Perhaps due to overexertion, Little Wei coughed heavily but managed to steady herself as she glared at the black-clad woman before her.
Then, without a word, the woman turned away, completely ignoring Little Wei.
Little Wei’s eyes widened slightly, a question mark practically floating above her head.
What was this supposed to mean?
Looking down on her?
Irritation flared in Little Wei’s chest.
Before she could react further, the NPC dissolved like a wisp of black mist, vanishing in an instant.
All that remained on the table was a dark golden save card.
Little Wei: "…"
She turned to Youyin, who looked equally speechless. The two locked eyes, sharing a moment of stunned silence.
"You… have some nerve," Youyin finally managed after a long pause, squeezing out the words through gritted teeth.
Little Wei sighed and pressed her fingerprint onto the save card.
Only one chance—this damn world really knew how to screw people over!
She cursed inwardly.
"Let’s go. Where to now?" Little Wei rapped her knuckles against her throbbing head before asking Youyin.
"The square. Where everyone else is heading," Youyin replied.
At this point, it was the only place they could go.
By the time Little Wei and Youyin arrived, the square was already packed, a sea of people with barely any room to stand.
Youyin stood on tiptoe, craning her neck to see, but the stage at the center of the square was empty.
The students, still shaken from the night’s events, sat scattered across the grounds. Being a university, even a single campus housed tens of thousands of them.
"Due to tonight’s unforeseen circumstances, we’ve contacted the relevant authorities. For now, please return home and keep your communication lines open. Further updates will be shared in group chats once we’re able to resume classes."
A loudspeaker crackled to life overhead.
Before the announcement even finished, some students had already started leaving.
Exhaustion was written plainly on their faces—no one had the patience to listen to the principal’s rambling. Not that he was in any state to give a long speech either. The man had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night from another campus, his usual penchant for wordiness dampened by sheer fatigue.
He didn’t even know what had happened here, and frankly, he didn’t want to think about it.
In a university, the worst fear wasn’t students skipping class—they could treat the place like a vacation home for all he cared. But a student dying on campus? That was a nightmare.
He had too much to deal with already. The living would have to wait.
As for roll calls, that was impossible now. The network was down, and no one had a clue what was really going on. The only thing working was the faintest flicker of a signal.
They’d have to wait until the campus was fully inspected before deciding how to handle the situation.
Little Wei watched as the crowd thinned before turning to Youyin.
"Should we head home now?" she asked.
"My family’s in the city. What about you?" Youyin tilted her head slightly, an inexplicable reluctance tugging at her as she looked at the frail girl.
Wait… was she into girls?
No, no, absolutely not.
The little voice in Youyin’s mind waved its hands frantically. Nope, nope, nope.
Lesbian tendencies? That was way too scary.
Just because this girl looked delicate and pitiful didn’t mean she could entertain such thoughts, right?
That would be downright creepy.
Youyin mentally scolded herself.
"I…" Little Wei frowned, racking her brain. The original owner’s home wasn’t in this city.
"I’ve got nowhere to go," she admitted flatly.
This school was ridiculous. In situations like this, most students were lucky if they managed to pull on their pants before bolting—who’d remember to grab cash? And unlike middle or high school, where homes were nearby, this was a university.
Whatever.
Arguing with the logic of this world was pointless.
"Then come to my place. No one’s home anyway," Youyin said after a pause, pressing her lips together.
The original owner had bought an apartment in the city using inherited money. She hadn’t brought her keys, but the place had fingerprint and passcode entry.
"Guess that’s our only option," Little Wei replied, indifferent about accommodations.
She just hoped she could sleep tonight.
"Alright." Youyin nodded, scanning their surroundings.
The area was deserted, save for a few abandoned cars. With no other choice, Youyin approached an unlocked bicycle and patted the rear seat.
"Hop on," she said, raising an eyebrow.
Little Wei: "…"
After a brief hesitation, she climbed on.
It had been years since Little Wei last rode a bike, let alone as a passenger.
As she stowed her staff, the bicycle wobbled, and the next thing she knew, she was sprawled on the ground.
"Uh…" Youyin turned at the sound, staring at Little Wei sitting on the pavement.
"Couldn’t you just hold onto me?" Youyin was equal parts exasperated and amused.
Little Wei knocked on her own skull.
"Forgot. Can’t think too hard right now, or my head hurts like hell," she groaned.
First time her weak constitution had ever interfered with a mission.
She was officially done trying.
"You’ve gotta use your brain a little. If you don’t hold on, I can’t ride properly."
The moment the words left her mouth, Little Wei wrapped her arms around Youyin’s slender waist, resting her head against her back. Youyin’s grip on the handlebars tightened.
Weird.
It was just a girl hugging her—why did her chest feel all tingly?
So weird.
"Why aren’t we moving?" The girl’s cheek brushed lightly against her spine as she spoke, sending a shiver down Youyin’s back. She snapped out of it.
"Going, going."
Youyin even bit her tongue in frustration. What was wrong with her? At a time like this, her mind was wandering to nonsense.
With a push, the bicycle rolled forward.
A cool breeze nipped at their foreheads, chilly but not bone-deep.
Youyin’s apartment wasn’t far from the square—just a thirty-minute ride.
"We’re here. Let’s get some rest," Youyin said, genuinely exhausted.
Little Wei had no desire to discuss life philosophies on these eerie, blood-mist-shrouded streets either, so she hurried after Youyin.
The apartment was on the second floor. Not daring to risk the elevator, they took the stairs.
But the moment Little Wei took her first step, something felt off.
That same malevolent gaze from earlier at the school seemed to resurface in an instant. She spun around, only to find nothing there.
Strange.
But if it had followed them here, it was likely Youyin’s… duplicate?
Little Wei preferred that term over "killer."
"What’s wrong?" Youyin peered down from the stairs, puzzled.
"Inside first," Little Wei muttered, rushing up the steps.
Two minutes later, Youyin shut the apartment door behind them.
Only then did the sense of being watched fade.
Yet Youyin seemed completely unaware.
How odd.
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