The air in Ye Chen's apartment hung heavy with the smell of instant noodles and desperation. Sunlight, a rare visitor in this cramped corner of Dragon City, struggled to pierce through the grime on the windowpanes, casting a sickly yellow glow on the cluttered room. Mountains of clothes overflowed from a rickety chair, and posters of legendary Soul Hunters adorned the peeling wallpaper, their heroic poses a stark contrast to Ye Chen's current predicament.
Ye Chen, sprawled on his threadbare mattress, stared intently at his worn phone screen. He scrolled through a forum dedicated to Soul Hunters, the adrenaline junkies who ventured into the newly discovered Hidden World to fight ferocious monsters and claim their souls for power. The screen glittered with enticing images of Soul Hunters wielding otherworldly weapons, their eyes blazing with power.
A wistful sigh escaped Ye Chen's lips. This world so close yet so out of reach. Here he was, twenty-two years old and already feeling like a stale noodle himself. Stuck in a dead-end job at the local noodle factory, his days were a monotonous cycle of repetitive tasks and meager wages. Barely enough to keep his family afloat, let alone afford the exorbitant cost of even the most basic Soul Hunter gear.
His gaze drifted across the room to a framed picture of his family - his loving but weary parents and his ever-optimistic younger sister, Mei. Their hopeful smiles stabbed at him. He yearned to break them free from this cramped existence, to give them a life filled with comfort and security. Becoming a Soul Hunter was his only hope, a dream as outsized as the monstrous creatures they hunted.
A shrill voice shattered the silence. "Chen! Are you dreaming about those fancy Soul Hunters again?" It was his sister, Mei, a wisp of a girl with eyes that mirrored his own burning ambition.
Ye Chen forced a smile. "Just thinking about how to make some real money, Mei. Maybe win the lottery or something."
Mei snorted. "As likely as you becoming the next Soul Hunter King. But hey, if you find a magic lamp, don't forget your little sister!"
Ye Chen ruffled her hair affectionately. "Don't worry, Mei. Your brother will make it big someday."
The optimism in his voice did little to mask the gnawing doubt in his heart. He wasn't built like the hulking brutes in the forums. His skills lay in quick thinking and a knack for finding loopholes, not brute strength. Still, there were stories of cunning Soul Hunters who took down monsters with brains over brawn. Maybe, just maybe, there was a place for him in this world.
A sudden tremor shook the building. Plaster flakes rained down from the ceiling, and Mei yelped in surprise. This wasn't uncommon in their rickety apartment block, but this was stronger, longer.
As they stared at each other, wide-eyed, a piercing blue light engulfed the room. It pulsed like a beating heart, casting a strange luminescence on everything it touched. Before Ye Chen could react, the floor beneath him dissolved, replaced by a swirling vortex of energy.
A scream tore from Mei's throat as she began to fall. Reacting on instinct, Ye Chen lunged for her, grabbing her arm just as the vortex ripped them both through.
The world dissolved into a blur of colors and sensations. Disorientation washed over Ye Chen as they tumbled through a chaotic portal of swirling energy. The roar of rushing wind filled his ears, and the metallic scent of ozone stung his nostrils.
Then, with a sickening thud, they landed.
Coughing and disoriented, Ye Chen opened his eyes. He found himself sprawled on a damp, moss-covered ground, surrounded by towering trees with leaves the size of dinner plates. Sunlight, filtered through the dense foliage, cast an eerie green glow on the strange landscape. It was nothing like anything he'd ever seen.
Panic clawed at his throat. He had heard stories of the dangers of the Hidden World - a realm teeming with monstrous creatures beyond human imagination. Had his desperate lottery wish actually landed him here? And where was Mei?
"Mei!" he called out, his voice trembling.
A terrified whimper came from behind a massive tree trunk a few feet away. Relief washed over Ye Chen as he scrambled towards the sound. There, huddled under the tree, was Mei, her eyes wide with fear.
"Chen! Where are we?" her voice trembled.
He knelt before her, pulling her into a hug. "I don't know, Mei. But we're here together."
Pushing her back, he wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "Stay here, behind the tree. Okay?"
Mei nodded, her eyes wide and vulnerable. There was a newfound seriousness in them that mirrored his own. The playful banter of moments ago was gone, replaced
by a cold realization – the world they knew was gone, replaced by a place where survival was no longer a game, but a brutal reality.
Ye Chen rose, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He glanced around, taking in the alien surroundings. The air hummed with an unseen energy, making the hairs on his arms stand on end. An unsettling silence hung heavy, broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures in the undergrowth.
He desperately wished he had paid more attention to the forums beyond the flashy pictures and boasts. Now, facing the stark reality of the Hidden World, his lack of knowledge felt like a gaping hole in his confidence.
But despair was a luxury he couldn't afford. Mei was counting on him. He had to find a way out of this mess, a way back to their cramped apartment, a way back to their lives… or at least a way to survive until they figured things out.
Taking a deep breath, Ye Chen steeled himself. He scanned the area, searching for any sign of danger or a way back to the swirling portal they fell through. He spotted a faint, bioluminescent glow emanating from behind a cluster of giant ferns in the distance. It could be anything – a harmless plant, a territorial monster, or… a way out?
He glanced back at Mei, her small form barely visible in the dim light. "Stay put, Mei. I'll be back in a minute."
He knew it was a lie, but it was all he could offer her right now. With a silent prayer, Ye Chen stepped out from behind the tree and inched towards the bioluminescent glow, his hand instinctively reaching for the rusty pocket knife he always carried – a meagre defence against the unknown horrors that might lurk in this strange world.