Free Web NovelChildhood shadows never truly leave, they merely lie dormant in unseen corners...
Her body stiffened, and a memory buried deep in Lu Yibei's heart slowly surfaced.
It was as if she was isolated from the world; darkness surged from all directions, leaving only the classroom window and the swaying tree shadows outside the window in her sight.
Blown by the wind, the branches swayed, and behind her came the constant sound of children's cheerful laughter, seemingly mixed with a few cries—numerous, mixed, and ethereal.
Small footprints began to appear on the walls and floor around the classroom; something had emerged from the dark shadows.
They ran and jumped, surrounding the young Lu Yibei, constantly inviting her.
"Lu Yibei, why aren't you playing with us?"
"Lu Yibei, I know a place with lots of candy, do you want to go with me?"
"Lu Yibei, I know a way that will let you never have to write again, do you want to hear about it?"
...
Every one of their invitations held a fatal temptation for a child whose mind was not yet fully developed.
But...
Why did my classmates suddenly become so enthusiastic?
They never liked playing with me.
Although the young Lu Yibei couldn't figure out what was wrong, she vaguely felt that she shouldn't respond to their invitations.
Failing to get a response from Lu Yibei, they seemed to become restless.
The children's laughter and cries approached from far away, gathered around her, embraced her limbs, and small shadow-like hands tightened around her neck, continuing to whisper in her ear.
Finger-shaped bruises gradually appeared on her neck, and breathing began to become difficult.
It was very cold around her, yet she developed a high fever. With each breath, faint white mist puffed from her mouth and nose, and the scene before her also began to blur, leaving only darkness and the gray embraced by darkness.
Uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, so uncomfortable it felt like she was going to die.
Soon, that young body could no longer endure such torture, and her vision went dark before she collapsed onto the ground.
...
On the other side, at the Huacheng Institute of Technology auditorium.
A male student stood in the center of the stage, giving an impassioned speech.
"Those who constantly say each generation is worse than the last should look at you, just like me.
I look at you with full admiration.
The exercise sets seniors have accumulated over more than ten years are like gifts specially prepared for you.
...
Freely learn a computer language, learn an advanced laboratory technique..."
...
Lin Yiqi, as one of the hosts, stood backstage looking at the senior from the School of Life Sciences giving a speech on stage, then glanced at Zhang Yijing, the vice president of the News Agency, who was flustered nearby.
"Lao Zhang, it's not that I won't help you; I've read Lu Yibei's draft, and it's indeed okay."
"But with you delaying again and again, that kid is almost the finale; this won't do!"
"I think you should know, right? The person performing last is the principal's relative. If he doesn't show up in three minutes, we can only cancel his speech and let the substitute take over."
Zhang Yijing looked around left and right, and after still not finding any trace of Lu Yibei, he rubbed his hair anxiously, "Second to last isn't okay, but going on last is fine too!"
"..."
"What? Last isn't okay either?"
"Elder brother, the last one scheduled is the secretary's niece."
"Hmph!" Zhang Yijing snorted angrily, not only lacking any imposing presence but sounding like he was whining, and even stomped his foot hard. freewёbnoνel.com
Turning around, he took out his phone and once again called Lu Yibei's number.
"..."
After several unanswered calls, Zhang Yijing stared at the phone screen and fell into thought.
Could he... have given me a fake number?
...
Lin Yiqi withdrew her gaze, the corner of her mouth slightly curving upward.
Zhang Yijing had already used his position to delay Lu Yibei's appearance order again and again, but even now, she still hadn't shown up.
It seems Baobao did a good job and has successfully trapped her somewhere.
While Lin Yiqi was thinking, a chill suddenly rose up her spine, and in a trance, she felt a pair of small hands hug her leg and then slowly crawl onto her shoulder.
As this familiar feeling struck, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at her shoulder, saw the Ghost Infant's small and grotesque body, and immediately afterward, a strange and eerie sobbing sound rang out beside her ear.
The Ghost Infant's palm-sized body was wrapped in unformed skin, its entire body a bluish-purple color as if from lack of oxygen. Beneath the tender flesh were bulging dark red blood vessels. Unlike usual, there was a layer of scarlet mist lingering on its surface.
Lin Yiqi was startled for a moment, then came back to her senses. With a slightly flustered look in her eyes, she glanced left and right and quickly walked to a more secluded corner backstage.
Using a prop box to conceal herself, she gently patted the Ghost Infant on her shoulder while lowering her voice to comfort it, "Baobao, Baobao, there, there, stop crying now, be good!"
The Ghost Infant was still sobbing incessantly, as if it couldn't be comforted no matter what.
Seeing this, Lin Yiqi gritted her teeth, a ruthless look flashing in her eyes. She raised her hand, bit her right index finger, and brought the drop of blood from her fingertip to the Ghost Infant's mouth.
Smelling the sweet scent of fresh blood, the Ghost Infant's crying stopped abruptly. Its small hands held Lin Yiqi's finger, and it began to suck greedily.
As the blood flowed little by little into the Ghost Infant's body, Lin Yiqi's face gradually turned pale.
Only after the Ghost Infant had completely calmed down did she continue to ask, "Baobao, what happened? Why did you come back?"
As Lin Yiqi finished speaking, a chilling sensation came from within her mind, like a cold little hand reaching into her consciousness.
She saw the Ghost Infant creating an illusion. After trapping Lu Yibei, she calmly took out various Spiritual Energy items, like an experienced urban legend hunter, placing them in easily accessible locations.
So, was it because it was scared by those Spiritual Energy items that it fully unleashed its power, stirring up the fear buried deep in her heart, wanting to scare her unconscious?
Lin Yiqi glanced at the Ghost Infant on her shoulder, slightly furrowed her brow, and immediately after, she received new information, her expression changing slightly.
"What? A terrifying urban legend is sleeping inside her body, and you woke it up?"
From the information conveyed by the Ghost Infant, she saw Lu Yibei sitting alone in the corner of the study room, sensing the chilling, bloody Spiritual Energy fluctuations similar to a Witch Seed lingering around her body. The Ghost Infant's injuries were caused by that Spiritual Energy fluctuation.
A grown man's body hides a Witch Seed urban legend? A hint of disgust couldn't help but flash in Lin Yiqi's eyes.
But what should be done now?
Today is the school anniversary, and there are so many people gathered at the school. If she undergoes urban legend transformation at school, there might be big trouble.
Lin Yiqi thought, lightly stroked the still trembling Ghost Infant, whispered a few questions, and her expression became solemn.
After asking the Ghost Infant, and not daring to return to the study classroom, she would free Lu Yibei from the illusion.
She looked towards the backstage preparation area, took a step, and walked towards another female host.
As she walked, Lin Yiqi quickly adjusted her emotions. When she arrived beside the host, a warm smile had already appeared on her originally gloomy and pale face.
"Minmin, Minmin, can I ask you for a favor?"
The other female host, who also seemed to be a straightforward and cheerful girl, grinned generously when she heard Lin Yiqi's request, "Go ahead."
"Isn't the speech segment almost over? I suddenly feel a bit unwell. I was thinking, could you..." Lin Yiqi said, her expression suddenly becoming awkward as she leaned close to the girl's ear and whispered, "My period came, I need to step out for a bit."
"Cover for you for a while, right?" The girl's face showed understanding, and she nodded repeatedly, "No problem, no problem, you go quickly!"
"Okay, thank you," Lin Yiqi said, bowing slightly, and then quickly walked towards the dressing room.
She took off the formal gown, changed into casual clothes, and walked through a small part of the school. She quickly arrived at the teaching building where the study classrooms were located. After some searching, she found Lu Yibei lying in the window seat in the back row of a study room on the top floor.
She lay there quietly, as if asleep, intermittently emitting bloody and chilling Spiritual Energy fluctuations.
Lin Yiqi took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and was preparing to brave it to wake up Lu Yibei, who was trapped in the illusion.
Then...
She suddenly woke up on her own, the Spiritual Energy fluctuations on her body vanishing completely. She stretched and yawned, as if she had just had a wonderful nap.
Lin Yiqi, "???"
What happened to her during the short time it took me to get here?
How exactly did she escape the illusion created by Baobao?
...
Malicious whispers constantly echoed in her ears, as if trying to force her into madness.
In the midst of darkness, a sudden roar erupted beside her ear.
"Golden Palace Jade Chamber, Iron Cast Wall, Dragon Tail, Phoenix Wing, Qilin Hoof, Tortoise Shell, Radiance Falls, Four Directions Qi Returns, Strike Spell Ninety-Five, Four Beasts Bright Sky Cannon!"
In an instant, magnificent and powerful white light almost enveloped the entire teaching building, yet caused no damage to it. It merely dispelled the darkness, and a faint, almost imperceptible dragon's roar and phoenix's cry echoed above the school.
For a moment, even places where light had never reached were bathed in bright white light.
The young Lu Yibei was picked up by a pair of slightly rough large hands and gently placed on a sturdy and warm shoulder. In a trance, two familiar voices sounded in her ear.
The owners of those two voices were none other than her father and Shui Ge.
...
"I say, Lao Lu, they're just a few small fry, did you need to go straight to ninety-five? Anyone who didn't know would think there was an A-Level urban legend hidden here!"
"Bai Kai, you ♦ shut up! I told you to find a safer school for our son, and this is how you found it? You didn't even discover the urban legend hidden in the school? You've completely lost face for Master!"
"This, this isn't because their Spiritual Energy fluctuations were too weak, so weak I didn't even notice... ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Wait, that's not right! You didn't notice our son didn't come home after school yourself, how can you still blame me?"
...
Lu Yibei, "..." Did something like that really happen that day? Why don't I remember it at all? Old Dad knows Spells? Why did I never hear him mention it?
For a moment, many question marks popped up in her head, and she felt a bit confused.
She suddenly felt that Old Dad was hiding a bunch of big secrets from her. If one day a younger brother, younger sister, or older brother or older sister appeared before her to contend for the family property, it wouldn't be strange either.
