Chapter 20: Subspace

July 22nd, 2023

As the defense was about to begin, more and more people left the dormitory. The students who were doing internships outside returned to the school, taking leave to wait for the defense to end and receive their graduation certificates, ready to officially start their careers.

Lin Xuan’s dormitory was no exception. The four girls gathered together for the first time in four months. Except for Xu Ruan, who found an internship company locally, the other two girls returned to their hometowns and found jobs there.

“Xiao Xuan, let me see your head.” Ning Yadong, Lin Xuan’s roommate in the neighboring bed, said as she reached out to touch Lin Xuan’s hair. Lin Xuan couldn’t resist and let her do as she pleased.

“I’m really fine. I just bumped my head and got a bump.” Lin Xuan helplessly explained.

“It seems like you’re really fine. Not even a scar left.” Ning Yadong called the other roommate over to take a look together.

Chu Feifei, holding specialty products brought from her hometown, casually placed them on Lin Xuan’s desk and leaned over to take a glance, commenting, “Indeed, your hair has grown, at least it doesn’t look bald.”

After a month’s time, Lin Xuan’s hair had grown several centimeters, and she no longer resisted being called bald like before.

“By the way, have you found a job?” Chu Feifei asked.

“I have, and it’s even better than all of us.” Xu Ruan, busy enjoying the specialty products brought by her roommate, chimed in.

“Oh, what kind of job? Why didn’t you mention it before?” Ning Yadong immediately asked.

“It’s something recent. I was actually planning to tell you, but I thought you would be back soon, so I decided to wait until you returned and treat you to a meal.” When the three of them found their internships, they treated each other to meals, and Lin Xuan had already had three meals, so it was about time to treat them back.

“You’re even generous enough to invite us to a meal. It seems like this job is really good.” As roommates, no one knew Lin Xuan’s stinginess better than them.

“It’s nothing special, just… a state-owned enterprise.” Lin Xuan modestly and with a hint of pride said.

Ning Yadong and Chu Feifei exchanged a glance, both filled with surprise. “Wow, look at you. So, it wasn’t that you couldn’t find a job before, but you didn’t think highly of the previous ones.”

“Just like that, we worried about you for nothing, you cunning girl.”

“We must have a good meal to appease our envy, or else our jealousy won’t subside.” Xu Ruan also joined in teasing.

“Alright, alright. You can pick any restaurant near the school.” Lin Xuan waved her hand generously.

Without further ado, the four girls put down their things and went to find a place to eat. They had a great time during the meal, but the topics of their conversation were completely different from before. Previously, when they gathered, they would chat about gossip, handsome guys, or delicious food from various places, and whether they should go shopping together tomorrow. But now, throughout the entire meal, their conversations revolved around work.

Are their colleagues easy to get along with? Is there room for career development? How do their superiors treat them? And so on…

“I only got five days off from the company this time. After the defense, I have to leave.” Ning Yadong looked depressed. She wanted to play for a few more days.

“I have a week off. After the defense, I can stay for two more days.” Chu Feifei said.

“I’m worse off than all of you. I joined a law firm, and our team leader just took on a new case. We’re busy, so they didn’t give me any time off at all. Yesterday, when I asked for leave, she nearly ate me alive.” Xu Ruan smiled bitterly. “If it weren’t for needing to defend, I wouldn’t even dare to mention taking leave.”

“How many days did you manage to get off then?” Lin Xuan asked.

“Three days.” Xu Ruan raised three fingers. “Only these three days, the company won’t bother me. What about you? State-owned enterprises should give you more leave, right?”

“For me, it’s just a week.” Lin Xuan felt a little guilty because she hadn’t even thought about requesting leave from her company. But this incident reminded her that even though she didn’t have to go to the Special Affairs Department unless there was something specific, it wouldn’t hurt to inform them in advance.

After the meal, the four of them made plans to go shopping together. While buying bubble tea, Lin Xuan edited a message and sent it to Assistant Tan, briefly explaining her preparation for the defense this week and requesting leave.

At 106 Chunfeng Road, Assistant Tan had just received an encrypted message. He glanced at it and immediately became serious. He took out his phone, opened the chat group exclusive to Group Six, and sent a message.

Assistant Tan: “[The sub-space is about to open.]”

Chu: “[Understood.]”

Haiwang: “[Received.]”

Wu Wang: “[Received.]”

…

Assistant Tan looked at the series of replies in the group, confirming that the message had been successfully conveyed. Just as he was about to put down his phone, Lin Xuan’s message came in.

Lin Xuan: “[Assistant Tan, I have my graduation defense this week. Can I request leave from you?]”

Assistant Tan, upon seeing Lin Xuan’s message, remembered that there was still someone in Group Six he hadn’t added yet.

Although Lin Xuan had joined the company, Assistant Tan hadn’t added her to the exclusive group for Group Six. He also unconsciously forgot about her in the previous message.

Well, Lin Xuan’s ability level is too low, so she shouldn’t be able to enter the sub-space anyway. There was no need to tell her.

Assistant Tan replied: “[Understood.]”

Just as he was about to send the message, Assistant Tan suddenly thought of Xiao Wen’s assessment of Lin Xuan as the “dying image.” He hesitated for a moment and added another sentence: “[Be careful these days.]”

After putting down his phone, Assistant Tan hesitated again, wondering if he should send Lin Xuan information about the sub-space. Lin Xuan had only recently awakened her abilities, and her level was low, so she definitely hadn’t come into contact with the sub-space. After thinking for a moment, Assistant Tan decided against it because the sub-space wouldn’t be interested in abilities below the D level, even though it randomly devoured ability users.

Well, explaining something like the sub-space would be difficult at the moment. After Lin Xuan finished her defense, he would let her supplement her knowledge on her own.

Assistant Tan made a decision and completely put aside the matter of Lin Xuan. He turned around and focused on his own tasks.

Be careful? Be careful about what?

Lin Xuan, who received the message, looked puzzled. Did Assistant Tan send the wrong message or make a typo? Just as she was hesitating whether to clarify, Xu Ruan approached with four cups of bubble tea. “What are you spacing out for, Lin Xuan? Let’s go.”

Lin Xuan snapped back to reality, took the bubble tea from Xu Ruan’s hand, and joined her two other roommates. The four girls happily went shopping, each holding a cup of bubble tea. They shopped for the whole afternoon and ended up with quite a haul. As it got dark, the four girls carried their bags and headed back to the school. They didn’t plan to have dinner since they had already eaten various snacks while shopping, filling themselves up to about 80% full.

When they were nearing the dormitory, Lin Xuan suddenly remembered that she had a package that she hadn’t picked up. “Xu Ruan, could you bring my things up to the room? I’ll go to the north gate to pick up a package.”

Lin Xuan handed the shopping bags to Xu Ruan and turned to head towards the north gate. There were many students on the way from the dormitory to the north gate, but the divination system hadn’t triggered once. Come to think of it, she had spent the whole day outside and hadn’t encountered a single unlucky person.

That’s why it’s a good idea to accumulate some virtue points in normal times, just in case she doesn’t meet any unlucky people like today.

“Clack,” a bamboo stick fell from the container.

Lin Xuan’s footsteps paused, and her mouth twitched. Could it be that the stick appeared because of her previous exclamation? She swore that she was just casually expressing herself and didn’t really wish bad luck on anyone. Although she needed virtue points badly, she didn’t have such a dark heart.

She unfolded the stick: “[Yuriko Yamaguchi, female, 25 years old, oh my god, she will be pierced through the chest by a sword.]”

Lin Xuan blinked her eyes, then blinked them again. Did she read it wrong?

Pierced through the chest by a sword? Lin Xuan confirmed once again that it indeed mentioned a sword, not to mention that swords are regulated weapons that can’t be bought outside. Even if they could be bought, they would be unsharpened. And even if they were sharpened, who could be so awesome as to pierce someone through the chest without getting stuck in the ribs?

Furthermore, there was a problem with the name as well. Yuriko Yamaguchi sounded like a person from Country R, but their school didn’t have any international students from Country R.

“System, did you have a bug?” Lin Xuan asked.

“Please don’t question the system’s excellence with your limited intelligence,” the system replied.

“…” Who was it calling of limited intelligence?

Forget it, I won’t argue with you. Saving a person is more important. Being pierced through the chest by a sword could be fatal.

Lin Xuan began to analyze. Yuriko Yamaguchi, 25 years old. Among the people who walked past me just now, who looked like a 25-year-old person from Country R?

Lin Xuan looked around, observing the people who had walked past her, but her unique ability was divination, not being able to tell people’s names just by looking at them.

Never mind.

“Who is Yuriko Yamaguchi?” Lin Xuan shouted loudly, standing in the middle of the road.

There was a brief silence on the college road, and passing students cast puzzled glances at her. Lin Xuan also looked at them expectantly, hoping to find Yuriko Yamaguchi among the crowd. After a while, nothing happened. When the students saw that Lin Xuan wasn’t doing anything else strange, they withdrew their curious gazes and went on with their own business.

Lin Xuan became anxious and shouted again, “Is Yuriko Yamaguchi here?”

The crowd fell silent once more, and the students looked over again. Lin Xuan eagerly searched their faces, but Yuriko Yamaguchi still didn’t appear.

When the crowd started moving again, the people who had passed within a three-meter radius of Lin Xuan were already nowhere to be seen. It was nearly impossible to find someone in such a situation.

“System, if I encounter her again, can I perform a second divination?” Although it was almost impossible to find the person again, Lin Xuan still intended to try her luck. After all, she was heading towards the school gate, and if she could still encounter her on the way, she would make another effort. After all, it was a matter of life and death.

“A second divination will require a small amount of virtue points,” the system replied.

“I only earn a small amount of virtue points for completing one divination task, and now you’re telling me the second divination will also require points. Isn’t all my effort in vain?” I know you’re a shady system, but it shouldn’t be this extreme.

“May I ask if you want to activate the second divination?” The system ignored Lin Xuan’s complaint and only asked if she wanted to activate it. It had an attitude of ‘I’m here to collect money, buy it or leave it, I’m not the one in a hurry.’

“Activate,” Lin Xuan hesitated for almost no time. If she didn’t earn virtue points, then so be it. She couldn’t just stand by and watch someone die.

“Second divination activated. If you encounter Yuriko Yamaguchi again, the system will perform a second divination,” the system stated.

Lin Xuan continued walking towards the north gate. Outside the north gate was a street full of street food stalls. If that Yuriko Yamaguchi was lucky, she should be able to encounter her again.

Crack.

The bamboo stick dropped again.

[Yuriko Yamaguchi, female, 25 years old. Oh my, she will be pierced through the chest by a sword.]

Lin Xuan lowered her head and looked at her feet, then glanced around. It seemed like she had only taken one step just now.

What does this mean? It means that Yuriko Yamaguchi has been staying within a three-meter radius around her since a while ago.

But where is she?

Lin Xuan looked around again. From the beginning, people on the college road had been constantly moving, and no one had lingered within a three-meter radius around her.

Wait, no one?

Could it be that the result of the system’s divination this time was not a person? Lin Xuan suddenly felt a chill down her spine. If it really wasn’t a person, then maybe she didn’t need to worry about this matter anymore.

Lin Xuan touched the goosebumps on her back and turned around, continuing to walk towards the school gate. After taking a couple of steps, the roadside street lamp suddenly flickered, casting a brief moment of darkness over the college road. The onlookers looked up in confusion, but when the street lamp lit up again, they didn’t say anything and continued walking forward. No one noticed that someone had disappeared from the road during that one second of darkness.

Except for Lin Xuan, the one who disappeared.

Where is this? Wasn’t she just on the college road? How did she suddenly end up in a room?

At this moment, Lin Xuan was standing in a room of about ten square meters. The room was dimly lit with a single candle flame, and besides a table and a bed, there was no other furniture. Moreover, the style was very antique.

“System, where am I?” Lin Xuan quickly asked the system.

“I am just a divination system,” the system replied.

When the system didn’t want to help, it would repeatedly emphasize that it was just a divination system. Lin Xuan knew that she couldn’t rely on the system anymore, but this scene made her start to have wild thoughts.

Just a moment ago, she was walking on the college road, suspecting that Yuriko Yamaguchi might be A-Piao*. And in the next moment, she suddenly appeared in this eerie room. Yuriko Yamaguchi must be A-Piao.

(*I’m guessing this means supernatural or horror related beings)

Could it be that Yuriko Yamaguchi dragged her into this?

Yes, that must be it.

Lin Xuan was extremely convinced and quickly opened the system’s inventory, taking out Sadako’s long hair to wear as a wig. Yuriko Yamaguchi was A-Piao, and Sadako was also A-Piao. They were from the same country, so they should be able to communicate better.

Since they were both A-Piao, there was no need to harm each other.

Lin Xuan put on the wig and skillfully began searching for the exit through the television. However, after turning around, she couldn’t find the familiar passage.

Huh?

“Could it be that Sadako’s grudge is no match for Yuriko Yamaguchi?” Lin Xuan subconsciously said.

[Are you doubting my abilities, Xuan-chan?]

Although the bullet screen had no sound, Lin Xuan could feel the overwhelming anger between the lines.

“No… no, I absolutely didn’t doubt your greatness, Sadako-sama. I was just curious why the passage disappeared,” Lin Xuan quickly explained.

[There is a layer of energy barrier here that blocks my perception of the television. To break or assimilate the barrier, I need to establish a connection.]

“How can I break or assimilate the barrier?” Lin Xuan asked.

[I don’t know. Stop talking to me, your merit points are running out.]

Don’t go, let’s talk a bit more. Can’t I exchange some merit points? Lin Xuan really wanted to say that, but unfortunately, she didn’t have many merit points left either.

Since Sadako’s long hair was no longer useful, Lin Xuan had to take out Confucius’ ruler. Although she didn’t know if the ruler would work on A-Piao, it provided her with some sense of security. Lin Xuan calmly analyzed the situation again.

The system had just divined, which meant that Yuriko Yamaguchi was within a three-meter radius around her. Judging by the size of the room, Yuriko Yamaguchi was likely outside the door or in the next room. Perhaps, she was watching me.

Lin Xuan took a deep breath, made up her mind, and pointed the ruler towards the door, saying, “Yuriko Yamaguchi, come out and let’s talk.”

Bam!

As Lin Xuan finished speaking, the wall to her right was forcefully kicked open. A man wearing a kimono was holding a woman’s hair, standing at the doorway, gazing at Lin Xuan with a deep and mysterious look. The woman being pulled by him was limp, as if lifeless.

“A person from Huaguo?” (Note: Huaguo refers to China)

Lin Xuan quickly turned around, pointing the ruler at the man.

At that moment, the woman who was seemingly lifeless, suddenly sprung up from the ground. Her fingers curled into sharp claws and she fiercely aimed towards the man’s face. However, the man didn’t even furrow his brows, nor did he turn around. He simply stabbed backward with his katana in his right hand, piercing through the woman’s chest with a single strike.

The woman convulsed twice, then her body slumped down again, and her claw-like fingers returned to their original shape.

Yuriko Yamaguchi?

Lin Xuan was extremely convinced. This woman must be Yuriko Yamaguchi.

“Ding, divination mission failed. Please continue to strive.” The system prompt timely sounded, confirming Lin Xuan’s guess.

Meanwhile, outside, the six colleagues who sensed the energy fluctuations began questioning in the group chat.

Hai Wang: [Who went in?]

Chu: [It wasn’t me.]

Wu Wang: [Not me either.]

…

There were about ten people in the group, and none of them had entered.

Everyone was puzzled.

Hai Wang: [Then who went in?]

They clearly felt the door to the sub-space opening, which meant that at least one person had entered.

Wu Wang: [Probably some ordinary esper. Anyway, it’s not someone from our group. It’s a pity that we missed the opportunity for treasure hunting, but it has nothing to do with us. Time to sleep.]

Qing Kong: [I remember we just hired a new employee.]

Chu: [She’s only F-rank.]

Hai Wang: [That’s right, she couldn’t have gone in.]

Wu Wang: [Time to sleep.]

Assistant Tan saw someone mentioning Lin Xuan in the group chat and subconsciously thought of Xiao Wen’s remark about the “sign of impending death.” He was worried, but Chu’s comment “She’s only F-rank” eased his concerns.

It shouldn’t be her who went in. An F-rank esper wouldn’t be interested in the sub-space, and besides… the door is already closed now. Even if Lin Xuan was really sucked in, all he could do was help apply for compensation.

Wait a minute, Lin Xuan just took a leave of absence from him.

Hmm…