Prologue: The Awakening of the Sleeping Building

In the summer twilight, golden sunlight slanted across the city's skyscrapers. In the heart of this bustling metropolis stood a seemingly ordinary apartment building. Its exterior was unremarkable, with concrete and glass walls reflecting the last rays of the setting sun. However, at this moment, something seemed to be quietly awakening inside the building.

Alex stood in front of the building, looking up at the structure that would become his new home. At twenty-five, he had just graduated from architecture school. His short brown hair was slightly messy, and his eyes revealed a mix of anticipation and nervousness about the future. He took a deep breath and pulled his suitcase towards the entrance.

"Welcome to Silver Moon Apartments," the receptionist smiled, "You must be a new resident?"

Alex nodded, "Yes, I'm Alex Chen. I've booked room 1205."

The receptionist checked the computer and handed him a key card. "Your room is on the 12th floor; the elevator is on your right. Enjoy your stay!"

Alex thanked her and walked towards the elevator. As he stood in front of it, he suddenly felt an inexplicable chill. He shook his head, attributing the feeling to nervousness about the new environment, and pressed the up button.

The elevator doors slowly opened, and Alex dragged his luggage inside. Just as he was about to press the button for the 12th floor, he froze. On the elevator panel, between floors 12 and 14, there was a button for the 13th floor.

"Strange," Alex muttered to himself, "I remember the information saying this building only had 25 floors, with no 13th floor."

He checked carefully, confirming he wasn't mistaken. Out of professional habit and curiosity, Alex pressed the 13th floor button, but nothing happened. He shrugged and finally pressed the button for the 12th floor.

The elevator rose smoothly, quickly reaching the 12th floor. Alex pulled his luggage out of the elevator and arrived at room 1205. He used the key card to open the door, and as he pushed it open, a cool breeze greeted him.

The room was spacious and bright, with a minimalist modern style that suited Alex perfectly. He put his luggage aside and walked to the window. From here, he could overlook the entire city, with the last rays of the setting sun coating the city in a golden hue.

As Alex was admiring this beautiful view, he heard a faint "click" behind him. He turned around but saw nothing.

"It's probably just some noise from the new house," Alex reassured himself. He began unpacking, preparing to spend his first night in his new home.

As night fell, Alex finished his shower and was getting ready for bed. Suddenly, he heard footsteps in the hallway outside. The footsteps were light, but particularly clear in the quiet of the night. Alex frowned, walked to the door, and looked out through the peephole.

The hallway was empty, with only the dim light shining quietly. Alex was about to turn away when he saw a shadow quickly flash by. He abruptly opened the door and poked his head out to check, but the hallway remained empty.

"Am I too tired?" Alex muttered, closing the door and returning to bed.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, the temperature in the room suddenly dropped. Alex wrapped the blanket tighter around himself but found his breath forming white mist in the air. He sat up startled, discovering a thin layer of mist permeating the room.

"What's going on?" Alex looked around in panic. At that moment, his gaze was drawn to something. In the corner of the room, a blurry human figure appeared faintly.

Alex's heart raced, and he tried to speak but found he couldn't make a sound. The figure seemed to sense his presence and slowly turned around. In the dim light, Alex saw the face of a young man, whose eyes were like deep black holes, as if they could suck away one's soul.

Just as Alex thought he was about to suffocate, the figure suddenly vanished. The room's temperature quickly rose, and the mist dissipated without a trace. Alex gasped for air, cold sweat soaking his pajamas.

He jumped out of bed, turned on all the lights, and carefully checked every corner of the room, but found nothing unusual. Alex leaned against the wall, his heart still pounding.

"What on earth is going on?" he said to himself, "Am I hallucinating?"

Alex picked up his phone, wanting to call a friend to confide in, but ultimately gave up. He didn't want to be seen as a neurotic weirdo on his first day.

He walked to the window, gazing at the night view of the city. The bustling metropolis was brightly lit, with a steady stream of traffic, everything looking so normal. But Alex knew that just a few minutes ago, he had experienced something that defied ordinary explanation.

"Maybe... it was just a strange dream?" Alex tried to convince himself, but deep down, he knew that everything that had just happened was real.

He returned to bed but couldn't sleep all night. Every time he closed his eyes, the face of the mysterious figure would appear in his mind. Alex felt that his life would undergo a drastic change starting from tonight.

Meanwhile, in some corner of the building, a figure stood quietly in the shadows, watching Alex's window. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a mysterious smile.

"Welcome to Silver Moon Apartments, Alex," he whispered, "Your adventure has only just begun."

With these words, his figure gradually melted into the darkness, as if he had never existed. The building returned to silence once more, but beneath this silence, a mysterious force was quietly surging, waiting for the moment to be revealed.