"What's going on? Xinyue, can you also see the dormitory rules?" I looked at Zhao Xinyue.

Zhao Xinyue nodded, then shook her head. "I used to be able to see them, but now I can't."

I looked at her in confusion, and she continued, "Only humans can see the dormitory rules."

Humans? I froze in place, feeling a chill from head to toe. "What do you mean?"

Zhao Xinyue chuckled lightly. "Still refusing to admit it? Except for you, none of us can see the rules. We're not humans."

My tongue felt frozen, and it took me a while to utter a few words, "Then what are you?"

My intuition told me that Zhao Xinyue wouldn't harm me.

"This is a school of strange tales. The students inside are all peculiar, including me, and..."

She paused for a few seconds, then looked at me. "Including your boyfriend."

Although I had already suspected it in my heart, when it was pointed out, I still felt a pang of pain.

"Humans who enter this school, after violating the rules, will, at best, become contaminated, or at worst, assimilated or eaten. After assimilation, they lose their memories as humans and can no longer see the rules. But I am an exception, possessing the peculiar memories of a human."

For some reason, as I listened to Zhao Xinyue's words, I felt a hint of grievance.

"You ate lamb, which caused contamination, and the peculiar beings will target you, deliberately making you break the rules. You have to be more careful." She continued, "These rules were summarized by humans who mistakenly entered the school, using special materials, so only humans can see them."

"What about them, the humans? Have they left? Do you know how to get out?" I quickly asked.

"I don't know. All I know is that the way out is within the rules. Also, I want to remind you not to reveal their identities in front of the peculiar beings, so they can ignore the rules and target you."

"Within the rules..." I fell into contemplation, but the rules didn't say anything.

To be safe, I stayed outside for four hours before returning to the dormitory. The dormitory building was warm and comfortable, completely different from before.

As soon as I entered the dormitory, Xia Ruyue came over and circled around me.

"It smells so good, Ningning, what did you eat?" Her face revealed a greedy expression.

So, it turned out that after eating lamb, I would smell good to the peculiar beings. No wonder everyone in the dormitory was staring at me when I entered.

"Lamb." I answered while paying attention to Xia Ruyue's expression. She immediately showed an envious look. "Lamb, Ningning, you're so lucky. The cafeteria's lamb is limited. The last time I had it was two months ago," she said, licking her lips as if savoring.

"My boyfriend bought it. I don't know either." I wanted to quickly end this topic. My intuition told me not to investigate what lamb really meant in this strange tale school. That wasn't the answer I wanted to know.

"Your boyfriend is really capable."

But Xia Ruyue didn't want to let me go. Her eyes shifted and she begged me, "Ningning, we're the closest, can you buy me a portion of lamb tomorrow?"

Alarm bells rang in my mind.

Dormitory Rule 10: [Do not refuse roommate's requests.]

Ignoring whether I could actually buy lamb tomorrow and how to bring it back to the dormitory in the face of so many peculiar gazes, I frantically thought of a solution. Xia Ruyue, seeing that I hadn't answered for a long time, suddenly had blood-red eyes and her skin began to melt. She looked at me ferociously, "Are you going to refuse me?"

I quickly agreed, "Okay."

It seemed that I had to buy it from Jiang Zhou. Our time to go to the cafeteria wasn't early, so since Jiang Zhou could buy it, it meant he was somewhat special in this strange tale school. My plan to distance myself from Jiang Zhou by breaking up would have to be postponed.

Upon hearing my affirmative response, Xia Ruyue returned to her original state andsmiled with satisfaction. "Thank you, Ningning. I knew you wouldn't refuse me."

I smiled back, trying to hide my uneasiness. "No problem, Xia Ruyue. I'll try my best to get you some lamb."

After that encounter, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. The dormitory rules seemed to have a hidden power, and breaking them could have dire consequences. I needed to be cautious and find a way to navigate this strange tale school.

The next day, I approached Jiang Zhou during lunch break. He was sitting alone at a corner table, engrossed in a book. I took a deep breath and mustered the courage to speak up.

"Jiang Zhou, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked, my voice slightly trembling.

Jiang Zhou looked up from his book, his expression calm and composed. "Of course, what's on your mind?"

I hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I need your help. Xia Ruyue asked me to buy her lamb from the cafeteria, but I'm not sure how to get it back to the dormitory without breaking any rules or attracting attention."

Jiang Zhou studied me intently for a moment, as if assessing my sincerity. Finally, he closed his book and nodded. "I can help you with that. Meet me near the cafeteria after classes end, and I'll show you a way."

Relief washed over me, grateful for Jiang Zhou's assistance. "Thank you so much, Jiang Zhou. I really appreciate it."

He smiled gently. "Don't mention it. We're friends, and friends help each other."

As the day went on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something strange was happening within the dormitory. The peculiar gazes from my roommates seemed to intensify, and I noticed whispers and hushed conversations whenever I entered a room. It was as if everyone was aware of something I wasn't.

Finally, the last class of the day ended, and I hurriedly made my way to the meeting spot near the cafeteria. Jiang Zhou was already there, waiting patiently.

"Ningning, follow me," he said, leading me to a hidden pathway behind the cafeteria building.

I followed closely behind, my heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety.

The pathway led us to a small courtyard surrounded by tall trees. In the center stood a peculiar-looking statue, its features distorted and twisted. Jiang Zhou approached the statue and pressed a hidden button on its base. Suddenly, the ground beneath our feet began to shift, revealing a hidden staircase leading underground.

"This is the secret passage," Jiang Zhou explained. "It's connected to the cafeteria. We can use it to transport the lamb to the dormitory without breaking any rules."

I stared at the hidden staircase in awe. It was as if a whole new world had opened up before me.

Jiang Zhou turned to me, a serious expression on his face. "But remember, Ningning, this passage is a secret. Only a few individuals know about it, and we must keep it that way. It's for our own safety."

I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I won't tell anyone about it, Jiang Zhou. Thank you for trusting me with this."

He smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Ningning. Now, let's go and get that lamb for Xia Ruyue."

Together, we descended into the underground passage, embarking on a journey that would unravel the mysteries of the strange tale school and the rules that governed it.