Waking up is something almost everyone experiences daily.
Early morning sunlight filters warmly through the curtains, filling the room with cozy comfort. Even a lazy guy buried under blankets can feel the charm of light and shadow.
Just like at birth—if a baby doesn’t wake, doctors grab its feet, flip it upside down, and slap its bottom to force consciousness with pain. Everyone’s been through this, though few remember it.
Once humans gain self-awareness, each dawn, cells stir slowly as warmth rises. Vague yet specific images float in the mind. From that moment, one regains consciousness, realizing they truly exist.
So waking up is a solemn moment—a symbol of life’s birth, existence, and a fresh start. If someone nitpicks, claiming "waking up" doesn’t exist, it just means they chose to drift mindlessly through parts of their life. No one else to blame.
By that logic, Bai Ming before us probably falls into that category.
His hair was a tangled mess. His body slumped like mud over the computer. Bloodshot eyes, dark circles beneath them. His face, under the harsh fluorescent light, gleamed oily and shiny.
"Why… can’t I… get a… happy… end…" he muttered weakly, a trace of despair in his red-rimmed eyes. Sleepless nights couldn’t even make him feel tired; only his honest body reacted from zero rest.
"Brother—!"
Just when Bai Ming needed comfort, Bai Ruoshui kicked the door open and burst in.
Nothing jolts the brain more than a loud morning shout. The cry "Brother!" exploded in his head like a bomb. If Bai Ming’s willpower wasn’t slightly stronger than average, he might have gone mad from the ringing in his ears.
"Ruoshui… please… let me rest… just a moment…"
"You… stayed up gaming again…" Bai Ruoshui’s heart sank.
If her memory served, she’d told Bai Ming to sleep early or he’d struggle to wake. He heard it, but let it drift away. He brought this on himself…
Wearing a pink apron, spatula in hand, she’d planned a hearty breakfast. Instead, she saw his pathetic state.
Such a rare morning—her good mood turned sour.
"I’m angry."
"Huh?"
"I said, I’m angry—"
Bai Ruoshui’s face flushed. Her cheeks puffed like balloons, brows furrowed, skin reddening.
Arms crossed, she stood glaring at him with disdain.
"Ruoshui, let me explain—"
"Three minutes to wash and brush your teeth. Today’s newspaper and milk arrived—please bring them in. I’ve written a shopping list; you’ll run to City A tonight."
Her tone turned strict, listing tasks like commands, softened only by the "please" hinting at sibling care.
"Yes… yes… I’ll go right away…"
Not waiting further, Bai Ming sensed the seriousness. He shakily stood, dragging exhaustion, and left under her gaze.
The whole thing took under ten seconds—but felt like a year.
…
"Now for the latest news: yesterday, a non-human species’ body was found in City A…"
Bai Ming listened weakly, eyes half-open, slumped on the table. No surprise—this wasn’t his first all-nighter.
Staying excited all night isn’t easy for a normal human. Sleep deprivation weakens nerves; bad habits can breed serious illness.
Notably, Bai Ming was a regular at this.
"Night is when the day truly begins!"
That was his motto. Compared to his once innocent self, Bai Ruoshui watched with a pained heart.
"Things are really unstable lately… The Hero Association sent several Heroes to handle cases, but victims keep being found…"
Bai Ruoshui handed him coffee while watching TV.
"Always the same. They think their way is ‘right,’ obsessed with money and power. No time for real issues. ‘We’re investigating’ is just a way to calm people and suppress panic."
Bai Ming shook his head, popping a piece of cheese into his mouth.
"That’s why I say—what’s so great about being a ‘Hero’? It’s a mirror of all society’s ugliness."
"Yeah, yeah. People like you, Brother, full of negativity, are why society has so much bad energy."
Bai Ruoshui sighed, sitting down to eat.
"Honestly, Ruoshui, people must face reality, like—"
"Eat."
"Oh…"
No argument left, Bai Ming forced himself awake, picking up his fork to eat.
