Chapter 175 - Ye Xinya (6)

"You're awake…" When he traced where the female voice came from, he found it was the girl he talked to this afternoon. 

'I remember her. She's the one who requested the incompetent math teacher to rush out and help the female lead's side.'

A wry smile formed on his lips after he remembered him telling her that she should open her eyes more and see the situation in the school for herself. It was laughable. He just essentially destroyed the school though, so what was left there to see? The future news which would detail the atrocities that took place there? Or the news about its mysterious founder?

Oh well. At least his advice could still be applied elsewhere. The world was not a wonderful place. Those who do good deeds are not always rewarded. So everyone should be observant of those they were interacting with.

"Classmate?" He asked after greeting the girl with a nod. Through the fire the kids lit up using their own hands and methods, he saw that the girl was the same with everyone else. They were studying him, however, every time his gaze went to each of them, they would immediately keep their head low. With a knitted brow, he asked, "What happened? What's the current situation?"

"I have talked with the others and realized what you said to me this afternoon might be true. And... we all know that it's you who led us out of that place," directly said the girl before him in a soft voice.  

He sat up straight and leaned his back against the tree that seemed to have a diameter greater than half a meter. The simple chain of actions was done laboriously due to the annoying weakness he was feeling from his body. His throat was dry and he felt like his soul would leave his body any moment soon. It must be the effect or backlash of black magic. 

"How did you do it?"

Footsteps reverberated. The noises could be heard clearly since it was quite quiet and only the crackling sounds from the burning tree branches were creating noises. 

When Jiang Li glanced up he saw it was one of the escapees from the black rooms. Actually, all six people were now surrounding him. 

He raised an eyebrow at them and nonchalantly replied. "Isn't it obvious? I stole bags of flour from the kitchen. Passed them all to you and had you guys toss it around to confuse the teachers."

The male lead looked at him like he was an idiot, no, a rare creature.

Jiang Li noticed that of course and got slightly amused in his heart. So a corner of his lips hooked up as he snorted and added. "To be honest, I didn't expect whatever happened since I was only planning to incite everyone to take up some makeshift weapon anywhere and beat up the instructors before escaping. Who knows there is something inside added in the flour. But I didn't put them there. It's what knockout those teaching personnel. "

Gasps resounded from the rest of his companions and Jiang Li was sure it was not due to his idiotic-sounding story. The tall but lanky guy who asked him widened his eyes and once again inquired in a quivering voice. "T-the flour is mixed with something sleep-inducing? D-Does it mean they, they're sometimes using our food whenever they want to put everyone to sleep?"

Jiang Li remained silent, not intending to answer. After all, how would he reply when all he previously said was a lie? For a lie to be reinforced more lies would be needed. But the more lies were said, the easier it would be to leave loopholes and dig one's graves. One lie was better. At least the sin would be lesser. If they misunderstood and add details into it by themselves, it would no longer be his fault.

A bespectacled boy from their a hundred or so group suddenly stood up from where he was sitting. Like the majority, this person had some bruises on his exposed arms and a left black eye. He spoke in a loud, agitated voice, tone laced with panic and disbelief. "T-they... they are truly monsters!!! So this is how some people next doors or in my dorm room would suddenly go missing every night and only reappear at late wee hours!!! Damn. I, I…"

Another guy hugged his head and then cried in fear. "O-one of my roommates said I went missing too one time. But I-I can't recall anything about it!!! Arggggghhhh!"

Everyone's face turned grave. Some even started shivering and crying. Jiang Li's face darkened a bit, and then he realized his mass hypnosis did not work. Why could they still remember what happened to them at the disciplinary institute? Was it because he passed out? Or the world was just not letting them forget? 

"Where are the others?" His eyes once again roamed around yet he saw that there were really less than a hundred and fifty in the area. 

The female lead, Ren Lian, a beautiful girl with long black hair answered, "We split up."

Jiang Li sneered. "Totally unnecessary."

Ren Lian looked at him with a hesitant face before explaining. "We all had to separate into groups because we can't tell for sure whether the teachers will immediately get up and then give chase."

Heh... but the six were together even though he hypnotized them to lead everyone out straight of the forest using the main road?'

Fine. The plot was awesome. And he was a damn failure of a hypnotist.

"They didn't chase right?"

'Even though my hypnosis failed, the black arts shouldn't. Or else why would I pass out? They couldn't wake up or get up, even if they are alive.'

Ren Lian nodded. He thought for a moment and then lowered his head. "Forget it then. You people didn't know so you only did what's rational.'

The girl from earlier approached him then handed a chocolate bar. "It's already past 9, I believe. Eat something. It's from the snacks I sneaked in."

"Thanks." Jiang Li weakly said then accepted. He was indeed starving. Forget a chocolate bar, even if he was given raw meat of some animal, he would gladly put it in his mouth. His military days were not at all walk in the park and had taught him to adapt to any sort of situation and make do of what he had. Anyway, chocolates have good flavor at least. So he wordlessly began eating, not caring if he was being watched by people. 

"What's your name and how did you gather the teachers and the administrators there?" It was the male lead who asked.

This question had been bothering Han Su ever since the guy led them to the multi-purpose hall. What took place earlier seemed very simple, he got them out of the black house and then randomly assigned to scatter stuff then shouted them to lead the students outside the gate when the teachers fell down one by one.

Their exit had been quite easy since the shocked guards couldn't withstand the mobs' rally. Hmm, er, wait... Han Su's eyes darted to the people present. Now he was remembering something odd. How did the usually cowardly and spineless students become so courageous at that moment again?

Normally, the sight of even a single baton-wielding a.d.u.l.t would instantly make them cower back to their dorms or kneel on the floor. He had observed this point on his first day before he got thrown at the dark prison cell. One of the students enjoying the wonderful prison life also shared some stories with him, making him understand what was going in the place. The teachers not only intimidate and beat up, but also cultivate spies in every classroom and dorm room. In short, it should be very hard to unite the students.

However a few hours ago, not even one of them hesitated in bashing the guards and tossing them somewhere. They acted possessed and listened well to the six's orders. Was it because when the school's staff went unconscious, everyone just realized they couldn't let go of this opportunity hence the do or die attitude?

The male lead looked at Jiang Li. Well, it doesn't matter now. Who knows what got into the students' head that time. So far, what he was dying to know was how this boy of the same species as him executed everything earlier.

Jiang Li stared back at him. Unfortunately, he couldn't answer since his mouth was full.

Thankfully, a familiar person chimed in and came to his rescue, even though his voice was quite odd, containing a hint of... hostility? Or was it wariness?

It was the fellow in the same class who got punished by the math teacher for helping the short-haired girl. "New student. He's Jing Mo. From my class. He's been in the school for a month. And he's a famous teacher's pet. One of the few who never got punished, at least not that is known to the public."

"A teacher's pet?" Han Su studied Jiang Li again.