City of Endless Mist

The tranquil town lay shrouded in a heavy fog. In one misty corner, inside a dilapidated bus shelter, a young man lay sprawled on the bench, eyes closed. Yet his brow was furrowed, his face drenched in sweat—a silent testament to the nightmare gripping him.

With a sudden scream, Lu Yi bolted upright, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the familiar coldness of metal beneath him steadied his nerves. Was that just a dream? The images still hovered in his mind, chilling him to the core.

He rose slowly, frowning. When did the fog roll in? Scanning the deserted bus stop, he pulled out his phone—only five minutes had passed. But where was the bus? Where was everyone?

Forget it, I'll just call a ride. He tapped at his phone. No internet? Full bars, but no connection? Grinding his teeth, he shoved the phone back into his pocket and tried to reassure himself. With visibility this poor, he mused, you couldn’t tell a man from a woman at three meters, nor human from beast at five—no wonder there were no cars.

Shaking his head, he tried to shrug it off. I’ll just grab some snacks and walk home. He headed toward the shop behind the bus shelter, but after a few steps, he hesitated, glancing back in confusion. In five minutes, the street couldn’t have emptied so completely—no headlights, not even a distant sound. Maybe he’d better ask in the store.

As he walked on, the bus stop faded into the thickening fog behind him. But after several seconds, the familiar shop failed to appear. He finally sensed that something was terribly wrong. Without a second t