Bystander

Chapter 1

In a room, a young boy lay in bed, his light brown hair scattered like spilled tea on the white sheets. He was deeply asleep, with his disheveled robes and pillows strewn around him, the blanket almost touching the ground.

Suddenly, a loud shout echoed from outside the boy's room.

"Chen Chen!! Wake up! We're gonna be late!" The voice carried a sense of dread, mixed with worry and annoyance.

"Chen Chen!!!!!"

The final shout, loud enough to be heard throughout the village, finally roused the sleeping young boy. Slowly opening his eyes, he turned towards the door where the noise originated and decided to get up.

Sitting on the bed, the young boy yawned and blinked, slowly processing the situation. He stood up, fixing his messy hair, and then made his way to the door, opening it.

"Finally, you're awake! I've been shouting for the last three minutes to get you up," the voice owner exclaimed.

The voice owner turned towards the young boy, urging him to change quickly to avoid being late at Madam Ye's place again.

The young boy finally snapped out of his daze and looked at the owner of the voice - a skinny young boy who appeared to be around twelve years old. He had sleek black hair and eyes, and a face that could be considered pretty by common standards. His worn-out clothes had multiple sewn patches on them.

"Got it," the young boy replied as the other boy nodded and left, reminding him to hurry up to avoid being late again.

Closing the door, the young boy returned to his bed, lying down on his stomach for a moment. He glanced at the window as the sunlight brightened up the room.

The room was simple, furnished with common items like a wooden bed, a cabinet, a chair, a table, and a small mirror. The boy flipped over, lying on his back and gazing at the familiar ceiling.

'It has been four years since I was transmigrated here,' the boy thought, sighing as he stood up to get ready.

Yes, you read that correctly.

The boy had been transmigrated four years ago.

His name was Chenxi, which meant Morning Dawn. He was a graduating college student from England, an international student originally from China but raised in Korea since childhood.

On his way back to his apartment late one night after finishing work at his part-time job, the city suddenly plunged into darkness. Chenxi grabbed his phone and turned on the flashlight, alert to the eerie silence surrounding him. Suddenly, he heard a strange noise in the distance.

"Who's there?" Chenxi called out, his eyes sharp and his grip tightening on his bag.

A growling noise emanated from near a lamp post, and as Chenxi focused on the source, he saw a strange form approaching. Taking a step back, he realized the shadowy figure was drawing nearer until it finally halted, leaving Chenxi on edge.

In the eerie silence, Chenxi observed the shadow tilting its head before a sudden, deafening and painful banging sound echoed around him. The sensation was excruciating, like nails scratching on glass, and he felt liquid covering his ears, causing him to drop to his knees.

As the power returned and the street lights flickered back on, Chenxi let out a sigh of relief, placing his hand on the ground for support. Upon standing up, he noticed blood dripping onto the ground and realized that the shadow had disappeared.

His phone rang in his pocket, startling him as he answered the call from his sister.

"Bro, where are you?" his sister inquired.

"I'm still on the street? Why?" Chenxi responded.

"Oh, can you bring me some bread on your way?" his sister requested.

Before he could ask more, Chenxi was bumped by a passing guy, almost dropping his new phone. Frustrated, he regained his focus on the call with his sister.

"Bro? Are you still there?" his sister's voice brought him back, reminding him of their conversation.

Chenxi apologized to his sister and explained the strange incident, to which she hummed in understanding. After agreeing to pick up the bread, he ended the call and headed to a local open bakery that operated twenty-four hours, unintentionally forgetting to ask an important question.

As Chenxi walked towards the store, a realization struck him about his sister's allergy to eggs. Yuna had a severe egg allergy, having been hospitalized in the past due to accidental consumption of eggs – a fact that Chenxi was well aware of.

Arriving at a crossroads, Chenxi slowed his steps and decided to call his sister back to confirm. While his phone rang, he caught sight of a strange man in a suit and hat reminiscent of a bygone era. The man noticed Chenxi's gaze and locked eyes with him, causing a moment of frozen time as Chenxi held his breath, shocked by the man's face. The man then flashed a wide, unsettling smile akin to that of the Joker, sending a shiver down Chenxi's spine.

Suddenly, Chenxi felt his body pushed forward by an unseen force, amidst the crowd at the crossroads. Panic ensued as screams rang out, and banging sounds echoed through the area, prompting urgent calls for help.

Reflecting on this unsettling memory, Chenxi sighed. He had never been one to believe in ghosts or the paranormal, leaning more towards scientific explanations and a belief in God.

After regaining his composure, Chenxi cleaned up his bed, took a quick bath, and changed into fresh clothes. Before leaving, he glanced back at his room to ensure everything was in order, nodding to himself as he confirmed its tidiness.

Walking towards the gate, Chenxi encountered the boy he had seen earlier - Ayu, his first friend in this new place. Ayu, an orphan adopted by Madam Ye, had become a servant child alongside Chenxi.

"What took you so long? Let's go!" Ayu impatiently prodded Chenxi, who sheepishly smiled in response, causing Ayu to roll his eyes.

They ran towards the town they were heading to, which was only a twelve-minute walk away from their current village-like residence. Despite having spent nearly four years in this place, Chenxi still found the scenery captivating. Growing up in the city, he had rarely experienced the countryside, as his focus had always been on academics rather than physical activities. Nonetheless, he had picked up some hobbies from his maternal grandparents during his childhood.

Arriving at the town, they quickly made their way to an ancient Chinese-style building bustling with people coming in and out of it.

"Madam Ye, we're here!" Ayu announced to the middle-aged woman as the two boys bowed before her.

"Good thing you're on time this time..." Madam Ye remarked, causing Chenxi to sheepishly laugh, aware that they were referring to his usual tardiness.

Madam Ye was a respected figure in the town, known for her righteousness and kindness, especially towards stray children. In her mid-30s, she was a widow, having lost her husband to illness, and now shouldered the responsibility of raising two children on her own while running her own business.

Despite her widowhood and age, Madam Ye was still considered a beauty, attracting numerous suitors who were often rejected by her or chased away by her children and the servants working for her.

"Chenxi, I would like you to deliver a letter to the Yunmeng Clan for a disciple named Jiang Fu," Madam Ye instructed, bringing Chenxi back to the present moment.

"Will they allow me to come in with just a letter?" Chenxi expressed his worry, unsure about delivering a letter to a well-known Clan, especially without prior experience.

"Don't worry, they will let you in as long as you show them this," Madam Ye reassured him, presenting a round jade ornament with 'Ye' carved in the middle.

Chenxi accepted the jade, marveling at its quality and feeling a sense of responsibility bestowed upon him by carrying such an item.

"Don't worry, Madam. I will do my best!" Chenxi declared confidently, prompting a chuckle from the middle-aged woman, who affectionately ruffled his hair, causing Chenxi to grin.

"Well, let's see about that, boy," Madam Ye remarked with a hint of amusement.