Death Course Schedule

[High-energy warning! Please prepare yourselves mentally!]

Thud.

As the light from the Appraisal Technique faded, Liu Yuqing's heart skipped a beat.

"Yikes..."

She pushed up her glasses, forcibly suppressing the shock in her eyes.

"These two really are unfathomable."

"Let's leave aside Su Country Dragon Lady Yekaterina, whose combat strength is off the charts."

"This Stinky Uncle, who looks like he only knows how to smoke and show off, actually has an S-class [Super Telekinesis]!"

S-class!

That was the same level of potential as the Scarecrow BOSS the boss had killed before!

And once the other person's overall physical stats caught up, his strength would theoretically be equal to theirs!

However, Liu Yuqing didn't make a fuss or show any shock.

She knew these two were extremely perceptive.

The moment the boss had made his move, they'd realized something was wrong and reacted almost instantly. Their identities were definitely no ordinary matter.

"I have to find the right time to tell the boss."

Liu Yuqing swallowed the information, keeping the same harmless smile on her face.

Just then.

Lu Shiyan, having dealt with the parasite, came over as well.

He twirled the scalpel in his hand, making it dance across his fingertips with effortless grace.

"Heh."

Lu Shiyan looked at Liu Yuqing and chuckled.

"Well? What do you think, young lady?"

"Am I still that 'Stinky Uncle' who only knows how to lie?"

He pointed at the scalpel floating in midair, showing off on purpose.

"See that? This is Metal Manipulation!"

"If it's metal, it's under my control."

"That's no worse than your boss's Air Manipulation, is it?"

At that, Liu Yuqing's eyes narrowed into two crescent moons.

Meanwhile, she was raging internally.

"Old fox... trying to fish for information right off the bat?"

"He's clearly got universal telekinesis, but he deliberately claims it's Metal Manipulation, which is much more limited, to mislead me? He's definitely up to no good!"

"If you want to play ghost stories, then this young lady will play right along!"

And so.

Liu Yuqing's expression changed. She pretended to be furious, planted her hands on her hips, and huffed.

"Hmph! Don't get so full of yourself!"

"My boss's Air Manipulation is way cooler than yours! He can kill without a trace and even create a Vacuum Field!"

"Your little trick of playing with blades can't even get close to him!"

"Oh~ I see..."

Lu Shiyan put on a look of sudden realization.

"Your boss really is impressive. Unlike me~ I'm old, and can only get fixated on little things."

He shook his head and twirled the scalpel as he walked to the window. With his back to everyone, he murmured inwardly.

"All right, I've got the information I needed."

"Invisible bullets... a Hungry Ghost crushed into a meat patty... creating a vacuum..."

"Just as I deduced, Jiangnan's ability is Air Manipulation, and it's S-class, same as mine."

"Honestly, that's a tricky ability."

"But..."

Lu Shiyan lowered his head in thought, then pulled out another cigarette and lit it.

"Against my S-class Super Telekinesis, if I want to, I can snap his neck before he gets the chance to suck the air out from around me."

"Of course, that's assuming he doesn't get in my way while I'm looking for 'that person.'"

Lu Shiyan blew out a smoke ring and stared at the dark curtain of rain outside the window, lost in thought.

Unbeknownst to him.

Behind him, Liu Yuqing was also laughing coldly to herself.

"Hooked, Zhong Deng."

"I hope you don't get scared to tears when you see the boss's other abilities."

She hadn't seen Jiangnan's other abilities with her own eyes, but she'd heard all about them from Guo Shuai, that big mouth.

The boss's methods were endless. He was practically a cheat code...

No! A god descended to the mortal world!

"But speaking of which..."

Liu Yuqing glanced at the doorway, her brows furrowing.

"Why haven't Wang Meng and Guo Shuai come back yet? Could something really have happened to them?"

As she worried over them.

Yu Shishi, seated near the door, suddenly called out.

"Yuqing! Look! It's Wang Meng and the others!"

Liu Yuqing hurried to her feet.

At the end of the corridor, Wang Meng was dragging Guo Shuai along as he ran over in a panic. He finally leaned against the doorway, panting heavily.

That disheveled appearance, that familiar build—there was no doubt. These were the real Wang Meng and Guo Shuai!

But the next moment.

Whoosh!

A scalpel shot past Liu Yuqing in an instant, heading straight for the two at the doorway!

"Stop!!"

Liu Yuqing reacted instantly, whipping around to glare at Lu Shiyan as she shouted.

"They're our companions!!"

Lu Shiyan twitched his finger, stopping the scalpel an inch from Wang Meng's brow. His voice was cold.

"Young lady, I understand why you're upset."

"But no one has ever made it back alive from the Isolation Room."

"Just as you saw, those two monsters impersonated students and snuck in. They nearly got everyone killed."

"That also means... the real ones are already dead."

Liu Yuqing had no idea what the Isolation Room was.

But she trusted her instincts, and she trusted the boss's judgment even more.

Because...

At the back, by the window.

Jiangnan had already risen to his feet.

He raised his slender right hand, pointing his index finger at the back of Lu Shiyan's head from a distance.

Meanwhile, with his left hand, he casually flicked out a piece of Memo Paper.

The Memo Paper traced an arc through the air, flying toward Lu Shiyan.

Without turning around, Lu Shiyan confidently tried to catch it with the corner of his eye, figuring he'd show off a little while he was at it.

However.

Swish.

His hand closed on empty air!

The Memo Paper seemed to have predicted his prediction. It brushed past his fingertips and fell to the floor.

"..."

The room fell utterly silent.

Lu Shiyan's hand remained frozen in midair. He stood like that for a full ten seconds before awkwardly lowering it.

To save face.

He cleared his throat and walked over to the Memo Paper. Instead of bending to pick it up, he trapped the paper between his feet.

"?"

Everyone stared at him in confusion. What was this uncle trying to do?

Only Yu Shishi, with her uniquely creative imagination, understood. She excitedly pointed at Lu Shiyan.

"I've seen this! Stinky Uncle must be trying to copy that iconic scene from God of Gamblers where Andy Lau catches a card between his feet while doing a backflip!"

"..."

Hearing that, Lu Shiyan's mouth curled upward.

"I didn't expect anyone here to appreciate the classics."

"Get ready to have your eyes dazzled, kids!"

Then he gathered his strength and let out a mighty shout.

"Up!!"

He clamped the Memo Paper between his feet, kicked off with force, and launched himself into the air, performing a backflip!

The movement was cool.

The pose was slick.

He meant to catch the flying Memo Paper with one hand in midair, all smooth and stylish.

However.

He forgot one thing: he was wearing a long trench coat.

Just as he was halfway through his flip—

Riiip!

The long hem of his coat somehow got caught in his crotch!

His balance vanished in an instant!

Smack!!

There was no suspense.

Huaxia First Deep Affection landed face-first, eating dirt in front of the whole class!

Clack.

That was the crisp sound of his front teeth striking the floor.

He killed himself.

"..."

The whole room fell silent.

Even Yekaterina, standing nearby, was stunned.

She covered her face, unable to watch.

"Pfft... Hahahaha!!"

Liu Yuqing and Yu Shishi finally couldn't hold it in. They clung to each other, laughing so hard they doubled over, tears streaming from their eyes.

Lu Shiyan hadn't actually died.

But what he was going through now felt worse than death.

He covered his bleeding mouth and quietly got back to his feet.

He didn't try to escape reality. Instead, he had his brain activate Selective Shielding to shut out those sharp voices.

As long as I'm not embarrassed, it's everyone else who's embarrassed!

He acted as though nothing had happened, calmly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, then bent to pick up the Memo Paper and read it.

[I know my own people. You'd better not stick your nose into this.]

[Otherwise, what awaits you won't be punishment under the law, but the... death I bring you!]

Seeing those few short lines, Lu Shiyan's pupils trembled.

"Punishment under the law..."

"Could he have seen through my identity?!"

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly formed on Lu Shiyan's back.

But there was no fear in his eyes, only deep wariness.

Just as he was about to say something to reclaim his pride.

Wang Meng had already dragged Guo Shuai through the doorway.

At the same time.

The countdowns on everyone's hands reached zero.

[00:00]

Ding-a-ling-ling!!!

A shrill, yet jaunty, Class Bell suddenly rang throughout the entire school!

"Students~ teachers~"

"Formal classes will begin in five minutes~"

"All students, please return to your assigned seats immediately."

"If any desks or chairs go missing..."

"Your dear Dean of Students will lock you all in the 'Isolation Room' for extra lessons~ Hehehe..."

As her voice fell,

rows of blood-red chalk writing automatically appeared on the blackboard behind the lectern, listing today's [Death Course Schedule].

[2:00–3:00] English Class (Teacher: Chen Tong)

[3:00–4:00] Chinese Class (Teacher: Fujino Juro)

[4:00–4:44] Math Class (Teacher: Kujo Ran)

[4:44–6:00] Morning Exercises + Morning Reading (Teacher in Charge: Lu Shiyan)

[Patrol Supervisor]: Che Li Zao Miao

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the eerie schedule.

"Quick! Find a seat!"

Wang Meng and Guo Shuai didn't dare dawdle. They tried to grab any seats they could find.

However,

as they looked around, they discovered something terrifying: there was one seat too few!

Let's count.

The original Cherry Blossom Country students: 11 - 4 dead (Guinan + Yayu + Lustful Man + Possessing Woman) = 7.

Jiangnan's team: Jiangnan, Liu Yuqing, Yu Shishi, Wang Meng, Guo Shuai = 5.

Other students: Hoshino Hikaru, Yekaterina = 2.

Total: 14 students.

But there were only 13 sets of desks and chairs in the classroom, at most!

Which meant... there was one extra person!

"Brother Wang... there aren't any seats left!"

Guo Shuai stared at the seats that were already occupied up front, sweating anxiously.

Suddenly, he pointed at the empty spaces in the back corner, where there were only broken chairs and no desks, and said to Wang Meng,

"Brother Wang! I'll sit over there! It's right next to the boss!"

"Maybe not..."

Wang Meng glanced at the gloomy corner. "Those seats look wrong. They don't even have desks."

"It's fine!"

Guo Shuai gritted his teeth. "The boss is here! There's nothing to be afraid of! I'll feel safer sitting close to him!"

"Okay, but be careful."

Wang Meng nodded and helped Guo Shuai over to the broken chair on Jiangnan's right.

He himself snatched the seat where Lustful Man had died.

Guo Shuai plopped down and felt a chill from the chair beneath him.

He turned around, wanting to greet Jiangnan beside him.

"Boss, I..."

However,

Jiangnan ignored him and instead pointed at the top of his head with a strange look.

"?"

Guo Shuai looked confused. "Boss? What's wrong? Is there dust on my head?"

At that very moment,

everyone in the class stared in horror toward the back row.

Around the chair Guo Shuai had just sat on, three figures had appeared from nowhere.

The first sat on the chair to Guo Shuai's right.

It was a male student with only half a head left.

His face had been smoothly sliced in half from the bridge of his nose, and his mouth stretched to his ears as he beamed cheerfully at Guo Shuai.

The second stood behind Guo Shuai. It was a long-haired female student.

Her eyes were hollow, with no eyeballs at all—only two black, bloody pits.

She was "staring" fixedly at the top of Guo Shuai's head.

The third...

was a dead infant, its whole body bloated and bluish-green, with a long umbilical cord trailing from its navel.

It was perched on Guo Shuai's head, both tiny hands covering his eyes...