The issues with the Meditation Method, due to the lack of information, cannot be further explored for the time being.
As the only technique Tang Qi can practice now, he won't abandon it; it's normal for his power to grow daily and to encounter risks.
Having tidied up, Tang Qi directly went to the processed area on the first floor; even though it was the scene of a confrontation with the killer, after Stanna's negotiations, the dismembered corpses were transported away overnight, and the police would compensate for the homeowner's—or rather, Tang Qi's—losses.
Looking at the nearly destroyed wall, Tang Qi casually made himself some breakfast, and after eating, he went off to class.
A night passed, and the atmosphere in Saint Thorn High School was completely different from yesterday.
The shocking murder case was set to cause a huge stir, but it was snuffed out as soon as it began, due to Tang Qi's intervention.
With official forces involved, public opinion naturally turned to praise the efficiency of Messer City Police Station.
However, within Thorny High School, many people were still discussing the case.
The students were bursting with interest, while the teaching staff breathed a sigh of relief, looking much more relaxed and cheerful.
Adults always have more concerns than these immature kids.
A serial killer brutal enough to skin four blossoming young girls alive hid within a campus full of teenagers; if the time had been a bit longer, those staff members would have been scared out of their wits.
Now, this was for the best.
Of course, this warm atmosphere was, as usual, irrelevant to Tang Qi and Sally.
The main reason still lay with Sally. Initially, Tang Qi thought Sally was isolated by nearly all students because she was tormented by clubs like the Sisterhood and Brotherhood.
But after observing for a few days, Tang Qi realized this was probably not the primary reason.
Sally's position within Saint Thorn High School was a bit strange, not completely one of being bullied. Most students avoided her as though worried about catching something undesirable from her.
Like... bad luck.
These, in fact, were things Tang Qi learned after a day of classes, reminded by numerous students both openly and covertly.
Compared to Sally, Tang Qi's outward image was actually quite good.
After all, this body was handsome, from a well-off family, behaved properly, and had the record of beating a popular senior—without Sally's drag, Tang Qi might have easily joined the ranks of popular boys.
Many students perhaps out of kindness or sympathy were offering reminders.
This made Tang Qi think of the nickname he heard the first time he met her, which seemed to be "Unlucky Sally."
He vaguely understood something, but Tang Qi did not accept their goodwill.
Tang Qi had two purposes for coming to Saint Thorn High School:
First, to use the mysterious power here to avoid facing the Samra family for the time being.
Second, to disguise himself as an ordinary high school student while learning about this whole new world.
Since it's all an act, the current situation is the best.
There's no need to become a popular student or make too many friends; an ordinary Asian student who quietly studies and has only Unlucky Sally as a friend couldn't be more suitable.
This is what Tang Qi thought, and this is what he did.
For him, of course, it was no big deal but quite ordinary.
Yet for Sally, it was somewhat extraordinary.
Sally had also seen some of the reminders to Tang Qi from other students, so when she found that she hadn't lost her only friend Tang Qi after school, her pretty face hidden behind the exaggerated black-framed glasses immediately revealed a bright smile.
But soon, she restrained herself and with an uneasy expression, whispered to Tang Qi, "I really have bad luck, and those who befriend me will share in that misfortune."
Faced with the girl's very kind reminder, Tang Qi smiled faintly and said, "It's okay, I'd like to see just how unlucky I can get. If such a miraculous phenomenon exists, I might happily accept it."
As he spoke these words, Tang Qi couldn't help but recall the experiences that had happened since he met Sally: first-day school bullying, then ruffians, and finally the Blank Dog-faced Man. An odd feeling swept through the depths of Tang Qi's heart.
However, he quickly suppressed it and comforted Sally to avoid her continued worry.
Tang Qi said he was planning to borrow some materials from the Messer Library but didn't know the way, hoping the girl could guide him.
Sure enough, Sally was diverted and agreed happily.
But as soon as they stepped out of the teaching building's hall, they were startled by the bustling atmosphere outside.
Surrounded by the four teaching buildings, the shaded path area was filled with many tables and stands, as well as some tents. Numerous male and female students were each busy, with long lines in front of many tables and some with barely any visitors at all.
There were also quite a few students holding flyers and the like, shuttling around to distribute them.
"This is... I remember now, today seems to be Society Recruitment Day."
"One of the traditions of Saint Thorn High School, all school societies hold a mass recruitment on this day, mainly targeting freshmen in the ninth grade."
Seeing Tang Qi's confusion, Sally promptly explained.
Tang Qi glanced around and indeed saw that each of the tables and tents had prominent signs with society names. Among them, the most popular were undoubtedly societies like the dance club or the boxing club, which gathered popular students.
The less frequented ones included some odd and quirky societies, such as the Clown Club, Ancient Costume Club, and Bad Jokes Club.
Tang Qi didn't look at those popular clubs; his gaze focused specifically on the obscure societies in the corners.
But after scanning the area, he didn't find his target.
"Sally, I heard that there is a society at Saint Thorn High School called the Ascetic Society?"
Tang Qi asked casually.
At the question, Sally furrowed her brows, and just as she was about to ponder, it seemed she suddenly remembered something and immediately said, "The Ascetic Society, I remember now. It seems they were disbanded yesterday."
"Disbanded?"
"Yes, I heard it was because the instructor from the Bright Church in Secret Phoenix State felt the students didn't need to participate in Ascetic practices, and he ultimately disbanded the society and returned to the church in Secret Phoenix State."
"I see, I had wanted to witness the charm of the Ascetics."
Tang Qi slightly narrowed his eyes, his mind envisioning the place he saw on his first day at Saint Thorn High School and later, when he rented the small building, an area marked as the Ascetic Society's activity area by Pastor Benny, centered around a bell tower in a secluded location.
Sally's words now explained why, in the past few days, Tang Qi had not seen the strange scenes of the Ascetic Society practicing that Pastor Benny mentioned.
It turned out that the society was suddenly disbanded.
This inconspicuous clue, however, deepened Tang Qi's suspicions even more, coupled with the treasure map of the Confessor that was sent away with Stanna's help last night, that one number, that hint of a conspiratorial scent, grew even stronger.
"In addition, in the entire campus, there's still one place I have not checked out, that place, is one."
He thought of many things in his mind, yet his expression was calm.
However, the urgency in his heart became even more difficult to dispel.
"Let's go, before the Messer Library closes."
Tang Qi lowered his eyelids, and spoke lightly.