You could tell from how quickly she showed up that Professor Lisha had been waiting for this moment for quite some time.
Of course, she hadn't been lurking outside the whole time. Whether or not she looked flushed or out of breath, Fu Qian knew perfectly well that she'd run all the way here after the midnight shriek.
As for why she was so enthusiastic, on the one hand, none of the pranksters wanted to miss the glorious moment when their trick succeeded.
On the other hand, what was inside this box meant far more than just giving someone a scare.
"You really think so?"
At that moment, Lisha seemed less confident despite receiving praise. After taking a couple of steps, she couldn't help asking for confirmation.
"Why don't you explain how this thing came to be first?"
Rather than affirming it again in an even more exaggerated tone, Fu Qian openly voiced his curiosity and invited Liu Shuang over to listen in.
"Hmm... Couldn't I have gone back there and stolen another new trophy?"
Lisha seemed even more pleased by Fu Qian's reaction. But after a smug smile, she put on airs and snorted in reply.
"Really? I don't believe you."
But how could such a thing stump Professor Fu? He responded at once with a classic line.
"Didn't the people from Spirit Ash give you grief over what happened last time? And you still had the time to go back?"
"...More than grief. They came to my door to denounce me in no uncertain terms. They looked ready to write a blood-soaked letter demanding my head."
As expected, the question hit a nerve. Lisha sighed deeply and finally sat down.
They'd made quite a scene last time in that Forbidden Zone, which was something like an afterlife.