Chapter 1, Package

"What rumors?" Lin Tianyu asked calmly.

Lin Tianyu's eyes darted around, and suddenly an idea struck her. Since heaven has taken away some things from me, then let me find some compensation for myself

It seems that time is indeed the best medicine, Lin Tianyu muttered to himself, yet he was unaware of what he was saying

There is a package for you

Outside the window lies a desolate and overgrown vacant lot, which appears to have once been the yard of a factory or something similar. However, it has now fallen into disrepair, creating a rather tranquil atmosphere.

It was a huge long box, measuring 2 meters in height, 1 meter in width, and 0.5 meters in thickness. It took considerable effort from him and two postal workers to lift it into the house. Lin Tianyu wondered to himself what could be so large.

Lin Tianyu's hair stood on end all of a sudden. What is going on? How could that door make a sound? Is it possible that this house is really haunted?

Lin Tianyu mocked himself inwardly, thinking how much he loved to fantasize. It was just a peculiar door after all. Just as he was about to pull the door open with force, a sudden ringing of an alarm clock startled him. Damn it, it was time to go to work

At twelve o'clock, when the old clock in the corner of the room struck, he turned his head and saw the black, charred mark on the sofa. The girl who showed him the house had not replaced the sofa, but he no longer minded. That charred mark undoubtedly became the last trace left by someone's death. Thinking about it this way seemed to add a certain cultural depth to the old sofa, and this imagination was not too bad after all. However, he no longer minded. That charred mark undoubtedly became the last trace left by someone's death. Thinking about it this way seemed to add a certain cultural depth to the old sofa, and this imagination was not too bad after all

Lin Tianyu suddenly remembered that Croft was the tenant who had lived here before, the one who was electrocuted. Since it is an ownerless item, perhaps I can...

Lin Tianyu opened the door and asked irritably, "Is there something you need?"

The postman seemed eager to hand over the package, saying, "Then please sign for it."

The stainless steel blade gleamed with a cold luster under the moonlight; although the edge was not sharpened, the tip was already sharp enough to pierce. Hesitating for a moment, he grabbed a frying pan from the kitchen rack and held it in front of his chest like a shield. Then, taking a deep breath, he raised the sword in one hand while reaching for the doorknob with the other—pulling it forcefully.

Uncertain of the reason, as he gazed at the block of black printed text, Lin Tianyu gradually felt a sense of calm and ease in his heart. He gently closed his eyes, and for the first time, fell into a peaceful sleep at midnight

He hurriedly shrank behind the sofa, as if this would make him feel somewhat safer from death. He breathed heavily, and his vision blurred, a sign of excessive adrenaline secretion. He took a few steps back, reached out, and took a sword from the wall

499999.99 US dollars

As for why he appeared here in such a manner, it must be traced back to two days ago

It was a two-handed sword with a Western style, a replica of Aragorn's sword from The Lord of the Rings, which he had purchased for several hundred yuan from Taobao. Usually, it merely served as a decorative piece hanging on the wall, but at that moment, he gripped the hilt like a knight and drew it with force, feeling an inexplicable surge of courage within him

This is the one hundred twenty-third day since he arrived in this city, and also the one hundred twenty-third day since he broke up with his girlfriend. Lin Tianyu occasionally feels a faint sorrow lingering in his heart. That self-pitying sense of self-comfort has not completely vanished, yet for some reason, his girlfriend's appearance has gradually become blurred in his mind, as if it has turned into a symbol recording his sorrowful past

But someone indeed died here, didn't they? Lin Tianyu interrupted the other person's explanation and turned to glance at the sofa, where there was indeed a charred mark.

At this thought, Lin Tianyu finally turned around, breaking free from his statue-like state. The girl who had led him to view the house stood outside the bedroom door, appearing somewhat anxious.

Once the two postal workers had left, Lin Tianyu quickly dismantled the crate. The contents inside left Lin Tianyu stunned; it was a black wooden door with a frame, which appeared to be quite old. The material of the door was wood, and the pattern on it seemed to carry a hint of ancient Greek minimalism. Lin Tianyu wondered to himself why Kroff would buy an old wooden door; could it be an antique?

The last person who lived here died in his own home on a pitch-black night. According to nearby residents, the entire house was filled with thunder and lightning that night, accompanied by piercing screams. When those people called the police and broke down the door, they found the homeowner already deceased. The coroner's final conclusion was that he had been electrocuted by lightning. However, at that time, the man was sitting on his own sofa, and there was no way for such high-voltage wires to exist in the room. Isn't that strange

Ten minutes later, Lin Tianyu stared at the "package" with a blank expression.

Colleague Xiao Wu, however, seems rather skeptical about his decision, yet did not elaborate further. After all, the two are merely acquaintances, and a brief word of advice suffices; saying too much might be counterproductive.

The door banged repeatedly, disturbed by the wind, causing Lin Tianyu to be restless. Annoyed, Lin Tianyu got up and looked out the window. A bright moon hung high in the night sky, appearing calm and peaceful under the light, with even the wild grass outside remaining still in the moonlight. What could be the reason for this?

That night, Lin Tianyu could not fall asleep. He lay on the bed, which carried the unique scent of decaying wood, staring blankly at the patterns on the ceiling. In the stillness of the night, the visage of his ex-girlfriend suddenly became clear in his mind. He remembered her sweet smile, her soft lips, and her slightly childish, chubby cheeks. The rose they had bought while walking by the lake on a summer night was still in the vase he left in their shared apartment, but it had likely withered to dust by now, just like his current mood.

Lin Tianyu's luggage was quite simple. A few of his colleagues each carried a bag to help move his belongings out of the dormitory. They hurriedly tidied up his room a bit and then dispersed, leaving him alone in this house that was said to be haunted

Since arriving in City S, Lin Tianyu has been working as a clerk in a large company. The work is tedious and heavy, often requiring him to stay until five or six o'clock, with overtime being quite common. Fortunately, the salary is relatively generous, and most importantly, the job allows him to forget the pain of his breakup, which suits him well. However, Lin Tianyu has already decided that he will resign after this month and take a break before looking for another job. For this reason, he has moved out of the company's dormitory in advance to avoid any last-minute chaos.

The postman was somewhat confused, saying, "How would I know what he looks like? I'm just a runner. This package was sent out three months ago, but due to some errors, it was delayed and has only just been delivered now"

"Are you sure you want to rent this place?" Colleague Xiao Wu walked in from the adjacent living room, looking somewhat displeased. "This place is basically a haunted house. Haven't you heard the rumors?"

The busy day finally came to an end. By the time Lin Tianyu returned home in the evening, he was utterly exhausted. After hastily eating something, he collapsed into bed. However, in the middle of the night, he suddenly woke up.

Two days ago

Lin Tianyu turned around, and the banging sound from the door continued to echo intermittently. He got out of bed and slowly walked towards the direction of the sound. It was only when he finally found the source of the noise that he was astonished to discover it was coming from that peculiar door he had propped against the wall in the morning. At that moment, it seemed as if something was incessantly striking against the door.

The postman was somewhat surprised by Lin Tianyu's words. He checked the list in his hand several times, saying, "That's right, Mr. Crowford lives right here."

Lin Tianyu, dressed in pajamas, walked to the door and leaned down to peek through the peephole, only to see a person dressed in a postal worker's uniform

Indeed, the postman nodded, glanced at the delivery note in his hand, and said, "You must be Mr. Crowe, right?"

Kroft? Lin Tianyu said, "Who is that? I have never heard of them at all."

Who on earth would spend five hundred thousand dollars on a door? Is it really an antique door or something?

Lin Tianyu circled around the door twice, puzzled. If it were truly an antique door, how could it be equipped with an automatic lock? Did Western people really have automatic locks hundreds or even thousands of years ago?

Lin Tianyu pondered as he inserted the key into the lock. With a gentle turn, the lock clicked open. He could not understand why, but he felt an inexplicable sense that something was about to happen, as if something particularly important was waiting for him behind that door

Do you have my package

"Wait a moment, are you referring to that bearded foreigner named Crowe?"

Lin Tianyu gazed at a woman wearing an oversized T-shirt, hanging freshly washed clothes on a discarded power line, appearing somewhat lost in thought, resembling a wooden sculpture or clay figure

The manager of the company seems to want to extract his last bit of value before he leaves, as he has been assigned an unusually large amount of work today, and he only managed to finish it around seven or eight in the evening.

Boom! The towering waves violently crashed against the jagged rocks along the shore, instantly shattering into countless splintering sprays that filled the air. The sky was overcast with dark clouds, and the fierce winds whipped up massive waves that struck the beach. From the ominous clouds, distant rumblings of thunder hinted at the impending storm. Lin Tianyu, dressed in pajamas, held a frying pan in one hand and the sword of Elrond in the other, standing at the mountaintop, dumbfounded by the magnificent scene before him, his heart stirred with a tumult of surprise even greater than the raging sea before his eyes. The distant rumblings of thunder from the dark clouds served as a reminder of the approaching storm. Lin Tianyu, dressed in pajamas, held a frying pan in one hand and the sword of Elrond in the other, stood at the mountaintop, dumbfounded by the magnificent scene he had never witnessed before, his heart stirred with a tumult of surprise even greater than the raging sea before his eyes.

Lin Tianyu nodded and said: "That's right, Crowe is a relative of the landlord. He lived here a few months ago and then moved out. How about this, you give me the package, and when the landlord arrives, I will have him pass it on to Crowe."

No monsters came rushing out from behind the door as imagined; only a gust of sea breeze carrying a salty and fishy scent howled in.

The girl's expression suddenly turned unpleasant, "Why? Is it because of that rumor? That's just something others have made up."

The girl looks like she is about to cry, "How about I reduce the rent by another 10%? At least you have rented this house."

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Lin Tianyu felt somewhat guilty. Moreover, the price was indeed cheap. However, Lin Tianyu still steeled her resolve, saying, "Lower it by another 20%. If the price is at 50%, I will rent it. Additionally, you must replace the sofa for me; otherwise, I will pass."

The girl agreed without the slightest hesitation, which gave Lin Tianyu a somewhat ominous premonition. However, at this point, Lin Tianyu was not one to go back on his word to a young girl. On the other hand, he held a certain curiosity and desire for truth regarding such rumors. If there were indeed any supernatural occurrences in this house, he secretly harbored a glimmer of expectation. Thus, ten minutes later, Lin Tianyu received the keys to the house.

Lin Tianyu did not react immediately after listening; it was only after he contemplated the implications of the story that he felt a chill run down his spine. What was once merely an old house suddenly took on a sinister quality. Although Lin Tianyu was not a superstitious person, he still harbored no fondness for such a haunted house. Even the fact that the rent here was 20% cheaper than that of surrounding houses did not change his mind.

He discovered that there was a key on the doorknob. After removing the key, he found that it was still attached to a price tag.

Bang bang bang! A series of knocks on the door startled Lin Tianyu from his slumber. He let out a helpless sigh, feeling an immense sense of regret for the sweet dreams he had just lost. He never expected that on the very first day of renting this apartment, he would have visitors. Glancing at the alarm clock, it was barely past six o'clock. Who would come knocking at this hour

Lin Tianyu drew back the heavy curtains, allowing the sunlight from outside to illuminate this house that had been uninhabited for a long time. The dust accumulated on the curtains danced in the beam of light, revealing a hint of weariness in this early autumn afternoon, and it was somewhat pungent.

Her concerns suddenly became a reality as Lin Tianyu walked up to her and slightly nodded, saying, "I think I can no longer rent it."