I Returned, and Now I See Strange Things - Chapter 23: Give an Explanation

This is a story about the pursuit of victory.

To exact revenge on her fiance who cheated on her, Xing Shu plotted against her fiance’s uncle, Cheng Lang. “Was my nephew unable to please you?”

On a large, messy bed, Cheng Lang pinched Xing Shu’s chin. The black Buddhist bracelet around his wrist swayed from side to side. Everyone said Cheng Lang was a religious man who stayed away from women.

However, after sleeping with him for a night, Xing Shu expressed how it was actually easy to manipulate him. She only needed to say sweet things to him in a soft, gentle voice, and he’d give her anything she wanted.

“Mr. Cheng is only putting on a show with Xing Shu. He’ll dump her very soon!”

“Xing Shu is a shameless woman. Mr. Cheng would never fall for someone with ulterior motives like her!”

Everyone in Jing City waited for her to make a fool of herself, but nobody knew how Cheng Lang pinned her against the bed at night. “Xing Shu, mention getting a divorce again if you dare.”

Ever since then, Cheng Lang, a man who once belonged on the altar, was brought down by Xing Shu. He experienced what it felt like to be in a relationship like a normal person, and he found joy in it.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Xiao Yu was humanity’s greatest genius, a scientist whose intellect surpassed all others. He saw the signs of Earth’s impending doom a decade before it happened, warning the world of the catastrophe to come. But instead of being hailed as a savior, he was ridiculed, dismissed as a madman by his peers, and ignored by society.Realizing that nothing could change humanity’s fate, Xiao Yu made a decision. He turned his brilliance toward survival. Using knowledge decades ahead of human science, he constructed the first true interstellar battleship—not for humanity, but for himself. And when the end came, he did what no one else could. He abandoned his mortal body, fusing his very soul with the ship’s central computer and escaping into the endless void.Now, drifting through the vast and indifferent cosmos, he is the last remnant of a dead civilization. But he refuses to let humanity vanish without a trace. Why was Earth destroyed? Was it truly unavoidable, or was there something more sinister at play? To uncover the truth, he must push beyond the limits of human science. His battleship is just the beginning. Through relentless technological advancement, he will evolve, forging a warship that can traverse the stars, a fleet that can reclaim humanity’s lost legacy.The universe is vast, filled with unknown civilizations, ancient mysteries, and dangers beyond imagination. But Xiao Yu will not stop. He will find answers. He will ensure humanity’s flame is not extinguished.The journey into the unknown begins now.