Chapter 223 ·Is This a Classroom

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍door on the far right trembled as it opened a crack just wide enough to fit a hand through.

Lilia ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍didn’t rush to push it open. Instead, she leaned her head closer and squinted one eye to peek inside.

Dark.

So ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍damn dark.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍felt like sticking your head into a dried-up well in the dead of night—who knew what filthy thing might be lurking below, mouth wide open, waiting for delivery.

“Bulara, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍turn on your high beams.”

Lilia stepped back half a pace and beckoned to the artificial idiot behind her.

“Switching to illumination mode.”

Bulara’s purple electronic eyes instantly went dark. Then, with a “click,” her eyeballs rotated like camera lenses, and two blinding beams of high-intensity white light shot out.

This brightness could illuminate not just a dark room—even Hera’s black heart would be exposed under it.

The beams shot straight through the crack in the door.

However, something bizarre happened.

The moment the light passed through the gap, it was as if it had been cut off by some invisible monster.

The beams didn’t illuminate anything inside—not even the floor. They simply vanished into the darkness a meter ahead.

Like a mud cow sinking into the sea, not even a bubble surfacing.

Lilia’s heart began to pound.

This place was far too sinister.

At that moment, the twisted patterns on the door—previously motionless—suddenly began writhing like living maggots, squirming and rearranging themselves.

The original blood-red text 【Each door must be entered by one person】 slowly faded.

New text, dripping with a nauseating crimson hue, gradually emerged.

【Detected that Challenger No.1 has insufficient intelligence balance. Challenge failed.】

【Now recruiting Challenger No.2 (ultimate sucker) to enter and fill the slot.】

Lilia stared at the words, the corners of her eyes twitching violently. She almost spat out a mouthful of blood onto the door.

Insufficient intelligence balance?

This damn dungeon could actually mock people?

Although Dora—the one with nothing but roasted meat in her head—was indeed not very smart, this evaluation was way too accurate and painful!

And more importantly—failed?

From the moment she rushed into the first door until now, it hadn’t even been ten minutes.

Even if she’d been thrown into a meat grinder, ten minutes wouldn’t be enough to process that entire dragon hide of hers!

And yet she just… got wiped out like that?

A chill crept up Lilia’s back.

The difficulty level of this dungeon was clearly off the charts—it wasn’t meant for humans.

If even someone like Dora, a ceiling-level combat force, got instantly shut down inside, then wouldn’t she, a mage, get cremated on the spot?

But the paths before her were limited.

Turning back was impossible—the endlessly looping corridor had already sealed their retreat.

Dora’s door was locked tight. This door was open, but obviously a massive trap.

Lilia turned around, her gaze sweeping over the two remaining “teammates” behind her.

Xiao Hong was curled up in the corner, clutching that basket of unsent poisonous mushrooms, her head buried in her knees, playing dead.

Sensing Lilia’s calculating gaze, she trembled and raised her backside even higher, muttering, “You can’t see me, you can’t see me…”

This coward—if she was sent in to scout, she’d probably die of fright before making a sound.

Then there was Bulara.

This metal lump remained calm, her head still tilted, wearing a cold “don’t touch me” expression.

“Bulara, want to give it a try?” Lilia asked tentatively.

“Refused.”

Bulara answered decisively, without even a second of hesitation.

“According to core algorithms, this unit, as a support-type construct, is prohibited from executing suicidal missions. Additionally, this unit is expensive to manufacture, and maintenance costs are extremely high. It is not recommended for use as a consumable.”

“……”

Lilia clenched her fists, very tempted to punch her in the head.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

Relying on these two was impossible.

One had no brain, the other had no guts.

This mess… she would have to handle it herself.

Was this the sorrow of being the leader?

Not only did she have to guide the way, find food, and babysit—at critical moments, she even had to personally charge into battle.

“Fine. I knew you two were unreliable.”

Lilia walked up to the pitch-black door and glanced back.

“Bulara.”

“Present.”

“Stay outside. If that idiot dragon gets spit back out, don’t let her actually die.”

She paused, her gaze landing on Xiao Hong, who was still playing dead.

“And this coward—don’t let her run around. If she tries to run, break her legs.”

Xiao Hong trembled even more violently, nearly stuffing her head into the floor.

“Understood.”

Lilia rolled her eyes.

She stopped wasting words and kicked the half-open door wide.

Without hesitation, she stepped inside.

Since she couldn’t avoid it, she’d face it head-on.

What storms hadn’t Lilia faced before? She had even slept—cough, served—someone like Hera, that insane Demon Queen. Why would she fear this mere black door?

Dora had failed earlier because her brain was full of muscles—she must have fallen into some kind of intelligence trap.

But Lilia was different.

She had the wisdom of a modern person, a high-level player—and also that useless system… though it always failed at critical moments, at least it could serve as a radar.

Darkness instantly swallowed her figure.

The moment Lilia fully entered, a loud “bang” echoed behind her.

The door slammed shut.

Sealed completely, cutting off all retreat.

The world fell into deathly silence.

Standing in the darkness, Lilia didn’t move.

She held her breath, every muscle in her body tensed to the limit, her short blade held horizontally before her chest, ready for any sudden attack.

However, the expected assault never came.

The surroundings were eerily quiet—she could even hear her own heartbeat clearly.

“Hey, anyone there? Or any ghosts? Come out and greet your customer.”

Lilia called out tentatively. Her voice echoed in the darkness, but stirred no response.

The next second—

The darkness suddenly receded like a tide.

Blinding light burst forth, and Lilia instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes.

After adjusting to the brightness, she slowly lowered her hand.

When she saw the scene before her, she froze completely.

This wasn’t some eerie dungeon.

Nor was it a deadly trap filled with mechanisms.

What appeared before her…

was a classroom.

A clean, well-lit classroom filled with desks and chairs.

On the podium sat a box of chalk. On the blackboard were several lines of complex formulas. The air carried a faint scent of chalk dust.

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