Chapter 5: Shadows in the Hallway

The Haunted Academy was a labyrinth of shifting corridors and oppressive silence. Despite their earlier banter, even Xu Yunfei's usual lightheartedness couldn't mask the tension thickening around them. Every step they took into the dimly lit hallway seemed to carry them farther from safety—and deeper into something unnatural.

---

The walls stretched endlessly, adorned with flickering sconces whose flames refused to die despite the lack of fuel. Shadows flickered erratically, their movements too deliberate to be mere tricks of light.

"I bet if we turn around right now, the room we left won't even be there," Yunfei remarked casually.

Zhihao's hand tightened around his sword hilt. "Stay focused."

"Oh, I am. I just like setting the mood." Yunfei stopped mid-step and tapped his chin. "Actually, wanna bet? I'll give you three silvers if it's still there!"

Before Zhihao could respond, a low growl echoed from the end of the corridor. Both men turned sharply toward the sound.

From the shadows emerged a massive, hulking figure. It was humanoid but grotesque, with elongated limbs, sharp claws, and eyes that glowed faintly red. Its twisted face split into a wicked grin as it took a step toward them.

"Well, hello there," Yunfei said brightly. "A welcoming committee! How thoughtful."

The creature lunged without warning, its claws slashing through the air with a speed that belied its size.

Zhihao moved like lightning, his blade slicing cleanly through the creature's arm. It let out a screech of pain but didn't stop, swinging its remaining arm toward Yunfei.

"Oh no, not today!" Yunfei said, summoning a glowing sigil that exploded upon contact with the creature. It staggered back, smoke rising from its charred skin.

"Nice teamwork!" Yunfei said, giving Zhihao a thumbs-up. "We're like peanut butter and jelly."

Zhihao ignored him, advancing toward the creature with precision and deadly intent.

Before he could strike again, a voice called out from the shadows.

"Stop!"

Both men froze as a figure stepped into view—a young woman, perhaps eighteen or nineteen, with long black hair and piercing green eyes. She wore the tattered remnants of a student uniform, her expression a mix of fear and determination.

"Don't kill it," she said, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hands. "It's just a guardian."

---

The creature retreated at her words, slinking back into the shadows as if ashamed. Zhihao lowered his sword but kept it at the ready, his eyes narrowing.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The girl hesitated before responding. "My name is Lin Mei. I've been... stuck here for a while."

"Define 'a while,'" Yunfei said, stepping forward with his usual grin.

She glanced at him warily. "Long enough to know how things work around here. You're new, aren't you?"

"First day!" Yunfei said cheerfully. "But don't worry—we're fast learners. Right, Zhihao?"

Zhihao didn't respond, his focus still on the shadows where the creature had disappeared.

"You shouldn't be wandering the halls," Lin Mei said, her tone urgent. "Especially not at night. That thing wasn't trying to kill you—it was trying to warn you."

"Warn us about what?" Yunfei asked.

"The others," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "The ones who don't follow the rules."

---

Lin Mei led them back to an abandoned classroom, its windows boarded up and its desks pushed against the walls. A single candle burned on the teacher's desk, casting flickering shadows across the room.

"Welcome to my safe zone," she said, closing the door behind them and locking it with a rusted key. "It's not much, but it's better than the hallways."

"So, Mei-Mei," Yunfei said, plopping down on one of the desks. "How'd you end up here?"

She flinched at the nickname but didn't correct him. "I was a student here... before it became like this. One day, everything changed. The teachers, the other students... they all disappeared. The academy became a prison, and the rules appeared."

"And you've been surviving here alone ever since?" Zhihao asked, his voice neutral.

She nodded. "It's not easy, but I've managed. I learned the hard way that the rules aren't just suggestions—they're absolute."

"Yeah, we got the memo," Yunfei said, pulling the parchment from his pocket. "No midnight strolls, no mirror selfies, and definitely no chatting with creepy librarians."

Lin Mei's expression turned serious. "It's not a joke. The consequences for breaking the rules are... severe."

Yunfei leaned forward, his grin softening. "You seem to know a lot about this place. Care to share?"

Lin Mei hesitated, then nodded. "There are... layers to this academy. The deeper you go, the more dangerous it becomes. But if you can reach the headmistress's office, there's a chance to escape."

"And let me guess," Yunfei said, tilting his head. "No one's ever made it that far?"

Her silence was answer enough.

---

Their conversation was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Lin Mei's face paled.

"No," she whispered, backing away.

The knock came again, louder this time.

"Who is it?" Yunfei called out, his tone annoyingly casual.

"Don't!" Lin Mei hissed. "Don't talk to it!"

But it was too late. The door creaked open, revealing a tall, pale man dressed in a tattered suit. His face was smooth, almost doll-like, with eyes that seemed to pierce through the soul.

"Good evening," the man said, his voice eerily polite. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation."

Zhihao stepped in front of Lin Mei, his sword raised. "Who are you?"

The man ignored him, his gaze settling on Yunfei. "You're new here," he said, smiling faintly. "I can always tell."

"Guilty as charged," Yunfei said, leaning back on his desk. "And you are?"

The man inclined his head. "You may call me the Administrator. I oversee... certain aspects of the academy."

"Great!" Yunfei said, clapping his hands. "Maybe you can tell us how to get to the headmistress's office."

The Administrator's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, ambitious, aren't you? But I must warn you—the path ahead is fraught with peril. Few have dared to tread it."

"Sounds like my kind of challenge," Yunfei said, his grin unfaltering.

Lin Mei grabbed his arm, her nails digging into his sleeve. "Don't trust him," she whispered.

The Administrator chuckled softly. "Wise advice, little one. But I am not your enemy... yet."

Before anyone could respond, the candle flickered, and the Administrator vanished, leaving behind only the faint scent of sulfur.

---

A Plan Formed

"Well, that wasn't ominous at all," Yunfei said, standing and stretching.

"We need to leave," Lin Mei said, her voice shaking.

"Not yet," Zhihao said, sheathing his sword. "You said the headmistress's office is the way out. How do we get there?"

Lin Mei hesitated, then sighed. "The path starts in the library. But that's where the man from the rules is."

Yunfei's grin returned. "Perfect. I've been dying to meet him."

Lin Mei stared at him like he was insane—which, to be fair, wasn't entirely inaccurate.

"Don't worry," Yunfei said, patting her on the shoulder. "We've got this. Right, Ice King?"

Zhihao didn't respond, but the determined glint in his eyes was answer enough.