Was Shen Cheng a Faceling?

The concrete ground outside the school gate fell silent for a full three seconds. Then the fatty was the first to burst out.

"What?!"

"You? You're the Seer? Why the fuck didn't you say so earlier?!"

His expression changed several times in an instant, from shock to wild delight, then to belated reproach.

"If you'd told me earlier, I'd have served you tea and water, no problem! If you'd said you were the Seer, would we have been so scared of the Facelings?!"

"Quit interrupting!" Shen Yue shoved the fatty, then turned to look at Shen Cheng. The tears in her eyes hadn't dried, but her voice was no longer as weak as before.

"Brother, go on. How did you survive?"

Shen Cheng nodded and slowly explained.

"I used the Seer's inspection ability. When the tentacle dragged me in, I learned its weakness."

He raised a hand and gestured to where the tentacle joined the body.

"There's a piece of cartilage at the joint connecting the tentacle to the body. That's its weakest point. I stabbed it with the craft knife I had on me, and it let me go.

Then I used what I'd learned to feel my way back through the fog, step by step..."

The explanation was flawless. Who but the Seer could have escaped from such a bizarre place?

The fatty believed him completely. "No wonder! No wonder you dared turn back and block the tentacle. You had a trump card!

Why the fuck didn't you say so earlier? You made me shed several drops of piss for you!"

"I knew it. Who'd dare block a tentacle alone? Who but the Seer could pull that off?" Chen Yu chimed in, his face full of excitement and relief.

Liu Jialiang leaned against the doorframe and nodded slightly.

He said nothing, but his expression said it all: someone willing to sacrifice himself for everyone couldn't be a bad person.

Now he knew: Shen Cheng wasn't unafraid of death. He had gone to his death with the Seer's trump card, and that was why he had dared!

Liu Yan had already moved up beside Shen Cheng. She pulled out a handkerchief from who knew where and tried to wipe the mud off his face. "Brother Shen! So you're the Seer! I'll have to count on you from now on!"

Her voice instantly softened a little.

Lin Yang stood there, his expression frozen, looking into Shen Cheng's eyes.

He couldn't believe his ears.

He could be certain of one thing: he was the only Seer in the game.

Then why... was Shen Cheng pretending to be one?

A somewhat frightening possibility occurred to him.

He took a deep breath and opened the system interface in his mind.

He didn't hesitate. He inspected Shen Cheng.

[Inspect this target's identity.]

The system fell silent for a second. Then a line of text appeared before his eyes.

[Inspection successful. The target's identity is: Faceling.]

Lin Yang stared at the line for a long time. His expression gradually shifted from silence to surprise, then to a hint of anger!

So that's how it is... So that's how it is?!

Everything made sense!

Why had Shen Cheng turned back to block the tentacle?

His intention all along had been to earn everyone's trust!

When someone who had died for everyone came back alive, no one would doubt a single word he said.

He was the Seer himself? Of course he could claim to be the Seer.

He would gain everyone's trust, and even the greatest authority in the classroom.

Then he could "inspect" anyone at night in the Seer's name, identify the real humans as Facelings one by one, or clear all the remaining Facelings of suspicion!

This was the Facelings' true method. It was a long-planned, perfect infiltration in the name of sacrifice!

Lin Yang looked away and closed the system interface. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but in the end he shook his head.

He took two steps forward, a smile appearing on his face. It was natural, neither too much nor too little, exactly the expression a leader would have on seeing a capable subordinate return safely.

"Since you're the Seer, we'll be counting on you from here on."

Shen Cheng looked at him. A trace of the slightest surprise flickered in his eyes.

But it lasted less than half a second before a grateful smile covered it.

He reached out and shook Lin Yang's hand.

"Brother Lin, leave finding the rest of the Facelings to me."

"Brother Cheng, you're the Seer. How many people have you inspected so far?"

"Yeah, did you inspect me?"

"..."

Shen Cheng sat beside the lectern, holding an enamel mug filled with boiled yellow water that was no longer hot.

He took a sip and set the mug on his knee, his gaze sweeping over every face in the classroom.

"I've inspected four people in total over the past few days!"

Everyone gathered around. The fatty squatted at the very front, elbows braced on his knees, looking up as he waited for Shen Cheng to continue.

Shen Yue sat on a desk beside her brother, her legs dangling and swinging over the edge, her eyes shining.

Liu Yan stood at the edge of the crowd with her arms folded across her chest and her neck craned slightly forward.

"The first day was the fatty." Shen Cheng nodded at him. "He was the one who argued with me most back then, but he turned out to be an ordinary person."

The fatty smiled awkwardly, the flesh on his face bunching up.

"You can't blame me for that. You were pretty... Anyway, if I'd been a Faceling, I'd have sold you all out on the first day!"

He turned and shouted to the people behind him. "You hear that? The Seer gave me my identity! An ordinary person! Anyone who doubts me again can talk to my table leg!"

"The second was Liu Jialiang. He was acting strangely then, as you all know." Shen Cheng looked toward the corner. "Gunslinger."

Liu Jialiang leaned against the wall and nodded, his expression unchanged. He believed Shen Cheng's inspection, not because he was close to Shen Cheng, but because Shen Cheng had blocked a tentacle for him.

Of the other two names, one was the middle-aged man who had charged at the front during the earlier fight, and the other was the college student with glasses.

Both were ordinary people. After naming the four, Shen Cheng shook his head regretfully.

"I didn't find a Faceling. Yesterday's inspection didn't hit one."

"That's not your fault!" the fatty immediately said. "Those Facelings hide deep. How could you find one with a single inspection? You've only just come back, take your time! As long as you're the Seer, we'll root the Facelings out one by one sooner or later!"

"Don't worry, everyone, I'm a good guy! I'll lead you to victory!" The fatty raised his voice, and several people beside him nodded along.

Chen Yu applauded in the crowd, muttering, "As long as there's a Seer, there's hope."

Liu Yan changed her stance, unfolding her arms and resting her chin in her hand as she watched Shen Cheng. "Brother Cheng, you're the impressive one after all."

"For all these days, the credit belongs to Brother Lin. Without him, we wouldn't have made it this far!" As he spoke, his gaze fell on Lin Yang, as though trying to discern something.

Lin Yang sat on the other side of the fire, eating half a piece of tentacle meat. He stood up, brushed the crumbs from his hands, and stretched. There was little expression on his face.

"I'm glad you're back," he said, his tone carrying just the right trace of weariness and joy.

"After all this time, I really am tired. From the first day until now, I haven't had one full night's sleep. Now that the real Seer is here, I don't have to worry about it anymore."

He sounded natural. Every word carried the tone of "a leader who could finally step down."

Shen Cheng stared at him.

His eyes lingered on Lin Yang's face for several seconds, moving from the corners of his mouth to the corners of his eyes.

Lin Yang didn't avoid his gaze. He stood up and patted Shen Cheng on the shoulder, as though acknowledging him.

Shen Cheng looked away. He made a judgment in his heart.

Perhaps this guy really isn't the Seer?

A Seer couldn't be this relaxed. A Seer couldn't be this relaxed in front of another impostor, unless he was already prepared to strike back.

And Lin Yang seemed more like an ordinary person who had finally found a savior.

The real Seer might already be dead...

That judgment made the corner of Shen Cheng's mouth twitch slightly. He lowered his head and pretended to drink, using the rim of the enamel mug to hide the curve.

But despite his excitement, a trace of cruelty still flashed in his eyes.

Lin Yang was too smart. Keeping him around would always be a danger.

"Brother Lin," Shen Cheng said, setting down the mug, his tone sincere.

"All this time, you've been the one carrying everyone along. Now I have the ability to inspect people, but I don't have your experience leading a team.

Stay with me in the office tonight."