"Are you sure this is the place?" Hua Rong's voice echoed through the cold, empty corridor as she stepped carefully over the cracked floor.
The entire building looked like it had been untouched for years. Dust coated every surface, and the air smelled stale, thick with neglect. The walls were peeling, and the floor was littered with old cardboard boxes, some stacked haphazardly, others collapsed into messy piles. The flickering ceiling light barely illuminated the space, casting long, eerie shadows.
Zinchen Liu, staring at his phone, nodded. "I'm sure. This is the location." He double-checked the screen. The tracking signal had led them here.
Hua Rong let out an exasperated sigh, sweeping her gaze across the room. "Then where the hell is everything? This place is completely empty. Feels like another one of Headmaster Jian's stupid games."
She turned to leave, but—
THUD!
A loud crash made her spin back around.
Dust rose into the air as a stack of boxes toppled over in the far corner of the room.
Zinchen Liu immediately tensed, stuffing his phone into his pocket. His eyes sharpened, scanning the space. "That wasn't just the wind."
Hua Rong saw it too. A flicker of movement. A shadow slipped between the crates.
"Someone's here," she whispered.
Hidden behind the mess of boxes, Wang Wuxi and Li Wei exchanged looks.
"They did track us," Li Wei murmured under his breath, barely audible over the settling dust.
Wang Wuxi adjusted the mask over her face. "I already told you. it's you who want to confirm it."
Either way, they were an inconvenience.
Li Wei's gaze flicked to the exit. "We should leave."
He shifted his foot to move—but his shoe scuffed against the dusty floor. A slight noise. Barely a whisper.
But it was enough.
Hua Rong's sharp eyes locked onto the disturbance.
"There!" she hissed, nudging Zinchen Liu. She pointed toward the shifting shadows.
Neither hesitated. Moving in sync, they approached cautiously, then—
CRASH!
They shoved a stack of boxes forward.
The moment the boxes fell, two figures darted from their hiding spot, moving swiftly to avoid being crushed. They were fast—too fast for ordinary students.
Hua Rong lunged without thinking. She reached for the taller figure—a man—grabbing the collar of his jacket before he could escape.
"Who are you?" she demanded, yanking him back.
Li Wei didn't answer. His body shifted, his stance lowering in one fluid motion. Then, before Hua Rong could react, his leg swept across the floor—
Her feet were gone from under her.
THWACK!
She hit the ground hard, a sharp breath escaping as the impact sent a shock through her body.
"Zinchen Liu, they're running!" she called out, pushing herself up.
Zinchen Liu was already locked in a struggle with the second figure—a woman. She moved quickly, ducking low as he tried to grab her. Before he could react, she twisted her body, pivoting on her heel, and slammed her elbow into his side.
Zinchen Liu staggered, but he didn't fall. Gritting his teeth, he reached forward again, grabbing her wrist.
Wang Wuxi twisted sharply, breaking free from his grip. Her other hand shot forward, aiming for his chest, but he dodged at the last second. The two moved in tandem, their movements sharp, neither giving an inch.
"Focus!" Wang Wuxi's voice was firm, barely winded as she avoided another attempt to grab her.
Li Wei, still by the crates, took advantage of the moment. As Zinchen Liu's attention flickered toward Hua Rong, Li Wei surged forward and drove a kick straight into Zinchen's ribs.
Zinchen Liu grunted as the force sent him stumbling back.
"Hurry!" Wang Wuxi grabbed Li Wei's hand.
Without another word, the two turned and bolted toward the stairwell.
"Damn it!" Hua Rong cursed, scrambling to her feet.
She and Zinchen Liu rushed after them, but by the time they reached the stairs, their targets were already gone, disappearing into the darkness below.
Silence settled over the abandoned floor once more.
Hua Rong clenched her fists. "Who the hell were they?
"I think they were the ones who set up the CCTV footage inside the academy," Zinchen Liu said between heavy breaths, rubbing the spot on his ribs where he'd been kicked.
Hua Rong frowned, glancing back at the dimly lit space. "Then why were they hiding here?"
The abandoned room felt even more unsettling now, its eerie silence amplifying the questions swirling in her mind. She took a cautious step forward, her shoes scuffing against the dusty floor. Beside the upturned boxes, there was another tall stack, untouched.
She pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight. The bright beam cut through the darkness, illuminating the dust particles hanging in the air. Zinchen Liu hovered behind her, peering over her shoulder as she aimed the light toward the corner.
Then—
"Hua Rong!"
A voice rang out from behind them.
Startled, Hua Rong instinctively turned her head—
CRACK!
Her forehead smacked straight into Zinchen Liu's chin.
"Ah—damn it!" he hissed, stumbling backward as he clutched his jaw. The sudden movement made the stack of boxes shift dangerously beside him, teetering on the edge.
Hua Rong barely had time to react before the entire pile collapsed.
THUD!
Zinchen Liu lost his balance, falling backward—right on top of her.
The impact knocked the breath out of her lungs as she hit the ground, her phone slipping from her hand. The flashlight, now lying on the floor, cast an eerie glow across the room. Zinchen Liu managed to catch himself at the last second, his hands planted on either side of her head, stopping him from crashing fully onto her.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
The dim light flickered against his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw. His dark eyes, reflecting the glow of the screen, locked onto hers.
Then—
A shadow loomed near the entrance.
Hua Rong's gaze darted past Zinchen Liu's shoulder. Two figures stood in the doorway, their faces illuminated by the fallen flashlight.
Wuhao Li and Xu Lingwei.
Her breath hitched.
She quickly pushed herself up onto her elbows just as Zinchen Liu moved, making the situation look far worse than it was.
Xu Lingwei's expression was unreadable, his gaze fixed on her, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of something she couldn't quite place. Concern? Worry?
"What are you two doing here?" Wuhao Li's voice broke the silence, his sharp eyes darting between the mess on the floor and their compromising position.
Zinchen Liu, however, wasn't looking at Wuhao Li. His attention had shifted entirely to Xu Lingwei.
And he noticed it.
The way Xu Lingwei's eyes hadn't left Hua Rong since they entered.
A slow, knowing smirk curled at Zinchen Liu's lips.
Instead of moving away, he casually slipped an arm around Hua Rong's waist, pulling her slightly closer. His head tilted, his face now dangerously near her chest.
"That's my question," Zinchen Liu said smoothly, his voice dripping with amusement. "What are you two doing here?"
Hua Rong's eyes widened at his sudden action.
What the hell was he doing?!
Her heart hammered in her chest, but before
"That's my question," Zinchen Liu said, casually reaching down. Before Hua Rong could react, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. His head tilted slightly, pressing near her chest.
"What are you two doing here?"
Hua Rong's eyes widened.Hua Rong's eyes widened.
For a brief second, she was too stunned to respond. Then—
She shoved him. Hard.
"The hell are you doing?!" she barked, stumbling back.
Zinchen Liu, unbothered, merely chuckled. "I like you. Didn't I say that already?"
Hua Rong stiffened.
Her mind blanked for half a second before her brain fully processed his words.
Wuhao Li raised an eyebrow, amused. Xu Lingwei, on the other hand, remained silent, but his grip on his sleeve tightened.