Year 2020, Jiangnan University, classroom.
“The correct answer to this problem is…”
Ethan Carter leaned back in his seat, eyes drifting toward the window as the teacher rambled on about advanced mathematics. He idly flicked through his phone, then began fiddling with a small rabbit-shaped keychain. As a third-year student in a second-tier university of Dongshan Province, passion for academics had long burned out. These days, eating and killing time pretty much defined his routine.
The professor stood at the front, lecturing earnestly. But Ethan, a self-proclaimed bottom-feeder in math, had zero interest. He wasn't even aiming for a pass — more like trying not to be the absolute last.
“Ethan, look! Something’s going on in the sky.”
A hushed voice snapped him out of his daze. Damon Lee, his short, bespectacled roommate in a black jacket, was staring out the window, eyes wide. Curious, Ethan glanced outside.But after living with him for three years, Ethan Carter had long seen through Damon Lee’s act. All that clean and proper look on the outside was just for show. Behind closed doors, the guy had filled his phone and laptop to the brim with adult videos—anyone in their six-man dorm wanting to watch one knew exactly who to ask. Cracking crude jokes? That came easier to him than breathing. They all nicknamed him "Database" behind his back.
Following Damon’s gaze, Ethan looked out the window—and his eyes widened instantly. He stared hard, disbelief written all over his face.
Up in the sky, countless golden specks floated down like a slow-moving tide, covering the entire horizon. There was no end in sight, like a curtain of glowing mist gently descending. Judging by their pace, Ethan figured they wouldn’t hit the ground for another hour.
“What the hell is that?”
“Damn… look at that! Some kind of miracle in the sky! Guys, check it out!”
“Could it be a mirage or something?”
Voices rose all around as the other students noticed the strange sight. Curiosity spread fast—no one was paying attention to the lecture anymore, not even the teacher, who stared outside in a daze.
“Damon,” Ethan said, his voice low and serious, “something’s not right. Come with me.” He didn’t take his eyes off the sky as he spoke, every muscle in his face tense.
He couldn’t explain why, but a prickling unease was crawling all over him. It was that gut feeling again—the one that had saved his life more than once. He’d learned to trust it. And right now, it was screaming at him.Damon Lee stared blankly at Ethan Carter. It was the first time he'd seen the guy so dead serious. He glanced at the teacher and classmates, swallowed hard, then gritted his teeth, “Fine. I’ll go crazy with you just this once. Even if the school makes a fuss, I’ll take it.”
Ethan gave a faint smile, clapped him on the shoulder, and strode straight out of the classroom. Damon followed without hesitation.
The teacher on the podium snapped back to attention, seeing the two walking off without a word. His face twisted with anger as he shouted, “You two! Where do you think you’re going? Class isn’t over! Get back in your seats!”
But the two didn’t even flinch. They walked off like they hadn’t heard a thing, their backs firm and unbreaking.
“Who are they? I’m reporting them to their advisor,” the teacher barked, glaring at the rest of the class.
No one answered. Every student just sat there, wide-eyed, whispering as they watched the two disappear.
“Did Ethan and Damon lose it or what? Skipping out in the middle of class like that?”
“Damn. That’s bold. Gotta respect that. Hope they’ll be okay.”
“Are they just pulling a stunt to get the girls to notice them or something?”Among the students, a girl around twenty with stunning features and long flowing hair, dressed in a light beige coat, quietly watched the two as they left. She glanced out the window again, brows furrowing slightly. Without making a sound, she inched closer to the door.
But no matter how much the others gossiped, Ethan Carter and Damon Lee didn’t care. Once outside, Ethan sprinted straight toward the dorm. From there, the strange golden lights in the sky looked even clearer—dense and endless, like waves of the sea. Just a glance was enough to make your scalp tingle.
On the way, they passed many students with their heads tilted up, snapping pictures non-stop. The clicks of phone cameras echoed everywhere, sparking heated conversation. When Ethan checked his phone, every feed—whether it was social media, chat groups, or friend circles—was flooded with the same buzz.
“Mirage in the sky, too real to believe!” “The ninth wonder of the world!” “A divine miracle or alien scheme?”
Headline after headline caught the eye. Complaints about celebrities or news of a superstar’s death couldn’t draw half the attention this did.Ethan Carter gave his phone screen a quick glance before stuffing it back into his pocket. His pace picked up noticeably. The dorm wasn’t far—maybe four or five hundred meters from the lecture hall. In less than three minutes, Ethan and Damon Lee were already at the door. They dashed up to room 325 on the third floor, flung the door open, and rushed inside.
It was a standard six-person room. The other four roommates weren’t around—they were from other departments and likely still in class.
“Damn... hey, what's gotten into you? You’ve been acting all jumpy,” Damon collapsed onto his bed, finally catching his breath. With his rusty stamina, the sprint had him gasping for air.
Ethan didn’t answer. He jumped onto his bed, lifted the mattress, and pulled out a black, one-meter-long tang blade. The weapon, bought online with a whole month’s living expenses, lay still and cold. With a sharp hiss, he drew the blade. The steel was bright, almost like a mirror.
He’d spent days haggling with the seller, stressing that he wanted the real deal—not something cheap or ornamental. Maybe he’d nagged enough to wear the seller down. Whatever the case, the blade that arrived was flawless. For a guy like Ethan who loved weapons, it was worth every coin—and earned the shop a glowing five-star review.
“What the hell, Twin... have you gone nuts? Hiding a blade like that under your bed?” Damon stared, half shocked, half impressed."Are you crazy? If the school finds out, you’ll get at least a major demerit, maybe even probation!" Damon Lee jumped back, startled by the gleam of the Tang blade. He couldn’t believe Ethan Carter had a sword stashed under his bed. If the dorm matron spotted this, it’d be confiscated on the spot.
He had a point, but Ethan didn’t flinch. He slid the blade back into its sheath with a quiet click, then turned to Damon, gaze sharp. “Damon, do you trust me or not?”
“Don’t be stupid. If I don’t trust you, who else would I trust?” Damon rolled his eyes, snapping back with his usual sarcasm. Among the six in their dorm, he and Ethan were the closest—thick as thieves.
“Good. Then do exactly as I say.” Ethan’s voice dropped low. His stare was heavy. “Ever since I saw those golden lights in the sky, I’ve had this awful feeling.”
“I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s bad. Real bad. Holding a weapon’s the only thing that gives me any sense of safety.”
“You know how it is with my gut instincts. Those have saved me more than once from things no one could explain.”Damon Lee stared at Ethan Carter in silence. They’d been brothers for three years now, and he knew damn well how scary Ethan’s gut feeling could be. Once, at a crosswalk, Ethan suddenly lost it, yelling at everyone to stop. Folks were angry at first, thought he’d gone mad—until a truck on the curb roared up outta nowhere, shot across the road like a lunatic, crashing into cars, metal flying.
After that, people were shaken, thanking Ethan over and over with pale faces. Stuff like that happened more than a few times. That’s why Damon trusted what he said, even if he didn’t always understand it. That instinct? It never lied.