Movie

Although Luo Di lived in this residential complex, he had barely greeted anyone besides the community workers.

He had no memory at all of the residents on the third floor. At least during the times he went to and from school or went night running, the third-floor door had always been tightly shut.

"Class Monitor, what kind of person do you think lives on the third floor?"

"I think it was probably a middle-aged person? They only opened the door a crack, and I couldn't even see half their face. Once I confirmed it wasn't you, I turned around and left. I didn't observe them closely at all."

Luo Di did not pursue the topic. "Let's get back to our homework and wait for the lockdown to end."

The class monitor suddenly blinked. "That was a stealth-type Pseudo-Human. It won't be easy to catch. From what the investigator said earlier, it might have already gone into hiding. The area lockdown may last all day, or even longer. I might have to stay at your place tonight."

"Alright. You can sleep on the couch. I'll prepare a blanket for you."

The class monitor did not say anything else and quickly immersed herself in studying.

There was not much homework assigned for cultural studies and logical thinking classes. Students mainly focused on physical training, and their daily exercise records were stored in their wristbands.

So after every hour of written homework, the two of them began a period of indoor training.

Luo Di did push-ups on the balcony, while the class monitor mainly did high knees in place and weighted squats.

Before long, it was nearly noon.

"I'm so hungry..." Wu Wen slumped limply across the couch. "I only ate a piece of bread on the way here this morning. Do you have anything to eat at home?"

"I'll cook." Luo Di quickly pushed himself up from the floor and headed straight for the kitchen.

The moment she heard that, the class monitor's exhaustion vanished. She immediately sprang off the couch and followed him into the small but exceptionally tidy kitchen.

With both hands on the doorframe, she poked her head in and watched Luo Di prepare the ingredients.

"What are we having for lunch?"

Luo Di took out a slab of frozen pork belly from the bottom of the refrigerator. "Shredded pork with green peppers and winter melon soup with sliced pork. That should be enough, right?"

Wu Wen scraped a finger along the doorframe. "Can you make a little more~"

"Then I'll stir-fry some shredded potatoes too."

"Yay! Do you want me to help?"

"Have you ever chopped vegetables before?"

"No... but I've practiced swordsmanship! I'm really good at it."

"Then give it a try. I'll take a shower first. My clothes are soaked through."

Luo Di quickly washed away the sweat on his body. By the time he returned to the kitchen, all the vegetables and meat had been cut, with the pieces even and suitably sized.

"Is this okay? It's my first time cutting vegetables."

"It's fine."

"Hehe~ I told you, swordsmanship practice is pretty useful. But I have no idea how to cook, so I'll leave the rest to you!"

Wu Wen rose onto her tiptoes to make room, then stood beside him with the attitude of a student, as though she only lacked a notebook.

In less than twenty minutes, the two dishes and soup were ready.

The two carried the food back to the dining table.

"Time to eat!"

The class monitor served herself a heaping bowl of rice, picked up some food, and stuffed it fiercely into her mouth.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

She praised it while chewing, so enthusiastically that several grains of rice fell onto the table. But she immediately picked them up one by one and put them back in her bowl.

Although Luo Di's expression did not change, something deep inside him was stirred. Eating at home with someone else every once in a while seemed much better than he had imagined.

"By the way, what are we having tonight? I'm so looking forward to it!" The class monitor asked before she had even finished the rice in her bowl.

"Whatever's in the fridge... Maybe the complex will be unlocked this afternoon."

After hearing that answer, the class monitor immediately clasped her hands together in front of her, seeming to pray for something.

Time passed quickly.

The map app could now show the lockdown status of the current area, but the estimated time of reopening was unknown.

That afternoon.

The two had already finished all their written homework. The word "boredom" gradually fermented inside the sealed little home, and both the class monitor and Luo Di became increasingly restless.

Because of the lockdown, Luo Di had to cancel his night run. With the class monitor here, his daily movie schedule might also have to be canceled.

The class monitor sat cross-legged on the couch, switching boring television channels with the remote at a rate of one per second.

"I'm so bored~ What do you usually do at night, Luo Di? Don't tell me you work out at home again?"

"I go night running or watch... movies."

The class monitor immediately turned both her body and head toward him. "Movies? Right, your house seems to have one of those old-fashioned disc players. Do you have any movies you'd recommend? We can watch one together. My family has always been strict with me, so I haven't seen most movies."

Seeing Luo Di hesitate, the class monitor seemed to grasp the implication.

"You don't have some weird movies hidden away, do you?"

"Hm?"

"Ahem~" The class monitor coughed twice. "You know, the adults-only kind..."

Faced with the class monitor's suspicion, Luo Di nodded.

Luo Di made another major decision. He intended to reveal his "secret."

In his view, they had gone through a dangerous incident like the practical training together. Watching a movie together was no big deal, and this way, his nightly movie schedule would not be interrupted.

Strangely, the class monitor curled up at the edge of the couch, looking at him as though he were a pervert.

Luo Di did not realize the issue and continued along the topic. "Do you want to watch?"

The class monitor froze as well. She had never expected this quiet boy to have such a preference, much less say it so directly.

Her instincts urged the class monitor to shake her head and refuse, but something deep within her, fueled by boredom, restrained those instincts.

She gently bit her lip and slowly nodded once.

"Anyway, I've seen most of these movies. I have quite a few discs in my room. Do you want to come in and pick one together?"

This time, the class monitor was genuinely frightened and shook her head over and over.

"Then I'll just pick one."

This was Luo Di's first time sharing a movie with someone else. And since it was his favorite kind of serial-killer film, he needed to carefully choose one most suitable for a beginner.

The class monitor remained in the corner of the couch, shrinking herself as tightly as possible.

But soon, her eyes widened as she stared at Luo Di emerging from the bedroom, at the two completely unrelated things in his hands.

"A mysterious disc" and "dumbbells."

In an instant, a bold and exaggerated image formed in her mind. Even her voice trembled slightly.

"L-Luo Di~ This isn't your way of exercising, is it?"

"I'm used to exercising while watching movies. Sitting all the time is bad for your health.

Class Monitor, do you mind if I turn off the lights? We'll only keep the streetlight coming through the window. Lowering the indoor lighting will make the viewing experience better."

"Ah~ Oh~ Okay."

The disc went into the player, and the television screen changed with it.

The class monitor hurriedly covered her face with both hands.

Her throat visibly bobbed as she swallowed.

An inexplicable heat spread throughout her body, forcing her to peer through the gaps between her fingers at the television screen.

After the logo of an obscure Movie Company finished playing.

The scene shifted to a cold, gloomy night.

A young couple came to a lakeside to swim. In pursuit of excitement, they even stripped off all their clothes.

It was also the class monitor's first time seeing such a scene. Her heart rate kept climbing, while Luo Di beside her watched with utter focus, not even blinking once.

The young man and woman in the movie gradually grew intimate in the lake. Just as they were about to go further.

Slash!

A machete pierced straight through the young man's body and lifted him high above the lake.

The blonde woman, covered in her boyfriend's blood, screamed madly and swam rapidly toward the shore.

Just as she was about to climb out.

A descending blade pierced through her heel. A huge hand grabbed her calf and dragged her entire body back into the lake.

Bright red spread across the lake's surface as the camera slowly pulled upward.

The title of the film, with its distinctly seventies-or-eighties feel, appeared along with it.

"Ah... It's a horror movie?"

The class monitor received no response. Luo Di was already engrossed, one hand mechanically doing dumbbell curls.

Watching the killer on the television, the class monitor suddenly remembered the mountains from their practical training half a year ago. She remembered the moment Luo Di had chopped off a zombie's head by himself.

That feeling had been somewhat similar to what she saw in the movie. Even the machetes were of the same type.

The misunderstanding was cleared up.

The class monitor slowly shifted her body, moving from the edge of the couch back to her original position.

She had undergone countless courage-training exercises, so she naturally was not afraid of this type of horror movie. Still, the killer portrayed in it did indeed resemble Luo Di somewhat.

At that moment, she finally understood the so-called "exercise secret"—or more precisely, the target of his training.

Whether it was a coincidence or not.

When the movie was halfway through.

Boom—a thunderclap flashed beyond the window. Pea-sized raindrops battered the glass violently, and water splashed through the crack left open for ventilation, falling into the room.

Luo Di decisively pressed pause and went to the balcony to close the window.

Just as he shut it, another bolt of lightning flashed.

The momentary brightness brought by the lightning allowed Luo Di to catch some sort of outline from the corner of his eye. Something seemed to be clinging to the building's exterior wall.

He immediately turned around, pressed his entire face to the window, and looked carefully.

But all he saw was an outdoor air-conditioning unit.