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

points to the side of the building and says, “Wait

he takes out

still don’t understand what’s

man presses the edge of his monocle and

in the nearby alley just now. I couldn’t drive through, and the distance to walk here was a little far, so

please wait a

so and I’m

young man immediately puts away his phone and rode his bicycle

over

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

open the

on the app is

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

“I have two cars.

but I bound

my phone is

that, he calls

that the number displayed isn’t a problem, and considering how I’ve encountered similar situations before, I’m relieved. I open the car door

bustling city.

reviewing and verifications undertaken by the platform

driver with a monocle looks ahead as he picks up

“Want a cigarette?”

banned?” I

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

I instinctively shake

with one hand, not

smoke. I don’t smoke either. Smoking causes one to

you have cigarettes…” I follow up

driver uses his empty hand to touch the monocle on his

will always be some friends you need to meet despite

“That’s true.” I nod.

the company next door. Although he smokes, his appearance is definitely not ghastly. However, there’s no need to

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

the driver replies with a smile.

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

I

different life from my past, and being able

may be the case, but I think you occasionally only take a few ride orders and are

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