43: Chapter 43: Don't Trust the First Teacher Who Comes to Pick You Up

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

After the three knocks fell, the room instantly fell silent, leaving only the sound of breathing.

Chen Ye had originally been leaning against the door, preparing for night watch.

Hearing the words from outside the door, "Dean Qin sent me to pick you up," he almost raised his shield to smash the door.

Fortunately, Lin Jin raised his hand to stop him.

Shen Tingxue sat by the window, frost silently gathering at her fingertips.

She didn't look at the door.

Instead, she first looked at Lin Jin's phone.

On the screen, the message just sent by Qin Shanhe was still lit up.

【Don't take the main entrance tomorrow morning.】

【Bring the screw your dad left behind.】

【Also, don't trust the first teacher who comes to pick you up.】

The last line of text was like a trap warning just written.

And outside the door, that gentle, unfamiliar voice sounded again.

"Student Lin Jin?"

"Are you inside?"

"I know you were affected by the pollution tonight and it's not convenient for you to go out."

"The Academy, considering your special circumstances, has decided to pick you up for school early."

"Please open the door."

Chen Ye lowered his voice, his mouth twitching.

"This is too fake, right?"

"Just received the message, and a teacher shows up immediately."

"Do you take us for fools?"

Lin Jin didn't speak.

He stared at the door.

Ever since repairing the 502 doorplate just now, the security door and doorplate had returned to normal.

But at this moment, after that voice outside the door appeared, a faint white mist began to seep in from under the door crack again.

It wasn't the smell of disinfectant from The Hospital, but rather a smell like a mixture of chalk dust and old book pages.

The scent of the Academy.

No, it was the scent of something disguised as the Academy.

The Hand of Rules slowly unfolded.

【External visitor detected】

【Self-proclaimed: Admissions Teacher from Jiangcheng First Combat Academy】

【Current status: Through the door】

【Danger level: Unknown】

【Hint: The opponent is carrying a fragment of the Academy's rules】

Academy rule fragment.

Lin Jin's eyes narrowed slightly.

This wasn't just a simple projection from The Hospital; it really carried the scent of the Academy's rules.

In other words, the thing outside the door wasn't a complete fake. At least it had some kind of credential from the Academy in its hand.

Shen Tingxue said in a low voice, "Did you see anything?"

"It's carrying a fragment of the Academy's rules," Lin Jin said. "It might really be related to the Academy."

Chen Ye was stunned. "Then why did Dean Qin say not to trust it?"

Lin Jin looked at the admission notice on the table.

"Because the first person to come and pick someone up isn't necessarily sent by the Academy. It could also be someone using the Academy's rules to intercept people early."

The voice outside the door remained gentle.

"Student Lin Jin. I know you can hear me."

"You just experienced the Abandoned Hospital incident, so it's normal to be vigilant against all knocking. But please rest assured, I have nothing to do with The Hospital. I am here to help you."

Hearing this, Lin Jin suddenly chuckled.

Chen Ye looked at him, puzzled. "What are you laughing at?"

"It's in a hurry to distance itself from The Hospital," Lin Jin said in a low voice. "It means it knows what I'm afraid of."

Shen Tingxue nodded. "It also means it's observing you."

Lin Jin slowly walked to the door, not opening it immediately.

He asked through the door, "What is your name?"

There was a pause outside the door. Then that voice replied, "Admissions Office of Jiangcheng First Combat Academy, Teacher Xu Wenzhou. I am responsible for your admission procedures."

"Dean Qin is getting old, and our Admissions Office handles many things. He might not have had time to notify you."

Chen Ye silently mouthed: Bullshit.

Lin Jin continued to ask, "Do you have identification?"

The voice outside replied quickly, "Yes."

The next second, a card was slid in from under the door crack.

Chen Ye just wanted to reach out and pick it up, but was stopped by a wisp of Shen Tingxue's frost.

Lin Jin crouched down, not touching it with his hands, but gently nudging it with the tip of his wrench.

The card flipped over. It indeed had the Jiangcheng First Combat Academy emblem printed on it.

Name: 【Teacher Xu Wenzhou】

Position: 【Admissions Office Mentor】

ID Number: 【A-17】

There was a faint golden light pattern on the emblem. It didn't look fake.

The Hand of Rules unfolded.

【Target: Academy Mentor ID】

【Status: Authentic】

【Holder: Teacher Xu Wenzhou】

【Attached rule: Admission reception authority】

【Hint: The ID is authentic, but that doesn't mean the current holder is trustworthy】

Lin Jin's eyes darkened. The ID is real. That makes the trouble even bigger.

Chen Ye's expression also changed after hearing this. "A real teacher?"

Shen Tingxue said calmly, "Even a real teacher can have problems."

Lin Jin didn't rush to respond to the outside.

He picked up his phone and sent a message back to Qin Shanhe.

【A Teacher Xu Wenzhou came to the door, claiming to be an Admissions Office teacher.】

After the message was sent, there was no immediate reply.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou outside seemed to know he was contacting someone else, his voice still gentle.

"Student Lin Jin, Dean Qin probably won't reply to you right now. He is dealing with a Department of Education review meeting."

"Your admission results today are very controversial. If you don't enter the school early, your eligibility might be suspended tomorrow."

Chen Ye frowned. "How does he even know this?"

Lin Jin said in a low voice, "Because half of this is true."

The Department of Education would indeed not let him enroll easily. The Rule Maintenance Special Class is indeed very controversial. If something else happens on the road tomorrow, it's not impossible for his enrollment eligibility to be suspended.

The more it sounds like the truth, the easier it is to induce someone to make the wrong choice.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou continued, "I know Dean Qin reminded you to head to the Academy tomorrow morning via the designated route. But that route has already been exposed."

"The Hospital's rounds marker has already found your home tonight. If you follow the route tomorrow morning, you will only be ambushed again."

Lin Jin's gaze turned slightly cold. This sentence hit the key point. Indeed. The Hospital has already chased him to his doorstep. Whether the safe route tomorrow morning is still safe is hard to say.

But since Qin Shanhe specifically sent a message saying "don't trust the first teacher who comes to pick you up," it shows he had long anticipated someone would use this point to make a move.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou outside was using "reasonable risk" to induce him to violate the Academy notice rules.

Lin Jin looked at the admission notice.

【Rule 1: After receiving this notice, the admitted candidate will receive temporary protection from the Academy before the entrance test】

【Rule 2: Temporary protection is only effective for the admission route recognized by the Academy】

If he left with Teacher Xu Wenzhou now, it would be equivalent to leaving the route recognized by the Academy. The temporary protection would become invalid. By then, it wouldn't matter who picked him up. He would become a target without rule protection.

Just at this moment, the phone finally vibrated. Qin Shanhe replied. Only four words.

【Tell him to get lost.】

Lin Jin looked at the screen, silent for a second. Very Dean Qin.

Chen Ye almost laughed out loud after seeing it. "This reply is solid."

Shen Tingxue also let out a sigh of relief.

But just then, Teacher Xu Wenzhou outside suddenly sighed.

"Student Lin Jin. I know Dean Qin would say that. He is too stubborn."

"Twenty years ago, it was because of his stubbornness that the last session of the Rule Maintenance Special Class was killed."

The temperature in the room dropped suddenly. Lin Jin's eyes changed.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's voice was still gentle, but with a bit more heaviness.

"Your father, Lin Shoushan. If he hadn't trusted Qin Shanhe back then, he wouldn't have been sent into the No. 9 Forbidden Zone."

"Do you really want to keep trusting him?"

Chen Ye's expression darkened. "This bastard is starting to sow discord."

Shen Tingxue looked at Lin Jin. "Don't be led astray by him."

Lin Jin didn't speak. Of course he knew this was sowing discord.

But Teacher Xu Wenzhou mentioned his father, mentioned the last session, and mentioned the No. 9 Forbidden Zone. It meant he really knew something about the past, and perhaps knew more than they imagined.

Lin Jin asked through the door, "Did you know Lin Shoushan?"

Teacher Xu Wenzhou was silent for a moment. "Yes, I did. He was my senior."

Chen Ye widened his eyes. "Senior?"

Shen Tingxue also frowned slightly.

The Hand of Rules in front of Lin Jin suddenly popped up a new hint.

【Information correlation detected】

【The target's words are partially true】

Partially true. Partially true again. The most troublesome thing isn't lies. It's the truth mixed with poison.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou continued, "Lin Jin, what your father left behind back then wasn't just that screw. And it wasn't just the second wrench."

"He also left behind a list. The list recorded the true cause of death of the last session of the Rule Maintenance Special Class. Qin Shanhe won't let you see that list."

Lin Jin's fingers gripping the wrench slowly tightened.

"Do you know where the list is?"

"I do."

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's voice lowered. "I can take you there. Tonight."

Chen Ye immediately said in a low voice, "Don't trust him."

Shen Tingxue also said, "He is trying to make you leave the protected route."

Lin Jin nodded. "I know."

But he didn't refuse immediately. Instead, he continued to ask, "Why help me?"

It was quiet outside the door for a few seconds. Then Teacher Xu Wenzhou said, "Because I don't want to see the Rule Maintenance Special Class reopen."

"If you go in, you will die. The people around you will also die. That's how your father's session was."

"Qin Shanhe talks about training, but in reality, he's just sending you to fill the rule loopholes."

This sentence fell. Chen Ye's expression also became complicated for a moment, because this sounded like it might not be entirely false.

The death rate of the Rule Maintenance Special Class is so high. Thirty-two people in the first session, seven survived. Twenty-four people in the second session, four survived. This in itself is very cruel.

If Teacher Xu Wenzhou was related to the last session, he would have a reasonable motive to oppose the reopening of the special class.

Lin Jin stared at the door. The Hand of Rules still hadn't given a clear judgment of friend or foe. It meant that Teacher Xu Wenzhou's identity, words, and rules were all part true, part false.

He suddenly asked, "Since you don't want me to enter the Rule Maintenance Special Class, why not just tell me to give up tomorrow?"

Teacher Xu Wenzhou outside said, "Because you won't give up. Your father's clues are in the Academy. The second wrench is also in the Academy. You will definitely go."

Lin Jin's eyes turned cold. "You know about the second wrench?"

The air suddenly went quiet. This time, Teacher Xu Wenzhou didn't answer immediately.

And it was at this moment, the Hand of Rules suddenly popped up a warning.

【Target's emotions fluctuating】

【Keyword: Second wrench】

【The other party has a strong reaction to this information】

Lin Jin understood. Teacher Xu Wenzhou might have been bluffing him just now. He knew his father left something behind, but he wasn't necessarily sure that the thing was called the second wrench.

His own question just now had instead confirmed the other party's guess.

However, this wasn't a bad thing either. At least Lin Jin confirmed it. Teacher Xu Wenzhou was indeed tracking the second wrench.

When the voice outside sounded again, it was a little less gentle.

"It seems Lin Shoushan really left the clues to you."

Lin Jin said calmly, "You were bluffing me?"

Teacher Xu Wenzhou didn't deny it. "You are smarter than I imagined."

Lin Jin raised the wrench and pressed it against the inside of the door. The Hand of Rules began to scan the entire door.

【Target: 502 security door】

【Status: Normal】

【External attachment: Admission reception rule】

【Current risk: If the door is opened, it will trigger an unspecified route reception】

【Maintenance suggestion: Temporarily lock the reception rule, reject abnormal reception】

Found it. The mentor ID in Teacher Xu Wenzhou's hand was real. And precisely because it was real, he could generate a "reception rule" outside the door.

Once Lin Jin opened the door, it would be equivalent to accepting his reception. By then, the route protection of the Academy notice would be replaced by Teacher Xu Wenzhou's reception route.

Lin Jin sneered. "So you didn't come to knock on the door. You came to change the route."

Teacher Xu Wenzhou outside was silent.

Chen Ye understood and immediately cursed, "Good grief, another procedural trap!"

Shen Tingxue stood up immediately. "Can you fix it?"

"Yes."

Lin Jin pressed the admission notice against the door. He also opened the text message sent by Qin Shanhe and pressed it against the inside of the door.

The Hand of Rules quickly constructed the logic.

【Admission notice: Academy official route】

【Qin Shanhe text message: Dean-level supplementary instruction】

【External reception: Admissions Office mentor reception route】

【Current conflict: Official route and temporary reception route coexist】

【Maintenance plan: Lock official route, reject temporary reception】

【Success rate: 83%】

Lin Jin raised his hand. The wrench tapped the door lock lightly.

Click.

A soft sound came from inside the door lock. The white mist outside the door dissipated a little instantly.

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's voice finally turned cold.

"Lin Jin. Are you sure you want to stand on Qin Shanhe's side?"

Lin Jin said calmly, "I haven't stood on anyone's side yet. But I am sure. I'm not going with you tonight."

Click!

The wrench fell a second time.

【Official route locking】

【31%】

【58%】

Teacher Xu Wenzhou's voice sank completely.

"You will regret it. Qin Shanhe has hidden many things from you. Your father didn't go missing. He was personally sent into the No. 9 Forbidden Zone by the Rule Maintenance Special Class."

Lin Jin's fingers paused.

【Maintenance stability decreasing】

Shen Tingxue spoke immediately, "Lin Jin. Don't stop."

Chen Ye also shouted, "He's anxious! Him being anxious means you're fixing it right!"

Lin Jin took a deep breath. He would definitely investigate his father's matter. But not tonight. And definitely not by going with someone knocking on the door in the middle of the night.

He raised the wrench and tapped a third time.

"Save these words for tomorrow, when we can talk face to face. Now. Get away from my doorstep."

Bang!

A flash of golden light inside the door lock.

【Official admission route locked】

【Abnormal reception rejected】

A slight dull thud came from outside the door, as if something had been forcibly repelled.

That mentor ID card burned rapidly from under the door crack, turning into ashes.

The corridor returned to silence.

When Teacher Xu Wenzhou's voice sounded again, it was much further away.

"Tomorrow is the Forbidden Building test. You will see me again. By then, I hope you can still trust Qin Shanhe this much."

The voice disappeared.

The three people in the room didn't speak immediately. A moment later, Chen Ye cursed.

"Haven't even entered the Academy yet, and a teacher already comes to scam us at the door. This school really has a future."

Lin Jin looked down at the admission notice. A new line of text had appeared above the two rules.

【Official route locked】

【Before 8 AM tomorrow, please bring the admission notice, Forbidden Building door hinge screw, and maintenance tools to the Academy】

【Warning: Unauthorized receptionists may appear along the route】

Shen Tingxue looked at that line of text. "It seems tomorrow won't be peaceful."

Lin Jin put the notice away again. "It hasn't been peaceful since Awakening Day."

Chen Ye leaned the shield back against the door and sat down. "Fine. Then we can't sleep soundly tonight."

Shen Tingxue walked to the window. "I'll take the first half of the night."

Chen Ye was unconvinced. "Didn't you say I was the first shift?"

Shen Tingxue looked out the window. "You almost got led astray by the words outside the door just now."

Chen Ye opened his mouth. In the end, he didn't refute.

Lin Jin walked to the balcony, opened the old toolbox left by his father, and put the Forbidden Building door hinge screw into a small box.

The screw was slightly hot, as if responding to somewhere far away.

Jiangcheng First Combat Academy.

Forbidden Building.

The old classroom of the Rule Maintenance Special Class.

The second wrench.

And that Admissions Office teacher who claimed to be Teacher Xu Wenzhou.

All clues converged on tomorrow morning's admission route this night.

Lin Jin looked out the window.

The corridor lights had already gone out. But in the shadows at the entrance of the residential complex, someone seemed to be standing there.

Wearing an Academy teacher's long trench coat. He raised his head and glanced towards the fifth floor. Then he turned and left.

Lin Jin gripped the rusty wrench tightly.

He said in a low voice, "See you tomorrow."