Original subtitles

If everything that happens

teaches us something,

Chloe's death is a lesson we must learn.

Here, everything follows the rules.

Don't ask too many questions.

Don't take shortcuts.

Don't think about anything but studying.

Step out of line,

and you'll end up like her.

Learn the lesson,

and then forget her.

That's what we have to do.

Forget her.

Forget her.

Forget her.

(Can your mom drive me to the hospital?)

After all this,

I finally realized

I'll never be the good student Mom wants me to be.

A blood-bubble bush here?

I haven't had the leaves in ages.

Give me some.

Corbin,

what's this about?

It's time for a new mayor.

Have you lost your mind?

Now, I have this

and Professor Kang's support.

What do you think?

What can you do with just a few bushes?

You're dreaming.

I get fertilizer from Professor Kang.

That old man now

has no leaves

and no fertilizer.

Remember how he's treated us all these years?

He treats us like dogs.

You like being his dogs?

Then go.

Go.

I've had enough.

Count me in.

Nah.

I'd rather be his dog

than die.

Give me these, and I'll keep my mouth shut.

Remember, I was never here.

What?

Did I say something wrong?

I can give them back.

Hayden,

I'll let you have those.

But first, you need to do something for me.

Vera,

after all these years,

I still can't remember your smile.

You know I really want to hear you say,

"Corbin,

we're going to have a baby."

Corbin, I didn't eat it.

They're lying!

Hayden, please.

Vera!

She's pregnant!

Sir,

I'm begging you.

Vera!

This isn't fair.

I'll never see your smile again.

Vera!

I can only see the day they took you away.

Vera!

I promise you,

I will

make those people pay.

Vera!

How did you get a blood-bubble bush?

From you.

If the mayor finds out...

No.

Corbin.

What do you want?

Corbin,

they forced me.

Please.

Please.

Corbin, no!

Vera,

I avenged you.

Did you see it?

Jade's dead.

Chloe's dead too.

Do their deaths have something to do with the red fruit?

But what is the red fruit?

Do the teachers know about this?

Someone has all the answers.

Jared, what's wrong?

Do you have anything to eat?

I'm hungry and cold.

What's wrong with you?

Tell me everything now.

Stop giving me the runaround.

What do you mean?

Tell me everything!

Chloe was my best friend.

I can't let her die for nothing.

What happened to her?

The red fruit has something to do with it?

You don't want to know.

Tell me now,

or I'll find out myself.

Calm down.

It was a few days after school started.

I first found out about that thing.

Ray's mom brought the leaves home.

So we use this formula here?

Mom.

Mrs. Zhang.

Yeah, just put three into this formula.

Three

into this formula.

Then you'll get the answer.

I finally found it.

Here, eat them.

Then you'll become smart.

What's this?

Something good.

Come on. Eat them.

I almost ate it.

No.

What exactly is this?

Ray felt something off and stopped me.

I...

I got into a good college

all thanks to this.

Ray's mom was once a student at Smart.

What happened?

She knows its secret.

Don't... Don't eat it.

You don't understand.

My guess is

they'd eaten those leaves before.

Mom.

Smart's strength is definitely tied to these leaves.

Jared,

did you eat the leaves to make it to the elite class?

No.

But the food in the elite class was pretty good.

After eating that stuff,

Ray's mom got stranger and stranger.

She often sneaked out at night.

We were worried,

so we followed her.

Then we found the plantation.

But we couldn't stop her from eating the fruit.

After she ate it,

she became even crazier.

She started to see things

and even hurt herself.

We had to tie her up.

Let me go!

Give me the fruit!

Mom, it's for your own good.

Just hold on.

- We monitored her condition. - Let me go!

- She itched all over. - Give me that fruit!

Her skin was covered in scratch marks.

And

tiny sprouts grew out of her neck.

Sprouts?

Ray's mom, Chloe,

and Jade.

The three of them

all have sprouts on their necks.

I'm sure they ate the fruit.

Don't you think they all became different?

Like the fruit took over their bodies.

Mrs. Zhang!

That's why Chloe suddenly made it to the elite class.

She was almost expelled.

Jared has the fruits too.

The black-clad boy gave them to him.

I saw him too.

When the fog came out.

But something was strange.

When I saw him, I followed him without thinking.

And?

I just remember following him into the woods.

Then the townspeople found me.

Is the black-clad boy working with the townspeople?

I don't know.

But I'm sure these awful bushes were grown by the townspeople.

Ray and I decided to stop them, no matter what.

Where are you going?

To destroy those damn things.

I'm coming with you.

Security was looser then.

We sneaked in.

And there, we found

a huge field of those plants.

Who's there?

Stop there!

You run that way.

I'll lead them away.

No, let's go together!

Don't worry.

I'll be fine.

Meet you at home.

Go.

The fruits and leaves warp people's minds.

Even the smoke

from burning the bushes

causes hallucinations.

So the fog comes from burning those bushes?

You were the one who set the fire?

Yes.

After we parted that night,

Ray went missing.

I could only use fire to distract them.

While they put out the fire,

I'd search their base for Ray.

But the day the mock exam results came out,

the fog appeared again.

Someone else was burning the bushes.

I thought it was Ray.

But the one who set the fire

told me Ray was already dead.

Stop looking.

Leave now.

Dead or alive,

I will find Ray.

The night I missed evening study,

I saw some townspeople

carrying someone into the woods.

Was it him?

It was too dark. I couldn't see his face.

So what do we do now?

The day Jade died,

I saw townspeople and police leave the principal's office.

How much more do you need?

I'll take care of it.

The townspeople bribed the police.

They're all in this together.

We can't fight them

unless

we find enough evidence.

There must be some secret behind the elite class.

Let's start there.

It'll be very dangerous.

You must protect yourselves.

Careful.

Quiet! I'm studying.

Okay...

Ray, wait.

Ray.

Isn't this too risky?

You saw what happened to my mom.

We have to destroy those bushes,

or more people will suffer.

After this exam,

we can plant more.

Where are the people Professor Kang sent?

I still haven't seen a single one.

No one?

Weird.

They didn't follow the instructions in the letter.

How did they leave then?

Students on the waitlist,

please check in.

Your name?

Nellie Guo.

Nellie Guo.

Your name?

If a student gets great scores

and gets into their dream college,

they fulfill their dreams.

But if they go to the college their parents chose,

they make up for their parents' regrets.

The parents' lost hopes

are reborn through their children.

Ms. He.

Peter?

What happened to your eye?

Oh, nothing.

Are you Eliot's dad?

Yes.

Hello.

Nice to meet you.

Your son

is top of the class.

He's already good enough for his dream college.

He's not satisfied

with his scores.

Just 561.

So you're Mr. Fu.

Nice to meet you.

What an honor.

Mr. Gao.

Class 9 parents,

shift change.

Mr. Gao.

Mr. Fu.

Mr. Fu,

your son is so excellent.

Why come here?

My son is a genius.

Not an ordinary person.

He's aiming for a perfect score.

What's your secret?

Would you mind sharing?

Yeah, right.

Nothing special.

Just make sure he studies all the time.

That's it.

But of course,

my son's very self-disciplined.

He studies without being told.

Never needs my supervision.

He holds himself to higher standards

than I do.

Any progress on your end?

Teachers never leave the elite class.

I can't sneak in.

We'll have to wait for the vacation.

Why do you all taste so bland now?

Anywhere else we can check?

How about

the principal's office?

We'll go when Professor Kang's out.

Keep watch for us.

No.

It's boring.

Have Jackie do it.

You're smarter than Jackie.

Perfect fit for the job.

Alright.

I'll keep watch this time.

But next time, let me set the fire.

No problem.

Look.

It's Chloe.

Is this a list of students with bad grades?

All families with "no outside contact"

are marked "qualified."

Why?

Never mind.

Just take this list first.

See if we can find anything else.

Okay.

Jackie.

Hey.

Hey!

Why didn't you go home for dinner?

What are you doing here?

I'm playing.

How many times do I have to say it?

Your only job is to study.

How can you waste time here?

You could get expelled!

I'm not in the bottom 30.

He's patrolling the other side.

Vera.

Over here!

Stop right there!

I've been holding it in for years.

Now, I can finally avenge you.

That old man's bushes are all burned up.

And

Locke and Hayden,

I've dealt with those two scumbags too.

Wait for me a little longer.

After I finish all this,

I'll join you.

You want to see me?

Thank you for helping me

get my son into Smart.

I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Don't kill me!

Please, please! I beg you!

I swear.

I won't say anything.

Really!

Open it.

Give these to those parents.

Where are you going?

I need the truth about Chloe's death.

You're not going out.

I have to.

She was my best friend.

You have to stop.

I'm telling you,

Chloe's death has nothing to do with you.

You can't bring her back.

Your grades dropped a lot.

Do you want to get expelled?

We came here for you to get into a good college.

Just listen to me and focus on studying.

Stop wasting time on useless things.

Chloe wasn't useless.

So many people died.

Don't you want to know why?

No.

I don't want to know anything.

You already knew, didn't you?

What are you talking about?

I said

you knew the school had shady secrets.

You knew

why Chloe and her dad died.

You knew everything.

That's why you don't care.

I know nothing!

Jackie,

just listen to me.

Focus on studying.

Nothing else matters.

Once you get into med school, everything will be fine.

So in your eyes,

this is the only thing that matters?

Yes.

You must get into med school.

Other than that, I don't care.

Shut up!

You're so noisy. I can't focus!

You're not going anywhere.

So stupid! So stupid!

Give these to those parents.

The more, the better.

This is?

Smart's secret.

That's exclusive for the elite class.

As long as you do what I say,

you can have as many leaves as you want.

Thank you.

That's great.

Don't worry.

I'll do my best.

I won't let you down.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Come on, Eliot.

Have breakfast, and then go to school.

This again?

I want something different.

I have a secret recipe.

Eat it, and you'll become smarter.

Put the plate down.

Say that again.

What?

What you just said.

What's this?

I said I had a secret recipe.

Eat it, and you'll become smarter.

Really? You're not lying to me?

When have I ever lied to you?

Tastes good, huh?

If you like it, I'll make it for you every day.

Eat up.

Hello?

Hi.

I'm looking for Dr. Zhao.

Dr. Benjamin Zhao.

Wait a moment.

Dr. Zhao is in surgery now.

Do you want to leave a message?

Listen to me.

Hold on.

I've already notified him.

He'll come soon.

Listen up.

I've called the police.

If my son is harmed, you're accountable.

Yes, I got it.

You're accountable.

I've already notified him.

It's been ages.

- You think your school's some big deal? - What happened?

You didn't come.

You made me wait forever.

Got caught by my mom.

I'll think of a way.

He'll come out soon.

Why is that man so angry?

- What if my son is in danger? - No idea.

Calm down.

How could I?!

Mr. Gao, you're finally here.

You're the person in charge?

I'm a teacher.

Good.

My son Ethan was expelled last month.

His mom told me she made a deal with you guys.

Ethan could still study here.

She withdrew a huge amount of money from my account.

Then she disappeared.

I couldn't find her anywhere.

Now, she and my son have both vanished.

Don't tell me you know nothing.

Where is my son?

Mr. Xie, let's calm down first.

First, I've worked here for years.

I've never heard of

any expelled student being allowed back.

Did your wife tell you

how Ethan could get back?

How would I know?

Stop giving me excuses.

My son disappeared here.

I've called the police.

If you guys have hurt him,

I will

make you all pay!

I told you when Ray was missing.

Smart is hiding something.

Do you still think I'm exaggerating?

Stop looking.

Get inside.

Deal with Ethan's father quickly.

My brother the mayor is greedy.

He must be involved.

I've given him so many poor students.

Why did he still take others?

Don't worry.

I'll handle it.

What's your plan?

We have his car.

Just put a suicide note inside.

Tell the police a made-up story.

Case closed.

You're smarter than my brother.

And you're thorough.

I need someone reliable like you.

Now,

let's move to the next step.

Take this.

Have your daughter eat it.

What is it?

Eat it, and she'll become smarter.

Just add a little when you cook.

Will it really work?

Of course.

My son eats it too.

It works really well.

Will there be any problems?

Look at my son.

Does he look like he has a problem?

Ms. He,

you want your daughter to get into the elite class, right?

If not,

give it back.

I'll give it to someone else.

That's right.

I consider you my friend,

so I want to help you.

But don't tell anyone.

Found it?

What took you so long?

Here's your wife's lease termination.

We sent them to the cable car station.

What happened after they left?

How would I know?

I didn't follow them.

You know what?

The police chief is my friend.

You'd better not give me excuses.

Mr. Xie,

Let me explain.

Police investigations take time.

The evidence shows

your wife and son have already left town.

I'll assign more officers to track them.

But you need to give us some time.

Be patient.

Mr. Xie,

sorry you had to come all this way.

Maybe you can rest at your wife's old place

while you wait.

No one lives there now.

Yeah, go rest.

We'll let you know when we find something.

I'll be waiting.

Of course.

This way, please.

Thanks.

Neil,

don't you think you've gone too far this time?

Targeting someone with such strong connections?

You think I don't have enough problems?

Don't get me into trouble, okay?

Whatever happened

to those two has nothing to do with me.

So many things have happened these past few months.

If it's not you,

then who's behind all this?