Horror Game Designer
Chapter 169: Substitute

“Student, are you looking for this?” Gao Ming held up the Student ID. He shared a look with that normal student. The picture on the ID clarified. Memory dropped on the window and dribbled into the heart.

“What?” The student’s reaction was sluggish, like he had just woken up. After some time, he extended his hand, “Thank you.”

The student ID contained the memory fragments scattered all over the school. Gao Ming didn’t want to give it away. If possible, he wanted to swallow the ID and lock all the memories in his heart.

“What’s your name?” Gao Ming pulled the ID back. “I want to know if this is your ID.”

“My name is Gao Yun.” The student answered readily.

“Gao Yun?” Gao Ming tightened his fingers around the ID. He felt his blood boiling and his heart racing. He didn’t know why.

“Yes. It means high cloud.” The student explained it. “The family who adopted me wished that I could be free like the clouds and forever unburdened. They hoped I’d live like clouds in the sky and turn into rain after I die.”

“Your adopted parents? Did they give you your name?”

“Technically, it was my adoptive father.” Gao Yun recalled. “My father is a strange man. He has never smiled. He always has a chain curled around his body like he is a sinner. He has no friends or family. He said he had died many times. He told me that he adopted me so that I could be the next him.”

Gao Yun’s statement contained a lot of info. It made Gao Ming think.

“Don’t overthink it. My adoptive father has mental issues. Because of him, I’m not liked by the other students.” When he took the student ID from Gao Ming, Gao Yun was confused. “This looks like my ID. But why did it become like this? Did you find it inside the washer?”

Gao Ming didn’t answer and studied Gao Yun silently. The man was about 1.7 metres tall. He wore the school uniform and didn’t look fashionable. His smile was honest. He was so normal that he didn’t look like the antagonist.

“Gao Yun, I want to ask you…” Before Gao Ming could finish, Gao Yun put the student ID before his chest and waved at Gao Ming, “Are you the new transfer student? What’s your name?”

“Gao Ming.”

“Such a strange name. Is there a parent who would give their child such a name? Ming or destiny is too hard to predict. If you believe or refuse to believe in destiny, the ending won’t be good either way.” Gao Yun seemed to realise his faux-paz. “I didn’t mean anything bad. My adoptive father’s name is very strange too.”

“…”

“I’ll show you around the school. Come on. Don’t just stand there.” Gao Yun grabbed Gao Ming’s hand. They were two extreme opposites, but it felt right to be with each other. Gao Ming tried to read Gao Yun’s thoughts as a psychiatrist. He didn’t resist and allowed Gao Yun to pull him into Class 13.

The classroom door opened, and the sun shone on the tables. Gao Ming felt like he had stepped back in time. The textbooks were placed on the tables. Behind the books were many youthful faces. Some were studying and others were copying homework that they hadn’t finished. The students of Class 13 weren’t that ‘special’ in the past. Everyone was so normal. When did this change?

The memory reiterated itself in You Liang’s nightmare. Gao Ming thought back to his school life. He and Gao Yun sat next to a female student. The girl looked like Zhou Sisi. She was kind, upbeat, friendly and was younger than Zhou Sisi.

“I plan to gift her an apple on Christmas Eve. Do you think she’ll like it? Or is it too forward?” Gao Yun slipped a note to Gao Ming. Reading the note, a memory flashed in Gao Ming’s mind. He knew this had happened in real life. Gao Ming picked up the pen and wrote on the other side of the note. “Focus on your study. If you get into a relationship, what about me?”

Gao Yun accepted the note with anticipation. After he read it, his expression became interesting.

The teacher lectured. The students in the front row paid full attention. The students at the back did their own things. The two worlds didn’t bother each other.

Gao Ming stopped trying to focus on the nightmare and the anomaly. At least at that moment, he was just another student in class.

In You Liang’s nightmare, Gao Ming and Gao Yun became friends. They knew each other’s secret. Two loners became close friends who would share everything with each other. The female student who sat between them became an extra.

The memory in the student ID slowly flowed. The dull life became colourful again. The world outside the classroom window changed every minute, but Gao Ming and Gao Yun didn’t care about that.

Growing up taught us many things, but it made us forget the simple joys of being a kid.

In this social practical class, Gao Ming didn’t become anyone specific. He focused on being his former self. He was reserved, hard to approach and occasionally sarcastic.

Gao Yun was not perfect. He lived with his adopted father since he was young. He rarely interacted with others. He was often kept in his room by his father, so he was socially awkward and had low self-esteem.

The most unpopular student and the most ostracised student in class encouraged and helped each other.

As the two’s personalities changed for the better, the silence of the school was suddenly shattered. A few investigators in black uniforms rushed into the math building. Their assault was planned. Everyone stood on different floors as they tore apart and burned down the 51st student’s diary.

“I can’t stay with you.” The investigators had seen Gao Ming. If they saw Gao Ming with Gao Yun, Gao Yun’s identity would be exposed.

“Why?”

“Someone wants to kill you. They are approaching.” Gao Ming stood up and prepared to leave.

“Are you doing this to protect me?” Gao Yun lifted his head to look at Gao Ming. His expression shifted. Something deep in his eyes cracked. “Just like how it was ten years ago?’ Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴøvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Gao Ming paused and turned around.

“Ten years ago, you were trapped in the tunnel and lingered between the world of death and reality. You need a living human to drive the bus to find a way out of the tunnel. The price to pay is that the living driver will forever be trapped on the bus.” Gao Ming touched his student ID. “Gao Ming, I’ve always thought you’d come back to take my place.”

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