Chapter 15

Something Different

"You—!"

The student's fists came up as he lunged forward.

"Hey, hey — let's talk this out, no need to get physical!" Zhang San was quietly cursing his luck. The affinity reading above this person's head was a deep, angry red: -1. He was treating them as outright enemies.

But Chao Musheng was their assigned host. He'd just gone out of his way to get them campus cards. Zhang San couldn't very well stand there and watch him take a beating — and looking at that fair, unblemished face, he probably couldn't absorb many hits.

Chao Musheng reached around and moved Zhang San and Shang-bro aside. "Chen Er — throw a punch and I'll be on the ground before it lands. Imagine the look on your face when you pick up another formal warning. Honestly, I'm happy for you in advance."

The Zhang San who had just been casually moved out of the way: "..."

What an inventive threat. That was absolutely going to calm things down.

What he hadn't expected: the NPC called Chen Er actually lowered his fist.

Just like that?

Then what was all that menacing energy for?

Chen Er glanced up at the security camera overhead, then turned his glare back to Chao Musheng.

Chao Musheng smiled pleasantly.

"Don't think this is over!" Chen Er ground out through his teeth. "I'll deal with your two lackeys when I get the chance!"

He turned and left, his retreating back radiating indignation with every step.

Deal with... who now?

Zhang San stared after him, eyes wide.

He didn't dare touch Chao Musheng, that was understandable — but why were they the ones he was threatening?

Chao Musheng reassured them: "You're visiting students — officially recommended from other institutions. He can't touch you without risking expulsion."

"And if he does lose his mind and try something, don't be afraid. Campus security patrols around the clock, and every floor of the dormitory and teaching buildings has an emergency call button." He started walking them toward the dining hall. "Jinghua is an institution of education. Academic conduct, character, and discipline are taken very seriously here."

Zhang San and Shang-bro exchanged a quiet look. Something was beginning to take shape — a sense, not yet fully formed, that they were starting to understand how this place worked.

"Dining Hall 5 is closest to your dormitory — most convenient for you." Chao Musheng walked them in and led them to the tray station.

"Xiao Chao, we haven't added money to our cards yet."

"First day on campus — this one's on me." Chao Musheng scanned the serving windows, then his eyes lit up. "Window 8. Follow me."

Behind Window 8 stood a slight young man in a face mask. As Chao Musheng approached, Shang-bro picked up the faint but unmistakable warmth that radiated from him.

"Lao Zhou, Lao Zhou." Chao Musheng slid his tray across. "I'll have the mantis shrimp, garlic spare ribs, stir-fried beef, and blanched greens. And the two behind me — put it all on my card."

"Sure." The student picked up the tongs with practiced ease, selected the plumpest shrimp and the largest rib, and arranged them on Chao Musheng's tray.

"You're the best, Lao Zhou!" Chao Musheng beamed at him over his piled-high tray, then led Zhang San and Shang-bro to a corner table.

Both of them looked at the meat on their trays and hesitated.

Meat in an instance world was frequently something unspeakable. Eating it usually drained health.

"The chefs here have been consistently excellent." Chao Musheng worked on a mantis shrimp with an expression of uncomplicated happiness.

Shang-bro glanced at him, then in silence placed a shrimp in his mouth.

Zhang San's expression shifted. He wanted to stop him but didn't dare say anything in front of Chao Musheng.

"Try yours — it's good." Shang-bro ate the whole shrimp in two bites and nodded at Zhang San to do the same.

What was Shang-bro playing at?

Zhang San picked up a shrimp with his chopsticks, closed his eyes, and put it in his mouth.

Fine. Shang-bro wouldn't lead him into a trap.

[Ding! Player has consumed a special nutritious meal. Health +5.]

Zhang San's chopsticks trembled slightly. This was the first time in any instance he'd eaten something that added health instead of draining it.

What kind of extraordinary instance was this?

"That approach is wrong — Green's theorem would be much simpler here."

"No, this section is clearly going the other way."

Two students at the next table were deep in discussion. Zhang San's chewing slowed.

Right. He wasn't hallucinating. This was still a hell-difficulty horror instance.

Pretending not to hear the exchange next to them, he turned his attention to winning Chao Musheng over. "Xiao Chao — is the person who served us just now someone you know? The shrimp he gave you looked a lot bigger than ours."

"That window is part of the work-study program for students on financial aid. The one serving is a classmate of mine." Chao Musheng gnawed contentedly at a spare rib. "He's the person who keeps our entire class fed and happy. If he's on shift when you come for meals, get in his line — you won't regret it."

"Good to know — we'll remember that."

After they finished eating, Chao Musheng noticed Shang-bro's tray was spotless — not a grain of rice left. "Still hungry? I can get you another serving."

"No — I'm full. I just don't like to leave food." Shang-bro set down his chopsticks. "It was delicious. Thank you for the meal."

"You eat the same way as a classmate of mine — he took a leave to do military service and came back to finish his degree." A note of genuine curiosity entered Chao Musheng's voice. "Did you serve before you enrolled?"

Shang-bro's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. After a brief pause, he gave a single quiet nod.

"Alright then — let me walk you back to the dorm." Chao Musheng stood, returned his tray to the collection area, and the look he gave Zhao Shang was a degree or two warmer than before.

*

Zhao Shang and Zhang San returned to Room 404 to find two of the other players complaining.

"This instance is a minefield everywhere you turn — I didn't dare eat a single piece of meat at lunch, and it turns out even the vegetables took off two health points."

Zhang San and Zhao Shang looked at each other, both quietly aware of the five health points they'd just gained. They said nothing and sat on their respective beds.

Strange. Same dining hall. Why such different results?

"And get this — the student assigned to me had the nerve to ask me to write out a study plan for the next ten days. Due tomorrow morning."

"What's your focus area, Lao Jin?"

"Fundamental mathematics and physics."

The player who'd lost health to vegetables went quiet. After a long pause, he offered cautiously: "...Good luck?"

The player being consoled was not in a stable mental state. "The student looking after you didn't ask for a study plan?"

A shake of the head.

"What about you two?" Lao Jin looked at Zhang San and Zhao Shang, who had just come in. "You don't have to write one either?"

They both shook their heads.

Lao Jin's face contorted. "I never even finished middle school — what the hell do I know about writing a study plan? That woman is messing with me on purpose. First chance I get, I'm taking her out."

Zhao Shang's brow furrowed. "If you can't write it, figure it out. Threatening NPCs with violence — do you actually want to clear this instance?"

"Get stuffed!" Lao Jin stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door hard enough to rattle the frame.

"Nice one," Zhang San muttered.

"Shh, shh." The vegetable player shot an anxious glance at the bathroom door and whispered: "Don't provoke him. That's the notorious Killer Jin — extremely high combat stats, no hesitation about going after other players."

Zhang San and Zhao Shang showed no reaction whatsoever.

The player rolled his eyes. "Do whatever you want. Just don't drag me into it."

A knock at the door — the male players from Room 402 had come over.

"My assigned student looked me dead in the eye and asked me to explain engine combustion principles. I don't know the first thing about engines."

"Has anyone managed to get into the library? I tried to slip in earlier and got stopped at the door — apparently you need a card to enter. Nobody told me what card."

Zhang San's hand moved quietly to the temporary card in his pocket. He kept his eyes down and said nothing.

"I found out something." Wan You looked around at the assembled players with an air of delicate uncertainty. "This Friday the school is holding its two hundredth anniversary celebration. An event that significant — the president will almost certainly attend."

In a campus instance, the president, if not the final boss, was unquestionably a key figure.

*

"Advisor — I've only just taken over the student hosting duties. Wouldn't it be a bit much to also handle the anniversary guest reception?" Chao Musheng lay flat on his bed, unwilling to move.

"It's perfectly suited to you. Xiao Chao, capable people carry heavier loads — that's how it works." His advisor laughed cheerfully on the other end of the phone. "The CEO of Kunlun Enterprises will be attending the anniversary celebration. Make a good impression — it's a chance to get on your future employer's radar."

"It's all settled then. Once the celebration's over, I'll buy you milk tea."

Chao Musheng listened to the line go dead and let out a long, resigned exhale. He opened the hosting group chat, where his fellow hosts were locked in animated discussion about how best to raise the visiting students' professional competency.

[Mine are starting from such a low baseline — I'm not sure I can bring them along fast enough. Had to send them away to write out a study plan first.]

[Good idea. I'm doing the same with mine.]

[Musheng hasn't said anything — how are your two getting on? Did they give you grief?]

[Musheng, say something — did they upset you?]

Chao Musheng noticed his name had come up and replied quickly.

[ChaoChaoMuMu: My two are fine, actually. One of them did military service before coming back to finish his degree.]

[A veteran student?? The background files didn't flag that — Musheng, make sure you give him a bit of extra patience.]

[ChaoChaoMuMu: Don't worry, seniors. I'll take good care of him.]

The players who had been quietly relieved about not having to write a study plan received messages from their hosts not long afterward: please submit a study plan of at least eight hundred characters before morning classes begin.

Zhang San and Zhao Shang waited until well after dark. No message from Chao Musheng asking them for anything.

"Shang-bro." Zhang San felt faintly unsettled. "Should we ask Chao Musheng about it?"

Zhao Shang shook his head. "Don't do anything unnecessary."

"Alright." Zhang San looked at the other players hunched over their study plans, scratching their heads and muttering, then, once no one was paying attention to them: "Dinner first?"

The two of them returned to Dining Hall 5. Same window, same student working the counter.

This time the portions were noticeably less generous — and Zhang San could have sworn he saw the student's hand tremble as he spooned the beef, sending several large pieces tumbling back.

Zhang San: "..."

Mate, your favoritism is not exactly subtle.

The meal went down without any health gain or loss notification.

Same hall. Same person. Even the same dishes. Why no health increase this time?

*

Deep into the night, when the other three players in the room had gone to sleep, Lao Jin sat rigid at the desk, staring at the blank study plan form in front of him, his temper building and building.

Outside the window, a cat yowled.

He shoved back his chair, grabbed the inkwell from the desk, threw open the window, and hurled it down into the flower bed below.

The orange cat in the flower bed let out a cry of pain, limped a few steps, and disappeared, lopsided, into the dark.