Chapter 159 Self-Contradiction

They were all numbers, similar to their format; some looked like... birthdays, while others were various homophonic numbers read with special meanings.

She had thought they, the players, were exceptions, but it turned out everyone who entered the academy was like this.

"Did you find something?" Noticing Lin Xi Yi Meng's expression, Xin Shan stepped forward hesitantly and asked politely.

"Some numerical IDs; they probably belonged to the students who lived in this dorm before," Lin Xi answered simply. She then pointed out the location of the numerical IDs to Xin Shan and asked in return, "What about you? Did you find anything?"

"I... found this over here."

Xin Shan said as she took out a crumpled piece of paper. "Someone crumpled this into a ball and hid it between the bed board and the palm mattress."

Lin Xi took the paper and walked a few steps toward the window, using the light filtering in to see the words written on it.

Academy Rules.

This...

Are these the rules the Substitute Teacher mentioned?

If they are rules, why were they hidden? Were they hidden by the students who lived in this dorm before?

She turned and signaled for Xin Shan to come over and look as well. This thing might be very important during the next seven days.

Academy Rules.

The academy dormitory is locked at nine o'clock every night. All Academy Students, please return to the dormitory before nine o'clock every night. (Never try to wander outside the academy after nine o'clock. Dangerous, very dangerous!)

The academy provides food at 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 6:00 PM daily at the third-floor cafeteria. Every student is requested to eat seriously. The academy's mission is to eat and drink well to learn well. (Never eat at the cafeteria... (crossed out), the food in the cafeteria is delicious; I like it very much.)

(Remember, you must eat, and you must be seen eating, or something terrible will happen!)

This academy promotes immersive teaching. You must wear the academy uniform upon entry. Teachers may also wear this clothing during lectures. If it is damaged, please inform a teacher, and someone will replace it. (Never trust anyone wearing an academy uniform!) (The teachers here are very good. The immersive atmosphere helps improve my grades.)

This academy offers small-class teaching, with one-on-one or one-on-three services, and customizes different learning plans for each student, dedicated to teaching a "perfect Child from another family." (Perfect? Heh.) (I want to become that Child from another family!)

Since the academy promotes sleeping early and waking up early, if you hear noises in the hallway at night, it might be the dormitory teacher on patrol. Please continue sleeping and do not investigate. Remember, do not open the door of your own accord!

(He, they... No, I don't want to. I want to leave this place!)

Note: Due to years of disrepair, the academy elevator is for teacher use only. In case of special circumstances, if you are trapped in the elevator, please ignore the SOS button, stay where you are, and wait for rescue. (Don't press it, never press it. Curiosity killed the cat!) (Don't listen to him, you can press it. I've tried it; it's safe.)

This building only has three floors. Please do not go to the fourth-floor rooftop alone. (They are lying! They are lying!)

This academy is dedicated to rapidly improving and creating perfect "good babies." Results are achieved in seven days, with fees based on results. Monthly and yearly packages are available for continued service.

Here, it all ended.

Lin Xi and Xin Shan looked through it several times. There was only this much; there were no other extra rules. However, after almost every sentence, someone had left behind writing using something like wall lime or blood from their fingers.

The handwriting varied, likely coming from several different people. Some were even contradictory or nonsensical, creating a strong sense of fragmentation.

After reading through it all, Lin Xi had gained a preliminary understanding of this academy.

So... this was a Reform Academy.

It was highly probable that disobedient students were sent here to be reformed into the "perfect child" in their parents' eyes. It was even a seven-day crash course, no wonder the time limit for this dungeon was seven days.

It seemed that after seven days, the vast majority of people here would undergo the transformation and become "good babies"...

Wait!

Reform?

Good baby?

Clear condition: Consistently the same.

Lin Xi smiled, thinking she probably knew what this clear condition meant now.

"Consistently the same" implied failing the reform. One had to leave exactly as they had arrived. However, achieving this condition seemed a bit difficult.

After all, this academy was so confident; they must have their ways. It was likely related to those so-called one-on-one or one-on-three courses.

Lin Xi told Xin Shan her thoughts; she didn't intend to hide them. After all, if things were truly as she thought, then whether she spoke of the condition or not didn't matter. Whether one could endure it depended entirely on the player themselves; outsiders couldn't help.

If the previous one-star and two-star dungeons were physical torture, this four-and-a-half-star dungeon was more like torture for the soul.

They had already experienced the noises in the hallway. The rule against opening the door was likely because they were afraid other players would see something unexpected—perhaps a Specter, or something else.

As for the sound that resembled the rolling wheels of a hospital bed, it was likely also related to not opening the door.

Then there was the elevator, reserved for academy teachers. An SOS button was clearly marked yet forbidden to use, and two completely different messages appeared after that rule. Could it be that some Academy Student really had pressed that SOS button out of curiosity before?

Regardless, at this hour...

"Sleep."

"Sleep?!" Xin Shan looked at Boss Yi Meng in surprise, thinking this might be a bit too relaxed. Going straight to sleep? This... was something she wouldn't have dared to imagine before.

"What else?" Lin Xi shrugged. "It even says 'early to bed, early to rise' right there. Plus, there are no lights in the dorm. Even if we want to investigate, we'll wait until tomorrow."

As she spoke, Lin Xi waved her hand. A patch of black shadows spread out like spilled ink, starting from the dormitory door and covering the entire room along the walls.

"Rest easy and sleep."

Anyway, with Xi Niang on guard, unless a super max-level big boss showed up, even a weakened Xi Niang was more than capable of guarding the door.

Then, Lin Xi took out a soft blanket and a quilt from her backpack. Instead of using the bed, she spread them directly on the floor to make a bed.

Finally, looking at her roughly 1.5-meter-wide floor bed, she asked Xin Shan, "Want to join me?"

One minute later.

Lying on the floor bed under the quilt, Xin Shan felt like she was dreaming.

This... was just too surreal.

Originally, you thought you were dead for sure, but then you ended up with Boss Yi Meng in the dungeon. You were even lucky enough to become Boss Yi Meng's roommate, and now you were sleeping in the same bed—no, on the same floor bed—as Boss Yi Meng, lying on Boss Yi Meng's blanket and covered by the quilt Boss Yi Meng brought out. This...

If she told anyone this, no one would believe it!

If anyone had told her this three hours ago, she definitely would have beaten them up and kicked them out, calling them a liar afterward.

Thinking of this, Xin Shan turned her head slightly and carefully watched the already-asleep Lin Xi Yi Meng.

Unfortunately, Boss Yi Meng wore her Butterfly eye mask even while sleeping, so her true face couldn't be seen. However, the part of her profile that was exposed was absolutely perfect.

It seemed Boss Yi Meng's looks were likely very high; the closer she got, the more she felt it.

Those black shadows must be Boss Yi Meng's Specter. What a powerful sense of pressure; is this the power of an S-rank rarity Specter?

Thinking these thoughts, Xin Shan eventually drifted off into dreamland as well...