drills and the usual hum of city life. But that evening, something was different.

The air grew thick, carrying a faint, alien sweetness. It clung to the skin, prickling the nerves. Chen Kai barely noticed at first, busy with closing up his small electronics repair shop. The bell above the door jingled as the last customer left, handing over a wad of cash for a fixed motherboard.

"Finally, a quiet night," he muttered to himself, stretching his stiff neck. The neon signs outside flickered, casting long, dancing shadows on the pavement. He should grab a beer or something, relax before heading home.

Then he heard it.

It wasn't a sound in the usual sense. More like a low, resonant thrumming that seemed to vibrate directly through the soles of his shoes, up his spine. It wasn't loud enough to startle, but it was undeniable, permeating the very air.

Chen Kai frowned, tilting his head. Was it the ventilation system downtown? Some kind of施工 noise that had started late? He shrugged, dismissing it. Probably nothing.