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?

the

side of the building and says, “Wait another

he takes out

don’t

young man presses the edge

drive through, and the distance to walk here was a little far, so I rented

sorry, please wait a

and I’m not in a rush. I

immediately puts away his phone and rode

car drives over and stops in front

you can board it now.” The car window rolls down,

I’m about to open the car door, I suddenly

car displayed on the app

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

“I have two cars.

driving this car today, but I bound

phone

that, he calls

a problem, and considering how I’ve encountered similar situations before, I’m relieved. I open the car door and

broad daylight in a bustling city.

and verifications undertaken by the platform are really

the car, the driver with a monocle looks

“Want a cigarette?”

banned?” I

I don’t mind it.” The thin driver smiles through the rearview

smoke.” I

one hand, not really paying attention to

smoke either. Smoking causes one to have a

do you have

down the road, the driver uses his empty hand

friends you need to meet despite you being

“That’s true.” I nod.

this moment, I recall Vice President Wu from the company next door. Although he smokes, his appearance is definitely not ghastly. However, there’s no

obviously expensive cigarettes, and glance around the

driver replies with a

You look like you come from a rich family.” I give

way, I can’t

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

I think you occasionally only take a few ride orders

the rearview