Chapter Thirty-Two: The One Who Is Sick Is Zhuang Dong

Why did the favorability rating drop?

Lu Yuan could not fathom it.

Yet, the bloody text vividly displayed before his eyes indicated that Zhuo Yan’s favorability had plummeted by five points in an instant. Lu Yuan remained composed on the surface, but inwardly, he felt a surge of anxiety.

The favorability could not drop any further!

If it fell even one point more, the status between him and Zhuo Yan would shift from "acquaintance" to "stranger." At that point, it would no longer be a matter of whether Zhuo Yan would help him, but rather whether she would kill him.

According to the television’s warnings, once the favorability with a specter drops to "stranger," the probability that the entity harbors murderous intent toward him rises sharply. Lu Yuan had initially been skeptical, but earlier, when he mentioned "Mingzhi Elementary School," Zhuo Yan’s reaction had been clearly off, and the coldness and murderous intent in her eyes had intensified instantly.

Clearly, this favorability system was real.

"Until I fully grasp how this favorability mechanic works, I must be extremely cautious and avoid touching Zhuo Yan’s sensitive nerves," Lu Yuan thought to himself.

"When are you leaving?" Zhuo Yan asked, her voice cold.

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment. "In two days. I’m not in a hurry, and it’ll give me some time to prepare."

Zhuo Yan stared at him in silence.

Lu Yuan shifted his gaze, feeling unnatural. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhuo Yan hadn't intended to ask, but she was genuinely curious. "Do you even know what kind of place Mingzhi Elementary School is?"

Lu Yuan was stunned. "Isn’t it just an elementary school?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Yan knew that Lu Yuan was completely ignorant of the school’s nature. "I hope you can make it out of there alive."

Lu Yuan’s brow furrowed. "Is Mingzhi Elementary School that dangerous?"

Zhuo Yan sneered, stood up, and walked toward the bathroom.

Lu Yuan was perplexed.

Moments later, the sound of An Shi’s heart-wrenching screams erupted from the bathroom, echoing through the villa, one after another. It was Zhuo Yan’s way of venting her foul mood.

A sense of crisis welled up in Lu Yuan. This Mingzhi Elementary School seemed incredibly dangerous; even a specter like Zhuo Yan showed an expression of resistance when it was mentioned.

"If I go in, can I come back out alive?" Lu Yuan worried. He was merely a living human. In terms of combat prowess, he was no match for Zhuo Yan.

An Shi’s screams grew more miserable with each passing moment, making Lu Yuan’s skin crawl. After a long while, Zhuo Yan emerged from the bathroom.

She wiped the blood from her hands with a towel, her mood clearly much improved. Lu Yuan looked at her again. The favorability had changed once more.

【Specter Name: Zhuo Yan.】
【Current Favorability Level: Acquaintance.】
【Current Favorability: 22.】

It had gone back up by two points. A flicker of realization crossed Lu Yuan’s eyes. So, when Zhuo Yan vented her negative emotions and hatred on An Shi, her favorability toward him increased accordingly. Lu Yuan contemplated this; he seemed to have found one way to raise her favorability.

Zhuo Yan ignored him. After wiping her hands clean, she sat back on the sofa and returned to her book.

Lu Yuan felt awkward. He wanted to sleep, but couldn't, yet without sleep, there was no one to talk to. Just then, the bloody text before his eyes changed again, though this time, it had nothing to do with favorability.

【Please provide psychological therapy to Zhuo Yan.】
【Respected psychologist, your relationship with Zhuo Yan far exceeds that of a typical specter. You may adopt gentler methods to treat her. Thank you for your dedication.】
【Reward: Mingzhi Elementary School map instance Luck Value +5, favorability of all specters in the map instance +10.】
"Our school has many disobedient children. They are mischievous, but not bad at heart. With your help, they will surely grow up healthy and strong." — A message from the Principal of Mingzhi Elementary School.

Lu Yuan stared at the text, deep in thought. This time, there was an additional message. To be honest, he had already begun treating Zhuo Yan; resorting to violence as an outlet for emotions was, in fact, the best therapy for a specter.

You cannot reason with specters, nor can you discuss life with them. The best way to treat them is to allow them to vent their hatred. Lu Yuan had assumed Zhuo Yan’s hatred was directed solely at An Shi, so letting her vent on him would likely be the cure. But now, it seemed it was not that simple.

Thinking of this, Lu Yuan looked at Zhuo Yan and softened his tone as much as possible. "We should be considered friends now, right? Can you tell me about yourself?"

Zhuo Yan’s eyes were strange. "You want to be friends with a specter?"

Where did Lu Yuan get the nerve!

Lu Yuan nodded naturally. "I don’t think specters are that hard to get along with. At the very least, you’re quite easy to be around."

Zhuo Yan hadn't expected that just because she hadn't killed him yet, he would consider her a friend. A strange living human.

Zhuo Yan did not understand.

"Let’s chat."

"You’re just reading anyway."

"Besides, I’m a living person. After I sleep, I’ll return to the real world. If you have any regrets in the real world, you can tell me."

"Maybe I can help you."

The rest was just chatter, but that remark about regrets in the real world touched Zhuo Yan. She set down her book, a trace of melancholy in her eyes. "I suppose I’m already dead in the real world."

Lu Yuan didn’t deny it. To appear in this world, the chances of being dead in reality were high. Of course, nothing was absolute. For instance, Lu Yuan himself was an anomaly, appearing in the Spirit Dream world as a living human.

Lu Yuan actually had many questions, and only Zhuo Yan could explain them to him. "Zhuo Yan, actually, before I entered here, An Shi visited me once."

Zhuo Yan looked puzzled.

Indeed! She didn't know about this. Since they were becoming friends, they should speak from the heart. Lu Yuan felt he should show some sincerity. "I am a psychologist in the real world. That afternoon, he came to my clinic and told me he had met a strange woman."

Lu Yuan kept observing her reaction. Zhuo Yan’s expression remained calm.

Unable to guess her thoughts, Lu Yuan continued, "The strange woman he spoke of was you." Then, he recounted everything An Shi had told him, word for word. Lu Yuan’s throat grew dry from talking.

After listening, Zhuo Yan remained silent for a long time. "An Shi lied to you. The person who went to his villa that day for treatment was not me."

Lu Yuan felt a spark of joy. As long as Zhuo Yan was willing to chat, things would become much simpler.

Zhuo Yan seemed stirred by the conversation, her voice dropping lower. "The one who was truly ill was my boyfriend. His name is Zhuang Dong, and he was also a teacher at Mingzhi Elementary School."

"About half a year ago, we were already discussing marriage. Then, one day, he suddenly changed, becoming someone I couldn't understand at all."

"He said there was another person living inside his head."