My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Have you ever realized that you are dreaming in your sleep? 

It was akin to having a lucid dream; but Shi Nian could tell that she didn't make up the scene. This truly happened in the past. It's just that…she had thrown it to the back of her mind and deemed it unimportant. One more thing, she couldn't control her actions. Like a puppet, she watched silently as the scene unfolded in front of her. The sensation was quite strange, as if she was occupying someone else's body and wasn't her own.

Deep orange glow from the sunset poured in the window of the convenience store. Standing behind the cashier, Shi Nian yawned and secretly did her homework when the store was desolate with customers.

She was so immersed that she didn't realize when someone was standing in front of her. Only when the other person cleared his throat did she hide her homework in a flustered manner. "S—Sorry, I was distracted for a moment."

"It's okay." The boy answered quietly. He donned a school uniform she had never seen before, black hair fell over his forehead, covering his eyes from sight. From the meticulous uniform, branded backpack and gleaming watch, she could tell that the other person must be loaded.

How unusual for this kind of person to visit our shabby convenience store, Shi Nian thought. 

Shi Nian scanned the boy's juice and bubble gum. "It's 45 yuan in total. Do you want me to put it in a plastic bag?"

The boy shook his head and gingerly reached out to hand one hundred yuan over. Shi Nian entered the number to the cashier and dexterously returned the change. "55 yuan. Thank you for your patronage."

He stretched his hand out but halted it midair. "...Shi Nian?"

Shi Nian was taken aback before recalling that her name was written on the nametag. Putting on a polite smile, she asked. "Yes, do you need something else?"

Even from a distance, she could sense the nervousness and jittery emanating from him. For a while, she didn't receive any response. Only when she was ready to ask once again did the boy whisper in a very, very small voice. "You don't remember me…?"

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She had just closed the convenience store's gate when a phone rang in the distance. The sudden sound made her jolt in shock because tonight, the atmosphere was too eerie. She rarely got off work during these hours and even if she did, there would always be a 24-hours fast food restaurant on the corner of the street that lit up her way. Even though she was alone, at least she could still sense a sign of activity around.

However, the restaurant underwent maintenance today and the only source of light came from the flickering streetlamp over her head. 

The ringtone resounded nonstop until the call was automatically disconnected.

Shi Nian had just heaved a sigh of relief when it rang once again. 

Strange…did someone possibly drop their phone? Should she go to check it out or return straight home? Shi Nian contemplated for a while and the call was cut off once again amidst her hesitation.

Then a few seconds later, it rang for the third time.

Sighing, Shi Nian made her way to the source of the sound. So be it. For the phone to ring again and again, the owner must have been so anxious to look for it. She entered the alley by the side of the convenience store and found a conspicuous ray of light from the phone screen on the ground.

'Annoying person' was shown as the caller.

Shi Nian intended to pick up the call but when she grabbed the phone, a sticky wet liquid stuck to her palm. Shocked, Shi Nian used the light to illuminate her hand and found it covered in red liquid. Taking in a shaky breath, Shi Nian looked around in panic.

What happened? Was this…blood?!

"Excuse me…"

"AH!" Shi Nian screamed in shock. Turning around to the source of the voice, she found herself face to face with a familiar looking youth. Where had she seen him before? Shi Nian clutched her chest as if trying to contain her heart that almost jumped out of her throat. Forget about the familiar boy, popping up randomly like this was dangerous for her heart, okay?!

"Is…Is this your phone?" Shi Nian asked, the fear earlier started to diminish at the presence of another yet this wasn't enough to reduce the wariness she held toward him.

"Yes, it's mine. Thank you for retrieving it."

"No problem." She handed the phone over. "There's some weird liquid sticking to it though. Is that…your blood?"

The youth stood on the part where it was shadowed by the dark, rendering Shi Nian unable to see his features clearly. It wasn't until the phone rang once more and the light illuminated the space around them did Shi Nian gasp in shock and take a step backward in reflex.

Blood! Blood was splattered everywhere on his shirt!

"Y—You…"

"Ah, this?" He glanced down in a terrifying sense of calmness. "Sorry, did I surprise you?"

"Are you injured?!" Shi Nian asked in alarm. This huge amount of blood…exactly how severe of an injury was enough to cause the blood to ooze through the clothes? 

"No." The corner of his lips curled up ever so slightly. "Don't worry. It's not my blood."

"...Huh?" Alarm bells started to ring in Shi Nian's head. She took another step back when the youth drew near. "W—Whose blood is it?" No, why the hell are you curious about this kind of thing, stupid Shi Nian?! Something about the man told her that she'd better get away as soon as possible. 

So, that's what Shi Nian did.

Turning around, she rushed deeper into the alley but regrettably found that she met a dead end soon. The other person was no less than a few steps away. Chill traveled through Shi Nian's limbs and her heart started to beat rapidly. "Why are you following me?!"

"Because you ran." He answered simply.

"I—I want to go home. Sorry, can you please make way for me?" Shi Nian stared at him in vigilance.

Instead of complying, the youth asked a completely unrelated question. "You really don't remember me?"

The familiar sentence jolted something in her memory. Shi Nian blinked twice. "You…you're the one who came to the convenience store a few days ago, right?"

"You remember?" He sounded happier.

Shi Nian gulped. Whatever it was, she should play along and make a run for it as soon as the other person lowered his guard. "Of—Of course I remember you. You bought a bottle of orange juice and bubble gum. I remember that."

"Uh-huh…then—"

Shi Nian's eyes sharpened. Now!

She pounced forward and pushed the youth away, scrambling as quickly as possible out of the dark alley. Please…please, please let her make it through!

A sudden blow struck her back and she let out a short scream. Losing her balance, Shi Nian tumbled down harshly to the ground. Her chin and knees scraped against the asphalt. Yet currently, the pain wasn't the thing she focused on, but the youth who pulled out a small ax out of nowhere instead.

"W—Who are you?! What do you want?!" She scurried back, eyes filled with dread and horror.

"See…" He let out a laugh and lifted his bangs, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes ladened in sadness, fury and…something dark; a desire for blood. To see the other person suffer. "You don't remember me at all."

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Shi Nian's eyes snapped open and she gasped sharply. A single move was enough to send pain all over her body. Hissing, clarity slowly returned to her senses and the previous event rushed to her mind. 

Qiang Fei! How was she?! 

Sitting up, Shi Nian looked around in panic. The pain on the back of her head was forgotten as dread slowly crawled up her spine. The light in her golden eyes dimmed considerably as she took in the familiar surroundings.

Narrow room without a window. Yellow, mottled ceiling. Walls whose paint had peeled off and broken tiles tainted by brownish red stain. A single bed covered in an old mattress. Fear, desperation and agony that spread through the air... 

This was, unmistakably, the room that had often emerged in her dreams and blurry memory. 

She was back. 

Back to the place where everything began. 

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A/N: I present you the finale showdown. Please enjoy it~