Deep Within the Living-Chapter 59: Encounter

"Mr. Guo?" Luo Di repeated.
Xiaoying, startled by the familiar name, quickly added, "You mean the cultural studies teacher for Class 1? What’s he doing here? Could it be…?"
As the two stood at the entrance to the field discussing the figure’s identity, the shadowy figure by the metal container turned its head toward them, seemingly having finished some important task.
Buzz!
An intense wave of dizziness struck their minds. Xiaoying felt the world spin, as if being swallowed into a vortex, and collapsed onto the ground. Beside her, Luo Di stumbled and dropped to one knee, relying on sheer willpower to stay upright.
The disorienting sensation faded quickly, and the two hurriedly regained their footing.
But by the time they stood, Mr. Guo, who had been at the center of the field, was now standing directly in front of them.
Instinctively, Luo Di gripped the Zombie Blade tightly. However, out of respect for their teacher-student relationship and his quick assessment of the situation, he refrained from striking immediately. Instead, he addressed the figure with respect:
"Mr. Guo."
Of course, his right hand remained poised, ready to act if the teacher made any suspicious moves.
Luo Di had expected Mr. Guo to behave like other Impersonators, entirely consumed by the Whispers of the Corner, abandoning humanity to seek rewards or satisfaction through killing humans. But instead, Mr. Guo nodded in acknowledgment, and there was even a hint of admiration in his gaze.
"Hmm, Luo Di from Senior Class 5. I remember you—a particularly unique student.
"I worked overtime before the Seams formed to personally grade all the school’s papers. Your score was 93—a significant improvement from before.
"And on the final question about the philosophy of life and death, you provided your own unique insights beyond what’s in the textbook. Your answer was so interesting, I even learned something new from it.
"You must have experienced moments of life and death firsthand to think about such matters so deeply. Impressive."
"Thank you, Mr. Guo," Luo Di replied, maintaining his composure.
"By the way, where’s your usual companion, Class Leader Wu Wen?"
"She…" Luo Di started, but a sudden thought crossed his mind, and he altered his response.
"We encountered a powerful Impersonator on the way here and were forced to separate. I’m not sure where she is now. We’re heading to the Sports Center to seek the PE teacher’s help to find her."
Mr. Guo didn’t doubt the explanation. "Can you describe the Impersonator you encountered?"
"A parent of a senior student—her entire body was made of skin. She moved quickly and excelled at concealment."
"Hmm." Mr. Guo nodded thoughtfully, then offered a warning in a serious tone. "You two should avoid the Sports Center. Its spatial complexity makes it the most chaotic area on campus. You could easily get lost.
"In exchange for the information you’ve provided, I’ll share something in return: there’s a particularly troublesome ‘entity’ inside the Sports Center right now, using its spatial sovereignty to conduct a blood-and-flesh hunt. It’s a flesh-type Impersonator capable of easily taking over human bodies.
"You’re no match for it. If you encounter it, death is certain. Go to the dormitory building and find a room to hide in. It’s the safest place on campus, bar none. The vortex will ensure you’re not pursued. Stay there until this is over. I’ll do my best to shorten the duration of the Seams and minimize unnecessary casualties among teachers and students."
"Thank you, but we must find the Class Leader," Luo Di replied firmly.
"That’s consistent with your philosophy, as reflected in your answer sheet. Then I wish you luck. I admire Wu Wen as well, but I have other matters to attend to."
"Goodbye, Mr. Guo."
As Mr. Guo walked past them, his presence carried an indescribable sense of danger. Though he emitted no threatening aura, Luo Di felt it keenly, his tongue unconsciously clicking against his teeth. Yet, Mr. Guo’s actions showed no hostility.
When they turned back, Mr. Guo was already gone, exiting through a pathway behind them. The grass he had walked on had curled into swirling patterns, forming vortexes of varying sizes. Even the fabric of Luo Di’s sleeve had gathered into vortex-like creases.
Xiaoying, her voice trembling, muttered, "Luo Di… is Mr. Guo really an Impersonator? Why didn’t he kill us? And why did he show us a way out? The textbook says clearly that the older an Impersonator is, the deeper its mind is corrupted by the Corners, turning it into a highly antisocial entity."
"He is an Impersonator," Luo Di replied, "but I don’t know why he retains his humanity—or perhaps, a certain principle. If my cultural studies score had been poor or my answers misaligned with his views, I might have been killed."
It was undeniable that Mr. Guo was an Impersonator, and an extraordinary one at that. Based on the displayed abilities, the vortex motif dominating the campus was directly tied to him.
Xiaoying’s eyes lit up as she pieced together a conclusion. "I’ve got it! Based on Mr. Guo’s information, there are two Mature Impersonators at the Sports Center.
"One is Mr. Guo.
"The second is the flesh-type Impersonator he warned us about, currently hunting in the Sports Center.
"The flesh Impersonator likely rushed to the Sports Center, the most crowded area, to absorb blood and flesh and grow stronger. It probably disguised itself as a student—or maybe it was a student—and blended in with the classes.
"Using the chaos caused by the Seams, it preyed on students who had transformed during the track and field events. The resulting mayhem gave it the perfect opportunity to harvest live students and teachers, rapidly strengthening itself.
"The Sports Center descended into utter chaos, and even the PE teacher couldn’t contain it in time. Amid the carnage, Mr. Guo arrived as an Impersonator himself.
"With two powerful Mature Impersonators converging, plus the chaotic scene, the PE teacher had no choice but to evacuate the remaining students to the Sports Hall, attempting to regroup.
"The flesh Impersonator, sensing the danger posed by Mr. Guo, avoided direct confrontation, abandoning the corpses scattered on the outer track and retreating deeper into the Sports Hall to continue its hunt. Once it absorbs enough flesh to become even stronger, it will initiate a final showdown with the other Impersonators."
Luo Di nodded at her thorough deduction. "That explains things well enough. But one question remains—what’s Mr. Guo doing?"
Xiaoying tapped her temple, struggling to find an answer. "He’s not absorbing corpses, engaging in outright slaughter, or targeting other Impersonators. It’s like he’s just… wandering.
"No, wait—when he was standing in front of the metal container, it looked like he was… communicating with something inside it?"
"I don’t know either… but since Mr. Guo doesn’t seem intent on troubling us, we can probably leave him alone for now. What do we do next? Are we still heading to the Sports Hall to find the teachers?"
Luo Di pondered for a moment. Based on Mr. Guo’s information, the Sports Hall was currently the most spatially complex area in the entire school. The Seams seemed to focus their effects there, likely to trap the most troublesome physical education teachers. Entering would mean risking being completely lost, or worse, becoming prey for the flesh Impersonator.
Even if they managed to locate the main group in the Sports Hall and reunite with their homeroom teacher, Mr. Ruan Zhijun, the process would take too much time. Additionally, with the immediate threats still unresolved, the teacher wouldn’t have the capacity to help with the Class Leader’s situation.
"We should head straight to the Academic Building and look for the Class Leader. She might already have reached the security office. If she’s with the security task force, they should be able to handle the Skin Woman."
"I think that’s the best choice too," Xiaoying agreed.
Decision made.
The two began sprinting along the outer track to cross the field as quickly as possible. This route would minimize the distance to the Academic Building, allowing them to get there in the shortest time.
However—
Boom!
As they reached the midpoint of the field, a deafening crash erupted from the direction of the Sports Hall.
The steel doors and surrounding walls of the hall had been smashed apart by some immense force, sending shards of debris and dust into the air.
In the dim haze, they could make out the silhouette of an enormous creature. Its hulking frame moved out of the ruined hall, but as it advanced, its body began to shrink, eventually assuming a humanoid form.
A man in a school uniform stepped into view. Despite the uniform, his appearance was far from student-like. He had a nearly bald head with a pathetic fringe of hair, a potbelly that spoke of years of inactivity, and an air of unsettling confidence.
Even from over a hundred meters away, his voice rang out clearly, cutting through the stillness of the night.
"Luo Di! I’ve finally found you!"