Chapter 4: Bewitched

Where was Bai Ming going?
Of course, to escape from school.

When he saw the “Basic Student Rules of Ivy High School,” Bai Ming tried using “Impossibility” and found that all seven rules were selectable targets.
After a moment’s thought, he chose the strictest seventh rule: “A student’s duty is to study; all activities unrelated to studying are prohibited.”
“Skipping school obviously isn’t part of a student’s duty.”
“But since I used ‘Impossibility,’ I’ll be immune to punishment for breaking the rules.”
“If I just dash out of the school, the task will be completed.”

Bai Ming felt a surge of pride. He wasn’t about to waste time figuring out how to escape the school slowly.
Rules were meant to restrict others, not him.
As for the other players?
Bai Ming could only wish them luck.

The sky was gray and gloomy.
From a slight distance, the ordinary students appeared as mere gray shadows.
Bai Ming reached near the school gate and noticed a figure in a white shirt standing by the guard room. The face was obscured by shadows, but it was likely a male teacher.
No, he couldn’t go through the main gate.
He hadn’t forgotten that Rule Five required “Students must obey teachers’ instructions.”
Although “Impossibility” made teachers ignore his truancy, what if a teacher gave an offhand command?
Teachers’ instructions to students were not always about studying — they might include moving desks or cleaning the office.
These commands clearly conflicted with Rule Seven, “A student’s duty is to study.”
Bai Ming had browsed the “Player Forum” and knew that rule conflicts were common in the dungeon, and advanced dungeons even had false rules.
He didn’t want to gamble on what strange orders the teachers might issue.

So, he took a detour to a deserted wall.
The wall was two meters high, weathered and old, topped with glass shards.
After some thought, Bai Ming picked up a brick and, relying on his experience in skipping school, carefully ground down the glass spikes.
Though players’ injuries healed upon returning to reality, Bai Ming didn’t want to risk getting hurt.

He wondered what kind of completion rating he would get if he escaped the campus in less than an hour.
Would it be the highest S-rank mentioned on the “Player Forum”?
Or even better—the rumored SS-rank, never before seen on the forum?

---

Bai Ming thought this as he easily vaulted over the wall in just a few steps. With his strength at 14 points, it was hardly a challenge—effortless and smooth.
Wait!
What was that?

By the wall on the outside of the school, a girl was curled up in a corner.
Her uniform was dirty and wrinkled, clinging to her body. Her hair was greasy and tangled, as if unwashed for a long time.
Her arms were wrapped tightly around her knees, shoulders trembling slightly, and faint but distinct sobbing came intermittently.

He had a feeling it wouldn’t be so simple.
Bai Ming quietly jumped down from the wall, realizing he hadn’t completed the task.
He began walking toward the road outside the school. Thick fog blanketed the surroundings, and he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face.

One step, two steps, three steps…
Bai Ming tread cautiously, fearing some sudden danger might leap out.
The girl’s cries grew clearer, piercing his ears like sharp needles.
An inexplicable rush of emotion welled up inside him—sympathy, pity—urging him to stop and check on the crying girl.

Charm?
Bai Ming sneered coldly. He had participated in poverty alleviation work with friends before and had witnessed how greed bred moral coercion.
He understood clearly the importance of defined responsibility boundaries, strengthened institutional constraints, and balancing rights with responsibilities.
So he knew exactly what he should do now.
He continued walking away from the campus.

No!
The task was clearly to escape the campus, yet he was nearly at the other side of the sidewalk.
Why hadn’t the task been completed?
No, perhaps he truly hadn’t finished the task.
Everything before him was merely an illusion.

The “Rebel” class bonuses focused on “Charm,” “Coercion,” and “Domination”—mental resistance.
They had no effect on deception or illusions.
But once Bai Ming realized he was trapped in a mirage, the illusion vanished.
He found himself walking toward the campus wall, and the glass shards he had painstakingly smoothed were still intact.
Had he dashed blindly toward the road earlier, he would likely have been injured.
Not to mention fatal wounds; bruises and minor fractures would’ve been inevitable.

---

The girl had transformed into a figure crouched by the wall inside the school, just as dirty and sobbing continuously.
Bai Ming halted and said coldly, “I think I understand what’s going on.”
With that, he forcefully yanked the girl up from the ground.
In a sinister tone, Bai Ming said, “You wouldn’t want the teacher to find out you’re breaking the ‘Basic Student Rules of Ivy High School’ by skipping class, would you?”

...

Class 6, Grade 3, during recess.
Sunlight slanted through the dust-covered windows, casting geometric patches of light among desks piled with textbooks.
In one corner, five students—including “Wind and Freedom”—huddled together, speaking in hushed tones.

“Wind and Freedom” scanned the surrounding students studying diligently. “So far, as long as we obey the rules, both students and teachers act like normal people—no abnormalities.”
“Killstreak” scoffed, “What use is obeying the rules? When tasks conflict with rules, they’ll be broken sooner or later.”
“Ask No Future” analyzed, “There are 58 seats in the class but only 56 students. One missing student is ‘Wutian,’ who already left. The other might be the key to this task.”
“Wind Whisper” added, “I asked other students in the class. This person is called Bai Xiaozhi, but I couldn’t get any more information.”
“Ask No Future” sighed, “Looks like we’ll have to break the rules to gather intel. Where do you want to start?”
“Wind and Freedom” said, “Don’t rush. Try to gather information this morning without breaking rules. We’ll discuss in the dorm at noon and then decide on our next move.”

Everyone chimed in one after another. “Ask No Future” provided the most analysis; “Killstreak” joked around; “Wind Whisper” spoke little but said key points.
“Iris” remained silent, scribbling something in her notebook, seemingly recording the discussion.
“Wind and Freedom” temporarily took on the leader role; no one wanted to challenge him.
Of course, “Wind and Freedom” knew well that players would generally follow his orders, but when it came to life or death, no one cared about status.

He looked toward the always silent “Iris” and asked, “Iris, what about you? You haven’t said anything. Any thoughts?”
“Iris” replied impatiently, “Don’t disturb my studying.”
“Killstreak” laughed, “What are you writing? The logic and observation you’re learning from us?”
He leaned over to look and was stunned to see not dungeon info, logic, or observations, but math problems—neatly and fully filled math problems.
A chill instantly ran down “Killstreak’s” spine.