"Something's wrong," Lu Ningfei muttered to himself as he pulled back the heavy curtains in his living room, revealing the nightmarish scene outside. The dark red clouds that had been gathering ominously for whole night was now even more foreboding, their deep crimson hue interspersed with flashes of purple lightning that crackled and danced across the sky like the tendrils of some malevolent beast.
Lu Ningfei frowned, his mind racing as he tried to reconcile the scene before him with what he knew of the world he had been thrust into. This wasn't part of the plot he remembered.
The novel had mentioned the acid rain, the zombies, the chaos—but there had been no mention of ghostly apparitions, bloodstains on walls, or this infernal sky that seemed to pulse with evil. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like something—or someone—was manipulating the events around him.
His thoughts turned to his spiritual space, the one refuge he had where he could store and organize the vast resources he had been gathering in preparation for the apocalypse.
"Just in case, Let's check."
He looked at Si Qin's room and sighed with relief.
he closed his eyes and focused, willing himself into his spiritual space.
In an instant, he was there, surrounded by the vast, endless space that held all of the supplies he had painstakingly collected. The familiar sight should have brought him comfort, but instead, a deep unease settled in his gut.
Something felt off here, too. The air in the space seemed heavier, as if weighed down by an unseen force, and the energy that usually flowed smoothly through the space was disrupted, crackling with static.
Lu Ningfei's frown deepened as he began to walk forward, intending to check on a particular section of the space. But before he could take more than a few steps, he felt a sudden jolt, like a wave of pressure pushing against him. The next thing he knew, he was back in his apartment, standing in the exact spot he had been before he entered the space.
"What the…?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
There had never been a time limit or any kind of restriction on his use of the space before.
He had always been able to move freely within it, to access what he needed without issue. But now, it was as if the space itself was rejecting him, ejecting him the moment he tried to go deeper.
The implications were disturbing. Was the space reacting to the changes in the outside world?
Lu Ningfei tried again, focusing his mind and willing himself back into the spiritual space. Once again, he appeared in the vast, empty expanse, but before he could take more than two steps, he was ejected, the force even stronger than before.
"The hell, You got mood swings now?"
Lu Ningfei almost shouted with anger.
This time, Lu Ningfei's frown turned into a scowl. Something was definitely wrong. But he knew better than to waste time on a problem that couldn't be solved immediately. For now, he would put the matter aside and try again tomorrow.
As he turned to head back to his room, he felt a sudden chill run down his spine. It was a sensation he had felt many times before, the unmistakable feeling of being watched.
He stopped in his tracks, his muscles tensing as he scanned the room with sharp eyes. The shadows in the corners seemed deeper than usual, as if they were hiding something just out of sight.
His breath caught as he thought he saw movement—just a flicker, out of the corner of his eye. He spun around quickly, his heart pounding, but there was nothing there. The room was empty, just as it had been moments before.
Lu Ningfei's hair stood on end, but his expression remained cold.
Ghosts, demons, whatever it was-cannot disturb his sleep.
With a slow, deliberate motion, he turned back to his bedroom, ignoring the heavy sensation in the air as he closed the door behind him and slipped into bed.
---
What no one in the apartment building knew was that the night sky above them was more than just a sign of the coming apocalypse. The dark red clouds, charged with demonic energy and ghostly malice, were a gathering place for the spirits of the dead. Almost all the ghosts in the city had been drawn to the clouds, their ethereal forms feeding off the resentment and fear that filled the air.
---
The next morning, as the rain continued to fall, Lu Ningfei decided to check in on Shen Zhiling and the others. After the events of the previous night, it was clear that something was very wrong, and it would be foolish to face it alone.
Si Qin, who had been restless all night, followed him quietly as they made their way across the hall to Shen Zhiling's flat. The boy's usual bravado was gone, replaced by a nervous energy that made him cling to Lu Ningfei like a lifeline.
When they entered Shen Zhiling's flat, they found that Lin Yuxi and Zhang Wei were already there, along with Wang Lei, the resident of room 1503, and his little sister, Wang Yu.
The atmosphere was tense, the weight of the previous night's events hanging heavy over the group. Lin Yuxi still looked pale, and Wang Yu was clearly frightened, her wide eyes darting around the room.
Shen Zhilan, ever the gracious host, offered tea and desserts to the guests, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the unease that permeated the room. "Please, everyone, relax," he said with a gentle smile. "We'll figure out what's happening. There's no need to panic."
But despite his reassurances, there was no denying the fear that lingered just beneath the surface.
Si Qin and Wang Yu were restless, fidgeting in their seats as they exchanged nervous glances. Even Zhang Wei, who usually remained calm in any situation, had a deep frown etched on his face as he stared at the dark clouds outside the window.
Shen Zhiling, who had been watching the skies with a contemplative expression, finally spoke up.
"I believe this is connected to the red clouds," he said, his voice steady but laced with concern. "They're darker than I've ever seen, and the phenomena we've experienced… it's almost as if the clouds are channeling some kind of energy, something malevolent."
Lu Ningfei nodded in agreement.
"It could be because of resentment. I've heard that when ghosts hold on to strong resentment, they can linger in the world and cause trouble. With this much negative energy in the air, it's possible that the spirits in the area are becoming more active."
Zhang Wei's frown deepened as he considered their words.
"If these ghosts—or whatever they are—start harming people, that's a problem. But right now, it seems like they're just trying to scare us. The question is, why?"
Before anyone could answer, the front door to the flat opened, and Shen Zhiwei walked in. His usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by a look of serious concern. His gaze swept over the group, and when he spoke, his voice was solemn.
"Something's happened," Shen Zhiwei announced, his tone grim. "I just got word that someone died on Floor 7 and Floor 3 last night. And three people were seriously harmed on Floor 12."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in like a lead weight. Lin Yuxi gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she turned to Zhang Wei, who immediately wrapped an arm around her, his expression dark with worry. Wang Yu clung to her brother, her small frame trembling with fear.
Si Qin's eyes widened in shock, and he looked to Lu Ningfei, who remained silent, his mind racing as he processed the information.
This was more than just a haunting. People were dying.
Shen Zhiling's expression was grave as he thought, Before I was reborn, there were no ghostly activities like this. None of this is part of the world I remember.
Lu Ningfei was silent and even a bit depressed. He had always believed that he had a handle on the events in this world, that he knew what was coming and how to prepare for it.
But now, with each passing day, it was becoming clear that the world was no longer following the script. The plot was unraveling, and the rules were changing in ways he couldn't predict.
Lu Ningfei lowered his eyes and sighed.
Even in a world where the dead rise and the sky bleeds, fear is a luxury we can't afford.