They made a marker, then changed to another passage, heading once again toward the maze’s depths.

Still exploring until evening before returning along the original route.

Returning to the maze center point, everyone was tired. Teacher Cheng didn’t cook anymore. Also because of Lin Zihang’s incident, everyone had no appetite. They casually ate instant noodles to get through dinner.

Just as they were about to sleep and rest, another incident occurred—Tu Dan’s side was missing two students.

During the day, everyone moved about freely. Tu Dan didn’t restrict the students too much, only instructing them that wherever they went, they shouldn’t go alone. Whether finding food or going to the bathroom, at least two people should go together.

As a result, when counting heads in the evening, they discovered two people missing.

Tu Dan faced a dilemma.

It was already so late, and the missing students hadn’t returned. Should they search or not?

—If they went searching and something else happened, what then?

—But if they didn’t search and the students were in danger, what then?

At this moment, a female student stood up and said, “How about… I go look for them?”

The speaker was Liao Jingjing.

Tu Dan’s expression immediately darkened. “Sit down. Girls shouldn’t run around at night to avoid danger.”

“I won’t…” Liao Jingjing forced a smile, pulling over a male student beside her. “Yang Yi will go with me to search. Nothing will happen.”

Yang Yi?

Tu Dan looked over in surprise. Yang Yi kept his head lowered, vaguely humming in acknowledgment without any explanation.

Liao Jingjing took his arm and said to Tu Dan again, “Maybe they got lost somewhere. Although everyone’s familiar with the nearby area, after all, many places don’t have markers. Yang Yi and I will search nearby first. We’ll be back soon…”

She spoke while pulling Yang Yi toward a maze passage.

“Stop right there!” Tu Dan’s face darkened. Staring at Liao Jingjing, she asked, “Are you trying to go to the door?”

Liao Jingjing’s face froze for an instant. She pulled at the corners of her mouth, saying softly, “If we can’t find them nearby… maybe we’ll go look. Maybe they also went to the door.”

“Liao Jingjing!” Tu Dan stood up.

Her voice suppressed barely controllable anger. The classmates all looked over.

“I said, before we discuss and reach a conclusion, no one is allowed to go there!” Tu Dan sternly questioned Liao Jingjing. “You want to use this opportunity to go to the exit, right? Did you forget everything I said last time?”

Liao Jingjing’s face turned red, then white.

Tu Dan asked Yang Yi again, “Yang Yi! Are you going too? Do you want to go yourself, or is she forcing you to go?!”

Tu Dan understood her students. Although Yang Yi was the tallest and strongest in the class, he had the softest ears. After Lin Zihang’s incident, he was even more at a loss. Being instigated by Liao Jingjing wasn’t surprising.

Sure enough, after her questioning, Yang Yi sheepishly withdrew his arm, saying awkwardly to Liao Jingjing, “You’d better go alone… I, I won’t go…”

“You clearly agreed just now!” Liao Jingjing was both ashamed and angry.

“Liao Jingjing, go back to your tent!” Tu Dan sternly reprimanded her. “Stop making trouble! That place is very dangerous! What are you thinking?!”

“It’s Teacher Tu!” Liao Jingjing shouted anxiously. “What are you thinking, Teacher?! We’ve clearly found the exit but aren’t doing anything! What’s the point of continuing to stay in this kind of place?! Are we waiting to die? Huh?!!”

She felt both wronged and furious. She glared fiercely at Yang Yi, then said, “Fine, don’t go! I’ll go by myself!”

With that, she turned and headed for the passage!

“Liao Jingjing! Come back!” Tu Dan was exasperated and stood up to chase her.

The two pushed and pulled at the fountain.

Liao Jingjing, annoyed by Tu Dan’s pulling, made a fierce decision in her heart and pushed with all her strength!

“Don’t try to control me!!!”

“Teacher Tu!—” The students cried out in alarm!

Tu Dan’s body leaned backward, pupils contracting in shock. The next instant, her entire body fell into the fountain pool!