Chapter 4
Chapter 4: The Forbidden Floor
Location: Atlantis Time: 9:00 AM
When I came down again, Julian was still standing in the same spot.
“Mr. Julian? I, I’ll help you upstairs?” Seeing that he didn’t react, for a second, I really was afraid to disturb him.
After a couple of seconds or so, he moved a little, and turned his head toward me, “Oh, okay.” Saying that, he gave his hand to me.
Not daring to neglect any longer, I immediately helped him one step at a time to my room. Probably because he really was tired, Julian almost put his whole body weight on me as we walked.
After a long while, we entered the room. I helped him lay down on the bed, taking off that pair of gla.s.ses hanging outside his hair, “Then, then I won’t be bothering you…” To be honest, I really wanted to push away that layer of hair on his face. Otherwise, just by looking at him, it feels like he’s having a hard time breathing, but I didn’t really dare to do it.
Raising his hand slightly to wave, Julian curved into a smile, “Thanks.”
“Uh…You’re, you’re welcome. Have a good rest. That…I put some water next to the bed, so if you’re thirsty, you can drink some.”
Julian nodded, not answering. I didn’t dare to continue making noise either. Once I got everything ready, I hurried out of the room.
After closing the door to my room, the surroundings quieted down.
Alright then, what should I do now?
“You’ve worked hard, Student Chu.” A voice sounded beside me. As soon as I turned, I saw Restua heading toward me as he nodded slightly, saying: “After this, once the Black Dorm’s old barrier is completely detached, we can set up a new barrier. It’ll take about a day. So, around this time tomorrow, everyone will regather in the hall. In the meanwhile, you can explore the surroundings.” He blinked at me, smiling.
“The Black Dorm with the barrier and the Black Dorm without the barrier are quite different.”
Once he said that, I suddenly didn’t want to explore the surroundings. I keep feeling that a place without a barrier seems to be more dangerous.
I don’t want to have my head bitten off by the screaming painting while I’m walking.
“I still have to go a.s.sist with the other two dorms’ barriers, so I’ll be leaving first.” Restua, who looks like he’ll be very busy today, smiled slightly before quickly leaving in advance.
The only one left inside the Black Dorm was me.
A cold wind suddenly blew from the side. Following that, all the hair on my skin stood up. Clearly there was nothing at all in the corridor, but I keep feeling as if something was staring at me; a sound that I couldn’t hear seemed to be whispering in a corner.
I don’t know if I was mistaken, but I keep feeling like the Black Dorm was a lot darker than usual.
Don’t scare yourself, don’t scare yourself…
I took a deep breath, and in less than a second, I immediately jumped down the stairs. While running, I panicked as I took out my cellphone. Now, who should I call to chat with?
Chifuyu? No, he said something about his clan having a whatchamacallit event.
Senior Gasai is in the Purple Dorm. Ryan…Probably not. Ryan definitely wouldn’t say a single word and there would only be a mysterious breathing sound; that’d make me even more scared.
I’ll just call Miao Miao then!
Just as I held my phone and jumped down to the first floor, getting ready to call—
“Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!”
“Waaaaahhhhh—!” The evil cellphone suddenly let out a shrill scream as if it was killed by three thousand knives and even skinned by someone. Then I also screamed, and instantly, the entire hall became full of screams.
“Yaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh—!”
The screaming painting immediately followed suit and screamed.
There’re ghosts! This place really does have ghosts!
Without even thinking, I rushed out of the Black Dorm’s door, scared as I ran a good distance away.
The phone’s sound stopped and turned to vibrate.
“Hey…Who, who is it!?” Just who’s the b.a.s.t.a.r.d that suddenly called and scared me!?
If I became the first person in history to be scared to death by a phone, I’d definitely die with grievances and turn into an evil spirit to find that person who randomly called my phone for revenge!
“Yang~~Wanna come out for some tea?”
F**k you d.a.m.n rooster!
I think if I died now, it’d definitely be because I was scared to death. Hearing that leisurely and calm voice from the other side of the phone, I really wanted to smash the phone. But of course, I wouldn’t dare to smash the phone, or else the next person to be smashed by Senior would be me, “I don’t have time right now.”
“Aih? What are you doing now?” A curious question came from the other end of the call.
“I’m
outside…of the dorm.” Looking at the Black Dorm a distance away, its surroundings seemed to be emitting an evil black aura, making me a bit afraid to approach.
“Oh, I’ll come find you.”
“Hey hey! The school has a barrier; you can’t get in.” I hurriedly shouted as he was about to hang up.
“Then how were you able to get in?” The five-colored rooster head asked a very good question.
“I came in with Julian. I heard that you’ll have to wait three days before you can get in.” To be honest, I don’t really understand it either, so I’ll speak from what I know first.
“…Don’t worry, I received trading for invasion.”
That’s not the problem here, alright!?
“When I go back, I’ll find you for tea, okay? There’s a bit of a problem now, so please don’t come over.” I had a feeling that the barrierless Black Dorm that was h.e.l.l for me might be heaven for the five-colored rooster head, so it’d be better not to let him come over.
If Senior and the others saw that the Black Dorm has already been turned upside down as soon they wake up, they’d probably directly kill me.
“Then alright, I’ll go find that nerd for tea.” With a “pa,” he hung up.
Find Chifuyu…When did they have such a good relationship?
I suddenly felt that I need to make a phone call to tell Chifuyu to be careful going out these two days. The five-colored rooster head definitely wouldn’t be so kindhearted as to go there purely for tea. If he did, he wouldn’t be called the five-colored rooster head, and would instead be a fake.
Flipping open the phone book to call Chifuyu, a furtive shadow appeared in the bushes beside the Black Dorm.
Who’s that?
Now that the Black Dorm doesn’t have the protection of the barrier, and the school also prohibits unauthorized people from entering and leaving, seeing how strange that shadow is, it definitely can’t be anyone good…Could it be a thief?
[The one who signed a contract with me, allow the lurker to witness your speed.]
With Minas in my hands, I immediately fired at that shadow.
“Yah—!”
I missed.
But it was the sneaky shadow that fell and cried out.
It’s a person…It should be a person, right?
Just as I was hesitating on whether to go see if it’s a person or to add another shot to let him directly go to heaven, the other side’s movements were a lot faster than me, already getting up from the ground and charging over to me overbearingly, “Who’s the heartless b.a.s.t.a.r.d randomly attacking people!? You almost scared me to death!”
This is…What a familiar voice.
I had a feeling that I’m going to be unlucky. After getting a closer look at the newcomer, that feeling immediately went ten feet deeper.
“It’s you!” The undying white robe, Liliya, who for some reason was sneaking around the Black Dorm, pointed at me, shouting as if I was the enemy who killed her whole family, “Chu Míng Yang! Hmph! Enemies are fated to meet! Since we happened to b.u.mp into each other here today, if you have any guts, you’ll have a showdown with this lady to see who’s more capable!”
Here we go again.
I regret it now. I should have told the five-colored rooster head to come. At least he definitely would’ve been able to settle this missy.
“That…I still have something to do so I’ll be going first, bye.” I currently feel that the Black Dorm is more amiable. At least it would only scare people and not look for people to fight one-on-one.
“Stop right there! You coward!” Liliya actually followed
“Alright, I am a coward. Please don’t look for me anymore.” Having no intention of fighting with her at all, I quickly ran to the Black Dorm. I don’t know if it was because the barrier was being removed, but unexpectedly, Liliya actually wasn’t blocked, as she followed me into the hall one after the other.
She stopped, looking around at the Black Dorm’s hall, and then abruptly became quiet.
Just as I was about to climb up the stairs, I suddenly didn’t hear the sound of her shouting anymore. I also felt that it was strange, so I stopped first to see what she was doing.
Liliya just stood in the Black Dorm looking around. Then her gaze turned to me, not saying anything.
Why is she looking at me?
I suddenly had gooseb.u.mps all over my body, afraid that I’d be instantly a.s.sa.s.sinated by her a second later.
“You’re so lucky. We’ve dreamed of entering the Black Dorm for who knows how long.” Standing in the center of the Black Dorm’s hall, Liliya’s tone was unexpectedly gentle, completely different from her bossy and arrogant voice just now, “I kept working, and working, and in the end, I’m only in the White Dorm. When will I be able to enter this
this Black Dorm too?”
She’s probably not asking me but rather talking to herself. I was considering whether or not to join the conversation.
If I did, and she immediately snaps out of her trance and gets angry, what should I do?
“Hey! Why aren’t you saying anything?” Glaring, Liliya was still Liliya; as soon as she opened her mouth, it turned fierce.
“Uh…I was going to say that it’s not very nice to interrupting people when they’re talking to themselves.” And I didn’t really want to join in the conversation anyway, since who knows what would happen to me if I did.
“This young lady was only lamenting! Normally at this time, shouldn’t you comfort the girl and say that she’ll definitely be able to do it in the future!?” Liliya took a step forward, and in my mind, it was like a very lethal velociraptor had taken a step forward. I immediately stepped back secretly.
“Then, then alright, one day you’ll definitely be able to live in the Black Dorm.” I gulped, and said.
Liliya snorted, but it looks like she should be satisfied.
“Hmph, usually this place always has a barrier. It’s really not easy to come in and take a look at the Black Dorm.” Continuing to study the Black Dorm’s furnishings, Liliya said.
Aih…Wait a minute…
“You were sneaking around outside just to peek at the Black Dorm?”
As if I’d poked at a sore spot, Liliya’s face suddenly turned red for a moment. Then she ferociously glared at me, causing me to think that in fact, I shouldn’t have said so much.
“None, none of your business!”
I actually guessed it correctly.
Seeing her reaction, I began to wonder…
Could it be that Liliya is unexpectedly an honest and hot-blooded girl?
There was a subtle sound.
“Did you hear that?” Raising her head to look at the large crystal lamp hanging from the ceiling, Liliya turned her head and puzzledly looked at me.
I really wanted to tell her that there were often noises in the Black Dorm. The most common thing I do at this time is pretend I didn’t hear anything. Sometimes humans are happier not knowing anything…
But there was indeed a sound, far away, as if something had fallen on the ground with a “dong.” It wasn’t a heavy sound, but something lightly falling on the ground. The strange thing is, both of us heard that sound.
Logically speaking, we shouldn’t have been able to hear it, because even though this place is a haunted house, the sound insulation is very good; usually when I’m in my room, it wasn’t too noisy.
“Did it come from upstairs?” Liliya glanced at me, then walked in my direction, pa.s.sed by me and climbed up the stairs.
“It’s probably nothing, right?” I hurriedly followed behind her, “Senior and the others are resting. They probably b.u.mped into something accidentally.” Oh no, I let someone who’s not part of the Black Dorm in. Who knows what’ll happen to me. Now that there’s no barrier…
She stopped, standing on a few steps higher than me, as she looked at me without any expression, “Could it be that you didn’t feel the strange aura from the Black Dorm?”
Strange aura? I did feel that it seemed to have become more terrifying, but how exactly, I don’t know how it’s more terrifying either, much less the strange aura she spoke about.
“After the barrier is removed, any sort of situation can happen in each dorm, because the dorms were originally exotic buildings brought from different worlds.” She looked at me and coldly snorted, “Usually when the barrier is removed, they would always leave one or two guards behind to protect the robe levels who are temporarily powerless to keep the keys safe.”
“Aih? But I didn’t see any other people…” My words stopped.
It can’t be…It can’t be, Senior…
How could you guys be so heartless!?
“Aren’t you a person?” Liliya looked at me as if I was an idiot.
“How, how could it be me!” Telling me to be a guard? Then wouldn’t that be the same as telling me to give myself a shot to heaven first!?
Is this Black Dorm too tenacious and not afraid of death or what; they actually didn’t even have a guard and just let me run about. If someone suddenly comes in and kills them, how am I supposed to hold out by myself?
“Otherwise who else could it be? You better come up now!” This missy*, she didn’t feel that she’s not actually allowed to come in and out of the Black Dorm at all. Reaching out her hand, she directly dragged my collar and climbed up the stairs, “What’s the highest floor in the Black Dorm?”
[T/N: It has the same characters 大小姐 as young lady, what Liliya calls herself, but I’ll be using missy whenever Chu
“Eh…four, fourth floor?” That’s strange? Why am I responding to her?
“What’s with that
with that uncertain tone!? Aren’t you someone who lives here?” The very a.s.sertive Liliya grabbed me as she directly climbed upstairs. I saw all the eyes of the carvings and paintings near the stairs looking at us. It was extremely strange.
“I heard that the top floor seems to be the fifth floor or attic, but Senior said that the stairs only go up to the fourth floor and there’s no pa.s.sage that leads further up.” I remember that Senior had told me this a long time ago.
There seem to be a secret that we still don’t know about in the Black Dorm.
We stopped on the third floor. That subtle sound rang out again, seemingly on an even higher floor.
“Is there really no pa.s.sage up?” Liliya frowned.
“Nn, Senior already said that, so I guess there really isn’t.” Senior rarely lies; he would only change the topic.
“Then let’s go look for one.” She straightforwardly let go of her hand, then took a thumbsized object that looked like a piece of iron.
“Aih?” Wait a minute, that wouldn’t be good, right; Senior’s already been telling me not to be too curious.
The subtle sound resounded again not lightly nor heavily.
Liliya lifted her head and looked up for a long while before turning her gaze over to me, “I don’t think the sound is coming from the fourth floor. It should be from an even higher floor.”
I also think it’s probably not from the fourth floor. Because I sleep on the fourth floor, I often hear the sound of something knocking upstairs at night. So, there should be something upstairs, “I think it would be better if we ask Senior first.” For some reason, my eyelid has been twitching. I kept feeling that nothing good is going to happen, and that feeling was very strong.
“Didn’t you say that Senior and the others are resting and can’t be disturbed?” This missy rolled her eyes at me, very independently saying, “So, we’ll find it and then tell them. [The one who signed a contract with me, allow the hidden one to witness your tracking.]”
As soon as she said that, the piece of iron in her hand glowed faintly, and I realized that thing was actually an Illusionary Weapon.
There are Illusionary Weapons that look like this?
It can’t be that an iron hammer is going to appear, right!?
“Nine-Door Shield.” Liliya moved her hand, and after a faint light, she pulled out a line. Placed flat on her hand was the strange compa.s.s that I saw before.
A compa.s.s counts as a weapon?
Alright, smashing it down would hurt so it probably counts.
Holding that compa.s.s, Liliya moved it left and right, then knocked on the compa.s.s, “Show me what I’m looking for.” She said, then stared at the compa.s.s seriously. In just a few seconds, the strange Illusionary Weapon suddenly emitted a silver glow. Then a thin line appeared pointing straight to the ceiling.
Sure enough, we still had to go up.
I had a very helpless feeling.
“Hey! Come on!” Already climbing up the stairs to the next floor, that missy issued an urging shout.
Why do I really have to follow up?
Such a profound mystery.
The two of us stood side by side on the fourth floor.
There weren’t any stairs that led up. Living here every day, I naturally knew this very well. After walking from one end of the corridor to the other, Liliya had to nod and acknowledge that too.
“The stairs leading up must be in a secret room!” She issued a mighty conclusion.
…Miss, we’re not acting in a movie right now; how could there be so many secret rooms? And besides, if there really is a secret room, how could we possibly find it just by randomly looking? None of the black robes who live here know about it. If just the two of us shrimps are able to find it, wouldn’t that be too exaggerated!?
“You go find it yourself. I’m not playing anymore.” The fourth floor…The ultimate fourth floor. The fourth floor that also has a resting Senior inside. If we wake Senior up, who knows how we’d die, so I decided to let her go forward to explore on her own.
“You’re telling a girl to go look for a secret room alone!?” Liliya pointed at me as she shouted, her round eyes glaring at me; as if I would become the legendary heartless husband who abandons his wife and kills his child if I leave now.
…*Pei pei pei! Who the h.e.l.l is her husband, that kind of weird thing!?
[T/N: Spitting sound]
“I think you probably won’t be very lonely.” I shrugged. I think she’s quite happy by herself.
“You don’t think I’m a weak and helpless girl, who needs someone to help her…Although you are a coward, that’s still better than having nothing.” The fiery girl, who wasn’t weak at all, calledat all, called herself very weak right in front of my face, completely verifying the words “lying with one’s eyes wide-open”, “Then it’s been decided; we’ll go look in the empty rooms first, and if we can’t find it, we’ll demolish the compartments.”
“I think it’d be best if you don’t demolish the compartments.” I had a feeling that demolishing the compartments will lead to us mysteriously dying.
“Hmph hmph, this young lady will definitely find that secret room.” Liliya, who had already forgotten that she probably didn’t come here to find a secret room, clenched her fists, very hot-bloodily roared, “I, Liliya, will stake my reputation on it!”
That said, you wouldn’t just fall into ruin from this day forth, right?
“Hey! There are two empty rooms. We’ll each take a room, and whoever finds it first will win.” Completely ignoring my wishes, Liliya said very overbearingly.
Empty rooms?
“Empty rooms are usually locked.” I remembered the matter of Senior giving me my key from the first day.
“Ha, that’s a piece of cake. Now that the Black Dorm doesn’t have the barrier, we can still go in even if we don’t have the key.” As if to confirm this statement, Liliya walked up to one of the empty rooms, sticking the compa.s.s in her hand to the door lock, “Nine-Door Shield, unlocking technique!”
With a click, the lock actually opened.
I bet she must be a master thief, since she did it so naturally.
“Here, hurry up and go in!” As soon as she pushed the door open, Liliya pushed me inside forcefully, “You can’t come out unless you find it!”
Without any warning at all as she pushed me in, I staggered several steps into the empty room. Before I even had the time to protest, the door behind was shut with a “kou” sound. And, there was actually the sound of something like a lock coming from outside.
You’re not seriously messing with me, right!? Miss!
“Liliya! Let me out!” I forcefully twisted the door lock a few times. There was no response; it didn’t open.
I wonder if Minas can blast the door apart?
“I’ll let you out when you find the secret room!” Liliya’s voice sounded from outside, gradually becoming further away. Not long later, I heard the sound of another door unlocking. It looks like she really did run over to the other empty room.
Turning my head back, the entire room was empty…with a similar structure as my room.
The second I was going to raise my head to look at the ceiling, I almost screamed as well.
The ceiling has a strange human model that’s exactly the same as the one in my bathroom, holding onto the chandelier!
What kind of weird room is this!? Good thing I wisely chose the room next door to Senior’s before; otherwise, I wouldn’t need to use the living room now?
“This boss, I’m just pa.s.sing by and borrowing a place for a while…Please don’t hurt me…” I swallowed and took two steps back until I pasted myself against the wall.
I don’t know if it’s my misconception, but I keep feeling as if that human model’s eyes were following me when I moved.
G.o.d, Buddha…whichever one of you have time, please bless me…this little one doesn’t have a strong heart at all, really.
Just as I was scared and was about to tremblingly call out Minas to accompany me, I once again heard that strange sound.
This time it was very close, extremely close. It seemed like it came from above the ceiling.
Someones humans are very unlucky. Even the most unlikely thing will be encountered, especially in a case like this; when I knew it wasn’t going to be good as soon as I felt that, it became particularly easy for me to encounter it.
Really, I strongly feel this.
I’ve decided that I want to break the door and escape this weird place!
[The one who signed a contract with me, please allow the gatekeeper to witness your power.] I can’t stand it anymore! I don’t want to stay in this d.a.m.n room! Especially with that human model on top! I want to blast his head into pieces with a shot!
As soon as the small gun appeared, I immediately fired at the door.
With a bang, the door didn’t break. Not even a fragment fell down.
G.o.d, please don’t treat me like this.
Holding the small gun, just as I was about to fire a second shot, I heard…a huge boom. A heavy thing sounded in the direction of the room, and the entire floor shook.
That…Just now I should have shoot at the door, right?
“What happened!?” Liliya directly rushed in from outside and ran over to the bedroom in a second, very straightforwardly kicking the door open.
After opening the door, I was speechless.
Who can tell me…
Why is it that the bedroom’s ceiling would collapse when I fired at the living room’s door!?
The h.e.l.l!