Chapter 5 Dormitory

Ravenwick Theological Seminary, Doctoral Residence Area

Silas led Liam and the other four new students into the hall, where they waited for approximately ten minutes. Finally, a woman in her forties hurriedly stepped out, her expression composed yet brisk.

"Professor Silas!"

"Hello, Assistant Ava!" Silas immediately stood up to greet her.

"There's been a change in plans. Dr. William has an urgent meeting and must leave right away," Ava explained with a serious demeanor. "He won't be able to meet with the new students today. Please take them to the dormitories for now, and we'll reschedule the introduction when he's back."

Silas paused briefly before nodding. "Understood, no problem."

"We waited all this time for nothing," the greasy man grumbled from his seat on the bench, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction. "What a waste of time."

No one paid him any attention. Instead, everyone silently stood and prepared to leave. Just then, Ava approached the group and softly asked, "May I know which one of you is Liam?"

"Hm?" Liam turned around and politely responded, "That would be me. Is something the matter, ma'am?"

"Please share your communication code with me," Ava said in a calm tone. "Dr. William requested it. He'll be reaching out to you for something."

"Oh, sure." Without hesitation, Liam brought up the holographic projection on his phone and used the face-to-face feature to add her as a contact. "May I ask what Dr. William needs from me?"

"I'm not sure," Ava replied, adding Liam to her contacts. "I'll pass your communication code along to Dr. William. That's all."

With those few words, she left in a hurry, her efficiency leaving no room for further questions.

Liam, with his thoughtful and observant nature, could already deduce that Dr. William's request for his communication code was likely related to his father. This development seemed to bring him one step closer to unraveling the mysteries that had long troubled him. Perhaps Dr. William could finally explain why so many people had urged him to come to this academy.

Since Dr. William was occupied with his meeting, the scheduled mentor introduction was canceled. Silas patiently escorted the group back to the new student dormitory area.

The dormitory surroundings were not vastly different from the rest of the campus. The area was surrounded by neatly trimmed lawns, with solar-panel fences sectioning off certain zones to provide water and electricity to the dormitories—both systems highly efficient. To the right of the dormitories was a natural lake. Though modest in size, it was the kind of feature rarely seen in bustling urban areas.

In summary, the dormitories shared the same aesthetic as the rest of the campus: a blend of desolation intertwined with the raw beauty of nature.

Among the five "lowest-scoring newcomers," one was a girl. Naturally, her accommodations were separate from the boys', so Silas escorted her to her dormitory first. This visibly disappointed the lecherous young man in his twenties, who lamented, "In such progressive times, why are we still stuck with outdated gender segregation?"

Hearing this, the greasy man immediately chimed in, "Obviously, the academy's worried you'll come here as a student but leave with an entire platoon of kids."

The lecherous man burst into laughter at the remark, extending his hand with a grin. "Sir, it's clear we're like-minded! My name's Andrew. I'm studying Traditional Chinese Medicine."

The greasy man shook his head with a smirk and offered his hand in return. "Like-minded? Hardly. My kid's already four years old, and her mom's a professional MMA fighter. Our marriage is rock-solid. At most, consider me your senior." He grinned. "I'm Matthew. As for my field of study… you'll find out soon enough."

Nearby, seeing that Andrew and Matthew had already begun introducing themselves, Liam felt it would be impolite to remain silent. He stepped forward, extended his hand, and said, "I'm Liam, 18 years old, studying biological genetics."

"Nice to meet you, Liam!" Andrew, grinning slyly, approached to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you too," Liam replied with a nod, then turned to offer his hand to Matthew.

"I know who you are," Matthew said softly, shaking Liam's hand. "I followed your family's case closely. Personally, I think there's something very unusual about Sophia's behavior. We should talk more about it sometime."

Liam was caught off guard, his mind swirling. "What do you mean by 'unusual'?"

"There will be plenty of opportunities to discuss this later," Matthew replied cryptically, his tone as mysterious as his demeanor.

After the introductions, all three turned their attention to the cold-faced young man, silently prompting him to speak.

The young man, who appeared to be in his early twenties, glanced at them briefly and responded in an indifferent tone, "My name is Samuel."

With those simple four words, Samuel managed to establish an emotional distance as vast as a thousand miles. The others, noticing his aloof expression and his unchanging, stoic demeanor, quickly lost interest in engaging further.

What's there to be so arrogant about? they each thought. We're all here as students. Sure, you might be slightly more impressive, but who's going to beg you for anything?

With that, Liam, Andrew, and Matthew naturally gravitated toward one another, engaging in casual conversation. Meanwhile, Samuel remained at a distance, silently observing the surrounding scenery with disinterest.

After a short while, Silas returned, walking briskly toward them with a cheerful smile. "Alright, let's head to the men's dormitory," he said warmly.

Half an hour later, Silas finished distributing the academy-issued supplies to the group of new students and escorted the four of them to Dorm 107 before taking his leave.

Throughout the process, Silas maintained his patience and professionalism, even going so far as to share a comprehensive dormitory management guide and the academy's code of conduct—both of which he had personally compiled.

Inside the dormitory, Liam surveyed the surroundings with satisfaction.

Dorm 107 was a standard accommodation at Ravenwick Theological Seminary, designed to house four residents comfortably. The total area spanned approximately 160 square meters, with four large, south-facing windows that let in ample sunlight. Despite all dormitories being located on the ground floor, the rooms were bright and airy during the day.

The dorm featured private amenities, including an independent bathroom, a dining area, a reading room, and four sleeping pods arranged in a bunk-bed style.

These sleeping pods, colloquially known as "bread pods" due to their large, enclosed design resembling a loaf of bread, were manufactured by Lumora Technologies. The pods featured a fully enclosed design, offering one-touch sleep mode, advanced temperature control, and ventilation systems. They were also equipped with full holographic projection systems for studying, entertainment, or movie viewing. Furthermore, the pods allowed users to connect directly to Infinity Haven via neural interface technology.

The primary concept behind these pods was to enhance sleep quality and alleviate daily fatigue. Their sleep-aid system was meticulously designed to align with human physiological needs, making them a popular choice for many middle-class households.

For couples, there were even double-sized pods available, some of which came with "nightlife assistance" systems—an impressive and thorough consideration of various needs.

Although the dormitory was already clean and tidy, the group still instinctively began tidying up the corners after moving in. During this process, an amusing incident occurred.

As soon as Matthew entered the room, he threw his luggage onto the lower bunk of a sleeping pod and placed a few personal items on the bed. Stretching lazily, he announced, "Alright, fellas, I'm off to the restroom!"

What was supposed to be a quick trip turned into over 40 minutes. By the time Matthew returned, the rest of the group had already finished cleaning the room. He casually sprawled out on the lower bunk, declaring, "This spot's perfect. I'm claiming it—it's super comfortable."

"…The lower bunk is easier to access, no climbing ladders. I want it too. Why don't we draw lots?" Samuel said coolly, his tone devoid of emotion.

"There are only four of us. What's the point of drawing lots?" Matthew retorted with a grin. Turning to Liam and Andrew, he asked, "You guys don't mind if I stay here, right?"

Liam chuckled lightly. "I don't mind."

Samuel frowned slightly and glanced at Andrew. "Do you want the lower bunk?"

Andrew, cheerful and seemingly easygoing, shrugged with a smile. "It's fine. I'll take the upper bunk."

Hearing this, Matthew smirked and said in a mocking tone, "See? I told you, we're all in the same dorm. What's the point of making a fuss about lots?"

Samuel shot him a sharp look but chose not to respond.

Matthew patted his stomach and cheerfully suggested, "Let's head to the cafeteria for a meal. It's almost 1 p.m., and I'm getting hungry."

"Sounds good," Andrew replied, placing his belongings on the top bunk of Pod 04. He turned and called out to Samuel, "Join us?"

"I'll pass. You guys go ahead," Samuel said curtly, kicking off his shoes and climbing into his sleeping pod. With the press of a button, the pod door slid shut.

Whoosh!

The pod entered privacy mode, its walls displaying flowing starry patterns, making it impossible for anyone outside to see inside.

"Seriously? Locking himself up in broad daylight—is he planning to handle himself? Can his body even take it?" Matthew jeered before rising to his feet. "Alright, let's go!"

Although the plan was to dine together, Matthew managed to slip away to the restroom just as it was time to pay for the meal after they'd finished ordering.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Liam muttered, "This guy's treating us like fools. I suggest we wait for him to come back and settle the bill together."

"Forget it. I'll cover it," Andrew said, reaching for his smartwatch to process the payment.

"It's not about the money."

"Oh, come on," Andrew retorted with a smirk. "The guy already has a kid, and his wife's a mixed martial artist. That's a tough life. Why get worked up over him? Just treat him like a cancer patient. It's charity." With that, Andrew paid for all three meals. "Consider it a good deed."

"Fine. I'll go pick up some drinks and a few essentials for you guys," Liam offered, his tone calm. Though not one to hold grudges, Liam wasn't overly friendly either—a characteristic shaped by his life experiences.

And so, Matthew got himself yet another free lunch.

In the afternoon, after finishing their meal, the trio strolled around the academy, soaking in its atmosphere and familiarizing themselves with the campus layout.

Late evening, around nine o'clock.

After a long and tiring day, Liam returned to the dormitory, took a refreshing shower, and climbed into his sleeping pod, ready to rest.

Above him, Andrew was still engrossed in reading some materials. Below, Samuel remained out of sight, holed up in his pod since the afternoon as if he were in confinement. He hadn't emerged even once, nor did it seem like he had eaten anything the entire day.

Diagonally across on the lower bunk, Matthew was using his holographic projection device to chat with his wife and child. Out of curiosity, Liam sneaked a glance at the screen, noticing that Matthew's wife appeared to weigh at least 70 kilograms. Andrew was right, Liam thought with a wry smile. His life really is tough.

"Smack!"

Liam stretched, letting out a contented sigh, then reached out to close the pod door, enveloping himself in the sealed chamber.

The flowing starry ceiling within the pod shifted gently, its light alternately dimming and brightening in a mesmerizing display. Liam pulled up the control panel out of habit, intending to switch off the temperature control system. As someone prone to severe headaches and a biology student himself, he had never been fond of using devices like humidifiers or air purifiers.

However, after searching for a while, Liam discovered that the pod lacked an option to disable the temperature control system. To enjoy the one-touch sleep mode, the temperature controls were mandatory.

"What a terrible design!" Liam grumbled, grabbing two rolls of tissue from his bag and stuffing them into the air vents to block the airflow. He then adjusted the pod settings to his preferred values and began to ease into sleep.

Before long, Liam drifted into a peaceful slumber.

12:30 a.m.

"Hiss!"

Inside Liam's sleeping pod, a sudden hissing sound broke the silence. The tissues that had been stuffed into the temperature control vents were forcefully expelled, and an invisible gas began to flow into the pod's sealed chamber.

Half an hour later, the door to Dormitory 107 swung open. A man clad entirely in black, his face concealed behind a mask, stepped silently into the room. His head turned slowly, scanning the surroundings, before he began moving methodically around the space.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock.

…!

The masked man, his movements relaxed and deliberate, tapped on each of the four sleeping pods in succession. Hearing no response from within, he finally approached Liam's pod. With practiced ease, he entered a control code to unlock the door.

Inside, Liam lay utterly still, his breathing even and his complexion pale, deeply lost in slumber.

The man gently cradled Liam's body in his arms, lifting him effortlessly before turning and leaving the room.

Seconds later, the door to Dormitory 107 closed silently behind him.

The masked figure carefully laid Liam flat on a surgical table. A faint, sinister smile played on his lips beneath the mask. "Liam, it seems you won't be solving the mysteries that haunt your mind after all..."

In the dimly lit hallway, the masked man pushed a surgical cart carrying Liam, his body concealed beneath a white sheet. The echo of his footsteps clicked rhythmically against the floor as he advanced toward a room marked with a plaque reading Dissection Room…