The mysterious app’s message to Autumn Ease left him absent-minded all afternoon. Even while gaming, he couldn’t focus.

Our world might hold too many unknowns. An ordinary person could live a lifetime without uncovering its hidden truths.

The sun dipped below the horizon. Streetlights flickered on along the roadside.

Sitting at home, Autumn Ease felt trapped like in a matchbox. He didn’t usually feel this way.

"So stuffy..." He scratched his cheek, feeling uneasy all over. "I’ll eat out tonight..."

Leaving home, Autumn Ease strolled down the bustling streets. Hangzhou’s vibrancy outshone any small town. Its liveliness was just right—unlike megacities, where towering skyscrapers and crowded streets brought suffocating pressure.

Aromas of spices filled the air. With many apartments nearby, the street was lined with eateries, offering a dazzling array of choices. But even with countless shops, one could get tired of them. Having lived here over half a year, Autumn Ease had tried all his favorite spots. Only a few uninteresting shops remained.

"Rare to eat out..." Passing a barbecue stall, Autumn Ease inhaled the grilled meat scent and swallowed hard. He wanted to splurge, but his wallet was thin. Enjoying this dinner meant trouble for the next few days. So, sensibly, he walked into... Shaxian Grand Hotel.

"Boss, fried noodles, one dried tofu, and a bowl of small wontons." Autumn Ease wiped his drooling mouth. For him, this was a rare luxury. Before tackling those puzzling questions, he’d better feed his stomach first.

Autumn Ease believed life’s top three joys were sleeping, eating, and... you know. You know what I mean. Among them, mealtime brought the easiest happiness. After a hearty meal, his worries faded. Strutting out like a boss, he wondered where to walk off the food.

Cars zoomed by on the road. Autumn Ease picked his teeth with a toothpick, burping occasionally. Danger often struck unexpectedly.

A large truck crossing the street suddenly swerved uncontrollably toward Autumn Ease. Caught off guard, he couldn’t dodge. The massive truck front slammed into him, sending him flying. No one expected a truck to speed at 70-80 mph in daytime city traffic. Even a light scrape could break bones. Let alone a direct hit.

Autumn Ease felt his bones shatter. His body turned to mush. Pain hadn’t reached his brain yet; he just felt suffocated. "Bang!" His body hit the ground hard. His ears filled with screeching brakes and panicked shouts. Then, searing pain flooded in. His body was twisted grotesquely, like a discarded doll. Blood oozed from his mangled flesh. Timid onlookers covered their eyes in horror. The truck killed only Autumn Ease. The driver lay unconscious in the cab, blood streaming from his head.

Was he really dying like this? His fading consciousness screamed in reluctance. His vision darkened. Then, like waking from a dream, he jolted awake. Autumn Ease opened his eyes wide. He was walking unharmed. Everything before felt like a dream.

A truck’s roar came from behind. Instinctively, he ran sideways. But the truck swerved worse, slamming into him again. Though his eyes were open, he snapped them wide again. The street was calm. Time looped like a recorder stuck on repeat, replaying the same event. No matter how hard Autumn Ease tried, he couldn’t avoid the truck. The truck never hit anyone else. Only him. He even wondered if the driver was targeting him.

In this loop, he kept trying to save himself. Always failing. The pressure was maddening. Again, he opened his eyes. Back to seconds before the crash. Since time would loop anyway, he stayed calm this time. He pulled out his phone to record what happened next. The footage might vanish in the next loop. But he felt it might change something.

The truck drew closer. Autumn Ease closed his eyes instinctively. He smelled diesel fumes. He waited for the pain. But nothing happened. "Huh..." He opened his eyes, puzzled. The truck was driving away. Had the endless loop ended? Why? Was it the phone? Or just coincidence?

"Meow~" As he zoned out, a soft meow came from his feet. The yellow-and-white stray cat sat obediently beside him. "Hmm..." Autumn Ease crouched to pet its head. It climbed up his arm and perched on his shoulder. It felt so familiar, like they’d lived together for years. Not shy at all. Autumn Ease even checked his body, making sure he hadn’t turned into a beauty... Had this lecherous cat changed its taste? Preferring men now? Scratching its chin, Autumn Ease thought oddly.

His phone screen flashed, showing a small line of text.

"Your video has been received."

"Hey! Using my data without permission isn’t cool!" Autumn Ease yelled at his phone. No one gave him weird looks. They probably thought he was on a call. The text faded. His phone vibrated. A text message arrived.

"Dear customer, you’ve been gifted 10GB of domestic data. It’s active now, valid until month-end..."

Autumn Ease seriously suspected he was being monitored. This feeling of privacy being invaded was awful. "Hey! Stop spying on people’s privacy!" he complained loudly.

Then, a software icon appeared on his desktop. Pure black curtain. Named "Detector". The system auto-disabled its permissions. The "Detector" app sent a notification.

"When needed, activate it—O Honored Traveler."

"Alright..." Autumn Ease sighed, pocketing his phone. Maybe he’d need it next time time looped.