When did life become so monotonous?

It's like an endless conveyor belt, sending me to places I don't want to go. Trivial matters, like dust, are everywhere yet utterly meaningless.

"Lengchen, get up! You're going to be late! If the school bus waits for you one more time, you're done for. Hurry up!"

It was my mom's voice. Sighing helplessly, I thought: Another dull day is about to begin.

I got out of bed in a rush, starting yet another mechanical day. From waking up to going to school, I repeated the same forgettable routine. Time flew by, and before I knew it, the school bell signaling the end of the day rang.

"Lengchen, let's hit the internet cafe and play some games. Legends just updated! I'll carry you to victory!"

My friend Jian grabbed my arm, his excitement radiating like he'd just won a championship. I simply shook my head.

"Not interested. Too lazy to move."

"You're the dullest person I know," Jian rolled his eyes. "What's the point of living if you have no goals? Don't you have anything to pursue?"

I shrugged, replying calmly, "Nothing worth my interest."

Jian frowned and argued, "That's impossible! I love games. In games, you can do things you'd never be able to do in real life!"

"Like what?" I asked offhandedly.

"Magic, fantasy, and all those things that don't exist in reality! Playing games lets you experience them. It's so fun!"

I chuckled. "Is that so? It's just a game. It's not like you can actually do those things."

Jian pouted. "Do you really think those things could exist in real life?"

I paused before replying, "Are you so sure they can't? If we exist, what else is impossible?"

Jian was momentarily speechless. I sighed and said, "Never mind. I'm heading home. See you later."

At home, I quickly ate something and rested for a bit. Turning on my computer, I stared at the oddly named folders on the screen—Rifts of Consciousness, Another Me, The Truth of the World... They were filled with research I'd found online, but none of it provided answers.

I couldn't help but wonder: Should I give up? Maybe these questions aren't meant to be solved by someone like me.

"If I give up, won't the world feel even more meaningless?"

Feeling helpless, I muttered to myself, "Am I just supposed to keep studying, working, getting old, marrying, and having kids? If that's all there is, this world is so dull it's suffocating..."

Suddenly, a chill surged through my body, and my mood plummeted. For a moment, I even considered ending it all.

But soon, I calmed down and decided to try meditating. Taking a deep breath, I cleared my mind and closed my eyes. At first, my head was filled with chaotic thoughts, but slowly, the noise faded, replaced by a profound silence.

Then, the visions began.

Out of nowhere, an image froze in my mind. A surge of indescribable energy welled up from deep within me. My heart pounded as if something inside was awakening.

Everything around me turned silent, except for a voice that grew increasingly clear—a whisper, like an ancient language echoing in my ears. My consciousness wavered, as if I were floating in an endless galaxy or falling into a bottomless abyss.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed before my eyes, and a blurry figure appeared in the glow. What is that? I tried to focus, but the entire world seemed to tear apart like a shredded curtain, collapsing in slow motion...

I woke up abruptly from my meditation, my chest heaving as if my heart were about to burst out. The vision I had just witnessed was terrifying, like the end of the world unfolding before my eyes. It felt as though my consciousness had been torn apart, leaving behind an overwhelming sense of fear that lingered long after I opened my eyes.

This was the first time in two years of meditation that I had experienced something like this. Until now, my meditations had always been empty and uneventful—no sights, no sounds, just a quiet void that felt as still as death.

But this time, it was entirely different. The dazzling lights, the intangible whispers, the crumbling world—what was all that? Why did it appear in my consciousness?

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. It was my first time encountering such a bizarre vision, and my mind was flooded with questions and unease. What could it mean? Was it a warning? Or perhaps a call from something unknown?