STG 11
Chapter 11: Opening the Door
Lin Qiye was truly exhausted.
Both mentally and physically.
He never expected that on his very first day at a new school, he’d encounter monsters, be betrayed by his classmates, fight for his life, inexplicably open his eyes, and then run into some superhuman middle-aged man before sneaking away…
Lin Qiye wasn’t stupid. He knew tonight’s events had dragged him into the hidden side of this world—flesh-eating monsters, the golden light bursting from his body, and a man who could single-handedly take down those creatures.
That man was no ordinary person. And from the way he reported in via walkie-talkie, there had to be a larger organization behind him—one that operated in the shadows, dealing with supernatural incidents.
He had seen the light erupting from Lin Qiye’s body. He might have even witnessed him killing a monster alone. That was why he wanted to recruit him…
It wasn’t that Lin Qiye wasn’t curious about the hidden world. He wanted to know what exactly he had encountered tonight. He wanted to understand what had happened to him. But he didn’t want to be dragged into this whirlpool just because of his curiosity.
Some secrets, once known, would never let you go.
He didn’t want to be a hero protecting humanity.
The only thing he wanted to protect…
Was his family.
Soon, he sank into a deep sleep.
.
.
.
The familiar mist descended once more.
Standing in the dream, Lin Qiye glanced around and sighed. “Still not letting me go? Fighting monsters while awake, and now knocking on doors in my sleep… What a miserable life.”
He took a few steps forward with practiced ease, and soon, the outline of a mental hospital appeared before him.
On the ancient plaque to the right, bold characters were inscribed:
—Asylum of the Gods.
Lin Qiye stopped in front of the gate and reached for the door knocker. The moment his fingers touched the metal ring—
The entire ground trembled.
The surrounding mist churned violently.
Lin Qiye gripped the knocker, bewildered.
What the hell? I didn’t even knock yet! Why is it shaking?
This never happened before!
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.
Could it be… because I opened my eyes today?
He lowered his head and examined his dream body. His eyes gradually brightened.
In the past, his dream form had been translucent, as fragile as the drifting mist.
But today, his body was noticeably more solid. Though still not physical, it was no longer transparent.
He snapped his head up, staring at the massive door that had blocked him for five years, his gaze burning with anticipation.
Today… I might actually make it!
Taking a deep breath, he tightened his grip on the knocker and slammed it against the door!
“DONG—!”
A deep, resonant bell tolled from within the asylum—far louder than before. Fortunately, since Lin Qiye had no physical body here, his eardrums weren’t at risk.
The moment the bell sounded, the entire asylum shook violently!
This is working! Lin Qiye’s eyes lit up.
“DONG—!”
“DONG—!!”
“DONG—!!!”
Without pause, he struck three more times. The asylum trembled as if struck by an earthquake!
Finally, after the last strike, a deafening crash echoed from inside…
And then, silence.
Just as Lin Qiye was about to knock again—
The door creaked open.
“SCREEE—THUD!”
As the gates swung wide, a dim, ancient corridor stretched before him.
The floor emitted a faint glow, its material impossible to discern. Along the walls, floating orbs of fire flickered, casting eerie shadows.
Lin Qiye stepped forward, soon reaching a fork in the path. Above it hung a modern-looking sign.
“Left: Patient Wards. Right: Activity Zone.”
Lin Qiye frowned. “This layout… It’s exactly like the Sunshine Asylum I stayed in?”
After a brief hesitation, he turned toward the Activity Zone.
The area wasn’t large, but it had everything—a multimedia room for movies, a lounge for games, a study for reading… There was even an open-air courtyard with sports equipment.
“It’s identical. What a strange dream.” He shook his head in confusion.
Once he finished exploring, he turned back and headed toward the Patient Wards.
But as he reached the entrance, he froze.
“This… is different.”
His memory of Sunshine Asylum’s wards was clear—multiple floors, clean and orderly.
But here, there was only one floor, with six rooms in total.
Each door was covered in dense, arcane symbols, so intricate that merely looking at them made Lin Qiye dizzy.
Forcing his gaze away, he steadied himself and examined the rest.
Above each door hung an ancient plaque, each bearing a unique symbol.
- Room 1: A large black circle.
- Room 2: A staff-like object, resembling a pen.
Lin Qiye walked down the corridor, studying each plaque, but none gave him any clues.
Staring at the eerie doors, he fell into thought.
In this dream asylum, only the Patient Wards differed from his memories.
So… were there actually patients inside these rooms?
Or, as the asylum’s name suggested… gods?
After a moment’s hesitation, Lin Qiye reached for the handle of Room 6.
It wasn’t recklessness. For one, this was just a dream—even if something went wrong, it wouldn’t affect him much.
More importantly, he had spent five years knocking on this door every night. He wasn’t about to leave without answers.
And deep down, he felt… there might be secrets here tied to him.
Why else would this place mirror the Sunshine Asylum so precisely?
His fingers brushed the handle—cold to the touch.
No resistance. No pain.
He gripped it firmly and pulled!
The door didn’t budge.
Bracing himself, he yanked with all his strength.
Still nothing.
Giving up, he moved to Room 5, then 4, then 3, then 2…
None opened.
Finally, he stood before Room 1.
With little hope left, he grabbed the handle and pulled.
“CLICK—!”
A soft sound came from the lock. The intricate patterns carved into the door shattered, dissolving into the air like smoke.
Lin Qiye stumbled back, eyes wide.
The door had opened.
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