Chapter 1: The Mysterious Box in the Basement

Xixian City, Longxia Country.

At five in the afternoon, the dismissal bell echoed through Xixian International High School, signaling the end of the day’s lessons.

Unlike typical high schools, there was no evening self-study session here. Compared to other prestigious institutions, Xixian International High School’s early dismissal felt notably abrupt.

Having concluded his studies for the day, Bai Yu emerged from the school gates, his face devoid of expression. Watching the young masters and ladies around him being chauffeured away in private cars, he couldn’t help but let out a weary sigh.

‘This kind of school truly isn’t for me,’ he thought.

Subsequently, he hailed a taxi without much thought.

Had the school not been so far from his home, he would have begrudged even this small expense.

Returning home as he always did, Bai Yu had barely stepped out of the taxi when he spotted a woman strenuously pushing a large box across the ground.

“Mom, what are you doing back!”

Bai Yu rushed to her side, immediately helping her lift the cumbersome box.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, be careful! This item is crucial; don’t damage it!”

The woman exclaimed with a hint of panic.

“I know, Mom. This is light work for me; I train regularly, you know.”

Bai Yu felt no strain; the box, in truth, wasn’t particularly heavy for him.

“Alright, then. Just take it down to the basement.”

“But Mom, why did you return without even a single phone call?”

A hint of displeasure colored Bai Yu’s tone. His mother hadn’t resided at home in a long while; for nearly the entire past year, she had been living overseas.

“The company’s simply been too busy. Come on, hurry and get that inside; I have a plane to catch soon.”

The woman glanced at her watch. Her sharp, exquisite suit exuded an air of efficiency, a stark contrast to the languid, despondent aura she had carried a year prior.

Ever since Bai Yu’s father had passed away unexpectedly, his mother had fallen into a deep despair, and Bai Yu’s own life had spiraled downwards.

It wasn’t until a year ago that his mother unexpectedly secured a high-paying position overseas, which also explained his transfer to the international high school.

Upon hearing his mother’s announcement that she had to depart immediately, a wave of disappointment washed over Bai Yu.

“Leaving so soon? Couldn’t you at least stay for dinner?”

Disappointment etched itself onto Bai Yu’s features. While his living conditions had undoubtedly improved, a persistent sense of something missing lingered within him.

“I’m so sorry, son. Next time, I promise I’ll find a way to stay longer.”

The woman stepped closer to Bai Yu and gently ruffled his dark, slightly disheveled hair.

“What are you doing? I’m not a child anymore; why are you patting my head?”

Bai Yu’s face flushed a deep red. He quickly retreated into the house, making his way towards the basement.

“Hey, hey, hey, be careful with that!”

The woman’s repeated caution left Bai Yu feeling somewhat puzzled.

“Mom, what exactly is in here that makes it so incredibly important?”

“Uh…”

The woman hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.

“They’re some important antiques from the company, meant to be stored here for a while. I’ll take them when I return next time.”

“Antiques? Why would we keep something like that in our house? And Mom, what exactly is your job? You still haven’t told me.”

“Oh, don’t fuss over it! Just get it moved. Your mom really has to go.”

Evidently, the woman had no intention of answering his question, so Bai Yu decided not to press the issue. He swiftly carried the box into the basement.

“Oh, and one more thing: absolutely do not open that box. The contents are specially sealed, and opening it will cause them to oxidize.”

“Got it, don’t worry!”

Bai Yu’s voice drifted back from the distance, a testament to his impressive physical conditioning. He had reached the basement remarkably fast, his voice completely steady.

The woman followed him down to the basement. Only after confirming the box was safely stored did she breathe a sigh of relief, then turned to depart.

“Son, I’m off now.”

“Are you really not staying for dinner? My cooking has actually gotten quite good lately.”

Bai Yu’s voice quivered slightly, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Having lived alone for years, his culinary skills had, in fact, become exceptional.

“No, no, I truly can’t this time. Next time, for sure, son. Your mom really has an urgent matter. Oh, and by the way, I’ve already transferred your living expenses for the month.”

Bidding Bai Yu farewell, the woman swiftly entered her car and drove off in the direction of the airport.

“Sigh.”

Watching the vehicle disappear into the distance, Bai Yu let out a helpless sigh.

‘Well, since things are as they are, I might as well eat first,’ he decided.

Bai Yu made his way to the kitchen. With his mother not staying, he had no inclination to prepare an elaborate meal, opting instead for something quick and simple.

He skillfully prepared a simple meal, then sat down at the table and began to eat with gusto.

Eating impassively, his mind inexplicably drifted back to his mother’s recent admonition.

‘Whatever you do, don’t open that box.’

‘Antiques, huh…’

The thought flickered through Bai Yu’s mind, yet he held little interest in such items. As a science student, he admittedly didn’t possess much understanding of historical culture.

He was, however, far more captivated by video games and beautiful girls.

Nevertheless, an inexplicable urge continually drew his attention back to that very box.

‘Could Mother have been subtly hinting for me to open it?’

‘Impossible,’ he immediately dismissed. ‘Important company property couldn’t possibly imply such a thing.’

Bai Yu shook his head in resignation.

‘What’s gotten into me? It’s just an old box; what’s there to see?’

With that thought, Bai Yu pushed his dinner aside, abandoning his chopsticks and even neglecting to wash his bowl before retreating to his room.

His room was situated on the second floor of the expansive house. Being in the suburbs, its price, while considerable, wasn’t excessively exorbitant.

Nevertheless, it remained a sum he previously couldn’t have even conceived of affording.

Entering his room, he powered on his computer and donned his headphones, hoping to dispel the persistent thought by immersing himself in a game.

He skillfully navigated his game character through miles of virtual terrain, only to be instantly obliterated by a boss in a single devastating blow.

Bai Yu frowned. ‘Why am I so distracted today?’ he mused.

After several more attempts yielded the same frustrating outcome, Bai Yu tossed his controller aside, slumping back into his chair to stare blankly at the ceiling.

‘What if I just… go take a look?’

This thought, once planted, spiraled out of control within Bai Yu’s mind. The tendrils of curiosity clawed at his heart, making him yearn to rush out and investigate immediately.

This was highly uncharacteristic of him; he wasn’t typically a particularly curious person. Yet, today’s peculiar circumstances rendered him utterly incapable of controlling himself.

Bai Yu rose to his feet, and almost without realizing it, found himself descending the stairs and standing before the basement door.

Upon opening the door, he saw the box resting squarely before him.

Truth be told, the box itself hardly resembled an ordinary object. Its ancient aesthetic, reminiscent of a locked wooden chest from the European Middle Ages, indeed possessed a profound sense of historical gravitas.

‘I don’t have a key anyway, so I can’t open it. I’ll just look at the outside… just the outside,’ he rationalized.

With this reasoning, Bai Yu immediately leaned closer to the box, his fingers tracing the intricate patterns etched into its surface.

He continued tracing until his fingers brushed against the lock itself. Then, with an audible click…

The lock sprang open.

!!!

Alarm bells blared in his mind, instantly snapping him back to full awareness. ‘What in the world just happened?!’

‘I didn’t do anything at all; how did this lock just open by itself?’

‘This… this… this…’

A fierce struggle ensued in Bai Yu’s heart. His mother had left barely an hour ago; was it truly alright for him to open it like this?

‘Forget it,’ he decided, trying to soothe himself. ‘It’s already open, so I might as well look. The lock’s broken anyway, and the airtight seal is already compromised.’

He reassured himself, ‘I merely touched it; the thing broke on its own.’

With a nervous tremor, he lifted the lid of the wooden chest. Immediately, a peculiar scent wafted into Bai Yu’s nostrils.

What was that scent? It was surprisingly fragrant, akin to a delicate incense.

Puzzled by this, he decisively pushed the lid fully open, revealing the contents of the box before his eyes.

Contrary to his expectations of ancient vases or artifacts, he found an exquisitely bound, antique book alongside a necklace.

“This…”

At that moment, Bai Yu’s gaze was utterly captivated by the book. As if under a spell, he reverently, almost tenderly, lifted the volume from the chest, as one might handle a cherished lover.

The ancient patterns and enigmatic characters adorning its cover held him spellbound, as if in a dream, and without a second thought, he flipped it open.

Bai Yu remained completely oblivious to the fact that his eyes had, by now, turned blood-red, emitting an eerie, subtle glow.