Are you really not going to reconsider? If it's about the salary, we can still negotiate...
I've already made my decision.
Alright then, the company doors will always be open for you.
Ten minutes later, Lin Tuo, carrying a backpack, walked out of the office building. Standing by the roadside, he turned his head to glance at the structure behind him, feeling a bit sentimental.
Lin Tuo majored in advertising design at university. With talent, diligence, and a bit of luck, he made a name for himself early on and successfully joined a well known company in the industry.
Over the past two years, he had taken on several major projects, earning recognition. Combined with some private work, he managed to save hundreds of thousands. If he had continued, his future would have been bright.
However, today, he had finally resigned without hesitation.
…
He had already terminated the lease on his apartment and sent his luggage through a delivery service. Lin Tuo hailed a taxi and left Yang City.
Over an hour later, he stood at the foot of Mount Li, near his hometown.
Mount Li wasn't a famous peak. It was part of the Taihe mountain range, situated in the suburbs of Yang City. Because it lacked tourist attractions, it hadn't been developed, and it still retained its rare natural simplicity.
It was summer, and the mountain was lush and green. On rainy days, mist would even rise from its slopes. Lin Tuo had grown up here. His elementary and middle school were in the town at the foot of the mountain, though it had been a long time since he had returned.
Following the mountain path, he soon stepped onto Mount Li and saw a courtyard-style house halfway up the mountain.
It had two courtyards, classical in style, covering a considerable area. But as he got closer, he noticed that it was already quite dilapidated.
This was Lin Tuo's old family home, where he had grown up. His parents had died young, so he was raised by his grandfather, who ran a martial arts school and accepted disciples to train in physical strength and martial skills.
When Lin Tuo was a child, people still came here to practice martial arts. But as times changed, traditional martial schools gradually fell out of favor. His grandfather was heartbroken and eventually passed away in melancholy.
His biggest regret before death was that the family's martial school had declined in his hands, leaving him no face to meet his ancestors in the afterlife.
Because of this, Lin Tuo had long resolved that once he had enough savings, he would return to reopen the martial school and fulfill his grandfather's wish. That was also the reason he had resigned so decisively.
Creak. Unlocking the padlock, he pushed open the gate, walked past the first courtyard, and crossed the quiet, deserted training ground. Looking at the weeds sprouting from the cracks in the stone, Lin Tuo sighed.
Looks like I'll need to do a thorough cleaning. After that, I'll have to renovate too.
Thinking about his plans, he immediately grabbed a broom and began cleaning the courtyard.
…
Cough, cough. When he pushed open the door of a large house in the backyard, he was choked by dust and coughed violently. After fanning the air and waiting for it to clear, he walked inside and was shocked to find that the roof had a large hole from years of neglect.
You've got to be kidding me... With a helpless sigh, Lin Tuo's eyes swept the room, only to find it completely empty except for a massive table. The table was bare, covered in dust, and its purpose was unclear.
I don't remember there being such a big table here. Muttering, Lin Tuo reached out and gently brushed the corner, feeling a bit sentimental.
Immediately, it felt as if his finger had been pricked by something sharp. As his blood seeped into the table, the gloomy room was suddenly illuminated.
[Beep Blood medium detected. Evolution Sand Table is restarting.]
Before Lin Tuo could react, a mysterious voice echoed in his mind. Even more shocking, the ancient table that had been covered in dust now emitted a faint, almost invisible light shield.
The dust dispersed, and the surface became clean and spotless.
Not only that, but countless lights and shadows flickered and intertwined on the tabletop, and in an instant, they formed a miniature modern city!
Yes, on the entire table appeared a city, scaled down countless times!
"This is… Yang City?" Lin Tuo was stunned, then realized that the city looked very familiar.
Upon closer inspection, he confirmed it it was exactly the same as Yang City, where he had lived and worked for years!Skyscrapers, streets, districts, and even cars and pedestrians moving through the avenues and alleys all lively and bustling.
When Lin Tuo focused on a certain area, the sand table would expand slightly in that section for easier observation. He even spotted the building where his company was located, with people going in and out though they were too small to recognize.
[Evolution Sand Table restart complete. Location calibration complete. "Observation Mode" activated. Observation range: 15,000 square kilometers.]
[Current ether concentration: Low]
…
In his mind, more mysterious information appeared. A translucent virtual panel unfolded in his vision.
The interface was simple, with the words Observation Mode displayed prominently.
At the bottom, it showed Ether Concentration: Low.
Other than that, there wasn't much else.
What is this? Some kind of black technology? Observation Mode? Could it be… I'm observing the real Yang City? And the range is fifteen thousand square kilometers… That's about the same as the city's area.
Because of his martial arts training since childhood, Lin Tuo calmed himself quickly and began analyzing.
But how is this possible? A real city, shrunk down and placed on a table? A sand table… so this is what the name means?
Incredible. Lin Tuo's mind was restless, unable to fully believe it. Hesitating, he leaned closer to the sand table to observe in detail.
The sand table did indeed cover the entire city and surrounding areas. At the edges, the terrain was cut off. He noticed a truck driving along a national highway, and when it reached the edge, it simply disappeared.
Above the city, dark clouds floated, partially obscuring his view. Lin Tuo remembered it really was a cloudy day today.
Suddenly, from the edge of the sand table, an Air China passenger plane appeared out of thin air, flying straight through the clouds like a model, passing over the city.
Could this really be real? Lin Tuo's breathing grew tense. Finding the clouds annoying, he instinctively bent lower, wanting to see the city more clearly.
…
At the same time
In Yang City, not far from the mountain, it was noon. Office workers crowded into elevators, heading out for lunch. Food delivery riders flooded the streets.
At the building where Lin Tuo used to work, the manager who had approved his resignation walked out of the lobby. Suddenly, the city's light changed dramatically. The once-overcast sky brightened.
Then came the exclamations
Look up at the sky!
Holy crap, what is that?!
Am I seeing things? In the sky… there's… a face?!
Quick, take a picture! Where's my phone?
Countless people raised their heads, staring at the sky above the city.
The manager froze, then looked up as well. His eyes widened, his mouth gaping in shock.
Above the city, the dark clouds churned as though disturbed by some mysterious power. Then, within the rolling clouds, a blurry human face gradually emerged!
The face, formed from the clouds, looked lifelike almost real. Its eye sockets were hollow, gazing down sternly upon the land below.