Deep Within the Living

Chapter 2: The Loner

Whir, whir, whir…

The ceiling fan spun rapidly above the classroom, barely managing to dispel the oppressive summer heat. Yet, the students’ impatience only grew as the countdown to the long-awaited Founding Festival began—a two-week holiday that was now less than two minutes away.

In Class 5 of Grade 11, most students were already packing their bags or gazing longingly out the windows. After all, the ongoing cultural studies lesson held little significance in their eyes.

However, one boy seated at a desk near the wall remained focused, diligently switching his gaze between the blackboard and his notebook as he hurried to jot down every detail.

Ding-ding!

The bell marking the end of the school day rang out.

A surge of excitement rippled through the classroom as students bolted for the door in clusters, some breaking into full sprints as if terrified of being left behind at school.

The boy, in contrast, calmly ensured his notes were complete before methodically gathering his books.

At that moment, a shadow crept across his desk, spreading and enveloping the surface.

Instinctively, he clenched his fist and turned quickly, only to be met by a pair of delicate hands resting lightly on the desk’s edge.He looked up, following the fair but toned arms to their owner—a familiar, gentle face that immediately disarmed his wariness.

The shadow’s source was none other than Wu Wen, the current class president of Grade 11, Class 5.

Standing at 1.7 meters tall with near-perfect proportions and her high ponytail bouncing lightly, Wu Wen’s athletic prowess was evident at a glance.

Since today marked the start of the holiday, there was no need for uniforms. Wu Wen wore a casual summer sports outfit: a white t-shirt layered with a light sun jacket, snug athletic shorts, and white sneakers completing the look.

Recognizing her, the boy lowered his guard and resumed packing his books.

“Hey~ Luo Di,” Wu Wen leaned in slightly, her voice lively. “I’m planning to go out for a couple of days during the middle of the holiday. Do you have time to join?”

“No.”

The outright rejection didn’t faze her. Instead, she leaned closer and lowered her voice.

“It’s not just for fun. My family pulled some strings to secure an early practical experience opportunity. You know how important that is—if we succeed, it’ll be recorded in our personal files, which will help a lot with next year’s entrance exams.”

Luo Di didn’t respond immediately, continuing to pack his belongings. Wu Wen, displaying remarkable patience, waited quietly.

Only after he had neatly tucked away the last book did he finally ask, “Who’s going?”

“If you join, it’ll be four of us. That includes someone from our class who’s been on leave, plus a friend of mine from outside school—a girl, by the way. Two guys, two girls, a balanced team. Don’t worry, all of them are top students in athletics. No one will drag you down.”

Practical experience opportunities were rare and valuable. After a moment of consideration, Luo Di nodded in agreement.

The class president stretched out her arm in front of Luo Di, nearly filling his entire field of vision, and pointed to the flexible metallic bracelet on her wrist. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel⟡fire.net

“As for the practical experience, we’re scheduled to depart in seven days. But I’ll call you the day before so everyone can meet in advance and shop for the necessary supplies together.”

“Got it.”

At that moment, the school’s public announcement system came to life.

≮All students and staff are required to scan out and leave the campus within 15 minutes. The school will undergo a comprehensive pre-holiday inspection. Those who fail to comply will be penalized and referred to the infirmary for a full evaluation.≯

“Luo Di, want to race? Let’s see who can get to the school gate first!”

“No.”

Already in a runner’s stance, the class president let out an exaggerated sigh. “Ah~ fine, suit yourself.”

The two walked across campus, the president in front waving energetically to urge him along, but Luo Di maintained his usual unhurried pace. He seemed to have calculated the timing in his head and showed no concern about being left behind.

When he finally exited through the school gate, the class president was already seated in an expensive private car.

Luo Di could faintly feel someone inside the car watching him, but he didn’t care—he was long accustomed to such stares.

He turned away and boarded the bus he knew so well, heading to the back row by the window. As he settled into his seat and prepared to take a quick nap, a loud, distinctive broadcast echoed through the vehicle.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Three sharp, high-pitched tones preceded the announcement, underscoring its importance.

“Tomorrow marks the annual Founding Festival, granting all citizens a fifteen-day holiday. As a special reminder, while enjoying the festivities, please adhere strictly to the National Corner Safety Law.

Those designated as area service workers during the holiday are reminded to fulfill their duties, with compensatory leave to follow.

While traveling, all citizens must comply with the Corner Law applicable to their specific regions.

For those planning to visit suburban areas, please ensure proper preparation, present a health certificate before leaving the city, and undergo a comprehensive psychological evaluation upon returning to urban areas.”

The first portion of the broadcast was in Russian.

Although Luo Di was of Huaxia nationality, he fully understood it—Russian was a required subject in cultural studies.

The announcement was subsequently repeated in Mandarin, English, German, and Italian.

Originally, Luo Di’s plan for the holiday had been simple: stay at home the entire time. But with the practical experience opportunity now in play, he needed to adjust.

≮Approaching Station: Zone 13 Housing District. The doors will close in 10 seconds.≯

After stepping off the bus with his backpack, Luo Di briskly walked to the farthest corner of the housing district—his home.

Inside the entryway, the shoe rack displayed a family photo of four: Luo Di, his parents, and his older sister.

However, a note left on the shoe rack informed him that his parents had taken his sister on vacation, leaving him, the busy high school student, to look after the house during the Founding Festival.

Luo Di didn’t complain. In fact, he was genuinely delighted.

Luo Di loved nothing more than being home alone. For him, traveling was an exhausting ordeal rather than a pleasure.

He retrieved frozen beef and green peppers from the fridge and set two large steamed buns in the steamer.

While waiting for the food to cook, he went to his bedroom and brought out a neatly packaged DVD and a 25kg dumbbell, placing both in the living room.

Buzz!

The television flickered to life as the DVD player spun up.

The title Friday the 13th Part III appeared on the screen, accompanied by the classic soundtrack from a bygone era.

With one hand, Luo Di held a steamed bun stuffed with shredded beef and green peppers, while the other hand gripped the dumbbell.

For every bite he took, he performed a corresponding bicep curl with the dumbbell.

Throughout this entire dinner-workout routine, Luo Di’s eyes never left the screen, even though he had watched this movie no fewer than thirty times.

That’s right.

He had been captivated by these kinds of films since childhood, particularly by the characters within them.

Unlike the class president and her peers, who followed systematic, specialized training programs, Luo Di had no formal guidance outside of school hours. His only goal was to achieve a physique like the killers in his favorite movies.

Using the simplest methods, he rigorously worked toward his ideal body.

His training regimen consisted of dumbbells, weighted squats, push-ups, and nightly runs of more than ten kilometers.

He firmly believed that if he stayed consistent, he would one day attain a body as formidable as those of the iconic slasher villains.