Chapter Five

The moment Yu Xingyue took off his uniform, a wave of comfort washed over his body, though it lasted only a short while before he began to feel feverish again.

The one who suffered most was Wang Tianqi, who sat behind him. She was stifled by the heat radiating from Yu Xingyue’s back, leaving her face drenched in sweat.

"Wow, Yu Xingyue, could you be a little more considerate when taking off your clothes? My makeup is ruined," Wang Tianqi scolded. Yu Xingyue ignored her and continued to sleep, making a final, desperate attempt at rest ten minutes before class began.

Wang Tianqi shook her head. "Forget it, I won't lower myself to his level. If I argue with him, I’m no better than he is." She comforted herself, her mood improving as she prepared her textbooks for class.

The details of the class are unnecessary to recount. Overall, Wang Tianqi performed predictably, answering questions quickly and seeking help only when she was truly stumped.

As for Yu Xingyue, he was passable. He had developed a perception that the knowledge taught here was equivalent to primary school curriculum, and he hoped to leverage this to improve his grades rapidly—a strategy he had used in the past as well.

In the blink of an eye, the school day ended.

Luo E had intended to pick them up by car, but Yu Xingyue insisted on walking home to get some exercise. Sun Ying didn't mind; she simply followed whatever Yu Xingyue decided to do.

As they left the school gate, they happened to bump into Ou Liqiaoyue. She greeted them immediately, "Are you both walking home? Are we heading in the same direction?"

"Where do you live?" Yu Xingyue asked.

"Near Akihabara. Are you two as well?" Ou Liqiaoyue replied.

"Pretty much. We’re going the same way," Sun Ying said.

Since the three were heading in the same direction, they decided to walk together. Being neighbors near Akihabara, Sun Ying thought she might visit her sometime. On the way, the three chatted about their daily routines, though there wasn't much to say; repeating the same things from Monday to Friday felt meaningless, and only weekends offered anything new.

Ou Liqiaoyue suddenly asked, "Have you heard the rumors about the area around the school?"

Yu Xingyue was puzzled. "What kind of rumors? Don't tell me it’s about ghosts or monsters lurking near the school."

Sun Ying rolled her eyes at him, retorted, "That's stuff from the last century! We're in the twenty-first century now; there are no ghosts or monsters, and certainly no 'women in red' on side paths. Qiaoyue, what are you talking about?"

Ou Liqiaoyue explained, "There is a bully on the way home from school who specifically targets defenseless students. Do you know how he differs from a monster?"

"Is he as terrifying as a monster?" Yu Xingyue wondered.

"You’re not far off. He is the demon of our school. His methods are extremely cruel. Even if you manage to escape his clutches, his subordinates will track you down, and you’ll eventually meet a miserable end at his hands."

"Is... is that really so exaggerated?" Yu Xingyue didn't believe it. Robbing people was one thing, but death? Did this person treat lives as mere trifles? If such a person really existed, Yu Xingyue actually wanted to cross paths with him—he could treat it as a bit of rehabilitation for his legwork.

Yu Xingyue continued, "Do you know his name? We’ll be sure to look out for him."

Ou Liqiaoyue replied, "I don't know his real name, but I’ve heard he likes driving a Honda. Most people call him 'Honda Haoyun'."

"Honda Haoyun? What a strange name. Though, it’s more of a codename than a name," Sun Ying remarked.

"So, please be careful next time you head home. It’s best if someone picks you up so that Honda Haoyun doesn't suddenly block your path." Ou Liqiaoyue stopped the two of them. They were friends she had only recently met, and she warned them to prevent the very thing she had witnessed before; Honda Haoyun was a ruthless thug.

Yu Xingyue accepted her kindness and said, "Thanks for the warning. But it's getting late—would this 'Honda Haoyun' appear at this hour?"

Ou Liqiaoyue shook her head. "He won't appear at this time. His appearances are patterned. Wednesdays and Fridays are the most frequent, and those are the most dangerous days to walk home alone."

"You're scaring me. Big brother, I'd rather take Grandpa Luo's car home. I can't handle such frights," Sun Ying said, trembling.

Yu Xingyue smiled, "It's a good thing that 'Honda' person didn't show up this time. We're safe now, aren't we?" No sooner had he finished the sentence than a scream echoed from not far away.

"What was that?" Yu Xingyue asked.

Ou Liqiaoyue said nervously, "If I heard correctly, that was someone being robbed by Honda Haoyun—and it sounds like the act is already done."

"Can we still make it in time to save them?" Yu Xingyue started to run toward the sound, but Ou Liqiaoyue stopped him. She sighed and shook her head, "With your current strength, you are no match for Honda Haoyun. Even someone trained in martial arts couldn't guarantee a win against him."

"Hmph, I don't believe it. I don't believe this 'Honda' is as invincible as you claim. Even if I can't beat him, I can't just stand by." Yu Xingyue broke free from her restraint and headed toward the source of the scream. Sun Ying and Ou Liqiaoyue hurried after him, Sun Ying's heart pounding with anxiety, a feeling shared by Ou Liqiaoyue.

Yu Xingyue soon reached the source of the scream. The scene before him filled him with horror, and he covered his mouth, nearly vomiting.

Sun Ying and Ou Liqiaoyue arrived behind him. Seeing their reaction, Yu Xingyue shouted, "Don't come over! Here..." He couldn't finish his sentence before he started retching.

Seeing his distress, Sun Ying immediately went to his side and patted his back. "Big brother, are you okay? What did you see?"

Just as Sun Ying was about to look, Ou Liqiaoyue covered her eyes. "Don't look! This is not something someone your age should see." Ou Liqiaoyue seemed accustomed to such scenes and appeared remarkably calm.

They had arrived a step too late. What Yu Xingyue had seen was a girl lying in a pool of blood. She was bleeding all over, her face beaten black and blue, clearly the victim of a recent robbery by Honda Haoyun.

Ou Liqiaoyue quickly led Sun Ying and Yu Xingyue to a safe area. The scene was dangerous, and if they stayed longer, not only would the three of them be at risk, but more people might fall victim to the thug.

After five minutes, they reached a safe distance. Yu Xingyue had calmed down somewhat and asked, "Was that truly the work of that demon?" He had stopped calling him "Honda" and started calling him a demon—the man was no different.

Was this what they meant when they said, "Hell is empty, and the devils are here"?

Ou Liqiaoyue nodded. "Calling him a demon is correct. That victim is a student from our school, a freshman. Her uniform marks her as one."

She was sure because the school uniforms indicated grade levels through stripes on the black fabric at the waist: one stripe for first-year, two for second, and three for third.

Ou Liqiaoyue then said, "I’m going to call the police immediately. You two should go home."

"Why? Wouldn't it be better if I were a witness? I’m the first one who saw the victim," Yu Xingyue protested.

"If it were that simple, the police would have caught him already. This is Japan; the police are not very efficient. Even if they heard your testimony, they might change their attitude because you are Chinese and label you the perpetrator. Listen to me: go home. I’ll explain everything to the police later."

"But won't that cause you trouble?" Yu Xingyue tried to persuade her to let him stay, but she refused.

"This is not the time to argue. Trust me, go home. I’ll handle the police reporting. If you don't see me tomorrow, then it’s just my own bad luck."

Yu Xingyue gritted his teeth and said, "Be careful, then. We’re leaving." He took Sun Ying’s hand and ran toward home, while Ou Liqiaoyue made the call and returned to the scene to wait for the authorities.