《Once Upon a Time in a Foreign Land》Chapter 018 : Zhonghang Qiuzhen
Advertisement
Zhonghang Qiuzhen tried to groan. But no sound came out.
"Sir! Mr. Zhonghang! Wake up, Sir!"
Qiuzhen faintly heard someone calling him. His head hurt so badly. Then he felt something shaking his body. Qiuzhen slowly opened his eyes. He was in a prone position. It was clear that someone had shaken his shoulder. When Qiuzhen tried to raise his right hand, his hands felt very weak. With difficulty, he managed to hold his head. After catching his breath, then he turned around. Now he lay down. His face was facing up. He saw a figure staring at him anxiously.
"Hanrong?" Qiuzhen could recognize Hanrong's face. With Hanrong's help, he tried to get up and sit down. After that, Hanrong helped him up and led him to one chair there.
"What's the time now?"
"It's morning, Sir!"
"It's already morning?"
"Yes, Sir"
"What time?" Qiuzhen repeated the question he had just asked.
Hanrong quickly lowered his head to look at his wrist. "Half-past eight, Sir!" The building custodian then sat down on another chair in the room. His face looked like an inquisitive person. "Why are you here?"
"I do not know." Qiuzhen looked around him. He realized he was not on the tenth floor. He tried to remember what had happened. But the still aching head made it hard to remember.
"Then I'll take you upstairs now! Can you walk?" Hanrong rose from his seat.
"I will try."
Hanrong helped Qiuzhen to his feet. It turned out that this time Qiuzhen was able to stand up straight. He could even walk without Hanrong's help. Hanrong immediately accompanied Qiuzhen to go up to the tenth floor. The door of unit 1008 was unlocked, so Hanrong could open the door right away. Arriving in the main room, Qiuzhen right away sat on the sofa that was there.
After sitting for about five minutes, Qiuzhen slowly started to recover his mind. Little by little, memories began to appear in his mind.
"How did you find me on the ninth floor, Hanrong?"
Hanrong sat with his back straight. "As soon as I arrived, I immediately went up to the tenth floor, Sir! I was going to say something related to the things that happened yesterday. But I didn't find you in this unit. Then I started to check the other units. All units on the floor ten was locked. Then I went down to the ninth floor. I found one unit on the ninth floor with the door open. I went inside and found you, face down and unconscious inside."
Advertisement
Qiuzhen faintly began to remember what happened earlier. But many things are still unclear.
"How did you fall unconscious in that unit? Did anyone attack you?"
Qiuzhen looked at Hanrong. He didn't even know what had happened. "There's no ghost in this building, right?"
Why am I even asking such a strange question? My mouth and brain may be out of sync!
Hanrong's face turned slightly pale upon hearing Qiuzhen's question. Although Qiuzhen's head still hurt and it was challenging for him to concentrate, Qiuzhen could still clearly see that Hanrong was shocked. After being stunned for a few seconds, Hanrong replied at a slow tempo. "As far as I know, there is no such thing, Sir! There are no ghosts in this place. There has never been a complaint about it from the tenants. Why do you ask such a thing? Did you meet a ghost in this building last night? What's it like, Sir?"
Wow! Amazing questions! But even though he looks a little scared, I think this young man doesn't believe in ghosts at all.
Qiuzhen smiled. "Of course not. I just noticed something odd. Now I remember a little about what happened. I fainted because head hit something in the room twice. The first hit the wall, and the second hit the floor."
"I think you should see a doctor." Hanrong looked anxious. He leaned forward to get a better look at Qiuzhen's head.
Qiuzhen touched his head. Felt sore and painful. "Ah, it's just a bump and a bruise. I think it's all right. Don't worry."
Hanrong still looked confused. It was apparent that he didn't know what to do next. Qiuzhen could understand the young man's attitude. Something like this must have never happened before in that place. The young man's attitude made Qiuzhen feel pity. "Never mind! Don't think about it anymore. You just go back to the ground floor. I'm fine now. Oh yeah, you said that as soon as you arrived, you went straight up to the tenth floor to look for me. What are you actually going to ask?"
Hanrong, who had already prepared to stand up, then continued to sit down. "Look, Sir. Last night, you said that a sedan car had stopped in front of the building. Well, when I came, I saw it too, Sir. But the car was parked a bit far from the gate of this building, Sir! Maybe about 100 meters. So I came here. I want to talk about it."
Advertisement
"Oh, so they're still lurking out there. You go back to work as usual. As long as they don't come into the courtyard of this building, so be it."
"Okay, Sir! Then I'll come down now."
Qiuzhen nodded. He watched as Hanrong immediately came out of unit 1008.
So the car is still there! This is very suspicious. Why are they keeping an eye on this place? Did it turn out that there was something hidden in this building? Or maybe someone is hiding in some corner of this building? It could be that they were waiting for the person to come out to catch him.
After being silent for almost two minutes, Qiuzhen felt thirsty. He dragged his feet into the kitchen with wide strides to get a glass of water. Qiuzhen could already remember a lot more. Last night, he had time to boil some water. So there must be some water in the electric kettle by now. Qiuzhen lifted the kettle. Feels heavy. There was still quite a lot of water in the kettle. Qiuzhen immediately poured the water into the glass and took a quick gulp. He holds his head. Still hurt. He was contemplating whether he should go to the hospital to have his head injury checked.
He walked back into the main room of the unit. He lay down on the sofa. Even though he was trying hard to remember what time he woke up last night, Qiuzhen still didn't know how long he had been unconscious. Qiuzhen somewhat regretted that he didn't pay attention to the clock last night when he woke up. So right now, there was really no way of knowing how long he had actually been unconscious.
But apparently, he still can't rest. Something else was waiting for him. Only seconds after he started to lie down, he heard a knock on the door. Besides sounding very loud, the knock was very disturbing. The beats, which were more like banging, were carried out in succession without a pause. Qiuzhen lazily got up from the sofa. He trudged towards the door. When the door opened, he saw Hanrong standing with a panicked face. His face looked much more stupid than before.
"What's wrong Hanrong?"
"There is something very serious, Sir!"
"Just say it, don't be afraid!"
"Someone is trapped inside the elevator!"
Qiuzhen was surprised.
So there really was someone else in this building! Last night I wasn’t dreaming.
"Calm down!" Qiuzhen tried to calm Hanrong, who looked confused. "Who's in the elevator?"
"I don't know, Sir!"
"You don't know? Didn't you see them getting into the elevator?"
"No Sir! They seem to have been there before I came."
"How do you know that someone was in the elevator?"
"They're banging on the elevator walls. Maybe they're trapped in the elevator!"
"You mean elevator number four?"
Qiuzhen had heard his friends tell him that the number four elevator in the building was indeed a bit strange. It can be off on its own, so people can get stuck inside.
"That's right Sir!" Hanrong replied steadfastly.
"Where's the elevator stuck? On what floor?"
"From the sound of banging on the elevator walls, it looks like the elevator has stopped on the eighth floor, Sir!"
"Okay! Then we're going there now!"
Advertisement
- In Serial71 Chapters
Nameless: Ascent
Everybody has a Name. Names are a path to power, a gift from a god. When a child receives their Name, they learn the path their life will take, and they can see the strictly defined system that lets them rise beyond human limitations. When Maiz receives his Name, he has the chance to become something he has only read about in history books--a God Chosen. But his path will force him to serve a dark master, and question what he will do to gain power. Shadar is the Dungeon King, a man who spent years earning the right to lead an army of monsters in their struggle against humanity. He holds immense power, but he is constantly plagued by unrest among his subjects. Two men poised to create new legends with ancient powers. Two men who must learn who they are in a world of Names. (Contains an RPG-based magic system)
8 168 - In Serial12 Chapters
ˈdi-sə-nən(t)s (Dissonance)
An experimental short story, written in bite-sized entries. A man returns to his rural Washington State hometown after a cataclysmic event to find answers... or at the very least, survival.
8 156 - In Serial363 Chapters
The Monster Inside: The First Vampire
Despite appearances, there was once a time where monsters did not exist. Where peace and prosperity reigned over all life. But those sinful and demonic forces that had hidden themselves in the shadows just couldn't help themselves could they? They wanted a piece of that prosperity too. They wanted to taint it, corrupt it, revel in its dark side.This is the story of a boy who was tainted. Of a boy who unintentionally bore a seed of sin and who in his naivety let it out. This is the story of how that boy was shamed and disgraced. Of how he was outcast for simply being. This is the story of how that boy learned to embrace the darkness that made him different. A darkness that would later make him known as the Lord of Night. Note to Reader: I understand this book is not for everyone, if there is a writer that can write to please everyone, I have never heard of them. The MC can be frustrating in his decisions as he learns to grow and accept what and who he is. I believe this reality is unavoidable. That being said, if you feel the need to give a review, please do so, just know that I will report you if all that review seems to do is blab toxic language and insult my literary choices without giving constructive advice or alternatives. That's not just a me policy, that's a policy of this website. I'm not writing this note because I'm a writer who does not acknowledge that there are faults in my work. I know there are. That's what happens when it hasn't been professionally edited by someone other than the author. I'm saying this because I'm sick of reading 1 star or 0.5 star rated reviews that seem to do nothing but hate on the book because they don't like the story. No comments on grammar, ways to improve or suggestions for better story arcs. Just plain hate. It's not on, and I frankly shouldn't have to write this note, but needed to get it off my chest. In saying all that, thank you to those who do leave reviews that don't fall into the above category. Your appreciation of my work, or alternatively, your willingness to give advice for improvement, is appreciated.
8 1712 - In Serial8 Chapters
She is my idea
It all started when two hearts apart meet on a social network by chance. On second thought it was not a fluke it was a stumbling block of fate .... Amora is 19 and Luck is 18. In the middle of the 21st century people have every old-fashioned feeling that discourages anyone so when they met it was not so simple their conversations were warm and elevated to a world where only they could understand each other and that only they could be. More along the cumin they decide to know each other despite everyone against, even so they live unforgettable and remarkable moments for young people who are still in the prime of their age .... They pass through a moment that can destroy this possible and momentary experience of love. will he make it to the end? Can love last longer than a few nights of sex? This story will be told by the characters, in the past as if recalling how everything happened between them, all things some parts with details other parts do not. Because there are moments in life that must be kept in total mystery so that you have a very good expectation.
8 160 - In Serial6 Chapters
The Designated: Out of Control
It happened quicker than anyone would have imagined. Multiple hurricanes were one thing. People had dealt with that in the past. But, like kids playing dominoes, one thing crashed into another. Areas affected by hurricanes needed resources all along the Gulf and East Coasts drew rescuers and resources away from other parts of the country. When wildfires lit up the Pacific coast and mid-west, those areas were already understaffed. Driven by hurricanes in the Pacific basin, uncontrolled wildfires burned through towns, destroying everything in their paths. Across the Pacific, Asia didn't escape. From the Philippines, across China, into Indochina, and Bangladesh and India. Typhoons and cyclones pounded the coasts and far inland. Widespread flooding forced millions from their homes and across international borders. Mexico was hit hard and thousands died in mudslides as Katia slammed into their East Coast. The refugees fled north and west. Rumours started that hundreds of thousands were headed for the US border. Instead of running out of steam in the southern US, several hurricanes tore up the eastern seaboard, devastating cities and renewing their strength before veering east across the Atlantic. Maria and Ophelia veered east and slammed into Europe, reaching as far as the Netherlands and Russia before finally dissipating. After that, too many weather stations were offline to provide any form of co-ordinated information or warnings. Wildfires in Portugal burned ahead of the storms, fanned by hurricane winds. They sparked wildfires leapfrogging across Europe, beyond any one country's ability to cope. Already uneasy from multiple terrorist attacks over the summer, anti-refugee groups seized the opportunity to stage protests across Europe. Some turned violent as they clashed with police forces. Several governments declared martial law to quell the rioting and enforce evacuations along the path of the storms. Rumour and speculation overwhelmed facts. Unrest spilled over into widespread violence. Then sickness broke out in the displaced populations. Within a matter of a dozen weeks, tens of millions died. In the coming winter months hundreds more would follow. The Designated Project was activated.
8 62 - In Serial8 Chapters
Our New World
A superhero novel in another world. A fantasy world, of course.
8 164

