The School's "50th Anniversary Summer Festival" Had Officially Begun!
Class 15 of Grade 11, our class of dedicated ogres, were going all out playing ghosts—terrifying waves of visitors and fellow students brave enough to challenge our haunted escape room. Screams echoed as the victims emerged from the Ogre's Kitchen Escape Room, pale-faced and trembling. That was our publicity at work.
Everyone from nearby classrooms and even the building across the courtyard could see those shell-shocked challengers—and hear the random shrieks.
Inside the classroom, our ogres were either stifling laughter or fully immersed in their roles. The most committed of all? Wu Kaixi, our resident gore-loving, dark mystery novelist. With his love for twisted logic and anti-detective stories, Wu Kaixi had designed scares that left guests trembling.
And of course, we had extra motivation: our homeroom teacher had promised that if our class earned the most shopping vouchers, we'd get to go on a seaside summer camp!
That thought alone had us working twice as hard. Just imagining the blue ocean, bright sun, swimsuits, bonfire parties, and tent camping had us dancing with joy—though, with blood-streaked makeup on our faces, it looked more like we were performing some sort of cult ritual.
Every person who braved the escape room had a different story, and soon, clips began to appear online, fueling rumors and curiosity citywide:
"There's seriously a coffin in there! A red one!"
"No way, it was black!"
"Did you see the obituary for Jiang Jianshen posted on the classroom board?"
"I heard someone fainted and had to be sent to the nurse's office!"
"Couples should totally go—perfect excuse to hold onto each other!"
"The theme's like some freaky cult ritual—with shaman dances and everything. So creepy."
"Take your girlfriend there, now!"
Seeing these posts only fueled our excitement. We decided to launch a full-blown campus promotion…
The moment we hit the hallway, our team—over ten people strong—turned heads. Some wore eerie white masks with grotesque smiles carved from cheek to ear. Others kept their ogre makeup on. At the front, Wu Kaixi held up a white notice board, twisted with rusty nails and barbed wire, splashed with red "blood."
"Class 15's Ogre's Kitchen Escape Room—50 people escaped so far. The ogres are now silently hunting outside."
Holding that sign high, we paraded across campus. Of course, we couldn't resist stopping to buy snacks when we saw food stalls—fried chicken cutlets, bubble tea, fresh lemon juice, donuts, grilled Taiwanese sausage, chocolate tarts, vanilla pudding, mille crepes, fried squid, chicken cutlet burgers… our hands were full.
The students at the charity stalls nearly jumped out of their skin when our "ghostly" group arrived. Our makeup was way too realistic.
Wu Kaixi, deeply in character, whispered everything he said while tilting his head unnaturally, his twisted face enough to give anyone nightmares.
After a full round, I stopped by the restroom. Seeing myself in the mirror, I jumped—my special effects makeup was terrifying! I played a burn survivor in the escape room, with thick prosthetics layered across my face. I couldn't even feel my real skin.
I wiped my hands on a grey towel and stuffed it into my pocket before rushing to catch up with the team. They had already made it to the senior building. There, I spotted a classroom selling all things taro!
Taro milk tea, fried taro balls, taro meatballs, taro cake, taro tiramisu, taro pie, taro sandwiches, taro coffee, taro fried rice, taro mochi…
I LOVE TARO! I couldn't help myself—I traded in some shopping vouchers for a taro milk tea with pearls and a fried taro bun.
Dancing with joy, bun in one hand and milk tea in the other, I bounced back to rejoin the group.
Up ahead, Wu Kaixi's head was still creepily tilted. I couldn't help but admire his dedication to the act.
I jogged over, sipping my drink, but didn't expect the team to suddenly stop. I crashed right into one of the ogres in front of me.
Smack! My milk tea splattered across the ogre's back and the ground. Thankfully, the ogre costume included a slaughterhouse-style leather apron, so no damage done.
I quickly pulled out my towel to wipe both of us off before falling back in line as we returned to the classroom.
All day, the air buzzed with screams. By 4 PM, our ogres were drained. Sen Leian's dark circles looked even worse after only two hours of sleep. Limin, on the other hand, was riding a post-adrenaline high—probably still in shock.
Leian and I decided to take a break and go for a walk.
On the sports field, the eighth graders were hosting Rua Rua Pet Zone.
We handed over some vouchers and stepped into the wooden enclosure that covered the entire field. Two ogres walking among fluffy animals? We tried to be gentle and friendly, but with our grotesque makeup, no one was buying it. Even forced smiles couldn't hide the layers of fake flesh on our faces.
Two terrifying faces approached the eighth graders…
"Hey, can we ride that horse?" Leian pointed to a gorgeous white horse in the distance.
Its light champagne mane was braided like a Disney princess's.
"Y-y-yes," a student stammered, clearly intimidated by Leian's towering, blood-splattered form.
As we neared, Leian suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me up. I stepped onto the stirrup and landed on the back of the horse, while he smoothly swung up to sit in front.
We'd done this a million times—horseback riding was something the Sen family had drilled into us since we were kids. No matter how wild the horse, Leian and I could always tame it. For a while, I even dreamed of becoming a horse trainer.
This white horse—with its beautiful braids and a golden bow tied to its tail—looked like royalty. Now imagine two students in bloodied leather aprons riding it, one with twisted horns and the other with a disfigured face…
Someone muttered nearby, "Damn, this looks like the butcher's horror farm from a video game."
We heard it. I tapped Leian's back. In sync, we snapped our heads toward the gossiping outsiders.
The three students shrieked and bolted.
We laughed so hard we nearly fell off. Leian tugged the reins, the horse neighed and reared up before galloping off.
I clung to his waist tightly. It was just like when we were kids, racing horses through the Sen estate. I didn't know how to ride back then—it was always Leian guiding me, teaching me step by step. He'd call me an idiot, but whenever I fell, he'd be the first to rush over and check if I was hurt.
Inside the Rua Rua Pet Zone, our laughter echoed loud and joyful.
Far across the field, Yingchuan Yan was watching his idiotic sister and the perfect Leian with a scowl.
"They're so damn weird… but such a good match," he muttered, shaking his head.
"Hey! Yan, what are you staring at so intensely?" a girl beside him asked.
"Ah, nothing, just the animals," he said quickly.
"Whoa—aren't those the seniors from the haunted house?" she asked.
"Grade 11," Yan corrected.
"Let's go to the Grade 12 building! I heard they have a kimono café!" she beamed.
"Sounds good. I haven't eaten all day—I'll grab some food too," he said, walking alongside her into the building.
Inside the café, four senior girls greeted in unison: "Welcome!"
Yan's face flushed instantly—his greatest lifelong passion? Pretty girls. He'd critiqued his sister's outfits since they were kids.
The girl beside him saw his reaction and felt a sudden pang of annoyance.
They bought lattes and sweets, then moved further in…
"Whoa! What's that giant roulette thing?" the girl gasped.
"Welcome, my little sister," said a tall senior boy. "Care to try Truth or Dare?"
"We're not kids," Yan scoffed.
"But you can win shopping vouchers," the boy added slyly.
Yan's eyes lit up. "We're in." He dragged the girl in with him.
Everyone inside was tall—over 180 cm. Yan, only 167 cm, thought bitterly: What are they feeding these people?
The classroom had a lively Easter vibe—colorful eggs, wooden sliding doors, and girls in bunny ears. In the center, a massive candy-colored roulette wheel with wild dares written across it:
[Confess to someone], [Kiss someone's cheek], [Shout 'I like you' ten times], [Make a scary face for ten seconds], [Meow like a cat and run three laps], [Buy bubble tea for the person to your right], [Tell a teacher their class is too hard]…
"You spin," Yan told the girl, folding his arms like a bystander.
"I thought we were doing this together?" she pouted.
"I'll keep score," he insisted.
A senior offered to spin for her. "I'm strong—I can make it spin forever~"
"I got this!" she said, spinning it herself.
The arrow ticked wildly… then landed on:
[Meow like a cat and run three laps].
The class exploded with laughter. The girl almost chickened out but saw Yan smirking and got stubborn.
"Meow~ Meow~ Meow~" She pranced around like a determined cat.
Yan sipped his latte, chuckling quietly.
Ten minutes later…
"Next up—Yan!" the host called out. "You're not getting away!"
"Dare," he said coolly, chewing takoyaki.
The host grinned, flipping a card: "Kiss the person to your right."
Gasps. Cheers. Whistles.
His right? A middle school girl in a frilly Lolita dress, round cheeks, and big eyes—like a hamster who'd wandered into a teen drama.
"I—I quit!" she squeaked, blushing madly.
Yan grinned. "Fine, I'll kiss your hair then." He leaned in.
"YOU BETTER NOT!" she shrieked.
The class burst into laughter.
"Yan, your charm's not working!" someone teased.
"Whatever," he muttered, but couldn't hide his smile.
"Just kiss already!" the crowd cheered.
"Fine! It's just a game!" she pouted, lips puckered.
Yan leaned in… only for both of them to press against a pale, veined, cold—
Hand.
"Are you done?" came a low, icy voice.
"Bro?!" the girl gasped.
"BRO?!?" the whole class screamed.
It was none other than Chen Hao'an—the campus patrol captain.
Yan leapt back. "Bro?"
"I'm not your bro," Hao'an growled.
"But last time you came to my—"
Before Yan could finish, Hao'an clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him out.
Everyone else was left stunned.
"Next player!" the host cheerfully moved on.
Back at the ogre escape room…
Leian and I were energized again—like we'd been injected with adrenaline.
We returned to class, laughing—just in time to see Chen Hao'an sternly lecturing Yan outside the senior building.
"Probably got into trouble again," I muttered. Classic Yan. I ignored them and went back to my post.
"Double blood for me," I told the SFX team.
"You got it!" they grinned.
[Post-Credit Scene]
In the chaos of the escape room, all students were dressed in full ogre regalia. Some faces were unrecognizable.
But among them…
Was one person no one seemed to see.
He wandered openly through Class 15, yet no one spoke to him.
Or even noticed him at all…
As if he wasn't really there.