Chapter 1: Pinewood Town
January 5, 2025
Under the evening sky, Sylas stood in front of the old two-story house with his suitcase. It had been seven years since he last came home.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a worn key, and unlocked the door. The creak echoed through the empty, dusty house.
Sylas stepped inside, his faint smile tinged with pain. His eyes lingered on a dusty photo frame showing a happy family of three. He placed his suitcase down and began cleaning. By the time he finished, darkness had fallen.
Looking around at the now clean house, he smiled, but the loud growl of his stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten. Tired from the drive and cleaning, he grabbed some supplies from his car and cooked instant noodles with eggs to satisfy his hunger.
As he lay on his old bed, his phone rang. The name on the screen made him sigh.
"Secretary Lin, I'm on holiday," Sylas said as he answered.
Lin laughed. "I know, Sylas. The boss told me. But since you're off, I'm covering both your work and mine. You owe me dinner when you're back."
Sylas chuckled running his fingers through his hair. "Fine, dinner's on me. The boss has other assistants, though."
"You know he doesn't trust them. Anyway, I called about the Project C files. The boss wants them handled first."
"I'll email you the details," Sylas said, opening his laptop.
"Thanks! Enjoy your holiday, Assistant Gray," Lin said before hanging up.
As Sylas worked, a commotion outside caught his attention. He parted the curtains and saw a young man carrying a middle-aged man to a car under the streetlight. A woman and a teenage girl followed, crying as they quickly drove away.
Sylas recognized them as his old neighbors. It seemed the father had fallen ill.
Closing the curtains, Sylas finished his email, turned off the laptop, and went to bed.
The next day, Sylas woke up late. After a simple breakfast, he decided to go for a walk. Just as he stepped out of the house, he heard someone call his name.
"Sylas!"
He turned and saw a young man about his age—the same man he'd seen last night.
"Ray! How have you been?" Sylas greeted, extending his hand.
"My God, Sylas! I barely recognized you. You've grown taller—and more handsome," Ray said with a laugh, shaking his hand. "I'm doing well. How about you?"
"I'm great," Sylas replied.
"When did you get back? I didn't see you yesterday."
"I arrived late in the evening," Sylas explained. "I didn't visit your place—I didn't want to disturb anyone. By the way, I noticed some commotion last night. Did something happen?"
Ray's smile faded. "My dad had a high fever yesterday. My mom gave him medicine, but it only got worse. He lost consciousness, so we had to rush him to the hospital."
Sylas nodded sympathetically, chatting with Ray a bit longer before they parted ways.
As Sylas strolled through the familiar streets of his childhood, memories flooded back. Suddenly, a car sped past him, startling him. He stepped further from the road.
Moments later, an ambulance raced by, followed by several other cars all heading in the same direction. It was towards the hospital.
"What's going on?" Sylas wondered as yet another ambulance blared past.
January 8, 2025
A few days passed, and on the fourth morning, Sylas was woken by the ringing of his phone.
"Hello," he answered groggily.
"Sylas," a deep male voice came from the other side, immediately waking him up.
"Boss!" Sylas exclaimed, sitting up in bed.
"Are you still in your hometown?" the man asked.
"Yes, Boss. Is there something you need? Another emergency?" Sylas asked as he got out of bed and headed to the washroom.
"Relax. I'm not calling to disturb your holiday," the boss said. "I just saw a news report about an epidemic spreading in the northern region. Since you're there, I wanted to check if you're safe."
Sylas's brows furrowed. Epidemic? He recalled the ambulances and rushing cars he'd seen over the past few days.
"Thank you for your concern, Boss. I'm fine," Sylas replied.
"Good. Just be careful and avoid crowded places. If possible, return to the capital soon. You can enjoy your holiday here. I'm hanging up now."
After the call ended, Sylas quickly washed up and grabbed his phone to check the news. Articles about a mysterious illness spreading in the north filled the internet. Fever, fainting, and other symptoms were affecting people, especially the elderly and children. Online discussions ranged from fears of a new virus to calls for government action, with some even warning of a potential pandemic.
Sylas frowned as he read. The ambulances and emergency vehicles from the past few days suddenly made sense. Realizing the risk of being stuck in his hometown, he decided to leave for the capital immediately.
After a quick breakfast, Sylas packed his luggage. Just as he was about to leave, he heard the sound of sirens outside.
"Attention, everyone!"
The voice boomed through the speakers of police cars patrolling the streets.
"Attention, everyone! The government has decided to lock down the northern region due to the unknown epidemic. No one is allowed to leave the town until further notice. Please remain calm and cooperate with the authorities."
Sylas looked out the window at the streets below. Police cars lined the roads, and officers were making announcements. People were panicking—some shouting angrily, others visibly distressed.
He clenched his fists. He had been just minutes away from leaving, and now the lockdown trapped him in Pinewood Town. The invisible danger of the epidemic loomed over the entire northern region, leaving everyone in fear and uncertainty.
Sylas sat on his bed, unable to leave town, and scrolled through his phone, catching up on the latest news.
At noon, after finishing lunch, he checked for updates on the epidemic. The good news was that it wasn't contagious. According to reports, the country's top epidemiologists and virologists were already working tirelessly to uncover the cause of the mysterious illness.
As he delved into the details, his phone buzzed.
"Boss," Sylas answered immediately.
"I heard the government has locked down the northern region," the voice on the other end said.
"Yes," Sylas replied. "I was planning to leave for the capital, but the announcement came suddenly. Even though the epidemic isn't contagious, the government is being cautious. Allowing people to leave the northern region could cause panic elsewhere. Public transportation would be overwhelmed, and chaos might follow. A lockdown is the most sensible option for now."
"That's a wise move," the man agreed. "But there's something you need to know."
Sylas hesitated, his grip tightening on the phone. "What is it, Boss?"
"The epidemic is no longer confined to the northern region," the man said gravely. "Cases of people falling ill with fever have just been reported in the capital and other parts of the country. It'll be on the news soon. I'm afraid this could escalate."
"What!" Sylas exclaimed, his voice sharp with alarm. He didn't doubt his boss's words. Kaelith Dravenhart, the CEO of one of the largest companies in the country, had his own channels and connections to gather information. As Kaelith's most trusted personal assistant, Sylas knew how resourceful and well-informed his boss was.
"Don't worry too much," Kaelith said, his voice steady. "If you want to leave the north, I have a way."
Sylas's heart skipped a beat. Of course, he wanted to leave. His visit to his hometown after seven years had taken a turn for the worse, and now, he was stuck in the midst of an escalating crisis. He cursed his bad luck silently.
"But, Boss, you might have to go through some trouble," Sylas said cautiously. He knew Kaelith could pull strings to get him out, but it might mean dealing with the government, a process Sylas knew was fraught with complications. He hated the thought of causing trouble for his boss.
"You don't need to worry about that," Kaelith reassured him. "As long as—"
Dud. Dud. Dud.
The line went dead.
"Hello? Boss? Hello?" Sylas called out, his voice rising in frustration. There was no response. He glanced at his phone, only to see the dreaded "No Signal" sign blinking back at him.
"What's wrong with the network today?" he muttered, trying to redial Kaelith's number, but the phone remained stubbornly silent.
Screech!
Just then, a piercing sound of tires skidding on the pavement followed by angry shouts and cursing were heard from outside.
Startled, he rushed to the window and peered down at the street below. What he saw made his eyes widen in shock.
A small crowd had gathered around a taxi. The driver, visibly shaken, was being berated by several people. Some were shouting at him to get out of the car, while others hurled insults and accusations.
In front of the taxi, a woman lay sprawled on the road, motionless. Her arms were awkwardly outstretched, and her head rested at an odd angle.