Although the students were confused, the strangers stood unnervingly calm. They looked like they'd stepped out of a war zone—armed with blades, strange devices, and an air of practiced detachment. Shen Yi noticed them watching the students with thinly veiled amusement, as if the chaos unfolding was just another episode in a long-running drama.
Then he saw Xing Xing approach the group, her steps hesitant.
"Umm… you… can you tell us where this is?" she asked, voice trembling, eyes flicking away in fear.
A tall, thin man stepped forward, his smile sharp and mischievous. "Newbie?" he echoed, tilting his head. "How about following me?"
Ji Shuo, already on edge, stormed over and threw a punch. The stranger dodged effortlessly and retaliated in a blink—his blade grazing Ji Shuo's jacket with surgical precision. Not enough to injure. Just enough to humiliate.
Ji Shuo staggered back, clutching his shoulder. The tall stranger hadn't even flinched—his blade had grazed Ji Shuo's jacket with surgical precision, not enough to wound, just enough to humiliate.
"Temper, temper," the stranger drawled, twirling the blade like a bored magician. "You punch like a toddler. Or worse—like a protagonist in denial."
Xing Xing stepped back, eyes wide. Lu Yiming moved forward placing himself protectively between the stranger and shen yi.
"Who are you?" he asked, voice calm but firm.
The tall guy grinned. "Ah, the class president. Always so composed. Let's see how long that lasts."
Another stranger—a woman with short silver hair and a device strapped to her wrist—snorted. "They don't even know what a port is yet. This is going to be hilarious."
Shen Yi narrowed his eyes. "Port?"
The silver-haired woman turned to him, amused. "You're already in one. This building? It's not real. It's a waiting room. A joke, really."
A third stranger, younger-looking but with eyes far too old, chimed in. "You'll see. The realm opens soon. Tick-tock, countdown and all that. Then the real fun begins."
Lin Yi, still shaken, whispered, "What do you mean by 'realm'?"
The young one leaned in, voice mockingly gentle. "A realm is a lovely little place where cursed objects throw tantrums. You solve their riddles, survive their monsters, and if you're lucky, you get a shiny key. If not…" He made a slicing gesture across his throat.
Xing Xing looked pale, "Monsters?"
The silver-haired woman rolled her eyes. "Ghosts, beasts, hallucinations. Depends on the object's mood. You'll meet them soon enough. They love fresh meat."
Ji Shuo, still fuming, growled, "You think this is funny?"
The tall guy smirked. "Oh, it's hilarious. You're all stuck now. Magnetic field's already latched onto your souls. You'll keep slipping into realms even when you think you're safe."
Lu Yiming's gaze sharpened. "How do we leave?"
The young one pointed, "Get the golden key. Pray it works."
Shen Yi stepped forward. "And if it doesn't?"
The silver-haired woman smiled, teeth too sharp. "Then you stay. Forever. Or until you become one of the monsters."
The countdown ticked louder.
The strangers began walking toward the visible gate, their silhouettes warping slightly in the lantern light.
"See you outside," the tall guy called over his shoulder. "Try not to die too fast. It's boring when they scream too early."
The students stood frozen.
Shen Yi glanced at Lu Yiming.