# 49
Chapter 49 – The Spear Leaves Its Case
“Hongying…” Si Xiaonan had seen it too, her face pale.
Hongying frowned, pushed past several flayed skins, and stepped to the balcony’s edge to look out.
This dormitory was the last building on campus. Opposite the balcony lay only an undeveloped wasteland—no other structures—explaining why the creatures dared hang the skins so brazenly.
But what if someone visited?
The thought made Hongying’s eyes sharpen. She strode out, yanked open the next dorm’s door.
On that balcony, four more skins fluttered in the wind…
Next, next, and the one after!
She checked several nearby rooms; most balconies displayed skins—one, two, four apiece.
Meaning an entire floor of students had already been turned!
“Hongying, we’re in trouble…” Si Xiaonan murmured from the corridor.
“Big trouble,” Hongying sighed, then pivoted. “But that also proves the monster’s infection has limits.”
“Why?”
“If it were truly Infinity infection, two nights would silently convert the whole floor. Yet it hasn’t. We don’t know how long it’s skulked here, but definitely more than two days—and only four or five dorms are affected. So…”
“So there’s a cap on how many it can infect?”
“Possibly. Or its ability has a cooldown—say, one person per day per spawn…”
Si Xiaonan’s eyes lit up. “Right. With Infinity, the whole school would be doomed.”
“Exactly. We can deduce plenty,” Hongying continued.
“From Qiye’s intel, boarders are infected far more than day-students. Day-students aren’t here at night and move in groups—hard to isolate. Also, among victims, girls outnumber boys. Easier targets, often alone, and…”
She narrowed her eyes at the dim, narrow hallway.
“The myth creature’s main body is right here.”
Si Xiaonan’s jaw dropped. “Hongying, when did you get so smart?”
“Huh?” Hongying raised a brow. “You think I’m an idiot?”
“Yup. The type who only uses her brain at the last second.”
“…”
Hongying rolled her eyes at the ceiling, then pulled off her earpiece.
“Fine. That was all Qiye’s analysis…”
Si Xiaonan: (?｀∧´)
“He is clever,” she pouted.
Hongying sighed. “Hate to admit it, but yeah—he’s a bit smarter.”
Lin Qiye’s voice drifted from the earpiece:
“Just a bit?”
“…Shut up.”
“Oh, heads-up,” he added grimly. “A big group of girls just entered the dorm.”
Hongying frowned. “Infected?”
“Too far to tell. Be careful.”
“Got it.”
She re-inserted the earpiece, signaled Si Xiaonan, and they sprinted toward the stairwell.
Right then, several girls came up, chatting and laughing.
Hongying halted, pulling Si Xiaonan back, eyes wary.
Seeing two strangers, the girls whispered.
“Who’re they?”
“Dunno. Another class?”
“Only our classes on this floor. Never seen them.”
“Maybe visiting?”
“Could be. I’ll ask.”
A long-haired girl stepped forward politely. “Hi, are you looking for someone?”
Hongying smiled. “Yeah, Wang Nan from Class 6, but I forgot her room…”
“Wang Nan?” The girl tilted her head. “No Wang Nan in Class 6. You sure?”
“Isn’t this the senior-year floor?”
“Nope, sophomore. Seniors are downstairs.”
“Ah, my bad!” Hongying scratched her head, laughed, and towed Si Xiaonan past. “Sorry to bother!”
“No problem.”
They threaded through the group, who parted courteously.
“That girl’s gorgeous,” one murmured in envy.
“Perfect skin, perfect features—so unfair.”
“The short one’s cute too—adorable!”
“Cute enough to… just eat up.”
The instant they brushed past, every girl’s eyes blazed with hunger; their heads bloomed like flowers, revealing crimson flesh and jagged teeth!
The corridor was narrow, the monsters blocking most of it—no room to dodge!
Yet Hongying’s lips curved. A rose-red flare erupted from her body!
BOOM—!!
Crimson flames swept outward, the shockwave hurling the creatures away!
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Heat burst the emergency lights, plunging hallway and stairwell into darkness.
Only tongues of flame remained.
Then a girl with a long case on her back climbed the stairs.
Firelight kissed her face.
She tapped the case; a soft chime, and a spear slid out sideways—
Landing perfectly in her grip.
Hongying twirled the spear, petals of fire dancing, and strode through the blaze, proud and cool.
“Hmph, knew you weren’t good people.” She slung the spear over her shoulder, flicked her earpiece.
“Let’s hear anyone call me dumb now!”