Volume One (Prequel): The Seventh Reader - Chapter 13: The Devil's Feast—The Fifth Victim

At the end of every year, the various clubs on campus would be busy with activities. Despite the impending final exams, the club leaders and members would still make time to hold events such as a poetry recitation for bidding farewell to the old year, or a concert to welcome the new year. This year, New Year's Day was particularly significant, as after the clock struck midnight on December 31st, the entire human society would enter into the next millennium.

Whether it was 1999 or 2000, apart from the computer professionals worrying about the Y2K bug, it was probably the students who were most concerned. After all, not everyone could witness human history entering into a completely new era, especially those born in the late 1970s, who still vividly remembered the image of the boy riding a spaceship towards the year 2000 printed on their schoolbooks. What would the 21st century be like? In a few days, everything would be revealed.

Among all the club activities, the most anticipated one was the play by the Starlight Drama Club.

The Starlight Drama Club was one of the oldest student clubs at the university, founded in the mid-1980s, and currently had over 100 members. Initially, the Starlight Drama Club was just a small club formed by a few students who loved drama, rehearsing small plays in their spare time and occasionally participating in literary performances organized by the school. Later, a member who graduated from the Department of Mathematics accidentally became a movie actor, and in an interview, he mentioned the Starlight Drama Club. Overnight, this small club became famous, not only expanding in scale but also becoming one of the few student clubs at the university funded by the school. Every major festival, school anniversary, or other large-scale events always involved the participation of the Starlight Drama Club. On this historically significant millennium New Year's Day, the Starlight Drama Club naturally wouldn't be left out, and a play that was set to be performed on New Year's Eve was in intense rehearsals.

Ever since that night when they talked on the phone, Fang Mu and Chen Xi were almost always together, even if it was just having meals or studying together, occasionally taking a stroll by the artificial lake on campus. For Fang Mu, who had never been in a relationship, this was a great happiness. The single men in the dormitory were also very concerned about Fang Mu's love life. Whenever Fang Mu returned to the dorm with a smile on his face, these single guys would swarm around him like flies, asking inappropriate questions: Did you kiss? Did you touch? Did you go all the way?

"These perverts, do they take me for a sex maniac?" Fang Mu often thought to himself in irritation.

One evening, when Zhu Laosì asked Fang Mu for the third time whether he had kissed Chen Xi, Fang Mu couldn't bear it anymore.

"Do you think I'm you? Your mind is always filled with such things. Instead of this nonsense, why don't you wash your pillowcase? It's all yellowed!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and Zhu Laosì blushed and pounced on Fang Mu, trying to grab his neck.

"Seriously, Laoliu, which one of you confessed first?" Fang Mu finally managed to free himself from Zhu Laosì's grasp, and Laowu leaned down from the upper bunk to ask.

"Confessed? Fang Mu was a little stunned. "Confessed what?"

"Said you liked each other, or something similar."

Fang Mu thought for a moment. "We haven't said anything like that."

"Damn, really? You've been on several dates, but neither of you has said 'I like you'?" Laoda interjected from the side.

Fang Mu thought carefully. Indeed, he had been with Chen Xi for a considerable amount of time, but neither he nor Chen Xi had ever said "I like you" or "I love you." Was that important?

"Of course," Laoda put on the face of a love expert. "If you don't confess, why should she be with you? It's unclear—friends with benefits?"

A chorus of lewd laughter.

"Girls need promises. If you give her a promise, even if it's insincere, she will use it as a reason to throw caution to the wind. And this promise is very simple: I love you." Laoer also put on a mysterious look. "So, women need to be deceived."

"Damn, it's none of your business, old man."

Fang Mu sat on the bed, but his mind was still pondering their words.

In the past few days, Chen Xi had been leaving the study room early, not telling him where she was going and not letting Fang Mu accompany her. Was she angry?

To say or not to say, that was the question.

At that moment, the door opened.

In walked a ghost.

The noisy dormitory suddenly fell silent.

Its head was bald, with a pitch-black scalp, and underneath...

What kind of face was that?

Where there should have been eyes, there were two blood-red hollows. There was no nose, only two thin, constantly moving slits. The cheeks had cold, harsh lines, and the lips were thin, revealing sharp white teeth.

Who was it?

When everyone was petrified, it spoke.

"When the leaves are swirling and falling, when the begonias scatter in the wind," it elegantly raised a hand, as if gently caressing a wisp of gossamer in the air, "when the ocean is no longer azure, when the sky loses its clarity, when the sun and moon both sink, when children leave their homes," its hand fell again, "my dear, that is me loving you," it cradled its hand against its chest, then reached forward, "only you, only you know my pain, only you saved me in the fierce fire of hell, only you liberated me from the ugliness and hypocrisy of the mortal world!"

It quickly turned around, placing both hands on the stained wall. "My god, my love, she sees it all, she sees everything. He fell, he stumbled. You mock repeatedly, but you should know, he stumbled above you..."

"Go to hell," Fang Mu threw a slipper at it and burst into laughter.

The ghost was hit on the butt, and it also laughed. It turned around, and with a pull of its hand, Wu Han's smiling face was revealed.

"How was that? Spectacular, isn't it?"

The dormitory erupted into a chorus of laughter and teasing.

"Damn, you scared me," Laowu, with a pale face, panted heavily, holding his chest, "I really thought I saw a ghost."

"What's this?" Zhu Laosì snatched the headgear from Wu Han's hand, inspected it for a moment, and was about to put it on his head. Wu Han snatched it back. "Don't put it on. Your fat face will stretch it."

He turned to Fang Mu with a smile and asked, "Why aren't you afraid?"

Fang Mu said with a smile, "At first, I was startled, but then I recognized the clothes you were wearing."

"No artistic appreciation. Everyone else listens to the lines, and you look at the clothes," Wu Han said, disdainfully.

"Why are you wearing this thing?" Fang Mu pointed at the headgear in Wu Han's hand. "To scare people? It seems quite expensive."

Wu Han smiled mysteriously. "I'm not telling you."

Fang Mu rolled his eyes at him, but then immediately realized. "The play! I forgot. Third Brother, you're in the Starlight Drama Club. Is this a prop for the play?"

Wu Han still smiled and remained silent.

Everyone became excited and bombarded Wu Han with questions.

"What's the plot?"

"Is it modern or traditional costume?"

"Is it a ghost story?"

"What role are you playing?"

Wu Han had a satisfied smile on his face and seemed pleased with everyone's attention.

"Stop asking, keep it a secret for now. You'll all find out on New Year's Day."

"Don't be so secretive. We're all brothers here. What's the harm in sharing a little? We definitely won't tell anyone," Zhu Laosì persisted.

"You?" Wu Han pointed at Zhu Laosì's nose with a smile. "With your big mouth, if I tell you tonight, the whole school will know tomorrow."

Having said that, he picked up a basin, opened the door, and walked out.

"He's quite mysterious," Zhu Laosì said sheepishly.

While Fang Mu was brushing his teeth in the bathroom, he saw Wu Han. With a toothbrush in his mouth, he seemed to be muttering something. Fang Mu walked over and patted him. "Are you rehearsing your lines, big star?"

Wu Han turned around and smiled.

"What are you playing? Give us a hint."

Wu Han looked around, and there were only the two of them in the bathroom.

"The protagonist," Wu Han mumbled with toothpaste foam in his mouth.

"Alright, Third Brother, what's the plot?" Fang Mu's curiosity was piqued.

"Hehe, I can't say."

"Was what you were reciting your lines?"

"Hehe, yes, it was. It was the lines before cutting off a girl's head."

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"Cutting off a head?" Fang Mu's eyes widened.

"Hehe, it's fake, a plastic model," Wu Han said, winking at Fang Mu. "Guess who I'm going to chop?"

"How would I know," Fang Mu said blankly, then immediately understood his meaning. "Chen Xi?"

"Hehe, yes, she's the female lead. Are you jealous?"

No wonder, Fang Mu thought to himself, no wonder she's been so secretive these past few days.

He rinsed his toothbrush and slapped Wu Han on the back. "You're not telling me, but you think I can't figure it out."

Back in the dorm, Fang Mu began to tidy up his bed while thinking about how to coax a confession out of Chen Xi the next day. This girl, keeping secrets from me.

Wu Han returned to the dormitory after a long time and didn't rush to undress and go to bed. He stood in front of the mirror, admiring himself, while everyone teased him for being narcissistic, but he paid no attention to them.

Just after 11 o'clock, the lights went out.

In a daze, Fang Mu vaguely saw Wu Han put the headgear back on. He stared at himself in the mirror with a fierce expression and stood there for a long time.

Nuts, Fang Mu cursed under his breath, and closed his eyes to go to sleep. Just as he was starting to feel sleepy, he heard Wu Han speak.

"He stumbled, he fell. You mock repeatedly," Fang Mu opened his eyes to see Wu Han, still in the same position, standing in front of the mirror without moving.

"You should know, he fell above you. He joyfully fell into despair," he suddenly turned around, with a fierce, menacing tone, "but his brilliance follows your darkness!"

Coaxing a confession out of Chen Xi didn't take much effort. She squirmed for a bit and then admitted she was rehearsing a play. She even revealed the general plot to Fang Mu: it was a play with a fantasy theme about a royal gardener falling in love with a princess, but due to their disparate status, he never confessed his love to her. Later, when the kingdom was invaded, and the country was in jeopardy, the gardener, tempted by a demon, sold his soul, transformed into a powerful hero, and defeated the enemy army, saving the country from peril. The princess and the gardener married joyfully, but the demon's goal was to use the princess's blood to gain eternal life. Under the demon's influence, the gardener killed the princess, deeply regretted his actions, and, following a divine directive, dug out his own heart to resurrect the princess, thwarting the demon's plans. Wu Han and Chen Xi played the gardener and the princess, respectively.

The plot was quite lousy, Fang Mu thought to himself. "And I heard there's another beheading?"

"Yes, how do you like it? Exciting, right?"

"Do you feel nothing for someone else decapitating me?" Chen Xi asked with a smile before Fang Mu could respond, blushing.

Before Fang Mu could answer, she blushed even more.

"Beautiful," Fang Mu said sincerely.

Chen Xi wrinkled her nose and made a face before turning to look back at the stage.

"That Wu Han is from your dorm, right?"

"Yes."

"He's quite strong. He lifted me effortlessly. At first glance, he seems unremarkable, but he's quite artistic," Chen Xi admired Wu Han with an appreciative look, who was in conversation with the director, then turned back to look at Fang Mu, shrugging.

"You've seen it too," Wu Han nudged Fang Mu with his shoulder, "many are after her."

Fang Mu looked at the male actors on stage, all tall and imposing. He looked down at himself: wearing a down jacket that had been worn for several years, faded jeans, and fake Nike sneakers. He felt a little embarrassed.

He sat up straight, trying to make himself look more elegant.

At that moment, the director called out, "Everyone, get ready for the rehearsal."

Wu Han stood up, patted Fang Mu on the shoulder, and said, "Buddy, be careful. Don't let others snatch her away."

Chen Xi also hurried back to the stage, giving Fang Mu a shrug from a distance.

Fang Mu waved, indicating he didn't mind.

But before the rehearsal ended, he left.

As he passed by the club's entrance, he stopped in front of the large mirror. He scrutinized himself critically.

Inside was an ordinary boy with a crew cut, a slightly pale complexion, and an unremarkable appearance.

When Fang Mu left the club, he had made a decision.

Although the decision was quite common, he believed that many people on campus would do the same.

He would confess his feelings to Chen Xi.

At the end of the millennium, the play ended, and on New Year's Day, he would tell Chen Xi: "I love you."

That day came quickly.

On the night of December 31, 1999, the university held a New Year's Eve event, and after the clock struck midnight, fireworks were set off in front of the administration building.

At 10 p.m., the highly anticipated play "The Devil's Feast" opened at the club's theater.

The theater, which could accommodate 3,000 people, was filled to the brim, with even the aisles crowded. Despite being a student production, the play had impressive lighting, costumes, and props, and the actors' performances were excellent. An hour into the performance, the magical and romantic plot captivated the audience, creating a lively atmosphere.

As the play approached its climax, the excitement reached its peak.

The stage was bathed in eerie blue light, and the music was a monotonous piano melody. The hero, with a fierce expression, slowly pushed a small cart onto the stage. The cart held the sleeping princess, and as the eerie music reverberated through the theater, the tension in the audience was palpable.

The hero began a solo dance next to the princess, expressing his inner turmoil.

As the hero's frantic dance unfolded, the audience was on edge, and couples couldn't help but hold each other tightly.

However, something felt off to Fang Mu.

The person dancing on stage looked peculiar.

In terms of height, this person was similar to Wu Han, but he was noticeably more muscular. He wore a thin, skin-tight costume, and his arms, thighs, and chest were broader than Wu Han's.

Didn't Third Brother mention a last-minute role change?

Moreover, the dance he was performing was completely different from what Fang Mu had seen during the rehearsal. Although Fang Mu didn't understand dance, he could tell that the movements were haphazard and lacked grace and rhythm.

The hero concluded the dance and, lifting the white cloth covering the princess, revealed her.

Fang Mu disregarded the audience's disapproval and stood up.

He was too far away to see clearly, but the plastic model's head was covered with a long black wig.

He gestured with the axe toward the princess's neck, raised it high, and brought it down forcefully!

The audience let out a collective gasp, followed by enthusiastic applause.

The head of the princess, or rather the model's head, was severed and landed on the stage, and blood gushed out quickly.

It's too realistic; the front-row audience could even see the blood flowing from the neck.

A feeling of foreboding surged in Fang Mu. He tried to lift his head and look at the stage.

The hero lifted the princess's head, or rather the plastic model's head, and threw it into the air. With a swift movement, he then picked up a sharp axe.

The entire audience gasped in shock.

No, there should have been a long monologue here, the lines that Third Brother was reciting in the dorm that night.

Fang Mu's heart raced. A sense of fear came over him, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

That was just a model; it had to be a model!

He kept reassuring himself in his mind, but his eyes remained fixed on the unmoving figure on the stage, only the torso left of the model.

The hero threw the axe, turned around, and disappeared from the other side of the stage.

After a while, a group of actors stumbled onto the stage and began to dance. Their movements were chaotic.

The princess's body lay in the center of the stage, and a pool of blood had formed on the floor.

One of the dancers, as he twirled and spun, accidentally landed in the pool of blood, and when he got up, he found himself face to face with the severed head on the stage.

He stood frozen for a few seconds, then let out a deafening scream.

Several minutes later, students passing by the club witnessed one of the most terrifying scenes in the history of the university: a crowd of people rushing out of the club's doors, their faces filled with a look of terror. Every now and then, someone would hysterically shout, "Someone's dead!"

At that moment, the bells rang out at midnight, and the administration building suddenly erupted in a dazzling display of fireworks.

The year 2000 had arrived.