Gymnasium Rules

"Help yourself! One each. Swipe your Student ID to get one." Wei Liang took out his Student ID and swiped it over the sensor on the Self-Service Lending Machine.

With a soft beep, the Self-Service Lending Machine dispensed a thin booklet.

Wei Liang picked it up and waved it at Lin Yi, then stepped aside to read it.

Lin Yi glanced down at the time on his watch.

14:26.

"Class is about to start."

He hurried over to the Self-Service Lending Machine as well.

But for some reason, he inexplicably leaned close to the machine's glass and examined it.

He was startled. "This glass is military-grade blast-resistant glass too!"

"No way. Even this glass is military-grade?"

A strange conjecture suddenly occurred to Lin Yi.

"Could all the glass on Campus be blast-resistant?"

But time waited for no one, so he set that conjecture aside for now, took out his Student ID, and swiped it over the sensor.

"Beep-"

A thin booklet slid out.

Lin Yi picked it up, then stepped aside to read it.

The booklet was only the size of a hand, like the pocket comic books passed around between classes when he was in middle school.

The cover felt much like his Student ID. He suspected that placing this thing on a sensor might produce some sort of response too.

The small cover bore a gold-stamped pattern of thorny vines and the large title "Gymnasium Rules," looking as prestigious as a treasure left behind by a king.

Lin Yi opened the booklet and paused slightly.

The little Gymnasium Rules booklet actually had a foreword:

[Do not use your Student ID within the Gymnasium area. This booklet can be used to unlock the access-controlled doors of all passages.]

[A map of the Gymnasium is attached at the end of this booklet. Please strictly restrict your activities to the trial areas marked on the map. Entry into non-trial areas is prohibited.]

"There's a map too?"

He ran his thumb along the booklet's edge. Sure enough, the last few sheets were noticeably thicker, like a folded map, just as in the Teaching Building Rules.

He began by reading the Gymnasium Rules.

"[Gymnasium Rules]"

"1. As long as you remain within the trial areas marked on the map, the Gymnasium is the most normal and safest place available during your time at school, bar none."

"2. Inside the Gymnasium, you may trust Gym Teachers and Athlete Students unconditionally."

"But please be sure to remember: Gym Teachers wear blue-and-white sportswear and have a Gym Teacher's Badge on their chest;"

"Athlete Students wear blue-and-white sportswear and have no Student ID."

"If you encounter Gym Teachers or Athlete Students who do not fit the descriptions above, strictly follow these procedures: if they do not approach you, move away from them in a normal manner;"

"If they approach you, converse with them normally. You may follow their arrangements, but under no circumstances should you follow them out of the trial areas."

"During this process, remember as much as possible of the information on the Gym Teacher's Badge, the Athlete Students' names, and their physical characteristics. After parting ways with them, immediately report the incident to the nearest Gym Teacher or Athlete Student."

"3. The Gymnasium has four levels: the basement, first floor, second floor, and third floor."

"The Gymnasium is connected to the Giant Dome, which can be reached via the [Safety Passage]."

"The Giant Dome is a soccer venue with two tiers of spectator stands."

"Under normal circumstances, the trial areas accessible to you are limited to the first tier of stands in the Giant Dome or the first and second floors of the Gymnasium."

"5. Both the Gymnasium and the Giant Dome have the most ample power supply on Campus. Lighting is maintained twenty-four hours a day, and the lights absolutely never flicker."

"6. The first floor of the Gymnasium consists of one office, two equipment rooms, one Swimming Hall, and a basketball court."

"If the Gym Teacher does not come to teach, you may engage in activities freely within the trial areas. Do not go to the office to seek them out."

"If you wish to borrow sports equipment, tell a nearby Athlete Student. They will borrow it for you. Do not go to an equipment room to borrow it yourself."

"If you accidentally approach the office or an equipment room, pay no attention to anything you see or hear. Simply leave before you venture inside."

"7. When taking Swimming Class, note the starting time. Do not stay in the water for more than one hour."

"8. The gymnastics hall is on the second floor of the Gymnasium and can be reached directly by the stairs. Gymnastics Class has no time limit."

"9. When Athlete Students invite you to participate in Gymnastics Class or Swimming Class, please agree whenever possible. They have your best interests at heart."

"10. When a Gym Teacher gives you instructions, obey them unconditionally, even if they ask you to do something that conflicts with these rules."

"Remember: within Campus, tasks assigned by a Gym Teacher take precedence over everything (bold and underlined)!!"

"Note: when Gym Teachers assign you tasks, they will begin with 'In my capacity as a Gym Teacher, I order you' and end with 'That is all.' Please distinguish carefully."

"11. In theory, only students and teachers are present inside the Gymnasium."

"If you see a Chef wearing a green Apron inside the Gymnasium, notify an Athlete Student or Gym Teacher immediately. If you discover that the Chef is moving toward you at high speed, immediately rush toward the nearest Athlete Student or Gym Teacher and loudly call for help."

"If you see an angel sculpture that someone unknown has placed on the floor inside the Gymnasium, immediately rush to the office, grip your Student ID tightly, and push the door open. Then close your eyes tightly and tell the Gym Teacher what happened."

"Never ask an Athlete Student for help upon discovering an angel sculpture (extremely conspicuous bold type)!!"

"12. The Gymnasium is an enclosed environment. Wind and raindrops absolutely cannot enter."

"If you feel a wind carrying the briny smell of the sea blow against you, immediately hold your Student ID in your hand and follow the [Safety Passage] to the second tier of stands in the Giant Dome. The interior of the Gymnasium is no longer safe enough."

"If raindrops land on you and you discover fog seeping up from beneath the floor, immediately hold your Student ID in your hand and leave the Gymnasium."

"At this point: if it is not raining outside the Gymnasium, even if there is fog, run for your life along the road lined with streetlamp poles until you leave the area containing the Gymnasium."

"If it is raining outside the Gymnasium, immediately proceed to the second tier of stands in the Giant Dome and await the Gym Teacher's instructions."

"13. If you see fragments of sculptures or anything containing tomato elements in areas outside the Gymnasium's trial areas: confirm your location as soon as you realize this. If you remember accidentally taking a wrong turn, leave immediately. Do not touch them during this time."

"If you discover that you cannot leave, close your eyes before the sculpture fragments begin to tremble slightly, and tell yourself in your mind that you have already left the Gymnasium."

"When you feel a sea breeze blowing against your face, open your eyes. You will know what to do."

"14. Entry into the Gymnasium basement is prohibited!!! (Red, underlined text.)"

"May you come and go safely."

"May you come and go safely..." When Lin Yi reached the end, his gaze settled on those words, unable to move away for a long time.

Leaving the other rules aside, everything that had happened over the past two days had already given him the feeling that even "coming and going safely" was too much to hope for.

As for the other rules, Lin Yi had only read them once and had yet to start memorizing them when Wei Liang's urging reached his ears:

"Hurry up, Lao Lin. Just take the Gymnasium Rules with you. Let's get to class!"

"If the Gym Teacher doesn't show up and lets us have a study period, that's fine, but if the teacher comes and we're late... that would be terrifying."

May 7, X023, 14:30.

Lin Yi and Wei Liang arrived beside the basketball court on the Gymnasium's first floor. Since the Gym Teacher had not appeared, this was theoretically a "free activity period."

"Thank goodness... free activities." Wei Liang visibly let out a long sigh of relief.

Puzzled, Lin Yi asked, "What's wrong, Liangzi? Is the Gym Teacher that scary?"

"The Gym Teacher..." Wei Liang thought for a moment, then abruptly shuddered. "The Gym Teacher is terrifying!"

He explained, "The last time I came for a trial, I had three PE classes too. My third PE class was on the sixth day. Fuck, I'd been starving for almost a whole day by then. My head was already getting fuzzy, and I was starting to feel dazed. Guess what happened?"

"The Gym Teacher, who'd never shown up to teach, suddenly came to class. Not only did she come, she singled me out for torture. The whole PE class lasted one hour, and she held me underwater for an entire hour!!!"

"I felt like I was going to drink the swimming pool dry!"

"Then I went back to the Dormitory and came down with a high fever!"

"I wanted to follow the Student Rules' advice and find the Head Teacher, but the fog was really thick that day, and I think it was raining too, so I stayed in the Dormitory..."

"Once I made it through the last day, I left right away."

"I nearly died because of the Gym Teacher!"

Wei Liang was full of resentment toward the Gym Teacher, but also felt awe and fear. Presumably, the pool water had not tasted good.

"Gymnastics Class is much better... tsk, tsk, tsk." Wei Liang clicked his tongue in admiration. "All right, it's free activities for PE. Lao Lin, I'm going to find a senior girl in gymnastics to learn some positions-no, some knowledge. You stay here... never mind, just look around!"

"Oh, right, remember to stay in the trial areas on the map! I suggest you find somewhere to sit and familiarize yourself with the Gymnasium Rules first. I'll be off, then~"

"Senior girls, here I come~~~" With that, Wei Liang happily jogged toward the stairs as though his feet had been greased, heading for the gymnastics room on the second floor.

"Girls before friends." Watching Wei Liang disappear up the stairs, Lin Yi gave a cold laugh.

He rubbed the Gymnasium Rules in his hands, turned to the last page, unfolded the map from inside, and began by studying it.

The Gymnasium map looked somewhat like a shopping mall floor plan. Its main section showed the first floor, with an extension showing the second floor.

On the first-floor plan, the locations of the Gym Teachers' office, equipment rooms, Swimming Hall, basketball court, and other facilities were clear at a glance. At the upper left of the Gymnasium, a [Safety Passage] was also marked, connecting the Gymnasium's first floor to the first tier of stands in the Giant Dome.

Most of these areas were blue, while places such as the Gym Teachers' office and equipment rooms were green. Some areas where entry was prohibited had been completely blotted out in solid black ink.

The areas where activities were permitted on the map differed little from those described in the Gymnasium Rules. Its basic purpose was to help students quickly locate themselves.

Lin Yi folded the map and began by examining the Gymnasium's interior.

The entire Gymnasium used a cantilever structure. The first level alone was over five meters high, and the ceiling was packed with high-intensity LED lights. Their dazzling white light hurt his eyes, preventing Lin Yi from looking for very long.

Still, he discovered something.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the ceiling again.

The vast majority of the lights in the ceiling were LEDs, but not all of them. The gaps between the LEDs were also filled with incandescent lights.

The incandescent lights might have been on too, but their light was entirely overwhelmed by the LEDs.

Moreover, the Gymnasium's interior was all flooring, so even with some yellow incandescent light mixed into the white light, it was not obvious.

"There are already LED lights, yet they still installed incandescent lights..." Lin Yi looked around. Suddenly, he jolted in shock!

"Is that... a kerosene lamp?!"

Inside such a modern, fashionable Gymnasium, there was actually an old kerosene lamp!

Moreover, this was not an old kerosene lamp used as decoration. It was a genuine old kerosene lamp, currently in use, its flame giving off light!

"That lamp?!"

Something instantly occurred to him. He hurriedly rubbed his eyes and focused on it again.

With that look, it was as though he had gained far-seeing eyes. He immediately made out the old kerosene lamp's patterns and material.

At that moment, he was absolutely certain that it was identical to the old kerosene lamp carried by the Security Guard!

Shocked, he could not help rising from his half-crouch to stand, then quickened his steps toward the kerosene lamp.

But he did not go far, stopping at a spot relatively close to the old kerosene lamp.

Keenly sensing something, he hurriedly took out the map and checked his location against that of the old kerosene lamp.

Immediately afterward, he discovered that although he was indeed within a trial area, the old kerosene lamp hung in an area where entry was prohibited!

The old kerosene lamp hung in a relatively dark part of the Gymnasium. Mounted on the wall, its clear yellow curtain of light spread out to fill a space, giving a feeling of warmth and reassurance.

As Lin Yi looked at the old kerosene lamp, he suddenly realized it was not the only one.

A little distance away, in a similar position, there was another identical old kerosene lamp.

Then, another stretch farther on, yet another old kerosene lamp hung on the wall.

One old kerosene lamp after another opened up a path with their curtains of light, looking out of place inside the modern Gymnasium.

Lin Yi looked in the direction the old kerosene lamps led. The Covered Corridor led somewhere unknown, and at its end was a pitch-black Field despite the lamps hanging there.

Vaguely, he saw a door within that pitch-black Field. Behind the door seemed to be a staircase.

A staircase leading to the basement.

Late, but here at last! Sorry for the wait! I really didn't have time to fix some typos. I'll find some time tomorrow to fix them all together. Thanks for pointing them out~