Drifting through the hell of earth

Chapter 5 Dark Threat

The older student moved like a shadow along the flickering light of the hallway walls, quietly making his way toward the classroom where A-Lai was.

As A-Lai entered his classroom, he was met with an unusual sight. Desks and chairs, appearing to defy the usual arrangement, were clustered towards the rear. Some adventurous desks had even flipped over, creating an unexpectedly open space at the front.

In a cozy corner, a group of girls gathered, whispering and giggling softly. Their laughter, like a bubbling brook, filled the room with a lively vibe. Bathed in moonlight, their hair sparkled like butterflies, and their skirts swayed gently, evoking the grace of woodland creatures in their hidden spot.

Beneath the moonlight, the boy could still roughly distinguish his classmates. He stole a glance at the girl in the pretty dress. She was the girl at the adjacent desk, always sitting quietly in the classroom, not one to seek attention, yet always managing to capture his gaze.

He longed to speak to her, but every time he mustered the courage to do so, his throat seemed to constrict as if held by an invisible tether, rendering him speechless. And so, a sentence remained locked within his heart, too timid to be voiced.

When their eyes met, the girl smiled. It was a smile so pure and warm, like a gentle ray of sunlight, offering the boy a sliver of comfort and warmth. Each time he was enchanted by her smile, his heart fluttered, as if the entire world had suddenly become brighter in that moment.

A-Lai slowed down and jumped onto his desk by the window. The moonlight shone on him, creating a calm scene. When he looked at the shadow next to him, it felt like the girl was sitting there with him.

As the years passed, A-Lai found himself unable to erase the memory of that night, that singular moment etched into his soul.

An elderly man with a young grandson walked down the corridor toward the classroom. The grandpa's face was etched with the lines of time, each wrinkle a testament to the years he had lived. His eyes were full of love as he held his grandson's hand, the boy hopping with each step.

The grandson's hair, a messy mop of chestnut curls, bobbed energetically as they approached the classroom door. His eyes lit up when he spotted A-Lai, who seemed to be enveloped in an aura of gentle moonlight. With a mischievous grin, the boy sneaked into the classroom, carefully hiding and quietly approaching his back.

Just then, the shadow of an older student loomed before they reached the entrance. The elderly man's sharp gaze swept over the darkness in the hallway, and his strong presence seemed to freeze the shadowy figure in its tracks.

After the grandfather and grandson had been in the classroom for a while, the shadow reluctantly blended into the ground, slowly fading away.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, but that old man has a very strong aura. I got the gut feeling that I would be killed if I kept going."

"Who is he? He seems like just an ordinary old man."

"An ordinary old man with eyes like knives that could cut you in half?"

"Are they our rivals out to win?"

"Who knows? But, I'm leaving tonight."

"Hey, wait, come back!"

In an unnoticed corner, the two older students who had been there earlier were now sleeping soundly, back-to-back. They might not might not remember what happened to them, perhaps only a faint residue would remain, lingering as a fragment of a nightmare.

A black shadow lunged at A-Lai, accompanied by a loud roar right by his ear. To everyone's surprise, A-Lai didn't flinch or move a muscle, maintaining his calm demeanor.

"You're boring!"

It was none other than "Little Fly," the class's notorious prankster. Despite his short stature, he was as agile as a cat, always darting around the classroom and never staying still in his chair.

He doesn't have many friends, but A-Lai is clearly one. He circled his arm around A-Lai's neck and asked,

"Hey A-Lai, are you slow in reaction?"

A-Lai replied with a slight smirk, "I could smell you even before you entered the classroom."

"You're bluffing. Anyway, when are you going to teach me your cool spear moves?" Little Fly retorted, his eyes gleaming with curiosity and admiration.

Little Fly always held a deep admiration for A-Lai, the lad who mastered the spear technique under the guidance of the village Kungfu master. But the master was hesitant to teach Little Fly because he lacked patience and couldn't hold a simple horse stance for more than three minutes.

A-Lai pondered for a moment before reluctantly saying,

"I could show you the basics, but the master insists the spear technique shouldn't be shared."

"I just wanna learn your special moves, like"the returning spear" and"Poseidon's trident".

By the way, which one's the best? Don't worry, I'll grab my favorite sweet syrup for you to try."Little Fly continues to tempt A-Lai into agreeing.

"But that's not allowed. I need to ask the master," A-Lai said.

Little Fly protested,"Why do you have to run everything by the master? You're not asking him to teach me. You can do it!"

Skeptical, A-Lai warned,"If the master finds out, he might be furious!"

"Stubborn, no fun!"

Little Fly left and swiftly joined another lively conversation, laughing with a classmate. Very soon, he completely forgot about the spear moves, finding joy instead in having fun and joking with his friends.

In a quiet moment, A-Lai's fingers traced the contours of the large package on his desk, measuring over a meter long. Inside was a cleverly segmented spear, an old friend he had practiced with for years. He was excited to reveal it at tonight's event but also a bit nervous, his hands slightly sweaty with anticipation.