Most people were selfish!
Only now did Xiao Yun truly understand that. If she had not eaten at the same table as this senior today, then no matter how familiar they were, she probably would have reported her in the name of public safety.
Even if she did not report her openly, she would have secretly tipped off the instructor. How could she possibly be stopping her from turning herself in like this?
Data had once shown that most people infected with a virus were unwilling to be isolated. Many people knew they had contracted the virus but still tried every possible means to flee back to their hometowns—whether to return to their roots, take revenge on society, or see their families. Even though they themselves knew they might infect their family, friends, and even those closest to them, most people would still do it!
There were many reasons. Some people counted on luck, while others simply gave up and let everything fall apart. Outsiders found it impossible to understand, but only those involved knew that when death drew near, human selfishness revealed itself completely.
Xiao Yun was one of the many ordinary people who counted on luck!
As a well-educated college student, she naturally knew the consequences of a virus leak. At its worst, tens of thousands of people could die. Yet she still clung to a sliver of luck. Just as the bald Headmaster had said, the monkey might not be sick at all. It could all be a false alarm, and there was no need to make a mountain out of a molehill...
She did not want to be isolated, even if it meant gambling with the lives of millions.
"Xiao Yun... I..." The senior with burgundy hair no longer looked like the big-sister figure she had once been. Frightened, she said, "I... I really didn't do it on purpose..."
Xiao Yun narrowed her eyes slightly, without a trace of sympathy. When there was a possibility that the other woman had infected her with the virus, she had no mood to pity her. But to keep the instructor from noticing anything strange, she could only soothe her in a low voice. "It's all right, Senior. You heard what the bald man said. There's a very good chance that monkey is healthy. Besides, all you did was feed it. Nothing will happen."
"Mm..." Ya Xin had been counting on luck herself. After hearing that, she nodded repeatedly. The sight made Xiao Yun's eyes twitch, but she still had to encourage her to keep feeling that way.
"But... will the school take all of us away for isolation?" Ya Xin asked anxiously.
"Impossible..." Guo Xiaoyun shook her head. "Our university has seventy or eighty thousand people, including the teachers. C City doesn't have the resources to isolate everyone. At most, they'll seal off the school and stop us from leaving!"
"Seal off the school?" Ya Xin immediately panicked again.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Yun complained inwardly: What a useless fool!
But she had no choice but to continue looking reassuring. She reached out and took the other woman's hand. "Don't worry. As long as no one develops symptoms over the next few days, everything will be fine once the experiment results from that monkey come back."
"Oh..." Ya Xin's emotions eased slightly at that. But Xiao Yun's heart sank hard. When she had just held the senior's hands, they had felt like ice blocks. In weather this hot, it was impossible for someone's hands and feet to be this cold, wasn't it?
Looking carefully now, the senior's face was pale. At first, Xiao Yun had thought it was from fright, but now it clearly did not seem normal. How could someone be frightened to this extent?
Could it be...
"Senior, you don't look well. You'll easily be singled out for questioning later. Here... eat some chili and put some color back in your face."
"Huh?" Ya Xin froze and stammered, "I... I... I can't eat spicy food."
"That's even better. It'll be easier to bring some color to your face that way."
"N-no... maybe not..." Ya Xin pleaded pitifully.
Xiao Yun: "Come on... open your mouth!"
By now, Xiao Yun's emotions were almost at the point of exploding. Although she desperately did not want to admit it, she knew that there was a very good chance that this woman had dragged her into trouble!
She did not know whether the virus could spread through the air, but there was almost a hundred percent chance that it could spread through saliva. If it spread through blood, it would have been impossible for it to create such a terrifying scale in the news in so short a time.
Judging by the senior's physical condition, she had probably been infected. And those of them who had eaten with her had most likely...
The worst-case scenario had really happened!
Thinking of that, and seeing the other woman still acting pitiful, Guo Xiaoyun wished she could stab her to death with a chopstick!
Ya Xin also noticed the coldness in her eyes and shuddered. She did not dare to act cute anymore and obediently opened her mouth.
She could not help thinking: How can this girl's eyes be so terrifying?
"What are you doing?" The two female roommates at the opposite table saw Xiao Yun stuffing large pieces of chili skin into Ya Xin's mouth with chopsticks and immediately looked baffled.
The cafeteria had been filled with noisy discussion just now, so they had not heard the quiet conversation between the two. Seeing this scene, they were completely dumbfounded.
While stuffing chili into Ya Xin's mouth, Xiao Yun said expressionlessly, "Senior doesn't look well. I'm afraid those soldiers will give her a hard time..."
"Mm-hmm..." Ya Xin nodded repeatedly with tears in her eyes, leaving the two speechless. They could not help thinking: Could they really give her a harder time than you are?
The Headmaster at the entrance looked displeased when no one admitted anything. He said heavily, "Since no one is admitting it, then cooperate with the investigation. After everyone finishes eating, line up and return to your dormitories in order. Without permission, you are not allowed to leave your dormitory. At mealtimes, someone will guide you to the cafeteria. Please maintain order and do not take any extreme actions."
The moment he said this, everyone erupted in an uproar.
What did he mean? Were they imprisoning them? What kind of joke was this?
The crowd immediately began making a commotion.
The Headmaster was about to continue when the officer beside him coughed lightly and stepped forward. "Quiet!"
The officer's voice was deep. Combined with his imposing face and aura unlike that of an ordinary person, it instantly silenced the unruly students in the cafeteria.
But Xiao Yun seemed perfectly calm. The pressure this officer gave off was far weaker than that of the garrison soldiers she had encountered in the game. She could not feel any pressure from him at all.
"You have probably seen most of the news about the virus. This virus is extremely dangerous. Even if the possibility is only one in ten thousand, for your safety and the safety of the people outside, we have no choice but to do this. We also ask for your understanding. This time, the higher-ups transferred an entire regiment of ground forces from the military district to seal off the school from every direction. There are fully armed soldiers outside. Please cooperate and do not take any extreme actions!"
Everyone's faces turned ashen. This was a blatant threat!
Still, they behaved themselves. This was not the internet, after all, and no hero dared to jump out and say something glib like, "You think you're tough? Then shoot me!"
When faced with a genuine threat of force, even a bunch of brats knew enough to act sensibly...
Xiao Yun continued feeding Ya Xin chili without changing expression. Only after Ya Xin's entire face had turned bright red did she set down her bowl and chopsticks, nodding. "Mm, your complexion looks much more normal now..."
Ya Xin: "Boo-hoo... How is this normal? Even my lips are swollen..."
Xiao Yun ignored her. Instead, she stood up, raised her hand, and said with a smile, "Headmaster, we're finished eating here..."
The Headmaster and the officer both froze slightly. They could not tell whether this girl was too clueless to understand the situation or simply too thick-skinned. How could she still smile so brightly?
They did not know that beneath the smile on Xiao Yun's face, her heart was burning with anxiety.
She had to hurry back to the dormitory. In this nearly hopeless situation, she knew she had not reached a dead end yet. As long as she returned to the Game Pod, as long as she could return to that game, that game could save her!!