Chapter 555: The Temptation of the Cafeteria

During the earlier exchange.

Wu Xian had seen the photo provided by Wen Tinghua.

The photo showed six teachers inside the training center, four of whom had confirmed identities, while the remaining two were still unknown.

One of them was likely the original appearance of the etiquette teacher.

The last teacher, by reasonable deduction, was most likely hiding in the cafeteria, so Wu Xian brought the newcomers here to break the cafeteria’s rules.

If successful, he could smoothly get these five expelled.

If failed, he could at least gather some intelligence from the cafeteria.

Inside the cafeteria, only two or three natives were eating; their faces looked aged—they must have been unable to bear hunger and traded their lifespan for credits at the Student Union.

Each window in the cafeteria displayed pre-made meal sets, which had been sitting there for who knew how long, yet still steamed and emitted fragrances far away, nearly drawing out the hunger of Xia Wentao and the other three.

Wu Xian licked his lips. How should he break the cafeteria’s rules?

The cafeteria rules had four items.

1: Food purchased in the cafeteria must be paid for with credits.

2: Purchased food must not be left over or dumped into the trash.

3: Everyone must eat at least once per day in the cafeteria.

4: The cafeteria is closed to students after dark or on rainy days.

The fourth rule could not be broken now due to time and weather.

The third rule had already been broken by several newcomers, but since the day wasn’t over, the consequences hadn’t manifested yet.

So the only rules the newcomers could break were the first two. Wu Xian’s eyes darted around a few times, then he smirked at the five newcomers.

“Ever pulled a free meal? The trays are right there at the windows—someone bold enough, go snatch one!”

The cafeteria’s first rule required credits to buy food; simply grabbing the meal would violate the rule.

The college students were hesitant, especially Xia Wentao—his good friend Han Hao was still hanging on the rack, drying out. He already had psychological trauma from the cafeteria.

Huo Shutong encouraged them: “Don’t be afraid—if anything chases you, my blessing can stop it. It won’t catch you!”

But everyone still felt fearful and hesitated.

Then Jiang Zisheng stepped forward and loosened his collar.

“I’ll do it. In my youth, I once did some foolish things.”

Jiang Zisheng gathered courage and walked to the window. The pale-faced cafeteria aunt stared at him and shouted: “Vegetarian set or meat set?”

Jiang Zisheng swallowed hard.

The cafeteria aunt was extremely strong—her arms bulged with muscles and protruding veins, looking more capable of fighting than his own Double Red Flower Sticks. The giant iron spoon in her hand resembled a murder weapon.

“I’ll take the meat set!”

After hesitating for a long while, Jiang Zisheng still lacked the courage to snatch the food from this woman’s hands—he used his credits to buy the meat set, making Wu Xian shake his head in disappointment.

“Don’t rush.”

Jiang Zisheng smiled, carried the tray to the trash bin, opened the lid, and elegantly tossed the tray inside—the suspicious meat vanished.

“Isn’t that enough?”

Jiang Zisheng didn’t need to break the first rule—he had credits, and they’d expire by tomorrow anyway. Using them to break the second rule worked just as well.

It also kept distance, avoiding the risk of the furious cafeteria aunt cracking his skull with her iron spoon.

The cafeteria aunt’s eyes nearly spewed fire, her gaze filled with hatred as she stared at Jiang Zisheng—but she didn’t rush out to attack him, only watched him coldly.

Instead, Jiang Zisheng’s condition began to change.

His mind suddenly grew hazy; he stared toward the cafeteria, expression blank, swallowing saliva repeatedly!

Xia Wentao pointed at Jiang Zisheng and cried out: “That’s it! Pull him away—Han Hao was in this exact state before he disappeared!”

Before Wu Xian could move, Jiang Zisheng suddenly drew his dagger and stabbed himself in a fleshy spot. The sharp pain snapped him back to clarity. Wu Xian asked: “How are you?”

Jiang Zisheng gritted his teeth: “Let’s leave. I need a cold shower.”

Everyone hurried away, all eyes fixed on Jiang Zisheng, fearing he’d vanish like Han Hao, leaving behind an arm.

But Jiang Zisheng proved himself—he kept slipping into delirium but held on through sheer willpower. When they reached an artificial lake, he dove straight in.

Jiang Zisheng surfaced, his expression relieved.

“I feel much better now.”

“After I threw the food in the trash, I suddenly felt ravenous and couldn’t stop staring at the cafeteria.”

“Inside, there were mountains of delicacies and wine—my wife waved a glass at me, my daughter opened her arms waiting to be hugged, my brothers raised their cups, ready to toast me…”

“I nearly forgot this was a Blessed Land, forgot the cafeteria’s danger—all I wanted was to rush over and gorge myself!”

“But luckily, I’d been hungry before—in my youth, I hid in a shipping container for days trying to smuggle myself into the big city, starving until I nearly fainted. So this was nothing…”

He soaked for a little while.

In the One-Error-Free version!

Jiang Zisheng confirmed he was no longer affected.

Just as he was about to climb out of the artificial lake, everyone suddenly screamed.

He turned back and saw a white shadow swiftly swimming toward him—he could barely make out its terrifying blue-white face. Jiang Zisheng scrambled toward shore, but his speed was nothing compared to the shadow’s.

At that moment, Huo Shutong stomped her foot and pointed at the white shadow.

“Immobilize!”

The shadow froze instantly, performing a “Lotus Emerging from Water” before them.

It was a woman, clad in white, her black hair dripping water as she flung it backward. Her face was swollen and grotesquely blue-green, lips purplish-blue.

A water ghost. But now, this water ghost clutched her throat, coughing violently.

She’d swallowed water!

That was impossible.

But Huo Shutong’s [Impossible to Move] blessing had made it possible.

Jiang Zisheng scrambled out of the water, heart pounding as he stared back at the clear artificial lake. The water ghost that had choked had vanished back into the water; ripples spread across the surface, leaves swayed gently in the wind—peaceful, tranquil.

Who could have guessed a deadly water ghost lurked within?

But after this scare, Jiang Zisheng felt his mind clearer than ever—some loss, some gain.

Thus far.

Exploration of the cafeteria was temporarily over.

Wu Xian confirmed the missing teacher was not hiding in the cafeteria. All cafeteria rules were established to protect student safety.

So Wu Xian pulled out Plan B.

“Let’s go to the sports field!”

Physical education class had ended, but its rules might still be usable.

One rule stated: “Do not lie down or sit on the grass to rest.” This rule had no time restriction—perhaps sitting on the grass outside class hours could still break the rule and draw the PE teacher, deducting the red bar from your chest!

But this carried great risk.

First, the crimson blood threads beneath the field.

Second, the rule stated only the PE teacher during class was real.

But Wu Xian had already disproven this—he’d encountered the PE teacher outside class hours while returning sports equipment to Guo Xiaodong.

Yet that teacher had been real!

Su Mi looked at the newcomers and said: “Last time, Jiang Zisheng took the risk. Now, who among you will try sitting on the grass?”

(End of Chapter)