Adventure of Zhao
Dear Bosstraatnese, my friends, and those who once lived on Bosstraat,
Twenty-five years ago, we navigated the alleys and woods of Hasselt and Diepenbeek with our broken English. Alongside foamy beers, hot wine and waffles, we debated European history, culture, politics, the future, music, and folklore, and created a series of inside jokes that still shine in my memory to this day.
Now, with the rapid advancement of new technologies, where neural implants rewrite human cognition and quantum tunneling blurs the world's boundaries, I'm crafting an adventure titled Adventure of Zhao—a vessel that preserves the DNA of our shared cross - cultural wonders.
The story is set in Huinan Town, Shanghai, in 2025. It tells the tale of Zhao Ming, an ordinary 48 years old clerk in his zodiac year.
At seven o'clock on the eighth day of the first lunar month, while riding his electric bike to work, he suddenly noticed double - vision. Curiously, he discovered that these were glimpses of another world. Unable to resist his curiosity, he entered this parallel realm only to find it occupied by alien creatures even smaller than viruses. Humans were confined to tiny safe zones, at risk of infection with the slightest misstep. Once infected, they could only alleviate symptoms with herbal remedies, but the fate of becoming a puppet was irreversible. Fortunately, he found that the cola he carried could significantly relieve the infection symptoms. Even better, whenever he saw the double - vision again, he could return to his original world.
Thus, a miracle doctor emerged in the other world. His blue and red potions saved many lives. He actively established an impregnable stronghold in an abandoned town on the front line (a town in Los Angeles, USA), which became a reliable supply point for exploration teams from diverse ethnic and national backgrounds. Through trading with the exploration teams, he provided many affordable supplies for the civilians in the safe zone, earning universal praise.
Unbeknownst to all, cola syrup, AI technology, nuclear power batteries, robots, and other items were quietly delivered to the stronghold, becoming powerful weapons against the alien creatures.
The climax of this novel hinges on a fact we prove every day: Friction between cultures doesn't breed chaos but joy—the very energy that fueled our midnight laughs and loud talks in the Common Room in our twenties. Will you let your laughter be forever etched on this speculative tapestry?
I'm compiling my memories and adding my imagination—from the Nordic regions to Sicily, Italy—to fuel the narrative core. Let's use time - travel to create an all - powerful version of ourselves, for as my story will demonstrate, the most radical future is built upon a beloved past.
With nostalgia for Bosstraat,
Spencer
P.S. The draft includes a strange creature called the "Toad - mouthed Owl," which can speak in our idioms. When it declares, "Fxxkxx Bxxxx!", be ready to cringe/laugh!
