Chapter 35: New Examinee The sexy invigilator gets demoted on the spot.

…

After that, Shu Xue told them many more things, and everyone learned quite a bit from her.

She explained that the exam content varied wildly—ancient and modern, domestic and foreign.

Every exam was built around knowledge from the corresponding subject. The knowledge itself might not even be difficult. Sometimes it was ridiculously simple.

But the System always found ways to make it kill you.

Different exam sites could accommodate different numbers of examinees, so whether people became teammates was entirely random.

As a bug, Shu Xue was the only

“free examinee.”

She could choose exam sites herself.

That was why she could take physics with the bald man who harmed her, then later take foreign language with You Huo and Yu Wen, the people who helped her.

She used her special status to quietly assist teammates, but never too obviously.

Like in Chasu Village.

“Those ghost hands had a targeting pattern,” Shu Xue explained.

“If some guests sewed dolls while others didn’t, they would prioritize the ones who sewed.”

After the Black Hag revived her, Shu Xue counted as half a Chasu villager.

As long as she was nearby, the ghost hands would instinctively overlook the area.

So on the first night of the exam, only Liang Yuanhao and Chen Bin had sewn dolls, and they also happened to be alone.

Naturally, the ghost hands headed straight for their house.

On the second night, the ghost hands should originally have targeted Chen Bin first.

But Chen Bin was together with Shu Xue and the others at the time, so the ghost hands settled for second best and went to deliver themselves to You Huo instead.

As for the third night…

You Huo alone had sewn sixteen dolls, generating enough hatred to fill the sky, while Shu Xue deliberately stayed with the others.

The ghost hands had an obvious target by then, so naturally they went completely insane.

…

Only now did Chen Bin realize he had unknowingly escaped death yet again.

He thanked Shu Xue repeatedly, then couldn’t help asking:

“Then why didn’t you just tell us directly?”

Shu Xue answered softly:

“I looked like a pregnant woman. If I acted too strangely or knew too much, teammates usually didn’t follow my advice.”

“They’d become suspicious. Wary. Sometimes they’d even place me on the opposite side.”

Everyone fell silent.

After imagining it for a moment, they discovered they really couldn’t argue with her.

“But you all were different. Truly.”

Shu Xue said seriously:

“From the moment we met, all of you treated me kindly.”

“You wanted to give me lucky money, called me sister, took punishment in my place without blaming me, even lent me clothes.”

“In the past I was always unhappy. I felt like a wandering ghost drifting through exam halls.”

“But now, sometimes I feel like I’m still alive.”

“And that’s thanks to you.”

“That’s why I decided to stay with you all. If I could help even a little, I wanted to.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear and added:

“Though… that was what I thought before.”

“Now that you know the truth, you probably don’t want me around anymore.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

“If it were me, I’d probably feel uncomfortable too.”

You Huo had been leaning silently against the doorway the entire time.

After Shu Xue finished speaking, he suddenly broke the silence.

“There’s no such thing as wanting or not wanting.”

“It’s the same no matter who shares my exam hall.”

Shu Xue froze.

Old Yu and Yu Wen hurriedly chimed in too:

“Stay with us if you want! We’re not bothered.”

“You never harmed us anyway.”

“Oh right, sis,” Yu Wen suddenly asked, unable to resist.

“Yu Yao isn’t your real name, right?”

Otherwise, during the first exam, why would that bald man have shown zero reaction upon hearing it?

This time Shu Xue genuinely blushed.

“Sorry. I wasn’t honest back then.”

“I made that name up temporarily.”

“Because you all felt really close to me… and I borrowed your surname.”

As she spoke, she flipped over her room card and pushed it toward them.

Name: Shu Xue Examinee ID: 860575-02091318-1127 Completed Subjects: Foreign Language Total Score: 12

“Math?” Yu Wen burst out laughing.

“Your parents have the same naming taste as my family.”

“Guess surnames don’t matter. Eight hundred years ago we were definitely one family.”

Yu Yao—or rather, Shu Xue now—laughed too.

“I once met someone whose name sounded like ‘Physics.’”

“If we find another one we can swear brotherhood.”

“But…” everyone suddenly realized something strange.

“Why does your card only display one completed subject? And why didn’t your cumulative score stack up?”

“It’s always been like this.”

“Whenever I enter a Rest Area, it only shows the most recent subject and score.”

“Oh…”

Everyone was still processing when You Huo immediately cut to the important point.

“Then doesn’t that mean you can never finish the exams?”

“Yeah.” Shu Xue fell silent for a moment, then smiled again.

“But if I can help all of you leave safely, I’m happy with that too.”

You Huo lowered his eyes thoughtfully for a moment, then placed the doll in front of her.

Villagers receiving dolls meant release.

So what about Shu Xue?

Could this also free her?

“Thank you,” Shu Xue said gently.

“But actually, back when I lived in Chasu Village, I used to pick this doll up all the time.”

“Nothing ever happened.”

“Maybe it only works on villagers…”

You Huo replied:

“It’s different.”

“Hm?” Shu Xue blinked.

“The exam question specifically said it had to be delivered by an examinee.”

You Huo bent slightly and pushed the doll closer toward her.

“So now I’m giving it to you.”

Shu Xue stared blankly at the doll representing herself.

For some reason, in that instant…

she felt nervous.

You Huo glanced at her tightly clasped fingers, grabbed his backpack from the table, and said:

“Whether you accept it or not is your own decision.”

“I’m sleepy. Going to bed.”

“……”

Everyone thought:

Why are you sleepy again?!

Once You Huo left, the others also felt it inappropriate to keep watching. After saying goodnight, they all returned to their own rooms.

…

Over the next few days, aside from going upstairs for meals, Shu Xue never once left her room.

The others were much the same.

During the first two days, they wandered around a little.

Later they realized Rest Area 5 was truly depressing.

The streets and alleys were empty.

Many buildings stayed brightly lit at night, but knocking on doors never got a response. The lights were probably just decoration.

Restaurants were too expensive for them.

And the department store’s current discounts weren’t worth much.

After being dragged shopping several times, You Huo finally lost patience.

He simply locked his door, hung a

“Do Not Disturb” sign outside, and buried himself in sleep.

…

Five days of rest passed in the blink of an eye.

At 6:50 a.m. on the fifth morning, the hotel lobby was already crowded.

This time, You Huo had actually slept enough.

Rarely, he woke up without morning grumpiness.

Wearing earphones, he walked downstairs and immediately spotted Shu Xue.

After hiding in her room for five days, she looked surprisingly unchanged.

You Huo glanced once at her stomach and removed one earbud.

Before he could speak, Shu Xue said first:

“I thought it over.”

“I still want to take another exam with you all.”

“So I had Yu Wen hold onto the doll for now.”

“I heard before that exam difficulty fluctuates.”

“The third exam usually becomes more troublesome.”

“I’m a little worried.”

“After you all finish that exam, I can accept the doll then.”

You Huo never liked interfering with other people’s decisions.

After listening, he simply nodded once and put his earbud back in.

…

At exactly seven o’clock, they entered the department store.

The building had eight floors, packed with everything imaginable, much like an ordinary shopping mall.

“My god, they even have jewelry counters?” Yu Wen stared at the displays and sighed.

“What’s the point of putting this stuff out? Just wasting space.”

“What idiot would buy jewelry during exams?”

The instant he finished speaking, his brother casually picked up a men’s watch from the counter and tossed it into the shopping cart—box included.

Yu Wen: “……”

He immediately corrected himself:

“Watches don’t count. Watches are super useful!”

…In case the clocks in the exam hall got smashed again.

For once, the department store actually felt lively.

There were many shoppers, including hotel staff and even the owner of the restaurant next door.

Huge banners hung from the ceiling:

Weekly Discount Day! 7:00–10:00 a.m. Half the merchandise starts at 50% off. Today is December 13th. The 12th and 13th customers to check out receive an additional lottery chance. 90% winning rate! High chance for double discounts!

You Huo had terrible luck with lotteries his entire life.

So he didn’t even glance at the banner before taking the escalator to the second floor.

His previous down jacket had been destroyed by a coffin lid, so after wandering through floors two and three, he grabbed three new coats.

Yu Wen watched in horror.

“Bro, take it easy. Why do you need so many coats?”

You Huo replied:

“Just in case.”

What if he violated rules again?

Who could guarantee otherwise?

After buying clothes, he entered the supermarket section and grabbed instant food and canned goods.

Though there were many discounts today, most examinees couldn’t afford to buy anything.

Window-shopping was fine.

Actually paying was impossible.

So very few people needed checkout.

You Huo glanced downstairs from the upper floor and saw no line at the registers, so he pushed his cart toward the escalator.

His shopping cart was extremely eye-catching.

Every examinee who saw it stared with bulging eyes.

By the time he rolled from the seventh floor to the first, the previously empty checkout counters had somehow become lively.

You Huo walked over in confusion—

and immediately understood.

A customer was already standing at the register.

The man wore a smoke-gray shirt, tall and long-legged.

As he leaned against the counter, the fabric outlined sharp shoulders and a powerful back.

You Huo stopped walking.

Then rolled his eyes.

That silhouette was far too recognizable.

Who else could it be except Invigilator 001?

Around the invigilator stood a ring of examinees, neither too close nor too far away, all staring open-mouthed at his shopping carts.

Yes—plural.

This man apparently felt one cart wasn’t enough and had taken two.

The cashier closed their mouth numbly while scanning the contents.

You Huo strolled over slowly and heard the cashier asking:

“…Four sets of clothes, two overcoats—you definitely want all of these?”

Qin Jiu: “Mm.”

“……”

“And all these beef cans too?” The cashier heavily emphasized all.

Qin Jiu: “Mm.”

“……”

“This watch—”

Qin Jiu: “Yes.”

The cashier’s expression became completely deadpan.

“And this suitcase…”

Qin Jiu finally lost patience and tapped the counter.

“No need to confirm anymore.”

“I want everything.”

“Please just total it up.”

As the cashier furiously hammered the keyboard, Qin Jiu’s gaze casually swept sideways.

Then he noticed You Huo behind him.

He raised a brow and laughed softly.

“Morning.”

“Finally woke up today?”

You Huo: “……”

“What are you doing here?”

Qin Jiu answered:

“Buying exam supplies.”

You Huo looked him up and down once before replying flatly:

“Invigilators need exam supplies?”

“Don’t you people have buildings?”

Qin Jiu gave an

“oh.”

“Invigilators don’t.”

“But examinees inevitably do.”

You Huo let out a cold laugh.

Two seconds later, he suddenly lifted his head again.

“Say that last sentence again.”

“Who’s becoming an examinee?”

“Me,” Qin Jiu answered.

You Huo: “……………………”

“Why?”

Qin Jiu replied:

“The System felt my assistance operation was a little too large-scale.”

“According to punishment regulations, I have to spend one round as an examinee.”

This punishment originated from the help card, meaning it was somewhat connected to You Huo.

After thinking briefly, he asked one more question:

“How long is one round?”

Qin Jiu answered:

“Based on the current exam format? Five subjects.”

“Same as all of you.”

“Only passing counts.”

“Oh.”

You Huo thought for a moment.

Apparently unsure what else to say, he started putting his earbud back in.

But before he could, Qin Jiu spoke again:

“During punishment periods, invigilators lose subject selection rights.”

“According to regulations, I have to follow an examinee.”

“Examinees can choose voluntarily.”

“But I’m lazy.”

“So I selected the default option.”

You Huo paused with the earbud in hand.

“And who exactly is the default option?”

Qin Jiu smiled.

“Don’t make that face. It’s regulation.”

“I used my help card on you and got demoted because of it.”

“So naturally, you can’t escape responsibility.”

He removed one glove and lazily extended his hand.

“Please take care of me, Examinee?”

“……”

You Huo wanted to smash the shopping cart directly into his face.