Global Collapse

[Wang Panzi: The pale yellow chalk on the wall seems to be only found in Year 1 classrooms. Maybe I should go investigate the Year 1 building.]

[Gu Gu: An unidentified key pulled from a latrine pit. The key, still stained with some unknown yellow substance, has '4473' inscribed on it. It seems to be a dormitory key. Perhaps I should go check the dormitory building.]

The three thus went their separate ways.

Under the blazing sun, Zi Liang wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Are we supposed to explore all three directions this afternoon?"

It sounded quite exhausting.

Chu Changge nodded slightly. "We have ample time. As long as none of us meet with any fatal accidents, we should be able to explore everything."

Zi Liang pursed his lips. "You're putting it quite bluntly..."

At this point, Zi Liang was probably also feeling the heat. Silently, he moved to a shady spot and furtively wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The destinations for all three were quite clear.

Chu Changge was heading to the art gallery.

Fatty was heading to the Year 1 building.

And Gu Mian needed to go to the dormitory.

Fortunately, there were signposts at regular intervals in the school, saving them the awkwardness of having to ask for directions.

How could high school students not know where their own school's buildings and dormitories were?

They soon arrived at a fork in the road.

A signpost stood beside the junction.

Gu Mian looked up.

To the left was the art gallery. To the right was the Year 1 building. Straight ahead lay the dormitories.

Fatty glanced at Gu Mian, hesitated for a moment, then headed right with Zi Liang towards the Year 1 building.

Chu Changge, without much hesitation, set off to the left. Willow not supporting wind hurriedly followed.

A few minutes later, Gu Mian was the only one left at the junction.

He looked around.

It was probably just after two in the afternoon. Because of the afternoon break, the students were all napping, and the teachers had likely gone home. He was the only one on the wide road.

Gu Mian glanced at the blazing sun overhead, then set off straight ahead.

Chu Changge was incredibly swift. He was nearing the art gallery in just a few minutes. Willow not supporting wind struggled to keep up. She didn't dare ask him to slow down and could only jog behind him.

This is terrifying! He looks so thin and weak, yet he has such incredible stamina!

To adapt to the instance environment, Willow not supporting wind had specifically increased her stamina, but she still couldn't keep pace with Chu Changge.

Is it because the difference in our initial stats is too large?

Muttering to herself, she panted and finally caught up to Chu Changge.

By then, Chu Changge was already standing before the main entrance of the art gallery, lost in thought.

Willow not supporting wind gasped for breath a few times, leaning on her legs as she looked at the massive building before her.

The art gallery was roughly circular, somewhat resembling a minimalist version of the Bird's Nest stadium. Of course, this art gallery lacked the scale and intricate design of the actual Bird's Nest, but there was a slight resemblance.

The center seemed to have an open-roof design, the kind that would let rain in.

Seizing the opportunity while Chu Changge was stationary, Willow not supporting wind hurriedly asked, "By the way, we've been in this instance for so long, but I don't think I've seen the other three people yet."

The instance had eight people.

But she had only met four of them. Including herself, that made five.

She hadn't seen the other three at all.

On the way, Willow not supporting wind had paid special attention, but she hadn't spotted any players other than their group.

Chu Changge glanced at her. "There's one among them whom you'd be better off not meeting."

What? Willow not supporting wind didn't quite understand what he meant, but just as she was about to ask, Chu Changge turned his head away, apparently unwilling to discuss it further.

Chu Changge observed the circular building before them. After confirming its general dimensions, he began to walk in.

Willow not supporting wind, already drenched in sweat from the sun, was desperate to get into the art gallery. Seeing Chu Changge step inside, she quickly followed.

The two small figures on the screen also entered the circular building.

There was also an exchange between the two small figures:

[Willow not supporting wind: This building looks a bit ominous. I heard someone went missing here before.]

[Chu Changge: I've heard about that too. But there should be some good things inside, so let's go in and take a look.]

A line of text also appeared at the bottom of the screen:

[Strange whimpering sounds echo through the silent art gallery. Is someone crying?]

Willow not supporting wind looked at the screen, swallowed hard, and stared at it with some apprehension.

Unexpectedly, the young man with small eyes beside her wasn't fazed at all. He merely glanced at it and then prepared to walk straight in.

Willow not supporting wind instantly regretted her decision.

She had initially followed this young man because he seemed relatively reliable. Now, it looked like he might be even more unreliable than that green Doctor with the chainsaw!

Unreliable or not, she had no choice. After all, they had come this far. She couldn't possibly turn back to find the Doctor, who was probably long gone, could she?

I'm so miserable... I really am...

Muttering, I'm so miserable, over and over, Willow not supporting wind followed Chu Changge into the art gallery.

True to its name, upon entering the art gallery, they found themselves in a circular corridor. Paintings were hung on the walls and even displayed on the floor.

However, these looked like student works. Although Willow not supporting wind wasn't an art connoisseur, she could tell the brushwork was quite amateurish, with many signs of corrections and overpainting.

Chu Changge crouched down to inspect a painting near his feet.

The signature read: "Year 1, Class 12, Su Ruirui."

He stared at the signature thoughtfully for a moment. "I remember Fatty went to the Year 1 building."

Although Chu Changge was speaking, Willow not supporting wind felt he was more likely talking to himself, as he showed no indication that he expected a reply from her.

He's completely putting on a one-man show.

Willow not supporting wind had no chance to interject. She could only trail diligently behind Chu Changge, hoping to slip in a compliment or two. However, Chu Changge seemed to give her no such opportunity.

Her attempts at flattery having failed, Willow not supporting wind shut her mouth and obediently followed Chu Changge.

Chu Changge was walking along the first floor's circular corridor.

He had estimated the building to be about three stories high, and this first floor seemed to be entirely dedicated to artwork by Year 1 students.

Willow not supporting wind also browsed the paintings on the walls and floor. It had to be said, these artworks were truly abstract—so abstract that perhaps even the artists themselves wouldn't recognize what they had painted.

At that moment, the two little figures on the screen suddenly stopped.

[Chu Changge: This painting looks a bit strange.]