Chapter 15

T/N: I think the author took down the rest of chapter 14 to make room for her long author’s note, so I wrote the chapter for you guys. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I can infer from context clues. If you don’t want to read this, then just know that you’ll be missing the end of round 1 and the entirety of round 2. I can’t put this under a drop down without ruining the spacing, so just scroll down to the grey line for chapter 15, or CTRL + F and type it in.

TRIGGER WARNING: GORE IN CHAPTER 14

Chapter 14 (continued):

As someone approached with the bottle of sulfuric acid, Wang Tong’s eyes frantically darted to and fro, like he was hoping a miracle would emerge out of thin air. However, there were solely the twisted forms of his classmates as they gripped his limbs, slightly anticipating what was to come. But they were forced to do this! After all, Wang Tong would merely lose function in one hand, but everyone else’s lives would be forfeit if he didn’t touch the sulfuric acid! Wang Tong was infuriated, but he could only watch as the boy with a buzz cut, the brother who was usually the most obedient, snatched the bottle and turned around.

“Wang Tong, you only have yourself to blame!” Buzz Cut said, each word dripping with hatred. Several other people nodded as they positioned Wang Tong’s hand.

Wang Tong’s eyes widened as reality began to sink in. Despite being struck heavily twice, he was able to somewhat bear the excruciating agony because of his original toughness. He even had the energy to be angry! But he understood that he was about to experience pain far worse.

Relying on the last of his strength, he fiercely squirmed in an attempt to break free. This proved to be futile, as the others just applied more force to hold him down.

With one thrust, Wang Tong’s hand was mercilessly shoved into the bottle of sulfuric acid.

“AHHHHHHHH!!!”

Layers of his tissue and muscle gradually parted, pushing him to the brink of insanity. His skin blackened, burning away as each cell was destroyed. Within seconds, his right hand was so disfigured that it was difficult to recognize.

This kind of torture revived Wang Tong’s impulses, and his hand started to wildly thrash around. As the sulfuric acid sloshed around, a few drops managed to land outside.

“Motherf*cker!”

Everyone scrambled away as Buzz Cut threw the bottle at the wall, clutching his own hand with a grim expression.

Wang Tong, on the other hand, had to endure the most suffering. Now that his limbs were free, he rolled onto his side and howled in anguish, tears involuntarily streaming down his face. He felt like he was close to fainting at any moment, yet there was something keeping him conscious. He had deteriorated to the point that he was numb to everything except the waves and waves of agony.

With a murderous gaze, Buzz Cut seized a handful of Wang Tong’s hair and tilted the other’s head. Everyone else returned to restrain his arms and legs. Their fury nearly matched that of Buzz Cut’s.

“Can’t you think from our perspective for once? We’ll be killed if we don’t pass this round of the game!” Buzz Cut roared. All the people surrounding him were increasingly anxious as they waited for the broadcast. Did Wang Tong’s actions cause them to lose the round?

But a contemptuous glint actually appeared in Wang Tong’s eyes when he heard Buzz Cut. He might have even grinned if he wasn’t in so much pain! He wasn’t stupid, and he knew that he was beyond saving. Thus, what he currently wished for the most was to drag his classmates down with him!

“You still want to mock us? Let’s see how you behave when I dig out those eyes of yours!” A random person shouted.

The broadcast abruptly turned on. {Congratulations to the players for winning the first round! There seems to be a very interesting suggestion for the next round. Shouldn’t the KING be punished for his arrogance? If player Wang Tong’s eyes are successfully gouged out by other players, the second round will be cleared!}

The students were stunned. They never thought that the broadcast would go so far! No one was willing to do the deed as they glanced at Wang Tong. A few people even stumbled to the side to retch as they pictured Wang Tong’s face without eyes. They didn’t have the courage to look at him anymore!

“Stop!! Don’t do it, bast*rds!” Wang Tong hoarsely cried. It was too much! In addition to his ruined hand, Wang Tong couldn’t perceive a single part of his body that didn’t hurt. The hair on his forehead was matted in sweat, and his teeth were clenched so tightly that he was afraid they would crack under the pressure.

There was a period of silence before someone spoke.

“I don’t want to die,” Buzz Cut said. His words seemed to remind everyone. Suddenly, the idea of digging out Wang Tong’s eyes wasn’t so appalling any more.

Wang Tong aggressively shut his eyes, but he had already given up in his heart. Death would be his sole savior!

Soon, his left eye was pried open by Buzz Cut. He stared in absolute dread as the fingers descended upon him like the claws of a hungry monster. In one swift motion, his eyeball was pulled out!

“AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

Wang Tong convulsed, foam frothing from the corners of his mouth. Blood gushed out from beneath his sagging eyelid, mixing with his tears. Eventually, his movement ceased. If he wasn’t still breathing, one would think that he was already dead!

Before long, Wang Tong was left completely blind, and his blood was splattered all over his classmates. However, his mind had already collapsed, and it was unknown what was going on in his head. All the people around him couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable when they saw a man so devastated.

But he wasn’t human now. Anyone that looked like that definitely had to be a demon!

{Congratulations to the players for winning the second round!} There was a light chuckle in the broadcast’s voice, like it had seen an amusing play. {This round will be the final one. You all must cut off player Wang Tong’s right leg!}

On the table where the bottle of sulfuric acid previously was, a saw had appeared.

Everyone slowly turned towards it, their expressions a bit unhinged. Yes, it was only a demon!

Chapter 15:

“Quickly bring that saw over here, hurry up!” Buzz Cut yelled to the people around him. He pressed down Wang Tong, who was already taking his last breath.

It was the final round! If they sawed off Wang Tong’s right leg, they would be able to survive!

Everyone’s expressions contained hints of savagery and hideousness. In their madness, they had turned bloodthirsty.

Wang Tong lay on the ground. His entire right hand seemed to be corroded by something, and white bone jutted out from underneath the mutilated flesh. Even his skin was starting to peel off, all while plasma leaked from the back of his head. Both of his eyes had been dug out by others, and he was left with empty sockets, just like a skeleton. Fresh blood painted his face red as it oozed from the place where his eyes used to be. Wang Tong was motionless, looking no different from a corpse.

“Creak, creak.”

“Creak, creak.”

The students’ clothes, hands, and faces were stained with blood. Some stood, some sat, and some grabbed onto Wang Tong’s four limbs.

They were expressionless, yet attentive.

Faster! Much faster!

As long as his leg is sawed off, we can live!

Much faster! Much faster!

“Bam.” The saw fell to the ground.

Sawed off!

Everyone’s eyes bulged, filled with ecstasy.

We’re going to live! So great!

{Checking health values. The health value of player Wang Tong, the KING of this round, is zero. The game fails.} The broadcast sounded precisely at this moment, with a taunting voice of undisturbed waves.

“What? Fails?”

“How can it be like this? Didn’t the broadcast say that we could survive if we completed the task?”

“I’m still young, I don’t want to die. Wuwu……”

All the people were dumbfounded. They initially thought that they had finally escaped the game and could be rewarded with the chance to live. Who could have predicted that there was this trick?

“But didn’t you say that! You simply didn’t say that Wang Tong couldn’t die!” A girl broke down, shouting loudly at the broadcast system. Her eyes brimmed with hatred.

{I didn’t say that? My original words were: As long as you succeed, you can bring them and leave.} Surprisingly, the broadcast began to answer her question. {Since all characteristics of life have vanished from him, he can’t take you all away, am I correct?}

{As the game has already failed, you all have no way of leaving. Then, congratulations to Gao Xuhan for becoming the only player to escape.} The broadcast’s voice was slightly bewitching, but when it read Gao Xuhan’s name, it paused. At the same time, everyone burned with rage, their anger like a volcano that was about to erupt.

Why her? Why is it her?

Right! It’s exactly her!

She was the one who tampered with the rules of the game!

Why can she live? And why did they have to die? Disagree! I disagree!!

{Poor bugs, say goodbye to the world! After two hours, hell will reappear! You all! All of you go die!} The voice raised in decibels, and dragged on for a long time. When it finished the last word, it seemed like the broadcast system had been cut off halfway, and it abruptly went quiet.

The vines, which had once flooded the whole room, retreated as quickly as they came.

In an instant, their surroundings were restored to their original appearance.

But all the people present knew that this was merely the brief calm before the storm.

Gao Xuhan’s legs softened. In the second that she opened the box, something rushed out, swiftly escaping. The box was clearly only the size of her hand, but what it contained was like a bottomless hole. Its features couldn’t be fully seen, though it was a deep black color and very thick and sticky. It crawled out little by little at an extremely slow speed, but wherever it went, it swallowed everything. Afterwards, those places looked like they had been corroded. Without end, it grew progressively larger.

Gao Xuhan dashed out, running aimlessly until she was so exhausted she had to stop. Under a night lit by a scarlet moon, she gasped for breath, wondering where she could go.

She wanted to hide, to live.

“Gao Xuhan!” A girl spotted her from afar. Her eyes were bloodshot, and in the moment that she shouted Gao Xuhan’s name, a group of people appeared behind her. Every one of them glared at Gao Xuhan as if she had murdered their father.

Gao Xuhan was stunned. Her intuition told her that they didn’t have good intentions, so she started to back away. But when those people noticed that she wanted to flee, their expressions became even more ferocious. Similar to a swarm of bees, they all rushed to grab her.

B*tch! You b*tch!

Why don’t you go and die!

Like a pitiful dog, Gao Xuhan was pushed to the ground. Before she could recover, she was pummeled by fists, and shoes landed on her lower abdomen, violently stomping.

Go to hell! Go to hell!

Xu Sheng stroked Senior’s hair, reluctant to let go.

He knew that this game was about to end.

The seven deadly sins will make everyone fall deep into hell.

Bai Qiaoqiao’s pride, Liu Chunming’s sloth, Yang Jie’s envy, Zhou Ping’s gluttony, Wang Tong’s greed, Gao Xuhan’s wrath.

As well as.

Xu Sheng peeked at the Senior in his embrace and lifted the corners of his mouth.

As well as his own. Lust.

Bai Qiaoqiao held no one in her eyes, Liu Chunming’s laziness permitted his students’ reckless behavior, Yang Jie’s jealousy caused her to hurt others, Zhou Ping committed the crime of deception and was punished through binge eating, and Wang Tong and Gao Xuhan both died because of human nature.

Xiao Chen buried his head in Xu Sheng’s chest, just like an innocent Barbie doll that was fooled by everyone. He was beautiful and delicate, so lovely that it was unfair.

“Senior,” Xu Sheng smiled.

Xiao Chen replied with a muffled voice, “Hm?”

“Wait for me!” Xu Sheng’s hands kept massaging Xiao Chen’s waist. “I will definitely return to your side!”

Then, in this life, you can’t leave me.

He had always dreamed of having Senior for himself.

Xiao Chen blanked out. He felt inexplicably familiar with these words, and it even made him a bit tearful. His eyes were red as he said, “Okay.”

Xu Sheng’s smile deepened.

“Drowning Love”: “May my god retain the ability to leap over mountain forests, have the spiritual power to swim in ocean waves, and may my god forever stay here with eyes holding my being.”

And my god is you.

Xiao Chen abruptly woke up, staring at the ceiling in a daze. His head rested on a pillow and his body was covered with a thin blanket. The electric fan near his feet whirred.

It was so peaceful that he somewhat panicked.

He came back? Or was this place still within the dream?

Before he could get up and investigate, the phone on his nightstand dinged.

He had received a group text message.

‘Following deliberation by the school, considering that our students are under too much pressure, it has been decided that all grades will go on vacation for the next three days to adjust their mentality and relax themselves.’

Xiao Chen slightly parted his lips, and abruptly thought of something. He clicked on the school’s Tieba, his fingers trembling.

Immediately, he saw the title of the pinned post at the top.

《After the bullied Xu Sheng died, Bai Qiaoqiao committed suicide, and all the students in the first year’s Class 4 went insane..….》

First comment: I believe everyone already knows the two major events that happened yesterday. The first is that Bai Qiaoqiao jumped off a building in public, and the second is that the head teacher of the first year’s Class 4 impaled himself in the stomach. Now all the students in the class seem like they are possessed, and they will fight as soon as they see each other. They will even take out knives…especially the first year’s tyrant Wang Tong. Yesterday, he stabbed that boy with a buzz cut, who is normally the most obedient, until the other had to be sent to the hospital. Towards this, what do you guys think?

Second comment: What else can I think, it must be that Xu Sheng turned into a ghost and returned for revenge.

Third comment: Is the previous comment sick? What ghost, we are in a harmonious socialist society right now, alright? Who doesn’t know that Bai Qiaoqiao was the mastermind behind Xu Sheng’s demise? I also heard from an insider in the school that when they watched the playback of the security camera, Liu Chunming confessed that he never cared about Xu Sheng. He even opened one eye and closed one eye and let Bai Qiaoqiao humiliate him despite there being evidence for their bullying. Therefore, I think that Bai Qiaoqiao and Liu Chunming both committed suicide out of guilt and fear! The students in Class 4 collectively viewed Liu Chunming’s suicide, so it would be strange if they didn’t go crazy!

Fourth comment: I find this very weird. There are too many doubtful points. Even if they all were scared and became abnormal, they wouldn’t look and stab at each other like enemies! With how hard Wang Tong stabbed, I estimate that he has to go to jail!

……

Xiao Chen scanned through rapidly, three lines at once, and was able to catch the first few comments. But when he turned the page, this post actually vanished into thin air. He understood that this had been handled by the higher-ups.

He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before getting up. He walked towards the door of the room, but when his sight landed on the mirror in the corner, he was shocked.

He currently had on the pajamas he usually wore at home, which included a very fat and loose white T-shirt. Not only was his collarbone exposed a lot, but his shoulder blades as well.

But through the mirror, he observed that his entire neck and back were covered with kiss marks. And above his shoulder blade, there was a rose pattern. This rose had a snake wrapped around its stem, which refused to let go no matter what. But it was incomparably harmonious. If Xiao Chen didn’t recognize it incorrectly, that snake was a cobra.

This snake overbearingly climbed on the rose’s body, revealing its tongue with divinity in its eyes. It looked so realistic that it was almost as if a real snake was lying on his back. At first glance, it was a bit creepy, but when Xiao Chen absentmindedly stared at it, his eyes uncontrollably filled with tears.

Xu Han slightly opened her eyes and saw the clean white walls of the hospital ward, as well as the people sitting beside her bed.

Her eyes reddened. “Dad! Mom!”

The doctors and the family members who heard her were shocked, but they brightened up. “She woke up, she woke up! Xu Han woke up!”

The woman had gray hair and was a little fat. She appeared haggard, and she had obvious dark circles under her eyes. “It’s good that you woke up! In the future, don’t charge your phone by the bed! The next time there is an accident, what do you want me and your dad to do?”

Xu Han cried. She had never thought about how to thank God as much as right now. She was still alive and could see her parents! When she remembered how she was killed by other people, she was both frightened and extremely grateful.

Fortunately! Fortunately!

The moment she died, she suddenly realized many things! Parents, myself, friends, all the pieces of her past, it was said that people would regret their life when faced with death, and this was really not false! After she experienced death, she woke up.

Regret!

But now!

Xu Han looked at the parents in front of her before sobbing.

Everything was not too late!

T/N: I would have much preferred Gao Xuhan to die in reality or go crazy, but at least she learned her lesson.

一窝蜂, a term to express many people talking or acting at the same time, just like when all the bees rush out of the hive. “一窝蜂”, or “a swarm of bees”, was originally someone’s nickname. A peasant uprising broke out during the year of Jianyan in the Southern Song dynasty, the first year of Emperor Gaozong’s reign. Zhang Yu was the leader, and his nickname was “a swarm of bees”. The prominent poet Lu You once wrote in An Account of a Journey to Shu, “During Jianyan, Zhang Yu’s was known as “a swarm of bees”, and he had soldiers pass under the temple in a crowd…” In the Ming Dynasty, “a swarm of bees” described a noisy scene with a lot of people. Wu Cheng’en used the phrase in the 28th chapter of Journey to the West: “Those little demons, crowding together like a swarm of bees.”