I’m A Little White Flower In An Escape Game ☆ 17

Arc 2: 《Deadly High School》 Ch15 — Ch29

Shen Qing Yun's countenance froze momentarily, but then he nodded after a brief pause.

Ruan Bai's voice trembled with panic and hysteria from behind him, "Brother Qing Yun, w-what's happening? How does she know our names?"

"It's nothing," Shen Qing Yun replied curtly, his face briefly contorting with anger upon hearing Ruan Bai's words. He looked coldly at her as if he wanted to speak but held himself back with great effort.

The two of them, summoned by the middle-aged woman, had no choice but to approach her. Ruan Bai followed behind Shen Qing Yun, tears streaming down her face as she gazed around at the students and photos through her blurry vision.

As she had anticipated, when the middle-aged woman called out Shen Qing Yun's name, the smiles on the students' faces vanished, and they reverted to their original lifeless and detached expressions. Moreover, the photos on the distant wall seemed to glare menacingly at Ruan Bai, with pair after pair of pitch-black eyes.

Upon noticing this, Ruan Bai lowered her gaze and remained silent.

Gu Bu Chao had informed her that ghosts and monsters had to follow specific rules or "conditions" in every game. Like the first world, the mermaid could only kill people without wooden talisman plaques around them. It was apparent that names were a condition in this world, and gender was presumably another. In games where females were typically scarce, having a rare ratio of five men to five women was no coincidence, and Ruan Bai was aware of it.

It seemed as though those students and portraits were determined to break this ratio. However, even without them, she planned to deceive Shen Qing Yun. He was undoubtedly a member of the "Badger" gang and obviously had ulterior motives for her. He clearly intended to use her as cannon fodder!

"Class 8 deducted 10 points, class 9 deducted 10 points. Bai Ruan Ruan and Shen Qing Yun, go to the detention room after class at 6 o'clock tonight," the middle-aged woman said slowly after verifying their identities. "Remember, you are not allowed to violate school rules while on campus." Her voice was hoarse and dry, and when she uttered the last few words, an indescribable, sinister tone made people shudder. After speaking, the middle-aged woman gave them a cold glance and left directly.

The remaining players exchanged looks and decided to locate their respective classrooms first. As anticipated, this game required them to act as students here for three days.

Navigating a new environment was a challenge, and for these players, it is no different. They must acquaint themselves with the school's layout, including the classrooms, dormitory, cafeteria, and beyond. In addition, they must decipher the intricacies of the so-called "school rules," the deduction system, and the ominous detention room.

"Brother Qing Yun, what is this deduction, and what is the detention room? Will we perish if we incur a penalty?" Ruan Bai anxiously approached Shen Qing Yun, clutching his arm in terror. Her voice trembled, "I'm so scared, Brother Qing Yun. Will you protect me?"

Shen Qing Yun forced a smile and reassured her, "Fear not, Softie. I will accompany you to the detention room and keep you safe."

As a seasoned player, Shen Qing Yun knew the value of a new player. For now, he would keep this foolish woman under his control, using her as a pawn in his future plans.

Ruan Bai was deeply moved by Shen Qing Yun's kindness, her eyes brimming with tears. "You are so kind, Brother Qing Yun..."

She gazed up at him, her fair face flushing with gratitude, but Shen Qing Yun could not help but feel a twinge of disdain at her naivety.

'What a fool.'

At first, he had harboured suspicions about Ruan Bai's true intentions, but observing the other students and their behaviour quickly discredited those thoughts. After all, the majority of the players were ordinary individuals; not many were actors or young talents like Ruan Bai.

After considering it momentarily, Shen Qing Yun concluded that the likelihood of Ruan Bai being an experienced player was slim. The earlier escape had to have been a fortunate coincidence; otherwise, her name would have been well-known amongst the players.

Almost all seasoned players also referred to their team as the 'Badger'. It made no sense for a frail woman like Ruan Bai to be in close proximity to someone with malicious intent.

As they conversed, the players made their way towards the teaching building. Out of caution, they avoided chatting with the odd student. Once the middle-aged woman left, the students began doing their own things, and the players were no longer interested.

The school and the teaching building were of a distinct style from over a decade ago. The white walls had a layer of green paint, and the door and window frames were crafted from wood. The lattice windows were covered in newspapers.

Class photos and portraits of the teachers adorned the walls outside, and each person was beaming with a joyful expression.

While peering through the window of the teaching building, Ruan Bai noticed something intriguing - this school had separate classes for boys and girls.

As per the middle-aged woman's statement, they inferred that the female players and Ruan Bai belonged to class 8, whereas the male players were in class 9 with Shen Qing Yun. This was consistent with the game's design, where valuable information would appear alongside danger.

They debated whether to enter the classroom but hesitated, uncertain of getting caught by the teachers. Suddenly, a sharp, persistent bell rang, indicating the end of class. "Ding-ding——zi——zizi——ding-ding-ding——"

All the students, teachers, and people immediately vanished from the classroom, leaving behind an empty, illuminated room.

"A break bell?" questioned the short-haired female player, who acted like a seasoned veteran. "A safe period when we can move around freely?"

"Perhaps mealtime, bedtime, and other such intervals could also qualify," added a male player. "Let's split up and search in our respective classrooms," he suggested, and everyone concurred.

Ruan Bai had no choice but to part ways with Shen Qing Yun. She gave him a reluctant look and pretended to be unhappy before heading towards class 8, where the female players were waiting.

The other four female players appeared to have game experience. They did not display the usual female traits of kindness or softness. They barely glanced at Ruan Bai and made no effort to warn her of Shen Qing Yun's wicked intentions.

【Please, Host, do try to remain calm,】 the system comforted, 【Jealousy among one's gender is inevitable, a necessary fate for every white lotus. You should be pleased with yourself, for unlike them, you possess a pure heart and can rise above the mud.】

Ruan Bai only responded with silence. She was willing to bet all her assets that these female players weren't jealous of her at all - they likely saw her as nothing more than stupid cannon fodder...

Neglect from other players didn't bother Ruan Bai. In fact, she was relieved. With nobody paying attention to her, she took the opportunity to roam around class 8, casually scanning the desks for her own. Once she found it, she rifled through it to locate the school timetable and a map.

According to the timetable, Ruan Bai was attending a fully residential school. Every day, students woke up at 6 am sharp, began classes at 7 am, and had a two-hour break for lunch and a nap. Dinner was served at 5:30 pm, and the remaining time was packed with an overwhelming course schedule, ending only at 10 pm when students would retire to their dorms. By 11 pm, everyone was required to be sound asleep.

'The timetable was positively unnerving,' Ruan Bai thought as she examined it. The map was also disconcerting, with a large red X marking the location of the solitary detention room and the warning "a place you must never go" written in small letters below it.

Every desk in the classroom was adorned with a copy of 《Regulations and Discipline of Fourth High School,》 featuring the headshot of a stern-looking middle-aged woman—the headteacher.

Ruan Bai folded the map and checked the clock on the wall. It read 4:48 in the afternoon, and with only two minutes left until class began, she hurried back to her seat and sat down.

The students reappeared in the classroom as soon as the bell rang, taking their seats with an eerie stillness. They sat upright, their postures identical as though they had been moulded from the same material.

Accompanying them was the teacher, who stood on the podium with a sombre expression. His dark, lifeless eyes scanned the room, lingering on each student for a beat before he twitched his mouth and flashed a sinister smile.

"Hu Yao, you stole from your classmate, a violation of level one school rules," he spoke icily, his voice tinted with a dark and husky quality as if he held back extreme excitement. "As per the regulations, you are to be severely punished."

Hu Yao's face contorted as the realisation dawned on her - she had taken the map from the table next to hers!

In previous game worlds, items like this were easy to take. However, she had neglected to consider that the NPCs could still discover her actions and report her violation. Yet, before she could react, her vision blackened, and she lost consciousness.

In Ruan Bai's view, the player known as Hu Yao gradually rose to her feet. With unsteady steps, she stumbled towards the window and flung herself out. With a muffled thud, the students and teachers in the classroom revealed giddy and crazed smiles.

——— Translator's Notes ———

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