The next morning, Lin Feng didn't go home. He couldn't. Not after what he'd seen, not after what he now knew.
The school gates loomed like a fortress. Students milled around, laughing, texting, completely unaware of the invisible danger creeping between the walls. Lin Feng's gaze scanned every corner, every shadow.
He remembered the girl's warning. "Every second counts."
A sudden jolt—he felt it again. The hum, faint but insistent, pulsing from somewhere deep inside the building. His heartbeat synced with it.
He stepped into the hallway. The lockers stretched endlessly, fluorescent lights flickering overhead. Then—
A loud bang. Lin Feng's body jerked. The world blurred. He was back.
Back ten seconds.
He swore under his breath. Not again.
This time, he didn't hesitate. He ducked behind a locker just as a shadow zipped past—a figure too fast, too precise to be human.
From the corner of his eye, he saw her. The girl. Leaning against the wall, watching him.
"You're getting better," she said. Her tone wasn't mocking—just… calm. Dangerous calm.
"I need to know who's doing this," Lin Feng muttered.
She nodded. "There's someone in the school controlling it. Whoever they are… they want to see how far you can go. Or maybe… how far you'll fall."
A chill ran down Lin Feng's spine. His instincts screamed—this wasn't just a test. It was a trap.
A sudden movement caught his eye. A shadow slithered across the ceiling—another reset? No. This one didn't rewind. The figure dropped silently behind him, tall, cloaked in black.
Lin Feng spun. The hallway felt infinite. He was surrounded. The bell rang, a jarring, metallic sound that made the shadows dance.
He clenched his fists. "Then let's play," he whispered.
The girl stepped forward. "Don't underestimate them. Not everyone here will give you a second chance."
And with that, the hallway exploded into motion: shadows lunging, lockers crashing, students screaming… and Lin Feng running, dodging, calculating every second like his life depended on it—because it did.
Time was ticking.