Unable to Leave

"Huh? Nothing?"

"Seriously? The entire first floor is just classrooms? There's no changing room?"

After leaving the cafeteria, Ye Chuan spent the entire lunch break—a full hour—searching but still couldn’t locate the changing room.

"Ding dong, ding ding, dong dong dong~" Just as Ye Chuan was at a loss, the bell rang.

Clearly, lunch break was over.

"Time flies," Ye Chuan muttered as he heard the bell. Sensing the movement around him, he reluctantly pulled out his "Anywhere Door" and teleported straight back to the classroom.

The Anywhere Door could only be recharged three times, making it impossible to use frequently—otherwise, it’d be downright overpowered.

The classroom was already filled with students, the same eerie silence hanging in the air. Ye Chuan returned to his seat without a word.

"Maybe the changing room isn’t in the teaching building?" he wondered.

During lunch, he had scoured almost every corner of the building. It didn’t seem like he’d missed anything.

Maybe he could ask someone?

"Wait, why not ask that 'cheap sister' of mine?" Ye Chuan suddenly had an idea.

Since his current identity came with a sister, she’d probably be the best source of information about the school.

And family was supposed to be trustworthy.

"Should I go find her after class? Where’s her classroom?"

"No, better wait until after school. We’re supposed to go home together anyway."

Not knowing where his sister’s classroom was, Ye Chuan decided to wait until the end of the school day.

...

Evening arrived, the setting sun casting its glow inside.

The warm sunlight fell on the doll-like students, yet the air remained unnervingly cold.

"Hmm."

As Ye Chuan casually packed his things, he heard a sound at the classroom door.

"Brother, let’s go home together?"

Ye Chuan didn’t seem surprised. He turned to see a white-haired, red-eyed girl peeking in from the doorway, her face lit by a sweet smile.

Her fingers gripped the doorframe, her expression slightly shy.

The sunlight brushed her cheek, adding a faint warmth.

"First day’s finally over. Time to go home."

Just then, a few players from the neighboring class walked out. When their eyes casually swept the hallway, their bodies froze as if struck by lightning.

To those players, the girl standing by the door of Class 2 wasn’t a girl at all—but a writhing mass of red tentacles, oozing with slime as it clung to the doorframe. Even worse, the creature emitted a disturbingly girlish, shy voice.

"..."

"L-let’s go. Back inside, now." The terrified players immediately turned around and retreated into their classroom.

...

"Oh, sure. Let’s go home." Hearing his sister’s voice, Ye Chuan responded and walked over to her. "Want me to carry your bag?"

"No need. Just hold my hand." She reached out her small hand.

"Okay."

Ye Chuan raised his hand, and his sister took hold of it. For some reason, ever since he’d hugged her that morning, she seemed to have grown more affectionate toward him.

Was she getting clingy?

But that wasn’t important. Thinking about his earlier dilemma, Ye Chuan asked, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Hmm? What is it?" The girl tilted her head, her crimson eyes fixed on his face as if studying him.

Ye Chuan said, "Do you know where the school’s changing room is?"

His sister blinked. "Why do you need the changing room?"

"Just asking. You know, in case I need it."

A strange emotion flickered in her eyes, but she answered without hesitation, "There’s one near the bleachers on the sports field. It’s for P.E. classes."

"But it’s been abandoned for a long time. And that area’s not safe. You shouldn’t go there."

"Oh, so it’s by the field." Ye Chuan finally understood why he hadn’t found it—it wasn’t even in the teaching building.

He knew where the sports field was; it was visible from the hallway. All he had to do was check near the bleachers tomorrow.

"Thanks."

He reached out and patted her head. She nuzzled into his palm like a pleased cat, though her skin still felt unnervingly slick and sticky—as if coated in mucus.

From another’s perspective, Ye Chuan’s hand would be drenched in blood.

Ye Chuan: "..."

Let’s just go home.

...

"We’re back."

"Mm, we’re back."

After returning home with his sister, Ye Chuan gave a brief greeting to his parents before heading straight to his room. There was barely any interaction.

Family was supposed to be trustworthy—but parents weren’t.

A contradictory rule. Maybe his "parents" weren’t actually his parents?

If so, could this "cheap sister" of his really be trusted?

Based on the current situation, if he found the changing room tomorrow, would that confirm her reliability?

Lying on his bed, Ye Chuan pulled out the notes and rules he’d collected and began studying them. After a while, he rubbed his temples in frustration.

"I’d rather just fight my way through."

Maybe he should log out for now.

Ye Chuan took out his phone and tapped the save option—only to see a notification pop up:

[Unable to save. Leaving this world will prevent re-entry. Continue?]

Ye Chuan froze.

What did that mean?

No saves? Was he supposed to clear this in one go?

A no-death speedrun?

"Not happening. If I leave now, who’s gonna compensate me for that legendary-tier item I’m missing?" He immediately dismissed the idea of quitting.

The real world’s time didn’t sync with this one anyway. No matter how long he stayed here, the same amount of time would pass back home.

A chance to obtain a legendary item didn’t come often. Ye Chuan wasn’t about to let it slip away.

"Whatever." Giving up on logging out, he checked his other functions. The points shop, herb garden—all were accessible.

He even opened the "Greedy Cloud Sect’s" vegetable-stealing interface and managed to swipe a few spirit herbs.

"Good. At least supplies aren’t an issue."

With enough resources, he could recharge the Anywhere Door and Air Cannon using energy cores from the tech tree.

"Brother, dinner’s ready." A knock came at his door.

"Coming." Ye Chuan replied.

When he opened the door, his sister—now in pajamas—smiled at him. "Brother, let’s eat."

"Mm."

Back in the living room, Ye Chuan noticed their parents were absent. Only two simple meals sat on the table.

"Where are they?" he asked.

"They had something to do. They went out," his sister said.

"Oh."

"Brother, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

His sister fidgeted shyly, her crimson eyes glimmering beneath her white hair.

"I’m scared of the dark… Can I sleep with you tonight?"