Prologue
8 December 2022 | tianshu
The cold midnight rain fell incessantly on the highway, destroying the scene of the accident. The traffic police and uniformed police officers who had arrived on the scene hurriedly cordoned off two lanes and got to snapping photographs of the wreckage. Blood-stained glass shards and metal pieces laid on the rain-soaked asphalt road, scattered around an overturned car and a heavily dented black nanny van—the cause of a chain collision.
The highway which saw vehicles speeding through during the late hours of the night an hour ago was now flashing with red and blue lights, as ambulances ferried victims of the massive accident towards the nearest hospital in the next city for treatment. However, not all victims were as fortunate. One ambulance remained on site as silent paramedics solemnly carried a cadaver pouch, containing one of the young victims who was pronounced dead on the scene, lifting it onto the ambulance.
As the rain poured down hard and loud against the ground, the traffic police officers held a brief discussion on how they were to investigate and report this incident to their higher-ups. Although one of the casualties in this fatal chain collision was not an official or a family member of an official, or a well-known businessman or a family member of a well-known businessman, he was a famous celebrity. At this moment, based on the report they had received from one of the casualties, the officers had a preliminary conclusion that this was a fan-related accident. Due to the impact this accident would have on the whole of society, the investigation must be conducted properly; and more importantly, the media should not catch a whiff of this accident just yet.
However, what the officers didn’t know was that at the same exact moment, the phrase “Cheng Yujin meets with a deadly car accident” was already trending Weibo’s hot search. Across the country and even across the globe, phone screens lit up like wildfire spreading with notifications of breaking news.
“Celebrity Celebrity Cheng Yujin fighting for his life after car crash in fan-related incident”.
“18 hours before concert, Cheng Yujin’s life is on the line”.
“One dead, thirteen taken to hospital after accident on expressway caused by fans”
“Xincheng Entertainment releases statement on Cheng Yujin’s accident”.
However, there were still many others who were blissfully unaware of the chain of midnight events. Perhaps, they would only hear of the news when they awaken the next day.
But it may also be that one may never hear of such a news, as if the fatal fan-related car crash never occurred. As if all was just a dream.
