How does an ordinary person live their life? Though it may vary by country, the pattern is usually the same: birth, kindergarten, elementary to high school, work, dating, marriage, raising kids, retirement, aging, and death. No thrilling adventures. No deep, sworn love. Simplicity is the true essence.

And I, Liu Ye, am one of those countless ordinary people. An 18-year-old freshman engineering student, 175 cm tall, weighing 60 kg, with above-average grades. I consider myself handsome, but I don’t attract many girls. My hobby is anime and manga. I enjoy ping pong, but I’m only average at it. I have no standout talents… but that’s not so bad. Honestly, I quite like this ordinary version of myself.

“Liu, let’s grab noodles for lunch today—my treat!” Zhang said as we left the library. I shot back, “Dude, why are you obsessed with noodles lately?” while secretly delighting at saving a meal. Walking side by side to the cafeteria, we chatted idly about books we’d read, then shifted to girls. Zhang preferred those under fourteen. “Immature girls are the best,” he’d always say. I strongly disagreed—I was into 17 to 20-year-old schoolgirls, especially well-endowed ones with long, straight black hair!

“If I ever turned into a girl,” I declared, “I’d want big breasts and long, straight black hair. Side-swept bangs would be perfect.”

“Don’t forget to let us guys have fun first,” he grinned wickedly.

At the cafeteria, I ordered stir-fried noodles; Zhang got plain noodles in clear broth. He grumbled that I always picked the expensive option. We found empty seats, and I happily started eating—until the TV news killed my appetite.

“…Police are still baffled about how the killer drained the blood of twenty workers and hundreds of livestock overnight, leaving their gutted bodies scattered in the wild…”

Seeing my grimace, Zhang deliberately added, “Guess vampires aren’t resting. After wiping out two families last week, they’re at it again…”

“Vampires?” I cut him off. He rolled his eyes. “Bro, don’t scare me. You haven’t heard about the serial killings making headlines? Nearly 300 humans and animals dead in under a week—all completely drained of blood. People blame vampires, zombies, aliens, you name it.”

I truly hadn’t known. I’d been too busy catching up on new anime. Besides, I’m no gore fan. My only thought was: May it never happen to me. Still… over 300 dead in a week? Brutal.

After afternoon classes, I returned to our dorm with dinner for the three roommates. Zhang spotted me and yelled, “Perfect timing! No classes next weekend—let’s queue up for Dota tonight!”

“Four players? What’s the point? Liu’s shitty skills would only troll us,” Li scoffed from his bed. Lin, pushing up his glasses while doing homework, said sternly, “Assignments are piling up. We should study.” We all booed him—the biggest hypocrite, always picking up girls…

After eating, I remembered my bike was still at the repair shop. I needed it early tomorrow, so I canceled the gaming plan.

“Liu, it’s unsafe out there. Get the bike and hurry back!” they called as I left. Their concern warmed me. “Relax! It’s barely an hour round trip,” I said, rushing out.

My phone rang—Mom’s daily check-in. I answered to her familiar voice: “Ye-ye, how was your day? What classes did you have? Are you happy? No fights with classmates? I always call you; you should call me too…”

Her calls were always like this—rambling. But I patiently answered each question, asking about home too. These daily chats, though small, were my only link to family. Being cared for like this felt truly happy.

Talking as I walked, I hung up just outside campus. Campus repair shops were pricey; the cheap ones were off-campus.

The road was silent. Deep autumn wind bit sharply, and I shrank back slightly, pulling my coat tighter. Under a pale streetlight, I realized I was alone except for patrolling cops. Only 8 PM—people must be avoiding the danger. I shouldn’t worry my roommates… I quickened my pace.

But fate had other plans. The repair shop had closed early. Frustrated, I turned back. Now even the cops were gone. Cold wind howled. Streetlights flickered dimly—straight out of a horror novel, I thought bitterly.

Then, everything changed.

!?

The wind stopped dead. Not just wind—rustling leaves, the buzz of streetlights—all froze like a paused video. Silence turned to deathly stillness. A violent shiver ran through me; my limbs turned icy. The air thickened, cold and sticky. Unreasoning panic surged—like a frog sensing a snake. My instincts screamed: Something behind me was watching! I wanted to run, but my body refused to move. Heart pounding, I forced myself to turn slowly…

What… was that?

A mist the size of a human head hovered twenty meters away, glowing deep red like blood. Within its churning form, crimson runes flickered faintly. Though just vapor, it radiated a beastly menace. It seemed to study me, runes pulsing as if thinking. Then, a hoarse voice rasped from the fog:

“Good… today… you’ll be… the first…”

It surged toward me at terrifying speed!

My frozen limbs finally obeyed. I threw myself sideways, barely dodging the eerie red mist. It crashed into a roadside tree—thick enough for two men to embrace—and the trunk disintegrated instantly. Fallen branches lay dry as tinder, life utterly drained.

This thing was the killer! I sprinted at full speed. But where to run?

The university? No—thousands of students and teachers would be in danger!

The police station? Guns might not work on it…

Forget it! Just get away!

As I ran, a metallic stench hit me—the mist had circled ahead. Too fast! I couldn’t dodge. It slammed into my body.

!!!!!!

The world froze. Agony exploded across my skin, cold spreading as life drained away.

Strangely, my racing heart calmed. No terror, no rage—just quiet sorrow. Ah… my ordinary, happy life… ending like this? Flashes of family smiles, friends’ faces… I’d never see them again…

I… couldn’t accept this…

At that critical moment, cracks split the air beside the mist. They spiraled like whirlpools, swallowing both of us instantly!

I couldn’t open my eyes. Tossed like driftwood in a stormy sea, I heard the mist’s hoarse voice nearby:

“Damn… not now…”

“But… salvation… hide… inside this body…”

A freezing sensation pierced my chest, slithering into my veins like icy tentacles. I snapped awake—this fog wanted to possess me!

I focused every ounce of will to resist. Hold on! My head throbbed as if splitting; my vision flooded red. Spine-searing pain flared, but the cold spread slower. A stalemate. One slip, and I’d be gone.

My brain screamed. Nerves burned like fire. Heart hammered wildly. Blood turned to blades in my veins. Muscles melted… This pain was beyond human endurance. Just as I nearly gave up—

“Damn… failing… so close…”

“Dying… here…不甘心…”

The voice faded, vanishing completely. The mist stopped attacking, melting quietly into my flesh. Its runes dimmed, sinking into my body. Then, darkness took me.