Dusk deepened as neon lights flickered to life on the city's fringes. Lin Yi snapped his toolbox shut and let out a long sigh. As an ordinary repair technician, his job was to fix machines forgotten by time. That day, he had been dispatched to the city's ruins to deal with a neglected, old piece of equipment.
The ruins were desolate and silent, with crumbling remnants of buildings sprawled beneath a gray, somber sky. Lin Yi switched on his flashlight and followed the address on his work order. He stopped in front of a partially collapsed factory, pushed open its rusted door, and sent a cloud of dust swirling into the air. Scanning the area, his eyes fell on the equipment: a heavy, ancient machine that gleamed with the cold luster unique to metal.
The machine appeared to be some sort of projector, though much more intricate. Its surface was adorned with strange symbols and carved patterns, as if it had been crafted by a civilization beyond this era. Squatting down to examine it, Lin Yi was surprised to find the power interface intact. Curiosity piqued, he connected his portable battery to the machine.
It hummed softly before emitting a gentle glow. In the air, the light traced intricate patterns that eventually formed a static image: a lush green meadow with a shimmering lake in the distance. The scene was so vivid it seemed tangible, almost as if he could reach out and touch it.
Lin Yi froze in awe. This machine was clearly no ordinary device. He pressed what seemed to be a control button, and the image instantly changed. Now, before him stood a grand castle, its spires piercing the clouds, surrounded by floating points of light.
"What… is this?" he murmured to himself.
Suddenly, the machine emitted a sharp buzz, and its glow flashed violently. Lin Yi instinctively shut his eyes. When he reopened them, he found himself no longer in the ruins but standing in the meadow depicted earlier.
A gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying the fresh scent of grass. Everything felt so real, nothing like a mere projection. Lin Yi looked down and saw his shadow cast on the ground. As he stepped forward, the grass beneath his feet rustled softly.
"Am I… inside the image?" His mind reeled with confusion.
Just as he attempted to explore further, a soft yet commanding voice called out from a distance.
"Who are you? And how did you activate the Dream Weaver?"
Startled, Lin Yi turned to see a woman standing by the lake. She wore a flowing robe that shimmered with light, her face obscured as if veiled by mist, yet her presence was undeniably imposing.
"Dream Weaver?" Lin Yi repeated, his voice filled with confusion as he tried to make sense of the situation. "What is this machine? I'm just a repair technician—I activated it by accident."
The woman remained silent for a moment, as though assessing his sincerity. Finally, she spoke. "The Dream Weaver is a doorway—a bridge between dreams and reality. But every time it opens, a price must be paid."
"A price?" Lin Yi took an involuntary step back. "What kind of price?"
Her voice grew somber and enigmatic. "Time, memory, even your existence."
A chill ran down Lin Yi's spine. He glanced around; the once-calm lake now rippled with growing intensity, its center forming a swirling vortex that seemed to lead to an even deeper unknown.
"If you wish to leave, you must shut down the Dream Weaver," the woman said softly. "But remember, every use brings you closer to losing what is real."
Lin Yi took a deep breath, trying to steady his pounding heart. He had no idea why he had been dragged into this, but his instincts told him the woman's warnings were not to be dismissed. Nodding, he replied in a low voice, "Tell me what I need to do."
Instead of answering, the woman raised her hand gently. A cluster of radiant light particles floated toward Lin Yi and merged into his forehead. His mind was instantly flooded with knowledge—the principles of the Dream Weaver, its intricate construction, and the catastrophic events it had once unleashed.
"Remember," her voice echoed in his ears, "every dream is a double-edged sword."
In a flash of light, Lin Yi was abruptly pulled back into reality. He found himself kneeling before the machine in the ruins, his tools scattered on the ground. The machine stood still, as though it had never been activated.
Lin Yi looked up at the gray sky, a whirlwind of emotions surging within him. He had a faint sense that this seemingly accidental encounter would alter the course of his life.
"Every dream is a double-edged sword…" he murmured, determination gleaming in his eyes. He knew the Dream Weaver was far from a simple machine, and he had already been inexorably drawn into its mysteries.