Back home, Lin Sheng quickly ate dinner, made an excuse about wanting to turn in early, then washed up and went to his room ahead of schedule.
After the strange change in the previous day's dream, he was looking forward to tonight's dream.
He changed into his tracksuit and sneakers, then lay on his side and relaxed, beginning to recite his politics textbook from memory.
About ten minutes later, he slowly began to feel drowsy.
He closed his eyes and felt his consciousness sinking. It sank all the way into a deep darkness with no visible bottom.
Clatter.
The box in his arms suddenly rolled onto the floor.
Lin Sheng shot upright, gripped the Black Sword, and scanned his surroundings.
He was sitting on the edge of his bedroom bed. The metal box that had fallen by his feet was the one he had been clutching tightly before.
Outside the bedroom window, a dark red glow still flowed.
He couldn't see anything.
An eerie stillness and calm hung in the air.
He stood up and instinctively glanced at the clock on his bedside table.
Its hands had stopped at exactly twelve. The hour, minute, and second hands were all motionless.
"Could it be that I can't get back to Black Feather City?" He held up the sword and examined it.
There were a few tiny nicks along the Black Sword's blade, but otherwise it was no different from when he'd been in Black Feather City.
Then there was the box.
Lin Sheng looked around. He was alone in the bedroom, and the doors and windows were all locked.
Only then did he crouch and grip the padlock on the box.
Several deep slash marks scored the padlock. They were from when he'd hacked at it with the Black Sword.
One