My Healing Games

Chapter 840 The Assessment Begins (5000)

The pain buried deep in his heart lessened somewhat, and the soul standing beside the tombstone seemed to see a way home.

Number Four stopped struggling, letting the starlight pierce through the thick fog of death, a feeling that was all too familiar.

He vaguely remembered that every time he contemplated suicide, someone would stubbornly come and try to persuade him. That person would do useless things time and time again, until finally, every time he was about to die, the image of that person would unconsciously appear in his mind.

With his tense nerves relaxing slightly, Number Four spread his five fingers and looked at the light in his palm.

The power to heal the soul is never strong; it is like the eternal starlight shining on the barren heart, gentle, silent, and never leaving.

After the treatment concluded, Han Fei received a system notification indicating that the treatment was highly successful, the healed personality was strengthened, and Han Fei himself gained resistance to death. As for the patient's condition, that was outside the scope of the system's notification.

"Feeling better?" Han Fei withdrew his hands, the bridge to touch the soul was broken, and the deathly intent that was about to be suppressed in Number Four's eyes calmed down.

Number Four neither nodded nor shook his head. His gaze softened, but his words remained firm: "There are many people with healing personalities. You are clearly not the kind of person I want to see."

"You can come to me when you can no longer suppress your will to die. It's not just you..." Han Fei looked at the other students in Class 7: "You can come to me if you have any problems with your personality or mental state. No matter what, I am your teacher, and I will be responsible for each and every one of you."

The atmosphere was already set, and Han Fei wanted to take this opportunity to get closer to his classmates, but the chaotic footsteps in the corridor interrupted his mood.

"Teacher Gao, come out here for a moment." Director Ya stood outside the door and waved to Han Fei. He looked terrible, as if he hadn't slept all night.

"What happened?" Han Fei leaned on the edge of the desk and stood up with all his might. Anyone who saw him would think that his condition had worsened again.

“Teacher Ma left the school last night and hasn’t come back yet. I heard from the students that he seemed to have talked to you alone last night? Do you know where he went?” Director Ya’s eyes reflected Han Fei’s figure, and his eyes gradually became different from those of a normal person, as if he was using some kind of ability on Han Fei.

"He's terrified of today's assessment and wants to trade his black card for my white card. Of course, I won't agree. Entering the Black Tower in my current state would be certain death." Han Fei possesses masterful acting skills and is a professional sleuth; finding a flaw in his words is no easy feat.

Director Ya looked puzzled. He had also suspected Han Fei, but after considering everything, he realized that Han Fei was simply incapable of killing Ma Jing.

Standing outside Class 7, Director Ya frowned in thought, unaware that the students and teachers of Class 7 were all putting on a show.

In two days, the student and the person in charge each resolved the issue of one teacher.

"Come to my office with me. The other teachers are here too. Let's discuss tonight's assessment." Less than 24 hours before the assessment, two teachers were murdered, which is rare in previous years.

Upon entering the conference room located in the office building, the other teachers were already in place, while the principal sat alone at the end of the conference table, shrouded in an ominous aura.

"Principal, everyone's here." Director Ya gestured for Han Fei to sit down. As soon as he finished speaking, the meeting room door closed automatically, the thick curtains were drawn shut by an invisible force, and the room temperature began to drop rapidly.

“I’m often not at school, so many people may have forgotten why I became the principal.”

A sinister and terrifying voice rang in everyone's ears; the principal's voice was like a venomous blade piercing straight into their souls.

“Some of you are trading with the Yin merchants, some are keeping contraband, some have sacrificed half of their memories to worship evil gods, and some have joined forces with survivors from other strongholds in an attempt to destroy the school I built with my own hands.”

The principal raised his head, and none of the teachers present dared to meet his gaze.

"Human nature is inherently selfish, and it's normal for you to make choices that are more advantageous to yourself, but you must not cross the line in anything."

The principal raised his arm and took out a black box from under the table. He pushed the box in front of Zhang Menglan, the person in charge of Class 8: "Open it."

Confused, Zhang Menglan lifted the lid of the black box. When she looked inside, her face turned deathly pale.

Inside the black box was a human head. The man was handsome, with wide-open eyes filled with anger and resentment.

“I know your boyfriend of eleven years is not dead, and I also know that you went through life and death together in the disaster and had all sorts of touching experiences. I admire your loyalty to love, but that is not a reason for you to collude with outsiders.” The principal rarely asked any questions; every word he spoke was a final conclusion, a verdict.

"I didn't collude with outsiders! I didn't do anything to betray the school!" After a brief moment of distraction, Zhang Menglan was overwhelmed by boundless pain. She seemed to have lost all her strength. If Yan Lan hadn't helped her up, she might have collapsed to the ground.

“Perhaps you didn’t intend to betray the school, but he really wanted to overthrow it.” Director Crow dumped some bloodstained documents on the table: “Your boyfriend is the messenger of the largest survivor stronghold in Area C, and the recent unrest around the school is somewhat related to him.”

"Impossible! He's just an ordinary person who hasn't even awakened a personality!"

“You love him deeply and trust him, but he’s using your relationship. Perhaps in his eyes, the lives of the survivors at the outpost are far more precious than your love.” Director Ya was gradually breaking down Zhang Menglan’s psychological defenses, while Han Fei, sitting on the edge, picked up the bloodstained document and began to read it.

Before the catastrophe, the total population of the major urban districts of Xinhu exceeded 20 million, but now there are less than 1 million survivors still living in the city, mainly concentrated in three survivor strongholds: the Disaster Investigation Bureau in District C, Free Port in District D, and Hope New City built on the edge of the city.

Hope New Town has the largest population, accommodating nearly 500,000 people, who have explored new ways to survive after the disaster.

The free port, connected to other cities, is a key transportation hub controlled by humans, and a large number of residents with special personalities risked their lives to protect it.

The Bureau of Calamity Investigation has the fewest personnel among the three strongholds, with less than 50,000 people. However, it is the only stronghold that has penetrated deep into the city and is the only one that is still fighting the monsters head-on and seizing various buildings in the city.

However, none of these things attracted Han Fei the most. His gaze lingered on a page of a report, a blood-stained sheet of paper bearing the photo of the female director of the Calamity Investigation Bureau.

Han Fei could hardly believe his eyes; the female bureau chief was none other than Li Xue from many years later.

"If everything goes in the worst possible direction, if I fail to stop the consciousness of Joy and Dream, then everything I experienced in the memory world of Joy Shrine may become reality someday in the future."

Looking at the information about Li Xue, the female director of the Investigation Bureau's former teacher and senior brother all died in the disaster. They used their blood and flesh to buy time for the survivors and tried their best to stop the disaster, but in the end they still failed.

"Gao Xing deduced the worst possible future in the shrine's memory world, so in order to be sure that this future will happen, he shouldn't kill Li Xue in reality."

The documents on the table broadened Han Fei's horizons, allowing him to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the city.

The three strongholds together have a population of nearly 700,000. The remaining living people are scattered throughout the city, many of whom have become food and sacrifices for the monsters, like "schools".

Ghosts need negative emotions and despair, so they don't kill all the living. They only let people live in a dark and hopeless situation, stimulating human nature to become even more grotesque.

In the meeting room, only Han Fei was calmly flipping through the documents. Everyone else was too afraid to speak because of the tense atmosphere. They had all done something wrong before. In the past, the principal didn't pursue it, and everyone turned a blind eye. But when the foundation of the school was shaken, the principal put everything on the table.

"A teacher was murdered, and another teacher went missing. Are they both related to your boyfriend?" The principal looked at Zhang Menglan indifferently. "Blindfold the piglets so they won't see how beautiful it is outside. Besides, what if the so-called Hope New City is another school?"

Zhang Menglan's boyfriend spread information about other survivor strongholds near the school, secretly trying to win over and undermine the school-centered system, which crossed the principal's line.

"The school is short-staffed right now, so I won't pursue the matter further, but this is a one-time exception." The principal said he wouldn't pursue it, but his words were in stark contrast to the still bleeding head on the table. How could someone who could make deals with the Black Building during a major disaster possibly be merciful?
“I’m not interested in what any of you here have done or what you’re hiding, nor do I want to interfere. But if you mess up what I’ve assigned you, this box might contain your heads next.” The principal closed the black box and took out eight lists: “Write down the names of all the students who are participating in the assessment. There absolutely cannot be any accidents tonight.”

The assessment list on the conference room table looked more like a death list; the cruelest and darkest blood sacrifice would begin tonight.

Some teachers started writing immediately after receiving the list, while others gripped their pens tightly but couldn't write a single word. They knew that each name represented a living, breathing human life.

“Ma Jing is missing, and I will lead his Class 3 tonight.” The principal stood up, carrying a black box, and looked down at everyone: “Furthermore, I warn you again, do not take any chances. There is only one way out for you, and that is to honestly assist the school in completing the sacrifice.”

The meeting room was completely silent. Only after the principal left with the black suitcase did everyone dare to breathe.

Zhang Menglan was jolted awake from her daze. Her fingernails had dug into her flesh, and blood was flowing out from under her nails, but she seemed completely unaware of it, clenching her teeth tightly.

“Those outsiders who survived are not necessarily good people. The principal is responsible for the lives of all the living people in the school and the surrounding area. I don’t expect you to understand him, but I hope you won’t do anything foolish again.” Director Ya sighed: “Death may also be a relief, so you don’t have to struggle anymore.”

As the teachers left, Wang Chuqing wanted to comfort Zhang Menglan as he passed by, but seeing her appearance, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

In the end, only Zhang Menglan, Yan Lan, and Han Fei remained in the large conference room. Yan Lan didn't know how to comfort Zhang Menglan; all she could do was stay by her side.

Han Fei used this time to memorize all the information in those documents. The Calamity Investigation Bureau, located in District C, had been contacting various schools deep in the city. Those members of the investigation bureau who disregarded their own safety and traveled between cities were called messengers.

"They haven't even awakened their personalities yet, but they still dare to deliver messages in a city overrun by ghosts and monsters. Perhaps they are the true possessors of fearless personalities." Han Fei admired such people. In any era, no matter how bad the situation, there will always be people who stand up without hesitation, wanting to use their own backs to support the collapsing sky.

"Are you implying something?" Yan Lan, as the owner of the Fearless Personality, disliked Han Fei's way of speaking.

"I just feel it's a pity. You clearly possess the strength to crush ghosts and monsters, and are invincible in direct combat, yet you can only escort sacrifices to ghosts and monsters. On the contrary, those ordinary people who can't even struggle in front of ghosts and monsters are doing the right thing one after another..." Han Fei hadn't finished speaking when he felt an astonishing killing intent. Yan Lan stood beside the conference table, her knuckles clashing against the metal, making a chilling sound.

"Want to kill me? Do you dare? Can you do it?" Han Fei also stood up. He walked to Zhang Menglan's side on his own, completely ignoring Yan Lan: "I'm not good at comforting people, but I want to tell you that tonight might be an opportunity."

He leaned close to Zhang Menglan's ear and whispered, as if the devil were singing: "An opportunity to kill the principal."

"Don't listen to him!" Yan Lan shoved Han Fei aside and stared at him warily: "This person is dangerous."

“Doing the right thing can certainly be dangerous.” Han Fei leaned on the table. “If you had children, would you want to see them being sold and picked over like piglets in a pet market?”

After putting down the blood-stained documents, Han Fei said nothing more and walked outside.

Back in Class 7, Han Fei wrote the words "Self-study" in large characters on the blackboard, then picked up a chair and sat down next to student number two: "Teacher Ma Jing has been murdered, and the principal will lead his Class 3 to participate in the assessment. What are your plans?"

Han Fei tried to prove himself and gain Number Two's trust by touching the secrets deep within the soul, but to his surprise, when his consciousness entered Number Two's mind, he found only a blank space.

“My way of thinking is different from normal people, so you can’t see anything.” Number Two was drawing something on his notebook with a pen.

"Teacher, please don't interfere in our affairs." Class monitor number five walked over: "You just need to lead us out of the school tonight and take care of the children with the later numbers for us."

"sure?"

"Your ability is healing, so of course you should use it to handle logistics. Who sends a medic to the front lines to fight?" Number Four sneered. His opinion of Han Fei had changed a lot, and he would at least take the initiative to talk to Han Fei now.

"Is it possible that I'm also very strong?" Han Fei felt that these students didn't really understand him.

"It's not a matter of strength." Number Two had finished his artwork, which consisted of two blooming flowers: "Tonight, apart from Number One, no one else will make a move."

"You're letting him stand against the principal alone?"

Han Fei was startled. He turned to look at the tall Number One, who was smiling at him: "I am the eldest brother of all the children, so naturally I will stand in front of them."

"Teacher, don't worry. Number Two has considered hundreds of different scenarios. Even if we fail, we have several escape routes." The class monitor winked mysteriously: "The Bureau of Investigation's messenger won't die in vain."

The school bell rang, and Han Fei began his self-study again.

The arguing outside the school didn't stop until evening. Nighttime is when ghosts are active; crowds attract ghosts, and those unclean things mingle in the crowd and follow some people home.

"It's time to go."

Strange music played over the school's loudspeaker, and the school bell rang three times in a row.

After the students in each class were ready, they walked out of the classroom one by one as the last ray of light disappeared below the horizon.

After the principal personally checked the list and confirmed that all students were present, he opened the school's back door, which had been closed all along.

The rust crumbled, the dull sound particularly jarring in the night, and a chilling aura seeped into the campus.

Looking out into the unknown darkness, all the students were incredibly nervous. Fear lingered on their youthful faces, and no one knew what awaited them next.

The clock on the campus office building ticked slowly, time passing in anticipation.

As night deepened and the distant buildings were completely swallowed by darkness, the principal opened the glass bottle beneath his black robe and released a severely wounded resentful spirit.

In front of all the students, the principal tore apart his resentment and smeared the aura of hatred on each student.

"If you want to annihilate ghosts and monsters, you need to have an even more terrifying will than they do. This is something that can't be taught in the classroom; it can only be honed in the face of life and death and despair."

"Those with weak willpower and special personalities are prone to becoming ghosts after death. Therefore, what we need is not special personalities, but ghost slayers with unwavering willpower!"

"Everyone, prepare to depart! The assessment begins!"

On their young faces were resolute expressions, and their eyes shone with a light rarely seen in the face of such a great disaster. Because of their innocence and naivety, they retained the most beautiful expectations.

As he watched those bright eyes disappear into the darkness, Han Fei slowly clenched his fist, lowered the brim of his hat, and waved behind him.

"Class Seven, keep up!"

(End of this chapter)