Chapter 45: Mysteries at Fanghua Middle School

Fanghua Middle School.

At the desolate school gate, as everyone approached nervously, a solitary glow suddenly appeared.

It was the security office.

A gaunt old man sat by the security office door, his cloudy gaze fixed on the group:

“Do you want to come in?”

His voice was raspy, showing no surprise at their arrival.

The only female Awakener, recalling the mission details, spoke up directly:

“Old man, what’s going on with this school? Why aren’t there any students?”

The old man scrutinized the girl and replied in a mechanical tone:

“Oh…”

“This school was abandoned a year ago. They say it’s haunted—no one goes here anymore.”

“Do you want to come in…?”

The group, unsettled by his odd reply, suddenly eyed him warily. However, Li Zhiping, leading the way, calmly waved his hand and whispered:

“That’s just how paranormal instances are; the NPCs act in a very mechanical manner.”

“They speak differently from real people, offering only scant hints. Don’t expect them to reveal too much—everything depends on yourself.”

Hearing Li Zhiping’s insight, everyone let out a relieved sigh.

After repeated questioning, they only received the reply, “Do you want to come in?” confirming that the old man had no useful clues.

“Alright, let’s just head inside,” someone said.

Seeing no progress, Li Zhiping didn’t want to waste any time and spoke up:

The seven of them nodded and entered one after another.

Just as Li Zhiping stepped in, the old man suddenly raised his head and blankly stared at him.

In response, Li Zhiping met the old man’s gaze.

After their brief eye contact, Yenir, who was at the rear, frowned in confusion.

He had noticed that detail.

Inside the campus, the group froze, nervous and unsure of what to do next. Meanwhile, a shrewd, blond Awakener, like Yenir, had also noticed the old man’s lingering look at Li Zhiping.

“Uncle Li, why did that old man look at you? What are you staring at him for?”

someone asked in confusion.

Li Zhiping, as though expecting the question, smiled and said:

“Oh, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. I have the ability to harm paranormal entities.”

He pointed to his eyes.

“I can see through a ghost’s disguise and inflict minor damage on them.”

“That’s why I’m taking part in this paranormal instance for the second time.”

“The NPCs in these instances are highly sensitive to my ability. Last time, one even asked if I was a Taoist priest.”

He shrugged helplessly:

“I think the old man was just checking to see if I was problematic.”

“Paranormal instances can be bizarre; sometimes the crucial clues come from the most inconspicuous people.”

“But rest assured, that old man is perfectly fine.”

Hearing Li Zhiping’s explanation, the group exhaled in relief, albeit surprised.

“Brother Li, your ability is truly extraordinary! Is it a rare skill or a gift? It’s nothing short of a divine power for Mental-Type Awakeners! No wonder you’ve reached the peak of first stage—paranormal instances are a breeze for you!”

Glancing back at the envious stares of the others, Li Zhiping smiled mysteriously and said:

“Keep it under wraps—it’s an innate gift.”

“I’m not much of a fighter; this ability only works against these peculiar entities.”

With his unique ability revealed, everyone felt reassured.

Walking at the back, Yenir watched Li Zhiping’s retreating figure, lost in thought.

An ability so rare—harming paranormal entities? I’ve heard of such Awakener talents before.

Leading the group across the empty playground, Li Zhiping turned to face the Teaching Building, his back to the group, and spoke with earnest determination:

“Everyone, I suggest we split up into pairs and search separately.”

“The archives, the teachers’ offices, the classrooms… any of these places might hold clues.”

“We need to uncover what happened here before!”

“Remember—stay together and don’t split up!”

“If you find any clues or notice anything unusual, share it immediately in the chat. Don’t keep anything secret—paranormal instances aren’t a joke!”

The group nodded gravely at Li Zhiping’s solemn expression.

“Uncle Li, if you find anything, we’ll share it all,” someone promised.

“But…”

A girl picked up the conversation, first casting a pitying glance at the middle-aged man, then looking back at the team.

There were seven of them; no matter how they paired up, someone would inevitably be left alone. Everyone knew that although Li Zhiping claimed there was little danger at first, solo action was unwise.

As the group hesitated, unsure how to form pairs, Yenir calmly spoke up:

“I’ll go alone,”

“I’m heading to the archives.”

The group was taken aback; noticing that Yenir was decked out in plenty of gear, they murmured among themselves.

Did they assume his heavy equipment meant he was powerful—confident enough not to be afraid?

Either way, in this situation, they welcomed his decision.

Li Zhiping glanced at Yenir in mild surprise but offered no objection.

He tilted his head slightly and looked towards the girl eager to team up:

“That’s settled then.”

“Let’s move quickly. Since she’s the only girl, everyone, let her stick with me.”

After speaking, Li Zhiping nodded firmly at the girl with a sense of duty and said:

“Don’t worry, everyone. If anything comes up, just call on me—I’m always ready to act!”

His promise reassured the group; they felt truly fortunate to have someone like Li Zhiping looking out for them.

They glanced enviously at the girl, certain that with Li Zhiping by her side, she’d be as safe as possible.

Being with Li Zhiping meant maximum safety.

…….

Inside the archives, Yenir stepped heavily into a dust-choked room and began a careful search.

His mental energy radiated outward like a sphere, always alert to any movement around him.

“Everything’s been moved…”

“There are almost no records left.”

He pushed open an iron archive cabinet and swiftly searched through its contents.

A few minutes later, he pondered while examining a yellowed newspaper and two archive boxes found in a corner.

The newspaper looked aged, seemingly from a year ago.

On half of the paper, an entire section was devoted to one headline.

“Scandal at Fanghua Middle School: Teacher sexually assaulting student…”

On closer inspection, the follow-up report revealed that the assaulted student, known as Wang Fang (alias), was receiving psychological counseling while the case remained under investigation.

Reading this news, Yenir’s gaze hardened.

A sexually assaulted student? A haunted school? This plot sounded strangely familiar…

Looking into the archive boxes, he found personal records of several teachers.

He examined them closely, hoping to uncover more details.

Just as he was sifting through the documents for useful clues, a white, fragmented silhouette flashed past the window in his peripheral vision.

He abruptly looked up.

Feeling that something had brushed against the edge of his mental energy, Yenir tensed immediately.

“Has it come?”

“Was that thing a ghost!?”

Gazing at the shattered, battered window, he saw nothing but darkness outside—as if it were all just an illusion.

Just as Yenir’s body tensed, a message suddenly popped up in the announcement channel:

“This is Huang Xia. Uncle Li and I have found a fire report!”