Dunk

The dormitory building was located right behind the teaching building, with a concrete path connecting the two.

It had been a while since evening self-study ended. Silhouettes dotted the path in twos and threes.

Some walked with their arms around each other's shoulders, heading back to rest, while others hurried along, merely returning to the dorms to grab their things before going home.

As soon as Gao Yuanqiang turned onto the greenway leading to the garbage station, his foot slipped, and he nearly lost his balance.

"Hey, damn it, what the hell is going on? Why are the streetlights out here?"

He pointed at the pitch-black road ahead, unable to hold back a curse.

This path was fine in the morning, but it was a bit creepy at night. Now that the only source of light was on strike, it looked even more ghostly.

Lin Mo followed behind him, a hint of teasing in his voice. "What, don't tell me you're scared?"

"Are you kidding me? The word 'fear' isn't in my dictionary!" Gao Yuanqiang stiffened his neck as if he had suffered a great humiliation. He immediately straightened his back and strode ahead, using his actions to prove his courage.

However, no matter how you looked at it, his pace was a good thirty percent faster than usual.

Lin Mo didn't say anything more. He just found it somewhat amusing, his gaze casually sweeping over the surroundings.

He then followed behind Gao Yuanqiang.

Yet, as they walked down this greenway, a dark figure stood far off in the distance, quietly watching the two of them leave.

The closer they got to the garbage station, the clearer the faint, sour smell of rot in the air became.

The school had hired a specialized waste management company, so the place wasn't exactly overflowing with trash, but that smell simply couldn't be covered up.

"Holy crap, this smell is too intense!"

As soon as they arrived, Gao Yuanqiang pinched his nose, his voice becoming muffled. "It's not even summer yet. Once summer comes, wouldn't anyone standing here just ascend straight to heaven?"

Under the lights at the entrance of the garbage station, several workers wearing masks and gloves were silently sorting the trash. Their movements were brisk, as if they couldn't smell a thing.

Holding his breath, Gao Yuanqiang handed the trash can over.

Without even looking up, one of the workers took the can, neatly dumped its contents into a massive sorting bin with a loud clatter, and then handed the empty can back, waving them off.

Throughout the entire process, not a single word was exchanged.

Fortunately, the class only threw away dry trash. If there was wet trash, it was basically tossed into the large bins outside the classrooms.

Lin Mo took the can and carried it over to a nearby faucet.

"Hey, that's good enough. It's not a rice bowl, why wash it so clean?" Gao Yuanqiang urged from the side, just wanting to quickly escape this gas chamber.

"There's sugar stuck to it. If we don't wash it clean, it'll attract roaches tomorrow."

Lin Mo didn't look up as he turned on the faucet. The water washed over the sides of the can, taking away the cookie crumbs and the stickiness of candy wrappers. "When they crawl into the classroom, are you going to be responsible for catching them one by one?"

Gao Yuanqiang instantly went silent.

Lin Mo not only washed the can but also carefully washed his hands before handing the can back to Gao Yuanqiang.

The two of them carried the can between them once again and set off on the way back.

Gao Yuanqiang felt like his nose was about to stop working. He kept complaining along the way, "Those garbage collectors are really something else, it's like they don't even have noses..."

"That's their profession. They get paid to do a job."

"That's true, they must make a lot of money at least."

"It's all hard-earned money."

Chatting and laughing, the two walked back along the path they came from, one in front of the other.

Passing through that eerie, unlit stretch of path again, Gao Yuanqiang didn't feel as creeped out anymore. His mind was full of the joy of going home soon.

He walked in front, gripping the handle on one side of the trash can, his steps much lighter.

Lin Mo, carrying the back of the can, didn't lag behind either.

Right at that moment, a sudden rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. A dark figure lunged out, aiming straight for the center of Lin Mo's back!

The person was clutching something in his hand, though it wasn't clear in the faint moonlight. However, his heavy, rapid footsteps struck Gao Yuanqiang's eardrums like muffled thunder.

He subconsciously turned his head.

With just one glance, the blood in Gao Yuanqiang's veins ran cold.

The moonlight reflected a blinding, cold gleam. It was the blade of a knife, pointed right at Lin Mo's back, stabbing forward viciously!

Gao Yuanqiang's throat felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an icy hand, his heart skipping a beat.

"Lin..."

Before he could even shout the name.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Mo's body reacted, even without him turning his head.

He swiftly slid backward, his figure dodging the blade like a phantom. At the same time, he yanked his arm, snatching the large trash can right out of the dumbfounded Gao Yuanqiang's hands!

Gao Yuanqiang only felt his hand lighten, not yet realizing what had happened.

Lin Mo had already turned around. Raising the trash can high with both hands, he brought it down viciously onto the dark figure's head with a perfect slam-dunk posture!

"Slam dunk right on your head!"

Bang!

A loud, muffled thud echoed out.

Trembling, Gao Yuanqiang pulled out his phone and frantically turned on the flashlight. A pale beam of light instantly sliced through the darkness, illuminating the fruit knife that had fallen to the ground.

"A knife!" His voice cracked.

Lin Mo didn't even look. He smoothly kicked the knife several meters away, his movements fluid and seamless. Then, keeping one hand pressed down on the trash can, he leisurely took out his own phone with the other and dialed a number.

"Director Huang! Someone tried to knife me! Hurry and bring the security guards to the greenway behind the dorms!"

On the other end of the line, Huang Zhirong had just finished showering at home and was preparing to enjoy a relaxing evening. Hearing this, his brain buzzed, and he nearly threw his phone.

He was completely paralyzed with shock.

However, without overthinking it, he immediately got up and started putting on his clothes.

"Where are you going?!" Huang Zhirong's wife stared in disbelief as he frantically pulled on his pants.

Huang Zhirong's eyes were red with panic. He roared while dressing, "The top student in the school! Our school's golden boy! He almost got knifed right inside the school! I need to get over there right now!"

Before his voice even faded, he had already dialed the security captain's number, his voice booming like thunder.

"Wang Jinxi! Bring all your men immediately! Get to the greenway behind the dorms! Hurry! Something terrible has happened! Lin Mo..."

Hearing this tone, Security Captain Wang Jinxi didn't hesitate for a second. He bounced right out of his chair and roared into his walkie-talkie, "Everyone! Grab your gear! Follow me to the back of the dorms! It's an absolute emergency!"

That was Lin Mo! The precious treasure of the school, someone even the principal would coddle and fuss over. If even the slightest mishap occurred to him on campus, they would all have to pack their bags and get lost.

In an instant, seven or eight security guards carrying rubber batons and riot shields surged toward the scene in a massive swarm. Their momentum was fiercer than if they were catching a thief.

By the time they arrived panting for breath, they realized the streetlights in the area were broken, leaving the place pitch black.

Fortunately, they had all brought high-powered flashlights.