Something squished under his cheek, something cold and wet.

  Jin Yu jerked upright with a groan, thorns scratching his skin as he tumbled out of the bush.

  His arms were scraped, his ribs ached, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest.

  “What the hell...?” he muttered, blinking hard.

  Towering trees and distant stone buildings filled his sight, and the faint murmur of unfamiliar voices floated into his ears.

  He staggered to his feet, barefoot, bruised, and draped in unfamiliar robes.

  “Did someone mug me at a cospy convention?”

  He spped dirt off his sleeves, wincing. “And what the hell is this robe?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Who beat me up? It must’ve been those bastards. If I catch you, you’ll regret it!.”

  Ptong!

  He spat on the ground, grinding his teeth as he scanned the surroundings.

  “And why the hell are the trees so green? Shenhua City didn’t have forests like this.”

  He wandered through the woods for several minutes before spotting an opening up ahead.

  When he rounded the bend, he stopped cold.

  Gone were the paved streets and glowing skyscrapers of Shenhua City. In their pce stretched a dirt path, crooked stone houses, and carts pulled by creatures that looked like oxen, with three eyes and spear-tipped tails.

  People in yered robes milled about, speaking a dialect he didn’t recognize.

  Smoke curled from chimneys and the rhythmic cng of a distant bcksmith filled the air.

  Jin Yu stared, unblinking.

  “What kind of medieval LARP nightmare is this?”

  A child spotted him and pointed. “Look! He’s alive!”

  Heads turned. Conversations died. The crowd instantly parted, not out of respect, but like they were avoiding a pgue.

  Some turned away, others whispered frantic prayers and slipped off.

  A woman pulled her child aside, whispering, “Don’t look at him. Keep walking.”

  Jin Yu stepped forward. They all stepped back.

  His brow twitched. “Do I have a sign on my forehead that says ‘fear me’ or something?”

  Silence......

  Then— “Young Master Jin?!”

  He spun, already fuming.

  A lean, short-haired boy came jogging toward him, breathless and anxious. His eyes darted nervously between Jin Yu and the crowd.

  “You’re alive!” the boy gasped. “I—I heard you were beaten to death by a group of men!”

  “Beaten to death?” Jin Yu snapped. “I knew it! That damn Chen bastard!, when I find him, wait… who even are you?”

  He paused mid-rant, squinting.

  “And what’s with the ‘Young Master’ crap? Who’s feeding you lines? Is this some messed-up street py?!”

  The boy flinched. “I-I don’t understand, Young Master…”

  Jin Yu lowered his voice, trying to steady his rising temper.

  “Okay. Listen. Where am I? What is this pce? And why are we all dressed like extras from a historical drama?”

  He tugged the sleeve of his robe, frowning.

  The boy blinked. “We’re in the City, Young Master… and, um, you’ve always liked robes?”

  He eyed Jin Yu’s face, then his forehead.

  Jin Yu’s expression twisted. “Are you messing with me too?!”

  He stepped forward. The boy shrieked and fell ft on his butt.

  “Y-Young Master, I swear, I don’t understand!”

  Jin Yu turned away, muttering. “Screw this. I’ll figure it out myself.”

  He wandered aimlessly. But the deeper into the City he walked, the heavier the air felt. Everyone stared or avoided. Unease crept into his bones.

  A fruit seller yanked her cart away the moment he passed, children fled like startled rabbits.

  “This isn’t a joke anymore,” he whispered.

  The strange boy trailed behind him, eyes wide and hesitant.

  When Jin Yu left the market square, he froze.

  Ahead, robed figures moved with impossible speed, some shimmered with light, others fred with flickers of magic.

  The world was wrong.

  He suddenly ran, shoving past people, ignoring their curses. He bolted up a nearby building and didn’t stop until he reached the top floor.

  Then he looked out and his breath caught in his throat.

  A City stretched into the distance, magnificent and otherworldly.

  Curved rooftops gleamed with jade tiles. White pilrs held up soaring towers ced with floating nterns and glowing talismans.

  White bridges arched across blue canals, and pagodas shimmered in the afternoon light.

  Everything pulsed with power, like the whole city was alive.

  Jin Yu stared.

  “This… isn’t Earth,” he whispered.

  “Where the hell am I?”