# 46
Chapter 46 – Campus Killing Intent
(New book’s first blaze: five updates today)
Before setting off, Chen Muye and the others had specifically told Lin Qiye to make good use of his ability.
Since the humans infected by this mythical creature were indistinguishable from the outside, they had to find another way to identify them. As the only one among them whose Forbidden Ruins could perceive with mental power, Lin Qiye was naturally crucial.
Just as he’d guessed, his Seraph’s Eye could spot the infected.
Right now, in his mental perception field, Liu Xiaoyan looked like a bloody monster wearing human skin, deftly manipulating that shell while whispering naturally with her deskmate.
And in this classroom, besides Liu Xiaoyan, there was one more infected.
Also a girl—someone Lin Qiye barely noticed, the type who blended into the background. Her name was Han Ruoruo.
At the moment she was quietly writing something, then turned and passed a slip of paper to the boy behind her.
The boy behind her Lin Qiye knew, and knew fairly well—
Liu Yuan.
The same Liu Yuan who had shoved him toward the Ghost-Face Man; he couldn’t forget that.
“Roughly how many?” Chen Muye’s voice came through the earpiece again.
“Two in my classroom. When I arrived I swept every room on this floor—just on this level, about six.”
“…Can they still be saved?”
“No.” Lin Qiye was certain. “Their internal organs are gone; inside are only clumps of weird flesh. Even if we kill those things, they won’t survive.
They… died the moment they were eaten.”
Six casualties on one floor alone—if the whole school was counted, how many would die?
When a school suffers this many deaths at once, it’s basically finished.
And the social fallout would be even more terrifying.
Chen Muye on the other end stayed silent for a long while before finally saying, “Understood… keep observing, don’t alert them.”
“Roger.”
Lin Qiye took out pen and paper and listened to the teacher with rapt attention, looking every bit an ordinary student.
After the teacher had talked for a dozen minutes, Li Yifei came panting to the door and knocked.
“Reporting!”
“Li Yifei? You’re late.” The teacher had no patience for this veteran slacker.
“Teacher, I took sick leave—here’s the note!” Li Yifei waved the slip in his book.
The teacher glared. “…Back to your seat. Fail the next exam and I’m calling your parents.”
Li Yifei hurried to sit beside Lin Qiye. While pulling out his books he whispered:
“How is it?”
“Know a bit, not the whole picture.” Lin Qiye glanced out the window. “I need a chance—one that lets me sense every student and teacher in the school.”
Li Yifei blinked. “You mean…”
“After this period we have the flag-raising ceremony. Then… I can get an initial read on the situation.”
Lin Qiye’s eyes narrowed slightly.
…
Administration building.
“403, 403… 403! Found it.”
Hongying and Si Xiaonan stopped outside the dean’s office, exchanged a look, and took positions.
Si Xiaonan, black case on her back, stood at the door; Hongying hugged the blind side of the wall, ready to breach.
Si Xiaonan cleared her throat and knocked.
Tap-tap-tap!
After the three taps they held their breath—silence.
Hongying frowned, signaled.
Si Xiaonan knocked again—still nothing.
Hongying motioned her back, stepped up, fished out a thin wire and twirled it in the lock.
Click—
The door swung open.
Empty office.
Hongying slipped in, searched every corner, and only relaxed when sure it was clear.
“Sister Hongying, whoever was here left recently—the cup’s still warm.” Si Xiaonan touched the mug.
“Probably off to a meeting; if it were the toilet he wouldn’t lock up.” Hongying nodded. “Search anyway—look for clues.”
Si Xiaonan nodded. “I’ll watch.”
She shut the door, sidled to the window, and produced a small mirror to scan the corridor via reflection.
Hongying rummaged fast—desk, drawers, filing cabinets, flowerpots—nothing useful.
Suddenly she paused and sniffed.
“Xiaonan, smell something?”
“Huh? Not really.”
Hongying’s brows knit tighter. She crouched, following a faint stench to a floor tile beneath the chair.
The tile looked clean but showed pry-marks.
She flicked out a knife, levered the edge—
A sour stench rushed out.
Holding her breath she teased the thing out: a yellow-brown flabby membrane…
She unfolded it—and her pupils shrank.
“Skin… human skin!” She jerked her head to Si Xiaonan. “These things molt?!”
Si Xiaonan frowned. “Snake?”
“Possible. Report to Wu Xiangnan—might ID the creature.” Hongying stuffed the skin back and reset the tile.
Just as she erased every trace, music burst from outside, startling her.
Recognizing the tune, she moved to the window, watched students pour into the yard, and murmured:
“Flag-raising ceremony? Is the music the same all across Great Xia…?”
…
Meanwhile Lin Qiye and Li Yifei were in the corridor, shuffling downstairs with the noisy stream of students.
Li Yifei glanced around, leaned to Lin Qiye’s ear:
“Qiye, you joined them—does that mean you’ve got a power too?”
“Mm.”
“Damn, I’m jealous… what is it?”
“Mental perception of nearby stuff—something like that.” Vague answer.
“So you can tell monsters from people?”
“Yes.”
“Then be straight—how many in our class?”
“Two: Liu Xiaoyan and Han Ruoruo.”
Li Yifei exhaled in relief. “Thank god Wu Shujie isn’t one. I’ve had a crush on her for years—if she turned into a monster I’d probably swear off love forever.”
Lin Qiye: …
“So now? How many around me?”
“Fifth person ahead—that girl—she’s one.”
“Her?” Li Yifei thought. “From the next class, Tian Li I think. Not too surprising.”
Lin Qiye blinked. “Why?”
Li Yifei raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you noticed? Oh right, you transferred a few days ago.”
“Notice what?”
“Liu Xiaoyan, Han Ruoruo, Tian Li… they’re all roommates in the same dorm!”