In Virtual Reality - Ch 18
Updated: 1 hour ago
“— Is this what a school canteen is like? As soon as you enter the door, you smell a great smell of decay. Is this what a school canteen should smell like?”
“— Look at you, look at you, this blood is spilling out. You can’t even get this hygiene right. Aren’t you disgracing our Dark Virtue University? Where is the manager? Are they not responsible?”
“— If you don’t do a good job with the hygiene of the canteen, what if there are problems with the food for our students? Are you responsible for that? Are you still responsible? Or are you?”
As soon as he entered the cafeteria door, Shen Jia heard this series of questions. His initially cautious and serious expression froze, then slowly turned into bewilderment.
What is this… situation?
The ghost students behind him pushed Shen Jia forward with tense faces as if they couldn’t see what was happening in front of them.
In a moment of inattention, Shen Jia found himself in the circle’s centre, facing the one who spoke.
The young person in the pink hoodie appeared caught off guard by the crowd and was momentarily frozen.
The fat and strong canteen butcher standing next to him was holding a bloody boning knife and, to Shen Jia’s surprise, had a relieved expression similar to the ghost students.
Shen Jia:?
The little pal with the pink hoodie quickly rushed to Shen Jia’s side, draping their arm over his shoulder in a brotherly way. They spoke in a righteous tone, “Look! A Student is here to give feedback on the canteen’s quality!”
Shen Jia, who was forced to provide feedback: “……”
Was it too late for Shen Jia to back out? As he gazed at the circle of leering butchers and cooks, it was clear that it was. However, the young person in the hoodie beside him came to the rescue, offering an after-sales service. They placed a comforting hand on Shen Jia’s shoulder before letting go. Before the hoodie could continue talking, Shen Jia quickly scanned his surroundings.
As Shen Jia gazed at the imposing figures in front of him, he took their imposing forms. Three abnormally large individuals formed a wall of flesh, each exuding a dangerous aura. The topless figure in the black leather apron was the butcher, wielding a bloodstained boning knife. The one in the white plastic suit, with bloodstains on both elbows, was the cook, identifiable by his chef’s hat. Lastly, the figure in the navy blue inch shirt and suit trousers, who Shen Jia assumed was the canteen manager, rounded out the trio. With eyes narrowed in threat, the three key players in the school canteen bore down on Shen Jia with deadly intent.
Shen Jia, initially intimidated by the sight of the butcher’s dangerous-looking knife, was startled by the sudden voice beside him. He turned to see the hoodie-clad figure brandishing a phone, the screen displaying a live stream.
“Don’t you dare hurt him! I’ve got this all on record! Do you think you can get away with attacking one of the future pillars of our country, someone who will help build our future? Think about the consequences of your actions!” Hoodie yelled, their voice echoing through the canteen.
Shen Jia was momentarily stunned by the bravery of the young person beside him. Despite the intimidating presence of the three figures surrounding them, Hoodie stood firm, protecting Shen Jia and recording everything.
Butcher: “……”
Shen Jia was momentarily taken aback as he gazed upon the hateful expression on the face of the other party. But, as the butcher put away the intimidating boning knife, he realized that the person hadn’t even bothered to check if Hoodie was indeed live-streaming. Even if they were, who were they streaming for? With only 38 students left, were they streaming for the ghost students who surrounded them?
Shen Jia breathed a sigh of relief as he observed the three individuals’ reactions to the live broadcast. Though he didn’t fully understand the situation, he was grateful for the reprieve from the danger it had brought him. However, he was at a loss for how to proceed next. He glanced at the hoodie-clad figure standing nearby, the phone held aloft.
Shen Jia’s gaze shifted to the figure beside him as Hoodie, with an enthusiastic grin, gestured to him with the phone in their hand and encouraged him to speak out. “Don’t be afraid, student! You speak! Speak up! As young students of the new century, we should fight against the forces of lawlessness!” The three imposing figures in the school canteen, standing mere inches away, remained speechless as Hoodie’s bold words echoed through the air.
The sound of snorts grew louder and louder as the person in the pink hoodie confronted the forces of lawlessness with their phone in hand. “How dare you go maskless in the canteen with a nasal infection,” he declared with righteous conviction.
Butcher: “……”
Shen Jia couldn’t help but think of Hoodie as a nice person. The other person adjusted their phone, capturing a shot of both them and the butcher, their stomachs looming into view. Despite his unease, Shen Jia realized that Hoodie’s animated demeanour set them apart from the other sombre students at Dark Virtue University. It was this characteristic that ultimately led Shen Jia to trust them.
“It’s my first time eating in the school cafeteria,” Shen Jia began. Still, before he could finish his sentence, the massive form of the canteen personager trembled as if he was about to interrupt. “— A classmate I know once said she started gagging as soon as she entered the cafeteria,” Shen Jia added.
Hoodie: “Oh~?”
“The scene was so unsanitary that she never dared to step foot in the cafeteria again,” Shen Jia continued, his words accompanied by the shaking of Hoodie’s phone. The canteen personager was noticeably taken aback by the description but remained silent as if frozen in place by the live broadcast.
Shen Jia recounted the horrors his classmate had described to him about the school’s cafeteria. The stench of the slop pond, the blood and animal guts on the floor, and the careless disposal of waste by the canteen staff were all vivid and disgusting details. It was clear that the cafeteria conditions were far from hygienic, and the thought of what kind of food was being served to the students made Shen Jia’s stomach turn.
“There were also several familiar—looking students lying on the kitchen’s interior… case board that could be seen from the food window.”
The last sentence was added by Shen Jia selfishly himself.
He wanted to test whether this canteen used live students to prepare food.
Hoodie interjected, “But fear not, my dear friend! With me here and my phone live-streaming, these unsanitary and unethical practices will be exposed and dealt with accordingly. This canteen must be strongly condemned for their actions.”
With fervour in their voice, Hoodie held the phone in front of the cafeteria personager, their displeasure evident. “How could the canteen of Dark Virtue University be like this?! Does anyone even care about the student’s health and well-being? The mere thought of it making them nauseous is unacceptable. What kind of establishment is this? Is there any regard for hygiene standards and laws?” Hoodie’s outrage echoed through the cafeteria as they depersonded answers.
The cafeteria manager tried to mask his anger with an awkward smile as the live mobile broadcast on the phone in front of him threatened to reveal his genuine emotions.
“Student rights must be upheld!” Hoodie declared firmly, brandishing their phone as a symbol of justice. “Tonight, I will ensure that the cafeteria is held accountable for its shortcomings. I will take this matter straight to the headmaster’s office if necessary!” With a sense of purpose, Hoodie stood ready to fight for the rights of the students at Dark Virtue University
Cafeteria personager:”!”
Upon uttering those stern words, Hoodie took Shen Jia by the arm and confidently strode out of the canteen through the main entrance. As they stepped into the fresh air outside, Shen Jia realized that his back was drenched in a cold sweat. The gust of wind only further emphasized the stark contrast between the stale air within the canteen and the crisp atmosphere outside.
“Thank you.”
Shen Jia couldn’t help but feel curious about his newfound companion as they walked away from the canteen. He cast a sidelong glance at Hoodie, who was absorbed in their phone and asked a soft question. “Classmate, how did you get into this school?” He wondered if Hoodie had received an admission notice like him. Still, with the school year already two months underway, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something strange about their sudden appearance. The fashionable pink hoodie was evident enough he hadn’t seen them before.
**
Incoming!
Death interrogation!
Although [Shen Jia] was a newly made living NPC, Xu Jin Yi had the “Death Interrogation” firmly imprinted in her mind. In response to the question about her late arrival at the school, Hoodie simply answered, “Medical reasons, postponed coming to school.” Xu Jin Yi, tucked her phone into her pocket, then turned to the beautifully modelled 3D boy and asked, “Classmate, do you have a pen?”
The other party hesitated momentarily, then asked, “May it be a black pen?”
“Yes,” Xu Jin Yi replied with a smile, taking the pen offered by the student that had ‘Mechanical Engineering’ engraved on it. She found a nearby step to sit on, pulled out the “Leave of Absence” form from her pocket, removed the pen’s cap, and began writing.
[Name: (Your 24K Pure Daddy/automatically crossed out) (Why can’t this work either!/automatically crossed out) (heck/automatically crossed out) (daddy/automatically crossed out) Silence
Class: Chinese Language 1902
Academic number: 190222
Department and Faculty: Department of Literature and Social Sciences
Major: Chinese Language and Literature
Due to medical reasons, I am unable to return to school on time and would like to apply for an extension of my leave of absence from 12 June 2222 to 12 August 2222.
I hope the school will approve this request.
Student’s signature: Silent
College stamp: (Stamped)]
The four names in brackets are a testament to Xu Jin Yi’s unruly nature, yet her defiance was again met with sanctions.
A shocked male voice called out from above, “You’re a one-nine?!”
Xu Jin Yi coolly replied without altering her expression, “Yeah, what’s wrong?” Unperturbed, she capped the pen. She could write a leave of absence note however she pleased. It’s okay to start over if it doesn’t work.
Xu Jin Yi smiled faintly in her heart, but on the surface, she still looked innocent and bewildered.
According to the game flow on the PC side, the game’s protagonist is a student of class 2222, or a freshman at Dark Virtue University, while class 2219 was a junior.
That meant…
“What’s wrong, my dear schoolmate~?”
From Shen Jia’s perspective, Hoodie’s smile took on a sinister gleam.
