Argh! He screamed in pain, collapsing onto his knees. His soul screamed alongside him as the connection to the crow was severed violently. The sharp, stabbing agony reverberated through his chest like a hammer striking glass, threatening to shatter him entirely.
His forehead glistened with sweat as he clutched his chest in an effort to contain the unbearable sensation. Xue Yan's eyes darted to him, confusion and unease etched across her face. Her confusion quickly morphed into worry, and she knelt beside him, her voice softer than he had ever heard it.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her hand hesitantly resting on his back.
Zhao Wei drew in a deep, shaky breath, forcing the pain to the back of his mind. Steadying himself, he leaned back slightly, letting the cool air of the shrine's chamber soothe his clammy face. Slowly, he unclenched his hand from his chest, as if sheer willpower could banish the agony.
"I'm fine," he muttered, managing a weak smile that barely masked the pain still coursing through him. "Just a minor… inconvenience."
Xue Yan wasn't convinced. Her brow furrowed as her hand remained firm against his back. "Minor? You looked like you were on the verge of passing out. That's not something you shrug off so easily." Her tone was calm but carried an undercurrent of concern that Zhao Wei hadn't expected.
He chuckled lightly, brushing her hand away as he rose shakily to his feet. "The pain I'm feeling now is nothing compared to what's waiting for me in the future." His words were cryptic, but the hint of resolve in his voice left no room for argument.
They both turned to the shrine's interior, the walls glowing faintly with intricate symbols that shimmered like stars in the night. Having completed the trial, the promise of rewards lingered tantalizingly before them.
Zhao Wei's eyes fixated on the glowing symbols. The patterns seemed alive, pulsing faintly with an almost hypnotic rhythm. He felt drawn to them, like a moth to a flame. Each step he took brought him closer to the wall, the pull of the inscriptions growing stronger with every moment.
Xue Yan observed him with a mixture of curiosity and unease. "What's up with this guy?" she muttered under her breath. Her voice reached Zhao Wei, but he paid no mind to her words, too consumed by the inexplicable compulsion to approach the symbols.
Then she heard it: the sound of footsteps echoing faintly through the shrine. Her face darkened as she unsheathed her sword, preparing for the worst. "Snap out of it!" she yelled, her voice sharp and urgent. But Zhao Wei's gaze remained fixed on the wall as if he couldn't hear her.
Her frustration turned to grim determination as the approaching footsteps grew louder. She positioned herself defensively, her grip on the sword tightening as she scanned the shadows for their source.
// Zhao Wei's POV //
Urgh. Where the hell am I? Wasn't I just in the shrine?
The bustling noise of a street surrounded me, voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony. Vendors yelled over one another, and the sound of hurried footsteps filled the air. I looked down at my hands. One gripped a half-empty bottle of coffee, the other held a smartphone. The cold metal of a watch pressed against my wrist, the time flashing insistently on the screen.
Shit! I was late for work.
Panic gripped me as I realized the time. How could I have forgotten? Ignoring the icy flakes of snow landing on my coat, I broke into a run, weaving through the crowded streets. The cold air burned my lungs, but I pushed forward, adrenaline overriding any discomfort.
By the time I reached the office building, I was out of breath but relieved to see three minutes left before I would officially be late. The glass doors slid open with a hiss, and I hurried to the elevator, avoiding the disapproving looks from a few coworkers. As I navigated the maze-like layout of desks to my own corner, I booted up my computer and threw my coat over the back of my chair. Stretching my arms briefly, I let out a sigh before diving into the endless sea of tasks waiting for me.
The day dragged on like every other. My inbox overflowed with emails marked "Urgent" that I knew weren't. Meetings felt like poorly-scripted plays where everyone spoke in circles. My fingers danced across the keyboard, answering one email after another, while my mind wandered.
A notification popped up, jolting me from my stupor. It was the alarm I had set for the end of the day. 5 PM. Finally.
I stretched and shut down my computer, joining the flurry of coworkers packing up to leave. The sound of chairs scraping against the floor and hurried footsteps filled the office as everyone scrambled to escape.
The cold night air greeted me as I stepped outside. My apartment wasn't far, but the walk through the dimly lit streets always left me feeling uneasy. By the time I reached my front door, the weight of the day felt heavier than usual. I reheated some leftovers for dinner, the bland taste barely registering as I stared blankly at the TV screen.
Midnight came, and exhaustion claimed me. I collapsed onto my bed, letting out a long breath. My thoughts swirled as sleep began to take over.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
My eyes fluttered open to the sound of my alarm blaring once more. I groaned, reaching out to silence it, my hand brushing against the familiar cold surface of my nightstand. The room was dark, the faint glow of dawn barely visible through the curtains. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, the remnants of a dream slipping away like water through my fingers. Something about a shrine? I shook my head, dismissing the hazy memory as my mind adjusted to the reality of another workday.
I dragged myself out of bed, the routine of brushing my teeth and splashing water on my face feeling almost mechanical. The coffee machine gurgled as I pulled on my coat, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the small apartment. I glanced at my watch—7:15 AM. Plenty of time to make it to the office without rushing.
The streets were eerily familiar as I walked to work. The same vendors shouted their morning specials, the same faces hurried past me, and the same icy wind bit at my cheeks. I sipped my coffee, the warmth barely staving off the chill. As I approached the office building, I noticed a man in a trench coat standing near the entrance, staring intently at me. I frowned but brushed it off, attributing it to my tired mind playing tricks on me.
The workday unfolded exactly as it had the day before. The same emails, the same meetings, the same coworkers with the same complaints. By the time 5 PM rolled around, I felt a strange sense of deja vu as I packed up my things. The walk home was uneventful, the dim streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. I reheated the same leftovers, ate in front of the same TV show, and collapsed into bed at the same time.
As I drifted off to sleep, a faint unease settled in my chest. Something felt… off. But exhaustion quickly overtook me, and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, unaware that the next morning would bring the same day all over again.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The alarm blared again, jolting me awake. My eyes snapped open, and I stared at the ceiling, my heart pounding in my chest. The room was dark, the faint glow of dawn barely creeping through the curtains. I sat up slowly, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. My hand trembled as I reached for the alarm, silencing it with a shaky press.
"This… this can't be real," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced at my watch—7:00 AM. The same time as yesterday. And the day before.