Chapter 19: The Cultural Festival of Killing Men! (Part 2)

Tao Gong Qi, leaning on her crutch, hopped eagerly between festival stalls.

Takoyaki, cotton candy, goldfish scooping… she was having a blast, her slightly baby-fat face beaming with joy.

For every tasty treat she tried, she carefully packed an extra portion to bring back to her sister. That way, when her sister caught her sneaking out, she’d have a better shot at begging forgiveness.

But as she wandered, Tao Gong Qi started to feel something off. The surroundings were growing quieter. At first, she brushed it off, but the deeper she went into the campus, the stronger the feeling became.

And within her line of sight, there wasn’t a single boy in sight. Sure, Saint Flower Saint Love Academy had a skewed gender ratio, but not seeing a single guy at a festival? That was weird.

Meanwhile, abductions were unfolding across campus.

A boy queuing with his girlfriend at the haunted house felt a sharp pain in his neck, vision going black as he passed out. A sack swiftly dropped over his head.

A basketball team member, mid-jump for a shot, got knocked out by a silent blow from behind and dragged into the equipment room.

A delinquent sneaking a smoke on the rooftop barely got his lighter out before an elbow strike knocked him out, followed by a sack over his head.

Inside the second-year teachers’ office.

The other teachers were out enjoying the festival, leaving Mizuse Kazuha alone, meticulously reviewing safety reports from each class’s activities.

Her phone buzzed, the screen flashing an incoming call—“Crimson Pearl Tears.”

Her eyes flickered with a complex emotion, her finger hovering over the answer button. After a moment, she let it ring out in silence.

Mizuse Kazuha took a deep breath, refocusing on the papers. She picked up a gym usage application from Class 1-1; the wording on venue setup and safety measures was vague.

“The gym’s a big space. Better check it in person,” she thought, heading out.

She nearly collided with Fengxiang Hong, arms full of posters.

“Whoa, almost dropped these—Mizuse-sensei, where’re you headed?”

“Oh, Hong,” Mizuse Kazuha explained briefly. “I’m checking Class 1-1’s gym setup. Their application’s a bit off.”

“The gym? I’m heading there to put up posters. I’ll come with!” Fengxiang Hong volunteered with her signature perfect smile.

Meanwhile, in Class 2-4’s classroom.

Dongfang Cheng, never one for festivals, was grudgingly memorizing Hoshino Kirara’s Mary-Sue script.

“Oh, my noble countess, I’d become the humblest dust beneath your feet…” he droned, feeling his spirit corroding.

Mid-recitation, he noticed the eerie silence outside. The festival should be noisy. Frowning, he lifted his cap’s brim, pushed open the window, and looked out.

The next second, his hair nearly stood on end.

In the courtyard and open areas, the girls who’d been laughing and enjoying the festival had all turned in unison, staring at him with lifeless, doll-like eyes.

What, were they filming a horror movie?

And—where were the guys? The field, the halls, all the boys who should’ve been there were gone. Dongfang Cheng’s heart sank. He shut the window, grabbed his phone, and fired off a text to Lin Feng.

[?]

Lin Feng replied instantly: [?]

Dongfang Cheng: [Where you at?]

[Stomach’s acting up, squatting in the bathroom! Do not disturb!]

Rich dog: [Wanna duo queue?]

[Get lost.]

Dongfang Cheng rolled his eyes, pocketing his phone. Worried for nothing.

But to be fair, while Lin Feng’s grades were meh, his phone repair skills were solid. When Dongfang Cheng’s phone got smashed in a fight, Lin Feng fixed it like new, even boosting the internet speed.

If he ever ditched being a rich kid, he could make a decent living running a phone repair stall.

At the festival’s food street.

Tao Gong Qi, having polished off a candied apple, was about to grab her sister’s favorite matcha taiyaki.

Then, her sharp magical girl senses picked up a faint, ominous magical aura! It was subtle but sent a jolt through her. The octopus monster that put her in the hospital had a similar vibe!

She reached for her phone to contact the other magical girls, but the screen’s top-right corner read “No Signal.”

Something’s very wrong!

Sensing danger, Tao Gong Qi forgot about the taiyaki. Gripping her crutch, she followed the faint magical trail toward its source.

Along the way, she noticed the girls around her, once laughing and lively, now wore strange expressions—blank eyes, stiff movements, staring at her like she was the only living person left on campus.

Three minutes earlier, outside the gym.

“You’re Class 1-1’s leader, right?” Mizuse Kazuha addressed a quiet-looking girl, the gym’s point person. “Your gym usage application has some safety concerns. Can I check your setup?”

The girl’s eyes flickered, her voice hesitant. “Uh… Mizuse-sensei, it’s not really convenient… Don’t worry, we’ve got safety covered!” She subtly blocked the gym’s inner entrance, as if to keep them out.

“Just a quick safety check, it won’t take long… Or are you rehearsing?” Mizuse Kazuha’s tone stayed calm, but her eyes sharpened.

“No, no! It’s just… we’re at a critical part, bad time to go in—”

“Your project’s a cosplay basketball game. What’s there to rehearse? A fake match?” Mizuse Kazuha’s voice cooled, and the girl’s face paled.

“But…”

“What’s with the stalling!” Fengxiang Hong, quick to sense trouble, pushed past the hesitant girl and charged into the gym’s inner area.

“Hong, wait!” Mizuse Kazuha followed.

When Fengxiang Hong burst through the heavy curtains into the gym’s main area, the sight made her eyes widen, breath catching.

The vast gym floor was packed with nearly every male student and staff member from Saint Flower High, bound and gagged like sardines in a can, sprawled haphazardly, their fates unknown.