Chapter 11: Opening the Door

Lin Qiye was truly exhausted.

Both mentally and physically.

He hadn't expected that his first day after transferring schools would turn into this: encountering monsters, being betrayed by a classmate, surviving a dangerous battle, mysteriously waking up, then meeting a mysterious superhero-like man who casually disappeared...

Lin Qiye wasn't dumb. He knew that his experiences tonight were definitely connected to some hidden side of the world. The flesh-eating monster, the golden light that emanated from his body, and the man who single-handedly took down the beast—all of these pointed to something much bigger.

That man wasn't ordinary. And from the way he reported to his walkie-talkie, it was clear that he was part of some large organization. A hidden group likely dedicated to dealing with these kinds of strange events.

He'd seen the golden light on Lin Qiye, and maybe even witnessed the battle with the monster. So it was possible that this man wanted to recruit him into his group…

While Lin Qiye was curious about the hidden truths, he wasn't foolish enough to dive headfirst into this unknown. Some secrets, once uncovered, would entrap you forever.

He didn't want to become some kind of hero. All he wanted to protect was… his own home.

Soon, sleep took him.

The familiar mist descended once more.

In the dream, Lin Qiye looked around and sighed in resignation, "Still not letting me go? I fight monsters awake, and now they want me to knock on doors in my sleep. My life's really tough…"

Moving as if on autopilot, Lin Qiye walked a few steps. Soon, the outline of a familiar mental institution appeared before him.

On the plaque to his right, old characters were engraved:

—— Asylum of the Gods.

Lin Qiye approached the gates, standing still in front. He reached for the large metal ring on the door, and as soon as his fingertips touched it, the ground beneath him trembled slightly.

The surrounding mist suddenly began to swirl.

Lin Qiye held onto the ring, confused.

What the hell? I haven't even knocked yet, why's it shaking? It's never done this before…

A sudden thought flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning.

Could it be… because today, I opened my eyes?

Looking down at his dream self, his eyes gradually lit up.

In past dreams, his body was semi-transparent, as fragile as drifting mist. But tonight, his form was clearly more solid, no longer transparent—though still lacking true substance.

He raised his head sharply, eyes locked on the large gate that had kept him out for five years, his gaze burning with intensity.

Today… maybe it would work!

Taking a deep breath, he gripped the ring tightly and slammed it into the door.

"Clang!"

A loud chime rang out from within the asylum, far louder than before. If he had a body, the sound would've pierced his eardrums.

At the moment the chime rang, the entire asylum trembled violently!

It worked! Lin Qiye's eyes lit up.

"Clang!"

"Clang!!"

"Clang!!!"

Without pausing, he struck the door again and again, the asylum shaking as though there was an earthquake.

Finally, after one last strike, there was a loud crashing sound from within, and everything fell silent.

Just as Lin Qiye was about to strike again, the door in front of him emitted a low, creaking sound and slowly began to move.

The door… opened.

"Voom—thud!"

As the door fully opened, an ancient, dimly-lit corridor revealed itself.

The floor of the corridor was made of some material that emitted a faint glow, and strange floating lights illuminated the walls, giving the place a mysterious and eerie feel.

Lin Qiye began walking down the corridor, soon encountering a fork in the path. Above the fork hung a modern sign with clear directions:

"Left: Patient Rooms. Right: Activity Area."

Lin Qiye muttered to himself, "This setup… it's exactly like the mental institution I stayed at years ago."

After a brief hesitation, he turned to walk into the activity area.

The activity area wasn't large, but it had everything—multimedia rooms for watching movies, a lounge for playing chess and relaxing, and a study room for reading and learning. There was even a circular outdoor lawn with various exercise equipment.

"Just like I remember… this dream is really strange," Lin Qiye frowned, shaking his head in confusion.

After exploring the activity area, he turned back to head towards the patient rooms.

When he reached the entrance to the patient rooms, he suddenly stopped.

"This… it's different," Lin Qiye murmured.

He clearly remembered that in the Sunshine Mental Hospital from his past, the patient rooms were spread out over several floors. While not luxurious, they were at least clean and tidy.

But the patient rooms before him now were only a single floor, with just six rooms.

Each of these rooms had a door covered in strange symbols and patterns, so intricate and dense they looked like some kind of seal. Just looking at them made Lin Qiye dizzy.

He forced himself to look away, trying to steady his nerves and focus elsewhere.

Above the rooms, there hung an ancient plaque with a unique pattern for each door.

For example, the first room had a large black circle, while the second had an object that resembled a cross between a staff and a pen.

Lin Qiye walked along the corridor until he reached the sixth and final room, still uncertain about what these doorplates meant.

He stood in front of the strange door, deep in thought.

In this dream-like mental institution, the only part that was different from his memories of Sunshine was the patient room area.

Could it be that the rooms were indeed inhabited by patients? Or, as the name of the asylum suggested, were gods living inside these rooms?

After a brief moment of hesitation, Lin Qiye slowly extended his hand toward the handle of the sixth room.

It wasn't recklessness—he knew that this was his dream, and anything that happened wouldn't harm him. Moreover, he had spent five years knocking on the door to this institution. He wasn't about to leave without finding some answers.

His subconscious also whispered that there might be something about him hidden within these walls.

Why else would the layout be so similar to the Sunshine Mental Hospital he once stayed at?

As his fingers brushed the handle, a chill ran through him.

No resistance, no pain—his hand naturally wrapped around the handle.

With a deep breath, Lin Qiye yanked the door open!

But the door didn't budge.

He paused, gathering his strength, then yanked again with all his might.

Still no movement.

Undeterred, he moved on to the fifth room, then the fourth, third, second…

One by one, he tried every door, but none would open.

Finally, he stood before the first room, with a feeling of certain failure in his chest.

He pulled the handle once more.

"Click—"

A faint sound rang out from the door as the intricate patterns and symbols etched on it suddenly cracked, dissipating into the air.

Lin Qiye stumbled back a few steps, eyes wide, staring at the door.

It… opened.