Ch112 – Rose from Asteroid B-612

Sponsored Content

Tsuchimikado called for another meeting among class monitors upon discovering this new clue.

Without a doubt, if the exam paper storage room was next to the Corpse Pit, then there was far more room for play. 

The first thought that came to mind for Class 6 and Class 2’s monitors was to sneak in and steal a copy of the exam.
As long as they knew what the questions were in advance, they would be able to pass the final exam without having to fear backlash from ostracising the weak or sacrificing anyone.

Everyone’s fates were tied together now.
After Class 5’s monitor received his just desserts, no one would consider purging the competition within this instance.
Minimally, they’d place the interests of the greater good at the forefront.

 

 

But Zong Jiu’s eyelids flicked up at this idea.
“This instance cannot be kept.”

Displeasure was written all over the face of Class 6’s monitor. 

They have never been too impressed with the Magician’s whimsical idea of destroying the instance.

 

They didn’t dare speak out under pressure before, but now that a new path was opened, everyone would surely prefer to pick the easier path.

After all, what was the difficulty of destroying an instance compared to stealing an examination paper? It was doubtless that the latter option was easier and safer, and the yield was just as plentiful.

“It’s no use saying this now.”

 

The white-haired young man coldly poured cold water on this idea.
“Whether it’s destroying an instance or stealing an examination booklet, you’d have to go through that iron door.
If you can’t get in, then to begin with, this is all empty talk.”

Everyone, “…”

True enough.
The objective wasn’t that important.
What’s more pertinent to the discussion was how to sneak in.

 

It was known that there would always be two teaching assistants with barbed whips standing on duty outside the iron door, rotating on two-hour shifts.
Trainees would receive a warning for approaching, and if they didn’t leave after two warnings the whip would come down.
A siren would be sounded at any unrest, and all teaching assistants would immediately rush over.
It was a road to ruin. 

“This is a survival-based instance, so we’ll have to wait until the day before finals for the plan to be implemented.”

Sponsored Content

Zong Jiu brushed his hands.
“As for the rest of you, if you have a different opinion, feel free to give it a try at the Corpse Pit.
Good on you if you pull it off, but I’ll still move according to my plan.”

This meeting concluded swiftly.
After all, the S-ranks appeared to be rather interested in joining hands with the Magician in an attempt to take down this instance.

The two monitors of Class 6 and Class 2 were still too sceptical to bet it all on the last day as they did. 

Sure enough, Class 6’s hard-headed monitor teamed up with Class 2’s monitor.
Class 1 lent some manpower as well, and together they tried to break into the question bank room at the Corpse Pit.

The idea devised was quite good, starting again with a half-vampire faking his death by suicide, similar to the strategy used during the basketball competition.

This time, however, the teaching assistants learned to play smart.
They first carried the body to the quadrangle, intending to cleave the body before tossing it into the Corpse Pit.

This startled the half-vampire to pry off the white cloth and leap to his feet. 

Although half-vampires had excellent restorative abilities, would anyone be willing to lose an arm or a leg?

The two class monitors got together in discussion again, not yet giving up.

 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection.
If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

“Qf tjnf ab mtjcuf beg qijcr.
Qtja jybea ufaalcu rbwfbcf ab iegf atf afjmtlcu jrrlrajcar jkjs?”

“Vbecvr ofjrlyif.
Ofa’r ags jrxlcu Kremtlwlxjvb.” 

Ktfs vlvc’a cfmfrrjglis tjnf ab ygfjx lc.
Cr ibcu jr atfs mbeiv rtbnf j qjqfg rtlxlujwl atgbeut atf ujq ecvfg atf vbbg, la mbeiv aegc atf fzjw defralbcr lcab jc lwjuf jcv agjcrwla la bnfg.

They selected a faceless man and secretly snuck a shikigami onto him, thereafter waiting for him to enter the iron door.

Yet perhaps the aura of resentment was too heavy or the exam paper storage was too close to the Corpse Pit, although the paper shikigami managed to infiltrate again, the images transmitted back were blurred.
Only a few questions were clear, and the spiritual energy consumed was particularly high.

Seeing this didn’t work, they devised yet another plan.
They tried to dispatch the teaching assistants standing before the iron door, only to be noticed by the school.
Not only were they chased off, but the guards were even doubled. 

The next day, the teaching director announced there would be four sets of exam papers for the finals—A, B, C, and D.
The question order in each set was disrupted to prevent students from attempting to cheat.

The trainees of Class 9 were exasperated by their pigheadedness.

Class 9 had been silently spectating as the other classes went about their antics to no avail in the end, even causing the school to take notice and step up their vigilance.

Sponsored Content

Zong Jiu sighed.
“It doesn’t matter.
I never expected them to be of much use, just as long as they don’t make trouble.
We only need the iron door to remain, so it’s all the same no matter how many guard it.” 

Despite looking like they were playing their hearts out these days, Class 9 had joined No.
2’s Class 1 to start preparations discreetly.

First, they utilised their after-school time and the rare physical education class to explore school grounds.
They were divided into nine teams, each responsible for an area as they began mapping out a floor plan of the entire school.

In addition, they silently shifted a lot of books and exam materials over from other classes.
These were put on every desk into stacks so thick that only the crown of the head remained visible.
Looking from the podium, not a single face could be seen.

[I’m getting really, really curious about how the Magician is going to destroy this instance.] 

[Yeah, destroying an instance would take on the physical meaning of it, right? How are they going to assess this though? What if you accidentally kill an NPC, will you receive any deductions to your evaluation?]

[…That’s true, I didn’t think of that until you said it.
If their evaluation gets affected, will they have to go to the punishment instance?]

[Wrong Wrong Wrong.
Those above must not be a follower of that bigshot, right? If you can reach the system’s standard of ‘this instance has been destroyed’, then not only will you not receive any deductions, but your evaluation will even increase.
Naturally, however, if you don’t hit the criteria but still killed an instance NPC along the way, then you’re screwed.
Why else do you think so many survivors tried to follow his example but ended up with poor ratings and got obliterated on the spot?]

[Thanks for sharing, I understand now.
It must be difficult to meet the assessment criteria for that.
I wish all the best for Class 9, they look like they’re going to take it all the way.] 

—

Time flew by in a flash.

 

At last, the day before the final exams was upon them.

The atmosphere in the entire year was as tense as a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment. 

By now, Class 6’s and Class 2’s monitors had also given up on trying to steal the exam paper, holding their noses and getting aboard the pirate ship.
(t/n)

Hardly anyone rested well last night.
Almost everyone lost sleep.

Of course, Zong Jiu was not included.

When waking up the next day, Zong Jiu slowly tidied up his bed, sat down at his table in the hostel room and folded a paper plane, stuffing it into his pocket.
Then, he leisurely headed to the classroom, not expecting to bump into a ‘familiar figure’ around the turn of the stairs in the teaching block. 

The black-haired man was in a suit as always, his leather shoes shiny and polished; the embodiment of a dressed-up animal and a refined rascal.

He lazily reclined on the wall and lackadaisically toyed with a familiar rose, obviously having purposely waited for a while now.

Sponsored Content

Zong Jiu, “…”

The thorns on that rose looked extremely familiar.
No.
1 wouldn’t have spent survival points to exchange it from the system, right? 

“Get out of my way.” His voice was icy.

“Don’t be so fierce.” No.
1 still had that infuriating smile on his face.
“I’m here to help you.”

Help him? No.
1, with his penchant for stirring trouble, fanning the flames, and watching the show—would this guy really be so kind?

Zong Jiu fully expressed his attitude with a snort. 

The Devil adopted a wounded expression, one hand over his chest in a mock bow.
The other hand, however, extended the rose to him.

This time, Zong Jiu finally learned from the system’s icy prompt the true nature of this flower.

[The instructor has turned off secrecy mode.]

[B-rank prop: Rose from Asteroid B-612] 

[Prop ability: Immobilise any one object; usage is not subject to restrictions.
Time limit: 3 minutes.]

[Note: This prop is a consumable item.
Remaining usage time(s): 3.
Due to its special nature, after the number of uses has been exhausted, it will turn into an ordinary rose in everlasting bloom.]

 

Rose from Asteroid B-612?

How odd.
A Devil would carry the little prince’s rose with him. 

Zong Jiu’s brows lifted.

But he didn’t refuse this time, reaching out to take it instead.

Who didn’t like freebies? Not to mention, the ability of this prop was rather to his liking.
Whether it was used to plot against others or do some damage, it would prove useful.
Besides, it might even be a stone that No.
1 dropped on his foot in the future.

In the fleeting moment that the young man’s slender hands clasped around the rose stem, the other’s hand didn’t retreat but encroached, casually covering Zong Jiu’s hand instead. 

Zong Jiu raised his eyes with some surprise.
“Why? Regretting it now?”

Sponsored Content

The Devil shrugged.
“Why would I? From the moment that I gifted it, it belongs to you.”

Anyone could tell he was in a very good mood right now.

And it was natural that he was in a good mood, for the Magician had given him a grand gift—without even noticing it himself. 

The man tapped his own lips with a cheerful expression.
“The way you look now is truly a temptation hard to resist.”

His voice was low, filled with its usual suggestive huskiness.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten our agreement.
After this instance… I’ll await your response.
I look forward to you making the right decision.”

  

The exam was after morning reading.
This was also the last half-hour for the trainees to catch their breaths before the exam.

All trainees in Class 9 were neatly dressed.
None of them was seated; everyone was on their feet.
They had broken up into nine columns, standing uniform in the classroom with sombre expressions.
It was silent.

Other than them, there was a faceless person who still sat in the classroom, as well as the vacant seat that would never again be filled.

Deep down, everyone knew they were going to avenge index 99 and index 15. 

Thirty days of preparations just for this one moment.

Since stepping in, Zong Jiu hadn’t said a word.

 

The white-haired young man stood at the classroom door, gazing at the sun that had risen not long ago.

Daylight shone upon the teaching block inlaid with white bones, that quadrangle built from mounds of bloodied flesh, and those tree roots growing atop strips of human skin.
All was cold, without a shred of warmth. 

Truth be told, this school resembled a tomb.

It was now twenty minutes before the start of the exam.

Zong Jiu saw teaching assistants gradually appear from the fringes of the quadrangle.

He stepped out of the classroom and gestured to the half-vampire in the distance, finally nodding at the class and giving one cold order. 

“Time to move out.”