Chapter Three: The Game Begins Anew

I deliberately took another look; the traces of Liu Tian’s fall from yesterday had already vanished, probably cleaned up by Qian Xiaozhen and the others. When I entered the classroom, everyone appeared to be focused on studying, but in reality, they were whispering among themselves. Even the broken window had been repaired.

Even my deskmate, Li Zijian, was absentmindedly flipping through his book. I reached out and tapped him, startling him so much he nearly jumped out of his seat.

“Damn, do you walk without making a sound?” Li Zijian complained, looking aggrieved.

I ignored him. After putting down my backpack, I joined the others, pretending to read and study.

Classes proceeded as usual, as if nothing had happened the previous day. When the second period ended and the teacher had just left, a chorus of phone ringtones echoed through the classroom.

“How’s everyone’s break? Let’s continue the game today,” came the message from the so-called Ghost King, as sudden and shocking as a clap of thunder on a clear day—my mind spun with new questions.

Some classmates immediately exploded in anger, venting all their suppressed emotions on this Ghost King.

“Are you stupid? Don’t you know someone in our class died?”

“Yeah, playing games now just feels wrong.”

“I’m out, I’m leaving the group…”

But before they finished, Ghost King replied instantly: “Once the game begins, it cannot end. Anyone who leaves the group will die!”

The questions in my mind only grew. I slowly typed out, “Did you kill Liu Tian?”

“Yes.”

My phone almost slipped from my hand, cold sweat breaking out on my back.

“Hahaha, as if you killed him!”

“Who do you think you are, the emperor or something? Hahaha…”

“Screw it, I’m leaving!”

With that, a classmate named Huang Yong really did leave the group.

At first, I thought it was all just a joke, but the next moment, just like Liu Tian, Huang Yong stood up straight, walked to the podium.

Many students must have sensed something was wrong, but curiosity kept their eyes on him.

As Huang Yong flashed a bizarre grin, his eyes turned pitch black, not a trace of white left. He picked up a pen from the podium and stabbed it into his own neck—blood gushed out instantly.

I ignored the girls’ shrieks and rushed to Huang Yong’s side, realizing he wasn’t quite dead yet.

His once delicate face was now streaked with blood; his eyes regained their normal color, veins bulging on his neck. He seemed to want to say something, but couldn’t utter a word.

I handed him my phone, telling him to write it down.

Hand trembling, he typed out four words: “Don’t resist.” Then, he left this world.

I saw only helplessness and despair in his dying eyes, fury surging within me.

I sent a voice message to the group, shouting, “You bastard Ghost King! If I ever find out who you are, I’ll kill you myself!”

“Don’t be sad,” a voice said behind me. It was Chen Chen.

“We lost someone in my class too. Left the group and died,” Chen Chen muttered, leaning against the wall and staring at the sun outside.

Another phone notification sounded.

“Very good. I’m waiting for you,” Ghost King replied.

“In ten minutes, the game will resume. All students must return to the classroom. Anyone late will die.”

Chen Chen pulled me up and handed me a cigarette.

Neither of us spoke, the pain twisting inside us.

One by one, old classmates were leaving us, and we were powerless to stop it.

A cigarette burned quickly. I propped Huang Yong’s body against the wall, speaking softly to the lifeless corpse, “Brother, I’ll avenge you.”

Ten minutes later, everyone was back in their seats; gone were the bright faces of the past, replaced by anxious, troubled expressions.

Right on cue, another message from Ghost King: “The game continues.”

As those four words landed, Ghost King sent out another red envelope. I didn’t hesitate, curious what new trick he had in store, and was the first to snatch it.

40.6 yuan.

My heart skipped a beat—“It must be me this time,” I thought.

But when all the envelopes were claimed, Ghost King’s next message stunned me.

“This round, whoever got the smallest amount must kiss Wang Yuxin for thirty seconds. You have until the lunch bell. The game begins.”

I wasn’t the only one shocked; the unlucky classmate immediately cursed in the group chat.

“Damn you, Ghost King! Shouldn’t the luckiest person play the game?”

“My game, my rules!” Ghost King replied coldly, refusing to answer directly or change his mind, as if he controlled everything.

I had tasted Ghost King’s power and dared not say another word.

But others were less cautious.

“Oh, this will be fun to watch.”

“Zheng Xicheng is such a pervert…”

“I heard Wang Yuxin already has a boyfriend…”

Wang Yuxin was a classmate of ours, always seen flirting with another boy in class, Cao Hao. Even though they hadn’t made it official, everyone knew about them.

What surprised me most was how quickly the students’ moods changed—one moment they were anxious and worried, but as soon as the game didn’t involve them, they immediately relaxed and started gossiping.

The third period was almost over; less than an hour remained.

I glanced at Li Zijian; with a big heart, he was already asleep on his desk.

I lost interest in the group chat and distracted myself with a mobile game.

By the time the round ended, the bell rang for class dismissal.

Before I could even stand up to stretch, the hallway outside was already packed with people. At the front was Zheng Xicheng, with whom I’d never been close.

Rumor had it his father ran the largest real estate company in the city—they were loaded.

“Who’s Wang Jiaxin? Come out!” Zheng Xicheng shouted arrogantly, his pudgy hand still buried in his pocket.

Before Wang Yuxin could stand, her boyfriend Cao Hao jumped up.

“Get lost.”

“You little punk, acting tough? Don’t think we won’t kill you,” Zheng Xicheng sneered, leering at Wang Lixin.

Wang Lixin was one of the prettier girls in our class, with a literary air and decent grades.

“Come on, little girl, let’s go. I’ll buy you anything you want,” Zheng Xicheng said, sounding every bit the creep.

“Who wants your filthy money, idiot!” Wang Jiaxin shouted at him, tears welling in her eyes.

“Do you believe I won’t kill both of you, huh?” Zheng Xicheng pulled a knife from his pocket, pointing it at Wang Jiaxin.

“If you want to hurt them, you’ll have to go through me first.” I didn’t know where I found the courage to say it, but my body stood up on its own.

In that instant, every boy in the class leaped to their feet.