The chalk dust in the classroom hung suspended in mid-air. Outside the window, the shadow of a flying bird was pinned to the curtain, and even the sunlight had stopped flowing. This was a form of power belonging to Tessa, the psychopomp.
However, Ian only smelled the pleasant fragrance.
But he saw no one.
"Hide-and-seek? I don't like playing this."
Just as Ian was looking around.
"It's been almost a day. Why do I feel like you're not worried at all?" Tessa frowned and walked over from behind the solidified teacher at the podium, passing through the teacher's body.
She seemed to have changed her clothes today, still pure black, but now a glossy leather jacket and pants. Ian truly wanted to know if this species, the psychopomp, could actually fart.
"Hm?"
Tessa felt Ian's strange stare.
"Who says I haven't done anything? I've prepared a brilliant plan. Do you know what it is?" Ian cautiously probed the female psychopomp.
"Oh?"
The female psychopomp Tessa frowned.
"Do you think I'm watching you all the time? Don't be so self-absorbed, little one." Her tone was unfriendly, but Ian's smile instantly became bright.
"You're right. I think so too." Ian's smile was very sunny, truly that of a bright and cheerful boy. However, the female psychopomp frowned even more severely upon seeing this.
"I truly didn't expect that attending class was more important than your father's life. How should I put it? As a student, you are very qualified?" Tessa's tone was clearly tinged with exasperation.
She looked around. The physics teacher's mouth was still frozen, Poor physics teacher, he had no idea that things violating physics were currently happening.
"It's part of the plan."
Ian blinked.
"What plan?"
The female psychopomp narrowed her eyes. She seemed to have learned 'Flash' from the evil spirits, whooshing to appear right in front of Ian, yet bringing not a hint of wind.
"I can't tell you. That's also part of the plan. Trust me, I really do have a plan—if I told you, my plan might not work." Ian made a *Three-Body Problem* reference, but unfortunately, all the people present, moving or not, probably wouldn't understand his humor or his bad joke.
"If you still want to save your father, you better hurry up." The female psychopomp Tessa did not pursue the question, but demonstrated what a proper threat was right there for Ian.
However.
"Perhaps you could offer me some assistance? You know... I'm just a normal person." Ian wasn't just begging for pity, he was very aware of his own strength.
Tessa frowned again upon hearing this.
"What does that have to do with me? Do you think I care?" She showed a slightly displeased expression, folding her arms across her chest, looking exactly like a delinquent girl who should not be approached.
"If it truly had nothing to do with you," Ian's fingertip tapped the desktop, his tone firm, stating the fact he had guessed, "you wouldn't be here."
Discovering this secret didn't require too much profound insight.
"..."
Tessa fell silent, and the temperature in the classroom suddenly dropped. It was unclear if this was affected by her mood. Just as the atmosphere reached its climax.
"What a cunning brat, you win." Tessa shook her head a few times as if she had a headache. Her compromise made Ian feel even more strongly that he might truly be the God of Gamblers of Metropolis.
The boy secretly gave himself a thumbs-up.
"Why don't you start by investigating yesterday's plane crash? Your father hasn't failed a rescue in a long time, has he?" Tessa opened her mouth and offered a hint.
"I should go to Metropolis General Hospital, right?" Ian quickly followed up. This was similar to his previous line of thought, suggesting he might also have the potential to be a famous Metropolis detective.
"Mm."
Tessa's eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly.
"It seems you have done some investigation and research."
Her tone was much softer, further proving that she wasn't constantly monitoring Ian's progress. That made sense, she was a psychopomp, so she surely had many job-related matters to attend to.
"I told you, I have a plan." Ian emphasized again. Just as he was about to continue asking for more clues, he suddenly saw the psychopomp raise her slender finger.
"Let me save you some time to execute your plan." With that, the woman with the beautiful pale skin snapped her fingers. The black and white, frozen world peeled away like a torn canvas.
Ian felt a rush of dizziness. When his vision returned to clarity, the smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils. Under the pale, almost white light, the large sign for "Metropolis General Hospital" hung before them, and the post-rain water reflected their two figures—the world had somehow returned to color.
Yet time still seemed to be suspended.
Ian looked at Tessa's hand in surprise. There were no gems or an Infinity Gauntlet, but a snap of her fingers still had the effect of changing the world.
"Is this a psychopomp's ability?"
Ian didn't know much about this special species. He only knew that the psychopomps existed in the old American TV show *Supernatural*, and this made him realize what his [Death Knight's Retainer] status meant.
"If you want to become a psychopomp, I can submit an application for you, the kind that lets you start early." Tessa seemed very exasperated with the curious boy.
Her tone held a hint of veiled displeasure.
"Stay calm, don't panic about anything." Ian looked up at the hospital sign. He was deep in thought, which again prompted an inquiry from Tessa.
"What are you staring at up there, thinking about?"
She tilted her head, asking confusedly.
"I think the hospital's name doesn't sound very good."
Ian replied.
"???"
Tessa took a deep breath.
"If I ever get interested in becoming the mayor, I'd definitely rename this place Metropolis First People's Hospital..." Ian continued rambling incessantly.
"Stop!"
Tessa couldn't help but interrupt him.
"Has anyone ever told you that your mind might be a little messed up?" The woman, who always prided herself on having good patience and high composure, really couldn't hold it in anymore. She even began to regret her choice.
"Yes, I even have a doctor's note."
Ian rummaged through his school uniform, pulling out the somewhat wrinkled diagnostic sheet. This was the document that had originally been in the living room drawer along with the prescribed medicine.
The medicine was gone, but the proof remained.
"?????"
Tessa was already thinking about asking for a refund.
"Hurry up."
She took a few more deep breaths.
"This is the only help I can give you after this."
With that.
She looked as if she was rushing off work, abruptly poking Ian's glabella. Then, before Ian could react, the female psychopomp completely vanished from the spot.
The next moment.
The world abruptly started functioning again. The wail of the ambulance, the rolling of gurney wheels, and the shouts of medical staff all flooded his eardrums simultaneously. Ian found that even though people were coming and going.
No one seemed to notice the boy who had appeared out of thin air.
[Temporary Curse: You are immune to death for twenty-four hours.]
On the status bar.
A clear icon was flashing.
It was a status that looked negative but was actually positive.
The heaven-defying effect made Ian almost unable to resist trying to stab himself twice right then and there.
***
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We're close to 169 stones, hope we can achieve it before sunday.
169 stones for bonus
If we achieve it today I'll post 2 bonuses instead of one
***
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