The teacher's cosplay skills are incredibly impressive.

"[Anwu City Public Health Emergency Command Center]

Dear citizens: Recently, an unidentified epidemic has appeared in some areas of our city. A Level III public health emergency response has been activated, and various prevention and control measures are advancing in an orderly manner."

Well, it really is a plague.

However, it was only in "some areas," so it seemed it hadn't fully spread yet.

Zhu Yan found a patch of shade to stand under, scrolling through his message inbox.

"Please actively cooperate with physical examinations and other prevention and control requirements. Insist on wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and avoiding gatherings. When out, please maintain a 2-meter social distance."

"If large, irregular black spots appear on your body, please absolutely do not go out, and immediately call the Anwu City Center for Disease Control and Prevention."

"Currently, the supply of living materials in our city is sufficient. Please do not panic buy, and do not believe or spread rumors. Thank you for your understanding and support!"

Three or four messages like this had been sent within the last three hours.

Aside from that, there were quarantine notices for specific areas.

"Due to the sudden outbreak of an unidentified epidemic in some areas of our city, citizens whose activity routes in the past two days included the Old City District, the Far Suburb Villa District, the City Hospital, and the Xinkang District, are requested to quarantine at home immediately and call the Anwu City Center for Disease Control and Prevention."

Zhu Yan knew Xinkang District; it was where Meiyuan Street was located.

It seemed these areas were the main outbreak zones of the plague.

These places were quite far from Xishan University. This area shouldn't be too affected, right?

"In addition, citizens who receive a call from the Anwu City Center for Disease Control and Prevention are requested to cooperate with all procedures and testing processes."

Zhu Yan checked his missed and blocked calls; no one had called him.

The last remaining text message was an official reminder from Anwu City.

"Due to prevention and control management needs, our city is implementing a [One Person, One ID] system citywide. Entering and exiting all public places requires showing and registering an ID card. Citizens are requested to carry relevant identification documents with them."

This was a troublesome but very smart approach.

Zhu Yan could understand.

Those in charge of checking were most likely from the police department. No matter how Zhu Yan's ID card was modified, as long as he showed a flaw in his behavior, there was a possibility of being targeted.

The troublesome part was that Zhu Yan currently had no place to live.

He definitely couldn't return to that guesthouse, and if he booked a new room, he would easily be watched.

The Art Student's printer had indeed modified a property ownership certificate for him.

Was it possible for him to move into the house listed on the property certificate?

Zhu Yan exited the text message interface and searched for a nearby food court.

Since things had come to this, he might as well grab some food The Art Student liked to eat and go ask him.

...

The police department acted very swiftly.

When Zhu Yan followed the navigation to the food street near Xishan University, two police officers were already guarding both ends of the street.

It seemed this place really hadn't been greatly affected. All the shops were operating normally, and some residents were moving about inside.

Zhu Yan changed his appearance and walked over. The two officers, wearing only masks, stopped him from a distance.

"Please show your ID! Where do you live? You received the text message, right?"

"Have you been to any of the locations mentioned in the message?"

Zhu Yan hadn't had time to look at the property certificate, but the ID card also had address information.

He quickly glanced at it; it was a somewhat familiar place.

"I live in Qifeng Alley." Zhu Yan handed the ID over quite naturally. "I haven't been to those places."

The officer took the ID, looked at it, and swiped it on a handheld device.

There were no issues, so he waved his hand to let Zhu Yan in.

"Wear your mask properly. Starting tomorrow, entry without a mask will not be allowed."

Zhu Yan was already dazed by the delicious smells.

It was similar to the Old City District here; there was all sorts of food with a rich variety.

He bought items one by one according to what The Art Student had written on the paper card, and he also packed a lot of food and drinks from several shops, secretly stuffing a portion into his ring.

Two hours later, Zhu Yan, carrying only four bags in his hands, exited quite low-key from the other end of the block.

He followed the navigation to the tightly closed gates of Xishan University, planning to walk a lap around the perimeter wall.

However, an unfamiliar voice called out to him from behind.

"Hey! Come here!"

Zhu Yan was startled.

He turned his head toward the voice and found a gentle-looking middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

He confirmed that he did not know the other party.

"Zhu Zeyu?" This person, however, called out Zhu Yan's new name with absolute precision. "You're here to learn painting, right? Come here quickly."

Zhu Yan seemed to understand something.

Zhu Zeyu—this new name was changed for him by The Art Student.

Combined with the phrase "here to learn painting"...

Could this be The Art Student?

He was still hesitating, but the other party was already walking quickly toward him.

"Hurry up, I'm The Art Student." This person lowered his voice at Zhu Yan. Zhu Yan was surprised to find that the middle-aged man's voice had turned into that of a young boy.

"I recognized you at a glance! Let's go inside to talk. It's not convenient for you to climb the wall right now, is it?"

It indeed wasn't convenient. There were surveillance cameras everywhere, and climbing the wall would be too suspicious.

"I am Professor Wang right now."

The Art Student grabbed his wrist and walked forward, while impatiently snatching the food from his hands.

"Come on, do you have a conscience? I nearly died liquifying your photos, and now I'm wearing 15-centimeter elevator shoes to cosplay as Professor Wang to pick you up, and you only bought this much?"

"Is this right? Zhu Yan? Zhu Yan (Bamboo Salt)? Zhu Zeyu?"

Liquify... what?

Zhu Yan didn't understand this word and looked down specifically at The Art Student's shoes.

Well, looking closely, the platforms on these shoes were indeed abnormally thick.

"Mr. Security Guard, this is my student, here to paint."

The Art Student greeted the gate guard quite familiarly. "Thanks a lot, sir."

Huh?

Only then did Zhu Yan notice that there were surprisingly no police officers at the school gate, only two security guards.

But he had no time to ask why.

The Art Student led Zhu Yan to the right onto a small path, and only then did Zhu Yan get a chance to explain.

"I bought a lot of food," he said. "I put it in the ring."

The Art Student instantly became happy.

"WOW!" he let out a strange cry, not answering Zhu Yan's question.

"Sob sob sob, I thought you wouldn't be able to come or would come very late. Ah, I'm really suffocating to death; the progress of [Fangcun Mountain] hasn't been able to move forward at all. I think we're doomed."

"You have no idea how excited I was when I found out the printer's card was pushed out!"

The Art Student tore open the milk tea packaging. "Oh... bubble tea! I love you, Zhu Yan (Bamboo Salt)!"

His overly familiar mouth finally stopped.

Zhu Yan took the opportunity to ask, "What exactly is [Fangcun Mountain]? If you're not a thriller creature, then what are you?"

"Also, what is going on with [Carnival Paradise]?"

The Art Student chewed the tapioca pearls in big bites, as if he hadn't eaten a meal in a long time.

"Right now, you can only see a small part of [Carnival Paradise]," he said indistinctly. "It is a product of power mutation, a massive contamination."

"Fake humans, witches, plague demons—don't you find these very familiar?"

"What do you mean by power mutation?" Zhu Yan asked immediately.

He recalled those bizarre-looking thriller creatures in the [Hall of Mourning].

Some of them indeed looked very familiar; he could see the traces of various stories, legends, and even history.

In the short time it took to exchange a few words, The Art Student had already downed half a cup of milk tea.

"We're here." He pointed to a white academic building up ahead. "Let's go inside and talk. Bring your cat."

"You can tell me about your situation and experiences first, and then I'll tell you mine."

"I did help you modify your identity card twice, after all!"