Maybe Luo Yu had been staring too long-the students behind her started complaining.
"Are you buying or not? Hurry up!" one of them snapped.
"Seriously. I should've brought my book down here too," another muttered.
"Hey, could you not waste everyone's time?" a third demanded.
"You're a disgrace to this school. Students who don't study deserve to die!"
Luo Yu blinked. She didn't respond to the increasingly harsh comments behind her.
She had been taking too long. It was normal for people to complain. But those students were way too aggressive about it... something was definitely off.
She smiled at the serving window. "Two steamed buns, please."
The bun vendor didn't comment on her behavior. In fact, aside from the routine greeting at the beginning, he'd been completely silent.
Luo Yu took her buns and stepped aside to let the other students through.
She walked a few steps away, but the flutter in her chest wouldn't settle-she turned back for another look at the vendor.
Appreciating beauty was human instinct. Why not, right?
In this Escape Game, she could die at any moment. Every good look was a win.
But this time, she noticed something unusual.
When she'd had her back turned, the bun vendor seemed to have been watching her too!
Though he quickly looked away when she turned around, Luo Yu still caught it-a flash of red light deep in his eyes.
Had she imagined it?
Or was there really something wrong with him?
Now that she thought about it, among all the cafeteria staff-mostly middle-aged aunties and uncles-one unusually handsome young guy stood out like a sore thumb.
Could he be the key to the investigation? A hidden mastermind? A monster?
Luo Yu ate her buns, feeling troubled.
Deep down, she didn't want to suspect someone so good-looking.
People always said beautiful things were dangerous. But for Luo Yu, a certified face-con, she firmly believed that beautiful things were beautiful inside and out.
How could he be the villain behind everything?
Luo Yu snuck another glance at the bun window. Even from this distance, her heart was doing that ridiculous thump-thump-thump thing.
Being a sucker for looks was gonna be the death of her...
If he actually appeared in front of her and said, "I'm a monster, and I'm going to eat you"... she'd probably be so completely bewitched by his face that she'd nod along in a daze and end up dead.
Luo Yu knew that was bad. But...
She really had no resistance.
Students came and went from the cafeteria in a blur. Before long, the bustling hall had mostly emptied out.
Only a few dozen people remained-Luo Yu among them.
She wasn't staying just to keep staring at the bun vendor, though that was a bonus. The main reason: she was waiting to meet the other players.
If the other players weren't stupid, they'd have the same idea...
NPC students who cared about studying would rush back to their classrooms after dinner. Anyone still hanging around the cafeteria was probably a player with an escape mission, not a study mission.
Instead of hunting through the crowd, it was better to wait for the tide to recede and see what emerged!
Sure enough, Luo Yu spotted a cluster of a dozen or so players in the corner.
She wiped her mouth and drifted over.
A scar-faced man asked, "New?"
Luo Yu nodded. She'd figured there'd be veteran players in the game. And clearly, this scar-faced man was one-he already seemed to be the unofficial leader of the player group.
"Since we've got a newbie, I'll repeat myself." Sun Heng continued, his voice carrying the cool authority of someone used to giving orders. "My name is Sun Heng. I've survived three horror Escape Games. This is my fourth."
"The clear condition for this game is either uncovering Qinggang High School's secret or surviving seven days."
"Two options-but in my experience, the second one is almost always a trap."
"Bro Sun... what... what do you mean?" A chubby guy's face went pale at those words.
Other players were murmuring too.
Sun Heng glanced at him, his tone turning grim. "It means the game's environment gets worse over time. If we sit around doing nothing, we probably won't make it seven days-the School Rules will kill us first."
"So my suggestion: we stick together, search for clues, share information, and complete the first objective so we can get out of here."
"Actively searching for clues is dangerous. I'm not forcing anyone to participate. You can stay in my team and follow my lead, or you can leave."
"But!" Sun Heng's voice went cold. "I'm only responsible for my team members. Once you leave, you're on your own-live or die."
Several players immediately declared they'd join Sun Heng's team.
Most of the players here were newbies. Sticking with an experienced veteran clearly gave them better odds than going solo.
Luo Yu wasn't stupid. She chose to join too.
The chubby guy who'd seemed hesitant earlier hesitated a few more minutes, then gritted his teeth and agreed.
And just like that, every player had joined Sun Heng's team.
Sun Heng looked satisfied.
"Good. Since everyone trusts me, I won't hold anything back. As a veteran player, I received some survival hints before entering the game-the School Rules of Qinggang High School."
"Qinggang High School students must follow the School Rules. This is probably the game's hidden rule. Break the School Rules, and you die."
Then Sun Heng began explaining the School Rules.
The players listened nervously, terrified of missing a single rule and ending up dead.
Luo Yu paid close attention too, memorizing everything. But honestly, there were so many rules-she couldn't guarantee she'd remember every single one clearly.
And besides, Sun Heng's word wasn't necessarily gospel. What if he'd made up some fake rules to mess with them?
By the time Sun Heng finished, it was getting late.
"That's it for today. We'll meet back here in the cafeteria from now on. This is only day one-shouldn't be too dangerous. Everyone head to night self-study."
"But..." The chubby guy started to say something.
"Move it-being late to class breaks the School Rules! I saw the school schedule earlier. The official night self-study bell's about to ring!"
At that, the players scattered in a panic.
The chubby guy flinched and didn't say another word-he took off running out of the cafeteria.
Luo Yu was about to leave too, but Sun Heng called her back.
"You're Luo Yu, right? Here. This is the School Rules and Student Handbook for Qinggang High School. I only have a few copies-not enough for everyone, so I didn't bring them out earlier."
Luo Yu took them, pleasantly surprised. "Thank you."
Sun Heng patted her shoulder, his hand lingering a beat too long. "Don't mention it. Girls naturally deserve a little extra care."
Then, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes: "If you're scared, you can come to me anytime. Don't be shy. It's no trouble."
To be fair, Sun Heng wasn't bad-looking. The scar by his eye actually gave him a bit of rugged charm.
But right now, looking at Sun Heng's smile directed at her, Luo Yu felt something... greasy. Kind of gross.
She thanked him again, didn't stick around, and hurried away.
As she passed through the cafeteria exit, something made her look back toward the serving windows.
They were empty. All the staff-including that breathtakingly handsome vendor-had vanished.
Luo Yu didn't notice that in the cafeteria, another woman was staring at her back. Her eyes were vicious. Her expression, venomous.
Summary:
Luo Yu's lingering attraction to the handsome bun vendor distracts her from survival instincts, even as she catches a glimpse of something inhuman in his eyes. She joins Sun Heng's veteran-led player group, receives a copy of the School Rules, and feels increasingly unsettled by his overly familiar attention. As she hurries away from the cafeteria, she fails to notice a venomous-eyed woman watching her from the shadows.
Trivia:
- The bun vendor's red eyes flashed only when Luo Yu wasn't looking directly at him.
- Sun Heng claims to have received "survival hints" before entering the game.
- Night self-study is presented as a mandatory school activity that cannot be skipped.
- The chubby guy nearly refused to join but changed his mind at the last second.
- Sun Heng only gave the School Rules handbook to Luo Yu, not to other players.
- The School Rules are a hidden game mechanic that kills rule-breakers.
- The cafeteria staff all vanished after the dinner rush ended.
- The woman watching Luo Yu had vicious eyes and a venomous expression.
- Luo Yu is a self-proclaimed "face-con" who admits she'd risk death for good looks.
- The game offers two clear conditions: solve the school's secret or survive seven days.
- Sun Heng's hand lingered on Luo Yu's shoulder when he offered his help.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Chinese internet slang for someone obsessed with good looks; shortened from "face control" in online gaming/fandom culture.
2 ↩ Colloquial Chinese address "Sun Ge" - using "Bro" to indicate casual respect toward an older or more experienced male peer.
3 ↩ Chinese educational practice (晚自习) where students return to classrooms for mandatory supervised evening study sessions.
Notes:
• Luo Yu - Protagonist and third-year student at Qinggang High School. Wakes up with amnesia and discovers she is a player in an Escape Game. Has a sharp eye for appearances and a tendency toward blunt internal judgments. Initially disoriented but quickly adapts to survival-mode thinking. Shows a practical, self-preserving instinct. Young woman and newly arrived player in the Qinggang High School Escape Game. A certified face-con who struggles to balance her attraction to beauty with survival instincts. Observant and self-aware but easily distracted by handsome appearances. Currently navigating the dangers of the game while trying to identify trustworthy allies.
• 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.
• A - A student from South Middle School described as an idol who has been recruited into R's high school squad.
• S - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has taken B from North Middle into his squad.
• B - A student originally from North Middle School who was added to S's group.
• T - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has recruited K and N from East Middle into his group.
• 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.
• Sun Heng - Veteran player who has survived three horror Escape Games. Scar-faced man with a confident, authoritative demeanor. Acts as unofficial leader of the player group. Speaks with calculated authority but gives off subtly predatory vibes toward female players. Claims to have survival hints and School Rules knowledge.
• R - A first-year student at District 13 High School who has successfully built a squad and added multiple girls, including M and A, into his group.
• K - A student from East Middle who followed N to National High School out of care, successfully remaining pure through N's protection until a misunderstanding involving Anonymous Student 0008 led to her capitulation.