Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Eerie Clown

Unbeknownst to him, the school day had slipped away, and as the bell rang for dismissal, Wang Hui did nothing out of the ordinary; he simply turned and prepared to leave. As he rose from his seat, his gaze instinctively fell upon the corner of the last row—the spot where the peculiar figure, painted in clown makeup, had always sat. Yet what he saw shocked him: the space was utterly empty, not even a chair remained.

“That guy’s already gone. Let’s go too,” Xiao Zi’s ethereal voice drifted over.

“Boss, what… what’s going on? Isn’t that unnerving?”

“We creatures are known by humans as anomalous beings. If we weren’t strange, how could we bear that name?” With that, Wang Hui was left speechless.

Xiao Zi had indeed noticed the clown’s departure. This anomalous being had exceeded her expectations, for he had managed to induce a collective hallucination among all the humans nearby. That was terrifying. If such a skill were used wisely in combat, the opposing humans might perish within their own beautiful illusions before even realizing what was happening.

It was a remarkable ability, yet Xiao Zi held little interest in it; in the face of true strength, such things could only delay the inevitable.

As for the clown’s purpose in infiltrating the class, Xiao Zi’s first thought was Wang Hui. His unusual constitution had attracted strange girls like Si Liren—perhaps it would also draw anomalous creatures like the clown?

Shaking her head, Xiao Zi realized the likelihood was slim, for the clown had never paid any attention to Wang Hui, nor did he seem aware of his existence. Judging by Si Liren’s behavior, she hadn’t noticed the clown either.

Night had fallen after the evening study session, adding a few more shades of dread to this already eerie world.

“Do you know where Teacher Peng’s dormitory is?”

“Don’t worry, when he moved dorms, he treated me as his porter and had me help all day—I’ll never forget.”

Xiao Zi looked at Wang Hui and felt speechless—this kid really held grudges.

But as they approached the teachers’ dormitory building, Xiao Zi sensed a familiar presence inside—the clown’s.

Why had the clown come to the teachers’ dormitory? Puzzled, Xiao Zi decided that as long as the clown didn’t interfere, he could ignore him.

“Tell me which room Teacher Peng is in. Leave the rest to me. Tonight, I’ll act alone.”

Wang Hui paused, thought for a moment, then answered, “It’s 203.”

As soon as he spoke, Xiao Zi slipped out of his body in a soul form.

In this state, humans could not perceive him; only ghost handlers and other anomalous beings could. Apart from parasitizing his host, he knew no other way to conceal his presence.

Ignoring Wang Hui, Xiao Zi arrived at the door labeled 203. Only then did he notice the clown was nearby. Was the clown targeting this teacher as well?

Before he could ponder further, the clown approached.

“What are you planning?” Xiao Zi’s voice was barely audible, impossible for anyone without extraordinary hearing to detect.

The clown said nothing, merely pointed at the door, then himself, and flashed a twisted smile.

“You mean, you’ll handle this guy?”

The clown nodded, his bizarre grin growing wider.

There was something oddly human about him—not his aura, but his mannerisms. Were it not for the unmistakable anomalous presence, Xiao Zi would have suspected he was a human disguised as an anomalous being.

Xiao Zi said nothing more and floated inside, silently observing. Clearly, he had agreed to the clown’s request.

He was intensely curious about the clown’s intentions.

Night deepened. Inside the dormitory, Teacher Peng impatiently glanced at his watch, then addressed a greasy-looking middle-aged man beside him: “It’s always about this time. She should be here soon.”

The greasy man nodded slightly: “No rush. Tonight we play here, tomorrow you come to my place.”

Their exchange, matched with their repulsive faces, was enough to make anyone sick.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

The two exchanged a knowing smile, Teacher Peng hurried to open it. Upon seeing Jiang Yuqi, his grin broadened.

“Jiang Yuqi, you’re finally here. Come in.”

Jiang Yuqi’s face was filled with terror, her body trembling.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already spoken to your family. Your parents are quite supportive of my tutoring you alone!”

He emphasized “tutoring” with a sinister tone.

As he spoke, he reached for Jiang Yuqi and pulled her onto the bed.

Jiang Yuqi merely lowered her head in silence, choosing to hide her fear deep within.

If a director heard what Jiang Yuqi had endured these past days, he would think the story poor, for it consisted only of Jiang Yuqi being taken to dorms, hotels, and various places.

For Jiang Yuqi, this life was hell. She had tried to resist; once, she tentatively mentioned to her mother that a girl at school was involved with a teacher. Her mother responded with contempt.

“Huh? So there really are such shameless girls? You shouldn’t play with her anymore.”

That remark utterly crushed any rebellious thought Jiang Yuqi held. Afterwards, she could only weep in helplessness.

But just as Teacher Peng was about to commit his depraved act, Jiang Yuqi suddenly grabbed his hand.

“Teacher… I’m sorry… I’m not feeling well today…”

Her voice was soft and faltering, lacking all confidence.

Before she could finish, a numbness spread across her face—Teacher Peng slapped her without hesitation.

“Your convenience is your business. I’m perfectly fine!”

With that, he resumed his actions.

But as he was about to undress, Jiang Yuqi, summoning strength from somewhere unknown, shoved him away, walked to the window, and flung it open.

“If you come any closer, I’ll jump!”

The scene startled Teacher Peng and the fat man, both staring nervously at Jiang Yuqi.

“Miss, you—”

The fat man began, but Teacher Peng cut him off.

“Jump? Go on, show me.”

He spoke as he approached Jiang Yuqi, licking his lips, certain she wouldn’t follow through.