Vol. 1 - Ch. 4 - They Exist

"Ah-choo!!"

Caught in the chilly breeze, Chen Ling let out a series of violent sneezes. In his previous life as a northerner, he found it challenging to acclimate to the cold and damp weather of this new place. Despite the expansive sun in the sky, warmth remained elusive, and he couldn't feel any warmth at all.

"Make way, make way!"

A languid voice echoed from up ahead, jolting Chen Ling out of his reverie. Without thinking, he instinctively shifted to the side of the road.

At the end of the road, a tricycle made its way slowly, featuring a young boy pedaling and another seated at the back beside two large barrels of salt. The latter scooped up salt with a spoon, methodically sprinkling it on the frosted road, gradually melting the ice with each sprinkle.

"Oh, Chen Ling?" The salt sprinkler spotted Chen Ling standing by the roadside and raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect to see the top student here. Weren't you supposed to be taking the enforcer exam? Did you fail?"

Upon seeing that familiar face, a rush of memories engulfed Chen Ling's mind. The person before him was Zhao Yi, a child who grew up on the same street as Chen Ling from a young age. However, an innate sense of envy lingered within Zhao Yi. His mother, driven by a comparison fueled by Chen Ling's outstanding high school grades, had instilled a deep-seated resentment in him towards Chen Ling, no matter the circumstance.

"I passed the written exam, and I still have the practical exam." Chen Ling stood by the roadside and casually replied.

"Heh, then I wish you good luck in the exam!" Saying this, Zhao Yi scooped up a large spoonful of salt and vigorously waved it towards the road, inadvertently splashing Chen Ling standing on the roadside.

Chen Ling found himself covered in flying salt grains, his hair and cotton robe unexpectedly dusted. The prank caught him off guard, and he hurriedly brushed off the salt, shooting a stern glance at Zhao Yi.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yi, now comfortably perched on the tricycle, swung away. One foot rested casually on a salt barrel as he cheekily stuck out his tongue, making faces at Chen Ling.

Despite being a 28-year-old adult seasoned by life's trials, Chen Ling felt a mix of irritation and amusement at the crude prank. However, he decided against chasing after the mischievous kid and beating him up. Quietly acknowledging the incident, he shifted his focus to more pressing matters.

As Chen Ling was about to continue walking, he glanced at the ground and was slightly taken aback. The frost touched by the salt grains was gradually melting, leaving behind a faint white residue on the ground. In that moment, Chen Ling saw words forming in the mixture:【Audience Expectation: 27%】

Before Chen Ling could react, the salt grains had completely melted away, and the scene just now seemed like a fleeting illusion.

Rubbing his eyes vigorously, Chen Ling muttered to himself, "No way..."

Feeling a sense of urgency once again, Chen Ling couldn't help but quicken his pace, heading straight for the clinic.

A few minutes later, Chen Ling pushed open the door of the clinic.

Despite being labeled as a clinic, the establishment on Frost Street was nothing more than a residential dwelling. It stood with two stories and a simple, earth-toned exterior, reminiscent of the houses in Chen Ling's rural hometown. Even though it wore a somewhat rustic appearance, it was considered relatively decent on Frost Street—boasting two floors and the ability to shield its occupants from the biting wind.

"It's you." Behind the wooden desk, a man wearing a white coat turned slightly. "Back to get medicine for your brother? Didn't he transfer to the hospital in District Two?"

"It's not for A-Yan this time, it's for myself." Chen Ling's brother had been hospitalized here before, so he was quite familiar with Dr. Lin. He walked up to the desk and sat down, looking a bit nervous.

"Oh? What's bothering you?"

"I... my head doesn't feel quite right."

"Is it a physical headache, or..."

"I seem to be having hallucinations lately."

"Psychiatric issue?" Dr. Lin raised an eyebrow, pushing his black-framed glasses up his nose. "That's my specialty... Tell me about your symptoms."

"Last night, I had a dream. I was standing on a stage, and there were many spectators below... I couldn't see their faces clearly, but they didn't seem human. I was desperately running on the stage, but I couldn't find the way out..."

"Dream interpretation isn't within my scope of practice."

"I know." Chen Ling took a deep breath. "But after I woke up, I always feel... like they're still watching me."

Upon hearing this, Dr. Lin finally became interested. "Imagining being watched?"

"Not like hallucinations... it's like they're in my mind, sitting in the audience, observing my every move, and I'm like a puppet forced to perform, just a tool to please them."

"So, you're saying your life's a stage, and you're the only protagonist?"

"Sort of... but it's not as positive as you put it."

"What about the audience? Besides watching you, do they do anything else?"

Chen Ling fell silent for a moment. "I'm not sure if it's my imagination... but they seem to be able to influence things around me."

"Influence reality? That sounds a bit fantastical." Dr. Lin said as he picked up the tea pot and took a sip, about to say something, when his expression suddenly changed!

Pfft!!

Dr. Lin spewed out a mouthful of bright red blood, splattering on the ground.

"Dr. Lin??" Chen Ling was startled. "Are you sick?"

"...No." Dr. Lin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, realizing it wasn't his, furrowed his brow for a moment, and his gaze fell on the teapot on the table...

At some point, the tea pot was now filled with thick, sticky blood.

Dr. Lin's complexion turned grim. He distinctly remembered brewing Pu'er tea in it just a minute ago.

During this time, there were only him and Chen Ling in the clinic. Chen Ling had been under his watchful eye the whole time and had no motive to tamper with the tea. The brimming pot of blood appeared mysteriously, as if by magic...

Chen Ling also seemed to realize something, his face turning paler.

"Just as I said," he spoke hoarsely, "they... might really exist."

Dr. Lin stared at the cup of blood for a long time before slowly looking at him.

"How long has this been going on?"

"One day." Chen Ling paused for a moment. "Since I became conscious, only one day."

"What were you doing before you became conscious? Before last night?"

"I... " Suddenly, an image flashed in Chen Ling's mind of him stumbling through the rain last night. "I don't know, I can't remember."

"So, you're not sure if this symptom started last night, and you have no memory before last night?"

"...Yes."

"Have you been possessed by 'Calamity'?" Dr. Lin rubbed his eyes. "Or let me rephrase, last night... did you encounter the convergence of the Grey Realm?"

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