"That's the guy. I heard last night he got the highest mission rating in Forbidden Zone 2. Turns out it's actually true."
"What shocked me more is that the top rating can even grant an extra talent reward!"
"Yeah, no clue how he managed that."
"Are the new kids really this terrifying? Straight out with a C-Rank?"
"As long as nothing unexpected happens, that kid's future is limitless..."
"Boss, should we try bringing him into the Student Council?"
"Definitely. Talent like that deserves an exception."
"And don't forget that girl with the crazy archery skills. She qualifies too."
"Hah! Looks like someone's got more than recruitment on their mind, huh?"
"Heh… you always see right through me, boss."
A few upperclassmen stood at the edge of the field, casually watching the freshmen while gossiping among themselves.
…
Three days later.
In that time, Vincent Fox had dealt with a constant stream of harassment.
Almost every hour, a new phone call came in, inviting him to transfer to some "better" .
Vincent had no idea how his number got leaked.
Fed up with the nonstop buzz, he finally just shut off his phone altogether.
Today marked the start of a new curriculum.
Starting now, the instructors would begin teaching about Forbidden Zone 3.
Vincent was honestly looking forward to it.
He'd heard rumors for a while that Zone 3 involved zombies but whether they were the classic shambling undead or something from a specific work of fiction, he wasn't sure.
At 9 a.m., all students gathered in the classroom, awaiting their lesson.
As usual, Professor Charles Joe was their instructor.
Ding-ling-ling!
The class bell rang, and Professor Joe entered carrying a thick stack of textbooks.
"Class monitor, please hand these out," he said.
Autumn Summer stepped forward to distribute the books one by one.
When she reached Vincent's desk, however, her expression changed noticeably angry, even.
She was definitely upset with him.
After all, she had given him her number…
Three days had passed, and he hadn't called or even sent a single message.
For the first time in her life, the great beauty Autumn Summer felt ignored.
Thud!
She slammed the book down hard on Vincent's desk, giving him a sharp glare before continuing down the row.
Vincent blinked in confusion, unsure what he had done to offend her.
But the moment the textbook was in hand, he quickly forgot the encounter and eagerly flipped it open to begin reading.
On the first page was an illustration.
It depicted a terrifying humanoid creature with a bluish face, fierce fangs, and a grotesque snarl. The figure wore the official garb of a Qing Dynasty officer, exuding an eerie, archaic aura.
It was a jiangshi a hopping vampire.
Vincent narrowed his eyes.
It looked strangely familiar.
…
Once the books had all been distributed, Professor Joe raised his voice.
"Same rules as always: don't lose or damage your textbooks. Once you complete Forbidden Zone 3, they will be collected and returned. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the students chorused.
"Then let's begin."
Professor Joe cleared his throat and started the lecture.
"Forbidden Zone 3 is a world of ghosts and supernatural monsters. You'll encounter jiangshi and vengeful spirits."
"Compared to the zombies of Zone 2, the creatures in Zone 3 are far more dangerous. Even more deadly than the Lickers. You must take extreme caution and always enter in teams."
"Now, let's go over the characteristics of a jiangshi. Open your textbooks to page one."
"Jiangshi are mythical creatures, rooted in ancient folklore. They are said to be reanimated corpses, brought to life by a build-up of deathly Yin energy. They have no humanity, no reason, and feed exclusively on blood…"
All the students listened intently.
Some of the more timid ones had already turned pale with fear.
Even just hearing the description, they could tell jiangshi were far more terrifying than standard zombies.
Vincent was paying close attention too.
Though he already had some idea of what to expect, extra information never hurt.
Better safe than sorry.
Professor Joe went into great detail.
He thoroughly explained the behaviors and weaknesses of both jiangshi and female ghosts, before continuing.
"Forbidden Zone 3 is set in a world similar to our early 20th century, just after the fall of the feudal dynasty. Industrial development is primitive and minimal."
"The story takes place in a village called Renjia Town. The Ren family is the dominant clan there, and the first jiangshi encountered is none other than their ancestor Old Master Ren."
At that moment, Vincent's eyes lit up.
Renjia Town.
Old Master Ren!
Those two names were unmistakable.
This was the world of the film Mr. Vampire.
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Apologies for the inconvenience, I'm currently revising all chapters to improve translation quality, consistency, and overall reading experience. Thank you for your patience and continued support!