The Story of Little Joseph and His Master

chapter 1

Joseph had crossed over.

He awoke from a deep sleep, lying on his back facing a white ceiling. A few meters away at the foot of the bed was a simple desk, and to his right were three tall, slender black wardrobes, alongside one short, chubby yellow one. To his left, a floating lamp hung suspended, ready to light up the room with a warm, comforting glow.

With a cheerful stretch, Joseph got out of bed—( •̀ ω •́ )y—ready to start the day! He had become quite the handsome guy here, with a delicate face as gentle as flowing water, and soft eyes that seemed to be quietly telling a story.

Since arriving in this world, Joseph had devoured short videos, novels, books, and played countless games, piecing together his understanding of this new reality. Here, he went by the name Chen An, a name his parents had given him with the hope he'd live a peaceful life.

Currently, Joseph was living near his university in a rented room. As he got up that morning, the sunlight pouring in was blinding, a bit like his lousy mood. Playing a song with the lyrics, "The twelve o'clock chime opens the dim light," he tried to lift his spirits.

He followed his usual routine—getting up, brushing his teeth, eating breakfast, then heading to class. In the back row, he tuned into online courses, nervously worried about failing for not paying enough attention. Just an ordinary, grey day, one more in the endless chain. He had lunch, he had dinner. Another day without making any friends at school. He didn't share their love for gaming or their hobbies, and his values seemed to differ, leaving him feeling a bit out of place.

After another tiring day of classes, drained from the effort of learning—especially language studies, which felt like a marathon—he returned home, skimming through his class group chat. His classmates were buzzing about a strange incident that had happened in Tianjin. Rumor had it that a local electronics factory had suffered a tragedy. Someone had died, and the circumstances were chilling—no external injuries, just a mysterious death. Joseph shivered at the thought, wondering if poison could be involved, but he pushed away his unease and carried on with his ordinary routine.

That afternoon, Joseph went to the university town to buy snacks. Taking his usual shortcut through a rundown neighborhood, he walked past a familiar manhole cover.

Suddenly—ooooh—the cover was loose, and Joseph fell in. It was a sunny day, so the bottom was dry, but he found himself in a concrete tunnel, surrounded by darkness. Just as he prepared to call out for help, his eyes fell on something lying on the ground: a book, pitch-black with intricate demon carvings on its cover.