135: Chapter 135 The Silent Xia Ning

Night, after 10:30 PM.

Qi Yun leaned against the window in his usual spot, gazing outside.

Throughout the day, following the others outside the building, they hadn't found any clues to clear this dungeon.

Qi Yun opened the system interface and switched to the private message channel.

Hundreds of unread messages flooded in.

"Great Expert Qi Yun! Help! Our teacher injured three more students today! Please, save us!"

"Qi Yun, I know you're strong, but you can't just stand by and watch us die! We're all survivors; help us take out those teachers."

"Qi, don't be so selfish! If you have a way to deal with those monsters, share it! Otherwise, once we're all dead, don't think you'll have it easy either!"

The messages were varied and chaotic.

Qi Yun scanned through them expressionlessly, then closed the private message interface.

He understood their fear and despair.

But understanding didn't mean he had to unconditionally satisfy them.

He was not a savior.

He was the leader of the 01 Tribe.

His primary responsibility was to lead the people of his Tribe to clear this dungeon.

Inside the [Dungeon Channel], there were still many messages flooding the screen:

"@01 Tribe - Qi Yun, Great Expert Qi Yun! Please check the channel! Help us!"

"@01 Tribe - Qi Yun, how can you bear to watch so many classmates die? You clearly have the ability! Why won't you help everyone?"

"@01 Tribe - Qi Yun, exactly! We're all classmates and alumni; can't you unite everyone? If you become the leader, we'll all listen to you, won't that work?"

Similar cries filled the channel, gradually forming a wave of public pressure.

He closed the system interface and looked back out the window.

The pressure felt like an invisible boulder weighing on his heart.

He exhaled a long breath, feeling somewhat exhausted.

It wasn't physical fatigue, but mental exhaustion.

The feeling of constantly staying vigilant, weighing pros and cons, and making cold decisions was not pleasant.

Just as his mind was drifting,

a light, clean fragrance—like laundry dried in the sun—quietly approached.

A pair of slender, soft, and cool hands were gently placed on the top of his head.

Then, one by one, they stroked his hair with extreme gentleness.

Qi Yun's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed.

Xia Ning was touching him in a way that felt almost like soothing a small animal.

Qi Yun turned his head slightly, looking out of the corner of his eye.

Xia Ning was standing beside him, her head slightly bowed, her eyes lowered.

Her hands continued to stroke his hair, the movements slow and light.

Qi Yun just let her stroke it in silence.

After a long while, Qi Yun finally spoke in a low voice, "Xia Ning."

"Hmm?" Xia Ning responded softly.

"Why don't you talk often?" Qi Yun asked, voicing the question that had been bothering him.

Xia Ning's appearance and temperament were outstanding; logically, she was someone who could compete with Ye Xi for the title of Campus Belle, yet her presence was very low.

Xia Ning's hand paused in its stroking, and she thought for a few seconds before speaking slowly, "I think it's good to just watch quietly, listen quietly, and feel quietly."

"If expression is needed, actions are more powerful than words."

Her explanation was simple.

"Then what are you expressing with your actions right now?" Qi Yun turned his head to meet her lowered gaze.

Xia Ning met his gaze for a second, revealing a gentle smile.

"Expressing that you have worked very hard. Don't worry, I am by your side."

Her words remained concise.

"Thank you," Qi Yun said in a low voice.

Looking at Xia Ning's calm and beautiful profile so close by, a question suddenly popped into Qi Yun's mind, "Xia Ning."

"Hmm?"

"Then, how do you see me?"

Xia Ning didn't answer immediately.

Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Just as Qi Yun thought she wouldn't answer, Xia Ning moved.

She slowly lowered her head.

Then, under Qi Yun's gaze, she pressed her pale, soft, and cool lips gently against his.

Qi Yun was completely stunned.

Was this her answer?

No words were needed; it spoke louder than a thousand words.

"Xia Ning, when did it start?" he asked in a low voice, his tone softer than he realized.

"A long time ago, back in university."

"You were always smiling, talking to everyone in the class."

"Back then, I thought your smile was very beautiful."

Her description was simple, even a bit clumsy.

"Then why did you never say it out loud?"

Xia Ning's soft voice sounded, "Because you didn't need me."

Qi Yun was stunned.

"There were always many people around you. They could laugh with you, play with you, and fight with you."

"But I could only stay quiet. I couldn't help you with anything."

"So I thought, just like this, being able to watch you from afar and knowing you were alright was enough."

Her words were calm, just stating a fact she believed to be true.

Qi Yun's heart trembled.

"That night, when I first revealed the 'clan leaders blessing'." Qi Yun suddenly remembered something.

Hearing this question, Xia Ning's face turned red, "I… I stepped forward, but everyone just didn't notice me. Shu Qianxue, Bai Yu, they were too eye-catching."

Qi Yun: "..."

The scene that night had been somewhat chaotic, with the girls being emotionally agitated.

A sense of guilt welled up in his heart.

"I'm sorry…" Qi Yun apologized in a low voice.

"It's okay," Xia Ning interrupted him, shaking her head.

"Right now, you are under a lot of pressure, but no one has come to hold you. They are all relying on you, waiting for you to find a way, waiting for you to lead them."

"So, I came." She stepped forward, stretched out her arms, and held Qi Yun in her embrace.

"I will protect you."

This seemingly "overconfident" promise hit the softest part of Qi Yun's heart hard.

Qi Yun felt his nose sting suddenly.

He shut his eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and forced that surging emotion down.

"Thank you, Xia Ning."

He used all his strength to hug the slender but exceptionally warm girl in his arms back.

Morning. Qi Yun woke up in a state of unprecedented peace.

He slowly opened his eyes, first feeling the soft and warm touch of another person.

Xia Ning was sleeping on the floor, holding him.

Yesterday, in Xia Ning's embrace, with that naive promise of "I will protect you," his long-tense nerves finally completely relaxed, and he had actually fallen into a deep sleep just like that.

He moved slightly and sat up.

Today, the ear-piercing, scalp-numbing morning music did not play.

He walked to the window and looked down.

On the playground, quite a few students had already begun their routine morning run under the "supervision" of the black-gas figures.

He recalled everything he had experienced over the past two days: the meaningless, stamina-draining morning runs; the courses full of mental pollution and brainwashing; and the disgusting food that was clearly meant for torture.

The purpose of all this didn't seem to be just simple torture and domestication.

It was to ensure people had no time to think.

It was to make people run themselves ragged, losing the will to resist and the desire to investigate under the double torture of body and mind.

All of this was just a tool to cover up the truth and divert attention.

So, where was the truth?

Qi Yun's gaze withdrew from the playground.

Morning runs kept them away from the teaching building and gathered on the playground.

Classes kept them gathered in the conference hall.

Meals kept them gathered in the cafeteria.

All collective activities seemed to intentionally or unintentionally keep them away from this main building, especially the upper floors of the main building.

Qi Yun's heart suddenly started beating faster.

He had a strong premonition that the upper floors of this building must hide the core secret of this dungeon, and might even be the key to clearing it!