[This story is purely fictional and takes place in an imaginary world, unrelated to any real people, events, or objects. If it is censored, then so be it.]
[Minors under 18 (especially boarding students) please! Read! With! Caution!]
[「I AvgruNnen av tåKe og mørke jaGer forTapte Sjeler fanTome」]
——Text——
[Volume One "Classmates"]
In the mid-May of X999, a group of hikers ventured through mountainous terrain near City S and inadvertently stumbled into a village.
According to those involved, the homes in the village were orderly, clothes and quilts were hung out to dry, and crops like soybeans were laid out, yet the place was eerily devoid of people.
Feeling that something was amiss, the hikers prepared to leave but, as the sun had set and nightfall was approaching, they decided after some discussion to set up tents outside the village and spend the night under moonlight before departing.
That night, however, people inexplicably began moving about in the supposedly deserted village, and the hikers could see, through the slits in their tents and the dim moonlight, many figures moving stiffly, which scared them out of their wits.
But these villagers did not venture far from the village, so the hikers managed to avoid a calamity.
At daybreak, the hikers quickly packed up and fled the mountains, only to find that lifelike human sculptures had appeared on the original path since no one knew when.
After departing, they reported the incident, but despite official investigations, it led to no conclusions.
In early June of X999, the suburban area of City S was fully closed due to official land use planning...
——"Secret File HX-S1"'
Chapter One Student Regulations
May 6, X023.
On Highway 103 winding through the mountains, a blue coach crawled through a light drizzle.
Entering deeper into the mountains, mist began to thicken, causing the blue coach to turn on its headlights, their twin yellow beams struggling to cut through the fog.
「Click... Clack...」
The blue coach jolted over potholes on the rugged mountain road, rousing Lin Yi who had been napping at the back.
He tousled his somewhat disheveled hair, rubbed his eyes, and glanced down at his watch.
17:13.
Lin Yi breathed onto the coach window to fog it up, wiped it with his hand, and then leaned his face against the glass to peer outside.
The drizzle combined with the grey mist enshrouded the wilderness, and the silhouettes of trees on the rugged mountain paths twisted in the fog like menacing figures.
Sounds of clashing swords from a martial arts movie echoed around him, and turning his head, he realized it was playing on the embedded TV in the coach.
Suddenly, the martial arts movie dissolved into static, and a cyclic broadcast blared amidst the fizzling electric noise:
「In half an hour, the vehicle will reach City S University. Passengers who have not yet memorized the "City S Student Regulations," please hurry up. If you can't memorize them, ensure you carry the regulations with you...」
The passengers on the bus gradually woke up at the sound of the broadcast.
"We're finally almost there," said Wei Liang, Lin Yi's college classmate, yawning and glancing out at the fog, "The climate in the mountains is like this; rain and fog are common. If there's weird weather, stay indoors; then there won't be any danger."
"Yeah," Lin Yi nodded. Concerning the eerily mysterious City S University, the rumors online were many, some even tinged with metaphysical elements, yet they failed to deter hordes of university life "Experience Students."
The reason was simple: Experience Students who completed a seven-day stint could earn a hefty monetary reward.
Unlike other life experiences where one had to pay out of pocket and potentially get scammed by various organizations, City S University's university life experience was extremely free. It was said that merely abiding by the student regulations and living for a full week in the school could fetch a thirty-thousand cash reward.
When the experience announcement first went viral online, everyone treated it as a joke until some YouTubers and influential bloggers actually went, experienced it, and genuinely received a substantial reward, prompting a large influx of Experience Students.
Lin Yi had been skeptical about such schemes, but Wei Liang had indeed received the cash reward.
So Lin Yi had to believe it.
Today, Wei Liang sported a casual grey hoodie and a baseball cap, its brim casting a shadow that made the already lean Wei Liang seem even more languid.
Wei Liang was a returning user—City S University not only didn't discourage repeat experiences but even encouraged this "returning user" behavior.
Wei Liang had completed an experience at City S University a week earlier, so when Wei Liang came back this time, a somewhat cash-strapped Lin Yi took it as a chance for a summer hustle by joining him.
Joining Lin Yi were four roommates: the monkey-thin Mao Feiyang, the typical fat guy Wei Shan, the bear-like Tian Bufan, and the tall, thin Kuai Hongji, who looked a bit anemic.
Lin Yi glanced back at the last row of the bus, where his four roommates uniformly maintained their deep slumber, resembling dead pigs.
"Did you memorize the student regulations?" Wei Liang lifted the booklet in his hand and nudged Lin Yi with his elbow.
Lin Yi nodded: "Memorized... But honestly, it's bizarre that the student regulations are really the same as what was spread online."
Wei Liang spoke earnestly: "It's indeed mystical, but I must tell you, no matter what, you must remember to follow the student regulations."
"Also, after you get your Student ID card, it's best to keep it readily accessible along with the regulations."
"Whenever you're confused, make sure to grab them in your hand first."
"Ah?" Lin Yi was startled. After entering the mountain road, Wei Liang seemed to be muttering more than usual.