Chapter 1
Prologue
The narrow pathway stretches along the road, Concealing freckles on the face of a young man, No older than twenty-seven years, The wind blows, and with it, life takes a turn, Life changes, yet he remains the same, His heart has been claimed for three long years, But he himself is still free, He wears a hat, but cannot remove it, He longs for the hat to be lifted and carried away by the wind. The street withers, but he remains unchanged, The snow melts, yet he stays the same.
A young man with freckles, no older than twenty-seven, walked down the street. He lived on the second floor of a six-story building, in the second entrance. For three years, he had been madly infatuated with a freckled young woman, aged twenty-eight, who also lived in the same building, in the same entrance, but on the third floor. From his apartment, he could see her door perfectly.
The story begins when the man catches sight of a peculiar advertisement on a screen near the entrance of the building. The ad piqued his interest immensely.
The young man was walking ahead, wishing that his angel would strike an arrow of love at his heart, so that the woman would notice him. One day, he noticed an unusual ad on a large, thin screen above the street, and it sparked his curiosity.
The Advertisement
The young man, lost in his imagination, suddenly opened his eyes and realized he was alone. Soon, a stunning woman noticed him and embraced him with joy, expressing her happiness. After a moment, she told him that he had been asleep and she had awakened him. Initially, he was shocked, but soon he understood everything. He was overjoyed that someone had woken him up and held him close. He couldn’t hold back his tears and cried out of happiness.
A few days later, he realized he was no longer alone and walked in the light all the time. He enjoyed the fact that the sun always shone on him. He loved the sunlight and no longer wanted to return to darkness. So, he approached her and asked her to stay with him forever. He cried, fearing a return to the darkness. He realized that sorrow had gripped his heart, so he gave her specially prepared herbal medicines to ensure she would never close her eyes again and never return to the darkness. As the scene ended, a strange logo and voice appeared, capturing the man’s attention.
It was a test, and it read: “If you want to step out of the darkness, then contact us, and we will bring you out.”
After some time, he realized that it was not intended for him, and he understood that it was just a test. This realization filled him with deep uncertainty and doubt.
He struggled with making a decision, but in the end, despite his doubts, he decided to take a risk. Sooner or later, he knew he would have to face another reality.
He waited for the month to end, for the snow to melt, and for Mother Nature to bloom. While waiting, he sought more information about the test and discovered that it was part of an organization’s project called “Beyond the Darkness.” Its purpose was to help people overcome their inner fears and complexes. The experiment was long-term, and the registration deadline was approaching fast. Safety was also a concern. He tried to buy some time…
The Day I Took My First Step
I felt like a newborn, just seven months old. Taking this first step was both challenging and exhilarating at the same time.
“Hello, my name is Li Wan. I would like to register for the ‘Beyond the Darkness’ project.”
“…”
“Mr. Li, please proceed to Mrs. Rachel’s office.”
“Where is Mrs. Rachel’s office?”
“…”
“Second floor, room eight.”
“…”
“The name is on the banner!”
“…”
“Thank you!”
I knocked on the door—once, twice, three times. No one answered. Finally, I opened the door, but no one was inside. Soon after, a freckled woman hurriedly entered the room and attached a small banner to her white blouse. It read “Rachel.”
For a few moments, I was in shock. Could it be her? Could it really be her? She took advantage of the moment to straighten herself up, clearly assessing me.
This is how I met the woman who would become the most important person in my life, Rachel. She acted as if she didn’t recognize me, which didn’t surprise me at all.
The room had bright white walls, with a desk positioned in the center. A window was on the left wall, facing anyone entering the room. In the center, a large bookshelf held numerous books and notebooks. On the desk sat a peculiar screen and an ordinary office chair, aside from its unique logo. Two cameras were mounted on the ceiling, evidently for monitoring purposes.
Registration
“Good day, Mr. Li Wan. I’m the registrar, Mrs. Rachel.”
“Pleasure to meet you.”
“…”
“Your age: 27 years. Education: Mathematician. Profession: Accountant. Is more specific information necessary?”
“No.”
“Aspiration: None.”
“Interesting, Mr. Li Wan.”
“Why? Is it necessary to answer this question?”
“No.”
“Then let’s continue.”
“What is your dream?” (For you to become my wife!)
“Li Wan?”
“…”
“Li Wan? Would you like some water?”
“No, thank you.”
“Please, let’s continue.”
“Alright.”
“Let’s skip that one. Why do you want to participate in the ‘Beyond the Darkness’ project?”
“Because I want to try something new in life.”
“One last question: How did you hear about our project?”
“From an advertisement I saw on the street.”
“Very interesting! We don’t have any advertisements.”
“…”
“I can show you the ad and explain how I came to you.”
“…”
“I’m very intrigued! But, how can you prove something that doesn’t exist?”
“…”
“Let’s make a deal. If you can prove the existence of something that doesn’t exist, I will award you three stars.”
“…”
“What does a star represent?”
“It grants you the opportunity to ask three questions and receive answers.”
“…”
“Alright.”
“…”
“Then I’ll explain and prove that it exists!”
“…”
“You have 60 minutes.”
“…”
“And six minutes for software setup.”
“How is the observation going?”
“Mr. Li Wan is undergoing registration with Mrs. Rachel. She is quite skilled. She offered him three stars.”
“And he accepted?”
“…”
“Yes.”
“…”
“What do you think Rachel is planning?”
“…”
“Perhaps she’s trying to get him to confess?”
“…”
“Interesting.”
“Are you done, Li Wan?”
“…”
“Not yet.”
“…”
“If you don’t mind, could you grant me access to your computer?”
“…”
“Here you go.”
“…”
“Before I begin explaining, you didn’t mention what the consequence would be in case of failure.”
“…”
“Li Wan, three stars literally mean three stars, according to the organization’s rules.”
Presentation
I noticed this advertisement on the street. It immediately caught my interest! As it ended, I saw the inscriptions and heard the voices, which struck me right away. Later, I researched and deciphered them.
“…”
Test: If you want to leave the darkness, contact us, and we will guide you out of it.
“…”
A few days later, I began searching for your organization.
“I’m impressed with your intellect and abilities. It seems you are indeed a person of great intelligence.”
“…”
“Excuse me, the phone is ringing.”
“…”
“…”
“Hello?”
“…”
“Mr. Li Wan cannot be registered.”
“…”
“Why?”
“Orders from above.”
“…”
“For what reason? He’s practically completed registration!”
“…”
“Immediately cancel the registration materials!”
“…”
“Mr. Li Wan, I was just informed that you cannot be registered.”
“…”
“Why, Mrs. Rachel? (Could it be the boss’s fault?)”
“At this time, I don’t have access to that information. The management has said they will inform you of the reason themselves.”
“…”
“But practically—”
“…”
“Please be patient, Mr. Li Wan.”
“…”
“You have earned three stars, so you will receive answers.”
Half an Hour Before
“As you can see, Rachel has failed.”
“I’m disappointed. Clearly, we’ve found someone of significant seriousness. His observational skills and intellect have made a strong impression on me.”
“Mr. James, wasn’t this project designed to better understand people?”
“Absolutely! As I observed Mr. Li Wan, he initially struck me as a rather closed-off individual—until he saw Mrs. Rachel. It was as though she awakened a different side of him. My general assessment is that he found Rachel very appealing, which stirred something within him. After that, he tried to impress her, but it didn’t work.”
“…”
“In my opinion, when Mr. Li Wan first saw Mrs. Rachel, he seemed to hesitate and even began to tremble slightly. He quickly blocked his emotions so that Rachel wouldn’t notice.”
“…”
“An interesting hypothesis! Let’s observe him more closely.”
“And how do you suggest we do that, Mrs. Francis?”
“He won’t be registered in the project, but instead, let’s assign him as Mrs. Rachel’s assistant and monitor him further. His intellect and knowledge could be valuable assets to the organization.”
“It will be interesting to see his reaction to this proposal.”
“But why would you promote someone who didn’t even complete registration, Mrs. Francis?”
“…”
“What is the primary purpose of the ‘Beyond the Darkness’ project? Please, tell me.”
“…”
“To change people and help them overcome their deepest fears and complexes.”
“…”
“Exactly! And what did Mr. Li gain during the registration process?”
“…”
“The ability to look beyond the darkness!”
“Yes! That’s precisely why, Mr. James. I’ll share my initial conclusions with you later. For now, I’ll call Mrs. Rachel to inform her. Then, in fifteen minutes, we can both go down and discuss this new position with Mr. Li Wan. You’ll hear his response firsthand, Mr. James.”
“Please wait for fifteen minutes, Mr. Li Wan. The management would like to speak with you.”
“…”
“Wait, let me check if anyone’s around. I’ll give you some advice.”
“…”
“Advice about what?”
“About this project.”
“…”
“But I wasn’t even registered.”
“…”
“Please be patient, Mr. Li Wan.”
“Hurry up, Mrs. Francis, or Rachel might change her mind, thinking Mr. Li Wan is unfit for the project.”
“Calm down, Mr. James. She won’t say anything that could jeopardize our organization.”
“…”
“My apologies for my audacity and fear, Mrs. Francis.”
“…”
“I’ll forgive you this time, but don’t let it happen again.”
“There’s no one around, Mr. Li Wan, so we can talk.”
“…”
“Alright, Mrs. Rachel, I’m listening.”
“Before we start, Mrs. Rachel, tell me something about yourself, so I can be sure of your trustworthiness.”
“I thought you already trusted me?”
“In part, yes. I believed in you until the phone rang. How do I know you didn’t do it intentionally? My profession requires me to verify everything multiple times to avoid any mistakes!”
“I understand your concern. So, I’ll share a bit about myself.”
“…”
“I’m Rachel, a 28-year-old lawyer. I’ve worked for about five years in a law firm called 498 Advocates. (I hope he believes this.) I haven’t had much progress in life. I live in Blue Valley and also work as a guide.”
“To be honest, I’ve noticed you for quite some time, though not in such detail. I usually see you when I’m returning from work, but this is the first time we’ve met face-to-face. I’ve admired you for years.”
“Excuse me, I’m getting a call.”
“…”
“Hello?”
“…”
“Mrs. Rachel, please escort Mr. Li Wan to my office.”
“Li Wan?”
“…”
“Yes, Rachel?”
“…”
“The manager just called and asked me to take you to his office.”
“…”
“Let’s go.”
“And our conversation?”
“We’ll have to continue it another time.”
“Alright.”
“Good day, Mr. Li Wan! I see Mrs. Rachel has charmed you with her wit!”
“And who might you be?”
“I’m Mrs. Francis. From now on, you’ll be dealing with me.”
“I thought your organization was done with me.”
“…”
“Did Mrs. Rachel say that?”
A silence fell. I’d better defend Rachel!
“Mrs. Francis, perhaps I misunderstood. Rachel has nothing to do with this; please don’t reprimand her! In my opinion, she’s a true professional.”
“Clearly, I wasn’t wrong. Rachel has indeed charmed you. Thank you, Mrs. Rachel. You may leave now.”
“But—”
“I’ll speak with you later.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Come this way, Mr. Li Wan. Have a seat, make yourself comfortable. Mr. Li Wan, we’ve been observing your registration process. Don’t be surprised—Project Beyond the Darkness involves thorough observation. We’ve been watching you from the moment you set foot in the registrar’s office.”
“…”
“And that’s why you called me?”
“Yes, it might seem like nothing special, but the three stars changed everything.”
“What exactly did they change?”
“Your presentation made a significant impression on me personally, as did your mathematical skills. And, it seems, Mrs. Rachel was quite impressed by you. So, what did the stars change, Mr. Li?”
“…”
“I have an offer for you: a three-month contract as an assistant to the registrar. Our conversation showed that you’re seeking something new.”
“May I ask a question?”
“…”
“Of course, go ahead.”
“…”
“Why me and not someone else?”
“…”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“You’re the first!”
“Yes, you’re the first—one in a million. You’ve probably noticed that there’s no one else by Rachel’s side. It’s possible she’s on a break, but that’s unlikely given Rachel’s well-known schedule. So, why are you here?”
“Mr. Li Wan, you’re the only one who passed this test and, I’ll add, earned three stars. You’re the first person Rachel couldn’t defeat. As a manager, it’s my duty to explore your potential and then evaluate you.”
“That’s why I’m giving you an opportunity that you seem to need. Isn’t that why you came to our organization? And really, what does it matter whether you’re inside or outside the Beyond the Darkness project? You’re certainly a valuable asset to the organization. However, you’ll have to prove this to the organization’s founders so they recognize you as one of us.”
“…”
“…”
“I can give you time to think it over, Mr. Li Wan, but I don’t think you need it. Am I wrong?”
“…”
“Thank you for this incredible opportunity! However, I’m already employed. I’m contracted for five years as an accountant at a school. Because of this, I only have seven hours available each day, and I’m not financially secure.”
“…”
“I wasn’t expecting that answer!”
“Apologies, Mrs. Francis. I hope I haven’t disappointed you. I wanted to participate in the project because I needed to escape from somewhere.”
“It seems Rachel has truly changed you. Let’s adjust the offer. Our lawyer, Mr. Jimmy, will speak with your supervisor and request a good reference. Then, we’ll guarantee that you’ll be employed in a similar position after your time with us. During these three months, we’ll pay you €500 per month, totaling €1500. As I understand it, accountants usually earn €20 per hour, but considering school budgets, you probably make around €7-9 per hour, working five hours a day.”
“Alright, Mrs. Francis.”
“I’ll add that our lawyers will handle the contract, Mr. Li Wan.”
“…”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Francis.”
“…”
“I’ll contact you around 8 PM if there are any issues. Otherwise, please come to the registrar’s office at 9 AM to sign the contract.”
“Goodbye for now.”
