I finally said goodbye to the old ladies. I’d stayed for too long, and it was getting dark.
As I left, they started packing up their stalls.
Despite their companionship, a sense of loneliness clung to them.
Maybe I’d visit again? Not too soon—my skin’s not that thick. I just wanted to keep them company. Plus, their snacks were legit.
I bit into one, a at-stuffed bun (肉夹馍) that sparked nostalgia. No matter the variety, good food always hits the sa.
The alley twisted, likely leading to another street. It was quiet—hardly anyone around. Then, crisp footsteps echoed ahead, and a senior’s figure ca into view.
I sized her up, wondering why a senior would wander here like .
She t my gaze, her stare chilling, like a predator locking onto prey.
I looked away, not daring to be rude to soone so intimidating.
“Don’t wander at night, freshman. Trouble’s out there,” she said as we passed, her voice cool but laced with intent.
“Thanks for the heads-up, senior,” I replied quickly. She was way out of my league, and her warning deserved a response.
She didn’t acknowledge my thanks, just vanished into the dark.
I exhaled. It wasn’t even that late. Witch School’s nightlife was lively—I’d heard about it. What was her deal?
Was she warning freshn not to roam? Scared we’d run into trouble with seniors? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on novel✦fire
Maybe she had a point. I’d stupidly wandered into this empty alley, practically begging for trouble.
This should’ve been pri ti for food stalls, right?
Or was this just a dead spot? Had I picked the wrong place?
I took another bite of my snack, pushing down a flicker of unease.
Further in, I heard soft sobbing, like a girl dumped by her boyfriend in the dark. In this creepy setting, it felt downright eerie.
I nearly cursed out loud, heart racing. Did Witch School have so campus legends?
Ghosts?
I’d never seen one, not even with Psi-vision.
But this was a transcendence world. I couldn’t just dismiss it.
I instinctively clutched the badge on my chest—my only weapon. Using magic here might not be ideal, but survival trumped rules.
Activating Psi-vision, I checked if the sobbing was from so transcendence-born ghost.
Psi-vision gave answers. I traced the sound’s source, ignoring walls, and sensed a living person’s feedback, complete with mana core fluctuations.
The sa restless mana core the old ladies ntioned—a freshman trait.
Another newbie? Here?
I thought of the senior who’d passed earlier. A wild idea hit .
My face twisted with curiosity. Could a senior really pull sothing this bizarre?
Bai Yu had told about these things, but I’d never seen them myself. Well, except once, when Bai Yu showed , sparking her rant about Witch School’s twisted antics.
It was late. Had that senior just dumped a freshman here?
The crying sounded solo. Given how seniors treated guys versus girls, I bet this was a boy—well, a girl now.
A smirk crept up. This was too good.
Not that I was here for the show—cough—I an, I was worried. A guy facing this kind of trauma might not handle it well.
Saving soone’s life beats building a seven-story pagoda, right?*
I was doing a good deed, not chasing gossip.
Suppressing my excitent, I jogged toward the sound, unable to hide my grin.
I turned into a small dead-end alley, and the scene hit hard.
I’d thought so senior had playfully forced a mana core on a guy. Nope. This was wilder.
In the corner lay a delicate girl, tall and slender. Her long black hair spilled ssily, almost ghostly. But her tattered n’s clothes confird my hunch.
Another guy, victimized.
Her outfit was shredded, clearly from a rough scuffle. The clothes barely covered her, pants torn to one side, like thigh-high shorts. Her pale legs, curled together, showed scrapes and dried blood—minor injuries, thankfully.
She flinched when she sensed , shrinking against the wall.
“No… don’t! Get away! Leave alone!” she cried.
My approach alone sent the girl into a panic. Whoever did this—probably that senior—left a deep scar.
Maybe it wasn’t her, but she’d walked by and had to have noticed sothing. And clearly didn’t care.
Translator's note:
at-stuffed bun肉夹馍:It's a yummy Chinese street food! Think of it like a sandwich. They take a flatbread, cut it open, and stuff it with juicy, chopped-up at, usually pork, cooked with tasty spices. It’s like a warm, aty hug in a bun, super popular in Shaanxi province.
Saving soone’s life beats building a seven-story pagoda, right? 救人一命胜造七级浮屠: it ans helping soone in a critical situation, like saving their life, is far more valuable than doing sothing grand or flashy just for show. A seven-story pagoda was a big, fancy tower in ancient China, often built to gain admiration or religious rit. The saying teaches that true kindness and compassion—like saving soone—matter more than impressive but less aningful acts. It’s about prioritizing real help over seeking fa or recognition.
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