Hello there, thank you for checking out my story!

The purpose of this note is to mention that this is my first time embarking on a journey of writing a story. As a novice writer, I welcome any feedback or suggestions that you may have. Whether it's positive or negative, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to leave a comment or provide a rating!

Thank you for taking the time to read my story!

Blue Star, East Continent Federation.

As the afternoon wore on, the once-blue sky above H City gradually took on a dreary gray hue. The clouds hung low and heavy, obscuring the sun and casting the city into a dim and somber light. From the ground, it almost appeared as if the sky were coated with a layer of mold.

On a bench in one of the bustling squares sat a young man named Lynn, his eyes fixed on the throngs of people passing by. He watched as they hurried along, each lost in their thoughts, their faces bearing the weight of their worries.

Lynn sighed and leaned back on the bench, feeling a sense of isolation despite being surrounded by so many people.

As he sat there, lost in thought, his mind gradually began to drift in different directions.

It had been 19 years since Lynn had traversed to this parallel earth, called Blue Star.

A mysterious event brought him into this world as a baby who was abandoned in the middle of nowhere. He was discovered by a passerby who heard his cries and brought him to the nearest orphanage.

As a result, he spent his childhood and teenage years growing up in the orphanage.

Because of his particular situation, Lynn yearned to learn more about the world around him, so he devoured books on history, science, and literature.

Following his high school graduation, he embarked on a journey to achieve independence. Using the knowledge from his previous life, he wanted to become successful.

But this dream was suddenly shattered when a red countdown timer appeared in his vision field. It was colored like dried blood.

Lynn unconsciously glanced at the countdown timer.

“19: 15: 58”

Lynn first noticed the bloody countdown timer in his field of vision a week ago. It had appeared out of nowhere.

Now, this countdown timer was about to end in less than 24 hours.

As the timer approached its end, Lynn felt a growing sense of unease and wondered what would happen when it finally reached zero.

“Will I get some kind of superpowers?” he thought.

“Or will I die after the countdown ends?”

Lynn's mind raced with all kinds of possibilities, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something big was about to happen.

"It's time to go home."

Although the sky over H City appeared gloomy, it didn't impede the bustling flow of people on the streets.

Businessmen in suits, women in stylish skirts with makeup, busy homemakers, students carrying backpacks, police officers in uniforms, electric streetlights, and roaring cars.

Lynn stood up from the bench, taking one last look at the busy square before heading home. As he walked through the crowds, the noises of the lively street started to fade into the background.

He lived in a simple rental house on the outskirts. The house was located in a remote corner of the street, away from the noise of the city center.

As Lynn got closer and closer to the destination, his mind started to drift aimlessly.

Suddenly he heard the sound of the police siren in the distance, He strained to catch a glimpse of the commotion.

Seeing a large pool of blood on the ground, Lynn leaned further forward to get a better look at the situation. There was no indication of what or who could have caused it.

“It seems the police officers already cleaned it from the scene.” Lynn frowned: "Why do I feel that the order in H City is getting worse?"

Just as he was sighing in his heart, Lynn suddenly felt a chill and shuddered. He subconsciously looked up and saw a black shadow jumping across the rooftops.

Lynn took a closer look, but there was nothing unusual.

“Could it be my imagination playing tricks on me?” Lynn rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the black shadow was nowhere to be seen.

Lynn shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He continued to walk towards his rental house.

As he arrived at his house, Lynn unlocked the door and stepped inside. The familiar sight of his small living room greeted him, with the TV and a few scattered books on the coffee table. Lynn let out a deep breath and slumped onto the couch, feeling the weight of his exhaustion.

He glanced at the countdown timer once again, the numbers still ticking down relentlessly.

…

…

The night fell.

In the living room, Lynn was lying on the couch, looking at his phone.

He is looking up information. Lynn had spent the entire week frantically searching for any clues or information that could give him insight into the mysterious countdown timer.

He searched the internet but found only far-fetched conspiracy theories and rumors about ghosts and monsters with no solid evidence or information

Despite Lynn's restless mind, his exhaustion from the stress of the past week eventually overwhelms him. He lies down on the couch and closes his eyes.
He knew that getting enough sleep would be essential to face whatever may come in the next 24 hours.

As he started to drift off to sleep, the relentless ticking of the countdown seemed to fade into the background.

...

The next day.

Lynn was staring at the bloody text in his field of vision which now read only a few minutes remaining, and muttered to himself:

"Is it finally ending?"

When the countdown first appeared, Lynn was filled with dread and despair. He feared it marked the end of his life in this world. The ominous red text filled him with a sense of hopelessness and doom.

But after a week of searching desperately for answers with no success, Lynn's emotions had shifted. As the final minutes ticked away, he watched the countdown calmly and peacefully.

There are only a few minutes left for the string of bloody words.

[Countdown:]

[3 minutes!]

[2 minutes!]

[1 minute!]

[0...]