Chapter 102: There's Something!

Lv Caiyan led us all the way to the office building and brought us to the door of an office on the fifth floor. She left us her phone number, telling us not to hesitate to call if we needed any help.

Entering the office, we found several desks, but only one teacher was present. He was about thirty years old, of medium build, and looked quite busy.

Seeing us walk in, he stood up and said, "My apologies, I’m a bit swamped right now, so I had to ask a student to pick you up. My surname is Zhong; you can just call me Teacher Zhong. Here are some materials for you to look over."

As he spoke, he handed us a stack of papers. I took them and flipped through: a schedule, a class timetable for the Chemical Engineering program, a student roster, and a campus map.

Why the Chemical Engineering program? I took a quick glance at the student list and, sure enough, Gao Sheng’s name was there. Ge Zhikai was also on the list.

Teacher Zhong then handed us several stacks of temporary meal vouchers. "These are divided into breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each voucher can only be used once. Keep them safe. I’ll take you to the dormitory now."

Teacher Zhong led us toward the dormitories. Looking at the campus—at once both unfamiliar and familiar—I felt a strange sense of unease. I hadn't expected that after being expelled, I would find myself playing the role of a college student once again.

Tu'e and Master Wei the Second's appearances successfully drew quite a few lingering gazes. So much for keeping a low profile; these two were naturally striking enough to turn heads wherever they went.

As we entered the men's dormitory area, the stares continued. When we arrived at our room, I was stunned to find that Ge Zhikai and his group were not only staying there but were actually our next-door neighbors! This clearly wasn't a coincidence; Master Wei the Second was determined to protect the one called Gao Sheng. They looked absolutely astonished.

Teacher Zhong said, "These three are students from another school, here to visit and study at our campus for a few days. I hope you all get along well and show some hospitality, understand?"

Teacher Zhong was evidently very familiar with them; he must have been their instructor.

They were even more shocked. Ge Zhikai, in particular, had his eyes wide open and seemed about to say something, but Gao Sheng placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling him to stay quiet. Then, without even turning his head, he walked into his room.

Ge Zhikai cast a look of contempt at me and spat out two words: "Junkie!"

Stepping into our dorm, I saw the familiar setup of beds with desks underneath and couldn't help but sigh.

"The basics are all prepared. I’ll be the one looking after you for the next few days. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just give me a call."

After making sure we had his number and giving us a few miscellaneous instructions, Teacher Zhong left.

As soon as the door closed, Tu'e, who had been holding it in for a long time, asked, "Are we all staying together?"

"Since we’re here, that’s a given," I said while opening my suitcase.

My suitcase contained only a few changes of clothes, a notebook, two pens, and a sufficient amount of cash. Looking around the room, it was no different from any other standard university dorm: four beds, desks underneath, two bathrooms, and a small balcony. The only difference was that all the daily necessities were already prepared—a level of treatment I had never experienced in all my years of schooling.

"But she's a woman!" Tu'e said.

A woman? I looked up and saw him pointing at Master Wei the Second.

Damn it! I had completely forgotten! This person was a woman! It wasn't exactly appropriate for her to stay with the two of us!

Master Wei the Second didn't react at all; she simply put away her suitcase as if she were a regular college student.

"Master Wei, you staying with us... this isn't really appropriate, is it?" I asked.

She glanced at me and replied, "I don't mind."

I mind! Even if it wasn't obvious from her appearance, there was a fundamental difference between a man and a woman! With her staying here, many things would become inconvenient!

By evening, we went to the cafeteria. The layout and the trays were familiar, as if I had been transported back to my college days. Yet, the fact remained that I had been expelled, and that was irreversible.

After dinner, the sky turned dark, and we began our operation. If this matter truly had to do with spirits, they would only emerge at night.

Aside from a few areas where students gathered, the campus was quiet at night; presumably, few people were willing to head out in such cold weather.

This campus was newly built, and all the buildings were pristine. Now that I thought about it, when I graduated from high school, I had heard that the new campus of this school was well-constructed, though its drawback was its remote location.

I walked along, observing my surroundings. It was just a typical college campus with nothing unusual. Of course, since I was new to this line of work, it was normal that I wouldn't see anything.

I asked Tu'e, "Do you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

But I saw him looking with curiosity at the distant lotus pond, which was decorated with colorful, ornate lights.

Was this guy even taking this seriously? When we first met him in the Vine Forest, why hadn't I noticed his condition was so severe?

After walking around for a while, Tu'e suddenly stopped and looked in a certain direction: "There's something!"

With that, he sprinted in that direction. Master Wei the Second immediately followed, and I hurried after them.

Ahead was a blind spot for the streetlights—no light, just a stretch of gloom. I could vaguely hear some fragmented sounds mixed into the whistling wind.

A figure suddenly lunged from the side, attacking us without a word. Master Wei the Second blocked the strike and countered rapidly in the darkness. It was hard to see their movements in the shadows, but after a few exchanges, a scream rang out. The voice sounded strangely familiar.

Upon hearing that voice, Master Wei the Second immediately pulled back and reached out to catch the person.

I quickly turned on my phone’s light, and to my shock, the person Master Wei the Second was holding in her arms was none other than Xiao Qingwan!

Xiao Qingwan, still shaken, stared blankly at Master Wei the Second. It wasn't until Master Wei helped her stand and let go that she regained her senses. A flush crept up her cheeks as she said with a hint of shyness, "Master Wei, why are you here? Are you here to hunt ghosts too?"

"Hunting ghosts?" I asked, puzzled.

"Isn't that why?" Xiao Qingwan replied.

I noticed a girl standing under the streetlight behind her, looking anxious and trembling.

Tu'e, who had continued the pursuit even during the scuffle, walked back: "The thing is gone."

Xiao Qingwan looked at Tu'e and asked, "Who is he?"

We went to the pavilion in the middle of the lotus pond and exchanged information. When she heard me explain that Tu'e was the expert we had met in the Vine Forest, Xiao Qingwan’s expression shifted, though it was mostly surprise.

"I heard about your sudden illness, but I never expected it to be caused by something like this," Xiao Qingwan remarked.

She explained that she had come to help a girl catch a ghost. The girl’s name was Su Yi; they had met on the street two days ago. Xiao Qingwan had noticed Su Yi looked dazed and not quite right, so she probed a bit and confirmed that she had indeed encountered a spirit. That was why she had come to help. She hadn't found any clues for two nights, but just a moment ago, she had sensed something. When she chased after it, we had run out from the side, and she had assumed we were the ones behind the mischief, which led to the fight.