On the day she'd decided to investigate the Small Woods, Luo Yu received an emergency notice from the school. It was one of those notices that arrive just when you least expect them, and yet, if you are the sort who pays attention to such things, exactly when you most need them.
"Urgent Notice. A wild wolf has been spotted on campus, possibly having entered from the Back Mountain. To ensure the safety of all students, classes are canceled for the remainder of the day. Students are advised not to approach the Small Woods. Please return to your dormitories immediately and lock all doors and windows. In case of emergency, contact the Security Office without delay. Security Office contact: ××××"
The timing, Luo Yu could not help but observe, was almost too convenient. She wondered, as one does when the universe seems to be arranging itself for your benefit, whether it had anything to do with the players who'd entered the Small Woods at noon.
Still, regardless of the school's intentions—and one could never be quite certain of those—this gave her the window she needed. A window of opportunity, if you like, though in Luo Yu's experience such windows had a way of slamming shut just when you were halfway through.
From her dormitory window, she could see students trickling back from the classroom buildings like a slow river returning to its source. Teams of security guards in their crisp uniforms were gathering near the Small Woods, clearly preparing to seal it off. If she waited too long, she'd be locked out. And being locked out, as every student knows, is often the beginning of being locked in.
Without wasting another moment—for moments, like students, have a habit of wasting themselves—Luo Yu made a quick preparation, grabbed the crucial Bone Whistle, and headed straight for the Small Woods.
On the way, she ran straight into her other roommates.
The three girls weren't even pretending anymore. Their eyes were fixed on her with that particular hungry, fearful intensity that one sees in the gaze of those who know something they would rather not know.
"Luo Yu, where are you going?" Liu Shuang tried to block her path. "The teachers said we have to stay in the dorms."
Time was tight. Luo Yu couldn't be bothered with explanations. Explanations, she had found, were like knots—the more you fussed with them, the tighter they became.
"Move."
She shoved past the monster trio and kept walking toward the Small Woods.
Liu Shuang reached out to grab her—but the other two snatched her arm back. Their whispers drifted over, barely audible, like the distant muttering of a storm that hasn't yet decided whether to strike.
"That's enough. You want to die or something?"
"If you wanna die, that's your business, but don't drag us into it!"
"But why? I'm not okay with this!" Liu Shuang's voice was sharp with frustration.
"Are you stupid? You saw it that night, didn't you..."
That blinding red light splitting the sky. That vast, overwhelming power descending upon the world. The absolute existence that stood above all rules—not something creatures as insignificant as them could possibly fight. No, they had seen something that night, and they knew, as one always knows after seeing such things, that some doors are better left unopened.
On the other side of campus, Luo Yu ran into another familiar face.
Oh! The bun seller from the breakfast window! Turns out he also worked as a campus security guard during non-meal hours. Life, Luo Yu reflected, has a way of revealing the hidden occupations of people you thought you knew.
That crisp uniform made him look even taller and broader. Luo Yu blinked for a moment, suddenly struck by an odd sense of familiarity—if he just had a flashlight in his hand...
Wait. A flashlight?
Now wasn't the time for weird thoughts.
Then again... just one more glance...
No! This wasn't the time for admiring handsome men either! There are moments in life when beauty must be set aside, and Luo Yu had the sinking feeling that this was one of them.
Luo Yu steeled herself and tore her gaze away from him. She built an unshakeable wall in her heart—or at least she told herself she did—determined to walk past him without so much as a sideways glance.
No looking.
Just walk past.
But—if she died today in the Small Woods, this might be her last chance to enjoy something beautiful before the end. One cannot begrudge a condemned person their last look at the sunset, so to speak.
As she was about to pass him, a wave of sadness washed over her eyes. Beneath the sadness, a deep, aching fondness for beautiful things lingered. Ah... she's scared...
The man smiled.
"Student, it's dangerous out here. You should go back to your dormitory."
Block her path? Not happening! There are times for politeness and times for action, and Luo Yu knew—or thought she knew—which this was.
Luo Yu took a deep breath, readying herself for a sudden sprint.
Then the man spoke again: "Student, I believe we've met before. Do you remember?"
He hinted: "Some nights. And some mornings."
The wall in her heart came crashing down. Luo Yu froze in place, like a rabbit caught in the beam of a flashlight, which is quite a different thing from being caught in the light of understanding, though both leave you equally unable to move.
Outwardly, she was calm. Inside? Full-on internal screaming.
Ah... he remembers me! He cares about me!
As if possessed, the words tumbled out: "I'm going to the Small Woods. Will you come with me? Let's go to the Small Woods together!"
Her voice grew more excited with each word.
...
What was she saying? Was she out of her mind?!
Her scalp prickled with embarrassment. Looking at his cold expression—which she read as mocking, though one can never be quite certain of these things—she wanted nothing more than to flee in shame.
Beauty blinds. She had truly lost her head over a pretty face. If she died one day because she couldn't resist a handsome monster, it would be no one's fault but her own.
"I, I-I... I'm leaving..."
Luo Yu tried to slip away, hoping to convince herself that the man would forget this ever happened. We all have such hopes, and they are almost always disappointed.
But before she could move, he caught her arm.
It was over. Her heart dropped like a stone into a well.
She shouldn't have let her guard down. Even the best-looking NPC in this school could be a monster...
Was he a monster?
No... he couldn't be...
Luo Yu couldn't imagine an ugly, twisted monster hiding beneath that beautiful, delicate exterior. One can imagine many things in life—Luo Yu had an excellent imagination—but that particular imagining was beyond her.
"Please..."
Please don't change back. If you absolutely had to eat her, at least stay in this form that was so pleasant to look at. It was a small request, she thought, though she had the uneasy feeling that monsters were not generally in the habit of taking requests.
The man said: "No."
No? What did that mean? Was he definitely going to turn into something ugly and eat her?
"It's too late to back out now," the man continued. "I actually needed to go to the Small Woods myself. So it seems, student, that we'll have to travel together for a while."
Luo Yu: ...
Luo Yu: Huh?
Inside the Small Woods, Sun Heng had abandoned Yang Tian and was pressing deeper into the swamp. Say what you would about his character—and many did—he was a veteran who'd survived three games. And surviving three games, as anyone who has survived even one knows, changes a person.
In the Escape Game, every player who survived a round received rewards based on their performance. Physical enhancements. Life-saving items. That sort of thing. So the swamp—which could easily kill an ordinary person—wasn't particularly dangerous or difficult for Sun Heng. But the thick fog was slowing him down. One can be the strongest player in the world and still be delayed by fog, for fog, like bureaucracy, has no respect for individual achievement.
He didn't yet know about the school's cancellation notice. He was still keeping track of the time, determined to leave the Small Woods before first period started. Violating the school rules wasn't an option. It never is, until it is, and by then it's usually too late.
Sun Heng followed the sound of wolves howling.
The howls seemed to come from everywhere—sometimes close, sometimes far. Every time he thought he'd found the pack, the howls would sound again from somewhere deeper. Almost as if the pack was deliberately luring him in, like a fisherman playing a fish.
Sun Heng found himself in a bind. If he kept going, he'd get further from the school—maybe all the way into the Back Mountain. But if he stopped, he'd lose the only lead he had. After all, the earlier you found key information in the game, the safer you'd be.
He wrestled with the decision for a long time. Finally, he made his choice: push forward.
He had life-saving items. Violating the rules didn't necessarily mean death. But letting a lead slip away? That could make the entire game unwinnable. He was, as they say, between a rock and a hard place, though in the Small Woods the rocks were mostly metaphorical and the hard places were mostly real.
Before he knew it, the fog began to thin.
Through the dense trees, Sun Heng spotted a chain-link fence.
Behind it was the Back Mountain.
A single wolf stood just beyond the fence, its green eyes fixed directly on him.
Was it telling him to come closer? Wolves, as a general rule, do not give directions, but this one seemed to be making an exception.
Sun Heng frowned and stepped forward.
Just then, someone burst out of the woods—an unexpected arrival.
"Bro Sun! Bro Sun! Finally found you, Bro Sun!" Fatty came huffing up to the fence. The wolf's fur bristled—and it bolted.
"Bro Sun, we all got separated. I was looking for you guys in the woods when I ran into the pack. Almost got torn apart."
Fatty's clothes were torn and ragged. His body was covered in purple bruises. He looked like he'd just escaped a wolf attack. He looked, in fact, exactly like a man who had just escaped a wolf attack, which is a very particular kind of look.
Sun Heng studied him carefully. As Fatty limped closer, Sun Heng drew his blade in an instant.
"Hey! Bro Sun, what are you doing?" Fatty tried to play dumb—but when he saw Sun Heng's icy expression, his own face slowly shifted.
The friendly, fawning smile was gone. In its place: mockery.
"Fast reaction, I'll give you that."
"Tch. Thought I could trick one more..."
"But what's it matter if you figured me out? You're the only smart one left among the intruders. And now—it's just you."
A dozen dark shapes emerged from the dense forest.
Summary:
Luo Yu receives an emergency school cancellation notice and decides to use the opportunity to investigate the Small Woods. She encounters her monster roommates who try to stop her, then runs into the handsome bun seller who works as a security guard. He reveals he remembers her from previous encounters and insists on accompanying her to the Small Woods. Meanwhile, Sun Heng pursues wolf howls deeper into the swamp, only to be confronted by Fatty who reveals himself as a monster alongside a dozen emerging shadows.
Trivia:
- The school announcement mentions wild wolves possibly entering from the Back Mountain, which directly ties to the wolf pack Sun Heng is tracking.
- Luo Yu's Bone Whistle is described as "crucial" and "important" but its function hasn't been explained yet.
- The monster trio witnessed something at night involving a red light and overwhelming power that terrified them into submission.
- The security guard recognizes Luo Yu from "some nights and some mornings" suggesting he's been watching her.
- Sun Heng is a veteran who has survived three games and has physical enhancements and life-saving items.
- The wolf howls are deliberately luring Sun Heng deeper, acting as bait rather than random encounters.
- Fatty reveals he's not human and that all other intruders except Sun Heng have already been dealt with.
- The swamp is dangerous enough to kill ordinary people but Sun Heng's veteran status makes it manageable.
- Sun Heng doesn't know about the school cancellation, meaning he's operating under the assumption he must return by first period.
- The dark shapes emerging at the end suggest a coordinated ambush rather than random monster encounters.
Notes:
• Luo Yu - A female player inserted into the game world. Tasked with uncovering the school's mysteries. Possesses keen observational skills and analytical thinking. Shows empathy but remains pragmatic about survival. At the time of this chapter, she has already encountered a teacher-monster and survived an attack, leading her to understand the game's true threat. A female player trapped in the Escape Game at Qinggang High. Has lost her memory of events prior to her arrival. Must either uncover the school's secret or survive seven days. Physically slender and not particularly strong. A hopeless sucker for beautiful faces, she cannot bring herself to hate someone attractive even when they're trying to kill her. Maintains a self-deprecating, wry sense of humor even in mortal danger. A player who observes rather than leads. She notices the subtleties in group dynamics and feels mildly disgusted by Yang Tian's showy behavior. Quiet and perceptive. Female protagonist trapped in the Escape Game. A high school student with a bold, flirtatious streak, she is drawn to the handsome cashier without understanding why. Currently suffering from memory loss regarding the previous night's events. Appears carefree but is observant of the school's oppressive atmosphere.
• S - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• A - A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R's high school squad.
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's group.
• M - A first-year student at District 13 High School and the childhood friend of Anonymous Student 0006, described as an atavistic strong-female who looks plain but possesses significant power.
• N - A student from East Middle with an eccentric personality who entered National High School due to complex family circumstances and used herself as leverage to negotiate a protective agreement for K.
• T - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• Liu Shuang - A female NPC student and Luo Yu's roommate. Appears nervous and traumatized, sharing unsettling observations about Li Yi's transformation. Later revealed to be working with the monsters, acting as bait to lead Luo Yu into a trap. Her fear and trembling might have been feigned to gain Luo Yu's trust.
• Yang Tian - A beautiful woman who survived two Escape Games by leveraging her looks to attach to powerful players. Aligned with Sun Heng, she shares a class with him and acts as his vocal supporter. Calculating and possessive, she views Luo Yu as a threat, displaying hostility and jealousy. Flirtatious and sharp-tongued, she taunts others to assert her position.
• Sun Heng - Scar-faced veteran leader of the main player faction. Pragmatic and calculating, uses other players as disposable assets. Previously had Yang Tian attached, his interest in Luo Yu fuels her jealousy. Subtly predatory toward female players, gave Luo Yu a rules handbook, warns rule-breaking = death. Luo Yu trusts his warning.