บท 3: Chapter 3 I am Upright and Pure by Nature
Wang Yunxiao vaguely remembered that as a child, he was a good student who was both bright and lively.
He didn't know why, but growing up had tormented him into the person he had become.
Yes, even without those memories, he was quite sure he was an adult.
An adult ravaged by reality, his heart as cold as moon rock that never saw the sunshine.
Otherwise, how could he explain his behavior just now?
Should he tell people he was a die-hard fan of Miyazaki Hidetaka and had grasped the true essence of Foot Massage Martial Arts from soul games?
Nonsense...
The good news was that he hadn't been transported to some weird, indescribable world.
The bad news was not the absence of a system, but that this point in time left him bewildered.
He lay under the bench, watching a group of men who might be security guards, armed with shovels and Wolf Fang Clubs, rushing into the cafeteria, and then he was dug out from under the benches and clumsily carried all the way to the infirmary.
The infirmary was rudimentary, and the nurse was pretty.
She was a young woman in her twenties with short hair and her face covered by a medical mask, her head adorned with a bright red checkered headscarf, and her double-lidded eyes were quite attractive.
But what kind of nurse dressed like that?
She efficiently took his pulse and then turned to a slightly balding middle-aged man at the door and whispered, "The pulse is steady, and I see no external injuries. He seems to have just been frightened a bit. There shouldn't be any big problems."
The middle-aged man, who had been tense all this time, let out a sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good. You scared me into a cold sweat in the middle of the night. Nurse Liu, keep an eye on him here. I'm going to check the student roster with the other teachers. How can a Ghoul sneak in here?"
Nurse Liu said, "I've told you before, we should keep the lights on at night, don't be stingy with the electricity bill."
"What does it have to do with whether the lights are on or not! It's clearly because that batch of canned food they sent over wasn't clean!"
"I knew it was too good to be true that they sent us canned food that hadn't expired. Wait, I'll call that guy right now and make him come over immediately!"
"It's so late, Commander Huo he..."
"Don't feel sorry for him. It's best that no one is missing from the school. If someone is missing, I'll never let it go!"
The middle-aged man cursed and muttered as he turned and walked out the door.
Ghouls?
Wang Yunxiao pondered silently in his mind.
Which version of a ghoul? He had never heard of one with a tongue that could stretch so long. If you were talking about a Licker, that might be more likely.
Judging from the conversation between the two just now, it seemed that such creatures were not uncommon in this world.
How dangerous.
He pretended to be asleep in bed, and Nurse Liu didn't leave. She sat beside him, picked up a book, and under the dim light began to read.
Wang Yunxiao sneakily glanced at the book's title.
"The Gold Medal Family Doctor's Nursing Manual 7 – Twelve Cost-Saving Tricks for Dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders"
Just by looking at the title, you could tell it was especially helpful for sleep.
About 30 minutes later, the sound of a car engine came from outside, and Nurse Liu put down the book and went out.
Wang Yunxiao rolled out of bed swiftly, slinked over to the windowsill, and peered out clandestinely through the curtains.
It was a very old military truck, the kind you might only come across in memory-inducing wartime drama series.
The soldiers who jumped off the truck wore grey military uniforms he had never seen before, and the rifles they carried somewhat resembled the Chiang Kai-shek rifle, although he couldn't be sure from that distance.
But whether it was the Chiang Kai-shek or the Lee Enfield, neither would be fitted with an additional ammo pouch on the lower back, connected to the chamber with a hose.
Hearing Nurse Liu's footsteps nearing the door, he quickly returned to the sickbed and continued to feign sleep.
Since there was an official military presence, it meant there would be no further danger, so he let down his guard and truly fell asleep.
He slept through until the morning.
At 5:40 in the morning, Wang Yunxiao was awakened by the sound of Nurse Liu leaving to fetch water for washing. Not long after, he heard someone outside softly ask, "Is that kid awake yet? Wake him up quick; I have some questions for him."
"The child was quite shook up yesterday; he should stay in bed to rest..."
That was Nurse Liu's voice.
"What kind of kid is that sensitive? Hurry up and get him up, the headmaster will scold me again later."
"Well then, you can't scare him."
"What kind of person do you take me for? I never scare kids."
Nurse Liu entered the room and gently pushed Wang Yunxiao twice. Wang Yunxiao opened his eyes as though on cue, a look of bewilderment on his face.
"Awake? Feeling any discomfort? Does your head hurt?"
Nurse Liu pinched Wang Yunxiao's wrist to check his pulse. Seeing him shake his head, she whispered, "Do you remember anything that happened last night? Commander Huo will be looking for you to give a statement later. Don't be afraid of him, just say whatever you need to say."
Wang Yunxiao answered simply, "Oh, got it."
He didn't know what character his body had had in the past, but it wasn't strange for a frightened child to have a sudden change in demeanor; he just needed to play dumb.
A young man in a gray military uniform pushed the door and entered, brushing past Nurse Liu. He forced a pleasing smile at Nurse Liu and then reverted to a stern expression once he turned back.
He had a sturdy build and moved with powerful grace. The fullness at his temples indicated he was adept at physical activities, certainly someone who'd been through battles and had blood on his hands.
He shut the door behind him, grabbed a chair, and sat in front of the bed. The young officer picked up the file in his hand and asked in a cold voice, "Are you Wang Yunxiao?"
Wang Yunxiao nodded.
"You're pretty bold, aren't you? To have held off a ghoul all by yourself without getting hurt?"
It was a tough comment to respond to and left Wang Yunxiao unsure of what to say.
"I don't know..."
"It's alright, no need to be nervous, I'm complimenting you."
The young officer waved his hand, his stoic face collapsing into a smile as he crossed his legs comfortably and said, "I saw in your records that your father is an aircraft maintenance technician for the navy? I was also in the navy before I was discharged; he might have been my comrade. My name is Huo Qingyang, you can call me Uncle Huo."
Wang Yunxiao thought for a moment, hesitantly said in a low voice, "We usually call Nurse Liu 'Sister Liu.'"
That's what he heard Youtiao calling her in a soft voice when he was brought in yesterday.
"Then just call me 'brother;' it's all the same!"
Huo Qingyang instantly changed his tune, tossing the file aside and clasping his hands together with a laugh, "I graduated from here, too. There's no problem if you call me senior. We're all grown men here; we don't stand on ceremony. Tell me, what happened yesterday?"
Wang Yunxiao had prepared his story well in advance and related the events of the previous night in detail, strategically omitting the fact that he had stabbed the creature three times. He simply stated that he had been running circles with the creature in the cafeteria until the lights were on, and then, completely exhausted, he had passed out.
Huo Qingyang listened patiently until he was finished. Nodding noncommittally, he suddenly asked, "Have you had any nightmares recently?"
Wang Yunxiao shook his head blankly; where would he know from if he'd had any previously? At least he had slept soundly last night.
"Good, you have a solid mindset."
Huo Qingyang chewed on his cheek thoughtfully for a moment, then in a lowered voice said, "I see potential in you, kid. I just don't know if you're willing to help me with something."
Wang Yunxiao promptly responded, "Brother, just say it!"
As long as it doesn't involve risking my neck, I'm open to discussion.
"Someone went missing last night at the school. According to what you've said, you saw the creature eating human flesh, so it doesn't look good."
Huo Qingyang spoke gravely, "The ghoul didn't come from outside. Those canned goods are fine; I've personally checked them. I think the person who attracted the ghoul is certainly hiding inside the school, and I want you to help me investigate."
Wang Yunxiao inwardly disagreed with his deduction. What does it mean that if the canned goods are fine, the ghoul couldn't have come from outside? As if this school is normally cut off from the world without any outside contact?
Then he saw Huo Qingyang pull a silver piece from his pocket.
"I'm quite busy with things outside and can't keep an eye on the school all the time. But, as you know, the principal, that old stick-in-the-mud... he considers everything in this small world here bigger than heaven. You keep an eye out for me. I'll come back in a few days, and you can report directly to me if there's anything."
Huo Qingyang placed the silver piece in Wang Yunxiao's hand and leaned in, whispering, "A man's ambitions should be broad, and his vision long-term. Don't treat luncheon meat as your main course. Go buy yourself something tasty. And if you really uncover something, I won't shortchange you."
I'm so young, and yet you use these underhanded tactics to erode my innocent spirit?
Clutching the silver piece in his hand, Wang Yunxiao asked earnestly, "Brother, where do you suggest I start looking?"
"Here!"
Huo Qingyang pointed to the ground beneath their feet and said, "If the person summoning the ghoul lacks experience, they're likely to suffer backlash. Watch the infirmary over the next couple of days. See who comes to Nurse Liu for treatment or sneaks in to take medicine. You don't need to act, just remember who it was. If you're in danger, wait for me to arrive or call me."
Wang Yunxiao suddenly understood, "So, if someone purposely bothers Nurse Liu, makes up excuses to talk, pretends to be sick, brings small gifts... I should note all that down?"
"You're sharp and sensible,"
Huo Qingyang praised, giving a thumbs up, "Worthy of being from our navy. Don't worry, once you grow up and join me, I won't let you down!"
I'm really too understanding. Just the glances you two exchanged when you entered and left the room were enough for me to get the picture.
Wang Yunxiao did not try to get a hold of Huo Qingyang's file, even though it was very important to him, as he couldn't be sure if this was a test from Huo Qingyang.
Although the young officer appeared open and amorous on the surface, that could just be a façade.
Wang Yunxiao could not get a read on him.
Of course, he wasn't in any rush. As long as the file remained in the school, there would inevitably be an opportunity to get it.
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