6 Flipping the table

As Zhang Yaoyang observed the eerie scene around him, an indescribable chill surged rapidly from his tailbone, crawling up his spine and seeping into his scalp, as if his entire head were about to explode!

Almost simultaneously, the supermarket lights began flickering madly, alternating between brightness and darkness until they abruptly went out with a snap!

Suddenly, the entire supermarket plunged into pitch darkness.

In the darkness, Zhang Yaoyang felt like he was suffocating. It dawned on him that the cold he felt earlier wasn't just from the air conditioning; it was an inexplicable chill, like being buried alive in a grave with corpses on a scorching summer day, a suffocating yet icy experience beyond words!

Driven by a strong survival instinct, he reflexively turned on the flashlight on his phone, illuminating a three-meter radius. To his shock, everyone in the supermarket had vanished, and the shelves and walls were charred, as if ravaged by fire!

"Yesterday, there was a fire at the supermarket we often visit, and many people died..."

Li Jian's words echoed in Zhang Yaoyang's mind, intensifying the chilling sensation. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the supermarket's entrance!

With a bang, a figure crashed out of the deformed supermarket doors, bringing warmth to Zhang Yaoyang's senses. As the eerie chill receded, he gasped for air, his adrenaline-fueled breaths quick and shallow.

After his breathing returned to normal, Zhang Yaoyang turned back, only to see the once-familiar supermarket now blackened by fire, a stark contrast to its previous state.

His phone vibrated again, a call from Liu Yang. Weakly, he answered, listening to Liu Yang's complaints about waiting for him at the supermarket entrance.

"Sunshine Supermarket, isn't it Beautiful Supermarket?" Zhang Yaoyang weakly asked.

"For heaven's sake, didn't you watch the news? There was a fire around 7 p.m. last night, dozens died!" Liu Yang retorted. "Didn't I tell you this morning?"

"Yeah, you did," Zhang Yaoyang replied, wanting to laugh but unable to, as he noticed police tape surrounding the entrance, indicating it as a crime scene. Yet, he distinctly remembered no such tape when he arrived.

Steadying himself, Zhang Yaoyang exited the taped-off area, glancing back at the burnt-out windows, feeling as though they were demonic eyes silently watching him.

He chuckled self-deprecatingly as he checked his stats, his SAN value dropping from 85 to 60 after the bizarre events. It was ironic, he thought, that amidst such strangeness, he still had the composure to check his status.

Perhaps it was this detachment that prevented him from losing his mind like Li Dazhuang?

Turning away from his fear, Zhang Yaoyang joined the crowd, heading towards his rendezvous with Liu Yang.

Soon, the three of them met up, and as they went shopping, Zhang Yaoyang's mind was consumed by everything he had encountered earlier. For a moment, he felt as if he was surrounded by ghosts, and his SAN value continued to slowly drop, quickly falling below 60, though the decline became slower until it finally stopped at 55.

Sensing Zhang Yaoyang's unease, the two of them decided to return to the dorm early.

Back in the dorm, Liu Yang and Li Jian started packing up their bedding. After choosing their dorms, Liu Yang once again asked for Zhang Yaoyang's preference.

With a slight hesitation, Zhang Yaoyang initially didn't want to move dorms. However, the supermarket incident made him feel uneasy, so he decided to move to room 602 with Liu Yang.

While packing his computer, Zhang Yaoyang suddenly noticed a popup in the bottom right corner of the screen, broadcasting news about the recent massive fire: "Forty-three people died in a major fire at a supermarket in Yanzhou last night!"

Seeing this, Zhang Yaoyang fell silent. Any remaining hesitation vanished, and he closed his computer, rolled up his bedding, and headed towards room 602.

He had no intention of discussing his past experiences. After all, even if he did, who would believe him?

Room 602 was located at the west end of the dormitory building, diagonally across from the public restroom, about four or five rooms away from their previous dorm. It housed six people in total, with four from neighboring classes. As they moved in, their classmates seemed welcoming enough, but the other four didn't seem pleased.

The dorm was cramped with eight people, making it crowded and noisy. Humans are territorial creatures, and having their living space invaded naturally led to some displeasure.

However, Zhang Yaoyang didn't mind. He was somewhat reclusive by nature and didn't enjoy crowds. Apart from his dorm mates, he couldn't even remember the names of many classmates.

Perhaps sensing Zhang Yaoyang's unfamiliarity, Liu Yang, who was usually more mature, suggested that they all go out for dinner that night. Initially reluctant, Zhang Yaoyang agreed, appreciating Liu Yang's kindness. Eventually, the eight of them headed to "Shrimp Feast Hotpot" near the school gate.

They rented a private room, ordered squid and dried shrimp pot, along with some side dishes and beer. As they sat around the table, conversation flowed. After a few rounds of drinks, a chubby guy named Tang Ning clinked glasses with Liu Yang, his face flushed with alcohol. "I heard someone in your dorm jumped off a building. What was the reason behind it? Can you tell me?"

Liu Yang sighed, a bit tipsy himself. "We're not really sure. Da Zhuang used to be fine, got along with us well. But suddenly this semester, he became all nervous. We asked him, but he wouldn't say anything. He just sat there playing with figurines, and in the end..."

"Figurines?" Tang Ning's disdain was evident. "Oh, you mean those toys otaku play with?"

Zhang Yaoyang, who had been smoking silently on the side, frowned and glanced at Tang Ning but didn't say anything.

"Why talk about this?" Liu Yang quickly changed the subject. "Come on, let's eat, let's eat!"

"Haha, why can't we talk about it?" Tang Ning chuckled, looking down on them. "I've always despised those otaku who are obsessed with anime. All day fantasizing about those so-called 2D beauties, probably indulging in delusions, right?"

Liu Yang looked embarrassed, knowing Da Zhuang had been their roommate for a year before his tragic end.

"Don't be upset. Let me tell you, these so-called anime maniacs are actually..." Tang Ning hiccupped, about to continue, but Zhang Yaoyang abruptly snatched Tang Ning's glass, placing it firmly on the table. "Buddy, you've had enough."

"You're the one who's had enough," Tang Ning chuckled, trying to grab the glass back, but his movements were sluggish, and he failed twice, feeling a bit embarrassed.

With a stern expression, he slammed his palm on the table and stood up with a bang, pointing at Zhang Yaoyang's nose as he cursed, "Kid, who do you think you are? If it weren't for me... *hiccup* If it weren't for me nodding, could you two move into our dorm? Damn it!"

As Tang Ning's words echoed, the atmosphere at the table fell silent, everyone feeling a bit awkward, unsure of what to say.

Zhang Yaoyang narrowed his eyes, glaring icily at Tang Ning.

"Hehe, let's just chat, no need to get so worked up," Liu Yang hastily interjected, trying to defuse the tension. But Tang Ning, fueled by alcohol, pushed Liu Yang aside with force, sending him tumbling to the ground!

"Damn you!"

Zhang Yaoyang erupted in fury, abruptly rising to his feet and gripping the edge of the table, with a forceful flip, causing a clatter as drinks spilled across the table, sending everyone scrambling back in fear, except Tang Ning, who sat directly across and was drenched in hotpot oil!

"Ah... you!" Tang Ning let out a shriek, hastily patting the soup off his body, but fortunately, it was dry pot, so the temperature wasn't high enough to cause burns.

Everyone stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.

As Tang Ning regained his senses, he instinctively wanted to retaliate, but when he looked at Zhang Yaoyang, he hesitated.

Zhang Yaoyang stood at over six feet tall, towering over him, and with his fierce demeanor, especially when angered, his eyes seemed ready to strike at any moment. With just a glance from Zhang Yaoyang, half of Tang Ning's drunken bravado dissipated.

"Fine... fine, let's see how this plays out!" Tang Ning hesitated for a moment, unsure of his next move. Eventually, he threw down a harsh remark and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.