Chapter Nine: I Believe in You

“Yan Jie, do we really have to cross the playground?” Yu Yue hesitated, his face darkening.

The entire playground was swarming with monsters—though they appeared to be the lowest class, their sheer numbers were overwhelming.

The air reeked of rot and decay, like fish left to spoil for three days.

Lin Youwei grabbed Yu Yue’s sleeve, trembling uncontrollably. “There aren’t many monsters near the snack bar either. Maybe we should just go back.”

Li Luyan interrupted her sharply, “There’s no ‘maybe.’ The snack bar isn’t safe anymore.”

The snack bar? When that wave of monsters rushed in earlier, the noise was enough to attract a whole horde.

She focused her mind, and her axe was instantly drawn back into her spatial pocket.

Lin Youwei bit her lip nervously. “You mean we have to fight our way out through here? I’m just an ordinary person.”

“No, who said this is the only way?” Li Luyan spoke calmly, her voice surprisingly melodious.

Her gaze shifted to the edge of the playground, where a narrow path lay partially concealed by shrubs.

“This path leads to the old dormitory,” Li Luyan said.

The old dormitory was beside the gymnasium.

Oddly, apart from the grass growing above knee height, there wasn’t a single monster nearby.

This was strange indeed. Yu Yue narrowed his eyes, sending a vine from his fingertips underground to resonate with the grass and scout ahead. “Not a single monster… this isn’t a good sign.”

Lin Youwei swallowed nervously, a foreboding feeling creeping over her. “No monsters nearby—does that mean something even more terrifying is there? They’re too afraid to come closer.”

She suddenly turned sharply to Li Luyan, but found no trace of fear on her face—not even the slightest hint.

Fear? That was the most useless emotion.

At least after the age of twelve, she should no longer be burdened by such feelings.

Though the path looked dangerous, it was the only way out alive. Compared to the monster-infested playground and the monster-filled way back, this place—where survival odds were practically zero—seemed the better choice.

She was more inclined to explore this unknown lifeline. Danger was inevitable, but at least the survival rate wasn’t zero.

“Shall we take the gamble?” she said, her calm voice offering a sliver of comfort.

Yu Yue was the first to pat his shoulder and take a deep breath. “…Alright! I’m sticking with you, Yan Jie.”

He glanced back at Lin Youwei, who looked pale and bit her lower lip, her voice trembling. “Me too.”

The air along the path was thick with the heavy scent of blood, overpowering the decay outside.

Unnatural.

Li Luyan looked around cautiously. It was so quiet that they could hear their own heartbeats.

And the rustling sound of their legs brushing past the trees.

“Ah!” Lin Youwei’s startled cry suddenly pierced the stillness.

Li Luyan frowned and turned around.

Lin Youwei’s calf was scratched by an unknown sharp plant.

The plant seemed to be sucking the blood flowing from her wound. As it absorbed more, it gradually changed color from green to a vivid red, visibly swelling and sprouting a small mouth.

Inside the mouth were sharp, serrated teeth. The plant suddenly arched its body and bit down on Lin Youwei’s fair calf. She struggled to retreat but found her leg entangled by the plant.

“No… no—” Her face drained of color as her lips quivered.

Li Luyan narrowed her eyes and raised her axe, bringing it down hard on the plant.

“Aah—”

The sound came from the plant.

Li Luyan watched as the plant rapidly shifted back to green, curling up like a cooked shrimp.

Lin Youwei suddenly lost strength and slumped to the ground, no longer caring about the dirt beneath her.

Her face was pale, lips moving silently, unable to voice a sound, tears spilling without sound.

Li Luyan produced a tissue from her spatial pocket and handed it to her, then crouched down to examine the mutated plant.

“What was that sound? Plants can actually scream?” Yu Yue’s eyes widened as he pulled out his shattered phone and snapped pictures of the withering plant.

Li Luyan frowned again.

From her spatial pocket, she produced a cloth and half a bottle of alcohol, tossing them to Yu Yue. “Yu Yue, clean and bandage her first.”

Only then did Yu Yue snap back to reality and hurriedly take the alcohol and cloth.

He knelt down to check Lin Youwei’s wound and noticed the scratched area had turned purple.

That wasn’t normal.

He lightly touched the bruised part, and Lin Youwei flinched sharply. “Ouch… it hurts.”

Yu Yue’s smile faded, a rare seriousness settling over him. “Yan Jie, this thing might be poisonous.”

Lin Youwei’s face instantly paled at his words.

Li Luyan examined the curled-up plant again, noticing red liquid oozing from its roots.

Was that Lin Youwei’s blood?

“It’s not poisoning,” her gaze darkened. “There’s another possibility…”

“What?” Yu Yue looked up.

“Mutation.” The single word struck everyone’s hearts like a thunderclap.

Lin Youwei suddenly grabbed at the grass on the ground.

“No… it can’t be.” She muttered, her face deathly pale, lips trembling uncontrollably. She shook her head desperately. “No, no, it’s just a scratch. How could it be a mutation?”

Her breathing grew rapid; she clutched her head as tears streamed down in heavy drops.

Yu Yue reached out to support her but was pushed away.

“You’re lying to me, aren’t you?” Lin Youwei looked up at Li Luyan, tears the size of beans rolling down her cheeks.

Then, unexpectedly, she dug her fingers into the wound.

No one had anticipated such a reckless act.

Li Luyan grabbed her wrist firmly. “Don’t touch the wound.”

Lin Youwei struggled like a frightened rabbit. “Don’t touch me!” Her voice rang loudly in the silent surroundings.

“Yan Jie!” Yu Yue’s voice cracked with tears. “Is there any way to save her?”

“It’s not certain she’s mutating,” Li Luyan said calmly. “Let’s bandage her first.”

Yu Yue poured alcohol onto the cloth and gently wiped Lin Youwei’s wound. Lin Youwei convulsed slightly. “Ouch… it hurts.”

Yu Yue pressed down on her leg. “Senior, don’t be afraid, it’ll be better soon.” His movements were gentle as he cleaned the wound. “Can you get up?”

Lin Youwei shook her head.

Yu Yue turned his back and knelt before her, then looked over his shoulder. “Then come up, I’ll carry you.”

No one noticed the look hidden beneath Lin Youwei’s lashes as she whispered to herself, “I believe it now. I really believe it now.”

As she spoke, Yu Yue felt a warm liquid dampen his shoulder. He turned and asked, “Senior, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She just believed that they wouldn’t abandon her—even if she had no special powers, even if she was just a burden.

Lin Youwei thought this as her tears fell harder and harder, until large drops soaked a wide patch on Yu Yue’s shoulder.

He couldn’t help but glance back. “Senior, are you crying?”

“No, I’m not.” Lin Youwei said stiffly but still wiped her tears on Yu Yue’s shoulder.

Li Luyan halted.

Yu Yue looked up, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

In the shadows stood a man, his back to them, tall and upright—wearing a suit.

Dressed so formally?

That could only mean a deadbeat or a teacher.

Li Luyan frowned.