C1 Miraculous Monitor

At Linhai People's Hospital, in the Ophthalmology and ENT Clinic.

"So, what seems to be the problem?" inquired the seasoned expert, his head down as he wrote something, asking out of habit.

Lin Hao glanced around cautiously before rising to shut the clinic door. Once seated again, he ventured, "Doctor, do... do you believe in ghosts?"

"Uh..."

The elderly specialist looked up, eyeing the ashen-faced young man with seriousness before replying with displeasure, "Young man, moderation is key. If you're feeling out of sorts, you need to focus on getting rest. Take a left upstairs and see the psychiatrist for some sleeping pills. A good sleep should set you right."

"No, that's not it!" Lin Hao protested, his voice tinged with urgency. "I think there's something wrong with my eyes. I keep seeing a computer monitor floating around in front of me."

"Uh..."

"Are you here to make trouble?"

The old expert's abrupt question caught Lin Hao off guard, prompting a flurry of explanations.

But as the expert reached for the phone, presumably to call security, Lin Hao had no choice but to make a hasty retreat.

After sprinting several blocks, Lin Hao stopped, gasping for breath and bracing himself on his knees. The chill breeze reminded him of the previous day's events.

He had been using his girlfriend Lee Ruolan's computer to do some research and stumbled upon a folder by accident. Inside were risqué photos of her with a middle-aged man.

Lin Hao recognized the man as Lee Ruolan's boss. Enraged, he had rushed to confront her.

But upon arriving at her workplace, he caught them in an intimate moment in the hallway.

Furious beyond belief, Lin Hao had grabbed a fire extinguisher from a nearby cabinet and charged at them.

To his surprise, the old scoundrel, despite his age, was quick on his feet and not only dodged the attack but also sent Lin Hao tumbling to the ground with a swift kick.

And there, right outside his own company, the man called out, bringing over a dozen employees rushing out. Had Lin Hao not fled, the consequences would have been dire.

But the worst was yet to come. As the elevator doors were closing, one of the assailants, with a stroke of malice, hurled a computer monitor into the elevator with Lin Hao.

Lin Hao's head had taken a harsh blow from the monitor. Stumbling home in a daze, he awoke the next morning to find a computer monitor appearing before his eyes every time he opened them.

No matter where his gaze shifted, the monitor remained in a direct line of sight, its screen filled with static and devoid of any image.

Such an eerie occurrence would send shivers down anyone's spine.

"Boss..."

A gentle voice broke through the silence, accompanied by a few light taps on his shoulder, snapping Lin Hao out of his haze.

He looked up to see a woman with curves in all the right places, dressed in provocative attire that left little to the imagination.

"Are you talking to me?"

Lin Hao asked, his expression one of bewilderment.

"Aiyo, it's just us here. If I'm not calling you, then who am I calling?"

She draped her arms over Lin Hao's shoulders, pressing her supple body against his back and whispering into his ear, "Boss, want to play a little game?"

Holy moly!

How could she be so brazen in broad daylight? Wasn't that a bit too audacious?

Annoyed and flustered, Lin Hao intended to rebuke her forwardness but instead found himself asking, "What game?"

The beauty bit her lip and fluttered her eyelashes suggestively. "You know... the kind of game where men and women wrestle without clothes!"

With that, she guided Lin Hao's hand to her chest.

"Hmm... What's your impression?"

Lin Hao inhaled sharply, a rush of blood surging to his head as a series of numbers flashed across the phantom monitor. He blurted out, "600?"

The woman paused, then let out a coy laugh, covering her mouth. "Humph, still playing innocent? You know the price all too well. You must be quite the connoisseur, huh? How about this..."

Lin Hao tuned out the woman's babbling. His face was a mask of dumbfounded shock, his mind a whirlwind of disbelief.

"Just a fluke?"

To test his hypothesis, he glanced down at his OPPO phone.

"400?"

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. She bit back, "Boss, that's not fair. The going rate is 600. Four hundred just won't cut it. You..."

Lin Hao paid her no mind, taking a deep breath and tugging at his clothes.

Predictably, the monitor revealed yet another number.

"30!"

Indeed, it was true!

Lin Hao snapped awake, his breaths suddenly heavy and labored.

The beauty, puzzled by his reaction, was about to lead Lin Hao by the hand into the room when she inadvertently roused him.

Catching a glimpse of her ample bosom, Lin Hao chuckled awkwardly, "Uh, I just remembered I left the soup on at home. Let's reschedule, okay? Next time!"

With those words, Lin Hao wrenched his hand free and bolted down the alley.

The beauty stared after him, dumbfounded, before exploding in a tirade, "Cook your damn soup? Play me for a fool? You're asking for it!"

Lin Hao, hearing the outburst, feigned a quicker escape. But as he tried to round the corner and exit the alley, he collided with several figures.

"Ouch... that's gonna leave a mark!"

Clutching his head, Lin Hao doubled over.

"Try repeating that, I dare you!"

The furious shout was followed by Lin Hao slowly lifting his gaze.

Before him stood five imposing men, one of whom was gripping a young girl's arm, twisting it behind her back, eliciting a grimace of pain on her delicate features.

"Help, please help me..."

The girl's cries for help were muffled as the brute behind her clamped a hand over her mouth, leaving her to plead with tearful, pain-filled eyes.

Lin Hao, momentarily taken aback, locked eyes with the menacing group, when suddenly two lines of text flashed across the monitor.

"Battle plan: Nine Deaths, One Life."

"Escape plan: Win the Heart."

Seeing this, Lin Hao murmured, "Is this a multiple-choice question?"

"Shut it, I didn't ask for your daydreaming!"

A hulking man in front of him raised his hand, poised to strike Lin Hao across the face.

"Escape plan!"

Lin Hao cried out, and in the nick of time, an avatar mirroring his image appeared on the monitor. Mimicking the movements of his digital double, he nimbly sidestepped the assailants' blows.

Before he could revel in his evasion, he followed the on-screen instructions and leaped, his right foot lashing out towards the girl's face.

She shrieked and ducked just in time.

Lin Hao's foot instead connected with the face of the man behind her, who recoiled in agony. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Hao grabbed the girl's wrist and dashed away.

Following the route displayed on the monitor, he swiftly vanished from the brawny men's view.

It wasn't until they reached the children's sandbox at a local park that Lin Hao, gasping for breath, finally came to a halt, the monitor flickering back to static.

"Okay, okay, you better hail a cab and head back," Lin Hao managed between breaths, gesturing with his hand.

The girl, biting her lower lip, fixed her gaze on Lin Hao without budging an inch. After a moment's silence, she spoke up, "Could you... could you possibly take me home?"