CNC: Chapter 63

Mosaic School (14)

Chi Nan’s eyelashes trembled in the light of the snow. “I’m not interested.”

“Why?” The doctor became more interested.

“It is a bit boring outside. I prefer this place,” Chi Nan truthfully said that he preferred to be in the Nightmare World rather than the real world.

It didn’t matter whether it was Zi City or the instances. He might have to risk his life from time to time, but he could gradually feel something that came from his own emotions.

It was as if something hibernating was about to break out of the ground. A substance called emotions flowed through his body.

The doctor seemed a bit surprised by his answer. There was a moment of hesitation before he smiled. “What a coincidence. Me too.”

“…I thought no one but me would like this place more than the real world.” He lowered his voice and it was hard to tell if he was talking to himself or to Chi Nan.

It was a pity that 229’s seriousness was fleeting and he soon returned to his original cynical tone, “Brother Nan, it seems that we are really similar.”

Chi Nan: “……”

“In every way,” the doctor smiled and emphasized.

***

Chi Nan pressed his alarm clock. The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was to look at the other bed.

By the time his alarm rang, the doctor had already left. The sheets were deliberately tidied up and the quilt was neatly folded. It was as if no one had slept there last night.

Chi Nan stared blankly for a moment. Judging from last night’s conversation, 229 was someone from the real world. It wasn’t known how but he entered the Nightmare World and became a dream maker.

The dream maker obviously had a superior, such as the dream god who only existed in legends.

Chi Nan rubbed his eyes and got up in an expressionless manner to wash and get dressed.

He had just cleaned himself up when there was a terrifying scream from the corridor.

Ever since coming to this boarding school, similar screens had been heard in the corridor every day. It was like a routine ritual that broke the tranquility of the winter morning.

In the case where they succeeded in figuring out the death rule, someone else was punished with death.

The group quickly emerged from their rooms and followed the source of the scream to the door of Room 208.

This time, the victims were the two boys of 208.

“Why did this happen? Wasn’t the clue on yesterday’s note about 210?”

Just as Chi Nan pushed open the door of the dormitory, everyone’s eyes turned to him in unison and there was a moment of eerie silence.

“Chi Nan, were you okay last night?” Guo Xian looked at him and asked.

Chi Nan nodded and turned to the others with a complicated expression. “Did someone violate the school rules again?”

Guo Xian’s expression was gloomy. “Jiang Boming and Song Ye of Room 208 died last night.”

Compared with Guo Xian’s sadness, everyone else was more frightened and worried. Guo Yaoyao of 207 said with panic, “Could it be that they were assigned the death trailer video last night or the red quilt…”

Tang Yu shook her head. “The red quilt was in my room last night.”

“Is it possible they triggered the unknown rule like Ni Rong yesterday?”

Guo Xian, who was usually very active when it came to analyzing, was silent at this moment. It was Tong Yu who calmly spoke, “I don’t think this is the case. Ni Rong died very peacefully. Judging from the way the two boys of 208 died, it is definitely related to yesterday’s Statues game.”

Chi Nan had already walked into Room 208 at this time and understood why Tong Yu was so certain.

The two boys of Room 208 lay upright on their beds, their dull pupils gray and open. The corners of their mouths were raised in a stiff and eerie smile, and their torsos below their necks had turned into the texture of wood, supporting their heads like a scarecrow frame.

“This is…”

“They’ve turned into wood.”

Tong Yu directly touched it. The wooden limbs had completely lost the temperature of humans.

“I can’t understand these rules more and more, starting from Ni Rong’s death yesterday. Today, we obviously mastered the clue for the forbidden school rule, yet death still happened.”

“Don’t be discouraged. We must have an important clue we missed. Even in the Nightmare World dominated by the dream makers, there must be rules to killing people.”

“Chi Nan, your dormitory was selected yesterday. Did anything strange happen last night?”

Usually, Guo Xian dominated the situation, but he didn’t speak much today. Tong Yu took on his role.

Chi Nan shook his head. “There was nothing special. I changed the room number and slept until dawn.”

He didn’t like to lie, but he knew his association with 229 wouldn’t help to clear the dream. It would just make his own position embarrassing.

“Then..how did the punishment that should’ve fallen on you fall on 208 instead?”

Liang Han of 204 didn’t care about any human face at this time and directly questioned it.

Chi Nan wondered, “What if last night’s punishment was more than one dormitory?”

Everyone was stunned while he continued, “Last time, the death trailer was played in three rooms at the same time. Therefore, last night’s punishment might be more than Room 210.”

Guo Xian’s eyes finally focused at this moment and he spoke urgently, “Is it possible that we only got one hint yesterday because only one group passed?”

Chi Nan was silent. Tang Yu thought about it and shook his head. “The female teacher explained clearly. Only one student needed to successfully pass for it to be regarded as smoothly completing the game and we would get the school rule at night. If we needed to pass the game multiple times, wouldn’t this statement be unreasonable?”

“So what do you think is going on?”

Tang Yu glanced at Guo Xian with a complicated expression. She bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, before finally deciding to bite the bullet. She gritted her teeth and said, “That…you were the one who opened the clue box yesterday.”

Guo Xian turned to look directly at Tang Yu. There was no change in his expression, but Chi Nan noticed that his hands were shaking a bit. “That’s right. So?”

Tang Yu didn’t dare to look directly into his eyes and stared at the ground. “Yesterday, I saw that you seemed to be hiding something.”

Guo Xian frowned slightly. “Are you suspicious that I hid a clue?”

Tang Yu was silent for a moment. She first nodded, before shaking her head hurriedly. “I just came across a phenomenon that I can’t understand and now this has happened. I want to verify it with you. If I am wrong, I will apologize to you and we can be at ease. If you really deliberately hid something…I hope you can give an explanation for doing so.”

Guo Xian suddenly laughed. “You said this. I also hope you can give me a reason. Why should I do this?”

“This…” Tang Yu was at a loss for words and looked at everyone as if asking for help. It was just that Guo Xian had obviously assumed the position of leader in the team and the newcomers didn’t dare offend him. It was natural for them to avoid looking at Tang Yu. “Did anyone see it? Yesterday…”

Her voice gradually faded because no one responded to her at all. Even she wasn’t very sure now and she wondered if she had misunderstood Guo Xian.

What if… what if she saw incorrectly?

This lasted until she shifted her gaze to Chi Nan. Chi Nan didn’t avoid her gaze and instead suggested, “Let’s check it.”

“What?”

Guo Xian and Tang Yu opened their mouths at almost the same time, but their tones were completely different. Guo Xian put away the emotion in his eyes and tried to control his facial expression. “How would we check it? I am happy to cooperate as long as the truth can be revealed.”

“Sorry, I just want to figure it out…” Tang Yu bit her lip again. Based on her character, there was nothing more difficult for her than publicly accusing someone.

Chi Nan told them, “There are surveillance cameras in the dance studio. Based on my impression, the location of the surveillance should be able to capture the process of Guo Xian opening the box.”

“Cameras?” Guo Xian unknowingly raised his voice and his facial expression was a bit out of control.

He had thought about cameras when he first entered the school. Then, after carefully observing the school hall, student dormitory, cafeteria, and classroom he had visited before, he didn’t see any traces of cameras so he had assumed that cameras didn’t exist in this instance. He relaxed his vigilance and didn’t consider this matter in the future.

Chi Nan nodded. “We can propose to the teacher to watch the surveillance video. If she allows it then this matter will be solved.”

In his perception, finding the truth would solve the problem. He didn’t think about whether the truth would put the team’s relationships in an embarrassing situation.

“Let’s ask before morning class. The female teacher should be preparing for the lesson in Classroom 103.” Tong Yu was a decisive girl and already started walking to Room 103.

Guo Xian’s expression finally became out of control and his face was pale. “Wait a minute…!”

Tong Yu was stopped by him and looked puzzled.

“Let’s go to breakfast first. Maintaining physical strength is important for maintaining our awakening level.” Guo Xian had to come up with a reason that even he thought was lame.

Tong Yu frowned. She narrowed her eyes and looked at him with a scrutinizing expression. “Figuring out this matter before the morning class is helpful for the test. I don’t think we should delay it.”

The group headed downstairs. As expected, the female teacher was sitting in Room 103 and sorting out the lesson plan.

“It isn’t time for class yet. Students, you can go to breakfast first.” She looked up at the anxious faces of the group and revealed her trademark stiff smile.

Tong Yu had always been straightforward in personality. “Teacher, we want to check the surveillance video of yesterday’s 105 dance studio to confirm something.”

The female teacher slightly raised an eyebrow. “What happened? You need to get permission to see the surveillance. Give me a reason that can convince me before I make a judgment. After all, checking the surveillance isn’t a trivial matter.”

Tong Yu wanted to speak but Tang Yu interrupted her, “That…yesterday during the physical education class, I felt like I was touched here by a boy… I don’t know if it was my illusion or not…”

Then she patted her non-existent chest.

Tang Yu might have an indecisive personality, but she was very sensitive to people’s emotions and could accurately judge what reason would make the female teacher angry and on her side.

Sure enough, the female teacher’s expression became gloomy out of anger the moment she saw Tang Yu’s aggrieved and embarrassed look. She immediately closed the lesson plan and stood up, looking at the boys with a serious expression. “This type of se*ual harassment definitely isn’t allowed in our school. Please come with me. I will call up yesterday’s surveillance video for you.”

“Thank you, Teacher!” Tang Yu maintained her wronged and ashamed persona. She even rubbed her eyes at the right time.

At this time, Guo Xian’s face was completely white.

Proofreader: Kat