Xiao Daidzhao

Growing up with eccentric materialistic parents who left him in the care of his grandfather for a job overseas, Zhang Heng had learned to adapt and be unfettered by the oddities and challenges in life. But he would soon learn the baffling truth about the world he thought he knew when one day at midnight time froze and he found himself in a world so quiet and still it was deafening. That night, he discovered that he had 24 hours more than everybody else and thus, marked the beginning of his adventures. The mysteries surrounding his newfound ability only deepened when a strange old man claimed to have given Zhang Heng that ‘gift of time’ and recruited the young man to participate in a cryptic ‘life-changing’ game on his behalf. Little did Zhang Heng know that accepting those terms meant embroiling himself in many versions of reality and exposing himself to the hidden secrets of the world—a decision he could never undo.

48 Hours a Day

Zhang Heng always partook his new quests at Sex and the City. This was his first time visiting another game checkpoint. Only then did he notice that each checkpoint was styled very differently.

When it came to the atmosphere, the bartender lady's checkpoint looked like a VIP lounge at an airport. It had a particularly seductive ambiance, and there were even scantily dressed women sitting on each deck. It's decor also closely resembled a Japanese brothel, with dim lighting and psychedelic music.

"I have never seen you around, but you don't look like a newcomer. You're home for Chinese New Year, right? Can I help you with anything?"

An uncle in beach pants stood up from behind the cash register, speaking to Zhang Heng with a cigarette in mouth. He seemed to be the only person in charge of this checkpoint. Zhang Heng could clearly see his face and the girls on the deck.

Heart-throbbing First Love