Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 54
Lan Qi’s Artistic Faith
The flickering corridor lights cast three shadows upon the walls. The figures stood silently, half-shrouded in light and half in darkness, their outlines warped and sinister.
“Difficulty 3 classrooms aren’t for normal students,” Bachel explained, his voice low.“They only open for limited times — special events or advanced examinations.”
He hesitated, then added nervously,
“But… rumors say there’s a Difficulty 4 hidden classroom somewhere in one of the corridors. I’ve never heard of a single student surviving it, though…”
Lan Qi listened for a moment longer, then handed over the promised Credit Coin.
Bachel accepted it like a royal pardon, clutching it as if it could ward off death itself.
Lan Qi then summoned the Shadow World mission window before him:
[Remaining Time: 11 h 42 m][Objective 1 – Explore 60 % of the Academy (current progress: 4 %)][Objective 2 – Investigate the source of tonight’s danger][Objective 3 – At least one survivor until time expires (current 6 / 6)][Challengers Lan Qi & Lady Huperion in Corridor G21 – No classroom entered]
The progress number on Objective 1 ticked upward — from 3 % to 4 %.
That meant clearing the previous Demon Exam Hall had granted exactly 1 % progress.
From his earlier discussion with Lady Huperion, Lan Qi inferred that the six challengers listed were likely divided into three teams of two.
If entering a Difficulty 1 class raised exploration by 1 %, and clearing it gave another 1 %, then even if all three teams each cleared five Difficulty 1 rooms within 12 hours, the total would reach only 30 %.
To achieve the 60 % target, they would need to split up to clear more rooms simultaneously — or attempt higher-difficulty classes that yielded greater exploration gains.
Lan Qi met Lady Huperion’s eyes; she nodded back.
She was quick with numbers and clearly reached the same conclusion.
The path forward was obvious: challenge tougher classrooms whenever possible — and, along the way, uncover the hidden “threat within the academy” referenced in Objective 2.
“Bachel,” Lan Qi asked, “have you noticed anything unusual at the academy lately? Any… change? Something tonight that frightens you?”
“……”
Bachel stared at Lan Qi, speechless.He couldn’t imagine anything more terrifying than the man standing before him.
“Alright,” Lan Qi sighed, shaking his head.
It seemed Bachel’s information was limited; he clearly knew little of the academy’s inner secrets. Questions about Objective 2 would have to wait — perhaps for a teacher or a department head.
Pity those two exam invigilators were in no condition to answer questions anymore.
Still, Lan Qi was satisfied with their pace.
Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn’t even have reached this stage of understanding until more than an hour later — and who else could have found such a cooperative, truth-spilling classmate so quickly?
Now it was time to study — and study hard.
If one didn’t study here, one didn’t survive.
In truth, compared with the mind-numbing courses back at Ikerite Academy, Lan Qi didn’t actually hate learning in this bizarre demonic school. In fact… he almost looked forward to it.
Lady Huperion watched him quietly.
He seemed far too eager.The same man who always dozed through lectures at the Sages Institute now looked ready to sprint into his next class like a straight-A student.
She worried, not without reason, that once he finished his “studies” here, he might awaken some irreversibly inhuman tendencies…But she said nothing. After all, she wasn’t technically human herself.
As that thought passed through her mind—
“Bachel,” Lan Qi said warmly, resting a hand on the demon’s shoulder,“there’s a saying in my homeland: ‘A wise man bends with the times.’You wouldn’t refuse to cooperate with us, would you?”
“O-of course not!”
“Good. Do this right, and you’ll be well rewarded.Now — take us to an arts classroom.”
Lan Qi needed a clever demon guide, and Bachel’s fearful obedience made him perfect for the role.
“This way, please.”
Bachel instinctively assumed the posture of a butler, gesturing with polished aristocratic grace as he led the way.
The labyrinthine corridors constantly shifted, yet Bachel’s survival instincts had long memorized most of their patterns.
Lan Qi and Lady Huperion followed swiftly.
Their footsteps echoed in rhythm, steady and sure.
After several minutes, a vast door appeared ahead — a monumental barrier guarding whatever secrets lay within.
Bachel halted and turned.
“According to what I know, this door leads to a music classroom. It’s the nearest arts-type class. If you’re not satisfied, we can keep searching.”
Lan Qi’s gaze followed his gesture.
The ornate door gleamed faintly beneath the hall lights, two demonic sigils carved upon its surface — Difficulty 2.
He nodded, apparently pleased.
Placing his palm upon the ancient, solid wood, he murmured,
“This one will do.”
Searching further might waste precious time.
“A-are you really going to challenge a Difficulty 2 classroom?”
Bachel’s voice quavered. He clearly hadn’t dared step into such a place before.
“Don’t worry,” Lan Qi said with complete confidence.“There’s no art course I’m afraid of.”
And with that, he pushed the doors open.
At once, the grand interior unfolded before his eyes.
Rather than a classroom, it was a magnificent theater.Crystal chandeliers, crimson velvet seats, an elegant stage — luxury radiated from every corner.
On that stage, a student was performing with intense focus, every movement charged with passion as waves of sound rolled through the hall like the sea.
At the curtain’s edge stood a formally dressed teacher, the apparent conductor of this scene.He noticed the newcomers instantly and motioned for them to sit in the rear rows—his gesture brisk, authoritative, unquestionable.
Lan Qi and his companions obeyed, ascending the steps to the top of the amphitheater to observe.
From here, the full layout became clear:aside from the audience-like students scattered in the back rows, four demon teachers sat in grand chairs before the stage, listening to the music with the composure of contest judges.
Lan Qi studied the setup, frowning slightly.Even without knowing the classroom’s rules, he already sensed something ominously familiar.
“Wait … is this — Demon Voice Idol ?!”
Lan Qi’s expression froze.This “class” felt completely off the charts.
(End of Chapter)