Chapter 2, hand it over to the state

At that moment, a force suddenly appeared out of nowhere, pulling him in against his will, and he was utterly unable to resist

He then spread his legs apart, lowered his head to look at the void beneath his feet, forced himself to calm down first, and then, gathering his courage, walked over to stand in front of the glowing entity

She is 1.7 meters tall, has long legs, high attractiveness, and high intelligence, but her personality is aloof and she has a bad temper

This made him feel that the azure glowing object was likely connected to another place, and that this place was indeed constantly changing—unless someone on the other end had just picked up a cup of water for him to touch.

This water has no odor and seems to be ordinary water, but he cannot confirm it

Then I will go back to cook. Cheng Yun glanced at the time; it was only 10:30 now, and it was very close to take a taxi back here

This is a special period; he is already too exhausted internally, so even though such an incredible event has just occurred, he is too tired to think much about it.

It is extremely frightening

My name is Kun Zhen, and I am approximately... a spellcaster from another world. It is a pleasure to meet you

After speaking with Cheng Yan, he hung up the phone

Cheng Yun stood up, put down the chopsticks, and said, "There are still some matters at the hotel, I need to go over there for a while, you wash the dishes."

One dish of shredded pork with ginger, one stir-fried shrimp, and two bowls of rice, as two people quietly ate with their heads down

What the heck!

Is it indeed a large warehouse

He murmured in a voice only he could hear, fearing that if he spoke too loudly, someone might overhear and feel offended.

The state of coma has lasted through the night

He finally gave up, quickly ran to the corner, crouched down with his head in his hands, no longer harboring the thought of running out.

"I called you last night to ask why you didn't come back, but it turned out you were out of the service area," Cheng Yan said straightforwardly, though her voice was somewhat weary. "You didn't run into any trouble, did you?"

Based on his experiences, it seems that the likelihood of negative outcomes is quite low, yet there are no signs of any benefits either

Cheng Yun stood in a daze for a long time before coming to his senses, yet he remained utterly bewildered—he had no idea what had happened, nor did he know where he was now. Even from a distance, he could feel that luminous entity, as if he and it were of the same origin.

Indeed, this door is invisible from the inside, even non-existent. Whenever he wishes to open the door, regardless of where he stands, he can easily pull it open, but he is uncertain whether that old man possesses such ability

Cheng Yun quickly grasped the doorknob and twisted it, then he exerted all his strength to pull the door open, but despite the veins bulging in his arms, he could not open the door no matter what.

After finishing a glass of water, he gradually calmed down internally

I only hope that Cheng Yan can survive without any danger, while the collapsed ceiling here forms a triangular area with the walls, and after enduring a period of hunger, he will be rescued

He ran all the way to the storefront on the first floor, sat down heavily on the sofa, glanced at the stairs with lingering fear, took a few deep breaths, looked around, and then finally took a cup of water to drink

Indeed, water startled him so much that he quickly withdrew his hand

"You won't be going out for drinks, will you?" Cheng Yan furrowed her brow, but she did not ask further. Instead, she said, "Are you coming back for lunch? Do you want me to order you some takeout?"

Beneath his feet lies an expanse of nothingness; when he crouches down to touch it, his hand can easily reach down, yet when he steps on it, it feels remarkably solid, and he does not fall through.

Cheng Yun looked up and frowned at her: "Ah?"

Cheng Yun looked down.

Nothing can be heard

He quickly darted out and slammed the door shut with a bang! In a final fleeting glance, he saw a look of astonishment on the old man's face

Cheng Yan called.

Suddenly, he widened his eyes in utter shock

Cheng Yun quickly pulled the door open out of thin air, standing cautiously by the door while observing the luminous entity, ready to dash out at any moment and slam the door shut behind her

There is a feeling of ... ... merging into one.

It might be better to report it to the authorities after all

The earthquake is clearly a fabrication; the geological structure of Jin Guan cannot possibly support such a large earthquake. All of this is brought about by that space and the luminous body. Yet, he still does not know what has happened.

The overall rhythm is relatively smooth, with slight fluctuations, and the syllable changes are very rapid, not resembling any language he is familiar with... It is as if someone is chanting, the voice is aged, continuous, gradually coming closer from afar, becoming clearer from obscurity...

The lights have only just completely gone out now

Cheng Yun returned once again to the Anju Hotel and walked into the original warehouse once more

Cheng Yun felt a sinking sensation in her heart, and then she turned around and ran away

It seems that the bed sheets, duvet covers, toiletries, and such need to be purchased again

When both feet appeared simultaneously, he raised his head and saw that a person was already standing in front of the luminous body. The person was calmly staring at him, with a kind expression, while countless obscure symbols swirled around him incessantly, an uncountable number, extending into the distance in the dark space

A bright, dazzling light shone in from outside, revealing a carpeted hallway before him

"Hmm," Cheng Yan replied lightly, seemingly a bit concerned. She then added, "If you encounter any trouble, remember to tell me. If there is anything you do not understand, you can also come and ask me."

The entire room seems as if it is about to be torn apart by a tremendous force

... ...

What is even more terrifying is that he feels he has been here since the very beginning of the birth of this space.

Well, half

Alternatively, if she can prove her financial independence, she can also get rid of that guy in advance

Unfortunately, later on, the country implemented strict investigations, and Yizhou University, as a nationally renowned institution, quickly responded to national policies, leading to the forced closure of the tutoring classes run by two professors

Suddenly, with a loud bang, a section of the ceiling fell in front of him, sending dust flying everywhere

Noticing that he seemed obviously distracted, Cheng Yan furrowed her brows again, pursed her lips, and said: "I must say, you seem a bit absent-minded today"

The darkness did not last long; perhaps it was due to being struck by the falling ceiling that he suddenly lost consciousness

The fragments of wallpaper continue to flutter in the air, yet gradually fade away; some walls are surrounded by gaps, yet seem to be supported by some unseen force, remaining in place; the door, which he initially hoped would lead to escape, silently twisted, revealing a hole large enough for him to crawl through, yet there was clearly no shattered wall pressing against it, and behind the door lay an impenetrable darkness devoid of any light.

Apart from this, not a speck of dust or a single point of light can be seen. The entire space consists solely of oneself and this standing oval-shaped luminary, its ethereal blue light extending into the void, with no objects to reflect it. This realm remains dark, with no visible boundaries.

The luminous entity does not speak, nor is anyone informing it of the situation; it does not even know whether it is good or bad

He widened his eyes, and in the black pupils were reflected a blue oval-shaped luminous body and swirling mysterious symbols

The half-empty pack of cigarettes left on the coffee table, the neatly folded quilt in the room that no longer sees anyone enter, the green pothos swaying gently on the windowsill, the perfectly blooming roses, and the tranquility of the late night

Cheng Yun swallowed again

Cheng Yun was momentarily taken aback; it turned out to be the hotel staircase

What exactly are you... May I ask your esteemed name?

Well

Cheng Yunwei swallowed discreetly.

Good

The text provided does not contain any content to translate. Please provide a specific text in Simplified Chinese for translation.

Soon, he returned home

Cheng Yun was slicing the meat rhythmically, the kitchen knife clashing against the cutting board producing a light sound of "duo duo duo," his mind focused and undistracted

Gulu

Just as he mustered the courage to go upstairs and investigate further, the phone rang

However, as it appears, this oval-shaped, ghostly blue luminescent body is void, lacking substance; a belt can be inserted into it and can also be pulled out intact

These past ten days have led him to develop a habit of not overthinking. Because if he cannot help but overthink, during these days spent in this house, any object could evoke the sorrow of his parents' passing and bring back memories of the past. He would become lost in thought for a long time, wasting time and unable to extricate himself.

System

Then, as if he had already known something, he reached out and made a pulling gesture beside him, and surprisingly opened a door in the void of empty space

Cheng Yun greeted her, but she responded indifferently. Cheng Yun did not mind, washed her hands, rummaged through the refrigerator for a while for ingredients, and then went into the kitchen to start tidying up

After a moment

Before he had the chance to fully experience this unfamiliar sensation, he heard a faint sound coming from the source of the luminous body

The room fell completely into darkness

Cheng Yun continued to pull the door with all her might, exerting every ounce of strength, yet the door seemed to be stuck due to the deformation of the wall, remaining immovable.

I hope it is just a dream

This individual was able to achieve financial independence in their first year of university, and it seems they earned quite a bit of money during their studies, so there is no reason for her not to be able to do the same

A foot crosses over from another realm

He went downstairs to drink a glass of water to calm his nerves, sat for a long time, and only then confirmed that the old man, who looked like a wanderer from another world, indeed could not open that door

It is a fact that the wall could crack, and he should not be standing here any longer. As for the reason, it is not too late to investigate once the situation unfolds!

Now Cheng Yan's face has turned black.

He opened the door a crack, calmly peered inside, saw nothing, and then confidently widened the gap of the door.

Cheng Yun's expression was slightly dark, but he still managed to squeeze out a smile and replied, "The results can be checked tonight, right? Remember to give me a call once you find out. Also, even though you have graduated from high school, entering university does not mean you can relax. No matter which university you get into, you must study hard, do you understand?"

In other words, that door is likely one that only one has the ability to open; if that is the case, then one's feelings are not mistaken— that space could perhaps be considered as one's "half home ground"

No response

"Ridiculous, do I need you to worry about me?" Cheng Yan said defiantly, and then with a sullen face, she began to tidy up the dishes and chopsticks. Her movements were large, indicating her inner dissatisfaction.

Subsequently, Cheng Yun employed various methods to probe this space and the luminous body

Thus, he displayed a look of bewilderment again

Cheng Yun put down his phone, shook his head helplessly, stood up to prepare to leave, but couldn't help glancing back. He took a deep breath, feeling an unusual fatigue in both body and mind.

The old man stood before him, leaning on a staff embedded with a crystal ball the size of an apple. His expression remained calm, and although his eyes had become somewhat cloudy, they sparkled with an elusive wisdom as he looked at him: "* & % # % # ... ... "

or is it a fantastical portal to another realm

Cheng Yun was entangled for quite a while over whether to hand it over to the state. Later, feeling that the old man did not seem like a bad person, he mustered up the courage to decide to go and take a look

Only recently renovated, a large section of latex paint has unexpectedly peeled off the wall of the room, the torn wallpaper hangs in mid-air, and fine cracks have appeared on the wall, resembling a spider's web.

What changes and adventures in life, he simply cannot afford to think about these! His parents have just passed away, and he is already very content to be alive. If he had truly died just now, he would not know how the only one left in this world, Cheng Yan, a girl with a bad temperament and disposition, would manage to live on.

Of course nothing happened, I just... there was a bit of a mishap here last night, I was quite busy until late, so I just slept at the hotel

Cheng Yun stood there with his mouth agape, at this moment he should have been lost in thought, yet not a single thought arose in his mind

Start up

The old man furrowed his brow slightly, then nodded, raising his staff slightly, causing a flash of blue light to emanate from the crystal ball

滋

Apart from shock, there is only a sense of bewilderment

He has already made the decision to investigate further

This house has nearly 200 square meters and was purchased approximately ten years ago. At that time, Professors Cheng Jianye and An Lan were running a tutoring class off-campus that was continuously expanding in scale, generating considerable income. When they bought this house, it was quite inexpensive, and now they have made a significant profit.

... ...

Leaning against the door, he was panting continuously

Cheng Yun: "???"

However, as soon as he took a step, the ground began to shake violently, the fine cracks on the walls suddenly widened, and the characteristics of an earthquake began to manifest at that moment

Cheng Yun couldn't help but sigh; having not returned home for a night, that girl didn't even bother to ask about him. Is she really still his only closest kin in this world? What happened to the promise of relying on each other for life?

There is currently no earthquake, and it is impossible for Jinguancheng to experience such a significant earthquake. It is merely a case of wall cracking. However, it does not seem that the hotel renovation company has defrauded his parents, as the walls of this building were constructed over a decade ago

He took out his phone and glanced at it; the time displayed that it was already the morning of the second day, with a full signal.

Cheng Yun turned her head to stare at him, looking completely bewildered

Cheng Yun took a deep breath, reached out to grasp the doorknob, hesitated for a long time, and finally gritted his teeth to open the door

He immediately stopped thinking further and dashed out in a flash, running down the stairs with a clatter.

The shoes are quite strange, with a patch on them

Even the hand can reach in, most of the time it touches nothing, but once, Cheng Yun touched...

Could you refrain from speaking to me in such a parental tone

His intuition told him that this building had not yet collapsed

Suddenly, the syllables come to a halt

He did not rush to leave; instead, he pressed his ear against the security door to listen to the sounds inside

This space gave him a strange feeling, as if it were another world, yet also like the center of the universe, as if it had existed since the dawn of the cosmos

Is there still some food in the refrigerator

Cheng Yun quickly answered the phone: "Hello?"

He realized that he might have fallen into a situation he could not comprehend, perhaps involving supernatural events he had never believed in, or it could simply be a dream

All can lead one into reminiscence

Hey! Cheng Yan rolled her eyes and lightly tapped the bowl with her chopsticks twice to interrupt him. She had thought that this guy was overly sad and tired, worried that he wouldn't be able to get through it, and was prepared to patiently comfort him with a word or two

Curiosity killed the cat

Water

At this moment, the entire room was filled with enormous gaps, yet it had not collapsed, and within the gaps was a pitch-black void, rendering everything invisible

Alright, but please keep in mind that I am the older brother and you are the younger sister! Additionally, I am currently your guardian, and this is a choice you made yourself

On the way, he even felt that this was merely an illusion or perhaps a dream of his own. Maybe if he opened the door again, he would see brand new bed linens, toiletries, and sanitary items. However, the reality is that the space still exists, and the items that were originally in the warehouse are destined to be repurchased.

The door is tightly closed, unchanged from yesterday

He cursed angrily, turned his head to take a look, and discovered that the walls and ceiling behind him were inexplicably covered with terrifying and grotesque cracks. Within the cracks lay a profound darkness, resembling an abyss that could swallow a person whole. Fragments of wallpaper fluttered in the air, swirling down like snowflakes, while latex paint and putty fell in a cascade, as if his doomsday had arrived

Cheng Yan was lying on the sofa wearing a pair of light blue denim shorts paired with a pure white short-sleeved T-shirt, the hem of the T-shirt tucked into the shorts. Her long legs, as white as jade, were crossed, and she held a book in her hands, reading.

Inside, there is a profound darkness, and the space appears boundless. An oval-shaped luminous body quietly hovers, surrounded by a misty aura.

It is unclear whether it was a moment or a long time that had passed, but there was already light before his eyes

Is this what Rosen Bridge looks like

It is like closing one's eyes and then opening them again

Um... Cheng Yun was taken aback for a moment, then revealed a look of relief and said, "You can actually tell that I am distracted; it seems you have truly grown up..."

What is going on here? Cheng Yun felt as if some kind of surreal situation had descended upon him

As he stepped out the door, he couldn't help but turn back again while locking it, walking step by step to the outside of the warehouse

Cough cough

There was also no sound of knocking on the door

As the meal was nearing completion, Cheng Yan, holding the chopsticks, glanced at Cheng Yun and after a moment, coldly remarked: "You seem a bit distracted today"

Perhaps the most sorrowful aspect of a loved one's passing is not the moment of death itself, but rather the time that follows their cremation and the interment of their ashes. In the days that follow, any detail in our surroundings can serve as a reminder that our closest ones have departed from us. Each of these moments becomes a process of encountering the past, awakening to a reality akin to the separation of flesh from bone

Simply report it to the state

Cheng Yun found himself in a space that seemed endless, akin to the desolate depths of outer space. Beneath his feet lay what appeared to be a completely transparent layer of glass, with boundless darkness beneath it, just as above and around him. In front of him stood an oval-shaped blue luminescent entity, seemingly without substance, existing in a void. The surface of the entity was enveloped in a faint haze, and it served as the only source of light in this space

Hello

An aged hand emerged from the luminous entity, gripping the edge of the glowing object. Simultaneously, a multitude of intricate symbols suddenly appeared in the dark space, swirling chaotically in the air

No phone, no text message

Indeed, she could have chosen to have her grandfather in the countryside as her guardian, but in the end, she chose Cheng Yun. Everyone respected her decision, and that is how it was settled. When she made this choice, she thought that one day Cheng Yun would use this against her, but it wouldn't last long; in just over half a year, she would officially turn eighteen and become an adult.

This is the junction between the second and third floors. Since the tremors are so intense, it seems that the entire building cannot be saved. Having missed the initial moment, running out now is akin to courting death

After experiencing XX for the first time during puberty, a young man might exclaim: "Ah, so this is what that feeling is like!" ... However, he does not even know how to name this feeling.

Compared to "mysterious", he finds "science fiction" to be more appealing

Cheng Yun muttered to himself, yet suddenly felt a flutter in his heart, a sensation that left him utterly perplexed

This made him feel very strange

"Did you not notice that one of the dishes you cooked is very salty, and the other has a strong taste of monosodium glutamate?" She pointed at the dishes with her chopsticks

Cheng Yun closed the door to the void, then pulled it open again as if from thin air, repeating this back and forth several times

Cheng Yun has only now realized that the darkness in those earlier gaps is a darkness that even light cannot penetrate