After resting for half an hour, Zhou Mingrui, now seeing himself as Klein, finally felt recovered. He noticed four black dots forming a square on the back of his hand. They quickly faded but he knew they were still there, waiting to be awakened.
"Four spots in a square... like the four staple foods. Maybe I won't need to prepare them in the future?" he guessed, though their appearance unsettled him.
The strange powers, his mysterious transmigration, and the eerie gray world made him shiver despite the June heat. Fear of the unknown gnawed at him, but he felt an irresistible pull toward the mysteries.
The sunlight poured in through the window, and for a moment, he felt warmth and hope. He relaxed, but overwhelming fatigue took over, and he stumbled to bed, falling asleep instantly.
Hunger pangs woke him. Rejuvenated but with a slight headache, Klein checked his pocket watch—12:30. He'd slept three hours. His mind was now consumed with one thought: food.
With only five pence, Klein decided to eat the rye bread used in the ritual. There was a tradition in his hometown of eating offerings, and the bread appeared unchanged.
While boiling water for the bread, Klein eyed the mutton in the cupboard, tempted, but resisted. Instead, he remembered he had potatoes. He boiled them with some salt, savoring the simple meal. The fragrance of the potato filled the air as he ate, content despite the humble fare.
Full and satisfied, Klein began planning. He couldn't run from the mysteries surrounding him. He had to become a Beyonder, as Justice and The Hanged Man had mentioned, and face the unknown. He needed answers, especially about Klein's suicide and the dangerous notebook.
As he pondered, a knock echoed through the empty hallway, sharp and insistent.
Knock! Knock!