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?

I call the customer

the side of the building and says, “Wait another minute, my car is

speaks, he takes out

don’t understand what’s

the edge

I couldn’t drive through, and the distance to walk here was a little far, so I rented

please wait a minute

other party has already said so and I’m not in a rush. I

man immediately puts away his phone and rode his bicycle to the side

drives over and

window rolls down, revealing

to open the car

displayed on

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

“I have two cars.

but I bound my account to

my phone

that, he

how I’ve encountered similar situations before, I’m relieved. I open the car

city. What is there

verifications undertaken

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

“Want a cigarette?”

smoking banned?”

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

I instinctively shake

driver holds the steering wheel with one hand, not really paying

don’t smoke either.

you have cigarettes…” I follow up

driver uses his empty hand

you need to meet despite you being

“That’s true.” I nod.

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

look like a rideshare driver.” I glance at the obviously expensive cigarettes, and glance

replies with a smile. “Is my performance

don’t look like you make a living from ridesharing. You look like you come

I can’t

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 with a

nod and casually say, “That may be the case, but I think you

The driver looks at the rearview mirror again, and his smile makes me feel a