Xing Xing's Disappearance: A Frantic Quest Begins
Walking through the academy's corridor, Zi Qian held a handful of freshly plucked strawberries for Xing Xing. His steps carried a happy rhythm as he made his way to the clinic to surprise her. Humming a cheerful tune, he walked with anticipation until an unexpected encounter disrupted his joyful stroll. Zi Qian accidentally collided with another participant, causing the person to stumble and fall.
"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Zi Qian quickly apologized, concern evident in his voice. The man remained hunched over, his head down. Zi Qian, eager to assist, bent down to help him up. However, the moment the man looked up, Zi Qian instinctively moved backward, a reaction triggered by something in the man's appearance.
The man's once warm brown eyes transformed into an eerie spectacle. A haunting shade of gray filled his pupils, rendering them devoid of any humanity. The clouded irises swirled like a tempest, giving an otherworldly appearance. Veins, dark as midnight, crept up his neck, and his fingers, once normal, became twisted, black, and covered in coarse hair. It was a disturbing metamorphosis that seemed to defy the natural order. He seemed no longer as a human but rather a hungry beast.
Sensing an imminent threat, Zi Qian instinctively recoiled, wariness etched across his face. Despite the unsettling transformation, he composed himself and cautiously inquired, "Are you fine?" However, before he could grasp the severity of the situation, the man abruptly stood with an unsettling determination on his face looking fiercely. A chilling declaration pierced the air as he bellowed, "JUST DIE!" The ominous proclamation hung heavy, and the presumably possessed man charged toward Zi Qian with malevolent intent. In the crucial moment when danger loomed, a sudden intervention unfolded.
Out of nowhere, Xiao Yang materialized, swift and decisive. His expertly aimed strike landed on the man's neck, a precise blow that rendered him unconscious. As the man succumbed to unconsciousness and collapsed onto the ground, his mouth agape, a grotesque spectacle unfolded. A voluminous surge of dark, thick green liquid erupted violently, emitting a pungent and choking stench that permeated the air. The noxious substance pooled around him. From the depths of the expelled liquid, a bizarre eyeball emerged. The size of a clenched fist, it was enveloped in the slimy green substance, with crimson veins snaking across its surface. The eyeball stared lifelessly, a surreal and nightmarish component of the inexplicable events that had just unfolded in the academy's corridor.
Zi Qian sprinted toward Xiao Yang, concern etched across his face as he inquired, "What happened to him?" His gaze fixed on the unconscious man sprawled on the ground. Xiao Yang, a sense of urgency in his tone, replied, "Something occurred during the night. Many participants are displaying the same signs and symptoms. The cause is unknown. Let's head to the clinic." He firmly grasped Zi Qian's hand, leading him hastily toward the clinic. "Release my hand! I can walk on my own! Shen Xiao Yang, what are you doing?" Zi Qian struggled, attempting to free himself from Xiao Yang's firm grasp. Upon reaching the clinic, a horrifying scene unfolded. Numerous individuals, exhibiting the same symptoms as the man encountered earlier, lay restrained in chains, their struggles resembling that of wild beasts. "Young Master Xue?" A familiar voice reached Zi Qian's ears. "Your Highness!" Zi Qian exclaimed, forcefully yanking Xiao Yang's hand away and rushing toward the Crown Prince.
"Young Master Xue, I hope that you are fine!" The Crown Prince expressed with genuine concern, holding both of Zi Qian's hands. Xiao Yang sighed, observing the scene of the Crown Prince and Zi Qian holding hands. His own hand bore the traces of blood, a result of Zi Qian's sharp ring grazing through his skin when Zi Qian forcefully pulled away. Wiping the blood off with his clothes, Xiao Yang sighed once again at their sight and proceeded to move around the room with clear disappointment on his face, carefully examining the casualties.
"I'm fine, but what is happening to them?" Zi Qian inquired, his gaze sweeping across the room filled with numerous people tightly bound in unyielding chains, their movements restricted. "We don't know the cause yet; however, bite marks have been observed on their necks, which might be the mode of transmission," the Crown Prince explained.
"We're still uncertain about the cause, so finding a remedy is challenging," Elder Xu added as he entered the room. " Be careful," Elder Xu said as he patted Zi Qian shoulder.
"Uh, what's that in your hand?" the Crown Prince inquired, noticing the piece of cloth in which the strawberries for Xing Xing were kept. "Ah, I brought these for Xing Xing. Yeah, Xing Xing! XING XING, BUT WHERE IS SHE?" Zi Qian exclaimed, realizing that she was missing. "WHERE IS XING XING?" Zi Qian's voice echoed through the room, capturing Xiao Yang's attention. As realization dawned that Xing Xing was missing, Xiao Yang immediately approached Zi Qian. "Don't worry; we will find her," the Crown Prince reassured. Suddenly, a female voice, deep and composed, interrupted the tension – Mei Lin spoke. Despite the grim situation, she maintained her stoic demeanor. "Yu Xing Xing is my roommate. In the morning, I found bloodstains on her bed. I assumed that she was attacked," Mei Lin explained, handing them a carefully folded bedsheet stained with blood.
Zi Qian took the blood-stained bedsheet, and as he unfolded it, a sticky green fluid smeared his hands. He examined the strange substance and glanced at Xiao Yang with a questioning look. Handing the bedsheet to Mei Lin, Zi Qian swiftly made his way outside. The Crown Prince, intending to follow, was halted upon seeing his brother, Jiahao, also affected by the mysterious ailment. Xiao Yang ran behind Zi Qian and gripped his wrist. "Xiao Qian, where are you going?" he inquired, releasing his hold as Zi Qian panicked for his best friend. "I'm going to find Xing Xing," Zi Qian declared urgently. Xiao Yang, maintaining his cold demeanor, stated, "I'll go with you."
Ren Zhi proudly presented the Golden Enchanted Qi Compass—a mystical tool intricately adorned with Chinese symbols that resonated with spirit essence. The compass, with a golden hue, held both a short and a long needle. The short one pointed towards the strength of spirit essence, while the long one indicated the direction. Ren Zhi, confident in his invention, suggested, "We can use this to find your friend." Zi Qian examined the magical tool skeptically, questioning its reliability. "I haven't tested it yet, but I'm sure it will work," Ren Zhi assured, anticipating Zi Qian's response. Eager to join the quest, Ren Zhi volunteered, but his enthusiasm was abruptly cut short as he clutched his head, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes turned grey, and his fingers blackened with ominous veins. A small bite mark on his hand revealed the method of transmission.
Swiftly, Xiao Yang reacted, securing Ren Zhi with a chain and rendering him unconscious. Elder Xu explained, "It means that it is being transmitted by a bite mark." Concerned about the potential spread, Xiao Yang urged everyone to check for bite marks, and those affected would be quarantined. Approaching Zi Qian, Xiao Yang scrutinized him for any signs. Zi Qian, surprised and annoyed, protested, "But I can do it myself." Unyielding, Xiao Yang coldly insisted, "Let's go," pulling Zi Qian along.