Chapter 1 The Disappeared Class

  "What? You want me to investigate the students who disappeared from Hui Xian High School that year?" I stared at Uncle Wang in shock, looking at him incredulously. Uncle Wang just glanced at the steaming tea on the table and didn't say a word. I stood there feeling uneasy and unsure of what to do. Although I was truly grateful to this benefactor who funded my scholarship every year, the thought of going to that eerie high school sent chills down my spine.

  Hui Xian High School was originally a prestigious school in our city, but three summers ago, just after the new students entered, the entire class of freshmen suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only an unsolved mystery for the police. Later on, the remaining students also gradually left the school one by one, reportedly because at night they could hear the sound of reading coming from empty classrooms and often heard the sounds of students chattering and laughing outside their dormitory doors, but when they opened the door, there was nothing to be seen, yet the sounds lingered in their ears for a long time.

  At that time, I had just entered junior high school and had also heard about the situation of Hui Xian High School. Who would have thought that the famous school back then is now just a deserted abandoned building? Originally, the area around the school was also very prosperous because of the school's reputation, but after the school declined, all the shops left one by one, and Hui Xian High School became a taboo in this city. I didn't understand why Uncle Wang wanted me to go to Hui Xian High School, but my heart felt uneasy, not daring to say anything else, just staring blankly at my canvas shoes. After a long time, Uncle Wang finally looked up at me, with tears welling up in his eyes.

  Uncle Wang's voice choked: "Xiao Hong, do you know? My daughter was in that year. The reason I sponsored your education is partly because I really wanted to help you, and on the other hand, it's because of my daughter's relationship with you. Your personality is very similar to hers, sometimes when I look at you, I feel like I'm looking at my daughter." I sighed and said: "But Uncle Wang, what's the use of me going to Hui Xian High School? Even the police can't find out about it, how can a high school student like me investigate?"

  Uncle Wang walked over quickly, tightly grasping my hand and said: "Xiao Hong, you absolutely can. I've found many masters to calculate it, as long as the child has just entered high school, they can enter Hui Xian High School and enter that student's disappearing time-space. And you not only exactly fit this point, but also you and my daughter have the same birthday, which can completely investigate what happened back then!" I looked at this stranger yet familiar person in front of me, feeling a mix of emotions. I remembered when our family had financial difficulties, Uncle Wang came to our school saying he was willing to sponsor my education, it turned out everything was premeditated...

  I pushed away Uncle Wang's hand, stabilized my emotions and said: "Uncle Wang, have you thought about it? What if I really enter that time-space and disappear with that generation?" I thought Uncle Wang would comfort me with concern, but he just calmly put his hands behind his back and said: "If that's the case, I'll take good care of your mother. Give your mother enough money, so she won't have to get up early to set up her stall, how about this deal?"

  I forced a smile and said, "Uncle Wang, if I really disappear, then I'll have to rely on you!" As I walked out of the room, my whole body felt numb. Not far away, Zheng Meimei rushed towards me, grabbed my hand and said, "Ning Hong, let's go to the library together after school! I have a lot of math and English questions to ask you!" I squeezed out a smile: "Meimei, sorry! Today I need to help my mom with her stall, so I won't be able to accompany you. Why don't you go find Zhao Yu instead?" Zheng Meimei stuck out her tongue at me: "I'd rather not find him, he's so arrogant!" "Who's been talking about me behind my back?!" Zhao Yu suddenly appeared beside us, and Zheng Meimei rolled her eyes in response to his words. "Ning Hong, you don't look very well," Zhao Yu said, looking at me strangely. "Ah, I probably didn't sleep well yesterday... anyway, I have something to do today, so I'll head home first. Let's talk next time!" I quickly ran out of their sight and hid behind a tree to calm my emotions. The Uncle Wang I had always admired was actually helping me with an ulterior motive - what should I do now?!

  I sat under the tree in a daze, not knowing how to tell my mom that I would be leaving for a while. Just as I was getting lost in aimless worries, a figure descended from above, blocking the sunlight in front of me. Yuan Nuo smiled at me and said, "Ning Lie, why are you skipping class and playing around during school hours? This isn't like you!" For some reason, I felt a surge of anger inside, and I glared at him furiously: "Yeah! You think everyone has nothing better to do than skip class and scare people like you, the rich kid?" Yuan Nuo seemed taken aback by my temper, and he hesitated for a while before asking softly, "What's wrong? Did someone bully you or are you sick?" I pushed away his hand as he tried to place it on my forehead, and I growled, "Mind your own business!" before hastily leaving the school.

  In the bustling streets, I saw my mother struggling to promote her small eats to passersby. I quietly walked up behind her and hugged her. She turned around and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be in school? How did you end up here?" "Because I missed you so much today!" I took the spatula from her hand and started helping her cook. I also shouted loudly at the pedestrians: "Come take a look! Delicious spicy hot pot!" My mother looked at me anxiously and asked, "Is there something on your mind?" I smiled at her: "It's just that Uncle Wang wants to send me to an intensive study camp for a while, so you might not see me for a bit!" My mother also smiled: "Really?! That's great! Our little Xiao will definitely become more excellent!" As I looked into my mother's smiling eyes, the bitterness in my heart surged up. Sorry, mom, I lied to you. But please believe your daughter, I'll be back!

  The next morning, I arrived at Hui Xian High School early in the morning. The weeds were growing wildly, and crows flew over my head from time to time. Although the school was dirty and messy, it didn't look old. However, a chill ran down my spine, despite it being September, making me shiver. As the sun rose, Uncle Wang brought his so-called masters in front of me. One of them looked at me with surprise: "This child has an extraordinary skeletal structure, he's indeed a prodigy!"

  I looked at him with a hint of disdain, when a female master kept staring at me with an icy gaze. I felt uncomfortable being stared at and was about to move away from her when she suddenly took off the white swan pendant from around her neck and hung it on mine. "Ning Lie, remember. If the white swan starts to turn red, no matter how things are handled, you must come back!" Uncle Wang looked at the female master in surprise: "Na Gu Yun Er, how did you know her name?" Na Gu Yun Er just smiled at me: "I and she are destined to be together, what's the big deal about knowing her name?"

  The man beside Nagakure glared at her: "Why did you give the Guardian Crane you were wearing to her? Such a valuable thing!" Nagakure pulled my hand and stretched it out towards the man: "Ferit, bring your Qu Bone Bangle!" The man called Ferit reluctantly reached for his wrist. Strangely, there was nothing on his wrist, but as he rubbed his hand, a silver bangle appeared on his wrist in an instant. He took it off and put it on my hand. In an instant, the bangle seemed to be absorbed by my bones and disappeared from my wrist.

  I was perplexed, but Nagu Yun'er simply said lightly: "Of course, the Quenching Bone Ring has quenched into your bones! You'll know its use later!" The man who previously said I had a special skeleton smiled at me foolishly: "You're all so generous, I can't be stingy either! This is what I, Ake, am giving you!" He took out an exquisite small knife ring and put it on my pinky finger. "This is your weapon, but it also depends on whether you have a fate with it!" Ake stroked my head and said.

  Uncle Wang anxiously watched them deliver things to me, complaining: "How long do you want to keep delivering?! Can't you let her in yet?!" I turned my head calmly towards Uncle Wang, and he lowered his head. I smiled at Nagakura Akira, then pushed open the heavy iron gate and walked inside. "Little Xiao! You must come back!" I knew it was Uncle Wang's voice, and when I turned to look at him, there were tears in the corners of his eyes.

  Before I could think whether he was crying for his daughter or me, the surroundings had already started to fill with a thick fog that hid their figures in a misty color. I felt the pendant on my neck was very cool, making me shiver constantly. The originally dark corridor suddenly became bright and even the stairs were spotless.

  I walked step by step upwards, my heart as calm as water. I'll be fine, I told myself. Before I even reached the second floor, I felt like there were many shoes under my feet. I looked up and saw that there were many people crowded in the corridor, all heading upstairs.

  "Hey? New here?" A boy with a smile as bright as sunshine looked at me with a grin, and I nodded. As if remembering something, I asked him: "Which batch are you guys from?" "2007! Aren't you together? How did you even forget?" I smiled slightly and said: "Looks like I'm in the right place."

  The boy continued to smile at me and said, "My name is Ye Zikuo, look for me if you need anything in the future!" I nodded as a response. A boy standing at the corner of the second floor staircase looked at Ye Zikuo with a teasing expression and said, "Zikuo, why are you hitting on a little girl just after entering high school? Hurry up and come over! There's a basketball game this afternoon, aren't you going to practice in the gym?"

  Ye Zi Ke awkwardly looked at me and said: "Sorry! Zhou Wei just likes to talk nonsense, don't mind him! I'll go first!" After finishing, he quickly ran towards Zhou Wei's direction, I couldn't help but stare with my eyes wide open, this little guy was too agile!

  A girl blushed and bumped into me: "Our girls' dormitory is in Building 5, don't get lost." I looked at this lovely face that turned red, then looked around at the crowd of people. They were really there! Whether it was a mysterious case that disappeared later and even the police couldn't find out, or a forbidden topic called by the city. At least now, they are alive in front of me like me, I must figure out what's going on. A wave of heat came from my wrist, scalding me to run into the bathroom to rinse with cold water constantly, was this the reaction of Ferde's bracelet? After a long time, the burning sensation finally disappeared.

  When I just came out of the toilet, a girl suddenly bumped into me. I looked at her in pain, she apologized to me with embarrassment, and then looked at me in surprise: "Oh my god! How are you still here?! Everyone has moved to the dormitory already?! Hurry up and go to Building 5 with me!"

  Before I could even speak, she pulled me running downstairs and then to Building 5. This generation of kids is really enthusiastic! I thought I was late and would definitely be assigned to the dormitory in the most remote corner, but unexpectedly it's the one closest to the corridor window. I laughed and said: "I didn't expect that even though I came the latest, I could still get such a good dormitory?!"

  That girl looked at me with a strange expression and said, "What's good?! Haven't you heard? You can't live in the first or last room on the corridor." I looked towards the last room on the corridor and saw five girls arguing over that room. One of them saw the girl next to me and shouted, "Wang Xue! Come quick and see, these three girls insist on squeezing in, but it's already been said that only four people can live here!"

  Wang Xue sighed and said, "Forget it, Qiqi. I'll just live with the new girl." The girl named Qiqi looked at her with tears in her eyes and said, "You're going to live in that haunted dorm room?!" I listened to their conversation in confusion and couldn't help but interrupt, "What's a haunted dorm room?" Qiqi dragged her luggage over and glanced at me, saying, "Although the dorm room at the end of the corridor isn't great either, it's still better than this one that has had real incidents happen!" Just as Qiqi was speaking, two more girls walked out of the last dorm room. They introduced themselves as Liu Bei and Zhang Xin.

  "How did you all come over? Weren't you determined to not let those few girls go? How did you all come over?" Wang Xue asked in confusion. Liu Mei hooked her arm around Wang Xue's neck and said, "We're sworn sisters, no matter where we go, we have to be together! Leader!" Zhang Xin and Qi Qi also looked at Liu Xue with a smile on their faces.

  Watching them laugh and carry boxes, my heart seemed to stir up a strange ripple. Friendship is really that simple. Wang Xue walked over and patted me on the shoulder, saying: "You go to the dormitory in the corridor!" I thanked her and was about to head towards the dormitory when I suddenly remembered that Uncle Wang's daughter was named Liu Xue. I turned around and asked Liu Xue: "Is your father named Wang Jianwei?" Wang Xue looked at me in surprise, saying: "Yes! How did you know?"

  Before I could respond, a shrill scream came from the dormitory in the farthest corner. I suddenly felt uneasy and rushed towards that dormitory. At the open door, three girls sat on the floor with terrified faces, looking at me for help as they stretched out their hands. "What's wrong?" I asked, puzzled, looking around the dormitory which seemed normal.

  "We clearly saw a girl here just now, but when she saw us coming in, she jumped out of the window! This is the fifth floor!" I rushed to the window and looked down, except for the clean cement ground, where did I see any girl? Not far away on the small playground, two boys were playing basketball, one of whom was Ye Zikuo.

  I waved at him and said, "Ye Zikuo! Ye Zikuo!" Ye Zikuo turned around and saw me, also waving his hand. "Ye Zikuo, were you just around here all along?" I asked.

  Ye Zi Ke stared at me incredulously: "How could a girl jump down from here?! I didn't see any girl!" I furrowed my brow, turning to the three girls: "Did you guys get a good look at what that girl looked like?" The three girls shook their heads frantically, one of them seeming to calm down saying: "We only saw her back, she had a ponytail." "Hey hey! That new kid!" Ye Zi Ke's voice came from downstairs. I looked out the window and said: "My name is Ning Xie! Thanks for today! Let's just consider what happened earlier a little joke, okay?!" Ye Zi Ke broke into a huge smile: "Ning Xie, please take care of me from now on!" He said, walking away with his basketball.

  It's probably the bed closest to the window, and the terrifying event that just happened caused those three girls to resolutely refuse to sleep on this bed. I had no choice but to put my large backpack on this bed, watching as the three girls shivered and packed their luggage, complaining about how strange things were happening as soon as they entered high school, what would happen in the future?!

  I sat on the bed thinking about whether these people had disappeared or existed in another space-time, living a life just like reality. Since I couldn't figure out what was going on, I decided to go for a walk, but found that it was already dark. This is also good, it allows me to think carefully in the darkness of night.

  I was just about to leave when a girl from my dorm grabbed my wrist, I looked at her in confusion: "What's wrong?" The girl looked at me like I was an alien and said: "Don't you know that after 7 pm, we're not allowed to leave the dorm?" "Moxi, don't mind her, anyway she's so brave!" The girl who spoke was playing with her phone while giving me a provocative look.

  "Chen Ying, if she's done something wrong, we might also get punished." The girl who was pulling me also looked unhappy. "Stop arguing! I want to sleep!" the girl lying on the bed shouted. "Zhang Yi, how can you just go to sleep?" "I won't drag you guys down with me!" I said after finishing this sentence, and quickly walked out.

  For some reason, I actually heard the faint laughter of those three people in the dormitory. Maybe I'm too sensitive! Now I'm very puzzled, why can I enter this place, and just in time for the new semester to start. So where is the doubt now? Is it that girl who jumped off the building in the dormitory but disappeared? I touched my pocket and suddenly remembered the phone Uncle Wang gave me, and I really wanted to try if I could make a call.

  I didn't realize I had walked far out of my dorm room, maybe because I was thinking about things all the time. Only now did I notice that the clean and tidy corridor during the day was dark and shabby at this moment. Was it an illusion? The window at the end of the corridor was creaking in the night wind, as if someone was staring at me, making me feel very uncomfortable. I quickly walked into the toilet next door, locked the door and started dialing the phone number. Before long, the phone actually connected, and I heard Nagu Yun'er's voice: "Ning Lie, how are you over there?"

  I took a deep breath to calm myself and said, "As it happens, I arrived just in time for the start of this semester. There aren't many strange places, but we can't leave our dorm rooms after 7 pm at night. Isn't that a bit weird?" Na Gu Yun remained silent for a long time before asking, "Did your bangle and pendant react?" I said they did, and Na Gu Yun's voice suddenly changed as she said, "Ning Lie, perhaps those people no longer exist in this world... perhaps they are..." Before Na Gu Yun could finish speaking, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching me, each step sending shivers down my spine.

  The door creaked open with a loud bang, and my hand was also affected by the shockwave. My phone fell into the toilet. In front of me was Zhang Fa's green face and her hoarse voice: "You can't leave the dorm after 7 o'clock, don't you know?!" I was still stunned in place, but this was clearly the same gentle dorm auntie I saw in the afternoon, how did she become so terrifying now. "My dorm toilet is occupied by someone, and I'm in a hurry, that's why I came out." I stuttered to explain. She stared at me with wide eyes for a long time, as if her eyes were about to bleed, "Is that so? Then you remember from now on, no leaving the dorm after 7 o'clock at night! You're lucky it's your first offense, hurry back!" After she finished speaking, she turned around and left. It was strange that when she came, there was a heavy footsteps sound, but now she seemed to float away out of my sight.

  I suddenly went limp on the ground, only to realize that I was already drenched in cold sweat. Looking at the dark toilet hole, I felt like there were a pair of mocking eyes staring at me. I quickly scrambled up and stumbled towards my dorm room. Just as I was about to reach the door, the face of our dorm aunt suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at me. Then her body leaned back and crashed into something, shattering glass all over the floor. I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream, feeling my whole body go weak. I quickly pushed open the door and rushed into my dorm room, locking it behind me.