NOVPUBThe sensation was chilling, as though he were being sized up by some monstrous aquatic predator.
A tangible aura of death washed over him, making his skin crawl with an indescribable, eerie feeling.
Abruptly, Daniel’s eyes snapped open.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, utterly confounded.
How could a mere nightmare shake him to such an extent?
Glancing at the window, he saw only the velvety expanse of a starless, moonless night—so utterly dark that it filled his room, rendering visibility nil.
Getting up, Daniel fumbled for his phone, intending to grab a glass of water. Just then, a sound broke the silence.
"Cough... cough cough."
It was a weak, feeble cough, laced with an undertone of mortal illness.
The sound jolted Daniel upright, his eyes narrowing sharply toward the direction of the door.
This was the exact same sound he had heard during the day!
His complexion changed dramatically.
Setting down his phone, he slowly reached for the Desert Eagle pistol he kept beside his pillow.
Then came the footsteps.
They sounded from the corridor outside his room—soft, deliberate steps, barely audible but crystal clear to his acute hearing.
The steps were spaced apart, as if belonging to a dying elder shuffling ever so slowly across the floor.
The stillness of the environment amplified the eerie resonance of the footsteps.
He was staying on the third floor of the inn, where there were only three rooms—just enough for his team.
Julia had one room, Alex and Mike shared another.
None of them would be out at this hour, and even if they were, their footsteps wouldn’t sound like this.
Which meant the person in the corridor was none of them.
So, who could it be?
Frowning, Daniel thought, "It must be the monster. Damn, it has shown itself so quickly. Without knowing its abilities or methods of attack, my odds of winning are slim."
Cold sweat beaded Daniel’s forehead as he sat upright on the bed, eyes riveted on the direction of the door.
The darkness was so intense that he couldn’t even make out the outline of the door.
Clearly, now was not the time to switch on the light.
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
Heavy footsteps reverberated through the corridor, the sound growing steadily nearer.
Slow-paced, the steps seemed to pass by Julia’s door without hesitation.
They moved on from Alex and Mike’s room, their tempo unchanged.
Its target is me!
Daniel could tell just by the sound.
He looked around the room, seeking some sort of refuge or an escape route.
But the enveloping darkness outside seemed far from inviting.
And within the room, no hiding spots presented themselves.
Suddenly, the footsteps ceased.
What’s going on? Has it not come?
Confusion gripped Daniel’s thoughts.
Just then, the coughing resounded again—weak, phlegmatic, unmistakable. He heard it with chilling clarity. It was right outside his door.
So fast!
He hadn’t sensed its approach; it was already at the threshold.
Daniel’s finger itched to pull the trigger, but a slice of rationality held him back.
If the entity outside was formidable, opening fire might risk his own immediate demise—and squander a chance to rewind time.
So, he strained his ears, listening intently for any movement outside.
For a moment, there was nothing—not a sound, nor even the subtlest indication of a presence.
It was as if the creature had vanished into thin air.
Has it gone?
Unable to help himself, Daniel let out a sigh of relief.
I’ll wait a bit longer, then regroup with Alex and the others.
However, just at that moment, a spine-chilling creak pierced the suffocating darkness.
The door was opening.
Daniel’s heart clenched, and he inhaled sharply. "The lock? I remember locking the door. How did it just swing open?!"
Without a second to spare, Daniel pulled the trigger.
No more hesitations; it was time for preemptive action.
He aimed to land the first strike, possibly gathering information on the monster’s capabilities.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rapid shots discharged, bullets pouring out of the muzzle.
Flames flickered from the gun barrel, briefly illuminating the room.
Though the light flashed only momentarily, it was enough for Daniel to see clearly.
To his astonishment, there was not a shadow in sight at the doorway.
Where did the monster go?
The next instant, darkness engulfed his vision—not the darkness of the environment but the void of his own lost senses.
Then, as quickly as it had vanished, his vision returned.
Except now, the gloom was replaced by the bright light of morning.
[Remaining rewinds within 24 hours: 9!]
Daniel suddenly understood. He must have died just then.
But how? The flash from the gunshots revealed nothing. How did the monster manage to kill him? Could it have darted to him the instant he opened the door?
A voice broke his reverie; it was Mike. "Not a smidgen of a creepy vibe. Are we sure there’s a monster here?"
Daniel looked around. They were standing in the town center, having just arrived in Isaac.
Julia’s voice sounded as usual. "Andy and his group were completely wiped out here. How could there be no monsters?"
"Not all monsters attack wildly like beasts," she continued. "They might be hiding in some corner of the town, perhaps even observing us from the shadows."
As Julia’s words lingered in the air, that familiar feeling of being watched resurfaced.
Alex turned sharply, scanning the surroundings. Finding nothing, he looked back at Daniel.
"Didn’t you feel it?" he asked.
Daniel responded calmly, "I felt it. But don’t worry about it. Anything that hides in the shadows isn’t worth our energy. Just stay alert, that’s all."
Alex nodded.
Hearing the exchange, Mike asked, "Felt what?"
Julia looked puzzled as well. Clearly, neither had sensed the earlier lurking presence.
Daniel chose not to elaborate. "It’s nothing. Let’s move. We should find a hotel to stay in; the monster won’t be appearing for a while."
With that, he turned and prepared to get into the car.
"How do you know?" Mike couldn’t help but ask.
Before Daniel could answer, Julia interjected, "Did you use your foresight ability again?"
Daniel nodded.
Alex glanced at Daniel, his mind churning with unspoken thoughts.
The four climbed into the car, and Daniel drove them straight to the hotel.
This time, he dispensed with any chit-chat with the owner and secured three rooms.
After paying and receiving the keys, Daniel was just about to head upstairs when the distant-to-near rumble of an engine sounded from outside.
Without a second thought, he knew it was the trio from Rebirth Corporation.
The car stopped at the hotel entrance, and three young men entered the building.
Upon seeing Daniel’s group, they showed no surprise but hesitated for a split second.
The blonde young man in the middle broke into a smile, "So the Investigation Bureau is here too."
Actions from the Investigation Bureau were usually classified, so this comment set off Julia’s alarm bells.
"Who are you?" she inquired sharply.
The smile never left the blonde man’s face. "We’re members of Rebirth Corporation. I’m Wes, and these are Liam and Stanley."
"Don’t be tense. We mean no harm, at least not this time. You’re here for that ’thing’ too, aren’t you? Well, that’s unfortunate. Rebirth Corporation is quite determined to acquire it."
With that, the blonde-haired young man introduced himself.
Daniel pondered for a moment before asking directly, "What ’thing’ are you referring to? We’re here solely to deal with the supernatural events in this town."
The blond young man, Wes, smirked disdainfully. "Your acting leaves much to be desired, sir. We’re all here for the same reason; there’s no need to play coy."
"Though you’re formidable, we’re determined to get our hands on it. It’s best if you don’t interfere."
With that, Wes pulled out a wad of bills, tossed it to the proprietor, and snatched three keys from the table before heading upstairs.
Mike couldn’t resist a snide comment: "Damn, isn’t that guy a bit too arrogant?"
Daniel remained silent.
Wes hadn’t answered his question, so he still had no idea why Rebirth Corporation had come.
After uttering a few brief words, he indicated that he wanted some time alone in his room.
He tossed the other two keys to his companions and headed straight to his room on the third floor.
Upon entering, he meticulously committed the room’s layout and furnishings to memory.
After thoroughly inspecting everything, he finally lay down to rest.
Startled awake by a nightmare, Daniel glanced out the window. It was pitch black; he had slept deep into the night.
Slowly, Daniel rose from the bed and tiptoed to the door, his Desert Eagle pressed against the door frame.
Then he waited, the silence thickening around him.
Soon, he heard it—a distant cough.
"Cough... cough, cough!"
The coughing monster was punctual.
Daniel gripped the Desert Eagle tightly, listening as the creature’s footsteps passed by Julia and Alex’s rooms, then slowed to a halt just outside his own door.
The world went silent for a moment.
Once again, the sound of coughing emanated from beyond the door.
The monster was right outside!
Now!
With unwavering resolve, Daniel pulled the trigger.
The gunshot roared like thunder, shattering the heavy silence.
