Chapter 19: The Intuitive Mystic Spirit

"A rude bird needs to be tamed," Su Ninglong said as she returned the parrot to the foreign teacher.

The teacher carefully cradled the parrot, quickly tucked it back into its cage, and locked the door. "It truly needs training; it was too naughty and frightened you all. But it isn't inherently bad; it just had its wings broken by two children in the past. Perhaps that’s why it developed this defensive reaction toward you. My apologies, little ones."

He had thought it was well-trained and intended to let it out for some exercise, but now it would have to remain caged for a while longer.

"Cabbage" stared at Su Ninglong with indignation. "Stupid brat, I'll remember you."

"Remembering me is useless, you chicken. You need to practice your skills more, you coward."

"Squawk! You're driving me mad!" Cabbage flapped wildly, shedding a few feathers.

The foreign teacher asked the guide worriedly, "Are any of the children who were grabbed by the bird injured?"

"No, no, Cabbage knows its limits," the guide replied.

None of the children were hurt; they had only been lightly scratched. The skin wasn't broken, though it likely stung a little. The children cried for a moment before stopping. "Bad bird," they whimpered.

"Bad bird, bad bird."

Cabbage squawked back, "Bad kids."

The two sides were like oil and water.

The teacher quickly carried Cabbage away. "Wait for me a moment, everyone."

Ten minutes later, Phoebe, who had been the most upset, was comforted by Ge Wei, who wiped the dirt off her shoes. Fortunately, they were leather shoes and easy to clean.

The teacher hurried back, breathless. The lesson had been delayed by over ten minutes, so he skipped any further pleasantries and dove straight into the topic.

"I am sure you all have questions about Secret Spirits. One class is not enough for me to explain exactly what they are. However, I can let you experience them firsthand."

The guides looked at each other and collectively took ten steps back. They were only in their first year, and things were already this intense.

The teacher unloaded a large object covered in a black cloth from the back of his vehicle and pulled the cover away. It was a square container with a transparent middle section, allowing everyone to see what was inside.

A pitch-black shadow drifted within. It had no facial features or human form; it looked like a shapeless, intangible monster. As soon as the cloth was removed, it drifted slowly toward the wall closest to the onlookers.

"What kind of Secret Spirit is that?" Phoebe asked, her face full of terror. "Why can we see it? Aren't they supposed to be invisible?"

"A Mimic Spirit—a zero-star Secret Spirit, one of the weakest. They are always easily observed. Don't be afraid; their ability to spread is very weak. With me here, it cannot escape. Who would like to be the first to face it?" The teacher gestured, asking for a brave volunteer.

The children standing there had all seen monsters in the simulator, and almost every one of them instinctively took a step back. Their retreat left Charlie, who was standing blankly, and Su Ninglong, who was full of curiosity, exposed.

"Then it will be you. You boys have great courage; I’ll reward you by being the first to face the Secret Spirit," the teacher said, pointing at Charlie.

Charlie looked left and right, wondering which lucky kid the teacher meant, until Su Ninglong pushed him forward. "Charlie, the teacher is calling you."

Charlie’s expression grew even blanker. He sniffled, his sixth sense telling him something was wrong. But with nowhere to run, he could only shuffle slowly toward the teacher.

"Hello, teacher."

"Is your name Charlie?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry, there's no danger. Come on," the teacher patted his shoulder. "Trust me."

Charlie stumbled forward, pushed right up to the container. He was at a loss. The Mimic Spirit was right at the edge of the glass, featureless and shapeless.

"Can you see the black shadow inside?" the teacher asked.

Charlie nodded. As he stared at it, the shadow slowly began to form limbs and then hair. Charlie felt a deep sense of discomfort, as if an imposter were trying to replace him.

"Don't be afraid, it's inside and can't get out."

The teacher explained to the children, "Mimic Spirits can imitate anyone and peer into the human heart. Once they have a mouth, they understand sweet talk and will attempt to trade places with you. Once you agree, you become one of them. Your parents will gradually forget you, and none of us will remember you. When you are completely forgotten, it will revert to a Secret Spirit, and both you and it will become a catastrophe."

Are you sure this isn't a horror story?

The teacher was very serious; he wasn't joking. By now, the Mimic Spirit had formed facial features, perfectly replicating another Charlie.

It opened its mouth. "Hello, Charlie. I'm your brother." Even the voice was uncannily identical.

Charlie was wary. "I don't have a brother."

"You might not know, but I'm your uncle's child—your cousin. He just abandoned me."

"That's impossible. Then how did you become a Secret Spirit?"

"There are many things in the world you don't know. After I was abandoned, I had nothing to eat and nowhere to live; I couldn't survive in this world. A Secret Spirit offered to trade identities with me, so I became this."

Charlie’s large eyes blinked. "You haven't eaten anything since you were born?"

"Of course I have. I ate a steamed bun once, given to me by my father. It was the most delicious food I remember." The face—identical to Charlie’s—showed a look of longing.

This stirred Charlie’s pity. "Do you still want to eat a bun?" Charlie thought that giving this spirit a bun was something he could easily do.

"No, I can't eat food anymore. My only wish now is to see my father and ask him why he abandoned me. Can you bring him to meet me?"

"The school doesn't allow outsiders to enter," Charlie said, troubled. He was a good boy and didn't want to break the rules.

"What a pity. I thought you could help me. So, you can't either?" The Mimic Spirit’s voice grew softer, like a feather brushing against Charlie’s heart, drawing him into a quagmire.

"I... I can help you, but I don't know how?"

"Are you sure you want to help me?"

"Yes, if I can help you, I definitely will."

The Mimic Spirit’s honeyed words had taken effect. "I have a proposal. You can see I look just like you. I can briefly impersonate you to go outside and see my father—just a quick glance from afar. Are you willing?"

Charlie’s empathy was too strong, and he hadn't fully grasped the teacher’s lesson. His eyes glazed over, and he opened his mouth to agree.

The teacher reached out and covered his mouth just in time. "Little one, you just provided a perfect example of what not to do."

Charlie looked blankly as he was pulled away. The Mimic Spirit, losing its focus, dissolved its human form and returned to its pitch-black state.

"Students, this lesson is to make you realize that you cannot believe a single word a Secret Spirit says," the teacher said. "Even if someone you know is transformed into a Secret Spirit, you cannot trust them, and you must not reach out to pull them from behind a door. They no longer belong to this dimension. If they force their way into this dimension, they will only become harmful spirits. Do you understand?"

The children watched as Charlie had stepped into the lies woven by the spirit. They were too terrified to respond.

Hai Yu whispered to Xing Yuan, "Even though we know their abilities are strange, I still get goosebumps every time I see them use them."

"I am a bit worried about whether the teacher’s lesson will have a positive effect. The children are clearly repelled by the spirits," Xing Yuan observed.

Ge Wei said, "They will be exposed to this from a young age, which will reduce their fear. One must trust in human adaptability."

The teacher sighed. "Does anyone want to try again? I might as well tell you that this will be your final exam for this semester. You must prevent it from imitating you to pass. Those who fail will be expelled."

Four or five-year-olds had no fear of expulsion; no one took the teacher’s "threat" to heart. The teacher felt disappointed, wondering if his teaching method was flawed.

"I—I want to try," Su Ninglong raised her hand, eager to give it a go.

The teacher thought Su Ninglong was just trying to ease the awkwardness. He looked at her with kindness. "Brave little warrior, come here."

Su Ninglong stepped forward and asked, "What should I do to stop it from imitating me?"

"Very smart," the teacher pointed at the spirit. "It is a thief peering into your heart. To stop it from imitating you, your heart must be strong enough. Courage and fearlessness are essential."

"Can you put that in simpler terms?" Su Ninglong asked.

The teacher laughed, awkwardly stroking his beard. "Well, first: the thought-transfer method. Think about puppies, kittens, or any positive food you are interested in. However, this only slows down its ability to peer into your heart. Second: closing your consciousness—fainting is a good choice. Third: do not fear it, and have a strong desire to attack it. Mimic Spirits are super cowardly fellows."

"That's great," Su Ninglong said. "The third point is good news. I thought fainting was the only way to deal with it."

"Little one, the last point isn't easy. People usually only show a strong desire to attack when they are afraid."

"If I succeed right now, does that mean I pass the exam for Secret Spirits and Natural Organisms?"

"Yes, but you cannot skip my classes, as there is still a written exam at the end."

"I like your class; I just don't want to be expelled."

"Then go ahead and try. I look forward to your performance." The teacher gave her an encouraging push toward the shadow.

The shadow immediately approached. Su Ninglong keenly sensed a sinister aura seeping through the container; even while caged, this thing was restless. Once the staring began, that sinister aura coiled around her.

She began to test the first method the teacher mentioned. Sweet and sour ribs, salt-baked chicken, boiled beef... with every thought, Su Ninglong’s mouth watered involuntarily. Then, inevitably, she thought of Zou Shuyi’s "pig slop" food.

The Mimic Spirit seized the opportunity and began to change. The black mass once again sprouted limbs... The teacher watched closely from the side.

The Mimic Spirit grew to the same height as Su Ninglong, shedding its black skin, and hair cascaded down. Beneath the eyebrows, two slits opened, revealing pitch-black, large pupils.

"I hate it when things pretend to be me."

The old ancestor, Su, gave a faint, cold sneer. The nearly formed Mimic Spirit panicked, let out a 'pop,' reverted to its black shadow state, and shivered as it drifted back into the corner of the container.

"What a coward."

"A brilliant performance!" The teacher clapped. Su Ninglong had exceeded his expectations. "Ahem, that was fantastic..."

Everyone joined in the applause, with Charlie clapping the hardest, more excited than if he had succeeded himself.

Su Ninglong ignored the overly excited boy behind her and hooked her index finger at the spirit. "Come here, I haven't had enough fun yet."

Xing Yuan: "..."

Alright, alright, everyone knows you are incredibly brave.

The teacher reached out and lifted her, setting her down safely three meters away. "Ninglong, class time is limited. Other children need to experience it too."

Su Ninglong was reluctant. "Can I play with this in the next class?"

"The next class will cover the differences between natural organisms and Secret Spirits. Then, next week, we will encounter another easily observable Secret Spirit, the Shadow Crawler. After all, you shouldn't focus on just one thing, right?"

Hearing that she could encounter another spirit, Su Ninglong’s eyes curved into crescents. That was fine, too.

Throughout the class, the teacher let the students experience the Mimic Spirit. It wasn't that there was no effect, but because they were young, they were only suited to the first method. It was difficult for them to generate a strong desire to attack a spirit that looked exactly like them.

However, the fact that the children were no longer afraid of the Mimic Spirit was a good start. A child’s competitive spirit could overcome any obstacle.

After class, the teacher announced: "Every Friday at 3:00 PM, I will make the Mimic Spirit available for practice. If you don't want to be expelled, come take the initiative."

Su Ninglong was pleasantly surprised. "Xing Yuan, the schedule has changed. We aren't going home early. Help me remember; I’m going to find the Mimic Spirit to play on Friday."

Xing Yuan reminded her: "It's called studying."

"Right, studying," Su Ninglong chirped.

"Sister, if you stay, I’m staying too." Charlie was stubborn; he was determined to be Su Ninglong’s little follower.

Su Ninglong didn't resist this little tail anymore and let him hover around. Charlie might be a bit dim, but he was cute. He had a fair face and, for his age, had a pair of peach-blossom eyes with an inconspicuous mole underneath—a look of natural charm. His playful, curly hair shone like black jade, and Su Ninglong sometimes felt the urge to ruffle it.

If she had to describe him, he was like a steamed bun topped with condensed milk and honey.

Su Ninglong suddenly thought of fried buns. "Brother Yuan, I want to eat fried chicken."

"Weren't you going to eat sweet and sour ribs? I didn't buy chicken."

Zou Shuyi had given them extra money for groceries, allowing Xing Yuan to use his culinary skills freely. Xing Yuan was a young man with firm values and didn't want to waste fresh ingredients.

"Sister Su, aren't you going to the cafeteria?" Charlie’s mouth watered profusely. "I want to eat sweet and sour ribs too."

"You can just think about it. My godmother worked hard for this money, and only I deserve to enjoy it. You be a good boy and go to the cafeteria."

"Uncle Hai, can you make sweet and sour ribs for me?" Charlie turned to ask Hai Yu.

"I don't know how to cook."

"You don't know how to do anything." Charlie felt as if the world was collapsing. He pleaded with Su Ninglong, "Sister Su, I want to eat with you. I can have my mother give you money."

"Brother Yuan will be very tired; don't."

"Waaah!" Charlie suddenly burst into tears, his tears like a dam opening.

Su Ninglong was stunned.

Because the crying was so intense, Hai Yu couldn't soothe him. Xing Yuan comforted him, telling him to discuss it with his parents next week, pay for his share of the food, and then come over for a meal.