AnalogHorror: Rule Kaidan 4016
Chapter 907 - 419: Xu Shunkang’s Information_2

Chapter 907: Chapter 419: Xu Shunkang’s Information_2

"The Convenience Store Owner...?" Upon hearing the name, Xu Shunkang’s expression became visibly unnatural, his demeanor reflecting more apprehension than respect. "Did you see him in the Art Building?"

"Only a vague shadow..." Lin Yi shook his head and said, "Can you hear this?"

Xu Shunkang replied, "I can hear, but not too much. I’ll ask just one question... Does the Convenience Store Owner know about Old Mo’s sacrifice in the Art Building?"

"He knows." Lin Yi responded, adding that the Convenience Store Owner had explicitly asked him to bring back Old Mo’s heart and hand it over, implying that Old Mo might still be saved somehow—though this was merely Lin Yi’s inference based on the Convenience Store Owner’s words.

However, Xu Shunkang’s question instead reminded Lin Yi that Old Mo was the Cafeteria’s last drop of blood. Could it be that bringing back Old Mo’s heart was connected to the Cafeteria’s "Blood-locking Mechanism"?

Hearing this, Xu Shunkang seemed slightly reassured: "Since the Convenience Store Owner already knows about this matter, he has likely devised a countermeasure by now. Regardless, I still need to report this to the Boss as soon as possible..."

"Uh, wait..." Lin Yi quickly interjected, "If you are planning to talk to the Boss, could you please add a suggestion not to overly worry about Old Mo? I mean... the matter is already settled. Instead of getting distracted by it, focusing on one’s own tasks would be more advisable."

Xu Shunkang hesitated briefly, then nodded: "Alright, I’ll pass along what you said. The Boss doesn’t like being told what to do, though. I’ll make sure to mention that you were the one who asked me to say it."

"Hiss..." Lin Yi sharply inhaled, feeling that Xu Shunkang’s words carried a hidden implication.

"Do you have anything else you’d like to ask?" Lin Yi inquired, knowing it might soon be his turn.

"Yes, I do." Xu Shunkang replied.

"Alright..." Lin Yi responded reluctantly, "Ask away."

"Old Mo sacrificed himself. How did you make it back? What exactly was the situation in the Art Building yesterday?"

Xu Shunkang’s question was too broad, leaving Lin Yi unsure where to start. He thought about it for a moment before providing an answer that aligned with what Xu Shunkang seemed most curious about.

But what could Lin Yi really say? Nothing more than mentioning the Sneering Angel entering the Art Building and the Art Students working to protect it. As for his own experiences, he deliberately omitted them.

Lin Yi’s explanation had no holes, as it was truthful. He simply chose specific parts of the truth to share while concealing matters regarding the Library entirely.

Xu Shunkang listened attentively but felt that something was missing—though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what—so he asked again: "How did you make it back alone?"

Lin Yi replied, "Before Old Mo sacrificed himself, he mapped out my retreat route... I followed his plan step by step and successfully returned to the campus."

Xu Shunkang fell silent upon hearing this. He seemed dissatisfied with Lin Yi’s answer but didn’t know what else to ask.

This was the crux of the issue: Xu Shunkang didn’t know Lin Yi’s actual "route" and could only raise questions based on his perception of Lin Yi’s journey—instead of specific questions targeting Lin Yi’s actual experiences.

Seeing that Xu Shunkang had stopped questioning him, Lin Yi took the opportunity to speak: "Senior, do you have any other questions? If not, could you answer a few things I’m curious about?"

Xu Shunkang stared closely at Lin Yi’s face for several seconds, then nodded: "Go ahead and ask."

"What happened at the Gymnasium last night?"

Xu Shunkang responded in a solemn tone: "What do you want to know?"

Lin Yi thought for a moment, initially wanting to shamelessly say he wanted to know everything, but he feared this might irritate Xu Shunkang. So instead, he asked a focused question: "I want to know what the Gymnasium was like during the Grey Mist Invasion and why the Boss and the others went to the Art Building... yet I didn’t see them there."

This was the advantage of answering Xu Shunkang’s questions first—it left Xu Shunkang feeling obligated to answer Lin Yi’s in return. Thus, he nodded and first asked: "Before I say anything, I need to confirm: Can your cognition withstand the answer? Knowing about... the Grey Mist Invasion."

Lin Yi nodded: "Old Mo shared many things with me. I think I can handle it."

There was no actual need for Lin Yi to cite Old Mo, but invoking his name added credibility to his claim.

Indeed, upon hearing Old Mo’s name, Xu Shunkang’s expression became noticeably grimmer.

Old Mo wouldn’t have brought Lin Yi to the Art Building without a reason. There were undoubtedly deeper motives involved, though Xu Shunkang doubted his own ability to comprehend the hidden secrets, which is why he refrained from asking.

Now, after considering the situation, Xu Shunkang assumed that Old Mo had anticipated his own sacrifice, prompting him to entrust certain knowledge to Lin Yi.

Was Old Mo trying to turn Lin Yi into the "Black Chef"? But was that truly the pathway to becoming one? Xu Shunkang couldn’t determine the answer.

Old Mo’s intentions might only be known to the Boss, but Xu Shunkang wasn’t brave enough to inquire about such matters.

After organizing his thoughts, Xu Shunkang replied: "Since you know about the Grey Mist Invasion, you should understand its essence—the intrusion of forces not belonging to this world attempting to breach it."

Lin Yi nodded in agreement.

Xu Shunkang continued: "When flood season arrives and rainfall exceeds limits, rivers face the risk of breaking their banks. The Gymnasium acts as the dam."

"All Second Order and higher Sports Students are tasked with reinforcing the dam during these times."

"Some foul entities mix into the rushing waters, and we must deal with them promptly. If they make it past the dam and onto the plains behind it, the consequences would be catastrophic."

"For reasons unknown, the previously cracked dam has become unusually stable, making our work relatively lighter."

"However, the Boss sensed ominous signs and led some students to the Art Building..."

"Since you returned from the Art Building, you should know what the situation was like there."

"If the Gymnasium is the dam, perhaps the Art Building is the first gate within the river."

After pausing briefly, Xu Shunkang added: "You didn’t see the Boss and the others because they didn’t actually enter the Art Building..."

"Didn’t enter the Art Building?" Lin Yi narrowed his eyes as a flicker of intrigue crossed his gaze. "Could they have gone to the coastline?"

"You really do know these things." Xu Shunkang replied.

Lin Yi didn’t deny it: "Old Mo guided me along that exact path. I suspect it’s the same one taken by the Boss and the others."

"That non-existent path outside the Gymnasium—apparently acknowledged only by those with high combat abilities—requires a certain baseline of strength to traverse. Those who fall short simply wouldn’t know about it," Lin Yi reasoned internally.

"But if that’s true, why does Xu Shunkang look so unsettled?"

Lin Yi questioned: "What happened when the Boss and others were supporting the Art Building? Was there an accident?"

Xu Shunkang gritted his teeth and said: "You’ve walked that path yourself, so you ought to know—it’s not a road for everyone. Even with the Boss leading, only a handful of Second Order and higher Sports Students can make it across. The rest remained in the Green Forest Belt, responsible for clearing out Rage Angels and Zealots."

"The problem emerged there."

"This time, the Zealots did something unusual and summoned a particularly malevolent entity..."

"It was something far beyond the ordinary Angel Sculptures—its entire body radiated a glass-like glow, its essence shrouded in dust akin to the light of a sunset..."