However, John Miller didn’t leave. Instead, he muttered quietly to the side, “Boss, I’ve been thinking for a long time and still don’t know what to call you, but ‘boss’ just rolls off the tongue best.”

“I guess you’ve probably heard about me from William Brooks. I’ve had a tough life since I was a kid—my kidneys were taken by my own dad and sold to rich people for money, and I got a pair of bionic ones to replace them. If even my own parents don’t care about me, who else would? Later, I heard from William Brooks that you specifically named me to come in and scout ahead this time, saying you valued my abilities. I was over the moon! Don’t worry, I, John Miller, will go through fire and water for you this time, even if it means dying for you!”

“But before I die, I do have one regret. You know I didn’t get much schooling, but I’ve always envied those who are educated…”

This guy was still rambling on. Brian Brooks finally couldn’t take it anymore: “What exactly are you trying to say?”

John Miller: “Could you teach me how to play chess?”

“Why do you want to learn chess?” Brian Brooks was taken aback.

“Because it’s cool!” John Miller said. “Boss, even someone like Emily Thompson has become your defeated opponent—doesn’t that make you cool?”

“Is winning a game or two really that impressive?” Brian Brooks shook his head.

“Of course! I can’t beat him in a fight, but if I can win against him in chess, that’s still something to brag about!” John Miller said as if it were obvious.

This actually struck a chord with Brian Brooks. From what John Miller was saying, it seemed Emily Thompson was quite formidable?

John Miller continued, “I really didn’t expect that after you came in, you’d get to know Emily Thompson, and even get along so well. With his status in Prison 18, maybe he knows where the thing we’re looking for is hidden. And if you could inherit from him, this shadow contest would be as good as won.”

There was a lot of information in that sentence, and it finally made Brian Brooks realize what his goal here was… to find something.

And he was being drawn into a competition.

The only thing was, Brian Brooks still didn’t know what Emily Thompson’s inheritance was—just that it was extremely important.

Brian Brooks thought for a moment and said, “I’ll teach you chess later. For now, can you just stay away from me?”

“Alright, alright,” John Miller dashed off toward the recreation area.

……

Nighttime. Countdown: 00:05:00.

Brian Brooks sat on the cold bed, quietly watching the white countdown on his arm.

The gears in the countdown turned slowly—only five minutes left until his return.

He wasn’t sure if he’d ever come back here again. The two days felt like a dream to him—he’d met a few people and seen a different world.

The uniqueness of Olivia Harris and Emily Thompson had finally made him look forward to this world.

It was as if a new world had opened its doors to him.

Brian Brooks pondered for a moment, then pinched a bluish-purple mark onto his own arm, wanting to see if returning to Earth with an injury would cause any changes.

The countdown.

10.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

The world shattered again, and that familiar darkness finally arrived.

Return.

Chapter 13: Someone

Compared to the panic before his last crossing, this time Brian Brooks was much calmer.

He waited for the world to break and reassemble, as if waiting to wake from a dream.

In the cramped, narrow little bedroom, Brian Brooks was still sitting on the edge of the bed in the same posture as before he crossed. It was night outside, and the boning knife he’d been holding… was still in his hand.

It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Brian Brooks frowned and took out his phone from his pocket to check the time.

2022, September 28th, 12:00:01.

Zero hours, zero minutes, one second.

He remembered clearly that the date he crossed over was also September 28th, at exactly 12:00:00.

In other words, he had spent two days in that world, but only one second had passed here on Earth.

By the same logic, when he returned here and then went back, only one second would have passed over there as well?

For some reason, this thought made Brian Brooks feel relieved. This way, he wouldn’t have to come up with excuses to explain why he disappeared for periods of time.

Brian Brooks looked down at his arm—the bluish-purple mark he’d just pinched was still there.

And the white pattern on his other arm had already changed: countdown 47:59:45.

Countdown 47:59:44.

This time the countdown was 48 hours, which was two days—correct.

Only these things could prove to him that everything he’d experienced was real.

He really had been to a mechanical civilization, really had met someone named Emily Thompson, had been tested by someone named Olivia Harris with a nightmare, and had even met a bootlicker named John Miller.

There was a steady Ethan Clark there, and a strange big cat.

Just as Brian Brooks was thinking, his phone suddenly rang—a call from an unfamiliar landline number.

“Hello?” Brian Brooks said.

“Hello, this is the Wangcheng Road Police Station. Your father has been detained for gambling. Please come over.”

Brian Brooks was stunned for a moment. Judging by the time, his gambler father must have just been caught, and he hadn’t expected the police station to call him so soon.