Fang Yuan screamed wildly, jolted awake, and sat bolt upright.
She bit her finger and felt pain; she had indeed awakened.
The night was deep, and the window outside seemed as dark as if covered in thick ink, pitch black, making it impossible to see anything. It wasn't autumn yet, but the evening breeze had a slight chill, quietly creeping in and gently ruffling Fang Yuan's long, black hair.
Her hair covered Fang Yuan's eyes, dancing lightly in the breeze, caressing her eyelids and bringing a slight tickling sensation.
Soon, her eyes accustomed to the bedroom darkness. She gathered her hair, gently rose, left her bed, and stood by the window, facing the breeze.
"Did you have a nightmare?" A voice as sweet as a silver bell rang out.
It was Su Ya's voice.
For the first time, Fang Yuan realized how beautiful Su Ya's voice could be.
"Hmm," Fang Yuan replied.
Out of courtesy, she turned to face Su Ya.
Although the light was dim, she was close enough to make out Su Ya's face. While elegant and delicate, her beauty wasn't flawless. Her thin mouth and low nose gave her a somewhat flattering appearance.
Fang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Su Ya wasn't as alluring as she'd dreamed.
"You have beautiful eyes," Su Ya said suddenly after staring at her for a moment.
Fang Yuan's eyes were her most beautiful feature. Clear and bright, like a pool of flowing autumn water, they held a unique charm. Her classmates once joked that with just these charming eyes, Fang Yuan could win their Prince Charming. No man could resist the allure of her eyes.
Fang Yuan wasn't sure why Su Ya said that, so she softly replied, "Thank you. Actually, you're prettier than me."
Su Ya smiled, a smile that was somewhat profound.
Fang Yuan was flustered by her laughter, and inadvertently, something pricked her finger, which was resting on the window, and a trickle of bright red blood oozes from the tip.
Fang Yuan put the injured finger into her mouth and sucked it.
She caught a glimpse of ecstasy in Su Ya's eyes, like a hunting animal finding its prey.
Why was she so excited? Could it be the sight of blood?
In ancient religious legends, blood is often associated with the soul, giving rise to stories of vampires. But what connection did her own blood have with Su Ya? She couldn't possibly be a vampire, seeking to suck her blood!
Even though she tried to comfort herself, Fang Yuan still felt a bone-chilling chill creeping through her body. Perhaps it was the chill of the night wind.
Fang Yuan said nothing more, opened the bedroom door, and walked out.
She entered the bathroom.
The bathroom was silent, serene, as if awaiting her arrival.
Fang Yuan didn't turn on the light, groping her way forward in the darkness. She found the metallic faucet and gently turned it on.
The crisp sound of running water echoed.
Fang Yuan placed her face close to the plummeting stream, letting the icy water wash over her face.
She had just woken up from a dream, and her face had sweated profusely. After the evening breeze dried it, it felt dry and uncomfortable. Now, under the cold water, it felt much more refreshed.
Five minutes later, she tightened the faucet and wiped the water off her face.
Strangely, the running water didn't stop.
It wasn't coming from her side; it seemed to be coming from the bathroom itself.
Who was in there?
Is it the girl from dormitory 441?
It couldn't be Xu Zhaodi; she was snoring when I left.
Was it Qin Yanping or Tao Bing'er?
But I hadn't noticed whether they were sleeping in the bed when I left.
Just then, with a loud crash, the glass in the bathroom suddenly shattered.
Fang Yuan was startled by the sudden sound of shattering glass and couldn't help but scream, "Ah!"
Behind her, a blurry figure slowly approached, its heels hunched over as it landed, like the agility of a wild cat, silently and soundlessly.
Fang Yuan stumbled back a few steps and bumped heavily into the figure behind her.
She hadn't expected someone behind her, and her panic only intensified. Instinctively, she pushed the figure with her hand.
The figure stumbled and nearly fell.
"What's wrong, Fang Yuan!"
With a click, the lights came on, blindingly bright.
The figure behind her was Xu Zhaodi. "Why are you here?" Fang Yuan was still terrified.
Xu Zhaodi's face was a little sheepish. "I came to the bathroom."
"Why are you walking so quietly?"
"When I was little, I was wild and would often sneak out to play at night. I was afraid my family would find me if I came back too late, so I walked like a cat, trying to be as quiet as possible. It's become a habit now."
Fang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. "Why are you like this? You almost scared me to death!"
"What's there to be scared about? If you were scared, why didn't you turn on the light?"
"My eyes have just gotten used to the darkness, and I'm afraid of the glare of the light. Anyway, I'm just going to wipe my face and go back."
After saying this, Fang Yuan froze. The "gurgling" sound of water had disappeared without a trace.
"I... I just heard the sound of water."
Xu Zhaodi laughed. "You're such a coward! It must be the sound of water in the bathroom. I noticed during the day that there's something wrong with the flush switch. Sometimes it flushes automatically."
So that's what happened.
Xu Zhaodi entered the bathroom. After a while, she emerged, and nothing unexpected happened.
"Let's go! They're still waiting for you," Xu Zhaodi said, grabbing Fang Yuan's hand.
"Waiting for me? Them?" Fang Yuan was puzzled.
"You'll know once you get out."
The two of them left the bathroom. Several fluorescent lights were on, and the hallway of Dormitory 441 was as bright as day.
Su Ya, Qin Yanping, and Tao Bing'er stood solemnly in their pajamas, holding a white candle that flickered faintly. Their expressions were pious and focused, as if they were performing a sacred ritual.
"What are you doing?"
"We're praying. We're waiting for you alone." Xu Zhaodi brought Fang Yuan a white candle, lit it, and handed it to her. Then she lit a candle herself and stood between the three of them.
Invisibly, the four of them surrounded Fang Yuan.
Praying?
Fang Yuan whispered, "Do you really believe this?"
She was met with four pairs of fierce glares.
Fang Yuan knew she couldn't say any more, so she could only appease them.
The four girls closed their eyes, bowed their heads, and remained silent. The scene felt like they were speaking to a spirit.
Fang Yuan had no choice but to follow suit.
Five candles, five lights, five girls, no movement; only the crackling of the candles could be heard in the hall.
After an unknown amount of time, the four girls raised their heads, opened their eyes, and exchanged a knowing glance. Then, they carefully placed the candles on the table.
"Is it done?" Fang Yuan asked quietly, imitating their example as she placed the candles.
"Okay, close your eyes and wait a moment."
"Okay." Fang Yuan closed her eyes.
Then, she felt her legs and hands being grasped. When she opened her eyes, she was already being lifted up by the four of them.
"What are you doing?" Fang Yuan frantically cried.
"Be patient, it will all be fine soon. You're the best among us, and you're the most suitable person to represent us in meeting the gods."
Meeting the gods? Fang Yuan thought of that ancient tradition—sacrifice.
Sacrifice was a ritual used by the ancients to pray for blessings and ward off disasters.
In ancient primitive societies, sacrifice was a widespread form of religious belief, found in both Eastern and Western civilizations, even the vanished Mayan civilization.
No matter what deity was being offered, a sacrifice was required as a token of gratitude. Of all sacrifices, the most precious, yet the most cruel, was a living human being.
Were they actually going to sacrifice her? Throw her alive off the balcony?
Fang Yuan's hair stood on end.
She called out her name, begging them to let her down and stop playing such a joke, but no one paid any attention.
Fang Yuan struggled desperately. The more she struggled, the tighter their grip tightened, the faster they walked, and the more bizarre their laughter grew. They gradually approached the balcony and lifted her up. Despite her struggles and cries, they continued to shout and throw her from the fourth-floor balcony. She heard the wind whistling in her ears, her body falling rapidly without support, and then slammed heavily onto the hard concrete road.