Gulp—
That was the sound of Victor swallowing hard.
Lucas had folded his umbrella.
But he still held the bloodstained kitchen knife.
And now, he was walking straight toward him.
The effects of the Hulk Thinner were fading.
Victor's whole body ached, pain throbbing in every cell. If not for his stubborn focus on health training from the start of the game, he would've passed out long ago.
Barely holding himself up, Victor forced a twisted smile onto his face.
"Heh… Thanks… for saving me. Once I get out of here…"
But he never finished that sentence.
Because—
Lucas crouched beside him without a word, wiping the blade clean on Victor's already ruined clothes.
Victor froze in place. Didn't dare flinch.
He watched as Lucas's lips moved—calm, chilling.
It was like hearing the devil whisper.
"What was your original plan when you came looking for me?"
Victor trembled, cold sweat mixing with blood.
"N-No! I didn't— I wasn't looking for you! I—I was just…"
But the more he tried to explain, the more his words fell apart.
"You see... I came..."
Yet nothing that followed made sense.
Lucas's voice stayed cold.
"Anyone who lies is a hidden threat to me."
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"And I don't allow hidden threats to stick around."
Victor's reasons for approaching him didn't matter anymore.
Lucas had already made up his mind.
In this world—anyone who posed even a shadow of a threat to his life or safety had to be removed.
The kitchen knife glinted.
Without warning—
Lucas stabbed it forward.
[Player "Five Tigers Guild" – Victor has been eliminated.]
"Damn! Victor barely escaped death and then got stabbed anyway!"
"So satisfying! Remember how cocky he was at the beginning?"
Suddenly, a golden-bordered system barrage appeared at the top of Lucas's live stream:
[Guild Message – President of Five Tigers Guild: Lucas, I'll remember you.]
One sentence.
That's all it took.
And it sent the chat into a frenzy.
Everyone rushed to join the stream.
Who was this guy openly defying a top-tier guild like Five Tigers?
Some viewers grew nervous for him.
"Lucas better hide once this game's over..."
"He really shouldn't have killed Victor directly like that."
"Wait, are you kidding? He doesn't even seem to know who the Five Tigers Guild are!"
In just 12 hours,
Including Victor and Rex,
Five players had been eliminated.
The first two exams were over.
Player count: 15 remaining out of 36.
And as it turned out—
Each dormitory had contained a Little Red and Little Green.
The entire chaotic night?
That was the reading comprehension exam.
Screeeee—
"The exam time is over. All candidates, please turn in your answer sheets. Invigilators will begin grading immediately."
A new day dawned.
Lucas, along with the surviving candidates, walked toward the drop-off box.
As for whether he had answered the questions correctly…
"Only the survivors are qualified to answer questions."
That, perhaps, was the real solution to this reading test.
Dean of Student Affairs Office
The dean, now reduced to only his upper half, was strapped into a specially made emergency chair.
He was furious. Roaring at the faceless invigilators.
"Look at his response to Question Three!"
"Kill them all?! He actually just killed them all!"
None of the teachers dared to speak.
Heads bowed low, like children caught cheating.
The dean eventually sighed and leaned back.
The rage passed.
His face darkened.
"The next one is the final exam."
He pointed his trembling fingers at them all.
"All of you—watch him. I want every eye on that one."
Examination Room 4102
The day after the reading test.
Of the original fourteen candidates, only seven remained.
Yet strangely—
The number of invigilators had increased. Thirty of them now stood watch.
Then came the all-too-familiar sound:
Screeeee—
"The subjective test now begins. All candidates must follow examination rules. Attacking teachers is strictly prohibited…"
Test papers were passed around.
Lucas flipped his open.
And froze.
This was no ordinary question.
The test had changed format. The rules were… personal.
[Exam Scenario: The school has been invaded by ghosts. Specters are hiding everywhere around you. The other candidates in this room are now your companions. The bus parked at the front gate is your ONLY way out. It has only 45 seats. Your job: Help your companions board that bus. Total score: 40 points. For every companion lost, 10 points will be deducted—until you reach zero.]
Five minutes later, the broadcast played again.
"Candidates, please note: You now have 24 hours to complete the exam."
"During the exam, attacking the invigilators is strictly prohibited."
"Repeat: Attacking invigilators is prohibited."
"Repeat…"
The mechanical voice kept droning, again and again.
In the background of that repetition—
The exam room erupted into chaos.
Candidates scrambled to their feet.
Everyone began packing supplies. Some readied weapons. Some bolted straight for the door.
Everyone knew—
The real game had started.
Lucas stood up slowly.
And instantly—
All thirty invigilators turned to face him.
Tension in the room thickened.
Lucas pressed his fingers to his temples and sighed.
This headache again...
Ever since that cursed side mission from last night—
Now into this "rescue" themed question—
He was starting to question something deeply.
Was this entire simulation trying to force him into playing the role of a saint?
Saint Lucas, protector of children, slayer of ghosts, and now—
Bus conductor for a bunch of trembling strangers.
The thought made him laugh under his breath.
But he didn't have time to be annoyed for long.
Outside this bloodstained classroom,
24 hours of survival awaited.
Ghosts were already moving.
And the clock had started ticking.
See that path? The one paved with flowers and shadows?
At the end of it lies renewal—or something worse.
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