Darkness still enveloped this dilapidated building.
When the lights were on, this teaching building would appear completely intact, and everything looked brand new. But once the lights went out, everything would become tattered and broken, turning into ruins that had clearly been abandoned for a long time.
It was as if under illumination, the original appearance of all things would be concealed, and only in the darkness after the light disappeared would their true form finally reveal itself.
Tap—
A faint sound of footsteps echoed along the corridor.
The sheep-headed man was advancing cautiously.
Miko, walking beside the sheep-headed man, was also moving forward step by step.
Cracks ran across the walls and ceiling, while the floor was scattered everywhere with broken stones and crumbling wall dust. There were even some trash bags and miscellaneous debris whose contents could not be identified.
Their advancing steps stirred up dust, causing Miko to cover her nose and cough softly.
Meanwhile, the sheep-headed man held a candle in one hand and that black umbrella in the other, continuing to walk in silence, his pace neither hurried nor slow as he moved forward step by step.
By now, the two had already left Office No. 3 and entered the deep corridor beside the office.
To reach Class 2–1, they had to pass through five corridors of varying lengths. On the fifth floor of the teaching building—where the internal structure had already become completely distorted—the location of this classroom could be said to be quite peculiar. Precisely because this place appeared so unusual, and because the number 1 in a class designation often represented the most outstanding class, the sheep-headed man had decided to go there and investigate, to see whether this might be the classroom where the [Outstanding Students] were located.
"Mm…"
Miko raised her hand and rubbed her temple.
For some reason, starting just now, she had begun to feel a little dizzy. The things around her seemed somewhat unclear.
It was like the mental fatigue caused by not sleeping well. But she clearly had not felt like this earlier—so why had she suddenly begun to feel so tired?
…It really feels strange… but it doesn't seem like something that needs special attention.
Yes, that's right. This isn't something that needs particular concern right now… it's fine, it's alright. Just focus on the matter in front of you first.
"Is your body feeling unwell?"
The Sheep-Headed Man turned his head and asked. Those two bulging eyeballs locked firmly onto Miko, as if the hollowed-out sheep's head had come alive.
"…I'm fine. Probably just a little tired."
Miko shook her head and continued walking forward.
The corridor ahead had no windows on either side—a pitch-black passage.
Within the dark and enclosed space, only the footsteps of Miko and the Sheep-Headed Man echoed.
It was very quiet.
Under the faint glow of the candlelight, the entire corridor lay in silence, as if no living person remained there anymore.
Had it always been this quiet here?
It felt as though… at the very beginning, it hadn't been like this.
Miko raised her hand and rubbed her eyes, then let out a small yawn before stepping forward again.
After passing through the corridor ahead and turning a corner, a large door appeared in front of her—one that did not exist on the map.
The door was open, and through it another corridor could be seen. But unlike the previous one, this corridor was carpeted. Gorgeous murals and various slogans decorated both sides of the hallway, and the chandelier hanging from the ceiling was completely different from ordinary fluorescent lights, adorned with crystal-like ornaments.
It was as though the place were deliberately emphasizing some kind of distinction. Just standing before the door, Miko could not help but feel that she should not walk inside—that she was not qualified to step into it.
"I… I feel like I shouldn't go in."
Seeing that the Sheep-Headed Man beside her had no intention of stopping, Miko hesitated for a moment but ultimately stopped at the doorway without entering.
"Why?"
The Sheep-Headed Man also stopped, turning to look at Miko as he asked.
"Because… because… I don't know. I just feel like I shouldn't go in. This place… isn't somewhere I'm allowed to enter."
Miko opened her mouth, hesitated for a long while, yet still could not give any clear reason. But she refused to take another step forward and refused to cross the doorway.
She couldn't go in.
She didn't have the qualification to enter.
That's right—this was a place only Outstanding Students were allowed to enter.
Students other than Outstanding Students had no right to enter this place.
If she went in, it would be a mistake. She would be doing something she shouldn't do.
So… I can't…
[It's alright. Come in. The teacher permits you to enter. Continue forward with me.]
The Sheep-Headed Man spoke.
Miko was slightly stunned. Instinctively she tried to take a step forward, yet she could not help but stop again.
Fear and unease appeared on her face. Instinctively she looked to the left and right, as though she did not want to be discovered, yet also as if she feared someone might do something to her.
[Don't be afraid. Right now, you only need to listen to the teacher.]
The Sheep-Headed Man walked up to Miko and spoke to her again.
[Right now you don't need to care about any rules, and you don't need to obey anyone's orders.]
[Right now the teacher is speaking to you. The teacher has already given you an instruction, so you don't need to listen to what anyone else says.]
[There is only one thing you need to do right now—follow the teacher and listen to the teacher. Otherwise, you will become a Bad Kid.]
As the Sheep-Headed Man slowly spoke these words, Miko could feel the fear in the depths of her heart gradually calming down bit by bit.
That's right.
She didn't need to be afraid.
The teacher had already allowed her to enter this place.
So she hadn't done anything wrong now. Even those Outstanding Students had no right to accuse her or order her around.
"I understand."
Miko stepped forward and crossed the doorway.
The Sheep-Headed Man continued moving ahead, walking side by side with Miko as the two of them headed deeper into the corridor.
The dust here seemed denser.
Although it could still be seen that this place had once been carefully arranged and deliberately designed to be a very luxurious and splendid location, after turning into ruins it did not look particularly special because of that—instead, it appeared even more disorderly.
Many chandeliers had already fallen to the ground, shattered into fragments everywhere.
Quite a few of the paintings and slogan plaques on the walls had also fallen to the floor. The contents written on them had already become blurred, making it impossible to recognize the words.
However, a small number of slogan plaques could still be identified, and their contents could still be read.
[We are special. We are unique. We are different.]
Miko saw one of the slogans. It seemed to have been handwritten by someone, the characters drawn in brush calligraphy with an extremely wild and unrestrained style.
[Our existence stands above everything. There is nothing we cannot do. We can possess everything.]
Another readable slogan caught Miko's eye. Compared with the previous one, this slogan made her feel even more uneasy, giving her a deeply uncomfortable sensation.
[Everything in this world can be taken by us at will. This is our right, because we are the most special and the most noble.]
[Nothing can stop us. Nothing can resist us. We will inevitably be perfect. We will create a new world.]
[Everything in this world is inferior trash compared to us—ownerless things that we can plunder at will. We are the masters of the future.]
More slogans. More content that made people feel uncomfortable.
Every sentence was filled with intense pride and arrogance, with a contempt that looked down on everything, as well as a faint but deeply twisted feeling.
Miko felt that anyone who lived in a place like this—anyone who grew up in such an environment—could not possibly be an Outstanding Student.
They could only be completely twisted and insane monsters, savage beasts disconnected from human society.
Why would a place like this exist?
What kind of people was a place like this trying to raise?
If a place like this had truly once existed, then where had the people who once lived here gone? Had they all become Aberrations, forever left inside this school? Or had some of them left this place and were still living among us in ordinary life?
The more Miko thought about it, the more a chill ran down her spine.
Can I really still leave this place?
Now that I've become a Delinquent Student, do I really still have a chance to leave here alive?
Miko gently clenched the corner of her clothes.
[Of course you can. Don't be afraid.]
The person beside her reached out and lightly patted Miko's shoulder, smiling as they spoke to her.
"I… really can? I'm so weak. I don't have any ability to protect myself at all. When I encounter those terrifying things, I can't run away or fight them. I can only survive because others protect me."
Miko lowered her head and spoke softly, her mood growing increasingly dejected.
[It's alright, it's alright. Being weak isn't your fault. And haven't you already done very well? Every time you discover a problem, you immediately tell your companions. Without you, it would be hard for them to have survived until now, wouldn't it? So don't worry—you will definitely live until the end.]
The person beside her smiled again, then straightened their expression and spoke to her seriously.
"Really? Have I really been useful? I always feel like I've caused the teacher a lot of trouble. And I clearly deceived the teacher. I saw the scene he mentioned. I saw the person offering flowers, but I couldn't say it… sigh, why didn't I say it…"
Miko slightly widened her eyes, her expression becoming somewhat confused.
[Because if you had told him, he would have died. You were worried about him. You were trying to protect him, weren't you?]
The person beside her reached out and gently stroked Miko's head while speaking softly to her.
"So that's how it is… yes, if he had known, something very bad would definitely have happened. So I didn't see it… that's why I didn't see it…"
Miko lowered her head and murmured to herself, her expression gradually returning to normal.
[That's right, that's right. You didn't do anything wrong. Everything you did was correct, so don't hesitate about your actions and don't feel confused. Just go ahead and do it boldly—no one will blame you.]
The person beside her continued speaking, reaching out to gently hug Miko while encouraging her.
"I didn't do anything wrong. Everything I did was correct… I am correct… I am correct… I… you, you are… why would I…"
Miko slightly frowned. Her expression became confused once again. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, yet her voice seemed stuck in her throat and would not come out.
[Alright, alright. We're almost there. Remember not to be afraid. Right now the teacher is protecting you very well—no one can hurt you.]
The person beside her simply moved a little closer and continued speaking to her.
[…Mm, I understand. I won't be afraid, because the teacher is protecting me. As long as the teacher is here, everything will be fine. I just need to obediently listen to the teacher.]
Miko nodded once again. An unconscious smile curved at the corner of her lips, yet her fingers continued gripping her clothes tightly.
[Yes, being protected by the teacher makes you so fortunate. So fortunate that I'm starting to feel a little jealous of you. So work hard—I'll be waiting for you to win the game.]
The person beside her laughed softly and once again reached out to pat Miko on the shoulder.
[Mm, thank you for comforting me. I will complete the game properly, because I want to become good friends with you.]
Miko nodded again, a happy smile appearing on her face.
[Mm-hmm, do your best.]
The person beside her waved a small hand toward Miko.
[I understand. Thank you, Alice.]
Miko waved her hand as well.
Ahead of them, the Sheep-Headed Man had already stopped walking.
In the darkness, Miko, who had been following behind the other person the whole time, also stopped walking.
Within the darkness, within the small area illuminated by the faint glow of candlelight, the classroom door ahead could already be seen—the dark-red door bearing the sign [Second Year, Class 001].
They had already reached their destination.
They had arrived at the target location of this operation.
Creak—
Amid a harsh, grating sound, the classroom door in front of them slowly opened, revealing the arrangement inside the room.
Broken windows and torn curtains were tangled together.
Across the collapsed desks and chairs lay a large iron hammer covered in black stains.
Small knives and machetes had fallen to the floor together with books and exam papers, and several bullet casings were mixed among them.
On the blackboard was written a number—
a blood-red number [1], which, under the candlelight, seemed as though it was still reflecting tiny glints of light.
And those corpses—each wearing expensive clothing, each shattered and mutilated—lay crookedly in every corner of the classroom. Some of the corpses were still holding their weapons, even now.
[Why did they end up like this?]
Miko tilted her head and looked curiously at the sheep-headed man as she asked.
[That isn't important. The fate of failures is not something we need to concern ourselves with. They're simply dead—that only proves they were useless, unqualified to bear the identity of an "Outstanding Student." Now, come in with me. It's time for us to take the things we came here to take.]
The sheep-headed man spoke coldly. As he finished speaking, he stepped forward first and walked into the tattered classroom.
Ding-ling-ling—
From the broadcast system, a piercing bell suddenly rang out.
The next moment, the classroom—which had originally been pitch black—instantly became bright, the lights blazing everywhere.
And those battered corpses that had been lying across the classroom all lifted their heads one after another, looking toward the three figures standing at the classroom doorway.
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