Plague Doctor

Chapter 410: I’ve Seen It

At Mo Bei’s Gao Ji High School, the third-year students continued their fight. There were less than 100 days left until their final exam.

“Head discipline teacher Wang, please get all the third-year students to gather at the field…” When Headmaster Chui entered the room, every staff member in the office was confused. The headmaster’s black suit was covered in dust. His honest face was smeared with dirt. His forehead had a sheen of sweat and he looked quite unlike himself.

“Headmaster?” The discipline teacher, Wang Jinbo accosted Headmaster Wang, “And you wish to do this because…” Since yesterday afternoon, the headmaster disappeared off the face of the earth. Yesterday, Wang Jinbo had some questions for the headmaster but the latter did not answer his call or respond to any of his messages. It was inappropriate for a subordinate to question his superior’s action so he let it be. But now, Wang Jinbo had to question the headmaster’s order. During this crucial moment, the third-year students should spend every second on their studies. Therefore, if there was nothing really important, they should not be interrupted. Headmaster Chui should understand this, he was the one who had the staff cut the third-year students some slack when it was around exam season. For example, the mock exam last week was completed quickly and without fuss. It helped identify the individual student’s weakness in their respective subject. Then the tutors would be assigned to aid with their study. So why this impromptu gathering now?

“Just gather everyone.” Headmaster Chui ordered. “I have something that I wish to tell them.” With that, the headmaster turned and walked away. The other teachers looked at each other. For some reason, Wang Jinbo felt the headmaster’s gait was rather strange. Even though the staff complained among themselves, this was the headmaster’s order so the broadcast could soon be heard around the school, “All third-year students, please gather at the field immediately. Headmaster Chui would like to have a word with all of you.”

It was almost noon and the students just finished their morning classes. They were supposed to have their noon break now. ‘A word from the headmaster?’ None of them were notified of this arrangement. Therefore, as they moved towards the field, they mumbled among each other. Soon about 1000 third-year students gathered at Gao Ji High School’s asphalt field. They were in green uniform and stood in neat rows. The youths had on different expressions but most of them sheltered their eyes from the blinding sun. ‘Dear headmaster Chui, look at the time, the sun is right at its zenith, is this really the time for a speech?’ But then again, not only the students were exposed to this torment, the school staff like Wang Jinbo were there as well. Despite Headmaster Chui’s well-loved status, at that moment, many people were silently cursing him.

“Dear students.” Soon, Headmaster Chui on stage said into the mic as his eyes scanned everyone present. “I am 49 years old now. When I was your age, I didn’t know much and now several decades later, I still can’t say that I am that much wiser. I’ve read plenty of books in my life but the more I study, the more I realize how little I understand.”

The students sighed among themselves. They were called out in the middle of the day to hear a lecture like this? Wang Jinbo and the other teachers sighed as well. ‘Headmaster Chui, you could have easily gone through this speech through the broadcasting system, why the need to gather everyone outside in the sun?’

“Many years ago, I came across this excerpt from Zhuang Zi’s Enjoyment in the Untroubled Ease. The morning mushroom does not know (what takes place between) the beginning and end of a month; the short-lived cicada does not know (what takes place between) the spring and autumn.” Headmaster Chui swiped at his sweat. His middle-aged face was twitching strangely. “We humans pride ourselves on our knowledge but when you look up into the night sky, how could you still hold onto that pride? Students, we are the morning mushrooms and cicada. Even if we work our whole life, and spend years doing research, we will forever be trapped in the darkness, we will never approach the great truth.”

As the headmaster went through his speech, the students were getting increasingly confused. They all felt something was off. The staff was equally confused. What was the purpose of the headmaster’s speech? To inspire the students to not fret too much about the upcoming exam?

“So many years ago, I gave up on my pursuit.” Headmaster Chui continued, “I submitted to the limitation of my thoughts. I just wanted to enjoy a good enough life. But students!” The headmaster’s voice turned agitated and sweat poured out from him. “A few days ago, yes, just a few days ago, something changed. An opportunity landed on me. It was yesterday night when I stumbled across the truth! I saw the great truth. The truth where even the glow of the sun, the stars, the moon could not reach. But a door towards grasping it was suddenly opened to me.”

The confusion deepened but it did pique the students’ attention. What was this truth the headmaster promoted? Hard work can lead to good results? Or… He was going to tell them he had won the lottery? Well, if that was the case, then Headmaster Chui’s speech would make a lot of sense.

“I know my words will sound fake and exaggerated to your ears but the truths that I speak off cannot be expressed with words. They too have no name and they cannot be fathomed by our human minds. Even the sun cannot cast a shadow on them and the night cannot wipe away their existence.” Despite the sun, Headmaster Chui was sweating a bit profusely. Suddenly blood vessels popped in his eyes and his eyes started to bulge. “Students, I have seen these truths that can only be described as God. I have witnessed God!”

It was then that everyone present noticed the abnormality about the headmaster. It did not sound like Headmaster Chui was there to inspire the students but to…

They all frowned as they saw the headmaster’s face swiftly reddened. The veins popped on his face and they appeared like worms pulsing under his skin. Something… was not right.

“Headmaster?” Wang Jinbo hurried on stage with other teachers. They made to pull the headmaster off stage.

“I witnessed God.” Headmaster Chui repeated with a fanatic smile on his face. “And I am his incarnation in the human world.”

The transformation occurred so suddenly. The students were so stunned that none of them thought to scream. The blood vessels on Headmaster Chui’s face and neck bulged to a size that could not be supported by the normal human physiology. The blood vessels shimmered eerily. Headmaster Chui’s skin turned translucent to reveal the strange spectacle that was happening underneath.

“This, this…” Wang Jinbo was frozen into place by fear. His legs refused to move. The other teachers panicked. “Ah, ah…” “Super, supernatural energy…” “Phecda, someone calls Phecda!”

The young students were calmer in comparison. If not for the ban against phones at school, they’d be recording this now. ‘What are those things inside Headmaster Chui?!’

There were strands, dots and clusters of them. They leaped, squeezed and wiggled under the translucent skin. They emitted a harrowing light. This turned Headmaster Chui’s head into a living disco ball. His eyes were forced out from the socket from behind. But when everyone came over the initial shock, their hearts chilled.

Headmaster Chui, he was a respected member of the school. But… what had happened to him…

“Students, stay in your line and head back to your classrooms now!” Wang Jinbo ordered in a hurry after he recovered. His voice was shaking. As the teachers moved to lead the students away from the field, Headmaster Chui started to cackle. There was no pain, there was only joy and excitement. “God has sent me to help you, to help you witness his glory.”

Then came a wet explosion! The field echoed with the chaotic screams of the students, especially the shrill wailings of the girls. Some of them fainted on the spot. Headmaster Chui’s head suddenly exploded. It did so without warning. The flesh disintegrated. The strands and clusters of unknown organisms flew through the air and landed on the ground. They wiggled and wiggled.