I was transported into the school-themed level of a horror game. My designated role? The ditzy damsel. When the jock collapsed from heatstroke, I revived him with a mouth-to-mouth transfer of water until he woke up, flushed and flustered. When the class president was haunted by a succubus, I was the one who blocked its escape, my hands held firm. Afterwards, he led me to the sink and washed my hands for me, his gaze intense and silent. When my quiet, introverted deskmate was being bullied, I was the one who stood up for him, hiding him in a locker and comforting him until the danger passed. But when the final countdown began and the monsters started their massacre, the other players scattered in terror. I sought out the most ruthless player in the game. “H-hello,” I stammered, holding out the key. “Can… can you take me with you?” His expression was cold, arrogant, but his words were shockingly crude. “Sure. But you have to sleep with me.” 1 A cold, mechanical voice echoed in my ears. [Level loading… SSS-Rank Level: Redwood Boys' Academy. Time limit: five days. Players must find the key to the school gate and escape to win.] [Friendly reminder: Players must adhere to all school rules. Violators will be eliminated by the level. The current rules are as follows…] [One: No tardiness or leaving early without a valid reason.] [Two: Strictly maintain classroom discipline.] [Three: No staying out late or overnight.] [Additionally, there are hidden rules within the level that players must discover for themselves. We wish all players a successful run.] The voice faded, and my eyes snapped open. The air was thick with the buzz of hushed whispers. Our homeroom teacher stood at the front, his face ashen, his lips tinged with blue. He brandished his pointer. “Quiet!” The classroom fell instantly, eerily silent. He scanned the room, a satisfied smirk twisting his lips. With new transfer students, he felt the need to re-emphasize the importance of the rules. I kept my head down, listening silently. The reason was simple: the room was filled with monsters. I could feel several pairs of excited, predatory eyes fixed on me. I pressed my lips together, terrified of making eye contact. When the bell finally rang, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. In my peripheral vision, I saw my introverted deskmate slumped over his desk, radiating an aura of complete detachment. My plan to gather clues from him was dead in the water. Before I could come up with a new strategy, a hand clamped down on my shoulder. My eyes flew open. I turned to see a male student I didn’t recognize draping his arm around me, his fingers tracing my collarbone. “Hey, pretty new thing,” he purred. “Help me out and turn in my homework for me.” I vaguely remembered him. He was the teacher’s pet, the class representative. I was about to refuse, but a thick stack of notebooks was thrust into my hands. After a moment of hesitation, I took them and left. As I stepped out of the classroom, I overheard a group of cocky NPC students in the corner, openly objectifying me. “Ha, he looks so dumb. Bet he’s easy.” “His skin is so pale and soft. He’d probably be fun to break.” I bit my lip and pretended not to hear. One line from the level’s description stood out in my mind: In a boys' school overflowing with testosterone, the combination of young flesh and raw desire is tragically common. I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve to escape this place as quickly as possible. The next second, a bloodcurdling scream echoed from the end of the hall. “Murder! He’s killing people!” 2 Pus-filled tentacles burst through a tweed suit jacket. The mild-mannered teacher had shed his disguise, his face contorted into a grotesque, monstrous grin. For some unknown reason, he was attacking the players. Each thrust of a tentacle claimed a life. I watched in horror as one player sprinted toward me. A moment later, a sharp tentacle pierced through his chest. Warm blood splattered across my face. I stood frozen as the monster slithered closer. A drop of foul-smelling ichor landed between my eyebrows. The air whistled as a tentacle swung down. My heart seized, and I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact. Suddenly, a scream erupted from behind me. “Run!” Desperate cries echoed through the hallway. After what felt like an eternity, the corridor fell silent. My hands suddenly felt light. The class president, Cole, had taken the homework from me. He looked down at me, his voice laced with mockery. “Congratulations. You survived by being too stupid to run.” Before I could react, he walked away, the notebooks tucked under his arm. With the monster gone, players from other classes poked their heads out, whispering amongst themselves. I soon learned the reason for the creature’s rampage. A player from the next class had tried to cozy up to the NPC teacher, offering to be his new class representative. The monster agreed and told the player to come to his office after class. But the moment the player stepped inside, the teacher’s lips peeled back to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. “You’re late, student.” By the time the player realized they had never set a specific time, it was too late. Suddenly, an alarm blared from the system. [Warning! Warning! Do not make casual agreements with NPCs!] [Do not be late! Do not be late!] [Congratulations to player “Zane” for triggering a hidden rule…] [Rule Four: No running or roughhousing in the hallways between classes.] A wave of relief washed over me. No wonder the monster had been slaughtering all the players who had been sprinting down the hall. I looked down, chastising myself. Cole was right. Only a fool too stunned to even think of running could have survived that. I turned to go back to my classroom. Just then, the system’s voice announced in my mind: [Initial players: 30. Remaining players: 22.] 3 The curriculum at Redwood Boys’ Academy wasn’t exactly demanding. We had gym class on the very first afternoon. I changed into shorts and a t-shirt and warmed up in a corner by myself. As soon as the teacher announced free time, I made a beeline for the tuck shop, sticking close to the other players. While I was stretching, I had felt several pairs of eyes on me, and I’d overheard some disgusting comments. “His legs are so white and smooth. You think he’s a girl?” “Fuck, that’d be even better…” “We should go have some fun with him later.” I didn’t dare ask the other players for help directly, so I just tried to stay near them for safety. Suddenly, someone on the field shouted. “Help! The sports rep passed out from the heat!” I turned, my eyes wide with disbelief. A super-strong monster had fainted? Worried it might be related to the level’s objective, I reluctantly made my way to the center of the field. A circle of students had formed around the sports representative, a well-built boy with tan skin, who was lying unconscious on the ground. Several other players were there, but they were hesitant to act. I didn’t want to be the one to stick my neck out either, but I noticed the NPCs were starting to give us increasingly cold stares. Suddenly, a system notification popped up. [Congratulations, host. As the first to trigger a hidden rule, you have been awarded a small clue.] After a moment of hesitation, I asked, “What happens if we don’t save him?” [At midnight, the deceased sports representative will return as a vengeful spirit,] the system replied matter-of-factly. [All players who witnessed his plight and did nothing will suffer a gruesome fate.] My face paled. As the seconds ticked by, I clutched the half-empty water bottle in my hand, grit my teeth, and pushed my way through the crowd. It was a choice between death and social suicide. I knew which one to pick. I took a large gulp of water, held it in my mouth, and, steeling myself, pressed my lips to his. The moment our lips met, the crowd of students seemed to surge forward, forming a tight, impenetrable wall around us. The sound of the water transferring between our mouths was amplified, disgustingly loud. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but I could hear whispers from above. “He smells so good.” “So soft and pink. Look, there’s a string of saliva.” He still wasn’t waking up. In a panic, I started blowing in his ear and tried to unbutton his shirt to cool him down. Suddenly, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. The jock’s eyes fluttered open, his face and ears beet red. He cursed under his breath. “Idiot. Is that any way to save someone?” 4 I stood there, completely flustered, as he dragged me to a secluded corner of the field. “I know you. The new transfer student.” “You have a crush on me, don’t you?” I was stunned. “N-no,” I stammered. “I’d help anyone who fainted.” He paused, then said with utter conviction, “I don’t believe you. If it was a 300-pound guy with a face full of pimples, would you have done the same?” His question made me hesitate. “See?” he said triumphantly. “You like me.” After a moment, I managed a weak rebuttal. “I don’t even know your name.” He nodded. “So it’s my face you like.” I was speechless. He was handsome, with his sharp eyebrows and striking eyes, but his confidence was off the charts. He took my silence as an admission. “My name is Axel,” he said. “I can be your boyfriend.” Before I could refuse, he cupped my face in his hands. “Don’t get too close to any other guys, you hear me?” I pressed my lips together, at a complete loss for words. Axel leaned in, his gaze fixed on my lips, his ears bright red. “Babe, let’s kiss a little longer.” My eyes widened in shock, but his grip was like iron. A wave of raw, masculine energy washed over me as he pressed his lips to mine. He kept me hidden in that corner of the field and kissed me until the sun began to set. He kissed me until tears started to well up in my eyes. He held me close, whispering sweet nothings until I calmed down. When he finally walked me back to the dorms, he was reluctant to let me go. “Get some sleep tonight, babe,” he murmured. “And don’t go wandering around.” Remembering the third school rule, I lowered my eyes and mumbled my agreement. 5 After escaping back to my dorm, the last person I expected to see was my roommate, Cole. He glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my swollen lips. “Some people work fast,” he sneered. “Barely here a day and you’ve already hooked up with some brute.” I didn’t say anything. I kicked off my shoes and climbed into my bunk. The moment I pulled the covers over my head, a wave of self-pity washed over me. It was all Axel’s fault. I had missed dinner. I was starving. Tears started to stream down my face. Cole must have heard me sniffling, because he yanked my covers off. He froze for a second. “What’s wrong with you?” At that point, I just let it all out. “I’m hungry,” I sobbed. The atmosphere turned awkward. “I’ll go make you some instant noodles,” he said stiffly. The door opened and closed. A few minutes later, he returned with a steaming bowl. The familiar aroma made my eyes well up again. “Cole,” I said, my voice thick with emotion, “you’re a really good person.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Don’t mention it,” he said through gritted teeth. “Just stay away from certain… bad influences.” I slurped my noodles and nodded enthusiastically. He had a point. I needed to stay away from any man who made me miss a meal. 6 I slept soundly that night. The next morning, Cole woke me up. “Time for class.” Remembering the school rules, I shot out of bed. As I was leaving, I thanked him, but I noticed he looked pale. “Are you not feeling well?” I asked. He was silent for a moment, then said nonchalantly, “I’m fine. Just had a bit of sleep paralysis.” The hairs on my arms stood on end. As a native of this horror level, wasn’t Cole technically a monster himself? He could get sleep paralysis? Something was wrong. I made a mental note to keep an eye on him tonight. When I got to the classroom, all the other players were already there. They had spent the previous day trying to trigger all the hidden rules to avoid any unknown dangers while searching for the key. So far, no one had succeeded. The bell rang, and the teacher walked in, a sinister smile on his face. “Good morning, class. A new day has begun. The early bird gets the worm. Now, let’s check yesterday’s homework.” The players’ faces fell. The teacher hadn’t assigned any homework yesterday. But all the other students were pulling out their notebooks. The new players exchanged panicked glances. I sat by the door, which meant I would be the first to face the teacher’s wrath. My palms started to sweat. As if sensing my anxiety, the teacher pushed up his glasses and smiled. “Good students always do their homework. Let’s see yours.” 7 My heart pounded in my chest. Just as I was about to stammer out an explanation, the classroom door was kicked open. “Permission to enter!” Axel stood in the doorway, a cocky grin on his face. “Sir, the head of department asked me to pick up some books.” After a quick glance at the stamped permission slip, the teacher’s foul mood seemed to ease slightly. “Next time, manage your time better.” Axel strolled into the classroom. As he passed my desk, he subtly bumped into me. A notebook landed in my lap, along with a piece of paper folded into a heart. I quickly hid the note. The teacher was now standing in front of me, his presence suffocating. “Your homework, student?” The other players gave me looks of pity. I swallowed hard and pretended to search my desk. “Here it is, sir.” The teacher seemed surprised. He took the notebook and examined it closely. After a moment, he set it down, a hint of anger in his voice. “Very good. Since the new student has completed the assignment so well, we’ll just check his homework today to save time.” With that, he teleported to another player’s desk. “And yours?” he asked, his voice dripping with menace. The other players were going to hate me for this. But if it weren’t for Axel, I would have been done for. I secretly unfolded the note. I was hoping for a clue, but it was just an apology from Axel. [Babe must have been starving yesterday… I was worried you wouldn’t have the energy to do your homework, so I stayed up and did it for you. No need to thank me. See you on the roof at lunch. xoxo] I ignored the last sentence. My guilt vanished. This was just compensation, after all.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "394204", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel