Chapter 117: The Female Director of Instruction

Stepping out of the cinema, I looked up and saw that the theater was the Dadi Cinema, a place I knew well. Yet, I had no reason to have wandered in here in such a daze to watch a movie. Baffled, I pulled out my newly purchased phone and dialed Uncle Mao’s number.

"Hello, Xiaodong? What’s up?"

Uncle Mao’s voice came through the line, sounding strong and vigorous; it seemed he had almost fully recovered.

"Uncle Mao, have you heard any news lately? And is Bark with you?" I asked, waiting anxiously for his reply. I couldn't believe the scene I had just witnessed was fake, nor could I accept that it was merely a plot from a movie. Besides, if I, a first-generation Zombie King, could be fooled by a mere film, then I would never spend another cent on a 3D cinema again. That experience had felt far more real than any 3D production.

"What news are you talking about? There’s a murderer making headlines in the daily news, but other than that, I don't know anything. And yes, Bark is asleep right beside me. Is something wrong, Xiaodong?"

After hearing him, I sank into confusion. Had I truly been hallucinating? It was all so strange. I couldn't even remember how I had arrived at the cinema or how I had bought the ticket. My mind was in a complete muddle.

"It’s nothing, Uncle Mao. I’m fine. Just focus on healing. I have things to take care of, so I’ll hang up now. Goodbye, Uncle Mao!"

I tapped the screen to end the call. After a couple of beeps, the phone returned to my favorite nature-themed wallpaper. Although it was a Coolpad Android rather than an iPhone or Samsung, it was a domestic product, and I liked to support local goods. It lagged a bit occasionally, but it was affordable and reliable.

"Damn it, look at all these newspapers everywhere. I’m impressed by the people at the Daily News; how could they come up with such absurd stories?"

Not far from me, a specialized urban management van had its windshield covered by newspapers dancing in the wind. A portly officer was cursing as he climbed out of the van to tear them away.

"You said it, Old Zhao. You know how fast that news agency is—the moment a story breaks, they print their first run. Luckily, it seems they only printed this one batch. Look, they’re just being tossed away here because they couldn't sell them."

A thin, middle-aged man in a grey urban management uniform stepped out of the van. He spoke to the portly officer while looking around, hands on his hips. Then, he spat aggressively onto the pile of papers. After a moment, he waved for the other man to get back in, and they started the van to continue their patrol of Z City.

Hearing their conversation, I felt a jolt of shock. Could it actually be real? Had everyone’s memories been erased by divine power, and the buildings repaired by the same force? Why was I the only one who still remembered? I couldn't fathom it.

The street looked as it always did. Traffic flowed incessantly, skyscrapers stood like a bamboo forest, and restaurants were bustling with people. Except for the discarded newspapers on the cold concrete, everything was unchanged.

The hundred-story skyscraper, which had been severed at the top, was now completely intact, as if nothing had ever happened. What puzzled me was whether this massive feat had been performed by the owner of the ethereal voice from the Divine Realm, and whether everyone’s memories had been wiped by that same entity.

I walked forward a few steps and bent down to pick up a newspaper covered in footprints. As my eyes landed on the images, my pupils dilated. The scene was identical to what I remembered, leaving me no choice but to believe that what had happened was real.

*Whoosh, whoosh.*

Suddenly, the newspaper in my hand began to burn on its own. The other scattered papers on the ground ignited as well, eventually turning into a cloud of ash that was scattered by the wind.

"The affairs of the Divine Realm are not for those in the mortal world to know. The Thor and Amaterasu incident—they have already gone to the battle space of the Ethereal Plane. I presume you saw it. Young man, you are a rare soul; I never imagined there would be someone with such divine roots in this land of China. Perhaps we shall meet in the Divine Realm one day."

An ethereal voice echoed from behind me. I turned to see the old man from the cinema. He was a god, and I had given him such a cold attitude earlier!

Just as I was about to speak, he waved his hand. "Do not speak, do not speak. Heaven has its own path. The path of emptiness, the perception of the Heavenly Dao—keep your words in your heart; it is better not to say them. I shall wait for you in the Heavenly Realm. You must work hard, young man!" With that, the old man vanished in a flash, leaving behind only a streak of purple light that shot into the clouds.

"Damn old man! So what if you're a god? Let me finish my sentence, will you? Damn it, he’s gone already!" I jumped up and down, pointing at the sky, completely unaware that a crowd of onlookers had gathered around me.

"Hey, do you think that guy is mentally ill?" a passerby whispered to someone nearby.

"Looks like it. Should we call the police?" a fat woman replied, bobbing her heavy head. She pulled out her phone to make the call. I heard her and saw the phone.

*Oh, crap.* I had lost my composure. I had to get out of there; it would be humiliating to be dragged off to a mental institution. I squeezed through the crowd, managed to flag down a taxi, and sped toward the academy, finally escaping the judgmental stares.

Only when I reached the academy did I steady my nerves. I took a deep breath of fresh air and strode into the campus I had left behind for a few days.

I hadn't been to class in days, and I worried about how the head of the department would view me. Criticism was inevitable. Gao Wei had been answering for me during roll call, but that trick wouldn't last forever. I suspected the department head had already seen through it.

*Clack, clack, clack.*

As expected, the moment I stepped through the gate, I sensed something wrong. The sound of high heels hitting the pavement echoed in my ears—my personal nightmare. Everything was so coincidental and unlucky; the things I dreaded most always seemed to happen to me. It felt like a recurring cycle of misfortune that had followed me from freshman year all the way to my senior year.

I turned around, forcing a smile at the neatly dressed woman behind me. "Director, you’re here so early! It’s only the afternoon and you’re already at work." My lips tightened immediately after speaking.

The department head, Li Yan, was around thirty, dressed in a professional suit with short, black heels. She walked with a graceful air, but her talent for making life difficult for students was legendary.

"Oh, if it isn't little Hu Xiaodong. What a coincidence. I recall you’ve been absent for quite a few days. The fellow who was answering for you has already been dealt with by me; he’s probably in his dorm right now, rubbing ointment on himself. Why don't you think about what you’re going to do?"

Li Yan stopped in front of me, pushed up her glasses, and peered at me closely, as if making sure she had the right person.

"I, I..." Faced with this tigress, I was speechless. Just thinking about Gao Wei’s bruised backside made me shiver.

"Stop with the 'I, I, I's. Come to my office after eight tonight. I’m going to personally 'guide' you. The Dean is holding a meeting, so I’m leaving!"

*Clack, clack, clack.*

The director’s words were sharp and brooked no argument. After delivering her cruel ultimatum, she walked away, her heels clicking rhythmically until she disappeared.

I was left standing there, scratching my head in frustration, before trudging dejectedly toward the dorms.