I remembered the girls who climbed to the school gate that day, intending to escape.

It turned out that what they saw was the thing returning.

These filthy things appear every day, waiting at the front gate, until night falls, then returning to this old dormitory building, searching for new targets.

Its body had long decayed, leaving only an indistinct black shadow.

It can transform into the appearance of anyone, blending in among you and me.

And then, it silently kills you.

I listened to the janitor aunt's account and felt a chill all over my body.

I thought to myself that it was impossible for me to change the situation single-handedly and resolve the grudges accumulated over fifty years.

However, I thought of another way out.

"Auntie, since I can't leave the school, can I at least transfer to another dorm? Change my major?"

The janitor aunt sneered at my naivety.

"The school won't agree. Once you enter the Sacrificial Altar, and it locks onto you, there's only one way to go, and that's death."

I fell silent for a moment, feeling a sense of despair.

The janitor aunt patted my shoulder to comfort me, saying, "But congratulations, you have found a way to survive."

I looked at her in astonishment and confusion.

The janitor aunt took out an old, faded plastic card and placed it in front of me.

"Remember to follow the rules. I'll go first."

I was left bewildered and at a loss.

I watched her slightly stooped figure as she walked away.

Once she left, she never came back.