Our Home Has a "GPS"

Chapter One: Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits

My name is Jason Taylor, nineteen years old, currently a sophomore.

Like many contemporary college students, I wear a blank expression in class, listening to lectures as if they were a foreign language, playing with my phone to endure boring lectures, occasionally playing games and reading novels, and discussing the beauties from the neighboring department with my roommate, which pretty much sums up my entire life.

Actually, when I was a child, or more accurately, before I started college, I firmly believed that I was not an ordinary person. I was convinced that one day, I would stand before everyone in a stunning manner, showcasing my outstanding achievements in a particular field.

But later, to my sorrow, I discovered that no matter how hard I studied through the night, I still couldn't match the ease of the academic achievers. When I played games and emerged from the bushes, I was instantly headshot.

I don't have wealthy parents, and my looks can be considered fair at best.

I didn't stumble upon a system on the road, in the library, in a hotel, or even in the restroom. I never encountered any old man trying to guide me or stumbled upon any unknown treasure trove.

The girls in my class really just borrow pens from me, watching movies together is really just watching movies together, and asking me to explain a topic is genuinely asking me to explain a topic.

I grew up in Springfield, finished primary school, middle school, and high school there, and then achieved a decent score to continue studying at the local University C.

I have unreliable parents who sent me to stay at home and work in another state since I started junior high, so I became the legendary left-behind child.

Oh right, I also have a troublesome younger sister named Emily Taylor, sixteen years old, in her first year of high school. This girl can't exchange three sentences with me without quarreling. She's fierce and brutal. Since her birth until now, we've probably had more than thirty battles, and although it's embarrassing, I must say that two-thirds of them ended with my defeat.

"Classmates, today's class ends here. Remember to complete your assignments on time over the weekend. The class monitor will submit the assignments to the teaching assistant next Monday."

"Finally done!" The chubby guy from the same dormitory patted my shoulder vigorously and picked up his bag. "Jason Taylor, are you going home this weekend? How about we team up for some gaming? Lao Hei said he's treating this time!"

So, under the vigorous slap from the chubby guy, I woke up and picked up my bag. "Not this week. I have to go home. Emily's parent-teacher meeting is this week, and I have to go back for it!"

Since my parents went to another state, it's just been me and Emily sticking together. Fortunately, our academic performance is still decent, and they send us living expenses on time every month, so they don't worry too much about our studies.

I rode my bike, speeding away.

From University C to my home is about a two-hour ride, not too far.

When passing through the commercial street, a beauty riding a bike in front suddenly turned her head and smiled, "Jason Taylor, is your home also in Springfield?"

I recognized the beauty. She's Grace Thompson from the neighboring department, with a small face and long hair, consistently ranking in the top few of our dormitory's night chat list. My roommate, the chubby guy, seems to have some infatuation with her.

I was surprised that a beauty recognized me and even knew my name, so I gave her an awkward smile. "Yeah, my home is in Springfield. I went to high school at Springfield High School."

"Oh my, I also went to Springfield High School! Why have I never seen you before!" Grace Thompson seemed overly surprised, turning her head to look at me, causing her bike to run in a strange way.

For her safety, I had to catch up to her and stay at the same level, making it more convenient for conversation.

The commercial street is quite long, and there are many people. In any case, it's not easy to ride fast in this situation. Talking nonsense with a beauty while riding isn't a bad life experience.

After the crowded commercial street, the sunlight instantly dimmed, and the twilight glow had fallen. I checked my wristwatch; it was almost eight o'clock.

"Is there always so many people on the commercial street today?" I complained. "It's been half an hour since we started, right?"

Grace Thompson nodded, "Maybe because it's Friday. Everyone has been suppressed for a week, so they come out to relax."

She continued walking, and I followed behind her a bit slower.

As we entered the next street, the sky suddenly darkened, and the sun completely withdrew, leaving a slightly grayish hue in the sky.

It's as if all the light disappeared in an instant, swallowed up by something.

"Now it's getting dark so quickly!" Grace Thompson exclaimed in front.

The noisy atmosphere on the street seemed to disappear in an instant, and the few people in front looked solitary, with no sound.

"People are leaving quickly too," I added. "Just a moment ago on the commercial street, there were so many people. Now there are only a few."

At the entrance of that street, I vaguely saw above the right side of the street lamp a large smiling face mask with a big grin, hanging high on the street lamp.

The street lamp seemed to have been in disrepair for a long time, flickering with a sparkling light, and the eyes of the mask were also flashing.

As I passed by the street lamp, I turned my head to take a look at the back of the smiling face. There was a neat row of small characters on it. Although it was far away, with my 5.2 vision, I could still clearly see the words written on it: Night Parade of One Hundred Spirits.