A Variable

The next day,

Night fell.

Fang Linyan sat in an internet café, feeling somewhat uneasy.

The place was in terrible condition. People smoked and shouted all over the place, filling the air with a foul haze that made Fang Linyan feel very uncomfortable. Still, it was the only internet café in Nitou Town, so business was booming.

Why was Fang Linyan at an internet café in Nitou Town?

Because it was the town closest to Huichuan Pier No. 5. The text message had been very clear: 12:17 a.m. on the thirteenth, Huichuan Pier No. 5. He mustn't arrive early, and he mustn't be late.

Fang Linyan knew he was in poor health and couldn't do anything strenuous, like running. So after careful consideration and calculation, he decided to set out at 11:30 p.m. on the twelfth and ride his electric scooter to Huichuan Pier No. 5. That way, he would reach the road outside the pier at around 12:10 a.m.

The pier was only four or five hundred meters away. If he waited there for about five minutes, he could make sure he arrived right on time at 12:17 a.m.

As for the electric scooter, Fang Linyan had ridden it here himself. Before setting out, he had even given the secondhand scooter a thorough inspection, and after reaching Nitou Town, he'd made sure to fully charge it, just in case of mechanical trouble or anything else.

He'd parked the scooter where the lights outside the internet café could reach it, and had even asked the attendant to lock it with a chain, ruling out the risk of theft.

From beginning to end, Fang Linyan had thought everything through with great care, eliminating almost every potential risk. Now, everything was ready, and all he needed was a little luck.

Time trickled by. Fang Linyan absently browsed the webpages in front of him, but his thoughts had already drifted to what was about to happen.

What exactly would happen at Huichuan Pier No. 5? Why had the mysterious text message told him not to arrive early or late? How would his fate be turned around?

Because Fang Linyan had been lost in thought the whole time, he failed to notice the icy stares of several punk-looking delinquents sitting on the internet café's sofa.

All of a sudden, Fang Linyan felt his phone vibrate. He snapped out of his daze and picked it up to check. It turned out to be the alarm he'd set. It was already 11:30 p.m.

At that moment, Fang Linyan suddenly felt his throat go dry. He took two deep breaths, then followed the plan he'd made earlier. First, he took some medicine to suppress his pain and cough, in case he had an attack at a crucial moment. Then he drank a can of Red Bull to make sure he'd have enough energy.

Fang Linyan closed his eyes and cleared his mind of all distractions for ten seconds. Then he took a deep breath, got up, and went to the counter to pay.

As he stood up to pay, the delinquents on the nearby sofa exchanged glances. One of them was the first to slip into the darkness.

After that, Fang Linyan left the internet café and unlocked his scooter. He was about to ride out and turn onto the main road when he saw several rocks blocking the way. The road was already full of potholes, and with those rocks in the way, there was no chance he could ride through.

Fang Linyan was in a hurry and fretting over the time. Without a moment to spare, he quickly stopped the scooter and got off to move the rocks.

He hadn't expected that the moment he stepped away from the scooter, a teenager would dart out from the corner and try to push it away. Two more punk-looking teenagers emerged from the darkness behind him. One was holding a switchblade, while the other had picked up half a brick. They headed straight for Fang Linyan.

The knife-wielding punk had a vicious look on his face. He pointed the blade at Fang Linyan and said,

"Fuck your mother. What are you looking at? Hand over all the cash on you. And leave your phone, too."

Fang Linyan felt a chill run through him. He'd been at the bottom of society, too, and knew that these little thugs were the worst kind to deal with. They were simple-minded, quick to lose their tempers, and had no idea when to stop! If this had happened on an ordinary day, he would've given in on the spot and quietly gotten even later.

But how could he give in now? How could he dare?

The money and phone didn't matter much to Fang Linyan. But this place was remote, and it was the middle of the night. He wouldn't be able to find a ride, and the electric scooter was his only way of reaching Huichuan Pier No. 5 on time. It was also the one sliver of hope that had sparked to life in him!

So Fang Linyan had already made up his mind. He put on a frightened, panicked expression and hurriedly pulled out his money and phone. When the knife-wielding teenager saw the bright red banknotes, his eyes lit up, and he reached for them.

Just then, Fang Linyan let go of the cash, and it naturally fell to the ground.

The teenager bent down to pick it up without a second thought.

Fang Linyan drove his knee into the boy's face! He could even feel the boy's nose deform under the impact and hear it crack as it broke!

A muffled cry of pain came from deep in the knife-wielding teenager's throat. He clutched his face and rolled on the ground. He no longer cared about the money. His mind was filled with just one thought: It hurt, it hurt, it hurt so damn much!!

After landing his blow, Fang Linyan smoothly snatched up the switchblade and chased after the teenager who'd been pushing the scooter.

Seeing Fang Linyan approaching with a blank expression and a knife in his hand, while their "big brother" was already rolling on the ground and howling, the teenager panicked. He shouted, abandoned the scooter, and ran. Seeing that his electric scooter was unharmed, Fang Linyan breathed a sigh of relief.

But as the saying went, carelessness could cost you everything. The instant Fang Linyan let his guard down, he sensed something move behind him to the side. He hurriedly turned, but before he'd even managed to turn halfway, he saw the punk with the brick swinging it at him.

"Fuck—" Fang Linyan had barely cursed when everything went black, and he lost consciousness.

***

"Hey, hey, hey?"

The voice seemed to come from far away, and yet it sounded close. Fang Linyan struggled to open his eyes. His head hurt terribly, his ears were ringing, and his mouth tasted bitter.

Once his eyes were open, Fang Linyan swallowed a mouthful of saliva that tasted like rust. The light and shadows in front of him swam wildly. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, and his vision gradually cleared. At last, he made out a familiar face. Oh, right. Wasn't this the internet café attendant?

"Are you all right? Someone paid and left earlier, then came back and said you were lying outside. Do you want me to call an ambulance?"

The attendant still looked a little flustered. After all, it had happened right outside the internet café, and he was only an employee. How could he afford to take responsibility?

Fang Linyan was about to speak when a nameless terror surged through him. He suddenly pushed himself upright, staggering in the process. Fortunately, he managed to brace himself against the wall. He asked urgently,

"What time is it?"

The attendant checked his phone, then stared at him in surprise.

"12:15 a.m. What's wrong?"