After the Skyfall

Chapter 1: The Strange Object

Dark clouds hung over the city. In the distance, broken skyscrapers stood at odd angles, barely holding together. The air was thick and smelled rotten, spreading through every street. The setting sun cast an eerie red glow over everything.

Like many other places, Tianchang City was falling apart.

Li Yi had just finished his part-time job. He walked through the old district, carrying a small bag of groceries. The streets were cracked and full of puddles, but he carefully avoided them before turning into a narrow alley.

These alleys connected different parts of the old district. Taking them was a shortcut if you knew where to go.

“Cough, cough!”

A terrible, rotting smell hit him. He coughed twice but didn’t stop. Instead, he walked faster, trying to get away.

He knew that smell—it was the smell of death.

The poorest people in the city lived like rats, struggling to survive. When they died, their bodies were left in dark corners, unnoticed until the stench became too strong. Only then would the cleanup crews come and take them away.

The world had changed. Even in well-run cities, people still died all the time.

“I wonder if I’ll be lucky this time… if I can make it through.”

At just twenty years old, Li Yi felt exhausted. His eyes showed his doubts, but he quickly shook them off and walked faster.

Following the address in his memory, he passed through the alleys and reached an old apartment complex.

It was small, with only four buildings—nothing unusual for the old district.

Even though the conditions were bad, at least it was safer than other parts of the city. That’s why so many people still lived here, barely surviving.

Li Yi was one of them.

Above the entrance, a faded sign read: Wangmen Apartment Complex.

“Yes, this is the place.” Li Yi found the address he had been searching for.

However, as he entered the apartment complex, he noticed a crowd gathered in the open space at the center. In the middle of the group, he even spotted investigators.

“Did something happen?” His expression changed slightly as curiosity got the better of him, and he moved closer to see what was going on.

“I heard the resident of Unit 701 in Building Four is dead—died horribly. Blood even flowed into the hallway. There’s no way this was a natural death. It must have been something unusual. Otherwise, investigators wouldn’t bother coming to a place like this.”

“Who lived in 701? I can’t remember. Anyone know?”

“Oh, that woman with the big wavy hair, always dressed up really flashy.”

“Oh, right! Now that you mention it, her name was Liu Li. Thirty-two years old, unmarried… and, well, pretty well-endowed.”

“Huh?”

Several people nearby immediately turned to look at the man who had spoken, their faces filled with surprise.

The man, in his thirties, simply shook his head with a sigh, as if reminiscing about something.

At that moment, an investigator emerged from the stairwell of Building Four. Behind him were several sanitation workers carrying a body bag. Inside was presumably the corpse of Liu Li.

“What’s the situation upstairs?”

The lead investigator, Wang Jian, was in charge of this part of the old district.

Despite his average appearance and young age—just in his twenties—his sharp eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, sending a chill through anyone who met his gaze.

A fellow investigator approached him, his face grim. In a low voice, he reported what they had found inside Unit 701.

“Captain Wang, the victim’s body was cut into more than ten pieces. The scene was extremely gruesome. But based on our initial investigation… it appears to be a suicide.”

Wang Jian nodded, his expression calm, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. After all, he had seen far stranger cases.

“Any other leads?”

Another investigator spoke up. “A resident across from 701 may have seen something.”

He gestured, and a young man—about twenty-five years old—was brought forward.

“I’m Investigator Wang Jian. Tell me—what exactly did you see in Apartment 701?” Wang Jian asked.

The young man looked nervous, his voice trembling. “I… I saw someone entering 701 last night… bit by bit.”

Wang Jian frowned. “Bit by bit? Are you messing with me?”

“No! I swear! That person really did enter the apartment… piece by piece.” The young man insisted, his voice firm.

Wang Jian’s expression darkened. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed the young man’s throat, squeezing tightly as he stared deep into his eyes. After a moment, he shoved him aside.

“Another one who’s lost his mind from training. Take him away.”

“Yes, sir.”

The young man immediately began to struggle. “No! I’m not crazy! I swear I saw it—someone really did enter 701, little by little! That person is the killer! She didn’t commit suicide! She didn’t! I was training by the door last night—I saw everything clearly!”

But the staff escorting him didn’t say a word. They simply dragged him out of the complex.

At that moment, the middle-aged man who had been watching the commotion shouted, “If Liu Li’s body could be taken out bit by bit, why couldn’t the killer have entered the same way? Why are you so quick to call him insane?”

Wang Jian shot him a glance. “Are you saying you’re not normal either? Want to be taken away too?”

The middle-aged man instantly spat in the direction of the young man. “That lunatic should be locked up! I must’ve been influenced by him just now. There’s no way he should be let back out—he might be the real killer!”

Wang Jian’s voice remained calm but firm. “I told you—Liu Li committed suicide. Case closed.”

“Looks like this so-called suicide was just a coincidence. It has nothing to do with what I’m here for.”

Li Yi had been silently watching the scene unfold. Without saying a word, he picked up his bag and walked away toward Building One. This wasn’t his business—he was only here to make money, not to get involved in unnecessary trouble.

Wangmen Apartment Complex, Building One, Unit 201.

Li Yi took a deep breath. He had arrived at the unfamiliar address and knocked on the old wooden door.

Thud, thud, thud.

The dull knocking echoed through the dimly lit hallway. Everything around him was silent.

A long pause.

Then, the door creaked open, casting a warm yellow glow into the hallway. A low voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

Li Yi hesitated for a second before stepping inside.

The living room was sparsely furnished—just a couch, a few wooden chairs. The doors to the bedrooms on either side were shut tight. The old lightbulb above cast a dim, yellowish glow, making the space feel small and claustrophobic.

“No need to look around, friend. You’re the last one to arrive. We’ve all been waiting for you.”

A young man in a hoodie sat on the couch, speaking casually. Around him were several others, both men and women.

Li Yi didn’t respond. Instead, his gaze locked onto the person sitting in the shadows on the opposite chair.

That man barely moved; his body partially hidden in the darkness. But when he lifted his head slightly, his eyes glowed faintly, holding a mysterious energy that made it impossible to look directly at him.

“I go by Crow,” the man said in his deep, oppressive voice. “You’re Li Yi, right? You look young—twenty, maybe twenty-one. So, tell me, why are you taking on this dangerous job?”

Li Yi steadied himself, then answered seriously.

“I need money.”

The young man in the hoodie sitting on the couch let out a chuckle. “No kidding. Everyone taking on dangerous jobs like this is broke. These days, life is cheap—there’s no shortage of people willing to risk theirs for cash.”

Li Yi ignored him and continued, “My parents are Dormants. They’ve been unconscious for six years.”

The man in the shadows—who had introduced himself as Crow—narrowed his eyes. “Both of them are Dormants? If they’ve survived six years, that means your family has two medical pods. Even second-hand, one of those costs at least a million. You don’t look like someone desperate for money.” His voice turned cold. “Give me a real reason. No games.”

Li Yi stiffened and quickly clarified, “One of the medical pods broke down. Repairs cost fifty thousand. I don’t have that kind of money. Then I saw someone in the group chat mentioning this job—said it pays a hundred grand. So I figured I’d give it a shot.”

Crow studied him for a moment. Maybe he believed him, or maybe he saw the urgency and desperation in Li Yi’s eyes. His expression softened slightly, and he let out a quiet chuckle. “Keeping two Dormants alive for six years… even with some savings, you must be running on empty by now. And now that your medical pod is failing, you need money fast. Without it, your parents won’t last more than thirty days. Looks like you’re willing to bet everything for their sake. Not bad. Not many like you left these days. Fine, you’re in. Take a seat.”

Li Yi exhaled in relief and pulled up a chair near the couch.

Crow glanced around the room. “Everyone’s here now. If anyone wants to back out, this is your last chance. I won’t stop you. But in ten seconds, I’m going to explain the job—and once you hear it, there’s no turning back.”

The dimly lit room fell silent.

Seconds ticked by.

No one moved.

“Good.” Crow nodded approvingly. “Looks like all of you have your own reasons to risk everything. In that case, let’s get started.”

He stood up. At the same time, a door at the side of the room creaked open.

A man in a suit stepped out, locked the front door behind him, then stood there like a stone wall—blocking the only exit.

“Crow, cut the nonsense and just tell us what we have to do,” the hoodie-wearing man spoke up again, grinning. “If it’s too dangerous, we won’t do it. We’re here to make money, not get ourselves killed. We’re just regular people—we don’t have any special training. Our limits are pretty clear.”

Crow shot him a look. “Keep your mouth shut.”

The man in the hoodie shrugged, indifferent.

People willing to risk their lives for money had nothing to be afraid of.

The others remained silent, letting Crow continue without interruption.

Li Yi also listened quietly. He just hoped the job wasn’t too dangerous—he still wanted to make it out alive.

Seeing that no one objected, Crow finally spoke seriously. “Ten days ago, an abandoned building in the Abandoned District started showing signs of… anomalies. Our team went in to investigate. Things went wrong. Several people died. Only two made it out alive—one lost his mind, and the other barely survived. He’s still in the hospital, clinging to life.”

“On the second attempt, I went back in with my partner. He wasn’t so lucky. I only got out because of pure luck.”

A heavy silence filled the room.

“But in those two attempts, I learned two critical things.” Crow’s voice lowered. “First—there’s a high chance that a Relic exists inside that building.”

At that moment, everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“A Relic? No way. The Abandoned District has been searched to death. How could a Relic still be there?” The man in the hoodie shot up from his seat, his breathing quickening.

Relics.

Ever since the Cataclysm, these artifacts from another world had been appearing—objects of myth and legend, imbued with supernatural power.

Every Relic was priceless.

Governments across the globe had gone to extreme lengths to retrieve them, sparking countless conflicts over their possession.

If an ordinary person voluntarily turned in a Relic, they’d be rewarded with at least a billion in cash—not to mention automatic admission into the prestigious Golden Academy, with a lifetime guarantee against expulsion. On top of that, they’d receive a luxury villa in the Safe Zone, a high-status identity, and countless other hidden perks.

Yet, despite the massive rewards, only two people in the country had ever willingly handed over a Relic.

Because beyond their value, Relics were the ultimate shortcut to power.

Even an average person could become extraordinary within months of obtaining one. If they kept it for years, they could reshape the world around them.

“Cut the crap.” A woman in a slip dress scoffed, her expression skeptical. Though her figure was stunning, there was nothing soft about her tone. “I don’t buy it. A Relic’s influence covers at least five kilometers. If one really existed, the Investigation Bureau would’ve locked this entire district down already.”

Her words snapped the others out of their shock.

“She’s right.” The hoodie-wearing man nodded in agreement. “You expect me to believe you’re hiring nobodies for ten grand to find a Relic worth billions? If it was real, this whole area would be crawling with agents.”

Li Yi and the remaining few didn’t speak—they simply watched.

Crow remained calm. “Not all Relics are the same. Some are intact, some are broken. The truly legendary ones? We’re not even worthy of dreaming about them. But if we’re lucky, we might find a damaged Relic or even just a fragment. That alone would be enough to change everything.”

His gaze swept over the group.

“Your job is simple. Go into the building. Find it. Even if you can’t take it out, just confirming its location gets you 100,000. If you bring it back? You each walk away with two million.”

“You expect us to risk our lives for that kind of money? Not happening.” The man in the hoodie suddenly grinned.

“What do you mean? You backing out?” Crow asked.

“No, I mean you need to pay more.” The hoodie-wearing man locked eyes with him.

Crow’s expression turned cold. “Don’t get greedy. You might end up making money you’ll never live to spend.” His eyes gleamed faintly in the dim light, like a predator lurking in the dark.

But the hoodie-wearing man didn’t flinch. “Would you really make a move? Kill me, and this whole deal is dead. The moment an investigator catches wind of this, you lose way more than we do. Our lives are cheap—but you? You have a bright future, a chance to get close to a Relic. Would you really throw all that away over a few lowlifes like us?”

Then he turned to the others. “I’m negotiating for all of us here. You guys just gonna sit there and stay quiet?”

“This job is risky,” the woman in the slip dress chimed in. “I want half the payment upfront. No way am I stepping into that place without a deposit. Who’s to say you won’t back out on us later?”

Clearly, the moment a Relic was involved, everyone saw an opportunity to squeeze more out of the deal.

Li Yi didn’t want to be left out either. “I agree. The pay is too low. I want a five-thousand advance, plus another ten thousand once we find what you’re looking for. As for bringing it back? We’re just regular people. Let’s be honest, that part’s out of our league.”

Just as he finished speaking, a large man sitting on the couch stood up.

Towering nearly two meters tall, his presence was overwhelming—broad-shouldered, square-jawed, with a buzz cut. He wasn’t just big—he radiated the kind of quiet menace that made people instinctively wary.

“Listen, kid,” the man rumbled, voice low and heavy. “Since you came to me, I’m getting paid—whether the job gets done or not. If you don’t pay up, I’ll crush your skull with one punch.”

The last person in the room was a thin, bespectacled middle-aged man. He had been silent this whole time, but now, he finally spoke.

“Crow, how about this? Pay me their shares, and I’ll handle this job myself. But if I bring back what you want, I get a thirty percent cut.”

The room went quiet.

Crow didn’t answer right away.

For a long moment, he simply stared at them.

Then, in a low voice, he muttered, “Damn… you guys are all something else. Money over your own damn lives. If this wasn’t a Safe Zone, I’d kill you all right now.”

The hoodie-wearing man grinned. The woman rolled her eyes. The hulking man snorted in disdain. The bespectacled man adjusted his glasses, a cryptic smirk tugging at his lips.

Only Li Yi remained tense—his eye twitched slightly, an inexplicable unease creeping up his spine.

But seeing that no one was budging, Crow exhaled, then relented. “Fine. We do it Li Yi’s way. Five-thousand deposit, ten-thousand upon confirmation. Don’t push your luck. The deal is set.”

A brief silence followed. Then, one by one, the others nodded in agreement.

“You still haven’t told us the second key piece of information,” the hoodie-wearing man suddenly said.

Crow’s gaze sharpened. “The second thing is this—ordinary people face less danger in that building. It’s us—the ones who have stepped into the realm of cultivation—who are at greater risk. That’s exactly why I need you for this job.”

With that, he motioned to the man guarding the door.

The lock clicked open.

“Wait. I have one more question,” Li Yi spoke up.

Crow turned, clearly impatient. “Make it quick.”

“What exactly is in that building?” Li Yi asked. “If even people with cultivation can’t handle it, we deserve to know what we’re walking into.”

Crow was silent for a moment.

Then, in a calm, almost indifferent tone, he replied—

“That building… is haunted.”

And with that, he stepped out of the room.

A chill crept through the dimly lit space.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Haunted?

A cold, eerie dread slithered up their spines.