Shadow of the Calamity Dragon

Full of hope for his job interview, Zhang Wei leaves his hometown and makes the long journey to a bustling metropolis. He has heard that opportunity is everywhere in this city, and that anyone who works hard enough can make a name for themselves. To save money, he finds a cheap guesthouse in a remote location online and checks in without giving it much thought. The guesthouse is tucked away in a narrow alley that few people ever visit. Its exterior is run-down, and the rooms reek of age, but Zhang Wei is so focused on the interview ahead that he barely pays attention.

Yet fate always has a surprise in store. The next morning, before the first rays of dawn have fully dispelled the gloom of night, Zhang Wei suddenly opens his eyes in a shadowy forest, so deep it seems forgotten by the world. Towering trees crowd around him, their interwoven branches forming a cage that shuts out the noise and light beyond. He tries to remember how he ended up here, but his mind is a tangled mess, and he has no clue.

Then he looks up at the sky and sees a huge black shape streak across the horizon like a stream of ink-dark fire. Looking closer, he realizes it's a gigantic, hideous dragon! Its scales shimmer with an eerie light, and its eyes burn like flames, radiating menace and majesty. A chill shoots through Zhang Wei, and it feels as if an invisible hand has seized his heart.

His clothes are disheveled, and leaves cling to his hair. He looks a mess. Apart from his worn-out clothes, all he has is a lighter and half a crumpled pack of cigarettes. The lighter grows hot in his palm, as if it were his only lifeline, but how could its faint flame dispel the terror before him? Lost in this deep, unknown forest and facing a terrifying dragon, what will become of him...?