HAGLTP Chapter 62

The three people and one ghost left the classroom just like that.

Xiao Lu signaled the class monitor to walk in front, as he, the teacher, needed to keep an eye on the two distracted students during self-study.

The ghost class monitor obediently led the way ahead.

Strangely enough, wherever the class monitor passed, the surrounding scenery would momentarily change; the exquisite wallpaper turned into simple white walls, and the decorative paintings on the walls transformed into plain white papers with school notices.

It was as if the dust of time had been brushed away, allowing them to glimpse a trace of the past.

Sherlock and Yang Huasheng had just escaped danger, and once they caught their breath, they couldn’t help but steal curious glances at Xiao Lu. However, with the ghost class monitor standing in front, they dared not speak.

Xiao Lu seemed to have guessed their current thoughts. After rummaging through his lesson plan for a moment, he pulled out a printed photograph.

The original photo was quite old; due to the technological limitations of the past, the image was black and white and very unclear.

But it was evident that it was a group photo of teachers and students. The students in the background wore the same uniforms as the class monitor in front, while the teacher in the foreground wore a long white gown, had slightly long hair, and sported gold-rimmed glasses. There was a faint resemblance between him and Xiao Lu.

The two understood immediately.

The male god was at it again, tricking ghosts.

Disguising himself as a teacher who once existed in the school, he had come to the classroom and asked the class monitor to lead them to the principal’s office. This operation was both bold and cheeky.

Truly worthy of being the male god.

However, where did the male god find the lesson plan in such a short time?

Xiao Lu followed their gaze to the stack of papers in his hand. After so many years, he certainly couldn’t find the lesson plan from back then; he had merely replicated a cover page. As for the content inside…

He silently mouthed: Teacher Cui’s manuscript.

The two young male university students’ eyes widened instantly, experiencing an unprecedented thirst for knowledge. Not for anything else, but simply to learn the principles of being a person from the book.

Xiao Lu gently adjusted the glasses sponsored by Cui Yunjin and continued to walk forward with a serious expression.

·

Ahead appeared a heavy solid wood door, a style they had never seen before in the Autumn Twilight Hotel, with the words “Principal’s Office” written on it.

As they approached, the class monitor’s steps slowed down more and more.

Xiao Lu glanced at the time; it was 10:59 PM, almost 11 o’clock.

As the time drew closer to 11, the class monitor seemed to be afraid of something. He stopped moving forward, his whole body trembling, and white smoke began to rise from him, as if he were about to disappear.

“He looks a bit pitiful…” Yang Huasheng whispered.

Sherlock quickly covered his mouth, but there was a hint of pity in his expression as well.

The class monitor had almost turned into an ice sculpture, his blank expression shrouded in immense fear. He had an instinctual terror of this place, or rather, of what this place represented. Even though his life had long since ended and his memories were hazy, the fear still lingered deep within him.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder.

The class monitor’s blank eyes turned to the side, and he saw his “teacher,” who should have been a very familiar figure, but beyond that, he could remember nothing more.

The “teacher” beckoned him with a finger, signaling him to follow.

The three people and one ghost hid in a corner next to the principal’s office, using the pillar to conceal their figures, quietly observing the movements in the principal’s office.

11 o’clock struck.

A harsh, grating sound echoed as the door to the principal’s office opened.

A tall figure stepped out, with broad shoulders, strong arms, and heavy footsteps. This was the Principal Yang they had seen in the materials, a man who had once served in the military, and his physique did not resemble that of a scholar.

At this moment, Principal Yang was covered in mottled bloodstains, holding a large axe that looked quite heavy, and he walked step by step toward the direction of the previous classroom.

Xiao Lu felt a sense of familiarity from the sound of his footsteps. It seemed like just last night, he and Yueyue had first heard those footsteps in the corridor.

So it was him.

Then the death process of A-Lu in the original plot became clear; with his light fate, he was the first to be targeted by Principal Yang and met a tragic end that very night.

As Principal Yang’s figure appeared, the class monitor trembled even more violently, curling up into a ball in the corner, his hands clutching his head, not daring to move, like a frightened rabbit.

The three of them glanced at him and silently shielded him behind themselves.

Seeing Principal Yang walk away, Xiao Lu whispered, “I want to go into his office and take a look.”

Sherlock rubbed the goosebumps on his arms. “Male god, can’t we come back during the day? It’s so scary right now.”

Yang Huasheng nodded frantically.

Why not come during a safe time? Coming at night was just asking for trouble.

Xiao Lu pointed at the open door: “Do you remember what this place was during the day?”

The two shook their heads.

“A balcony. This room doesn’t exist during the day. If we want to know what’s inside the principal’s office, we can only do it at night.”

Xiao Lu stood up: “I’m going to take a look. I don’t know what might be in the principal’s office, so you two stay here and don’t move around.”

After Xiao Lu left, the two of them huddled in the corner, feeling a sudden chill around them. It was then they realized what they had overlooked.

The class monitor was still here!

Without the male god in control, the two faced the ghost alone, and goosebumps rose again.

Yang Huasheng leaned closer to Sherlock and whispered, “That… he, he won’t bite, right?”

Sherlock: “…”

Who knows?

“…How about we imitate him? Maybe he’ll see us as one of his kind.” He suggested.

Moments later, the three of them, one ghost and two humans, all huddled in the corner with their hands on their heads, resembling three deflated balls that had lost their dreams.

·

The principal’s office appeared to be well-organized, with all the materials neatly categorized in the bookshelves.

The ghost in the bedroom had guided them here, indicating that the principal’s office should contain something related to the secrets of the Autumn Twilight Hotel, but what could it be?

Time was limited, and Xiao Lu quickly scanned the bookshelves.

This principal seemed to be someone interested in mythology and folklore, as there were many books on related topics. Moreover, he didn’t limit himself to local materials; he had collected legends from neighboring countries, overseas, and even some from remote small nations.

This was quite strange; intellectuals of that time generally advocated science, democracy, and progress. It was rare to find someone researching mythology.

However, the direction of this material did seem to connect with the sacrificial blade.

Xiao Lu began to search through Principal Yang’s desk, thinking that a researcher would likely leave behind some notes or records.

Sure enough, he found a thick notebook.

Inside were numerous clippings about the first owner of the Autumn Twilight Hotel—Yin Sen.

Yin Sen’s story was quite legendary; he was born to a prostitute and a foreign merchant, and in that era, mixed-race children were looked down upon, especially since he grew up on the streets with his mother.

But around the age of 25, he inexplicably became wealthy. Both the local underworld and the elite had to give him face, and he owned countless properties, with the Autumn Twilight Hotel being just an inconspicuous part of his vast wealth.

At 29, he suddenly lost power, and his previous collaborators turned against him. The murders at the Autumn Twilight Hotel were finally exposed. In the end, with nowhere to turn, Yin Sen committed suicide in the hotel, and his body was never found.

These were all publicly available pieces of information. However, the notebook contained some unknown content.

Yin Sen was interested in the occult.

He had collected many items with strange rumors attached to them, and it was said that the reason for his rise was related to these items.

His downfall was also connected.

There was a photo of Yin Sen in the materials. He wore a rather gentlemanly tailcoat, held a cane, and had a faint smile. His mixed-race appearance gave him a touch of Western aristocracy, making it hard to associate him with a murderer.

Xiao Lu saw a handwritten note: Yin Sen may have killed for some purpose of sacrifice.

Flipping further, there were some fragmented legends.

A deposed princess named Hong, after her country was destroyed, became a slave. After escaping with great difficulty, she made a vow to the gods and ultimately eliminated all her enemies, establishing a new country and becoming its queen.

The note read: Cost unknown.

In the desert, there was a tribe called the Daina, where a little girl made a vow to the gods at the cost of her own eyes, saving the oasis from drought. She was revered as a great sage for the rest of her life, leaving behind many records about the gods.

The note below: Wosa Sect, the Crow.

An elderly wealthy merchant named Bachi inexplicably returned to his youth one day but died three months later due to indulgence; cost unknown.

The northern king Heluge wished for eternal life, sacrificing thousands of people and countless treasures, only to be beheaded by rebels three days later.

Xiao Lu found this somewhat perplexing; these seemed to be legends about making wishes to the gods. Some succeeded, some failed, and the costs appeared to vary.

He flipped through the entire notebook but found no indication of what this god actually was.

At the end of the notebook were a few strange rules written:

– Only the giver can receive.

– Maintain humility.

– The greater the cost paid by the lamb, the more interested the god becomes.

– Special wishes can please the god.

Upon reading this, Xiao Lu suddenly connected the actions of Yin Sen and Principal Yang. One was slaughtering guests in the hotel, while the other chose to target the teachers and students in his own school.

Could it be that they were actually trying to make a wish to some existence?

But judging by the outcomes for both of them later, it seemed that this wish was not successful.

Xiao Lu wanted to continue searching for clues, but his ears caught the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

He glanced at the time; it was just about to be 12 o’clock. In such a short time, the principal had already returned. Why was he able to kill nearly a hundred people so quickly? It was much faster than he had anticipated.

There was no time to think further; Xiao Lu did not want to confront this guy head-on. He quickly put away the notebook and rushed out the door.

However, as he stepped out, the notebook in his hand vanished.

This room was no longer a room that existed. Naturally, everything belonging to it could not come into the outside world.

Looking back one last time, Xiao Lu no longer lingered and turned to call the two people and one ghost huddled in the corner to flee.

“Get up, we need to leave here!”

But he did not receive a response.

Xiao Lu looked at Sherlock and the others in confusion, only to see two terrified faces and wide-open eyes. They were not looking at him but at what was behind him.

A chill swept over him, and a cold voice echoed from behind:

“Still running around outside at this time? It seems you are all bad students…”