Chapter 2: TRAP.
Warning: This Chapter contains violence themes. Reader discretion is advised.
The hall was packed with students, all standing in orderly rows, their uniforms crisp, their postures straight. The air was heavy with anticipation as Hua Rong stood on the stage, her heart pounding in her chest. Yet, she maintained her composure, her expression calm and unwavering.
Taking a steady breath, she spoke into the microphone, her voice clear and confident.
"As a student of Dihua High School, I am proud to stand before you all today. Our school has upheld a tradition of excellence, a place where discipline and perseverance shape not just students but also future leaders. It has been my greatest honor to serve as the class representative, striving for the best not for recognition but because I believe in the values we uphold. We work hard not just for ourselves, but for those who believe in us..."
As Hua Rong concluded her speech, the hall erupted in applause. She took a step back, her hands gripping the sides of the podium briefly before she moved away. To everyone else, she was the ideal student—intelligent, disciplined, and respected. But for her, this was all for one reason alone—her mother.
Every achievement, every honor she earned was not for pride, but for the smile that would appear on her mother's face whenever she heard praise about her daughter. Her mother had worked tirelessly to send her to a good school, to give her a chance at a better future. Hua Rong was determined not to let her down.
Dihua High School had a near-perfect record. For the past seven, not a single student name had been sent to Blackthorn Academy, the notorious reform school where the most troublesome students from across the country were sent in their final year. The mere mention of the place was enough to instill fear in any student.
Everything was perfect. She was happy.
Until it all changed.
"Hua Rong!"
Shen Yiren's voice rang through the classroom as she hurried over, breathless. Her long, wavy dark hair stuck to her forehead, damp with sweat.