Chapter 1

Watching the nurse leave, Zhang Hao pinched his forehead. He still felt a dull ache in his head, with a faint stinging sensation, as if his brain had been stuffed with too many things.

In fact, Zhang Hao's mind did contain some complex information, but the dizziness made it impossible for him to focus and identify it.

When he woke up, the nurse had called a doctor to give him a simple examination. The doctor said that Zhang Hao had a mild concussion, and the dizziness was a normal reaction that would soon pass. Apart from that, there were no other issues.

What a bad year! Zhang Hao thought with a bitter smile.

Today's incident wasn't complicated. Zhang Hao ended up in the hospital because of an act of bravery.

Zhang Hao's phone was broken, so he went to the electronics city to buy a cheap knockoff. On his way out, he encountered a thief. The thief was running past Zhang Hao when someone called out, and Zhang Hao instinctively grabbed the thief. They started to struggle.

Zhang Hao had been working on a construction site for the past half year, so he was in good shape. Just as he was about to catch the thief, the thief hit Zhang Hao on the forehead with the stolen phone.

Zhang Hao felt a sharp pain in his forehead, followed by a strange sensation, and then he passed out.

Thinking about this, Zhang Hao's lips twitched. It was an iPhone. How could it have the power of a Nokia? Zhang Hao knew that being hit by the phone wasn't the main reason for his unconsciousness; the mysterious energy that came with the phone was the culprit.

But others didn't know that. Recalling the strange looks from the nurse and the doctor, Zhang Hao felt a bit embarrassed.

Being knocked out by a phone, even if it was an act of bravery, was still embarrassing.

Zhang Hao didn't suffer in vain. The nurse told him that the thief had been caught. The victim was very grateful and called an ambulance to send Zhang Hao to the hospital. After a thorough examination, which found no serious issues, Zhang Hao was placed in a private room.

The victim had to go to the police station to handle the thief, so he left after asking the nurse to look after Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao's new phone was also broken, so he hadn't been able to contact his family or friends.

He picked up the phone from the cabinet. It was the new smart knockoff 'Big Apple' he had bought today. The screen was cracked, and the back cover was shattered. Zhang Hao's eyes twitched; today was really a bad day for phones.

Clearly, his phone was damaged during the struggle with the thief. Although it was only worth a tenth of an iPhone, Zhang Hao still felt a pang of regret. He wondered if the store would replace or repair it, but he doubted it.

Despite his regret, there was no point in dwelling on it.

The doctor said Zhang Hao's condition wasn't serious and that he only needed to stay in the hospital for two days for observation. Zhang Hao had borrowed the nurse's phone to call his boss and explain the situation, so he didn't have to worry too much.

He put the phone back on the cabinet and massaged his head. The dizziness gradually subsided, and Zhang Hao could finally focus on the new information in his mind. He suspected this information was related to the mysterious energy that entered his brain when he was hit by the phone.

Although the mysterious energy made Zhang Hao feel weak, the more critical issue was the strange things in his mind. He was definitely not at ease with this.

When he was unconscious, he was given a full body check, but nothing unusual was found, indicating that the mysterious things were very mysterious.

As he tried to identify the information in his mind, Zhang Hao sat up, his face full of disbelief.

With a thought, a light halo appeared before his eyes, clear and bright, emitting a gentle glow.

Under Zhang Hao's mental control, the light halo changed in size. This incredible phenomenon made Zhang Hao believe the information in his mind.

Just as he was about to verify it in detail, he heard footsteps outside. His expression changed, and the light halo in front of him disappeared into his forehead.

A moment later, the door to the ward opened, and two beautiful girls walked in.

One of them was tall and well-dressed, with a bright and charming appearance. The other wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, with a ponytail, looking very pure and attractive. These two girls would likely be considered campus beauties in any university.

"Thank you, handsome. If my phone had been stolen, it would have been a big problem," the bright girl smiled, her smile warm and inviting. "By the way, I'm Su Linlang. As for this one, guess who she is?"

Su Linlang, who seemed outgoing and lively, pushed the pure girl to the bedside.

Zhang Hao, who was still a bit dazed, now became more alert. Clearly, Su Linlang was the victim. He didn't expect the victim to be a beautiful young woman. Hearing Su Linlang's words, the pure girl seemed familiar?

Zhang Hao frowned. He didn't want to see any acquaintances, especially in his current situation.

But with the person already in front of him, he couldn't ignore her.

Reluctantly, Zhang Hao examined the pure girl. She looked familiar, but he couldn't immediately place her.

"Big Brother Da Peng, I'm Shu Yun. We haven't seen each other for seven or eight years, right?" the girl smiled, revealing the answer.

"Oh, Xiao Yun, Big Brother Da Peng has forgotten you. But you recognized him right away," Su Linlang teased.

"Shu Yun, ah, it's you. Sorry, you've changed so much. I wouldn't have recognized you if you hadn't said. How are you in Qinzhou? Are you studying here?" Zhang Hao finally remembered who the girl was.

Shu Yun and Zhang Hao were from the same hometown, and they were even from the same village.

A few years ago, Shu Yun's biological father died in a car accident due to alcoholism, and she moved with her mother to a neighboring county. Since then, Zhang Hao rarely saw her.

However, Zhang Hao's parents had mentioned that when Shu Yun visited her relatives in her hometown, she would also visit Zhang Hao's mother, who had been her teacher and had taken care of her when she was young.

Indeed, as the saying goes, a girl changes a lot over time. In Zhang Hao's memory, Shu Yun was pretty but not outstanding. Now, she was very pure and attractive.

As for "Da Peng," it was Zhang Hao's nickname, known only to people from the same village or very close friends.

"Yes, I'm studying at Qinzhou University," Shu Yun's face was full of joy at seeing an old friend.

"By the way, Big Brother Da Peng, why are you in Qinzhou? I heard from Auntie San that you were studying at Zhonghai University. You're graduating this year, right? Are you here to look for a job? That's good, Zhonghai is developed, but Qinzhou is closer to home, and it's also developing well."

Hearing Shu Yun mention university and work, Zhang Hao's face turned red, and he clenched his fists, his expression twisted.

Thinking about how he was studying at a prestigious university last year, with a bright future, but now he was working on a construction site, the suppressed hatred and resentment in his heart surged.

Shu Yun and Su Linlang were taken aback, not understanding why Zhang Hao reacted this way when they mentioned university.

"I, I was expelled last year. Now I'm working as a laborer in Qinzhou," Zhang Hao's voice was bitter, and it was hard for him to say. Although he was proud and didn't mind lying, he couldn't lie to an old friend. Lies are easily exposed among acquaintances.

Shu Yun fell silent, feeling guilty and not knowing what to say. Su Linlang took the initiative to speak.

"Let's not talk about unhappy things. Big Brother Da Peng, hehe, I'm calling you that because Xiao Yun and I are sisters. Here, these are our gifts."

Su Linlang placed the flowers on the cabinet, and Shu Yun put the fruit there as well. Then Su Linlang handed a small package to Zhang Hao.

"Big Brother Da Peng, your phone was broken because you helped me. This phone is a small token of my appreciation. Don't refuse it. My phone was also broken by that thief. When I bought the phone, the store offered a discount for buying two, so I took advantage of it. But my sincerity is genuine."

Afraid that Zhang Hao would refuse, Su Linlang took out the SIM card from his broken phone and inserted it into the new Samsung phone she had bought for him, even entering her and Shu Yun's phone numbers.

Zhang Hao, feeling down, didn't argue much.

Su Linlang and Shu Yun noticed Zhang Hao's low mood, and Shu Yun felt guilty. They helped organize his things and brought him some hot water. After preparing everything, they left without staying too long.

Before leaving, Su Linlang mentioned that the police had already closed the case, so Zhang Hao didn't need to give a statement.

"Big Brother Da Peng, no matter what happens, I believe in you. I believe that even if you've been expelled, you can still be a role model for many people, just like you were when we were young," Shu Yun said, looking at Zhang Hao seriously before they left.

Zhang Hao felt grateful for Shu Yun's trust but didn't have the heart to say much.

After the two girls left, Zhang Hao sat quietly on the bed, his expression changing.

Because of Shu Yun's questions, the events of last year, which had completely changed his life and plunged him into despair, kept replaying in his mind.

Thinking about the helplessness he felt when he had nowhere to turn, the anger and frustration when his father knelt before the school leaders, the beatings he received in the detention center, the smugness of the幕后黑手 (幕后黑手 means "the mastermind" or "the person behind the scenes") who didn't even show up, and the sadness and injustice of his parents, Zhang Hao's emotions were in turmoil. The taste of blood in his mouth woke him up, as he had unconsciously bitten his lip.

Licking the blood from the corner of his mouth, Zhang Hao gradually calmed down.

For nearly a year, Zhang Hao had tried to suppress these memories. He knew it would be difficult to seek revenge, as the other party was wealthy, powerful, and extremely cunning. Even with solid evidence, it was hard for Zhang Hao to restore his reputation, let alone take revenge.

Zhang Hao couldn't risk everything to seek revenge, such as by assassinating the mastermind. Not only was it uncertain whether he could succeed, but doing so would mean breaking the law. Even if he succeeded, his loved ones would be devastated.

Choosing not to take the most extreme measures didn't mean giving up on revenge. Zhang Hao had never thought of giving up. He could work to strengthen himself and choose various methods, even underhanded ones, to seek revenge, as long as he didn't break the law or wasn't caught.

Honestly, Zhang Hao didn't know when he could take revenge or if he even had a chance.

But now, things seemed different! Thinking about the strange phenomenon he encountered before Su Linlang and Shu Yun arrived, Zhang Hao felt a glimmer of hope.

He muttered, "A portal to another time and space?"

Feeling that his head was no longer so painful, Zhang Hao couldn't sit still. He wanted to experiment, but the hospital wasn't a convenient place. He found the on-duty doctor and requested to be discharged. The doctor tried to persuade him, but seeing Zhang Hao's determination, he didn't insist. After all, it was just a mild concussion.

After completing the discharge procedures, there was still a lot of the deposit left. Zhang Hao didn't take it, leaving it for Su Linlang. The hospital had Su Linlang's contact information, and she and Shu Yun would likely visit again.

Zhang Hao returned to his rented apartment in a village in Qinzhou.

Actually, the construction site provided food and accommodation, but Zhang Hao had rented a place on his own, not because he was dissatisfied with the conditions at the site, but because he needed a private space to do his own things.

Although he worked as a laborer, Zhang Hao didn't want to do it forever. He wanted to succeed and seek revenge, and physical labor alone wouldn't help. He needed to continue his education. Even though he wasn't in school, he could study on his own, which was why he rented the apartment.

The conditions of the rented apartment were not great, but Zhang Hao didn't mind. He didn't have the right to be picky.

Pulling the curtains and closing the door, Zhang Hao focused his mind. A light halo appeared in front of him, growing larger until it was big enough for a person to pass through.

Zhang Hao walked a few steps in front of the faintly glowing 'door.' He thought for a moment, then found a clothes hanger on the balcony. Returning to the 'door,' he inserted the hanger, watching it disappear. When he pulled it back, the hanger was unharmed.

He then took out the phone Su Linlang had given him, studied it, and tied it to the hanger. He turned on the camera and slowly moved the hanger into the 'door.'

A few minutes later, Zhang Hao retrieved the hanger, removed the phone, and played back the recorded video.

Seeing the images in the video, Zhang Hao's face lit up with joy.

It was a wild field, with green grass like a carpet, interspersed with colorful wildflowers. A rabbit could even be seen in the video. The wind blew, and the grass and flowers swayed. In the distance, there were forests, and everything was full of life.

More importantly, the scene in the video was during the day, with bright and gentle sunlight, while it was already evening where Zhang Hao was.

This clearly showed that the 'door' led to another world.

It was really a portal to another time and space! Zhang Hao's body