to make way for the broadcast.
For a full five minutes, the broadcast continued to play the same broadcast.
"All citizens of the city, please take note … Try not to leave the house after 6.30 p.m. Please make sure that your room is secure …" "All citizens of the entire county, please find a place to stay before 6.30 p.m.
Applicants for lodging must verify their ID.
After 6.30 p.m., please do not stay in a room alone.
Make at least groups of three … "" All citizens, please take note … "
For some reason, Qin Ye's entire body shuddered.
For some strange reason, as soon as the broadcast began to play, he felt … his surroundings grow colder.
It was a strange aura. It wasn't the coldness of the air. Rather, it was the chill of the netherworld.
It was almost as though someone were sticking close to his neck and exhaling a breath of cold air. It was a hair-raising sensation.
"Let's go!!" Without another word, he grabbed his school bag and rushed out of the room.
However, something caught hold of his school bag.
It was right on the table, not moving an inch.