Spirit Realm Walker

Part 1 Gift

Songhai City.

At 7:30 in the morning, in a dimly lit room, on a soft bed, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly woke up, clutching his head, curling up like a shrimp.

The pain in his head was as though it would split open, as if steel needles were lodged inside, causing his scalp to twitch, leading to hallucinations and auditory distortions. His mind flashed with chaotic images, and his ears were filled with meaningless noise.

Zhang Yuanqing knew his old ailment had returned.

Trembling, he climbed out of bed, opened the drawer of the bedside table, and shakily found a bottle of pills. Eagerly twisting off the cap, he poured out five or six small blue tablets and swallowed them whole.

Then, he collapsed back onto the bed, gasping for air, enduring the agonizing pain.

After a dozen seconds, the soul-wrenching headache began to fade, eventually subsiding.

"Ah..." Zhang Yuanqing exhaled a long breath, relieved, his forehead soaked in cold sweat.

He had developed this strange condition back in high school, with symptoms of his brain uncontrollably recalling every memory he ever had, including forgotten fragments. His mind would also involuntarily gather external information, analyzing it, while his control over his body reached an almost supernatural degree.

Luckily, this state couldn't last long, as his body would eventually collapse under the strain.

It was precisely because of this ability that he had effortlessly gotten into Songhai University-one of the top universities in the country.

Zhang Yuanqing called this state "brain overload." He believed he was on the verge of evolving into something beyond human, but his body, unable to handle such an evolution, constantly broke down.

When he shared this theory with the doctor, the physician admitted to not understanding it, though he was visibly shaken, and suggested Zhang Yuanqing visit the psychiatric department downstairs.

In any case, the hospital couldn't pinpoint the cause. Later, his mother brought back some special medication from overseas, which finally controlled the condition. As long as he took the pills regularly, the episodes wouldn't occur.

"Must've been last night's poor rest. Too tired. All because of Jiang Yuer, barging into my room in the middle of the night to play games..."

Though he said this, a quiet heaviness settled in his heart. Zhang Yuanqing knew the medication's effects were wearing off. His condition was worsening.

"Guess I'll have to up the dosage from now on..." Zhang Yuanqing slipped on his cotton slippers and walked to the window, pulling the curtains open with a swift motion.

Sunlight rushed in, flooding the room.

It was April in Songhai City, the spring sun radiant, the cool morning breeze fresh and comforting.

"Knock, knock!"

At that moment, a knock came at the door, followed by his grandmother's voice outside.

"Yuanzai, time to get up."

"No!" Zhang Yuanqing coldly refused, wanting to sleep in.

The spring sunshine was beautiful, and it was the weekend-wasn't it a waste of life not to sleep in?

"I'll give you three minutes. If you're not up by then, I'll douse you with water."

His grandmother was even colder.