Chapter 25: Yiyue Toyed with in the Palms of the Qiuqius Part 4

“What do you think?” Ye Qiu propped her chin, savoring the scene with keen interest as she gazed at Yue Yiyue. “You need my help.”

“But I don’t want to agree to your demands.” Yue Yiyue sighed. “I have no special skills. I’m not sure I can offer you anything of equal value.”

Yue Yiyue spoke earnestly, as if agreeing would mean going through fire and water.

“Don’t think like that.”

“I’ll state my conditions first. You think it over carefully.”

“I want a Blue Clothes and Black pants.” Ye Qiu said somewhat troubled. “I need to find those things to complete my task smoothly and get out.”

“But I’ve searched the entire School.”

“Including tonight. I heard there was some in a cabinet in the Teaching Building, so I made a special trip there.”

No need to say the rest—Yue Yiyue already knew the answer.

“That’s it?” Yue Yiyue instinctively glanced at the cabinet overhead, asking uncertainly.

“Mm.” Ye Qiu said with a beaming smile. “That’s right. Because you and I are in the same Faction.”

“By the way, why not try getting Zhang Yang to join your Faction?”

With those words, Yue Yiyue’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.

She slapped her thigh hard. “Right! The Rules don’t say a person can only switch Factions once!”

At that thought, she scrambled up immediately, grabbed the keys, stepped on a stool, and fetched the Blue Clothes.

When she saw what Yue Yiyue held, Ye Qiu wasn’t particularly surprised.

“So it was with you.” She merely said that calmly, then had Yue Yiyue place the items by the bedside.

“It should be over now.”

As Yue Yiyue drifted toward sleep, she heard Ye Qiu’s calm voice from the other side.

A strong sense of unease surged up again.

————

When Yue Yiyue woke, Ye Qiu’s bed stood empty.

The bedding and such had all been yanked off, as if the one who slept there had no need to return.

Pushing open the door, Yue Yiyue immediately saw Zhang Yang with a darkened face and Gu Nanqiu.

Gu Nanqiu smiled like a sly little fox whose scheme had succeeded, tugging Zhang Yang—her prize—to show off.

“I found the chance and used the Camp-Switching Card—!”

“I just couldn’t bear for classmate Zhang Yang to be bullied, so why not join our Faction together.”

Just as Ye Qiu had reminded her yesterday.

Only then did Yue Yiyue realize that Gu Nanqiu must have privately reached some agreement with Ye Qiu.

As expected of this story’s female lead—always thinking ten steps ahead.

It made her seem like dead weight by comparison. Yue Yiyue looked at Gu Nanqiu a bit sheepishly.

“Speaking of which, you’re pretty lucky. You didn’t fall for the Moral Education Director’s trap.” Now that they were in the same Faction, Zhang Yang’s hatred toward Yue Yiyue seemed lessened.

Perhaps because she knew she couldn’t deal with her now. “If you’d agreed, you’d really be stuck here forever, becoming an employee.”

“At the time, I even felt a bit regretful, thinking if you had agreed, that would’ve been great.”

No need to go to such painstaking lengths to kill off this useless waste who only knew to stand by Gu Nanqiu’s side.

If not for Gu Nanqiu…….

Recalling her promise to Gu Nanqiu, Zhang Yang glanced at Yue Yiyue still standing there dumbly. “What are you spacing out for? Let’s go eat breakfast.”

————

Everything seemed to return to those initial days. The three ate together, discussed how yesterday’s questions were simple, talked about what to have for lunch.

Yue Yiyue felt like things had gotten back on track.

Could they soon leave normally?

How would they get out?

Would Zhang Yang open something to send them out, or?

“Below—watch out—”

“Ah! That’s—”

“Quick! Run—”

With a splat, a heavy object crashed down. Warm blood splattered onto the hem of Yue Yiyue’s clothes.

Feathers fluttered down through the air like scattering paper money.

Yue Yiyue looked down to see Fan Ning, clad in the Blue Clothes and Black pants, lying on the ground twitching.

————

“What? What happened?” In that instant, the world seemed to lose all color.

Gu Nanqiu shielded Yue Yiyue, frowning.

“It’s Yue Yiyue’s deskmate—” Zhang Yang cursed upon seeing it. “Damn, this lunatic, how……”

Yue Yiyue stood frozen for a long while before snapping back. “Quick, go call the Infirmary teacher. There might still be a chance.”

Before she finished, she saw feathers slowly sprouting from Fan Ning’s head…….

Until it fully turned into a pigeon form.

The Dove Head’s gem-like red eyes glared fixedly at Gu Nanqiu, full of unwillingness.

Lying on the ground, its body twitched uncontrollably, yet it still tried to crawl toward Gu Nanqiu.

“Yiyue, you and Zhang Yang go ahead. Fan Ning and I have things to discuss.” Gu Nanqiu patted Yue Yiyue’s shoulder. “We’ll be able to go back soon.”

Shrinking back at the sight of the bizarre Dove Head, Yue Yiyue still followed Gu Nanqiu’s arrangement and headed with Zhang Yang toward the western corner of the Teaching Building.

Just inside, Zhang Yang irritably kicked the papered-over wall.

Soon, the flimsy paper wall tore open a hole. Yue Yiyue peered curiously inside— a riot of colorful paper, looking quite eerie.

“Damn, this shitty life is finally over.” Zhang Yang vented all her frustration on the wall, cursing as she walked.

“These past few days, Nanqiu and I found the real Boss—it’s Fan Ning.”

Recalling how she’d run around for days to fulfill her promise to Gu Nanqiu, nearly getting caught—it had been thrilling.

But thinking of what Gu Nanqiu promised her made it all worthwhile.

“Fan Ning wanted your body, so to protect you, Gu Nanqiu pulled in that lunatic Ye Qiu.”

In a few simple sentences, she summed up what Yue Yiyue had missed during this time.

But there were other intricacies Zhang Yang had no need to explain to this lucky fool.

“Nanqiu is Purifying Fan Ning now. After that, you all can leave.” As she spoke, Zhang Yang halted, glancing back at the obediently following Yue Yiyue. “Nanqiu waited a long time for you. Treat her well after this.”

“I took a wrong path and accidentally cleared some trouble for you. Count yourself lucky.”

At the corridor’s end, Zhang Yang stopped. “Wait here for Gu Nanqiu. I won’t stay. Seeing Nanqiu, I’d definitely waver again.”

“Apologize to Nanqiu for me. I was too selfish…… And tell her, I love her. I love her passionately.” Zhang Yang gave a self-mocking smile, stroking the hair tie on her wrist—Gu Nanqiu’s, still faintly scented with her fragrance.

One wrong step led to endless mistakes, deserving this end. But killing those two idiots? No regrets.

Zhang Yang waved casually, feigning ease. “I’m off.”

Yue Yiyue didn’t need to ask where Zhang Yang was going.

She was already dead, so no point in asking.

“Thanks. I’ll pass it on.”

Without Zhang Yang’s final choice for Gu Nanqiu, they wouldn’t have reached this point so smoothly.

“It was all for Gu Nanqiu.” With that, Zhang Yang pocketed her hands and walked into the thick darkness, her figure vanishing completely.

————

Yue Yiyue found a corner to squat in, waiting for Gu Nanqiu.

The surroundings were pitch black and eerily quiet.

Yue Yiyue felt a bit lost. She’d won without lifting a finger just like that.

These past few days, Gu Nanqiu must have been handling key matters. When did she figure it out?

Why not tell her?

But even if she had, it wouldn’t have helped—she’d only drag things down.

And Ye Qiu—why make Fan Ning wear those things?

And why push Fan Ning off?

Where was she now?

Yue Yiyue wiped the blood from her face, thinking miserably how useless she was.

She’d read the book, but once inside, hardly any of it proved useful.

Thinking of those who’d adventure with Gu Nanqiu later……

Better to just stay her background board.

“Yiyue, we’re going back now.” Gu Nanqiu’s voice rang out. Yue Yiyue shot to her feet. “Is it settled?”

In the darkness, Gu Nanqiu’s voice carried a trace of fatigue. “Mm, I’ve taken care of it. Sorry—this all started because of me.”

Gu Nanqiu turned back, gazing at the pigeon feathers drifting in the sky.

Her mind replayed the scenes she’d seen in Fan Ning’s head.

Fan Ning said she only did some harmless pranks.

Fan Ning said she hadn’t meant for that person to end up like that.

Fan Ning said it was just a joke.

Fan Ning said she only wanted to get close to Nanqiu—she’d waited so long already.

Gu Nanqiu hadn’t wanted to hear the rest. Too boring.

“We guessed the story wrong. Fan Ning was the Bully. She’s here reliving her pre-death deeds, paying for her sins.” Gu Nanqiu withdrew her gaze and sighed. “Evil reaps what it sows. Yiyue, do you think Ye Qiu’s way of fighting fire with fire to resolve everything was right?”

In the dark, Yue Yiyue groped for Gu Nanqiu’s warm hand and held it. “Hard to judge, but I think she’s a good person.”

“She’s just very mysterious. Feels like she knows a lot.”

“Is that so?” Gu Nanqiu chuckled softly. “Not judging others lightly is a great habit.”

With that, she collapsed into Yue Yiyue’s arms. “Carry me through the door, okay? I’m so tired—”

Yue Yiyue eyed the “door” glowing white not far ahead, scooped up Nanqiu at once. “You worked hard. Let’s go home.”