TANH Chapter 29.2: Seminary 05.2

12-15 minutes 23.04.2023

Yu- Yu Xing?!

Bai Tong lowered his head and silently looked at the chopsticks and spoon tied with ribbons.

He had to say, it was kind of cute.

Oddly, it matched Wen Qing pretty well.

After a while, he spoke, “This High Priest is watching you.”

Wen Qing’s eyelashes trembled. Bai Tong had said it with certainty, unlike his own wild and fanciful guesses.

He glanced around, making sure there was nobody around, then leaned near Bai Tong’s ear and asked with a lowered voice, “Are they not spying on us?”

The faint, sweet fragrance lingered on the tip of his nose. Bai Tong pursed his lips, and quietly said, “It should only be you.”

“Yesterday, almost everybody didn’t go to the cafeteria.”

Only Wen Qing received a gift.

Wen Qing frowned slightly. Was it because of what happened in the temple yesterday?

Or was it because of his buff?

Wen Qing couldn’t figure it out by himself. If he wanted Bai Tong’s help in analysing it, he needed to tell him about the buff.

Bai Tong had already told him about the portable space. If he told him about the buff……

While he hesitated, 001 spoke:【 Can’t say. 】

Wen Qing couldn’t help but ask:【 Why? 】

001 coldly said:【 Portable spaces are not rare things. Currently, you are the only guide. 】

【 Can you guarantee that he won’t do anything after knowing? 】

Wen Qing wanted to speak up, but 001 immediately continued speaking:【 Even if he looks very normal right now, can you be sure that he won’t change in the future? 】

These words made Wen Qing immediately think of Zhou Zhou. He lowered his eyes:【 I can’t.】

001 didn’t let him go, and continued saying: 【 Can you guarantee that he won’t tell this matter to others? Regardless if he does so actively or if he’s forced to?】

【 Those who are interested will covet your buff, and they are even more likely to use you as bait. The people were not guilty, but they were convicted for hiding the jade.[1] 】

This was the first time Wen Qing heard 001 say so much.

Although the tone of these words was the same as usual, cold, indifferent and emotionless, he was worried that 001 was secretly angry, and would start spending money recklessly when he returned to the World.

Wen Qing quickly said obediently: 【 I know, I won’t tell anyone about the buff. 】

001 coldly snorted.

Wen Qing pondered, and hesitatingly asked: 【 Can my buff be snatched away? 】

001:【 Some people can. 】

Wen Qing understood. They were probably those who had props or other buffs.

【 Then- then can I exchange it? 】

001 coldly said:【 You cannot. 】

The temperature of these two words was much lower than the previous words. Wen Qing didn’t dare to continue asking, and quickly followed Bai Tong into the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was a single-story building with only one floor.

Just as Wen Qing and Bai Tong walked up the steps, they heard the slightly angry voice of a female teacher, “Wen Qing, Bai Tong.”

“Are these two students not here?”

Bai Tong called out, “Here.”

Wen Qing also quickly responded and quickly ran in.

Standing in the middle of the cafeteria was a middle-aged female teacher in professional attire. She held a roster in her hand and was coldly looking at Wen Qing and Bai To b. “Why did you come here so slowly?”

“It’s already past eight o’clock.”

Wen Qing walked to her side and softly spoke, “Sorry, teacher.”

“Mr. Chen wanted me to go to his office, and I lost a little time on the way.”

Seeing it was Wen Qing, the female teacher smiled. She picked up a pen and scratched on the roll book.

Wen Qing had just taken a step when his steps paused. Then, he told the female teacher, “Teacher, our classmate Ji Junfeng doesn’t feel well. He can’t come to eat, and he’s currently in the classroom.”

The female teacher turned her head to look at him.

Wen Qing thought the teacher didn’t hear clearly, and repeated, “Ji Junfeng.”

The tip of the female teacher’s pen paused. “I see.”

“You should go to eat first.”

Wen Qing nodded. He looked around. There was no window in the cafeteria, and there was also no food in front of the students.

Bai Tong whispered, “Just sit down.”

Wen Qing and Bai Tong sat down at the vacant seats at the player’s table. Very soon, three to four strong men wearing face masks and hats pushed the dining cart over and served everyone, one by one.

Ordinary stainless steel dinner plates, two meat and two vegetarian dishes, lots of food, so much that it totteringly hung on the edge, like they were afraid they wouldn’t be full. Everyone had a cup of hot milk as well.

The female teacher raised her voice to remind, “The fasting meal is a gift from God. You must finish it, or else you will disrespect God.”

The players were stunned for a moment. Then, they saw the other students cheer and began to eat the food with big bites.

Nobody at the players’ tables dared to move their chopsticks. It looked particularly unexpected.

The female teacher glanced over and lightly said, “Enjoy it slowly. Mr. Sun is responsible for checking the last empty plates.”

After she finished speaking, a burly male teacher walked to the cafeteria’s doorway.

Wen Qing’s face changed minutely. He realised that they had to finish their meal today, otherwise they might not be able to leave this cafeteria.

The players glanced at each other, holding the chopsticks to pick up the food, but not daring to move their hands.

After a while, someone moved.

Oz sat at a side. He ate indifferently, and finished a meat dish in two or three bites.

Seeing this, the players began eating one after another.

Wen Qing didn’t use the cutlery given by the High Priest. He poked the pork belly with the wooden chopsticks given out, and somewhat couldn’t eat it.

His appetite in the morning was already bad. Moreover, what he was served was not porridge, but a meal with lots of meat and vegetables.

After barely eating two vegetarian dishes, Wen Qing burped.

Bai Tong’s movements paused. He turned to look at him. “You can’t eat anymore?”

Wen Qing nodded and whispered, “I’ll eat slowly.”

“No need,” Bai Tong took the initiative to remove the food from his plate, adding, “I eat a lot.”

Wen Qing took a sip of the milk, and quietly thanked, “Thank you.”

Bai Tong quickly finished the meal. He looked around and softly said, “There’s very few people.”

Wen Qing was a little stupefied. He looked to the sides.

There were actually very few students in the cafeteria. Because there weren’t many tables and chairs and they were fully-seated, it looked crowded.

Wen Qing counted. Just after he counted to the fifth table, a gentle female voice sounded from the right. “There are 74 people in total, including 10 players.”

Wen Qing turned his head. The person who spoke was a delicate and pretty girl.

Bai Tong spoke, “This is my dorm mate, Li Jingjing.”

Wen Qing whispered, “Hello, my name is Wen Qing.” 

Li Jingjing smiled. “I know.”

She took the initiative to say, “Yesterday, I received some news from my deskmate.”

“The celebration of God’s birthday seems to take a lot of physical and mental energy from us, so from today onwards until before God’s birthday, a teacher will watch us finish every meal. They said it was to ensure we had enough nutrition.”

Wen Qing couldn’t help but frown. So much for every meal? 

“Then what will happen if we don’t finish eating?”

Li Jingjing raised her eyebrows towards the other students, motioning for Wen Qing to look over. “This is a gift from God. Even if they can’t finish it, they still have to force it in.”

Wen Qing looked over. Sure enough, a few thin students couldn’t eat half of the food, but they were still frantically stuffing food into their mouths with twisted and savage expressions, looking a little frightful.

Li Jingjing looked at this scene with her chin on her hand, and softly said, “Is it like feeding a pig?”

“Feed us until we’re fat and plump, then slaughter us.”

Her tone was soft, but what she said had a sense of substitution. Wen Qing couldn’t help shivering. 

Li Jingjing burst out laughing. “Your child is really timid.”

Bai Tong paused. Slowly, his brows and eyes opened up, and he quietly chuckled. “What child…”

Li Jingjing’s eyes curved. She asked Wen Qing, “How many instances have you gone through?”

Wen Qing truthfully said, “This time is my second.”

Li Jingjing looked at him in surprise. “Two? You still count as a newcomer.”

“Why is a newcomer already at a god-level in their second instance? I don’t know if I should say you’re unlucky or lucky.”

Wen Qing nodded and slowly said, “I know, I’m unlucky.”

Li Jingjing laughed again.

Not long after, Oz was the first to walk to the cafeteria’s doorway. After Teacher Sun inspected the dinner plates, he let him leave. Then, the players left, one by one.

Wen Qing and Bai Tong walked up to Teacher Sun together.

Teacher Sun looked at Bai Tong’s dinner plates, and asked him to put them on a table beside him, then spoke, “Thank God.” 

Bai Tong: “Thank God.”

When it was Wen Qing’s turn, Teacher Sun spoke, “Thank the High Priest.”

Wen Qing was silent for a moment, before replying,” Thank the High Priest.”

Bai Tong took the initiative to ask,” Teacher, there’s still half an hour before class, can we go to the library?”

Teacher Sun frowned. “What do you want to go to the library for?”

Bai Tong casually said, “Want to pay respects to God’s deeds.”

Hearing these words, a smile appeared on Teacher Chen’s stiff face. “Not now, class is about to start.”

“Don’t worry, we will arrange for everyone to go to the library this afternoon.”

Bai Tong nodded, and pulled Wen a Qing to leave the cafeteria and head to the classroom building.

When they returned to the classroom, Wen Qing noticed that Ji Junfeng’s seat was empty.

The time for class was growing closer and closer, but Ji Junfeng still hadn’t returned.

Wen Qing frowned slightly. He hesitated for a moment, and asked the classmate in the front row. “That classmate, have you seen Ji Junfeng?”

The smiling expression of the classmate in the front row immediately changed. He said in disgust, “I don’t know, I don’t know, who cares if he lives or dies.”

Seeing the change in his face, Wen Qing was stunned. What happened with Ji Junfeng?

He quietly asked, “Why?”

“Why else?” the student in the front row impatiently turned their head. Seeing that the one who asked him was Wen Qing, he explained perfunctorily, “Because he didn’t enjoy God’s gift in the morning, it serves him right to be punished.”

Wen Qing looked confused. “I’ve told the teacher the reason.”

The classmate looked at him weirdly. “Is there any logical connection between him not feeling well and him not coming to the cafeteria?”

“If it were changed to me, I’d even crawl to the cafeteria if I had to.”

Wen Qing opened his mouth. Realising he couldn’t make sense with him, he dryly said, “Thank you.”

The classmate smiled and said, “It’s fine.”

“But it’s best if you stay further away from Ji Junfeng, this person…”

In the middle of his speech, he suddenly stopped talking.

Wen Qing hurriedly asked, “This person what?”

The classmate shook their head and secretively said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”

“In short, it’s not bad for you to ignore him, and it’s good for you too.”

Wen Qing wanted to continue questioning him, when the student shot a glance at the doorway and hurriedly turned around to sit properly.

He tilted his head to take a look. At some point, Teacher Sun stood at the doorway.

“Mr. Chen has some things to do this morning, so I will take over the prayer class.”

Teacher Sun walked to the podium and told everyone, “Flip to the first page.”

“Let’s review it again.”

Wen Qing flipped it open, and recited with everyone, “The god of love and lust came into being from the white waves splashed by the essence thrown into the water, Yu—”

His voice abruptly stopped. His eyes widened, and he stared at the name in the textbook in disbelief.

Yu- Yu[2] Xing?!

[1] – idiom meaning that people’s talents will arouse the envy of others

[2] – the “Yu” used here is a different character than that in Yu Xing’s actual name. more on this will be explained in the next chapter!

SV: tbh a little confused about the “fasting”, but I think that’s a quirk of this world actually. it’s like a reverse on traditional fasting where they eat A Lot. like gluttony! i think i’m getting at something… (lie)