章 4: I hope that before our next move, you can take the time to use the restroom
"Don't scare me like that; I'm faint-hearted!" Linda glared at Charles, though deep inside she had already started to come to terms with the gravity of his words.
Charles quickly scanned the information on the list, returned it to its original place, and opened the envelope.
Inside, besides a stack of bills, was a short letter.
"Dear Principal, I am truly sorry for causing you any trouble. I will be more cautious in the future. This money is just a small token of my appreciation."
Clearly, the letter had never been sent and was intended for the school's principal.
A thought flashed across Charles' mind. "Let's go to the principal's office," he said, gathering his things. Before leaving, he took a handful of the money.
Curious, Linda asked, "We're in a scenario where this money is all fake, what's the use of taking it?"
Charles replied enigmatically, "Better safe than sorry."
Linda was utterly baffled. She had been following Charles the whole time, seeing what he saw, but what he was thinking remained an enigma.
Her only wish now was that, should she return to the real world, she would need to take an IQ test.
They left the office carefully, locking the door behind them and continued their way upstairs.
"Can you please elaborate? I still don't understand why you took that money," Linda pressed on.
Charles countered, "Why do you think I dared to venture into this academic building filled with ghosts at night, and even take you into an office for clues?"
"Because you're brave!" Linda blurted out.
"Why am I brave?" Charles pressed.
"I... I don't know why you're brave!" Linda hesitated.
Charles looked at Linda and analyzed, "The reason I dared to take you into the office is that I knew it was empty. As you've already said, due to the restrictions of the scenario rules, every creature in this school is acting according to their own rules.
Teachers are teaching; they can't stray too far from their classrooms for too long without good reason. But the principal is different. You must understand, the principal has a lot more free time in this school. Do you get it now?"
"I get it!" Linda queried, still puzzled, "But... what does this have to do with the money?"
Linda's voice was a bit loud, drawing the immediate attention of a shadowy figure in one of the classrooms.
Charles urgently signaled for her to lower her voice as they swiftly made their way to the top floor, eventually arriving at the principal's office.
Carefully peering through a window, they saw that indeed, there was a ghost inside.
Moreover, that unstable data once again manifested.
Principal: High-level Danger!
Note: Clearly, this is not an entity that you novices can confront directly. However, its ability to move is greatly restricted, forcing it to move on all fours like a dog when running.
...
The adversary's data flashed before Charles's eyes.
Indeed, the principal was in his own office, and what he was doing at that moment confirmed Charles's intentions to Linda.
Right there and then, the principal was counting money.
Clearly, he was a very greedy man, consumed by an overwhelming obsession with wealth.
Charles's plan was evidently to use this money to lure the principal away.
"You stay here and keep watch!"
In a hushed tone, Charles instructed, proceeding to scatter paper bills on the ground. His aim was to use the money to attract the principal to a distant area, thereby providing them with the opportunity to search his office for information.
Working swiftly, Charles returned in less than ten minutes.
They both took off their shoes and knocked on the door to the principal's office before dashing off towards the staircase that led to the rooftop.
Not long after, the door opened, revealing a ghost brimming with malevolent energy.
Its head rotated a full 360 degrees.
Seeing no one but sensing an odd aroma in the air—as if a stray dog had urinated right at his doorstep—the malevolent ghost seemed puzzled, lowering its head.
A banknote appeared before it!
For a moment, it was stunned, then automatically picked up the money.
As it bent over, its eyes caught sight of a second note not far away.
The principal was bewildered.
What the hell is going on?
Why are there so many banknotes on the ground?
Well, the scent of urine is a bit strong, but...
The principal's eyes darted curiously toward the staircase leading to the rooftop. However, after a moment of contemplation, he chose to descend and pick up the money instead.
Who cares about a stray dog when there's money to be collected?
Once the principal was sufficiently distant, Charles and Linda reappeared at the entrance to the office.
"Linda, I hope that before our next move, you can take the time to use the restroom," Charles warned gravely.
They had almost been exposed just now due to the lingering scent of urine from Linda.
The cover of darkness concealed Linda's embarrassment.
She wished the ground would swallow her up; her shame was so acute it was almost palpable.
"Understood, please, let's not talk about this anymore," she pleaded.
Charles nodded, choosing not to elaborate further. He was acutely aware that the principal wouldn't be away for long; time was of the essence. He immediately began searching through the office.
"I read that letter carefully earlier. The content suggests that a student's mother had a conflict with the school, and the school had caused her significant harm," he said, rifling through a drawer.
"Even... killed her. So, what we're looking for now are files pertaining to that incident."
Linda, who was also sifting through cabinets, appeared puzzled. "If it's as you suspect, something that tarnishes the school's reputation this much would not be documented in the school's files, would it?"
Charles carefully scanned a document in his hand as he responded, "But if a student drops out, there will definitely be a related record."
"So, the sort of conflict that could lead to someone's death is very likely related to a student withdrawing from the school."
Linda nodded, her admiration for Charles deepening with each revelation.
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