Chapter 32: Torrential Rain

"What are you looking at? By the way, are you hungry?"

The class monitor's question pulled Luo Di's thoughts back from the window. Checking the time, it was already 7:30 PM; he had to admit that time flies when watching a movie.

"Nothing. Just a moment."

In less than fifteen minutes, Luo Di brought out four freshly steamed buns from the kitchen, along with a large plate of shredded pork with preserved mustard greens and sour radishes.

"Let's eat while we watch."

Perhaps it was some kind of trigger, but the class monitor suddenly became so excited she nearly jumped off the sofa.

"This is so blissful! I could never do this at home; if I did anything else while eating, I'd be scolded to death."

She imitated Luo Di, piling the stir-fry and pickled radishes into the bun in the right proportions. As she took a bite, a rich layering of flavors bloomed in her mouth.

While enjoying the delicious food, her eyes were simultaneously taking in the entertainment on screen. It was a first in her life. For something that would be perfectly normal for most people, it stimulated the class monitor's nerves, activating her tear ducts; she didn't even realize that liquid was seeping out.

"Luo Di... thank you."

Luo Di, holding a bun in one hand and doing curls with the other, remained focused on the movie plot, but this time he gave a soft response.

"Mm."

...

Without the need for a night run, they had plenty of time in the evening. The two watched three movies in a row, even discussing them in between, with Luo Di explaining some of the film's background settings, providing trivia about the origins of the killers, and detailing their various abilities.

The class monitor sat cross-legged, just as she did in class, almost ready to take notes.

[10:40 PM]

As the credits rolled, the viewing for the day came to an end. The class monitor stretched her body backward, yawning repeatedly.

"Happy times always pass so quickly. Luo Di, it's fine if there isn't an extra blanket; I won't be cold covered in my down jacket. Your heating is quite strong; I'm even tempted to take my socks off."

However, Luo Di, who was squatting in front of the television to retrieve the disc, suddenly blurted out:

"Sleep in my room."

"Huh? Didn't you say I should sleep on the sofa?"

"I'll make a floor bed for you in the room... I've been thinking, the residential complex is still under lockdown, and I have a faint, unsettling premonition."

Luo Di still remembered the outline he had glimpsed outside the window a few hours ago. Although it was highly likely he had misidentified it, he was unwilling to take any risks as long as there was even the slightest possibility.

"...Okay, alright."

It was the class monitor's first time entering a male peer's bedroom, and she was going to spend the night there, so she was somewhat nervous. But at the same time, the thought of exploring Luo Di's mysterious bedroom stirred up some excitement.

Entering the bedroom, there was none of the strange odor or scattered clothing she had heard about in girls' gossip; it was as neat as the rest of the house.

It was a simple bedroom layout: sliding blackout curtains ensured the interior could not be seen from outside; a five-foot-wide bed with integrated cabinets was paired with a desk just large enough for one person.

However, compared to the minimalist style of the rest of the house, Luo Di's bedroom had quite a few miscellaneous items. Various posters related to B-movies were stuck on the walls, and several exorcism novels were neatly stacked at the head of the bed. As for the discs, Luo Di had stored them in the desk drawer.

"Wow, did you draw this?"

The class monitor's unease was immediately defeated by her curiosity. She hurried to the desk, where a [mask] hand-drawn by Luo Di was displayed. One could see that every line had been crafted with great care, and there were many sketches regarding mask designs pressed beneath the books.

"Yes."

"It's so cool! I feel like it has more character than the masks of the killers in tonight's movies."

"I plan to have the mask in the drawing custom-made once I get my entrance exam bonus."

"You can do it now~ I'll pay for it; just consider it the cost for today's meals and lodging."

"No... let's wait until graduation."

Luo Di found bedding from the top of the wardrobe and laid it out on the floor.

"Luo Di, do you have any shorts? The kind you wear outside when exercising? Could you lend me a pair for the night... I didn't pay much attention while watching the movies, and my pantyhose are a bit sweaty. It'll probably be very uncomfortable to sleep in them. Also, I need a towel. If you really don't have one, I can just use some clothes to wipe myself."

"You're going to shower?"

"Of course~ I was exercising at home with you today, and the heater hasn't been turned off, so I didn't notice I was sweating quite a bit."

Luo Di tossed her a set of folded athletic shorts and a daily t-shirt. "Take the pants, and use the shirt as a towel. I'll wash them together after you leave. As for a toothbrush and such, I don't think I have any spares, so you'll have to make do with your fingers."

"Alright."

"Go ahead and shower."

As the sound of the shower came from the bathroom, Luo Di went to his desk and took out a notebook from the depths of the drawer, carefully recording everything that had happened that day.

Although his [daily routine] had been completely disrupted, he didn't feel the usual irritation; instead, he felt a rare, positive mood.

After finishing his diary, Luo Di went to the balcony again to feed the hornbill, took the opportunity to check the location of the air conditioning unit, and verified that the window was locked.

Confirming everything was in order, he returned to the room and carefully placed his knife under the mattress, where he could reach it at any time during his sleep.

When he looked up again, he happened to bump into the class monitor walking in.

But it wasn't quite as he had expected; the class monitor was wearing the oversized t-shirt and shorts, and in her hands, she held her folded turtleneck sweater, skirt, and white pantyhose.

"Didn't I tell you to use the clothes as a towel? Why are you wearing them?"

"Your t-shirt is much more comfortable to wear, and this sweater is quite hot... besides, I rarely wear these kinds of clothes anyway; I've actually been quite uncomfortable all day."

"Then what did you use to wipe yourself?"

"I'll pay you back with a roll of toilet paper tomorrow~"

"Let's sleep. It should be lifted by tomorrow morning."

The door and windows were all double-locked. The overhead light was turned off, but the bedside lamp remained on, ensuring the indoor light stayed within a fixed range.

Under normal circumstances, the bedroom curtains would also be drawn back to ensure that light from outside could penetrate, maintaining sufficient brightness even if the power went out. Tonight, because of the class monitor's stay, Luo Di had drawn the curtains.

About five minutes later, the class monitor's voice came from the floor: "I can't sleep at all... shall we chat?"

But the only response she received was a light snoring.

"Tch~"

The class monitor's arm reached out from the bedding, moving along the bed, intending to touch Luo Di's arm, but eventually, she pulled it back.

Wrapping herself tight in the quilt, she slowly drifted off to sleep while listening to the white noise created by the heavy rain.

...

A ray of morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, landing right on Luo Di's face.

Perhaps it was because the 'unusual' events of yesterday left Luo Di feeling exhausted, as sleepiness was struggling to keep his eyelids closed, making his vision blurry.

In the haze, Luo Di, who was sleeping on his side, caught a glimpse of the bedding in front of him protruding; the outline was that of a slender, reclining human body.

This stimulation woke him instantly. His vision was occupied by pitch-black hair, and a patch of pure white shoulder was exposed—only, there was a scar on the otherwise flawless shoulder.

In an instant, Luo Di's thoughts slowed down. He couldn't understand why the class monitor was sleeping next to him, and naked at that.

Just as he reached out to touch the class monitor's shoulder, *Bzz!* The wristband vibrated.

He received a text message. The sender was [Wu Wen].

"Luo Di, the residential complex was unsealed last night. My family is in a hurry for me to go back. You were sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to wake you. I'll come find you to hang out again in a few days (¬‿¬)."

Luo Di's entire body went rigid. His other hand had already moved toward the machete under the mattress. Of course, he didn't strike the person beside his pillow immediately; the text could just be a prank by the class monitor.

With a machete in one hand and his other hand gripping the shoulder of the person beside his pillow, he tried to turn her over to confirm her identity.

As he applied gentle pressure, the person beside him began to turn slowly, moving from lying on her side to lying flat.

There were no facial features. The entire face consisted of only a single, massive mouth in the center—withered and covered in scorch marks, resembling a hellish abyss.

The interior was stuffed with tongues of various sizes. When Luo Di looked at these tongues, the little things immediately tensed up and slapped against the walls of the oral cavity in unison.

*Tap!*

The intense sound of slapping tongues swept through his mind, and the surrounding scene shattered.

Luo Di opened his eyes once more.

He was truly awake. It was not morning; the bedside lamp was still on, and the wristband displayed the time: [02:40 AM].

"A dream..."

Luo Di subconsciously looked to his side. There was only him on the bed; the class monitor was sound asleep on the floor mat.

Perhaps because he hadn't gone for a night run, his body hadn't fully expelled its fluids, and a strong urge to urinate hit him.

Without disturbing the class monitor, Luo Di walked on tiptoes and quietly left the bedroom.

The rain was still pouring. The shock of the nightmare had left his brain exceptionally clear. As Luo Di finished in the bathroom and walked back toward the bedroom, his ears suddenly caught a discordant sound.

It was the sound of rainwater splashing into the house.

He decisively headed to the living room; the balcony window, which should have been closed, was slightly open.

The moment Luo Di realized the problem, *Click*—the power cut out.

The lights in the house went out simultaneously. Fortunately, the streetlights outside remained on, preventing the house from being plunged into total darkness.

*Boom!*

A bolt of thunder occurred at the perfect moment.

On the ceiling between Luo Di and the bedroom, a monster with an indistinct face was clinging to the ceiling.

It was hard to say it was human-shaped, because this thing had heads on both the front and back, with black hair dangling and swaying in the air...