Outside in the corridor, streams of people hurried past.
The glass doors reflected overlapping silhouettes, layered over one another like murky water rushing through a narrow channel.
Some walked quickly.
Some were almost running.
Others suddenly stopped in the middle of the flow, turning their heads as they scanned the crowd.
Their eyes swept across unfamiliar faces.
As if searching for someone.
Someone raised their wrist again and again, tapping the watch strapped there. The screen lit up, then dimmed. Lit up again, then went dark.
Like they were waiting for a message.
Or a notification.
But no matter who it was… the expression on their faces was the same.
Suspicion.
Unease.
And a vague fear spreading quietly, like cracks forming across glass.
Above them, the ceiling speakers continued to broadcast the alarm.
The warning repeated over and over, steady and cold.
The metallic tone wasn't loud… but it was enough to make the heart feel heavier with every passing beat.
No one screamed.
No one ran around in blind panic.
But that restraint only made the atmosphere more suffocating.
Like a sealed room slowly running out of oxygen.
The chaos didn't explode all at once.
It spread like a disease.
Silent.
Slow.
Seeping into people's minds.
…
Lam Huy Trường was still standing there.
His thoughts were tangled, like a bundle of twisted electrical wires.
Just then—
He felt someone tug lightly at his clothes.
Lam Huy Trường startled and looked down.
The cook.
At some point, she had moved very close to him.
Close enough that she was almost leaning against him.
Fear was written clearly across her face now. The calm expression she had while cooking was gone.
Her hand lightly clutched the edge of his coat.
A very small gesture.
But completely instinctive.
When people sense danger… they unconsciously look for something to hold onto.
Lam Huy Trường looked at her.
She looked back at him.
They stood there for a few seconds.
Neither of them spoke.
Then suddenly—
She seemed to snap back to her senses.
Her eyes widened.
"!"
SMACK!
She shoved him away.
Lam Huy Trường had zero warning.
As a result—
BAM!
He crashed straight onto the floor.
Face-first.
"Ah—sorry, Professor! I didn't mean to!"
The cook's voice rang out immediately, panicked.
Lam Huy Trường lay on the ground for a few seconds.
His forehead was still pressed against the cold tile floor.
A very serious thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
…If only that fall could wake him up from this dream.
He used to dream.
Dream that he would transmigrate into a game world.
Become a hero.
Fight bosses.
Save the world.
It sounded cool.
But reality…
Was brutal.
What kind of game world makes the player fight a boss barehanded?
Even if it's just the opening boss.
Even if the difficulty is the lowest setting.
Even if it's only meant to introduce the mechanics.
At the very least…
It shouldn't be as miserable as his current situation.
Lam Huy Trường raised his head.
The system interface still floated in front of him.
Clear.
Cold.
Kill boss.
Lam Huy Trường stared at those words.
Only one sentence echoed in his mind.
How the hell am I supposed to do that?
Honestly, it would be easier to just ask him to go die.
Right at that moment—
"Beep beep beep!"
An electronic sound rang out.
The little robot.
It was rolling in circles around the cook's feet.
Its two wheels spun rapidly. The small rotating dish at the front kept changing direction, making the whole body wobble like a cat weaving around its owner's legs.
Its childish voice sounded urgent.
"Run! Run!"
"Run! Run!"
Not far away, the watch on Lam Huy Trường's wrist lit up.
A flat, emotionless voice came from it.
"Professor."
"The nearest shelter is not far from here."
"If you do not move immediately, there is a high probability it will reach capacity."
"At that point, you will be forced to move to another shelter farther away."
"What is your decision?"
The voice was calm.
Too calm.
But—
Lam Huy Trường didn't hear a word.
He was still staring at the mission interface.
His mind spinning.
Until—
Tick.
A small electric spark shot out from the watch.
In an instant—
The current ran straight up his arm.
Then up his neck.
And then—
BOOM!
Straight into his brain.
Lam Huy Trường's entire body convulsed violently on the floor.
"Ah—A—A—A—A—!"
He thrashed like a fish thrown onto dry land.
"Mrs. AI! Stop! What the hell are you doing?!"
The AI's voice remained steady.
"My apologies, Professor."
"The situation is urgent."
"This was the only method available."
Lam Huy Trường was still trembling.
"I didn't know… you could even do something like that…"
A moment later—
He stood up.
But his movements were stiff.
Each step looked like it was being pulled forward by invisible strings.
Like a mechanical dance.
If someone looked closely…
It even resembled a Michael Jackson moonwalk.
His hair was still charged with static.
Every strand stood straight up.
Crackle.
Just as Lam Huy Trường managed to steady himself—
A sudden force pushed hard against his back.
He was shoved straight toward the cafeteria doors.
Lam Huy Trường turned around.
The cook was standing behind him.
The little robot was there too.
"We should go, Professor."
She spoke quickly.
Then added, her voice even more urgent,
"If we don't leave now, it might be too late."
"You're not coming, Professor?"
Her eyes were slightly red, glistening with moisture.
Lam Huy Trường looked at her face.
Only one thought surfaced in his mind.
…Damn.
That's seriously moe.
If running away were an option…
That would be perfect.
Unfortunately—
This mission was mandatory.
He had to clear the boss.
Had to pass the stage.
Damn it.
Lam Huy Trường let out a breath.
"You go ahead."
"I'll follow after."
With that—
He turned around.
And walked in the opposite direction.
"Ah… Professor… what are you…?"
The cook froze.
Her eyes followed him.
This time… something was different.
She didn't think the professor would do anything foolish.
But—
The sense of safety that had just appeared in her chest suddenly vanished.
The support she had just clung to…
Was walking away.
She wanted to call out to him.
But her throat tightened.
In the end, she could only stand there and watch him leave.
Just then—
The little robot gently bumped against her leg.
"Aren't you running, miss?"
The cook stayed silent for a moment.
Then she slowly shook her head.
"…Alright."
"Let's go too."