After establishing his relationship with Ji Xiaoxiang, Li Qingming also stopped talking, and simply zipped up his jacket, crossed his legs, and leaned back in his chair, calmly observing the people around him.
Thank God, they had finally given up on the idea of breaking out.
As the scene quieted down once again, Han Chun became the center of attention once more.
At that moment, he was sprawled on the ground, buttocks poked out, his body having stiffened completely. His frozen posture still resembled that of a snail-man, with his eyes rolled back motionless and his hand stuck in his throat.
As for his face, no one dared to take a closer look.
The rest of the people had retreated to the walls, naturally forming several groups. Some bowed their heads and wept, some looked around vigilantly, and even more were still trying to turn on their mobile phones.
After about a dozen seconds of silence, someone finally couldn't help but speak.
"Stop trying, electronic devices are useless in the Secret Realm..."
"Is Old Han... dead?"
"Why him... Is this a Secret Realm that randomly drives you mad?"
"Somebody tie up my hands... I don't want to end up like that..."
Hearing this, Cai Zhixin, who had been staring blankly at the wall, suddenly widened his eyes, excitedly stroked his middle-parted hair, and exclaimed, "I've got it, brothers! This is a rule-based Secret Realm! The rule is to bind our hands! Otherwise, we'll all end up grabbing our own throats!"
No sooner had he finished his words than he bent down to untie his shoelaces, but his hands were shaking so badly that he dropped them time and again.
After exchanging looks, the crowd erupted.
"Shoelaces!"
"Tie me up, please!"
"Do mine first!"
"How can you tie me up if you're already tied up?"
Thus, many people hurriedly began to undo their shoelaces, while others turned to search for more rope-like items.
But there were also quite a few who remained still.
Binding one's hands seemed like an overly foolish move; anyone with a bit of sense wouldn't resort to such a desperate remedy.
Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, Ji Xiaoxiang grew a little bolder and lightly tapped Li Qingming, suggesting considerately, "Um... do you want me to tie you up too?"
"Don't be like that, it's too amateurish," Li Qingming said, hands in his pockets, his gaze casually sweeping over the crowd. "These people will try every stupid thing once. If there really are any rules, we'll just watch what happens to them."
"Won't you share your strategy with them? Wouldn't it increase the survival rate?"
"No, no, no, they are part of the strategy. I need them to trigger traps and attract monsters. If something troublesome shows up, they can serve as human shields or bait, and they might even be used as weapons, like pulling out their spine to make a sword," Li Qingming said, nodding towards the crowd, "Remember these people who are eager to bind their hands. They are completely controlled by emotions, having no bottom line or brains. When the time comes, we can exploit their herd mentality, and there's no need to feel sorry for them when they are sacrificed."
"Wow! You're so professional!" Ji Xiaoxiang exclaimed with her hand over her mouth, "Did you come here before?"
"No, but I do feel a sense of belonging, like coming home," Li Qingming looked up and took a deep breath, saying, "I'll be honest with you, I haven't felt this relaxed in a long time."
"Now that you mention it... I've also unconsciously relaxed!" Ji Xiaoxiang said, tapping her chin, "It's magical, I usually only relax like this at night, when I'm home alone..."
"...Oh no." Li Qingming suddenly tensed up, "If I go home late, Miao Miao will go hungry."
"Your place allows pets?"
"My room is rather spacious, and Miao Miao doesn't run around."
"That's great... My place is small and poor, and I've signed up for so many beauty salon memberships... ugh ugh ugh... I eat so much even as a freeloader..."
"You keep emphasizing how much you eat, are you hinting that I have a responsibility to provide food?"
"Ah no!! I didn't mean that at all, I got carried away... I'm sorry for burdening you, I apologize, I apologize..."
While Li Qingming and Ji Xiaoxiang chatted idly, on the other side, Ye Qian and Zhang Qingyi, who were seated in the back row by the window, had fallen into a long silence.
Ye Qian had been sitting upright at his desk the entire time, and although his white shirt had already been soaked through and his brain had crashed a while ago, his idol-like temperament somehow remained intact. Even his stunned gaze carried a hint of deep thought.
Perhaps this was the power of being handsome.
As for Zhang Qingyi, who was sitting in the row in front of him, after her eyes had wandered restlessly for a long time, she finally couldn't help but turn around and pat Ye Qian's desk, suppressing her voice, "Take me with you..."
Startled by such a pat, Ye Qian shook all over and was pulled back to reality.
"I've said it, I don't have any secret power," he said, panting heavily, trying to answer steadily.
"You must have some, your uncle is a director of a big corporation... He must have a lot of secret powers, shouldn't he leave one for his closest nephew to save his life?"
"You're thinking too much," Ye Qian replied with a casual smile. "My uncle has sixteen nephews and eighteen nieces, he probably never even remembered my name."
"So you really don't have any secret power?" Zhang Qingyi asked reluctantly.
"If I had any, I would have left long ago," Ye Qian shook his head emphatically.
"....... Aaahhhhh... Dammit!!!!" Zhang Qingyi suddenly burst into a fit of rage, glaring around the room with no surprise when her gaze landed on Li Qingming. She pointed directly at him and shouted, "There! That person has finally got his day! We're all going to be killed by him!"
As if awakened by her accusation, Zheng Ruixing, who had been kneeling alone next to Han Chun, suddenly turned his head, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at Li Qingming.
"Li Qingming, couldn't you go outside and show off your power... Why do you have to harm us?"
With this question, everyone's gaze also turned toward the corner by the door.
Unlike their past exclusion and fear of Li Qingming.
Now, in their eyes, there was only anger and sorrow left.
All this had to have a reason.
Someone had to take the blame for the mishap!
Li Qingming! It could only be Li Qingming!
It was all him, all because of him!
Now the Secret Realm had finally descended upon the one who desired it most!
Why did it have to be among us!
Why hadn't Han Chun driven him away sooner!!
Facing the hostile gazes of the entire class, Li Qingming thought for a long time before he finally spoke up.
"I don't understand," he said, his face expressionless.
"What's there to not understand, did you forget already?" Zheng Ruixing looked at Li Qingming hollowly, his voice growing weaker, "Just now, at the moment Nether Domain erupted, you turned around and said 'Really?' What exactly... exactly why... You were about to leave, so why come back... You brought this Nether Domain here, didn't you, otherwise what were you excited about at the time?"
"Different matter," Li Qingming retorted, already finding the conversation tasteless, "It doesn't matter anymore."
"What doesn't matter, it does matter!" Zheng Ruixing, turning to Han Chun and wiping away tears, choked up, "Also, Han Chun, you never took your eyes off him while struggling just now, even now you seem to be admiring him... Are you pleased with his condition? After being together for so long, do you not feel even a hint of pity or shame?"
"Enough, I can't be bothered to explain to an amateur," Li Qingming said dismissively, gesturing that he could shut up.
Seeing his contemptuous gesture, everyone felt insulted, and their anger at the tips of their hearts was thoroughly ignited, erupting into a collective outcry.
"So you're the only one who understands? Then do something about it!"
"What kind of Secret Realm expert! When it really comes to it, you're no better than Cai Zhixin!"
"Stop pretending! You're so scared you can't even stand up, aren't you?"
"Speak up! Why aren't you talking now! Now you know fear?"