As the group drew closer, the temperature in the air dropped further and further.

It fell so sharply it felt as if it were about to sink below freezing.

It was over.

Yang Ruiqing was angry.

Wen Ruyu felt the sudden plunge in temperature. His slender body went rigid. It was as if an invisible hand had seized his heart and squeezed hard.

Because of the angle, Yang Ruiqing was sitting with his back to them.

The approaching men did not recognize him at first.

Jiang Shengxu reached the table first. His gaze fell on Wen Ruyu’s slightly pale face. His voice was cold, edged with dissatisfaction and accusation.

"Where did you go before?"

Li Zechuan followed closely behind. He looked down at Wen Ruyu, his sharp gaze carrying pressure.

"We’ve been looking for you for a long time."

Chen Ji stood at the very back.

He said nothing.

His eyes did not fall on Wen Ruyu.

They were fixed on Yang Ruiqing’s back.

There was a dark, vicious glint in his gaze.

The others had not recognized Yang Ruiqing.

He had.

In fact—

He had orchestrated this entire scene.

Under the influence of Yang Ruiqing’s yin energy, ordinary people would normally be unable to perceive the two of them.

It was Chen Ji who had led these men here.

The moment he learned Yang Ruiqing had stepped out of the library, he immediately leaked Wen Ruyu’s location.

Yang Ruiqing had not yet fully freed himself from the library’s restraints.

Yet he dared to leave it during the day.

This was their greatest opportunity.

This school—

It was time for a new master.

The arrival of Jiang Shengxu and the others was like a stone thrown into still water.

Ripples spread instantly.

Yang Ruiqing’s gaze, which had been resting on Wen Ruyu’s face, slowly lifted.

His black eyes were devoid of warmth.

They fell directly on Jiang Shengxu and Li Zechuan.

There was no overt killing intent in his eyes.

Yet the cafeteria’s noise seemed strangled at once.

A strange quiet spread.

Several students shivered and rubbed their arms.

"Why did it suddenly get so cold?"

"The forecast didn’t say anything about a drop in temperature."

"You trust the forecast? When has that ever been accurate? Hurry up and eat so we can leave."

The students did not understand what was happening.

They assumed it was just a sudden chill.

One by one, they quickened their pace, finishing their meals and leaving hurriedly.

Not far away, Su Xiao and the others were stunned.

They looked at the three newcomers, then at the sharply dropping temperature.

Confusion flickered in their eyes.

Su Xiao hugged her arms tightly, her face pale.

"Wh… who are those three? How can they see Wen Ruyu and Yang Ruiqing?"

Ordinary students could not see them.

Even though the two of them were sitting in plain sight, no student had glanced their way.

It was as if no one sat there at all.

"Could they be… special NPCs?"

Lin Zhou stared in that direction, his expression grave.

"Look at the man standing in the back."

Su Xiao followed his gaze.

The man was tall and lean.

Aside from standing slightly farther from Yang Ruiqing and Wen Ruyu, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

Then—

Her heartbeat skipped violently.

Her vision froze.

Like Yang Ruiqing—

There was nothing beneath his feet.

No shadow.

Su Xiao’s heart pounded wildly. Her scalp prickled.

At that moment—

Yang Ruiqing moved.

He did not turn around.

In full view of everyone, he simply extended one hand toward Wen Ruyu.

His fingers were long.

His skin carried an unhealthy pallor.

Wen Ruyu looked at the hand held out before him.

His long lashes trembled faintly.

Yet he still lifted his own hand and placed it gently in Yang Ruiqing’s palm.

Yang Ruiqing’s fingertips were ice cold.

Once Wen Ruyu’s hand rested there, he clasped it firmly.

Steady.

Possessive.

It was a declaration of ownership.

And an attempt to suppress killing intent.

Jiang Shengxu and Li Zechuan’s faces darkened instantly at the sight.

Their gazes burned viciously at the hand holding Wen Ruyu’s.

Then—

They froze.

Their pupils contracted sharply.

Yang… Ruiqing!?

Jiang Shengxu’s expression changed drastically.

He looked at Wen Ruyu and shouted urgently.

"Wen Ruyu, come here!"

"Yang Ruiqing died in a car accident last night!"

"He’s not human!"

"He’s a ghost!"

Wen Ruyu’s slender body trembled faintly.

But he did not pull his hand away.

Instead, his fingers curled slightly—

And gently tightened around Yang Ruiqing’s cold hand.

That was his answer.

Seeing Wen Ruyu unmoved, Jiang Shengxu’s expression grew more twisted.

"Yang Ruiqing died last night!"

"Leave him!"

Yang Ruiqing finally lifted his eyes fully.

His gaze settled on Jiang Shengxu.

Cold.

Devoid of breath.

"He is mine."

Only four simple words.

Yet they carried a maddened possessiveness that tightened every heart present.

Li Zechuan stepped forward.

"Humans and ghosts belong to different paths."

"If you keep clinging to him like this, you’ll only harm him."

Jiang Shengxu realized persuasion was useless.

He knew Wen Ruyu loved Yang Ruiqing.

But he had never imagined he would love him to the point of ignoring that he was a ghost.

His expression was ugly.

"Yang Ruiqing, you’re already dead! If you keep him by your side, you’ll drag him into hell with you!"

"So what."

Yang Ruiqing’s tone was flat.

Yet absolute.

"He is mine."

Jiang Shengxu’s eyes reddened in fury.

He turned back to Wen Ruyu.

"You’re really going to stay with a ghost?!"

"He’ll kill you!"

"You worked so hard to get into university! Your future is bright! Are you going to throw it all away and die with him?!"

"Think about your family."

"Think about your parents."

"Is he worth abandoning everything?"

Yang Ruiqing’s eyes fell completely still.

The last trace of patience vanished.

The chill in the cafeteria deepened again.

Wen Ruyu’s face turned almost translucent white.

Fear flickered across his eyes.

His body was rigid.

His heart felt lodged in his throat.

It was over.

Yang Ruiqing was truly angry now.

What should he do?

If Yang Ruiqing made a move—

Everyone in this cafeteria would die.

Except him.

Including the last three Players.

Before Wen Ruyu could think further—

Yang Ruiqing stood up.

It was a simple movement.

Yet in that instant—

The entire cafeteria froze.

Students mid motion—

Stopped.

Chopsticks suspended.

Trays half lifted.

Mouths parted mid sentence.

Their expressions drained away simultaneously.

Blank.

Stiff.

They remained frozen in unnatural poses.

The cafeteria no longer felt inhabited by the living.

Su Xiao stood not far away.

She watched as a student beside her, who had been laughing moments ago, suddenly turned rigid.

His eyes went empty.

A bone chilling dread crawled up her spine.

As she stared at him—

The student slowly turned his head toward her.

His face was expressionless.

His eyes hollow.

Yet something in them revealed greed.

Hunger.

Like a starving ghost staring at food.

Unmasked.

Direct.

Fixed on her.

Su Xiao’s legs nearly gave out.

Her face was bloodless.

Her heart hammered violently.

Were these students—

Even alive?

Just as the situation was about to spiral completely out of control—

Wen Ruyu abruptly stood up.

His face pale, he tugged lightly at Yang Ruiqing’s sleeve.

He looked up at him.

His voice was soft as a feather.

"It’s fine."

"If we die, then we die."

His tone was light.

As if commenting on the weather.

As if his own death meant nothing.

Jiang Shengxu and the others froze in shock.

No one had expected that.

No one faced death calmly.

If someone did—

It meant something mattered more than life itself.

Even Yang Ruiqing paused.

Wen Ruyu’s beautiful eyes curved faintly.

He smiled gently.

"As long as I’m with you."

"It doesn’t matter."

The moment those words fell—

The suffocating cold around Yang Ruiqing halted.

Wen Ruyu immediately tightened his grip on his hand.

"I’m done eating."

"Let’s go back."

Yang Ruiqing lowered his gaze to him.

For a fleeting moment—

Something almost like pleasure flickered through his lifeless eyes.

The oppressive chill eased slightly.

The cafeteria’s temperature rose a fraction.

He could kill those insolent men before him.

He could kill the three who watched from behind.

But—

He did not want Wen Ruyu to fear him more.

"Alright."

Wen Ruyu nearly sagged with relief.

He turned to leave—

"NO!"

As Wen Ruyu passed Jiang Shengxu, Jiang Shengxu suddenly grabbed his arm tightly.

"You can’t go with him!"

"You’ll die!"

The cafeteria fell into absolute silence.

Yang Ruiqing’s gaze dropped to the hand gripping Wen Ruyu’s arm.

An invisible surge of yin energy exploded outward.

The tableware trembled faintly.

The sunlight outside the window dimmed.

Not an illusion.

It truly darkened.

The brightness outside plummeted at visible speed.

The sun seemed swallowed by shadow.

Within seconds, it resembled late dusk.

And it continued darkening.

Just before the world plunged into complete darkness—

A cold mechanical voice rang in every Player’s mind.

Without emotion.

[Ding————]

[Uncontrollable change detected within dungeon.]

[Current dungeon forcibly entering Eternal Night Mode.]

[Dungeon clearance method recalculating.]

[Calculation complete.]

[Clearance Condition: Survive six hours.]

Chapter 41

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