Chapter 174.2: Pen Spirit (15)

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Bonus chapter! Thank you to Samie for the donation! ^^

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There were over five hundred surnames, with four hundred and forty-four single surnames and sixty compound surnames.

Ruan Qing went through all the surnames in his mind and combined them with “brother.”

Even if the memory was fuzzy, the subconscious mind would still be familiar with the names it used to call, even if only slightly. Ruan Qing could still find out that surname.

And he hadn’t called many people “brother,” so the scope was much smaller and easier to investigate.

Ruan Qing eliminated one by one those surnames that, although familiar, he could clearly remember who they belonged to, and finally wrote a character on the mirror with his finger.

‘Qi.’

The pen spirit was highly likely to have the surname ‘Qi.’

System: “???”

[How did you come up with that?]

Didn’t the memory about ‘him’ supposed to fade away? Did it come back within a few minutes of standing in front of the mirror?

Was it this easy to name the big boss in such an instance?

Was there a possibility that the boss leaked information? It didn’t seem likely.

How could the boss be willing to let this person leave?

Ruan Qing wiped the dust off his fingertips with a tissue, glanced around the classroom, and casually said, ‘Perhaps it’s a man’s sixth sense.’

System: “...”

Although the classroom was already quite dilapidated, one could still tell it was once a music classroom.

Ruan Qing had previously checked this classroom building, which belonged to the art department.

However, it had been abandoned seven years ago for reasons unknown.

Seven years ago coincided with the time when the art department moved into Building A dormitory.

It seemed his earlier speculation was correct; the pen spirit should be a student from the art department who died in this music room.

Not only was ‘he’ killed but also cruelly dismembered.

And the person who killed ‘him’ was likely someone from Room 404 of Building A, also part of the art department.

Was it one person? Or everyone?

This was hard to determine.

After all, the pen spirit had become that kind of entity, definitely not kind enough to spare the innocent. Obviously, one couldn’t assume who the culprit was based on the victim.

Dismemberment was probably done to facilitate the removal of the body, so it’s possible that the perpetrator could either be an individual or a group.

Unfortunately, too much time had passed, and there were not many clues left in the classroom.

Ruan Qing walked over to the abandoned piano.

The piano was already quite dilapidated, stained with dirt, and even... bloodstains?

Ruan Qing looked back at the bloodstains on the floor, then at the position of the piano and the location of the glass window.

An idea flashed through his mind.

Perhaps a student used to sit here playing the piano, but because the piano sound drowned out the footsteps, ‘he’ didn’t notice someone approaching from behind.

That person attacked ‘him.’

‘He’ tried to escape, but the door was blocked. ‘He’ could only try to attract the attention of other students by the window.

However, ‘he’ was already injured and was no match for the opponent. In the end, he was struck down and could only die with deep resentment and bitterness.

Eventually, he transformed into that kind of existence, seeking revenge.

The summoning game obviously served as a method for the return. Who suggested it in the first place, back in the dormitory room 404?

Coincidence? Or intentional?

Someone on the forum mentioned that the cause of death of one of the four people was unclear. Could it be that they didn’t really die?

Ruan Qing looked at the piano in front of him with a pensive expression. Almost subconsciously, his fingertips above the piano keys lightly pressed down.

However, at the moment he pressed it, the piano suddenly became as clean as new, appearing as if it were a newly purchased piano.

Even more strangely, because Ruan Qing pressed it, it produced a rather loud sound, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

That was the sound of the piano.

Ruan Qing widened his eyes in disbelief, pupils contracting.

The next moment, Ruan Qing was grabbed by the collar from behind, then turned around and pulled into a warm embrace.

A talisman was instantly stuck on the piano.

After pasting the talisman, Qiao Nuo, in a sleepy voice, opened his mouth with a hint of displeasure, “Stop touching things randomly.”

Probably due to being too tired, Qiao Nuo’s voice was husky and deep, giving an inexplicable magnetic and tempting feeling, causing a tingling sensation in the ears.

Startled, Ruan Qing’s body trembled slightly, and he nervously lowered his head, grabbing onto the clothes in front of Qiao Nuo, not daring to look at the strange piano.

After the talisman was applied to the piano, it reverted to its original dirty and worn-out appearance, as if what Ruan Qing had just experienced was an illusion.

But the talisman on the piano proved that it wasn’t his illusion; the piano did make a sound just now.

However, the piano was clearly damaged, and it shouldn’t have produced any sound.

Obviously, it was because of some terrifying reason.

Uncontrollable mist filled Ruan Qing’s eyes, and the fingers grabbing Qiao Nuo’s clothes tightened.

At this moment, the sky began to brighten, and the hell-like ghost domain disappeared.

The entire First University returned to a calm and peaceful state.

The students who wake up early or those who pull all-nighters have already gotten up and gone to buy breakfast.

As they passed by, there was still some noise, but it inexplicably gave people a sense of security, truly making them feel like they had come out of the ghost domain.

Even this abandoned classroom didn’t seem as terrifying anymore.

Qiao Nuo, annoyed at being woken up, scratched his head and said, “Can’t you stop always finding...”

Qiao Nuo’s words were cut off halfway as his voice disappeared.

Because before him, the young man’s long eyelashes trembled lightly, and his gem-like eyes were covered with a layer of moisture, looking damp, as if he might cry the next second.

Appearing pitiful.

It seemed like he was upset by what Qiao Nuo had just said.

Despite looking pitiful, the young man stubbornly held back his tears, refusing to let them fall, making him look even more heart-wrenching.

One should know that the young man was famous for being overly sensitive, and at this moment, he probably realized he had done something wrong, hence forcing himself to hold back.

But it made people even more sympathetic.

Normally, if someone did something wrong in front of Qiao Nuo and looked like this, he would just ignore them and walk away.

But the young man was different. His pitiful and aggrieved appearance did not repel Qiao Nuo; instead, it was quite endearing.

...He must be crazy!

This kid was a guy! And he’s got the same equipment down there!

Not sexy at all! Not a big sister either!

Although he’s very, very soft, but...

Ruan Qing didn’t know what Qiao Nuo was conflicted about. He pursed his lips. “I’m sorry.”

It was indeed his fault. He had thought too seriously just now and hadn’t noticed that his fingertips pressed down on the piano.

Clearly, he shouldn’t have made such a mistake.

But just now, it seemed like something bewitched him, and his hand pressed down unconsciously.

Qiao Nuo, who was already desperately denying it in his heart, heard the ‘I’m sorry,’ and his heartbeat involuntarily accelerated a bit.

Because the young man’s soft voice carried a hint of a sob and grievance, like feathers gently brushing against the depths of one’s heart.

Making people wish to hold him in their arms and comfort him, not letting him suffer any grievances.

His heartbeat seemed to no longer belong to him.

It must be an illusion, definitely an illusion.

He just lacked sleep, that’s all.

Qiao Nuo directly slammed his head hard against the nearby wall, with such force that it caused him to bleed.

It looked extremely terrifying.

In fact, Ruan Qing didn’t feel wronged at all. He was just scared by the eerie piano. Tears overflowed from his eyes uncontrollably, and even his voice trembled with nervousness.

So Ruan Qing looked at Qiao Nuo, who suddenly hit the wall, with a hint of confusion on his delicate face.

After hitting the wall, Qiao Nuo felt much calmer. He looked at Ruan Qing beside him and awkwardly said, “It feels like I owe you something from my past life.”

Ruan Qing: “…?”

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