Chapter 5: Everything Is Wrong

Chapter 5: Everything Is Wrong

"Calm down! You must stay calm!"

Lu Li’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat, but he forced himself to settle down. His phone wallpaper had originally been a simple system default, but it had been replaced by a picture of Bai Muli. In the image, Bai Muli was grinning broadly, holding up a peace sign. To Lu Li, however, that smile and gesture looked jarring—even terrifying.

It wasn't exactly fear; it was a nauseating sense of disorientation. It was like walking down a normal street, everything mundane, when suddenly, as you cross the road on a green light, a car swerves around the corner and nearly hits you. Just as you’re about to let out a string of curses, the window rolls down and a dog-headed man in the driver’s seat spits at you, shouting, "You son of a bitch! In such a rush to reincarnate, you piece of trash!" That was the level of disorientation he felt.

Yawning, Lu Li got out of bed, intending to wash up and assess the situation. As his hand touched the bedroom door, he hesitated, then quietly cracked it open to peer outside. No "door-opening jump scare" awaited him. He had feared he might find Miss Bai standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but an apron, which would have been absolutely horrifying. He’d had that premonition the moment he saw the wallpaper, but thankfully, it wasn't the case.

Once in the living room, Lu Li didn't let his guard down. He searched for any traces of Bai Muli’s presence—or rather, any signs that anyone other than himself had been there. Generally, there shouldn't be any. He lived alone, and his parents were away on a trip, just as he had said. So, it was good that Bai Muli wasn't there; it seemed she hadn't followed him.

Wait, that was just a hallucination! But the peace sign on his phone wallpaper told him it wasn't a hallucination—or at least, not entirely.

Lu Li decided to go out. At the very least, a place with other people would be safer than being alone at home. It was strange, though; since waking up yesterday, he hadn't seen a single soul other than Bai Muli. To be safe, he decided to prepare. Taking a page from Yu Zecheng’s book in "Lurk," Lu Li decided to sprinkle some dust on the floor by the door. Having no incense ash, he used plenty of cigarette ash on the floor both inside and outside the door. He also wedged a rubber band into the corner of the door frame. Even if the ash were blown away, the rubber band would let him know if someone had entered while he was gone.

Once finished, he grabbed his phone, house keys, car keys, and motorcycle keys, then headed to the elevator for the underground garage. He decided not to take the car.

That’s right, besides a BMW, he also owned a motorcycle! It wasn't a sports bike, but a small red Honda scooter. As the saying goes, a rider's final destination is a scooter. Lu Li had simply skipped the middle steps.

Mounting his beloved little scooter and donning his helmet, he set off. It was raining—just a light drizzle that didn't affect much. The sky was gloomy, and there wasn't a soul on the road. The security gate was raised, and the guard booth was empty. The main entrance, usually bustling with people, was deserted. Lu Li checked his watch: 8:37 AM. It was peak hour, yet the residential complex was empty, and the gate was left wide open.

Gritting his teeth, Lu Li rode out. The neighborhood convenience store was locked tight, its glass doors shuttered. The breakfast shops were all rolled down. The parking spaces along the road were full, but there wasn't a person in sight.

Lu Li didn't hesitate and headed straight for his company. The few cars he passed on the way gave him some peace of mind. It seemed he wasn't the only one left. Still, it was eerie. But there was no turning back.

Bai Muli understood Lu Li’s personality well. When faced with a problem, he would strive to solve it. If he couldn't, he would accept it calmly. Now that there was a problem, he had to find a way.

Another car sped past. He didn't manage to flag it down. He couldn't understand why people were driving with their high beams on in broad daylight, or why they were running red lights. "I hope the traffic police fine you to death!" Although there were no police around, the cameras on the streetlights weren't just for show. Lu Li smirked coldly and waited for the light.

In less than a minute, the light turned green. Lu Li twisted the throttle. Just as he reached the middle of the intersection, a sedan suddenly barreled toward him at high speed! Lu Li slammed on his brakes, narrowly avoiding being sent flying.

"What the hell!" Lu Li shouted at the retreating taillights, "In such a rush to reincarnate!"

Another car running a red light! After venting, he muttered, "Where are the police? Why aren't they doing anything?" He lit a cigarette to calm his nerves before starting his scooter again and heading for the office.

Yes, he wasn't unemployed. Don't be ridiculous! How could an unemployed person afford a house and a car? Unless they were a leech on their parents. His parents were just ordinary retired state-enterprise workers; he had earned the money for his house and car himself. He had partnered with a friend to start a studio a couple of years ago, and business was booming.

Arriving at the building, he looked up and saw the entire CBD was lit up, every floor illuminated in the middle of the day. He parked his scooter and went up. Reaching the office door, he frowned. It was broad daylight, yet the company wasn't open? It was empty inside.

He dialed his partner’s number. It took over a minute for the other side to answer.

"Li... what the hell time do you think it is?" The voice on the other end sounded groggy.

Lu Li laughed, "It’s not even nine in the morning and you’re still in bed? Are you not working? What, now that you’re a boss, you start showing up late and leaving early?"

The other side was speechless, "Li, I know you’re a workaholic, but you said it yourself—it’s nine in the morning. We work from nine at night! I just crawled into bed and you’re waking me up! What, do you want to go get a drink? I’m trying to get my beauty sleep!"

Beauty sleep... Lu Li rolled his eyes. "You’re a grown man, what beauty sleep? And why are we working from nine at night to six in the morning now?"

"Nine to six, that's the schedule. Besides, men need beauty sleep too; women don't understand that. Alright, alright, no more talking, I need to sleep!" The line went dead.

Lu Li stared at his phone and scratched his head. This is so damn weird. Forget it, I’m going home.

In a hotel room, six men and women of various appearances opened their eyes at the same time. After a long silence, the bearded, muscular man leading them spoke: "You’ve all received the new mission."

The other five nodded in silence.

"Good. The dungeon has entered the third phase, and the key clue to clearing the boss has appeared." He glanced at the smartwatch on his wrist. "Target: Lu Li. Find him!"