Lin Feng leaned against the school's rooftop railing, chest heaving. The sun dipped low, painting the sky with streaks of crimson and gold. For a moment, the world felt… normal.
But he knew better.
The girl stood silently beside him, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "You did well," she said softly, almost like a whisper. "Most would have crumbled after today."
Lin Feng shook his head. "It's not over. That controller… someone else is behind them."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Exactly. This was just stage one. They wanted to see if you could survive resets, adapt… push past fear."
Lin Feng's fists clenched. Every muscle tensed. He had learned the patterns, felt the pulse of time bending around him, but the bigger game… the real game… still loomed.
A sudden vibration ran through the rooftop floor. The device from the controller blinked—red, furious, like a heartbeat in the sky. Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.
"They're calling the next stage," the girl said. Her hair fluttered in the wind. "And this time… it won't be ten seconds."
Lin Feng swallowed hard. His mind raced. What else could be worse than what he had faced? Shadows were one thing. The unknown… something far beyond imagination.
He looked at the girl. "Then we'll face it. Together."
She nodded. "Good. But remember… even allies can vanish in this game. Trust is a luxury you can't afford."
The wind howled around them. The city below seemed peaceful, but Lin Feng could feel it—tension, danger, a presence watching.
Far above, the faint outline of a massive figure appeared in the clouds. Not human. Not fully shadow. Just a whisper of a threat, pulsing with red light.
Lin Feng's jaw tightened. He gritted his teeth. "Then let's get ready. The real game… starts now."
The camera pans out: the city is bathed in sunset light, but the ominous pulse of red in the clouds hints at a storm that hasn't even begun.