Accident

Chapter 2

Inside the plane, a man gazed out the window with nostalgic eyes.

"Ah, finally, I'm home..." Alex murmured, tinged with melancholy.

Countless memories of his hometown flooded his mind. Despite visiting every year, a peculiar sense of longing always welled up within him.

After savoring the aerial view of his hometown, Alex decided to take a short nap. The journey had left him a bit fatigued, especially considering his recent lack of outings and strenuous activities.

...

Meanwhile, in Alex's rented room, something peculiar was unfolding.

The chest, which lay quietly in the corner, suddenly trembled violently, as though the island of Java itself had been struck by an earthquake.

However, it was peculiar that only the chest shook while everything else in the room remained silent. This indicated that the issue wasn't an earthquake but something related to the chest itself.

This phenomenon continued, accompanied by other unusual occurrences.

The lights and electronics in the room seemed to be affected as if some strange wave was interfering with them.

If this scene were to be shown to others, they might be frightened, as it bore a striking resemblance to a horror movie set.

The vibrations within the chest persisted, intensifying from sporadic tremors to a full-fledged upheaval. Eventually, the lid of the not-too-large chest swung open!

Swoosh!

Instead of a decaying hand or any horror clichés, a plain black ring emerged. Yet, an inexplicable mystical imprint adorned the surface of the ring.

Though it appeared to be a ring, it wasn't tangible. It existed merely as a projection!

In the next moment, the chest shook even more violently before being lifted into the black ring projection.

As the chest approached the ring projection, it disintegrated into fine fragments, which eventually reformed according to the image displayed by the black ring projection.

A considerable amount of time was required for the chest to fully transform. It first decomposed into powder, then reshaped itself into a coin-sized ring.

Once the minuscule matter coalesced into a brand-new ring, it briefly vibrated before emanating a familiar, dazzling white light.

The initially diffused white light was then drawn towards the ring as if the ring could absorb and bend the light itself.

After the light dissipated completely, only an ordinary black ring hovered in the air.

Appearing incomplete, the ring suddenly transformed into a round, egg-sized ball of light before swiftly hurtling toward the glass window.

Crackle!

The impact of the ring shattered the window pane, yet the ring continued its swift trajectory, soaring through the air without pausing.

At the airport, Alex awaited the retrieval of his suitcase from the trunk. After a brief moment, a moderately sized suitcase appeared, which Alex swiftly claimed as his own.

Carrying only a small amount of luggage, Alex didn't feel burdened. Moreover, the airport atmosphere wasn't as bustling as during peak travel periods, making it more comfortable to navigate.

After completing a few tasks, Alex eventually made his way outside the airport to locate the driver.

Shortly thereafter, the driver arrived, and Alex settled into the car, promptly dozing off during the journey.

Traveling through West Sumatra province proved somewhat uncomfortable, not due to road potholes or other factors, but because of the steep terrain. The presence of large trucks further heightened the risk for road users, as these vehicles could pose a danger to others.

While Alex slept, a beam of light illuminated the car. Fortunately, the driver remained alert and avoided a potential traffic accident, though they couldn't help but feel perplexed by the sudden light. Various horror stories began to flicker in the driver's imagination.

Meanwhile, Alex briefly stirred awake before returning to slumber.

After several hours, Alex was dropped off at a roadside location, as the driver was unable to reach his exact destination. Due to the earlier open car window, Alex felt slightly unwell as he embarked on the journey towards his village.

During the walk, Alex encountered a steep road. It was a familiar path, as it led to his house.

After a while of walking, Alex couldn't help but complain.

"Sigh, I used to be able to walk this route without breaking a sweat, but now I'm already tired before even reaching halfway!"

Alex sat by the side of the road, sipping on a beverage purchased along the way.

While sitting, Alex noticed a group of young boys excitedly shouting at a passing large truck.

"Uncle, honk the horn, uncle!"

"Uncle, honk the horn, uncle!"

In response, the truck emitted a loud, rhythmic sound from its modified horn.

The boys above gleefully exclaimed, "Wow, that's cool!"

"Hahahah, great job, uncle!"

Witnessing this scene, Alex faintly smiled before resuming his walk.

As Alex continued walking, he suddenly discovered something peculiar in his hand.

Upon closer inspection, he asked himself curiously, "Where did this ring come from?" Alex felt confused when he noticed the ordinary-looking black ring adorning his finger.

Fashion had never been his strong suit, and he rarely wore accessories, not even a watch!

Riddled with doubts, Alex searched through his memories but found no recollection of the ring.

"If I can't remember, then how did this thing end up on my finger?" Alex became even more perplexed, as he had never seen the ring before.

Feeling confused and unsure of what to do, Alex could only touch the ring, attempting to confirm its presence.

"Ah, this is so peculiar!"

Alex marveled at the ring's rough exterior, which felt unexpectedly smooth and comfortable to wear. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been oblivious to its presence.

Holding the ring tightly, Alex yearned to uncover its secrets.

In the distance, children continued their enthusiastic calls for the peculiar and distinct sounds of truck horns, while Alex was lost in his world.

Suddenly, Alex found himself in a strange place. It was a lush, green area, reminiscent of an untouched virgin forest, untouched by human exploration.

What astonished Alex, even more, was the refreshing and pleasant sensation of the air in this place.

While Alex reveled in the wonders of this beautiful realm, a series of memories flooded into his mind.

As he processed these memories, Alex's eyes lit up with sheer delight. He was overjoyed, so much so that he wanted to scream. However, fearing the presence of ferocious animals in his current surroundings, he remained silent.

With newfound knowledge of this place, Alex eagerly embarked on his exploration.

...

Meanwhile, in the real world, groups of children continued their clamor, urging for the horns to be sounded.

"Uncle, honk the horn, uncle!"

"Uncle, honk the horn, uncle!"

The truck driver, observing the children's persistent enthusiasm, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

"Hehehe, watch this! The master will create a resounding blast!"

With that, the middle-aged driver pressed the horn button several times at rhythmic intervals.

The resulting sound, though not perfect, resonated as the truck ascended the road.

While the driver focused on playing with the horn, an unsettling sensation of the car losing traction emerged.

Brom!

The thunderous roar of a massive truck filled the air, yet the car remained motionless.

Gradually, the car began to reverse before sliding backward.

Sensing the impending crisis, the truck driver shouted out of the window.

"Promise! Fetch a chock!"

Understanding the situation, the group of children who had earlier cheered for the horn sound suddenly became stricken with panic.

In unison, they rushed to retrieve a large wooden block and hurried toward the car, which threatened to slide backward.

As the truck slid, the driver made efforts to regain control, slowing its momentum. The children positioned themselves beside the truck, their wooden blocks aligning with the rear tires.

Together, they threw the blocks, preventing the truck's tires from moving forward.

For a brief moment, the truck came to a halt before the tires, supported by the wooden blocks, leaped and slid back down.

Witnessing this, the group of children swiftly retrieved additional blocks to secure the truck in place.

Alex, who had just returned from his exploration, snapped back to reality, beaming with satisfaction.

"Hahahaha, I've been fortunate! I've obtained the legendary farming space ring, just like those in the novels!"

Caught up in his euphoric laughter, Alex failed to notice the commotion calling his name.

It was only after a while that his surroundings became clear, and he could hear the sounds around him.

At that moment, regret and annoyance washed over Alex.

The reason was, he had just obtained a valuable treasure, yet he found himself facing imminent death.

Alex glimpsed a large truck hurtling backward toward him at an alarming speed. He had no time to react.

With a resounding thud, an uncomfortable pain surged through Alex's mind. Death didn't claim him immediately, as the truck wasn't traveling at a high speed, allowing him to experience the grievous pain before it was too late.

Moaning in agony for a brief moment, Alex's vision blurred and faded into darkness.

The onlookers panicked, rushing towards the truck in a state of alarm.