novelraw Chapter 109: Rules and Utilization of Observations
Chapter 109: Rules and Utilization of Observations
Xu Zisheng's pupils slightly contracted, but he showed no emotional fluctuation on the surface.
The Writer had indeed recognized him.
The thin boy, like an introverted student suddenly called on by a teacher, nodded lightly and answered softly, "Okay, alright..."
It seemed the Writer was simply entrusting him with some very ordinary words because he happened to be nearby.
What had he said?
Cheng He narrowed his eyes, feeling regretful.
Being somewhat short in stature now, he was standing further back, and the Writer's voice was extremely soft. In his current suppressed state, he simply couldn't hear clearly.
But it looked like just very ordinary words—yet was that really possible?
It felt like the ghosts and monsters all held great hostility toward that kid. Would the Writer also want to take action against 'Xiao Wu'?
A Death God Level ghost, if harboring malicious intent, probably meant he wouldn't see the thin boy tomorrow either.Could restraining themselves to only targeting one person be considered the Writer's unique form of mercy?
Last night, those students taken away by the so-called 'good teachers' never appeared again the next day.
Hah, how ironic—
Perhaps those words were just something the Writer said to confuse and unsettle them.
If he revealed any flaws, who knew what he would truly face?
Cheng He's speculation leaned toward the worse scenario, bringing his recently wavering mind back on track.
In such a tranquil atmosphere, people's spirits were indeed easily influenced.
As a former reconnaissance team member, Cheng He understood clearly that during observation, the worst thing to do was bring personal emotions and individual perceptions into it.
Once impartial and objective observation became impossible, the information ultimately presented could contain massive deviations.
Any single possibility could ultimately lead to irreparable consequences.
Therefore, they absolutely must not judge those eerie existences based on personal likes and dislikes.
Yet just moments ago, he had committed this terrifying, fatal mistake!
He had even made associations, to some extent adopting the other's perspective, trying to put himself in their shoes to find reasons for them.
This was simply unimaginable!!!
Did the Writer truly possess attribute abilities capable of manipulating people's minds? This kind of subtle, creeping influence was utterly terrifying!
Cheng He immediately became fully alert, his level of caution rising once again, his perception of the Writer's unfathomable depth reaching new heights.
Ultra-high-level existences were indeed troublesome and fearsome adversaries—this time he was truly going to face one directly—
But precisely because of that, wasn't there value worth their exploration?
The hidden madness within him stirred restlessly. The fear of being destroyed intertwined with a faint excitement from facing such a powerful being, making Cheng He feel his fingertips trembling.
He lowered his head, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid energy, his hand instinctively reaching to twist his thumb ring but finding nothing there.
Silently reciting a mind-cleansing mantra, Cheng He quickly returned to appearing like a normal person, all emotions suppressed deep within his heart.
A caregiver drifted over like a silent specter to guide them.
Xu Zisheng looked up again at the Writer holding the birthmarked boy, his eyes glinting slightly.
The being before him was indeed the Writer, but why was there a discrepancy in his aura?
Was it because he needed to maintain a disguise here? Or had something happened to him before this?
If he asked later, would the other tell him?
Maybe he would?
That was his first instinct.
Xu Zisheng's intuition had always been sharp.
But—
Even if the Writer said nothing, it didn't matter. As long as he could leverage the other's power during this instance, that would suffice.
Setting aside the emotions humans possessed, on the surface, theirs was merely a mutually beneficial relationship anyway.
Despite lacking other bonds, shared interests could ensure the other provided him shelter, at least temporarily.
It was just a pity the time interval was too short; otherwise, he could have had more bargaining chips.
Regarding the Writer, Xu Zisheng actually felt somewhat reluctant to use the word 'exploit'.
Even though what he had decided to do in his mind was fundamentally no different from exploiting the other.
Forget it—there would be opportunities to repay later. With enough debts, one more wouldn't crush him, right?
Once he escaped this eerie instance, he would do his utmost to help the Writer search for the whereabouts of his finger bone.
The area where the teachers lived seemed somewhat better than other parts of the orphanage, even having fitness equipment downstairs.
But right at the edge of the teacher dormitory building was a patch of marshland, emitting an eerie aura that seemed to conceal unknown dangers.
Several black crows landed at the marsh's edge, then quickly flew away.
The other rooms on different floors were already occupied. The room arranged for the Writer seemed like it had been hastily cleared out from some storage room.
Surviving in such a horror instance, all the ghosts inside were aberrant existences, practically like tools.
When everything mutated to its most terrifying extent, all ghosts would transform into mindless monsters, consumed only by thoughts of frenzied slaughter and tearing apart flesh and blood.
Clean or dirty environments made little difference to them.
Several orphans actively helped the Writer tidy the room.
But the closer it got to eleven o'clock, the more unstable their moods became. A sense of unease and agitation quietly permeated the air.
Clocks seemed ubiquitous throughout this orphanage; one didn't need to search deliberately to know the current time.
The rule about being in bed before eleven and prohibiting night wandering was one Xiao Gui'an actually quite liked.
The late night hours were for resting peacefully, not for taking risks.
Overly stimulating nightlife wasn't good for physical and mental health. Soaring adrenaline and pounding hearts could deplete one's lifespan prematurely.
Though for someone like him now, whose heart didn't even beat, it was perhaps a bit too much peaceful sleep.
"It's fine, I can handle the rest myself. You all should head back."
The Writer sent the orphans back one by one. The entire orphanage now appeared even more dilapidated, presenting a long-uninhabited state.
Walls were crisscrossed with cracks, bricks exposed, as if in danger of collapsing at any moment. Some dark stains scattered like splashed water droplets.
Weeds grew thick on the ground. The nighttime temperature plummeted sharply, cutting like blades, making people's thoughts grow sluggish.
Xiao Gui'an looked up and noticed a thin layer of icy mist seemed to have formed on some windows.
Half the children had been sent back.
The ones remaining were the girl, the limping birthmarked boy, plus Xu Zisheng and Cheng He.
The door of the second-to-last room on the first floor of the orphan dormitory remained slightly ajar. At the slightest sound of approach, a head would cautiously peek out from inside.