He carefully stroked the black pattern in the rearview mirror, but couldn’t feel anything. He could only see that the shape of the pattern’s lines seemed very much like the patch of flowers he saw just before he crossed over.

That pitch-black, strange, mysterious flowerbed!

------------

005 World Three (Thanks to HZ YouYouZhongKou Alliance Leader)

This pattern...

What exactly is it?

Clang.

Suddenly, a dull sound came from behind.

It seemed someone had kicked a metal can, making a loud noise.

William Thompson trembled slightly all over, quickly moving his hand out of the rearview mirror’s angle.

Instinctively, he didn’t want anyone to discover the pattern on his hand.

Being different from others might bring opportunities, but he was more worried it would bring danger. Securing his own safety while seeking benefits had always been his way.

Clearing his throat, he pretended nothing was wrong, lifted his foot, and stepped forward, passing between two cars.

The car on the left was black, the one on the right was white—both SUVs, with unfamiliar Z-shaped and cross-shaped logos.

There was a large spare tire hanging on the back of the white car, with a ring of text printed on the tire: 云程汽车.

Pausing, William Thompson walked past the vehicles, glanced at the back of his hand again, and, confirming it was smooth and free of any pattern, finally let out a sigh of relief and continued forward, heading toward the school gate.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

His footsteps struck the ground, making clear tapping sounds.

That was the sound of the hard leather heels of his shoes hitting the stone pavement.

But...

‘Aren’t these footsteps a bit too loud?’

William Thompson frowned slightly, suddenly feeling something was off.

It was broad daylight, and the school should be crowded with students coming and going—why was it so quiet? Even the sound of his shoes on the ground echoed so clearly.

He looked up and glanced around.

All around was empty; on the grayish-white ground, not far away, was a dried-up fountain.

Beyond the fountain, several somewhat old, ten-plus-story teaching buildings stood quietly in the thin mist.

‘Mist? When did it get misty??’ William Thompson felt increasingly uneasy.

He clearly remembered that when he came in just now, there were still many students coming and going—so why now??

Standing in place, he swept his gaze from right to left in a wide arc.

But what made his heart grow colder was that the once bustling university campus was now completely deserted.

He quickly turned around and looked at the office building where his advisor worked, the one he had just left.

A few rooms in the building were lit, the warm yellow glow appearing quiet and mysterious in the mist.

No voices, no footsteps.

Gulp.

William Thompson's throat went dry involuntarily, and he swallowed hard.

‘Where is everyone!?’ His nerves began to tense.

Clack, clack.

He lifted his foot, hovering in the air.

Then, suddenly spinning around, his shoes screeched against the ground as he stepped forward, heading back toward the office building he had just left.

Entering the gap between the two cars again, his view of the surroundings was completely blocked.

The SUVs were tall, just enough to completely shield his view of the surroundings, leaving only a strip of space in front and above.

Swish!

William Thompson stepped out from between the cars.

Smack.

Suddenly, a large hand grabbed his shoulder.

William Thompson shuddered, his black-brown pupils instantly tightening from their daze into pinpoints.

"Xiao Yi? Why are you still here?"

Advisor David Brooks's voice seemed to drift from afar, sometimes blurry, sometimes clear.

"I..." William Thompson felt as if he had just burst through the surface of water, his hearing suddenly becoming clear.

He looked carefully.

Advisor David Brooks was standing in front of him, looking at him with some concern.

The dark red tie at his collar looked just like a bloodstain—vivid and glaring.

At this moment, all the other sounds around him rushed into William Thompson's ears.

Car engines, students talking, footsteps, the sound of a starter pistol from the distant sports field—all these noises surged in like a flood, jostling to get into his ears, making his eardrums ache.

"I... was a bit distracted. Sorry, Professor Chen." William Thompson finally came back to his senses and bowed his head seriously in reply.

He didn’t know what had just happened, even wondering if he’d had a hallucination or hysteria, but in any case, before figuring it out, it was best not to mention it.

Taking advantage of the moment with his head lowered, he glanced at the back of his hand again.

No black pattern.

"That’s good. Judging by your state, you don’t look too well. You’d better go back and get some rest," David Brooks said with a frown.

"Okay, I understand. I’ll go back now." William Thompson nodded seriously.

That moment just now had scared him too.

Could it be that there really was something wrong with his mental state??

What happened last night, plus what just happened, made him feel worried about himself.

After saying goodbye to David Brooks, he quickened his pace and walked through the gap between the cars again.

This time, nothing strange happened.

Looking around, there was nothing unusual in the school. Sunlight streamed through the clouds, falling to the ground and forming scattered beams—the Tyndall effect was exceptionally clear and real.

‘Just now... wasn’t there no mist?’ Suddenly, an inexplicable doubt rose in William Thompson's mind.