Behind the clamor of the bustling city, Li Ming, an ordinary programmer, was sinking into the mire of everyday life. Every day, he was swallowed by a sea of code and data, his nine-to-six routine mechanical and tedious. In the morning, he was jostled by crowds on the packed subway, feeling the city's cold pulse. At night, he returned to his cramped, dim rental apartment, where exhaustion washed over him like a tide. The trivial burdens and pressures of life had gradually dimmed his hopes for the future, leaving his days as a placid, endless repetition.
It was an evening like any other, the setting sun tinting the streets a warm orange. Li Ming trudged home, longing for a hot meal and a moment of peace. Suddenly, a mysterious woman in a black trench coat and sunglasses, Long Yin, appeared in front of him without warning. She moved quickly, thrust an envelope into his hand, then vanished into the bustling crowd before he could react. Li Ming stood frozen, staring in the direction she had gone, bewildered.
Back home, Li Ming opened the envelope with trembling hands. Inside were a note and a USB drive. The note read: “This is what you've been looking for. Don't tell anyone.” Driven by curiosity, he plugged the USB drive into his computer. The screen showed a mysterious laboratory, where a scientist was conducting a shocking experiment: he put a person inside a huge machine and pressed a button. The person vanished in an instant, then reappeared somewhere completely different. Li Ming's eyes widened in shock. He realized his peaceful life was about to be turned upside down.
