The boiling water kettle on the stove makes a humming sound. Steam rises continuously from the spout, floating into the dark, serene sky outside the house.
Due to a disrupted power supply, the house is now without lights. Even the large vintage TV, which always used to glow, is now engulfed in quiet darkness.
Two candles are placed on the table.
The flickering flames cast a dim light, revealing a wall marked by the passage of time.
The dining table is covered with dishes, but there's no warmth left after such a long time. It's just a pile of cold food. Even the pork rib soup, a family favorite, has oil floating on its surface as if it has turned into a glass covering the bowl.
The cross-stitch embroidery has been around for many years. A large, faded calendar with the words "Everything Goes Well" and a family portrait placed next to the TV, seem somewhat out of touch.
In the dim light, Hoang Lan's figure appears like a shadow as she sits quietly on the sofa. She doesn't speak, as if waiting for something.
Every now and then, her mother looks at the clock on the wall. It seems to be waiting for the return of two absent family members.
"Hoang Lan, do you know where the two went to buy pastries? Why haven't they returned yet?"
Her mother glances at the scenery outside the window, her face filled with worry. After a pause of two seconds, she lowers her head and says, "It's so cold outside today, and your father didn't even wear a scarf. If he catches a cold, what should we do now?"
"It's getting late, something might have happened."
Her mother's face at this moment is no longer beautiful. Instead, it looks somewhat decayed, with the skin swelling bit by bit.
Blood stains emerge from her face, and even her eyes begin to have threads of blood slowly seeping out. There's a strange and unspeakable phenomenon.
After a while, Hoang Lan opens her eyes.
"Phew!"
She blows out the candles on the table.
Then, the entire Dương Khánh Vĩ in the dark.
...
Nam Hoa Tower.
Hoàng Tuân sits to the side, watching Dương Khánh Vĩ take a small crystal ball from his bag, resembling those used by fortune-tellers.
With his eyes closed and his hand in a strange posture above the crystal ball, he seems mysterious and a bit silly.
"What are you doing?"
Hoàng Tuân is a bit puzzled. He interrupts and asks.
Just two minutes ago, they exchanged information.
Unlike Dương Khánh Vĩ, who came to this world in the middle of it all, Hoàng Tuân, who only has basic clues revolving around his family and school, runs in a narrower area.
In the past few months, whether it's the shopping center, streets, stores, or alleys, or amusement parks and massage places for the blind, or public restrooms, wherever he could go, he almost went there.
After working for those NPC victims of assimilation, he had the opportunity to chat and gather information.
What surprised Hoàng Tuân was that, at that time, he was attending school.
The incident of Nguyen Ha Trang being harmed was seen by him on the novel control panel, not caused by strange beings or the crowd at Tran Hung Dao High School.
After Dương Khánh Vĩ discovered the strange butterflies at Tran Hung Dao High School, he just happened to pass by that place.
He and Uncle Khang, who was stunned by his deception, even though assimilation was not canceled, the two of them rescued Nguyen Ha Trang together...
As someone originating from that organization in the real world, Dương Khánh Vĩ's ability is inversely proportional to his seemingly foolish and indifferent appearance.
At least in terms of exchanging information.
What Dương Khánh Vĩ knows is not much different from what Hoàng Tuân knows...
Even more so, due to years of operation within the organization, there are ways to create countermeasures against various types of horror worlds
Dương Khánh Vĩ has more experience than Hoàng Tuân.
So, there are many things.
Hoàng Tuân still doesn't understand all of it...
"Contacting people outside, didn't you say that the black cloud appeared above Tran Hung Dao High School? It's too far from us; I want to ask if anyone in the organization has a source of curse that can instantly teleport in a short distance, to quickly reach that location."
Dương Khánh Vĩ closes his eyes.
Patiently answering Hoàng Tuân.
"Does the source of the curse have these functions?"
"Yes, there are many strange things. You can think of them as immortal techniques in novels..."
When Dương Khánh Vĩ says this, he seems to realize something and asks Hoàng Tuân.
"Wait, don't you have a source of curse? How did you survive in the previous script world?"
"I do, but it's not like yours." Hoàng Tuân replies.
Compared to Dương Khánh Vĩ's crystal ball, there is also Dinh Phuc's paper figurine.
He only has two sources of curse. One is the axe that Nguyen Nam obtained on the train, and the other is the swarm of bizarre insects in the small black bottle at Tran Hung Dao High School.
Except for the fact that the swarm of demon insects may have some strange abilities.
The ability he gained from that axe.
It's easy to understand that it's just to enhance the body.
Compared to their unimaginable abilities.
It seems much inferior...
"No, are you saying you borrow things from outsiders? Isn't the timeline in both worlds the same?" Hoang Tuan questioned skeptically.
He recalled the contents of the two scenarios he had experienced, and each time he returned to the real world, he noticed the slower flow of time in the horror world.
Could Dương Khánh Vĩ's crystal ball affect the speed of the time flow?
"Yes, that's right. So I sent a message here; the real world will take about three to four hours to receive it. Similarly, if something like that is sent to the other side, it will also take a similar amount of time."
Dương Khánh Vĩ answered slowly.
At this moment, he had opened his eyes and was observing the surroundings.
"Well, I think your things might affect the flow of time in both worlds. Maybe I thought too much." Hoang Tuan withdrew his thoughts.
"Affect the speed of the time flow?" Dương Khánh Vĩ Nhược, upon hearing Hoang Tuan's words, was somewhat surprised, then laughed: "If there were a curse like that, the existence of the horror world would not be so troublesome. No curse can directly affect the structure of the horror world..."
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Although the organization has become much stronger than before and has many ways to deal with monsters... But that's just dealing with monsters. Regarding the structure of the world, we have no information about its existence principles or its purpose."
"So why doesn't anyone in the organization have the intention to leave?"
"I don't know... Hey, have you heard about a type of spirit? It's the spirit of a hero, unafraid of sacrifice and fearless of death. Even when you know you're going to die, you won't back down because of that. I guess maybe there is a noble spirit like this in each of us."
Dương Khánh Vĩ explained.
"Is the method brainwashing the members?"
"No."
"Then why does everyone have this thought? Could it be that you really have such a spirit?"
"I don't know, but I feel... If one day the horror world appears to the extent that it completely affects reality, if I'm asked to sacrifice, then I will do it."
"Are you brainwashed too?"
"Maybe you can consider it as a war, a war that cannot be stopped... If it really comes to that point, there will definitely be many innocent casualties. The heroic soldiers, their icons are sacrifice."
"That's not a simple death. In other words, if you can understand the meaning between sacrifice and facing death, then you will understand."
"Can you put it in a nutshell?"
"Ah, let me tell you this... If disaster strikes one day, can't you leave it to your old man to handle it? There must be someone who stands up to resist, and if possible, that person will stand up, the person who just stood up, coincidentally, is me."
"I can't understand."
The conversation between the two stopped...
Hoang Tuan did not understand the purpose of this noble spirit and what its meaning of existence was.
Dương Khánh Vĩ had a completely different worldview from him...
For Hoang Tuan.
If something like that happened, and it could be helpful, he wouldn't pay much attention and would help.
But if its level affected his own life.
Then, he guessed he would go back and escape...
Hoang Tuan thought that he was not a hero.
He didn't want to be a hero.
In his heart, he felt like an ordinary novelist, and because of suddenly being involved in this bizarre event, he became somewhat special.
That was all.
"By the way, speaking so much, are you interested in joining the organization? Actually, I think you have a lot of potential."
After a moment of silence, Dương Khánh Vĩ turned to Hoang Tuan and asked.
"At first, I did think about it a bit, but now I don't want to." Hoang Tuan answered without hesitation.
"Why?"
"At first, when you mentioned the curse source, I was really interested, but just after talking, it veered off course, unintentionally discussing philosophical values, and I felt that we are not alike."
"Ha ha ha, talking too much is my fault?"
"You can understand it that way."
"Okay, I won't advise you. It's up to you to choose." Dương Khánh Vĩ said, extinguishing the cigarette in his hand on the ground, then took out a card from his pocket and handed it to Hoang Tuan.
"This is my business card; as long as you can live well, if you want, you can call me. Under normal circumstances, I can always be contacted."
Hoang Tuan did not say anything.
He just quietly took the business card...
Anyway.
Besides Mộc Giang, this was the second invitation that the organization had given him.
He didn't know where they valued him...
To put it lightly.
This group of people didn't know that he could modify the plot.
He felt that his behavior was not too special...
Hoang Tuan casually glanced.
He put the business card in the large bag behind him.
While turning around.
Hoang Tuan inadvertently saw the cigarette that Dương Khánh Vĩ had just extinguished.
He was surprised to know that the cigarette had reached the filter...
...
The night was very quiet.
The people under the South Flower Tower had now become familiar with each other.
Except for Hoang Tuan and Dương Khánh Vĩ.
There were also many people discussing the horror world...
In the crowd.
Suddenly, a sound of an inexplicable mobile phone rang from somewhere.
A few seconds later.
There were many consecutive screams...
"Ah!"
"Someone died, he's dead!"
"He was right in front of me, and suddenly his head fell off!"
"It's a murder!"
"What's happening? Is there some weird devil thing appearing?"
"Is something strange appearing? Does anyone know where?"
"..."
With the appearance of the first dead person.
Panic and confusion starting to spread!