Mu Ke, who had been shoved aside by Miao Feichi, immediately moved to shield Liu Jiayi again. At his age, he had been taught that boys should protect girls—and Miao Feichi was clearly in the wrong.
He bravely spread his arms in front of Liu Jiayi. "Miao Feichi, I told you! It has nothing to do with us that you couldn't escape! If you dare touch Jiayi, I'll tell Bai Liu (6)! Believe me!"
The failed escape and shared danger had made Mu Ke unconsciously shorten the psychological distance between himself and Liu Jiayi. In his mind, she was now a frail little sister—just as weak as he was—and someone he had to protect.
He knew he couldn't physically overpower Miao Feichi. Although Mu Ke didn't understand what sort of agreement Miao Feichi and Miao Gaojiang had reached with Bai Liu (6), it was obvious that Bai Liu (6) could restrain Miao Feichi. So Mu Ke had no choice but to resort to the only weapon he had—threatening to tattle.
His eyes were wide, but his voice was steady. "You don't dare go against Bai Liu (6), right? If he sees you doing this to us, do you think it'll end well for you?"
Miao Feichi paused mid-step. Then his expression twisted into something ferocious. He shoved Mu Ke aside again. "I don't have a good ending anyway! Get lost! I'm eating this little blind thing today. If you get in my way, I'll eat you too!"
Mu Ke stared at Miao Feichi's bloodshot eyes and couldn't help shuddering.
Suddenly, Liu Jiayi shouted, "Teacher! Teacher!"
The teacher, who had just stepped out to use the restroom, happened to hear her cry. She pushed open the door impatiently. "What is it now?"
Mu Ke was just about to point at Miao Feichi and accuse him when Miao Feichi beat him to it. He straightened up and gave the teacher an ingratiating smile. "Teacher, there was just a small conflict between Mu Ke, Miao Gaojiang, and me. We got into a little fight."
Mu Ke froze. His face darkened. "Miao Gaojiang and I didn't fight with you! You were trying to bully—"
"It was a conflict!" Miao Feichi cut him off loudly. His lips curled into a sinister smile as he turned to the teacher. "If you keep locking me up with them, we'll just keep fighting. It wouldn't be good if someone got hurt, right? Mu Ke has heart disease. What if something happens to him?"
It was a blatant threat.
Mu Ke flushed red with anger and tried to argue further, but the teacher was already frowning. "There's enough trouble as it is. I'll separate you."
Miao Feichi finally smiled in satisfaction. "Teacher, Miao Gaojiang bullied Liu Jiayi during the fight, too. I don't bully girls."
Mu Ke was so furious his eyes nearly popped out. He jumped anxiously in place. "That's nonsense!" It was the harshest word he could manage at his age.
"A group of children fighting," the teacher concluded after sweeping her gaze over them. "Then you and Liu Jiayi will be locked up together. Behave yourselves and don't cause trouble."
Mu Ke finally found an opening. "Teacher, he bullied—"
Miao Feichi turned his head and smiled at Mu Ke. "Think about it carefully. Miao Gaojiang and I can't stay together. So either you or Liu Jiayi ends up with me. Do you want to be locked up with me?"
There was an unmistakable hunger in his eyes. Mu Ke felt goosebumps crawl up his skin and instinctively took two steps back.
He glanced at Liu Jiayi, who was still pale and gasping after shouting for the teacher. Gritting his teeth, Mu Ke was about to volunteer himself—
But at that moment, Liu Jiayi slowly stood up. She groped forward twice before placing her hand into the teacher's outstretched palm. Her head remained lowered, hiding her expression.
"Teacher, let's go."
"Jiayi, don't!" Mu Ke cried anxiously.
Liu Jiayi turned her face toward him as if looking at him. She smiled faintly, her tone almost cheerful. "Don't worry about me. I have a way."
Mu Ke froze. He instinctively stepped back.
That smile had felt… cold.
It was as if Liu Jiayi had anticipated Miao Feichi's actions from the start—and deliberately allowed herself to be locked in the same room as him.
She had condoned it.
Mu Ke suddenly remembered how, during their escape attempt, Liu Jiayi had calmly proposed killing the teacher to delay discovery. Bai Liu (6) had rejected the idea, saying it wasn't easy to kill an NPC within the welfare home. Mu Ke hadn't fully understood at the time. Yet Liu Jiayi had casually suggested they could push Miao Feichi forward as a scapegoat if something went wrong.
There was an almost innocent cruelty about her.
She was intelligent, decisive, and frighteningly capable. The only difference between her and Bai Liu (6) was that she wasn't quite as calculating.
The escape plan had been devised by her and Bai Liu (6) together.
In a single day, Liu Jiayi had memorized the teachers' patrol routes, located the keys, and determined the best escape direction—despite being blind. It had taken her less than a minute to trick the teacher out of the room. She had even suggested killing the teacher mid-escape to prevent pursuit. Bai Liu (6) had been silent for a moment before replying, "I agree in principle—but killing would take too much time."
Mu Ke watched as the teacher led Miao Feichi and Liu Jiayi away. An uneasy feeling churned in his chest.
No matter how clever Liu Jiayi was, she was still just a little girl. Intelligence couldn't compensate for Miao Feichi's brute strength.
What should I do? Mu Ke nearly panicked. If only Bai Liu (6) were here…
The teacher locked Miao Feichi and Liu Jiayi inside another handicrafts classroom.
Liu Jiayi quietly crouched in the lower-right corner. She had made a doll there yesterday, and the box still contained several cloth doll heads. She began sorting through them carefully, one by one.
Suddenly, a needle pricked her finger. A bead of blood welled up.
"Ah… it's bleeding," Liu Jiayi murmured softly. She brought her finger to her lips, lowering her eyelashes to conceal the misty vagueness in her eyes. "What a waste. This is blood meant to save my brother."
Behind her, Miao Feichi approached step by step, swallowing repeatedly. The expression on his face was feverish—like a starving man seeing a feast for the first time.
He saw Liu Jiayi prick her finger, bright red blood beading against her pale, delicate skin. The vivid contrast struck Miao Feichi like an irresistible invitation. His heartbeat quickened; his breathing grew heavy as he stepped closer behind her.
"What are you looking at, Sister Jiayi?" he asked, forcing a friendly tone as he leaned over to peer into her cloth box—like someone politely preparing to begin a meal.
Yesterday, Liu Jiayi had crouched in this corner all day, smiling faintly as she fiddled with that very box. In the end, she had only taken out an ugly doll with thick, crude stitches. It looked so poorly made that its limbs might fall off with a single tug.
But Miao Feichi remembered clearly—she had asked the teacher for a needle yesterday. The teacher had refused, saying it was too dangerous to give such a thing to a blind child.
Then, where had she gotten the needle to sew that doll?
The moment Miao Feichi finally looked inside the box, his pupils shrank sharply.
Liu Jiayi smiled brightly and tilted her head. "Of course, I need a needle. I have to sew a doll for my brother."
The box was filled with scraps of fabric in various patterns. A blood-stained needle was embedded deep in the head of a half-finished doll—almost piercing straight through.
The doll was dressed in clothes identical to the ones Miao Feichi was wearing.
"Doesn't it look nice?" Liu Jiayi slowly stood up, an innocent yet sinister smile spreading across her pale face. She held the doll in one hand and, with the other, pulled out a syringe. "According to the 50% mortality rate of a Level 2 game, it takes at least 1.6 children's worth of blood to save a player. My blood alone isn't enough to save my brother. So I'll have to trouble Brother Miao Feichi to donate some."
Miao Feichi stumbled backward. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor. Scrambling desperately, he tried to crawl away, shouting, "Teacher! Teacher, help—!"
[System notification: Player Liu Jiayi has used the 'Silence' item. No one outside this space can hear any sound within it. Players, please enjoy.]
[Item duration: One hour.]
[System notification: Player Liu Jiayi has used the 'Magic Space' item. This is your exclusive domain. Only those you permit may enter or leave. You are the magician who rules this space.]
[Item duration: One and a half hours.]
[System notification: Player Liu Jiayi has used a Muscle Relaxation Potion. Player Miao Feichi's secondary identity line has lost all strength. Muscle relaxation in effect…]
Liu Jiayi activated item after item from her system panel without hesitation. The mechanical system voice continued issuing notifications.
[System notification: Player Liu Jiayi, due to the special nature of your personal skill within Love Welfare Institute, the following restrictions have been imposed upon entering this instance to maintain balance—]
[1. Your health is bound to Liu Huai, the core figure of your desire.]
[2. You carry a mushroom poisoning debuff. Your health will continuously decline. Please restore it in time.]
(Note: This debuff was brought into the instance from reality. The system has moderately amplified its effect as a balancing restriction.)
[3. The cooldown of your personal skill 'Antidote' has been extended from one hour to six hours.]
[4. Among all players and children in this instance, your blood is the most suitable for cultivating Blood Ganoderma Lucidum. No blood relationship is required. Your blood can nurture a Ganoderma capable of curing any investor's terminal illness. Your blood is classified as 'Universal Blood' and may serve as the core blood for any investor.]
(Note: Once other investor players uncover the relevant background clues, the system will provide appropriate guidance indicating that your blood is optimal—while fully protecting your identity.)
[5. …]
As Liu Jiayi closed her panel, a silver crown emblem gleamed briefly on her attributes page.
[Senior Member of the King's Guild — Ranked First on the Rising Stars List]
[Skill Identity: Cursed Taboo Witch]
The panel vanished.
Liu Jiayi lowered her head and looked at Miao Feichi, who lay trembling on the ground.
His body was limp as mud, muscles slack from the potion's effect. Tears streamed from the corners of his bloodshot eyes as he made small, broken sounds.
"No one can hear you calling for help, Brother Feichi," Liu Jiayi said softly, crouching down and tilting her head as if curiously examining him. "I heard about your little TV before. You like eating children's meat, don't you?"
"I like drawing blood from people, too." She smiled sweetly, dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth. "Have you ever seen a rabbit have blood drawn from its ear? If you inject air into the vein, it eventually dies. They say it's a very painful way to go—like suffocating slowly."
"I once had a hamster. My brother gave it to me. I wanted to experiment on it."
"Unfortunately, it was too fragile. It died so quickly." Her fingers gently stroked Miao Feichi's head in a disturbingly tender gesture. "I cried for a long time."
Her voice was light.
"Would you like to be my hamster?"
Miao Feichi's face was drenched in tears. He stared at the enormous, gleaming syringe in her hand and shook his head desperately, terror twisting his features.
"The hamster doesn't get to refuse," Liu Jiayi replied with a smile.
"I'm starting now."