Lord of the Mysteries

After finding the project team and gaining an understanding of the situation, I spend quite a bit of time organizing the information. I also leave the company at three in the afternoon, preparing myself to head towards the city’s police station to visit the staff in charge.

After leaving my company’s building, I take out my phone, open my ride-sharing app, and submit my destination.

Since it’s not the evening rush hour, I get a driver in just a few seconds.

He’s in the vicinity, one minute… I glance at the notification and am very pleased that I don’t need to wait too long.

One minute passes quickly, but as I look left and right, I don’t see the license plate that I remember.

Suspecting that I’ve misremembered, I hurriedly unlock my phone to confirm the situation.

At this moment, I heard the chiming of a bicycle bell.

Uh… I subconsciously look up and see a green-orange bicycle.

Sitting on the bicycle is a young man wearing a dark baseball cap and a thin black coat.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The bicycle stops in front of me as the man extends his right foot to support the bicycle against the ground.

His forehead is wide and his face is thin. His short black hair is slightly curled, and his eyes are darker than an ordinary person’s—close to pure black.

His biggest characteristic was that, like a cosplayer, he wore a crystal monocle on his right eye.

Holding the bicycle’s handle with one hand, the man adjusts his monocle with the other. He smiles at me and says, “You were the one who requested a ride?”

…

I did, but I requested a car, not a bicycle…

I open my mouth, unsure if I should answer.

At that moment, I even underwent existential questions: Who I am. Where am I? Where am I going?

“You’re going to the police station, right?” The young man with the monocle didn’t care that I didn’t respond as he asked with a smile.

…No way? Is there really an option for getting a bicycle? And I selected it somehow? I slowly nod.

At this moment, there are only two clear thoughts in my mind:

Should I take a photo or video to post on my Moments?

call the

monocle points to the side of the building and says, “Wait another minute, my car is parked

speaks, he takes out his phone

still don’t understand what’s

presses the edge of his monocle and

the

wait a minute

party has already said so and I’m not in a rush. I politely reply, “It’s

his phone and rode his bicycle

drives over

now.” The car window rolls down, revealing the

as I’m about to open the car

displayed on

the back to look at the car plate

“I have two cars.

I bound

phone

he calls

the number displayed isn’t a problem, and considering how I’ve encountered similar situations before,

bustling city. What is there to be

and verifications undertaken by the platform are

with a monocle looks ahead

“Want a cigarette?”

smoking banned?”

The thin driver smiles through

I instinctively

not really paying attention

that you don’t smoke. I don’t smoke either. Smoking causes one to have a

have cigarettes…” I follow up

the road, the driver uses his empty hand to touch the

be some friends you need to meet despite you

“That’s true.” I nod.

smokes, his appearance is definitely not ghastly. However, there’s

a rideshare driver.” I glance at the obviously expensive cigarettes, and glance around the luxurious interior of the

replies with a smile. “Is my

ridesharing. You look

way, I can’t

from making a living from ridesharing. It allows me to experience a completely different life from my past, and being able to see all kinds of unique people is a form of entertainment. Don’t you find it interesting?” the driver says

the case, but I think you

building to investigate.” The driver looks at the rearview mirror again, and his smile makes me