I’m A Little White Flower In An Escape Game ☆ 16

Arc 2: 《Deadly High School》 Ch15 — Ch29

Ruan Bai's eyes flicked towards the tattoo on the man's arm, her interest piqued. If it was the "Badger" design, then she could finally test the month-long training she had undergone for this moment.

"My name is Bai Ruan Ruan; what's your name?" she asked hesitantly, acting like she was not accustomed to conversing with strangers.

"My name is Shen Qing Yun," the man replied, his smile gentle and reassuring. "As for the game, it's called the Escape Game. Players gather together to try and solve challenges and escape the instance. Unfortunately, you've had the misfortune of entering the game without realizing it. You won't make it out alive if you can't solve the challenges."

Ruan Bai's face turned pale as the implications of his words sank in. "Die? How is that possible?" she gasped, her eyes wide with fear. "Can I go home?"

Shen Qing Yun's smile softened. "I'm afraid not. But don't worry, I've passed this game four times before. Don't cry; it's not good for a girl to cry," he comforted her softly upon seeing her state. "If you're terrified, you can be my teammate, and I'll help you through it."

Ruan Bai nodded slowly, her tears held back by Shen Qing Yun's calming presence. His gold-rimmed glasses and handsome features made him instantly approachable and trustworthy.

"Thank you," she murmured softly and glanced at Shen Qing Yun with a hint of shyness. "May I call you brother?"

Shen Qing Yun responded with a smile, "Of course."

Ruan Bai felt relieved and stepped closer to Shen Qing Yun, standing beside him. After these subtle movements, Ruan Bai heard the White Lotus System's voice in her ear:

【Disgusting.】

Ruan Bai clenched her jaw in frustration. 'What's so disgusting? As the White Lotus System, you should know better than anyone that I play my part well enough! I've played more revolting characters in the past!'

Despite her anger, Ruan Bai kept her emotions in check and diverted her attention towards the other players.

The other newcomers gradually learned about the game's rules as they conversed and more players arrived. There were ten players in the game, five male and five female, two of whom were new to the game.

Unlike the previous game, these newcomers remained composed even after realizing it was an escape game. They only showed a hint of surprise and did not reveal any excess emotion.

After persuading Ruan Bai to join, Shen Qing Yun also invited the two new players, only to be politely declined. Once the players formed their teams and stood together, the fog surrounding them suddenly vanished. A black road emerged through the thick white mist in front of them, and one by one, they walked towards it, with Ruan Bai following Shen Qing Yun from behind.

As soon as Ruan Bai's foot touched the ground, rows of red letters materialized before her eyes:

【Destination: "A Fourth High School in A City" has been reached.】

【Game Objective: Survive for 3 days and uncover the secrets of Fourth High】

【Game Progress: 0】

【Game Countdown: 71 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds】

【Number of Participants: 10】

【All players are in position, A-level difficulty game 《Deadly High School》 starts now!】

A-level difficulty?

Upon seeing the lines of text, Ruan Bai cowered behind Shen Qing Yun, feigning fear as she lowered her eyes.

For the moment, she couldn't ascertain whether Shen Qing Yun belonged to the 'Badger' group. Gu Bu Chao had told her that badger members often joined forces of two or three to venture into the game. In some cases, up to five or six people would appear together. However, in this game, Shen Qing Yun was clearly flying solo. Moreover, this tattoo could be a serendipitous coincidence.

Despite this uncertainty, Ruan Bai resolved to stick around and observe him.

The path to Fourth High School's entrance was short, and the players arrived promptly. The weathered exterior of the building displayed peeled paint, hinting at an ominous interior. The withered trees scattered throughout the campus and the ground covered in dried leaves and branches intensified the school's desolate atmosphere. Countless students roamed the premises in their baggy uniforms, appearing disconnected from their surroundings. The silence was almost palpable, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant chatter of students.

As soon as they noticed someone approaching, the students ceased all movement.

The football players, walkers, bookworms, and foodies alike all seemed to have been hit by the stop button, their movements frozen in place, their pitch-black eyes fixed on the approaching players. Ruan Bai felt her scalp tingle as she looked around, taking in the unnerving scene. She took two steps back, and in a strange turn of events, she found herself wearing a uniform identical to the others. Apparently, the identity for this round was that they were all students from the school.

When the players were at a loss for what to do next, a woman's cold, hoarse voice cut through the tense silence. "Why are you still standing here?" she demanded.

Ruan Bai and the other players turned towards the source of the voice. They saw a middle-aged woman dressed in simple clothing with an expressionless face walking towards them. The woman's eyes slowly moved twice, staring at the players with an unnerving intensity. "What class are you students in?" she asked, her voice low and threatening. "Why aren't you in class?"

Ruan Bai trembled with fear, feeling helpless in the face of the woman's intense gaze. Shen Qing Yun sensed her unease and patted the back of her hand reassuringly. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he scanned the surrounding players.

Despite their shared fear, none of the players wanted to reveal their class or name. The tension in the air was palpable as the clock on the wall ticked on, its shrill and piercing sound making the atmosphere even more unsettling. Each player was acutely aware of the black, lifeless eyes staring at them, devoid of expression. No one knew what awaited them once they revealed their identity.

Ruan Bai's eyes inadvertently drifted towards the photo of the school's leading teachers on the wall. She immediately noticed their mouths twisted into a disturbing curve, their malice barely contained. She realized they had to answer the question no matter what.

Without warning, Shen Qing Yun interjected, "Sorry, teacher, we had something to attend to." He turned his head towards Ruan Bai and flashed a smile, his glasses concealing his eyes filled with regret and indifference, "Bai Ruan Ruan, let's apologize to the teacher together."

After hearing Shen Qing Yun's words, Ruan Bai understood he was trying to trap her!

They were impostors, not genuine students, and had no clue which class they belonged to, but their names had been catalogued in the school archives by the system.

Now that Shen Qing Yun had uttered her name, the woman in front of her would undoubtedly recognize her!

The danger level of the A-level world exceeded that of the B-level world by several degrees. This simple question could very well be hiding a death flag!

As expected, the surrounding students burst into laughter upon the conclusion of Shen Qing Yun's sentence.

They twisted their mouths into stiff grins, and their pale faces seemed to repeat the same painting.

Even the middle-aged woman before them wore a malicious, mocking smile. "Oh? Ruan Ruan of Class 8?" She cast a sharp gaze towards Ruan Bai, stopping on her.

"No, Brother Qing Yun, I'm scared." How could Ruan Bai let Shen Qing Yun succeed? Her face went white, and tears immediately streamed down. "I don't want to go; she's too scary. Will I die here..." She trembled in fear as she spoke, huddled behind Shen Qing Yun like a frightened little animal.

At her words, Shen Qing Yun's face immediately changed. At the same time, the woman's voice rang out, "Qing Yun...Shen Qing Yun of Class 9?"

——— Translator's Notes ———

Shen Qing Yun 沈青云

沈 (Shěn) Meaning: originated from the name of an ancient city called Shen, which was located in present-day Huai'an, Jiangsu province in China. The character 沈 means "sink" or "submerge" in Chinese.

青云 (Qīngyún) Meaning: The character 青 means "green" or "blue," while 云 means "cloud." Together, the name 青云 can be interpreted as "green cloud" or "blue cloud." This name has a poetic and romantic feel to it, and is often associated with literary and artistic pursuits.

《Deadly High School》 "死亡中学" (Sǐwáng zhōngxué)

"死" (sǐ) means "death".

"亡" (wáng) means "loss", "destruction", or "death".

"中学" (zhōngxué) means "middle school" or "high school".

"A Fourth High School in A City". "A市第四中学" (A shì dì sì zhōngxué) translates to

"A市" (A shì) means "City A". The letter "A" is used to represent the name of a fictional city.

"第四" (dì sì) means "fourth".

"中学" (zhōngxué) means "middle school" or "high school".

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