Chapter 1, Awakening at Midnight

As the night in the deep city transitions from the vibrant clamor to a dim and lonely hue, the streets, accompanied by streetlights, occasionally witness the rush of vehicles roaring in low tones, as if still unwilling to succumb to the darkness...

The veins on the side of his neck bulged with a bluish hue due to tension, and his face bore an expression of extreme horror, which made his slightly gaunt and handsome face appear rather fierce

Shen Yue had no answer

Such a haunting and bizarre scene caused Shen Yue to ponder this answer as well. After taking a deep breath to slightly calm his emotions, he closed his eyes for a moment and then looked into the mirror again. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly

He has actually been waiting for the answer to this question; ever since he arrived in this city, he has been waiting for all the answers

After repeating the previous action more than ten times, Shen Yue looked at himself in the mirror with some disappointment; he did not disappear again in the mirror, and he appeared no different from an ordinary person

The mosquito was startled by his eccentric behavior, flying into the air while still lingering over the deliciousness, circling and refusing to leave

On the long street, vehicles still roar in defiance, challenging the solemn silence of the night

Why did he choose to wake himself up at this peculiar moment

Sitting quietly there, Shen Yue slowly surveyed the surroundings. The room was extremely simple; apart from the single bed for sleeping, there seemed to be no traces of anyone having lived there.

Finally, when the ringing stopped, he picked up his phone with a slight sense of confusion. His expression was somewhat hesitant, yet his movements were quite skilled as he navigated to the alarm settings, staring blankly at the alarm set for 2:33.

When Shen Yue suddenly sat up from the bed, his eyelids continued to twitch slightly.

Is he a ghost

The darkness of the autumn night finally crept in silently, and he was soon enveloped by the darkness, merging into the darkness of dreams. Thus, he remained unaware that the mosquito, which had just fed on his blood, had now landed on the mirror

There is no Sadako in the mirror

2:33

In the blink of an eye, the mosquito lost its life and plummeted towards the ground. However, before it could reach the ground, its rigid body had already burst open, dissipating into the darkness...

The entire room appeared as lonely as Shen Yue himself. Looking at the place where he often slept, Shen Yue's expression was somewhat unfamiliar.

Everything just now seems to be an illusion

Uncertain how much time had passed, Shen Yue finally came to his senses, and a folk legend flashed through his mind—ghosts have no reflection in mirrors

The sudden change was truly overwhelming; Shen Yue felt a blankness in his mind, completely unaware of a mosquito quietly landing on his neck, piercing its sharp proboscis into his blood vessel and greedily sucking the intoxicating blood.

Shen Yue did not know what the answer was, yet he finally gave up trying. He walked back to the bedside, took a few breaths of the air from outside that, although it was autumn, still felt hot and stuffy, and collapsed onto the pillow like a zombie, closing his eyes.

Shen Yue is not a successful person who has cultivated blessings, nor has he shown any desire to become wealthy. So what reason could there be for his phone to be set to such an unmodest, even extremely arrogant time?

He is not in the mirror either

The mobile phone resembles an old-fashioned device for the elderly, appearing extremely thick and sturdy, completely out of place in this new smart world, and at this moment, it is emitting a harsh ringtone at the most inappropriate time

With a gentle sigh, Shen Yue habitually got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom

The mosquito in the air trembled inexplicably at the roar of the motorcycle, and then, like Shen Yue just moments ago, it became stiff.

He is already prepared to face the horror, and even if a disheveled Sadako were to suddenly emerge from the mirror, he would not be frightened or retreat. However, the scene before him truly exceeds his preparations, making him feel as if he is in a nightmare.

The washroom was simple, like a solitary bachelor untouched by the world. Turning on the faucet, Shen Yue casually washed his face, closed his eyes, and reached for the only towel stored there. When he finished wiping his face and looked into the mirror in front of him, he suddenly froze in front of the mirror

What just happened? Is he seeing things? Is it a hallucination or an illusion? Is he still alive in this world?

He did not look at the fleeting lights of the passing cars outside the window, but instead habitually glanced at the mobile phone on the bedside.

Cold sweat slowly trickled down from his forehead. Shen Yue hesitated for a moment, then washed and wiped his face again. After closing and opening his eyes, he slowly gazed into the mirror. The reflection showed him with a sense of unease, yet also a hint of anticipation

This is an extremely unusual alarm time

He only saw a mirror, reflecting the washbasin in front of him and the pale white porcelain wall behind him, while he was not at all between the mirror and the wall

At that moment, he could hear the sound of his own heart pounding.

In the mirror, there is no Sadako, only him with a complexion that appears somewhat haggard

Rather than saying Shen Yue was awakened from a dream, it would be more accurate to say he was roused by the incessant ringing of his phone. Despite the repeated sound of the ringtone, Shen Yue had no intention of answering, for he knew it was not a call but rather an alarm.

Even those entrepreneurs on various lists, esteemed spiritual mentors, and successful individuals who enjoy boasting about their achievements often proclaim to the world that their success is due to hard work, integrity, and excellence, tend to set their wake-up time at around 4 or 5 a.m. Such an early rising time may lead one to suspect that the joyful nightlife of social gatherings has not yet concluded.

When the mobile phone alarm rang again, Shen Yue finally pressed the snooze button.

His rigid movements were so sudden that in the stillness of the night, the sound of his bones creaking echoed through the silence

He is well aware that everything at present is quite abnormal, and he has been in pursuit of answers

The mosquito was not satisfied with the small amount of appetizing blood it had just consumed. After a brief digestion, it was ready to fly towards the sleeping man, prepared for a hearty meal. However, just as it left the mirror, the mosquito suddenly paused in mid-air