Global Collapse

Chapter 245 Chu Changge Who Eats Paintings
[A weak willow cannot sway in the wind: This painting is indeed a bit strange. Let me see who painted it. It seems like everyone on the first floor is a first-year high school student...]

As the two little figures stopped, Chu Changge and Ruo Liu Bu Fu Feng, who were walking, also stopped at the same time and looked at the painting in front of them.

This painting is really strange...

Although the other paintings on this floor are all awkward and very abstract, if you had to pick the most abstract one, it would definitely be the one in front of you.

The other paintings include sketches, ink paintings, and watercolors, but this one was drawn with colored pencils.

It's not that a weak willow can't sway in the wind; she hasn't used colored pencils to draw since leaving kindergarten.

And even fewer high school students use colored pencils to draw.

The painting is predominantly warm in color, using bright red, orange, and tangerine throughout, with a touch of black mixed in.

The huge sheet of paper contained only a human head in the center, drawn entirely in red or similar colors. The head's mouth was wide open, as if it wanted to let out a painful howl.

The area around the eyes was a hollow black hole, as if the eyeballs had disappeared.

Although the artist's skill level was not very high, the frail willow still broke out in a cold sweat.

"Speaking of which, I think I've seen a similar painting before," said the girl, taking a step back silently. "I saw it online..."

Chu Changge didn't say anything, but squatted down to look at the not-so-good-looking painting in front of him. He placed his phone on the ground right in front of him, so he could see the screen at a glance.

As the willow, seemingly frail, saw him reach out, pick up the painting, and begin to examine it closely.

The front, the back, even the border were all examined. It seemed that Chu Changge wanted to devour the painting.

Chu Changge squatted on the ground and groped around for a while before speaking, "The person who drew the picture is Chu Hang from Class 8 of the first year of high school."

Given that Chu Changge always liked to talk to himself, Ruo Liu Bu Fu Feng also consciously refrained from responding.

Sure enough, he didn't pause for long before continuing, "This painting is quite old."

After saying this, Chu Changge stopped talking.

The girl, who was not as strong as a willow in the wind, was a little confused. Finally, she asked, "What do you mean?"

Chu Changge looked up at her and said, “Judging from the colors and the age of the paper, this painting has been at least two years old. Judging from the appearance, the art museum has three floors. The character just said that the first floor is full of paintings by first-year high school students. So, by the same token, the paintings by second-year and third-year high school students are placed on the second and third floors respectively.”

I still don't understand, like the willow that can't sway in the wind.

Chu Changge then continued, "Chu Hang created this painting when he was in his first year of high school, at least two years ago. Later, he became a second-year high school student and then a third-year high school student, if he hadn't died along the way..."

The frail willow finally understood: "You mean we can find other paintings about Chu Hang in this art museum?"

If he was still alive in his junior and senior years of high school, then his other paintings should be available on the second and third floors.

"I'm going to the second floor, you stay here." Chu Changge said, seemingly glancing up at the time.

However, there were no clocks in the huge gallery corridors, so the two had no idea what time it was.

The frail willow took a deep breath: "Separate?"

Chu Changge nodded: "Time is tight, we have to separate."

Without hesitating for long, the frail-willow-like woman nodded nervously: "If we separate... what can I do on the first floor?"

"Find the painting," Chu Changge said succinctly. "There might be more than just this one abnormal painting on the first floor. I need you to find other abnormal paintings, and come up to me immediately after you find one."

It sounds like a physically demanding job...

The willow, seemingly frail and delicate, nodded nervously.

Unexpectedly, his attempt to flatter someone backfired, and he ended up losing the horse altogether. He felt utterly disgusted by this.

Chu Changge added, "Pay close attention when looking at these paintings, and remember them." "These corridors are easy to find. I'm usually on the second floor these days. If you can't find me on the second floor, just go up to the third floor." He paused here, then continued, "If you still can't find me on the second or third floor, you can call out, but it's best not to."

"By the way, you can sometimes find treasure chests in this mini-game. I guess the treasure chests contain special items that you can bring out of the dungeon at the end."

The frail willow, seemingly flattered, nodded.

I never expected that this guy who likes to talk to himself could talk to her for so long.

But before she could finish rubbing her head, Chu Changge turned around and walked towards the stairs.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the vast first floor, making the frail-looking girl feel a little flustered.

Only after Chu Changge's figure disappeared at the top of the stairs did the frail woman hurriedly look away.

"Looking for paintings..." She spun around in place, then bent down to look at the paintings on the ground: "I haven't finished looking on the first floor yet. I'll look on the first floor first; maybe I'll find some boxes or something..."

Meanwhile, Fatty and Ziliang had successfully infiltrated the first-year high school building.

Because it was a holiday in the afternoon, there weren't many people in the building.

Only a handful of students who wanted to study were in the classroom, but that didn't stop them from doing so.

Ziliang looked dull and dazed, as if he hadn't been exposed to anything related to learning for a long time.

The two then sneaked into a large office and rummaged through the chalk on the cabinet.

The things found in the toilet were related to chalk, so Ziliang decided to start by looking through the chalk.

It was clear that Fatty and Ziliang shared the same idea.

The two men appreciated each other's talents and shared similar tastes.

Just then, Ziliang noticed a line of text suddenly appear at the bottom of his game screen.

While rummaging through the storage cabinet, you found a small box. Do you want to open it?

Having played too many games, Ziliang subconsciously wanted to choose "yes".

But then the fat man next to him suddenly snatched his phone away: "Don't turn it on."

Ziliang was a little confused: "What's wrong?"

The fat man coughed, then spoke hesitantly, "What if it releases monsters like those Pandora's Boxes..."

Ziliang nodded in sudden realization: "That makes sense!"

Fatty: "..."

Just then, Ziliang noticed another change on his phone screen.

There seems to be something pressing down on the bottom of the box.

[Should we spend ten minutes moving the box?]

The fat man glanced anxiously at the clock in the office; it was 2:40...

He stared at the clock in his office for several seconds, then looked down at his phone: "Ignore this option for now, let me think about it for a while."

After he finished speaking, he really lowered his head and remained motionless, as if he was thinking seriously.

Ziliang looked at the fat man strangely. Why did the fat man seem to be getting stranger and stranger ever since he entered the teaching building?

(End of this chapter)