strictlysupreme Chapter 18 The Non-existent Time-Taking Machine
Chapter 18 The Non-existent Time-Taking Machine
The beam of the flashlight cut through the dense dust in the air, illuminating the neatly arranged desks.
There were no books on the table, only thick dust thick enough to write on, and a few scraps of paper that hadn't been completely torn off.
Lu Dan stood on the podium, looking down at Zhang Kai, who was standing at the door, too afraid to come in.
He tapped the podium table with one leg missing, and the dull thud sounded particularly startling in the quiet Building B.
He then pointed to the spot where he had just found the half-finished love letter, shining the beam of light directly onto Zhang Kai's face, which was filled with guilt.
Silence is the highest level of interrogation technique.
Especially in this environment where a vengeful ghost could suddenly appear at any moment, Lu Dan's cold eyes, hidden in the shadow of his hat brim, were more intimidating than any torture or forced confession.
Zhang Kai finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Alright, alright, stop taking pictures, they're blinding, uncle!"
He irritably blocked the light with his hand, plopped down on the dirty desk by the door, tossed the nailed leg aside, and said stubbornly, "I tore it, okay? That kind of thing shouldn't exist in the first place. I was doing it for her own good! If... if those things see it, she's finished!"
His eyes held a stubborn ruthlessness, like a wounded wolfhound baring its teeth.
Lu Dan raised an eyebrow, continuing to wave the flashlight, signaling him to continue.
"That's it, just half." Zhang Kai turned his head to the side, looking at the dark corridor. "I don't know where the other half is, and don't ask me why, anyway... it's torn up, it's torn up. Uncle, if you want to report me, go ahead, nobody cares about this lousy school anyway!"
This kid's mouth is as hard as a rock.
Lu Dan knew that pressing further would be useless; this was clearly a key plot lock that required a specific key to unlock.
He wasted no more time and turned to search the classroom thoroughly—the trash cans, the lectern's compartment, the desks—but found nothing. The entire classroom was spotless, as if it had been licked clean; apart from the half-finished love letter, there were no other clues of value.
Time waits for no one. More than half of the scheduled check-in time had already passed. Lu Dan glanced at the digital watch on his wrist and felt a surge of unease.
According to security regulations, he had to clock in at Building B.
Typically, time clocks are placed at the end of the first-floor corridor or at a prominent stairwell.
Lu Dan turned and left, not caring whether Zhang Kai behind him was willing or not, and directly grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him downstairs.
The lobby on the first floor was empty and deathly silent, with Lu Dan's flashlight beam sweeping wildly across the walls.
No.
No.
still none.
Where the time clock should have been, there was only a bare white wall, not even a nail hole left.
"Uncle, what are you looking for? You're wandering around like a headless fly."
Zhang Kai stood to the side with his arms crossed, looking at him with an expression that said, "You're an idiot."
Lu Dan ignored him, cold sweat trickling down his temples.
The rules are a trap: the regulations require clocking in, but there's no clocking-in machine in Building B. If this problem isn't solved, he'll be penalized for missing his patrol once the deadline arrives.
Lu Dan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Since he couldn't find it here, he could only pin his hopes on this "chat software" that could cross dimensions.
He pulled out his patrol log from his pocket, turned to a new page, and wrote with a slightly trembling pen: [Building B, 1st and 2nd floors, all normal.]
After he finished writing, he stared intently at the paper, eagerly awaiting a response from the other end.
......
Lin Xiaoxiao was walking briskly, and Li Mu behind her was struggling to keep up, panting heavily as he jogged. Bao Ping, on the other hand, was carrying a toolbox and looking around furtively.
Suddenly, Lin Xiaoxiao felt the paper in her pocket getting slightly hot.
She took it out and saw a line of somewhat messy handwriting on it.
"Is everything normal on the first and second floors of Building B?"
Lin Xiaoxiao squinted her eyes.
It seems that the other side has already reached Building B and is trying to contact her in this way, or even ask for help.
"Hurry up, something might happen over there!" Lin Xiaoxiao quickened her pace, her high heels tapping rapidly on the ground as she rushed into Building B.
The scene here is completely different from that in Building A. Although it is also brightly lit, there is a suffocating sense of oppression in the air.
I rushed up to the third floor.
The classroom of Class 2, Grade 12 was full of people. Dozens of students wearing brand-new school uniforms sat upright in their seats, each of them engrossed in their studies. They all had the same smile on their faces, as if it were engraved, and even the angle of their upturned mouths was exactly the same.
The sound of the pen tip scratching against the paper was so uniform and rhythmic that it sent chills down one's spine.
Lin Xiaoxiao stood at the door, took a deep breath, and put on the face of a caring older sister.
Bao Ping, being very sensible, went up and knocked on the door, waving a voltage pen in his hand: "Um, is Class Monitor Su Ke here? Teacher Lin is here for a routine follow-up visit."
All the pen tips stopped at the same instant.
Dozens of eyes turned and stared at the three people at the door.
The look in his eyes was like that of an alien who had intruded into a beehive.
Su Ke, who was sitting in the first row, stood up, her smile as sweet as ever: "I'm here, Teacher Lin."
She stepped out, closing the classroom door behind her to block out the strange gazes: "Teacher Lin, coming to Building B so late, is there some special instruction?"
Su Ke tilted her head, seemingly innocent and naive.
"Oh, it's about Li Mu." Lin Xiaoxiao pulled Li Mu out from behind her as a shield. "He said he misses his old class, so I brought him here. By the way, Su Ke, I'd also like to know how you've been doing. As a role model for the whole school, your mental state is something we're paying close attention to."
"I'm fine." Su Ke blinked. "I have no worries, only studying makes me happy."
"Really?" Lin Xiaoxiao took a step closer without making a sound. "Even in the quiet evening breeze when no one's around?"
Su Ke's smile froze almost imperceptibly for a moment, but Lin Xiaoxiao caught it.
She quickly pulled out the paper and wrote down the key information:
[Interviewee: Su Ke, class monitor of Senior Three (2)]
Gender: Female
[Psychological state: Intentionally disguising oneself; exhibiting a stress response to words like "evening breeze," suggesting possible emotional repression.]
The ink shimmered again the moment I finished writing these words.
......
Lu Dan looked at the new message that appeared in his log and a smile appeared on his lips.
It truly is a dual world, both inside and out.
The other side can see the living Su Ke, while we can only see a letter torn in two.
If that's the case, it means that the spaces of the two worlds overlap, and actions in this world are likely to affect those in the other world.
Lu Dan immediately turned around and rushed up the stairs again.
"Hey, sir, what's gotten into you again? Aren't you going to look for the time clock?"
Zhang Kai followed Lu Dan, cursing and swearing, and rushed back to the door of Class 2, Grade 12 on the 3rd floor.
Since Lin Xiaoxiao is talking to Su Ke at the classroom door, he has to make some noise here.
He spotted the rusty metal trash can at the corner of the corridor.
"Clang!"
Lu Dan kicked the trash can, knocking it over and scattering the garbage all over the ground.
Zhang Kai was startled: "Uncle, are you crazy? Why are you kicking the trash can? Is this what you call patrolling?"
Lu Dan ignored him and quickly wrote in his log: [Building B, 1st floor: attendance machine and counseling room all normal.]
......
Lin Xiaoxiao, who was talking to Su Ke, was startled by the sudden noise.
There was clearly no one next to the trash can behind me, yet it felt like I had been kicked hard by an invisible foot.
Su Ke's expression changed drastically. She turned her head sharply to look at the trash can, her eyes filled with terror.
Lin Xiaoxiao immediately realized that the other party might be there, in that unseen dimension.
Upon seeing the new content on the paper, she acted decisively, seizing the moment when Su Ke was distracted to ask the most crucial question: "Su Ke, the environment here is too noisy. I'd like to find a quiet place for you to have in-depth counseling. Are there any counseling rooms in Building B?"
Su Ke seemed somewhat absent-minded. She stared intently at the still-shaking trash can and subconsciously answered, "Yes, the counseling room is on the fourth floor, next to the dean of students' office, but it's usually locked..."
Having received the answer, Lin Xiaoxiao quickly wrote it down on the paper: [Psychological Counseling Location: Next to the Dean of Students' Office on the 4th Floor of Building B].
Then she grabbed Bao Ping and Li Mu, saying, "Since Su Ke isn't feeling well, let's go to the fourth floor to keep her company."
......
Looking at the newly appeared words in the log, Lu Dan knew that the time clock must be nearby.
Lu Dan pulled Zhang Kai along, and the two of them climbed up to the fourth floor, one after the other. The higher they went, the colder the air became.
When Lu Dan stepped onto the last step of the fourth floor, his steps froze.
This is a dead end.
There were no corridors, no classrooms, no so-called dean of students' office. Nothing at all.
Only one thick, moss-covered cement wall completely sealed off the entire fourth floor.
On the wall, someone had painted a huge, eerie smiley face in red paint. Below the smiley face were large, crookedly written characters:
"Bad child, don't tattle."