Chapter 22: Nightmares and Malicious Stares

Anran gasped for breath as she ran, the world around her pitch black, her hands reaching out but finding nothing. She looked different from her usual self—tense, perhaps even frightened. An expression rarely seen, perhaps almost never.

Behind her, shadowy figures pursued, their features indistinguishable, save for pairs of blood-red eyes glowing in the darkness. For some reason, Anran didn't fight back as she normally would. Instead, she just kept running, until a glimmer of light appeared ahead.

When Anran saw that light, a faint smile finally appeared on her face. The light grew brighter, and behind her, agonized screams erupted. Her heart, which had been clenched tight, finally relaxed. But in the next moment, the entire space twisted into chaos, the light swallowed by the void. Though she could still see her surroundings, it was more terrifying than the endless darkness.

Anran tried to stop running, but she couldn't control her legs. She ran faster and faster until the wind roared in her ears like overlapping wails.

Suddenly, her body collided with a wall. Anran felt no pain. She looked up, and in the chaos, a pair of blood-red eyes appeared—deeper than blood, brighter than gems. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at those eyes, her wide, frightened gaze gradually glazing over.

As she was entranced by those red eyes, the owner of the eyes finally revealed itself—a massive snake, as tall as a person. Its tail coiled around Anran's body, its forked tongue flicking out. Then, it bared its sharp fangs and lunged at her neck.

"Ah—!"

Anran screamed and sat bolt upright in bed, her heart pounding. It took her a moment to realize she was in her own room. It had just been a nightmare.

But the dream felt so real.

At Saint Academy, Class 2-1.

After finally enduring two classes, Anran, sitting in the back row, couldn't suppress a yawn.

"Anran, you look like you're not feeling well," Zhang Ning asked.

In the entire class, Zhang Ning was the only one who would approach her to talk. Still, Zhang Ning remained timid, her glasses hiding her concerned eyes.

Anran sprawled lazily on her desk, replying listlessly, "It's nothing. Just didn't sleep well last night."

She wasn't about to admit that a nightmare had left her exhausted all day. How embarrassing would that be? And she'd dreamed of a snake! Anran feared nothing—except snakes. They were the one thing that truly terrified her.

Why had she dreamed of a snake? Was it because snakes were cold-blooded creatures? That faint chill…

"The weather's turning cooler. I didn't sleep well either," Zhang Ning said shyly.

Before Anran could respond, a mocking laugh cut through the air.

Zhang Ning froze, feeling the weight of malicious, mocking stares. The whispers from the rest of the class made her shrink further into herself.

Anran noticed the change in her friend and swept a sharp glare across the unfriendly faces. The challenge in their eyes reminded her of the snake in her dream. Some people's bodies might be warm, but their hearts were cold.

With a raised eyebrow and a smile, Anran said, "Hey, what? You guys interested in my sleep quality too?"

No one had expected the new transfer student to be so blunt. Her presence was commanding, her dark eyes gleaming with intensity.

She didn't seem like someone to mess with.

Those who had only wanted to stir up trouble quickly averted their gazes.