Chapter 1: Rain
Yu Sheng had always considered himself an ordinary man, living an ordinary life and doing ordinary things for over twenty years. He expected this uneventful routine to stretch on right until the day his quiet, uneventful life would eventually come to an end.
At least, that’s what he had believed.
But now, those days seemed like a distant memory.
The sky had grown darker, with thick gray clouds rolling in from the northeast, spreading across the city like a damp blanket. The air was dense with moisture, signaling an imminent downpour. It could start raining any minute.
Yu Sheng clutched the plastic bags filled with vegetables and spices he had just bought from the supermarket, hurrying along with the scattered crowd as they crossed streets, all heading home beneath the gloomy, darkening sky.
As he passed a shop, Yu Sheng stopped, drawn to the sign above the entrance. He stared at it for a few seconds before tearing his gaze away and continuing on his way, shaking off the unease gnawing at him.
The streets were getting emptier. The once bustling city seemed to quiet down as if holding its breath, waiting for the rain. Yu Sheng glanced at the commercial street ahead, bathed in the soft glow of shop lights. Despite the scenery being all so familiar, he couldn’t shake off the unfamiliar sensation in which he couldn’t describe.
Yes, unfamiliar. Yu Sheng had lived in this city for over twenty years, yet now, this Boundary City seemed like a place he no longer recognized.