Chapter 1: The Eerie Key

"Heh, me, stupid? I'm not stupid at all! Do you think I'm like you lot, each one of you treated like a free beast of burden by your so-called girlfriends, wasting both money and energy, and still having to carefully coax, cater to, and serve them every single day!"

"Guarding my little shop, with no one to manage me or annoy me, living a carefree life all by myself—isn't that relaxed and free? Hahaha!"

Xie Yaoyao muttered to himself while driving his beloved little van.

It was exactly midnight; he had just finished a gathering with friends and was heading toward his own pet shop.

Suddenly, two figures darted out from a small alleyway to the side. Xie Yaoyao had no time to react at all.

By the time he subconsciously slammed on the brakes, the figure in front had already had an intimate encounter with the little van.

Xie Yaoyao watched helplessly as the man spun and slammed his head into a streetlamp by the road, then slumped down, leaning against the lamp.

His eyes were wide open, staring at Xie Yaoyao in the driver's seat, while blood foam bubbled continuously from his mouth.

"It's over!"

"I hit someone!"

A jolt of electricity shot from his tailbone straight to his crown; Xie Yaoyao was completely stunned.

The figure behind was clearly also startled by the van that had suddenly killed its way out, standing still and staring blankly as the person in front was sent flying.

But when she saw that the person in front was on the verge of breathing his last, she whispered "Bad" and rushed forward.

Xie Yaoyao, who had gotten out of the car to check, only then saw clearly that the person behind was a woman.

This woman was wearing a black trench coat, her long hair tied into a ponytail, and she was holding a sharp dagger as she rushed toward the fallen man.

"What's going on?"

"A robbery? Chasing down a heartless lover?"

"Is there really a need for this? That guy is already..."

Just as Xie Yaoyao was left completely bewildered by the situation, the next scene made his jaw drop entirely.

Before the trench-coat woman could reach the man, the fallen man breathed his last.

Then, his entire body turned into decaying dust and was blown away by the night wind, giving Xie Yaoyao a firsthand look at what it meant to vanish into thin air.

Even the bloodstains splattered on the ground were blown away by the night wind without a trace.

Only the dent on the front of Xie Yaoyao's little van persisted in telling the tale of their recent intimate encounter.

Xie Yaoyao stared blankly at the scene before him; the worldview he had built over twenty-plus years collapsed in that instant.

"No... no evidence left! How... how do I report this to insurance?"

Regardless of Xie Yaoyao still fretting over paying out of his own pocket for repairs.

Following the man's disappearance into the wind, a pitch-black key condensed out of thin air at the spot where he had finally fallen.

The trench-coat woman reached out to grab it, but her arm passed straight through the key floating in mid-air, making her so angry that she turned around and glared fiercely at Xie Yaoyao, who was still standing there like a fool.

Looking at the woman's agile movements and the gleaming dagger in her hand, Xie Yaoyao swallowed hard.

"This woman is clearly not an ordinary person. She wouldn't just kill me while she's at it, would she!"

"She seems very angry! Is it because I hit that man to death? Or because of that weird floating key?"

Xie Yaoyao wondered if he needed to run for it.

Should he get in the car and drive away?

Or should he turn around and bolt on foot right now?

Fortunately, the woman wasn't as ruthless as Xie Yaoyao had imagined. After pondering for a moment on the spot, the woman stared carefully at Xie Yaoyao's face, then looked at the 'Happy Pet Shop' logo printed on the little van.

The woman glared fiercely at Xie Yaoyao one last time, then turned and darted into the side alley, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.

Leaving only Xie Yaoyao standing in the night wind, feeling messy.

She just left?

So, what on earth is this situation?

He walked slowly toward the key floating in mid-air.

The key's design was ancient yet exquisite, its pitch-black surface shimmering faintly.

Xie Yaoyao turned his head and looked around.

The night wind was cool, the moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.

The quiet street had no other pedestrians besides him.

Xie Yaoyao swallowed hard again; it was a bit creepy!

But thinking about it carefully, since the woman reached out to grab this key at the first opportunity, then this key shouldn't be harmful.

Connecting it to what had just happened, Xie Yaoyao immediately associated it with the setting of loot dropping in games.

Could it be that because that man was killed by me, the loot he dropped can only be picked up by me?

But why didn't that woman force me to pick it up and then kill me?

Thinking of this, Xie Yaoyao shivered again.

Forget it, forget it!

Don't think about it; he didn't want to end up like that man, blown into dust by the wind.

Looking at the key floating in mid-air before him, Xie Yaoyao steeled himself, hardened his heart, and reached out to grab it.

There was no feeling of grabbing a physical object!

The moment the key touched Xie Yaoyao's palm, it turned into a streak of pitch-black light, burrowed into his palm, and vanished.

At the same time, a 'creak' sound echoed in Xie Yaoyao's mind.

It was as if an ancient, dust-covered door had been opened, and Xie Yaoyao could clearly perceive this door appearing in his mind.

White mist surged within the door, seemingly calling for Xie Yaoyao to explore.

Xie Yaoyao shook his head; everything around was quiet, with only the night wind blowing gently!

Forget it for now; after this eerie scene, all he wanted was to get home quickly.

He scrambled into the car.

Ignition!

Release the clutch!

Step on the gas!

'Happy Pet Shop' was a storefront located on the ground floor of the Xingyue Xincheng residential complex.

The storefront had two floors; the first floor was for business, and the second floor served as a warehouse and living quarters.

Accompanied by the screech of emergency brakes, Xie Yaoyao parked the car in a rush, as if something dirty was chasing him from behind.

Open the door!

Get home!

Close the door!

*Thump, thump, thump*, he ran up to the second-floor bedroom.

Xie Yaoyao threw himself onto the soft mattress, his eyes wide open, his mind constantly replaying everything he had just experienced.

Was it a dream?!

Was he drunk?

He hadn't been drinking!

Don't drink and drive, don't drive and drink!

So that door in his mind was truly, genuinely, and absolutely real, right!

Should he go in and take a look?

Xie Yaoyao had a strong perception that with just a single thought, he could enter that door where white mist was surging.

For someone who had just graduated and used all his savings to open a pet shop, preparing to start a life of retirement, living a stable life was his greatest dream.

Yet, the young heart in his chest was beating fervently.

Perhaps, this was an opportunity!

An opportunity to know the true face of this world!

An opportunity to become someone above others, to become a superhero!

However, the figure of the man slumped on the street, blood foam bubbling from his mouth until he finally turned into flying ash, kept circling in Xie Yaoyao's mind.

Clearly, this opportunity was bound to be full of thorns and danger.

Danger and opportunity were right before his eyes; Xie Yaoyao, who had been an ordinary person for over twenty years, ultimately couldn't resist the temptation.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and Xie Yaoyao's spirit stepped into the door in his mind where the white mist was constantly rolling! ===== CHAPTER 2 =====