Wang Yifan sprinted back to his small apartment, slammed the door shut, and locked it with trembling hands. His chest heaved as he leaned against the door, trying to catch his breath. The events at the convenience store replayed in his mind: the strange clerk, the writhing black mist, the ghastly face, and the icy touch. None of it felt real, yet his pounding heart told him otherwise.
"Calm down. It's probably just some hallucination," he muttered, shaking his head.
He walked to the small kitchen, grabbed the energy drink from the bag, and took a long gulp. The cold liquid trickled down his throat, helping him regain a semblance of composure.
Just as he was about to collapse onto the couch, he noticed something on the coffee table—a key.
"Huh?" Yifan frowned, stepping closer. He was certain the table had been empty when he left.
The key was simple, metallic, and shone faintly under the dim light of his apartment. But what drew his attention was the thin red ribbon tied neatly around its handle. It wasn't just decorative; the ribbon looked ceremonial, almost out of place.
Curious, Yifan reached out to pick it up. The metal felt cold to the touch, unnaturally so, as though it had been left in a freezer. As his fingers brushed the ribbon, a strange humming noise echoed faintly in his ears, like a whispering voice just out of reach.
"What the…" Yifan dropped the key back onto the table instinctively, taking a step back.
Before he could make sense of it, his phone buzzed loudly on the counter. The sound startled him, and he nearly knocked over a chair on his way to pick it up. The screen displayed an unknown number.
"Hello?" he answered hesitantly, his voice shaky.
"Did you receive the key?" A woman's voice came through the line, calm but cold.
Yifan froze. His grip tightened around the phone as a chill ran down his spine. "Who are you? What are you talking about?"
The woman ignored his question. "The key is yours now. You'll need it soon."
"Wait! Who are you?" Yifan demanded, but all he got in return was silence. The call ended with a soft click.
Setting the phone down, Yifan turned his attention back to the key on the table. A wave of unease washed over him. First the convenience store, now this? What kind of nightmare had he stumbled into?
As if in response to his thoughts, the key began to vibrate. The red ribbon fluttered gently, though there was no breeze in the room.
"Okay, this is officially messed up," Yifan muttered, stepping back again.
The key started to emit a faint blue glow, the light spreading outward in a circle. Slowly, the glow intensified, forming what looked like a portal—a shimmering ring of light hovering in the air.
Yifan stared, mouth agape. Through the portal, he could see another world. The sky was gray and ominous, the ground covered in dark, twisted trees. Standing in the middle of it all was a figure in red, her back turned to him.
"Wang Yifan," the woman called out.
Her voice was unmistakable. It was the same voice from the phone.
"No way…" Yifan whispered, his throat dry.
The figure turned to face him, and his heart nearly stopped. It was the convenience store clerk. Her flawless pale face, jet-black eyes, and faintly amused smile sent a fresh wave of fear through him.
"Come," she said, her tone soft but commanding.
"No! No way!" Yifan shouted, shaking his head violently. "I'm not going anywhere!"
She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "You don't have a choice."
Before Yifan could protest further, the portal surged with energy. A powerful force pulled at him, yanking him forward despite his struggles.
"Help! Somebody help!" he screamed, but there was no one to hear him.
In the blink of an eye, he was dragged through the glowing ring. His body felt weightless, as though he were falling through an endless void. Wind roared in his ears, and his vision blurred until he finally landed on solid ground.
Yifan groaned, blinking as his surroundings came into focus. He was no longer in his apartment.
The sky above him was a dull gray, heavy with unbroken clouds. The air was cold and damp, carrying the faint smell of decay. Around him, skeletal trees with blackened branches reached skyward like claws.
And standing a few feet away was the woman in red. She regarded him with the same calm expression, her dark eyes glinting with amusement.
"Welcome to my world, Wang Yifan," she said, her voice smooth as silk yet chilling.
Yifan stared at her, his legs trembling. "What… what do you want from me?"
She smiled faintly, the kind of smile that hid more than it revealed. "You'll find out soon enough."
(To Be Continued)