182 Doomsday (1/2)
”Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?” A thunderous noise came from the sky. It was so loud that the students’ ears rang and they were nearly forced to the ground. Even the lakes in the school rippled. Everyone was stunned and raised their heads in astonishment, looking into the sky.
There was a voice in the sky. That familiar voice coughed and seemed to complain, ”Does this work? You Modifications always make such unreliable things…”
A more quiet voice said faintly, ”Mr. Principal, your voice is too loud, try lowering your volume.”
”Oh? Is that so? I see! I get it now. Move aside and let me play with it.”
Rustles sounded in the sky. Finally, that voice quieted down. It was no longer thunderous, but still in everyone’s ears.
”Long time no see, students! How are you all?” The voice was passionate and emotional. All students stared at each other. Comprehension and panic flickered past their eyes.
Someone murmured, ”No way.”
”That’s right!” The voice sounded again with great passion. ”Your principal, Maxwell, is back! I’ve been out for so long. Have you all been missing me?”
”…” The students were all silent with no idea how to respond.
”First of all, I would like to express my sincere greetings. I hope that everyone has had a happy and fulfilling life during this period of time. I’m sure you’ve learned a lot, benefited a lot and…that’s it.” The principal spoke in a verbose manner for a long while. Then he paused and grew serious. ”Next, I have bad news to announce!”
All of a sudden, the expressions of many upperclassmen changed as if they had seen a ghost, including Charles. They wailed ”Wait!” and ”Again?!”
”—That’s right. The day after tomorrow is our school anniversary!” The principal yelled in excitement. ”The anniversary day, the annual day of death! The day of trials! Students from first to sixth grade, are you prepared to fail your classes and be held back?
”Recently, my investment agent from the Eastern Indian Company told me that the cigar factory I’ve been longing for has been officially bought. So in order for everyone to pay some more for exam make-up fees, I’ll make it more difficult this time. I hope you won’t be scared and treat it like normal. Well, that's all!” He chuckled. ”So, please enjoy the youth that everyone sings about! I will anticipate all of your struggles and performances.” The sound voice stopped abruptly. It was like an illusion, as if it had never existed.
Before Ye Qingxuan could react, he heard commotions from around the school…
”No, no!”
”Are you kidding?”
”Didn’t they say it’s canceled this year?!”
It was as if the entire was thrown into a demon’s den. The air was filled with wails! The students cried and pounded on the ground as if the person closest to them died and they had lost all hope in life.
”What’s wrong?”
While Ye Qingxuan and Bai Xi looked at each other in confusion, Charles had already pulled a huge suitcase out of the basement a huge suitcase and was digging through everything!
”What are you waiting for?” Charles glanced at them. ”Hurry up and pack your things!” Instead of waiting for their reactions, he filled up the whole suitcase like a criminal on the run. He shouted toward the study room, ”Professor, did you finish packing? Let’s go out to collect folk songs! How about Burgundy this time? I heard that there was enough rain last year so the red wine this year must be good and cheap!”
Abraham sighed gloomily. ”We can’t go out every time this year.”
”Professor, I’ll die if I don’t go.” Charles panicked. ”You have to consider it more thoroughly!”
”Isn’t it just a school anniversary?” Ye Qingxuan was confused, ”What’s so scary?”
Charles looked back with a complicated expression. The left side of his face showed that it was a long story, while the right was full of despair.
”Yezi...do you think anniversaries are like in stories where every class has to perform, play some music, open a café or haunted house and that’s it? The anniversary day is Doomsday!”
”It's not that scary, is it?” Ye asked.
Charles turned back and looked at Abraham, who sighed and nodded, ”Give Yezi a good explanation so he can prepare himself.”
Charles shrugged helplessly, revealing a despair look. ”At least half,” he said.
”Eh?”