Inside the school, the entire campus was in an uproar. Everyone found this situation utterly unacceptable, and murmurs instantly filled the air. Classrooms, which should have been places of learning, now echoed with noise indistinguishable from a bustling market.
Amidst the buzz of conversation, Phaga looked down at his phone.
Although the official livestream had been cut off long ago, there were still unofficial ones. The incident's impact was too massive—countless bloggers rushed over to ride the wave of attention. Even before the official livestream began, countless livestreams had simultaneously opened.
Some were relaying the official stream, and when that was cut, they ended as well. But at the same time, another batch of livestreams sprouted up like mushrooms after rain. Despite the blatantly negative impact—a direct slap in the face to the authorities—the New Eridu government remained powerless against these channels.
That's right—Inter-Knot.
Phaga swiped down, scanning the comments beneath the livestream.
[Wow, someone's actually streaming the Inter-Knot! But why aren't the hosts chatting with the bullet comments?]
[Duh, because it's a f*cking pre-recorded broadcast!]
[Huh? Why?]
[What civilian equipment could possibly connect inside and outside the hollow from such a distance? Even the military only has limited communication capabilities. Have you ever seen live TV footage from inside the hollow?]
[Oh. I see. So the streams we're watching now are pre-recorded videos the streamers filmed inside the hollow, right? Isn't this advertising fraud?]
[So you're not watching anymore?]
[No, I'm caching it.]
What the hell is this nonsense?
Phaga raised an eyebrow, utterly speechless at this cute little chatterbox's conversation, and swiped up. But before long, he witnessed a fierce battle in the comment section.
[For providing learning materials to Doppelgänger, committing the grave crime of hundreds of deaths—New Eridu War Criminal Phaga, step forward!]
[I thought he saved an entire class?]
[How is that comparable? What about the hundreds who died because of him? Why aren't you mentioning that?]
[Off to jail you go, vampire!]
[New Eridu needs better laws! Whoever Doppelgänger learned from should be held accountable for his crimes! If Phaga doesn't serve his sentence, I'm renouncing my New Eridu citizenship and moving to the Outer Ring!]
[Are you out of your mind? Doppelgänger has cloned countless people. Back when I still had legs, I saw a black-smoke-belching Rat-Thiren in the Doppelgänger Hollow. The moment it spotted me, it shattered my legs. Yet no law officer ever went after the real Rat-Thiren!]
[Please, just quit already! You'd better not go near the Doppelgänger Hollow. If I ever catch you lurking inside Doppelgänger, I'll strangle you to death!]
[Cut the crap. Doppelgänger doesn't study junk. Instead of cloning us useless losers, they should learn from Phaga. Look at them—they're just recipes, yet they protect their masters like bodyguards. That's impressive!]
[Am I the only one who thinks we should be cursing Section 6 and the military? They take everyone's taxes, yet they can't even handle this small task.]
[Who do you think you're cursing? Kid, don't think I can't box you out just 'cause you're on the Inter-Knot!]
Phaga dropped his phone and slumped back into his chair.
Straightforward, self-righteous, brain-dead, cute, sarcastic, shifting blame, declaring war… The internet was a giant dye vat, showcasing everyone's unique colors. What seemed like masks were actually painted skins; wearing others' faces, beasts could finally reveal their inhuman ugliness without fear.
"Phaga…"
In a daze, Phaga thought he heard someone calling his name. Blinking, he opened his eyes. A white shirt, a gently swaying tail—it was Ellen, looking at him with concern.
Her lips pressed together slightly as she gently took his hand. Her red lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, no words came out. She simply sat beside him in silence, holding his hand.
"Hey, come on, you two, could you please say something? I just saw a bunch of people online saying they want to capture Phaga! It's an emergency!"
Seeing the two silent, Ruby was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan.
"Oh, come on, why care about that? Is there some law that says you have to be arrested for being imitated by Doppelgänger?"
The Class President shot Ruby a withering glance, then stood beside Phaga and pressed his palms downward toward the class.
"Everyone, calm down, will you? We live in a civilized society—everything must follow the rules."
Really?
The class looked on with mixed feelings—doubt and uncertainty in their eyes. Though Phaga often took leave, his standing in the class was extremely high. And they all remembered—he'd been targeted by the Doppelgänger in the first place because he'd risked his life fighting the Dead End Butcher to save them.
Now that Phaga was in danger, how could they not worry?
"Sit down, everyone! Sit down! I swear on my own head, nothing bad will happen."
"Especially you, Ruby! Sit down!"
To calm the class, the Class President even pledged his own head. Reluctantly, the class sat. The worry in their eyes remained, but at least they weren't crowding around Phaga anymore, giving him room to speak.
"Do you have a plan?"
The Class President pulled over a chair and whispered into Phaga's ear.
Phaga nodded, then quickly shook his head. "I have a vague plan. It might require taking a gamble."
"I see…"
The Class President closed his eyes, deep in thought. A moment later, he opened them again.
"Then go to the Outer Ring. I'll ask the Vanquishers to arrange an identity for you. But you have to hurry—there's no time."
Phaga froze, turning to him. His expression was dead serious—no sign of joking.
Phaga understood immediately.
The Class President didn't give a damn about "following the rules." His earlier speech was meant to calm the class. With an incident this severe, desperate times called for desperate measures. Who knew what reckless decisions the higher-ups would make to shift the blame?
Run. Hide in the Outer Ring.
The safest option.
But Phaga shook his head. "This will drag you into it."
The Class President glanced around, ensured no one was listening, then punched Phaga in the chest and hissed:
"You saved my damn life!"
"But—"
BANG!
The classroom door slammed open.
"Phaga! Is Phaga here!?"
Phaga turned. His homeroom teacher stood there, breathless and anxious.
"Why are you still here!? Public Security is already at the school gates! Why aren't you running!?"
"Ellen! Why are you standing there!? If Phaga won't run, knock him out and carry him!"
She glanced nervously down the hall before continuing.
"I'll lead the Public Security officers around the school to stall them. Ellen, take Phaga and run! Your guardians are already waiting at the back gate!"
"Tsk."
The teacher clicked her tongue in despair. "My first graduating class, and I already have to drink tea with Public Security!? There goes my chance at the Teacher of the Year award…"
With that, she hurried off, footsteps fading.
Ellen snapped out of her stupor and grabbed Phaga's hand. "Phaga, let's—"
But suddenly, force surged through her arm. After a dizzying whirl, she found herself lifted by the waist, clinging to Phaga's shirt.
"Phaga…"
Phaga smiled lightly. "Let me handle it. Flying is faster than running."
Crack—BOOM!
On the ground, in the school courtyard, the green-haired twin-tailed girl pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed, looking up.
"So he ran after all."
"Mhm."
The tall policewoman before her blinked. "Senior, what did you just say?"
"Nothing."
The twin-tailed girl walked past her, hands folded behind her back.
"Everyone should do their job."
"Zhu Yuan, follow your superior's orders. Search the school thoroughly. And you. Must. Bring. Phaga. Back."