After the Skyfall

The abandoned building was shrouded in darkness, with only faint beams of light slipping in through the windows as they passed.

A damp, moldy smell filled the air.

In the silent corridor, the occasional drip, drip of water echoed from somewhere deep inside.

As soon as they stepped inside, everyone felt an eerie chill. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees, and an unsettling silence surrounded them. The only sound was their own footsteps, echoing in the empty hallways.

“According to Crow’s intel, the thing we’re looking for is on the second basement level. That area used to be the building’s parking lot. But since the building was damaged, there are only two confirmed entry points left: the east-side emergency stairwell and the elevator shaft in Zone B1.”

“For us, there’s really only one option—the emergency stairwell. The elevator shaft is out of the question. We’re just ordinary people. Climbing down would be way too dangerous and slow. So, make sure you remember the escape route. If something goes wrong and you get lost down there, you’re as good as dead.”

“Crow also said that danger starts on the first basement level. But since we’re regular people, we should be able to avoid most of it. The real threat is on the second level, and the closer we get to the source, the worse it’ll be.”

As he walked, Wei Li, the doctor of the group, spoke in a calm and serious tone.

“Honestly, why don’t we just wander around the first basement level for a bit, then leave? We’d still get our fifty grand, right?” Zhang Kaiwen suggested with a smirk.

Li Yi immediately shut him down. “They’ve probably thought of that already. That woman who awakened her psychic abilities is likely watching us right now. If we just mess around and leave, we’ll be dead the moment we step out of this building.”

“I’ve heard that people who awaken can see things normal people can’t. If that’s true, we’re being watched the entire time. Your plan won’t work.” Liu Yan added in a hushed voice.

“Bunch of cowards.” Wang Hu scoffed. “This is our chance! If we make it to the second basement level, that means fate has given us an opportunity to claim a relic. Two million in cash is nothing compared to that. When I get my hands on it, I’ll make that woman outside kneel and knock her head on the ground three times. Hell, I’ll make her lick my damn shoes.”

No one refuted him.

Deep down, didn’t they all want to change their fate?

“Hey, that’s right. My life’s already a mess, so if I’m going to gamble, I might as well go all in. Five grand won’t change anything, but if I get my hands on a relic, I’ll be someone important. One lifetime lived well is worth a thousand ordinary ones.” Zhang Kaiwen was fired up by Wang Hu’s words and quickly changed his mind.

“If I get a relic, even if I turn it in, I’ll still qualify for the Golden Academy. That alone would change my life completely.” Liu Yan said softly.

Hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but feel tempted too.

Because they were right.

The money would only solve his immediate problems. His parents, both in a comatose state, needed high-quality medical pods and nutrient solutions just to stay alive. The future costs would be overwhelming. Five grand was barely a drop in the bucket. On top of that, he had no special skills, no powerful connections, and no real talent for cultivation.

If he could really obtain a relic, everything could change.

But while his heart was tempted, his rational mind warned him otherwise. What if there was no relic here at all? What if there was only death lurking in the darkness? Greed could very well get them all killed.

As they chatted, they had already made their way deep into the collapsed building. Before long, they reached the stairway leading down to the underground parking garage.

Looking down, they saw nothing but pitch-black darkness. The further the stairs descended, the more it felt like a bottomless abyss. A chill of unease settled over them.

Without hesitation, they switched on the flashlights Crow had given them in advance. The beams of light cut through the darkness, pushing it back.

After scanning their surroundings and confirming nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the five of them carefully descended toward the second basement level.

Everyone moved cautiously. Even their footsteps were deliberately muffled, as if afraid of disturbing whatever might be lurking in the dark.

So far, everything was going smoothly. There were no signs of danger.

They reached the first basement level.

But they didn’t stop there. Crow had already scouted this floor before. While it was dangerous, there was nothing of real value. Their task was to explore the second basement level—the place where Crow’s team had suffered losses and been forced to retreat twice before.

That’s where the real danger began.

However, as they continued down the stairs, Wang Hu, leading at the front, suddenly halted.

Their flashlights illuminated the path ahead.

The darkness peeled away, revealing something lying on the steps—a corpse.

Its skin was pale and lifeless. Its head was twisted at an unnatural angle, staring blankly upward. Its stiff, outstretched arms seemed frozen mid-struggle, as if it had desperately tried to escape from the parking garage below. But something had caught it. Something had killed it right there.

Wang Hu clicked his tongue. “Damn, that’s bad luck. A dead body.”

Wang Hu then stop paying the corpse any attention. He calmly stepped over it and continued forward.

The others hesitated for a moment, carefully avoiding the body before following behind him.

But then, Wei Li suddenly muttered, “Something’s off about that corpse.”

“It’s just a dead body. You scared?” Zhang Kaiwen scoffed.

“Don’t forget, I’m a doctor. I’ve seen way more corpses than you guys. That one just now—I took a closer look. It didn’t have any livor mortis or signs of decay. That’s not normal. Also, the position of the body was strange. It didn’t seem like it died there—it looked like someone moved it onto the stairs.” Wei Li said seriously.

“You should’ve said that sooner.” Zhang Kaiwen immediately turned his flashlight back toward the corpse, wanting to confirm Wei Li’s words.

But the moment his light hit the stairs; his face went pale.

The corpse was gone.

“Where the hell did it go?” Zhang Kaiwen’s eyes widened. “No way… It was just there! How did it disappear in a blink of an eye? Did that thing… move on its own?”

Everyone froze, a chill running down their spines.

“Maybe that wasn’t a corpse. Maybe it was a ghost.” Li Yi’s face darkened. “Don’t forget what Crow said—this building is haunted. That’s why they never dared to go deeper into the second basement.”

A heavy silence filled the air.

“You know, ghosts weren’t real in our world before.” Liu Yan spoke, her voice carrying a mix of fear and excitement. “It was only after the ‘Sky Collapse’ event that ghost stories were proven to be true. But ghosts can’t exist just anywhere—they need a special energy source to survive. If there’s a ghost here, it means something in this place is keeping it alive.”

Her eyes gleamed. “That source could be a relic.”

Hearing that, Wang Hu let out a bold laugh and marched forward. “Then what are we waiting for? Some creepy thing isn’t going to scare me off.”

Zhang Kaiwen grinned; his fear replaced by reckless determination. “Today’s the day I turn my life around. Ghosts? Whatever. Poverty is scarier.”

Without a second thought, he hurried to catch up.

Li Yi took a deep breath and followed without hesitation.

Liu Yan and Wei Li also didn’t hesitate.

At this point, there was no turning back.

Soon, they stepped into the second basement level.

But what they saw was nothing like they had imagined.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of mud, with patches of withered, yellow wild grass growing on top. These strange plants emitted a faint glow in the darkness, resembling scattered ghostly flames in the distance. Even more unsettling, several old wooden houses, half-collapsed, stood further ahead. Their ancient design made them look like remnants of a long-abandoned village rather than anything modern.

If not for the rusted, half-buried cars around them, they might have thought they had stepped into another world entirely.

“Let’s split up. Whether we survive or find the relic—it’s up to our own abilities.”

Zhang Kaiwen said this and walked off without looking back.

“Makes sense.” Wang Hu scanned the area before choosing his own direction.

“This place is dangerous. Maybe we should stick together.” Li Yi suggested after some thought.

Wei Li chuckled. “Kid, you need to understand something. If none of us find anything, staying together is fine. But if one of us does get a relic, sticking together will only lead to betrayal. Nobody wants a knife in their back. Splitting up is better—it saves us all from that kind of trouble.”

With that, he walked off.

Liu Yan hesitated for a moment but then also chose to go alone.

Within moments, the small group completely fell apart, each heading in their own direction.