The scroll was sent to Hanqin School by the people of Huishan town. It said that for the past five months, people had been disappearing at night, mostly young girls and children, boys and girls.
They disappeared without a trace, leaving nothing behind. That's what the scroll said.
Too little information. Min hoo thought.
______
"Teacher! We're ready!" shouted the students sitting on their horses. Their eyes were still burning with joy that they had been chosen to do a mission outside the Hanqin School grounds.
And of course, Xue Yang's bright violet eyes stood out the most. This is the main character after all. After the last incident where the five students bullied Xue Yang, Min Hoo had not seen anyone treat him badly anymore...he was not treated at all. But that was better than being bullied.
Min Hoo didn't understand or share his disciples' joy at completing the task. Who likes to risk their lives anyway? But Min Hoo was kind of excited, since this was essentially his first assignment as well.
"Alright, since you all are ready, we can head out." Mo Chou replied with a nod, turning around to get into the carriage.
Min Hoo sat down on the soft couch in the carriage and put his leg over his leg, resting his head comfortably on the backrest.
Min Hoo in his past life also knew how to ride a horse, because he had taken classes on it. And he can also easily say that he hates horses...He used to suffer a lot because of them, and his back was always hurting.
So he's glad that with his current 'status' he can ride a cart.
The group set off, descending down the mountain. The journey to Huishan town would be about 15 hours, so they left early in the morning.
______
Min Hoo woke up abruptly, squinting at the rays of the afternoon sun coming through the carriage window. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. The gentle rocking of the carriage had put him into a deep sleep, but now he could hear voices outside. It was the first time in a long time that he was able to really sleep.Who dares to wake him up?
Xue Yang appeared at the window, his black hair glistening in the sun, his face glowing with enthusiasm. He didn't seem tired at all after a ten-hour ride on horseback.
"Teacher! Senior Shixiong said that we have about five hours left! His voice rang with excitement, as if he had just discovered a treasure.
Min Hoo frowned. Senior Shixiong? He had to think for a moment before it dawned on him—he had appointed someone to this title during the trip. Technically, he was the oldest student at the moment.
"Who? What?" Min Hoo managed to say, still trying to fully comprehend the situation.
Xue Yang tilted his head slightly, confusion reflected on his face. "Senior Shixiong Liu, of course! Liu Feng, you appointed him to lead the trip this morning."
Right. Liu Feng, a brash but capable eighteen-year-old boy. How could Min Hoo appoint someone young to lead a long trip and then fall asleep himself? Min Hoo himself had completely forgotten about it.
Min Hoo straightened up on his couch, pulling himself together and reminding himself of the role he had to play in front of Xue Yang and the others.
"Tell him not to waste time chatting," he replied coldly, suppressing any notes of tenderness that might have slipped into his tone during their conversation. "We need to move on."
"Yes, Teacher! Xue Yang's cheeks turned slightly pink with determination, he nodded enthusiastically and trotted back to Liu Feng.
When Xue Yang left, Min Hoo leaned back against the plush upholstery of the carriage again, but this time he found it difficult to relax. This pretense was exhausting—keeping your distance while feeling a twinge of affection for Xue Yang was like walking a tightrope over a precipice.
He shook his head slightly, dismissing all thoughts of warmth or camaraderie. The system was always on the alert; it would be too easy to provoke her anger again with a casual smile or a kind word. No matter how much he used to think that electric shocks are not fatal, but it hurts. And again, he doesn't like pain, and it's better to avoid it anyway.
The group's laughter could be heard outside as they continued their journey towards Huishan City. These students resembled little chickens-and Min Hoo, in Mo Chou's body, was their 'mother hen'. Ming Hu himself chuckled softly at the thought and closed his eyes again.
_________
"We need five rooms with two beds and one room with one bed." said Min Hoo, looking at the young girl standing across the counter. After a long and boring ride, he really wanted to collapse on the soft bed.
"Okay, you owe me..." before the girl could say anything, a bag of gold was in front of her.
"No change." said Min Hoo with a completely nonchalant look.
"..." What kind of noble man is this? He's also handsome!
The girl smiled sweetly and nodded to the maid standing next to her, telling her to escort the group of spellcasters to their rooms.
When they arrived, Min Hoo furrowed his brows and glanced towards the ten disciples to say. "There should be two people in each room, no more. Don't make any noise and go to sleep, we'll do this task tomorrow. Liu Feng, you as the senior, keep an eye on it."
Liu Feng nodded, and a proud smile appeared on his face. The other nine disciples looked at him with strange faces, but did not dare to go against the Elder's word.
Min Hoo finally opened the door to his room and closed it, drowning out the students' voices. Well, finally...
Min Hoo threw off his shoes, and a quiet thud echoed through the quiet room. He collapsed onto the bed, feeling the fatigue from the journey creeping into his bones. The same white hanfu he'd been in all day was comfortable enough, and he didn't bother changing out of it. Sleep beckoned, and he was more than ready to give in. The insomnia no longer possessed him, and he didn't even wonder why he wanted to sleep so badly if Mo Chou's body didn't need sleep. Could it be on a psychological level?
Just as his consciousness began to sink into sleep, a familiar but unwelcome voice resounded in his head. "Greetings, Host. Your mission is about to begin."
Min Hoo groaned, squeezing his eyes tighter. "Go away, System. I just want to sleep."
The System, obedient warden as always, ignored his request. "The disappearance of the residents of Huishan City is your main concern. You must investigate and solve this problem."
"Tomorrow," Min Hoo muttered, covering his head with a pillow as if it could drown out the System's voice. "I'll play detective tomorrow."
"The answer is no," the System replied, and its robotic tone got on Min Hoo's nerves. "The assignment begins now. You are to gather information from the townspeople tonight."
Min Hoo jumped up, his eyes sparkling. "Now? It's the middle of the night! People are asleep, the system. Normal people sleep at night."
"If you don't comply, your points will be deducted," the system warned, and a blue translucent dialog box appeared in Min Hoo's field of vision, displaying his current points.
Min Hoo frowned and ran a hand through his long white hair. "Fine. But if I get attacked by some angry farmer for waking him up, I'll blame you."
The system remained silent, taking that as agreement. Min Hoo sighed and lowered his feet off the bed. He grumbled when his feet touched the cold floor, he already missed the warmth of the bed.
He strode to the door, pulling on his boots. The inn was quiet, the only sound was the distant buzzing of night insects. He stepped out into the cool night air, the moon casting long shadows on the deserted street.
"Where should I even start?" - Min Hoo muttered, looking around the sleepy city.
The system joined the conversation: "Interview the townspeople. Gather evidence. Show some initiative, Host."
Min Hoo snorted. "That's easy for you to say. You're not the only one wandering around in the dark and knocking on strangers' doors."
He walked down the street, the houses on either side dark and silent. The night promised to be long. He approached the nearest house, raised his hand to knock, then stopped. He sighed, lowering his hand. No, he couldn't do this. Even though he was now in Mo Chou's body, he still had a sense of shame.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered, turning away from the door. "I'm not going to bother these people in the middle of the night."
The system squeaked disapprovingly. "You're violating the terms of the mission, Host!" the System's voice was clearly expressing displeasure, and it was likely that if Min Hoo didn't listen to it now, it would strike him with a lightning bolt.
Min Hoo shrugged his shoulders and headed back to the inn. "Then write down my points. I'm not a monster, system. These people deserve to get some sleep."
The system was silent for a moment, then a blue dialog box flashed in front of Min Hoo's eyes. His glasses shrank, but he didn't care. He pushed open the hotel door, climbed the stairs to his room, and collapsed onto the bed.
Sleep possessed him instantly, the System's protests sidelined. Right now, Min Hoo just wanted to rest. The task could wait until morning.
But when Min Hoo was halfway to sleep, somewhere distant, the same voice sounded again.
"The punishment is being downloaded..."
"...The punishment is ready."
Min Hoo was tossing and turning in bed, the silk sheets coiled around him like snakes. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moonbeam peeking through the window. His dreams were not peaceful; they were a whirlwind of faces and voices, a chaotic symphony that made his heart race.
Drip.
Drip.
Suddenly, the chaos condensed into a familiar figure. Mo Chou stood in front of him, his golden eyes were cold and piercing. His white hair was loose and flowed down his back with a cascade of snow. He was dressed in his trademark white khanfu, but the elegance of his attire was spoiled by the cruel grin on his face.
"You're pathetic," Mo Chou spat out, and his voice echoed throughout the empty space of the dream. "You think you're different from me? You think you're better?"
Min Hoo tried to retreat, but his legs were приро to the spot. He opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't utter a single word. He could only stare at the man who was both him and not him at the same time.
Mo Chou took a step forward, keeping his eyes on Min Hoo. "You're a coward, Min Hoo. You hide behind your sarcasm and books, but you're just as cruel as me. You're just as willing to hurt others to get what you want."
Min Hoo shook his head, finally regaining his speech. "No, that's not true. I'm not like you. I care about people. I care about Xue Yang." he spat out these words with force, his voice was unaccustomedly hoarse.
Mo Chou laughed, and that harsh, squeaky sound sent goosebumps running down Min Hoo's back. "You care about him? You're using him, just like me. You're manipulating him for your own purposes...How pathetic this boy is, no one cares about him..."
Min Hoo's heart was pounding frantically in his chest. He wanted to deny it, wanted to shout that it wasn't true. But the words stuck in his throat, choking him.
Mo Chou took another step forward, his face was a few inches away from Min Hoo's face. His eyes were crazed, his hot breath touching Min Hoo's skin.
"You're no different from me, Min Hoo. You're just a coward who doesn't want to admit it."
Min Hoo tried to retreat again, but he was already pinned against the wall. Mo Chou swung his hands, pinning him in place. His fingers, as if they were iron, dug into Min Hoo's shoulders.
"Let me go!" exhaled Min Hoo, trying to break free. But Mo Chou was too strong. His grip was like a vise, unyielding and unbreakable.
Mo Chou's mouth opened incredibly wide. His teeth were no longer human teeth; they were fangs, long and sharp, glistening with saliva. His split tongue stuck out like a snake's.
"You can't run away from me, Min Hoo," Mo Chou hissed in a whistling whisper. "You can't run away from yourself."
Min Hoo's heart was pounding frantically, his breathing was intermittent and sharp. He could feel panic rising within him, threatening to overwhelm him. He had to leave, had to escape this monster that was both him and not him at the same time.
But Mo Chou's grip was unbreakable. His eyes were like golden flames burning through Min Hoo's soul. "You're just like me, Min Hoo. You're just as cruel, just as heartless. You're just as willing to hurt others to get what you want."
Min Hoo's chest squeezed sharply, so much so that it was difficult for him to breathe, only a dry cough could escape from his mouth.
But Mo Chou's laughter echoed in his ears, a sharp, squeaky sound that sent shivers down his spine. And his words echoed in his head, a cruel, unyielding truth he couldn't escape.
"You're pathetic."