Shadow of the Deep Space

Darkness.

It was deep, endlessly deep, with no light in sight.

In this infinite darkness, there was an unbearable sense of suffocation, accompanied by an incessant feeling of sinking—inescapable and overwhelming.

It was a profound despair, a helpless, suffocating sensation.

Just then, in the farthest reaches of the abyss, a faint light appeared.

The light was ethereal at first, growing from hazy to distinct, until it steadily illuminated the entire world, bringing color to the void.

At the exact moment the colors solidified, a pair of eyes snapped open.

A decrepit wall came into view, and the sharp sting of suffocation and pain still clouded his mind.

He struggled to raise his head. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something—a taut noose dangling before him.

Hanging from it was a young man clad in a blue-and-white school uniform, his face turned an unnatural shade of purple.

"Ah!"

The young man's eyes widened in terror, his body thrashing wildly. He didn't know how he'd ended up here, but one thing was clear—he didn't want to die hanging like this.

Creak—

The rope swung violently with his frantic movements, groaning under the strain.

But it seemed futile. The noose tightened mercilessly around his neck, cutting deeper into his flesh as suffocation claimed him. His vision blurred, white-hot spots dancing before his eyes.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness—

Snap!

The old steel frame above gave way, collapsing with a resounding crash.

Boom!

The young man plummeted to the ground, landing amidst a pile of debris.

The thunderous noise shattered the stillness of the night, reverberating sharply.

Cough, cough!

The young man lay sprawled on the ground, gasping desperately for air, gulping down the fresh oxygen with greedy fervor.

Thud, thud!

Footsteps echoed urgently from beyond the door. Moments later, it was flung open, and two figures rushed in. Spotting the young man on the floor, they shouted in excitement:

"We found Su Ming! He's here!"

The young man, now identified as Su Ming, weakly lifted his head to look at the figures by the doorway. Before he could gather his thoughts, more people hurried in, surrounding him in a chaotic frenzy.

"Quick, get him to the infirmary!"

---

Later in the infirmary...

Su Ming lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his face void of emotion and his eyes devoid of clarity.

The infirmary buzzed with chatter from students in identical blue-and-white uniforms:

"What's wrong with Su Ming? He hasn't said a word. Do you think he's snapped and gone crazy?"

"Understandable. If my love letter got published for the whole school to see, I might lose it too."

"Man, that's rough."

"Quiet! No more nonsense!"

The sharp reprimand came from a thin, sallow-faced middle-aged man in a gray teacher's uniform. Suppressing his irritation, he scolded the murmuring students.

"Yes, Mr. Tang."

The students exchanged sheepish glances before falling silent.

At that moment, the infirmary door burst open with force. In strode a portly middle-aged man, barely five feet tall, sporting a beer belly and dressed in a black tailcoat. His meticulously combed hair gleamed with oil, and a small, neatly groomed mustache adorned his face. Trailing behind him was a tall, elegantly dressed woman in a red gown, her neck adorned with a gemstone necklace.

The couple rushed to Su Ming's bedside, their faces fraught with concern.

"My son, are you alright?"

"Does anything hurt?"

"Who did this to you? Tell me, and I'll make them pay!"

Su Ming stared blankly at the middle-aged couple, unresponsive.

Their worry deepened as they continued to prod him.

"Son, what's wrong? Say something!"

"Don't scare us like this!"

"Please calm down, both of you," Tang Yan, the teacher, intervened alongside an elderly school doctor, trying to soothe them.

"Doctor, what's wrong with my son?" Su Ming's parents pressed.

"Your son was found hanging in the storage room," the doctor explained gravely. "Though we managed to save him, oxygen deprivation may have caused slight brain damage, affecting his cognitive functions. He needs rest—he might recover with time."

Tang Yan nodded in agreement. "Yes, let's give Su Ming the quiet he needs. Please, everyone, return to your dorms and get some rest. Classes resume tomorrow."

Though reluctant, the students gradually filed out of the infirmary.

Su Ming's parents, slightly reassured, turned their attention back to their son.

"My dear, look at me. I'm your mother," his mother said, her voice trembling as tears filled her eyes.

Su Ming glanced at her briefly but remained silent. His head throbbed fiercely, the pain clouding his thoughts.

"Don't you recognize me?" his mother pleaded.

"Mother?" Su Ming whispered hoarsely, the word feeling foreign on his tongue.

Suddenly, fragments of memories surfaced in his mind.

In one, he stood in the schoolyard, surrounded by jeering students in blue-and-white uniforms, their mocking laughter piercing his ears.

In another, he leaned against a classroom window, gazing at the graceful silhouette of a girl on the field.

The influx of fragmented memories grew more intense, and Su Ming clutched his head as searing pain tore through his skull.

"Ahh!"

"Son, what's wrong?" his parents cried, panic-stricken.

"My head—it hurts!" Su Ming writhed on the bed, his screams echoing in the room. Memory shards cascaded into his consciousness like an unstoppable tide.

"Hold him down!" the school doctor shouted, rushing forward with a sedative-filled syringe.

Tang Yan and the others scrambled to restrain Su Ming. Just as the torrent of memories was about to reach its peak, the syringe pierced his arm. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, and his vision darkened as he succumbed to sleep.

---

The Next Day

Gentle sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting a warm glow over the spacious room.

Su Ming slowly opened his eyes and sat up with effort. Holding his aching head, he stumbled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.

Turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water on his face. The icy sensation jolted him awake. Raising his head, he looked into the mirror—and froze.

Staring back at him was a round, pudgy face.

"Ah!"

A shiver ran down his spine, and his mind went blank.

Who am I? Where am I?

After a long moment, Su Ming forced himself to calm down and collect his scattered thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he looked into the mirror again.

He studied the reflection, dumbfounded.

This was the first time he'd seen his face.

Five minutes later, Su Ming sighed in resignation, accepting the reality of his situation.

"So… this is my new body?" he mutt

ered to himself. "Must weigh at least 180 pounds…"

He glanced down, inspecting his rotund frame with a bitter smile.

Guess I have to live with this now.