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 customer service

that moment, the young man wearing the monocle points to the side of the

out his phone

don’t understand what’s

presses the edge of his monocle

drive through, and the distance to walk here was a little

sorry, please wait a

the other party has already said so and I’m

and rode his bicycle to the side of the

white car drives over and stops

can board it now.” The car window rolls down, revealing the face with the

the car door,

car displayed on the app

to look at the car plate when the driver waves his phone at me across

“I have two cars.

driving this car today, but I

my phone is

he calls

problem, and considering how I’ve encountered similar

bustling city. What

undertaken

get into the car, the driver with a monocle looks ahead

“Want a cigarette?”

smoking banned?”

don’t mind it.” The thin driver smiles

I instinctively

hand, not really paying

I don’t smoke

why do you have cigarettes…” I follow up

drives down the road, the driver uses his empty hand to touch the monocle on his right

be some friends you need to meet despite

“That’s true.” I nod.

recall Vice President Wu from the company next door. Although he smokes, his appearance is definitely not ghastly. However, there’s no need to say it out loud. I’m

the obviously expensive cigarettes, and glance

heh,” the driver replies with a smile. “Is my

you make a living from ridesharing. You look like you come from a rich

way, I

from making a living from ridesharing. It allows me to experience a completely different life from my past, and being able to see

think you occasionally

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