Chapter 1
Ye Xiyao was a person with an extremely low presence.
How low, you ask?
Well, this month, he attended twelve interviews, yet not a single company’s HR remembered what he looked like.
But when it comes to work, what matters most is one’s abilities, not appearance—or at least that’s what Ye Xiyao believed, until his twelfth interview failure.
Unfortunately, reality proved one thing: while appearance doesn’t determine ability, if the HR doesn’t even notice you, it has a huge impact.
Take yesterday afternoon’s interview, for example. Ye Xiyao had carefully prepared a self-introduction, but before he could even finish, the interviewer interrupted him.
The interviewer asked in surprise, “Whoa! When did you get here? You scared me!”
Ye Xiyao explained, “I’ve been here the whole time.”
He just hadn’t spoken because no one had acknowledged him.
The interviewer patted their chest and joked, “You’re like a cat, silent and unnoticed.”
After a brief, casual conversation, the interview ended.
Meanwhile, the candidate who entered after him spent at least twenty minutes in the interview room.
The result was obvious.
Ye Xiyao’s interview was a bust.
Thanks to his remarkably low presence, he hadn’t been able to find a formal job since graduating.
After all… who would offer a job to someone they don’t even remember?
Fortunately, Ye Xiyao had a high tolerance for failure and never gave up. He continued hustling around the city, moving from one company to another.
Time after time, he tried. Time after time, he failed. He was used to it by now.
Actually, Ye Xiyao’s presence wasn’t so low that he was invisible. People could still communicate with him normally.
But he left such a faint impression, like a breeze without any scent.
You might feel like he’d been there, but you wouldn’t remember when he arrived or when he left.
People didn’t notice him, and he seemed to avoid their gaze on purpose.
The result? No one cared who Ye Xiyao was, no one remembered anything special about him, and no company was willing to give such an unremarkable and passive person a chance.
But this morning, luck arrived.
Ye Xiyao received his first offer since graduating.
The HR contacted him early in the morning, praising his overall abilities and saying he was well-prepared for the interview, with a calm demeanor and polite manner—he seemed like a good fit for the position
The conversation lasted less than two minutes, and everything was finalized.
Ye Xiyao was finally getting a formal job.
He wouldn’t have to juggle part-time jobs, waking up early, staying up late, constantly interviewing, and repeatedly introducing himself to indifferent ears anymore.
Maybe, from today on, his life would get on track.
That was until the HR said one sentence that shattered his dream: “Remember to complete your pre-employment medical check before Monday. If you need reimbursement, keep your receipt.”
Ye Xiyao was stunned. “Is the medical check necessary?”
After a long pause, the HR politely asked, “Is there something wrong with your health?”
Ye Xiyao couldn’t explain further, so he just said, “No.”
“Alright then, please bring your medical report when you come on Monday.”
After the call ended, Ye Xiyao stood there dazed for over half a minute, then collapsed onto his bed, hugging a giant stuffed toy, burying his face in the soft fabric.
He let out a long sigh, thinking to himself that this offer was probably doomed too.
Ye Xiyao wouldn’t take the medical check.
He couldn’t.
Not because he had some unmentionable illness, but because he had a secret that absolutely couldn’t be discovered.
Ye Xiyao lay in bed for less than two minutes before pulling himself together and deciding to put the problem of the employment medical check behind him for now.
Although he didn’t have a formal job, he still had two part-time jobs to keep him from starving. As long as he could stabilize his other sources of income, he wouldn’t have to worry about finding a full-time job for a while.
At exactly 9 a.m., Ye Xiyao stood outside the gate of a villa with his backpack, rang the doorbell, and quietly waited. This was one of his part-time jobs—tutoring a high school senior-to-be.
After standing outside for several minutes without the door opening, a bad feeling started to rise in Ye Xiyao’s heart. Could it be that this family had forgotten about him, just like those companies that always overlooked his résumé?
But Ye Xiyao quickly reassured himself. Surely not. His presence might be weak, but not to the extent that people would completely treat him as if he were invisible.
Just two days ago, while he was explaining a problem to the student in this household, the kid had tried to get closer to him, studying him intently.
The student had asked, “Mr. Ye, why is it that I can never remember your face? Could you lift your bangs so I can see?”
Ye Xiyao had remained calm and replied, “Can you raise your score by ten points so I can see?”
The student had sheepishly responded, “If I raise my score by ten points, will you show me then?”
Ye Xiyao had coolly replied, “No.”
This proved that he hadn’t faded into complete obscurity. He could communicate normally with the student, and the student could fully understand his words. There was no reason the family would forget about today’s tutoring session.
After persistently ringing the doorbell for ten minutes and making three unanswered phone calls, the door finally opened. The parent stood in front of him, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“Mr. Ye, you’re here,” they said.
Ye Xiyao sensed something was off. It seemed the parent didn’t intend to let him inside today.
Seeing his confusion, the parent hesitated before finally speaking. “We’d like to pause the tutoring sessions for a while.”
“Why?” Ye Xiyao asked.
Was it because he wasn’t teaching well? Or maybe the student couldn’t remember his face and had decided to replace him?
Before he could ask, the parent continued, “It’s not that you’re teaching poorly. On the contrary, his academic performance has been improving. But, Mr. Ye, our son is still growing, and besides his grades, we’re also concerned about his mental and emotional health. Lately, he’s been acting a bit strange. I think all the studying has made him a bit confused, so we want to let him take a break for a while… You don’t need to come back.”
Ye Xiyao felt increasingly uneasy. How could someone’s grades improve, yet the parent suspect their child had mental issues?
Despite the confusion swirling in his mind, Ye Xiyao recognized the difficulty in the parent’s eyes, so he didn’t ask further. He simply said, “Alright, let him rest well. Feel free to contact me if you need help in the future.”
The parent didn’t respond, offering only a forced smile.
As the door closed, Ye Xiyao was about to turn away when he heard faint arguing from inside. Though the words were broken and unclear, he could still catch the gist of the conversation:
“Why were you snooping through my phone? Yeah, I took secret pictures of him, so what? … Do I like him? Hahaha, are you crazy? I’m just curious why I can never remember what he looks like when I see him, even though he looks fine in photos. But in person, I feel face-blind… No, I haven’t been staring at his pictures! Fine, change the tutor! Go ahead! I don’t care! He’s not that important, anyway, so why give me a hard time about it?”
Outside the door, Ye Xiyao froze, his lips tightening involuntarily.
The next moment, he bolted.
The wind roared past his ears as he ran faster and faster, not knowing whether he was afraid of the door opening behind him or afraid that no one cared whether he stayed or left.
But he knew no one would come after him.
After all, he was just a tutor—anyone could replace him.
Right now, Ye Xiyao was only troubled by the loss of income, not by the fact that he had been so easily replaced.
He had never needed to be valued, and he certainly didn’t want to form irreplaceable connections with anyone.
This student had developed an excessive curiosity about him, even going so far as to secretly take pictures of his face. Even if they didn’t replace him, Ye Xiyao would have found an opportunity to leave on his own. He always kept his distance from people, never letting anyone get too familiar with or learn too much about him. This was Ye Xiyao’s choice. Because only by doing so could he protect his secret.
–
A string of setbacks left Ye Xiyao feeling down for the entire day. The several interviews he had in the afternoon failed as expected. Not only did he struggle to leave a lasting impression on the HR staff, but he also had his own issues. He was too tired today, in poor shape, and constantly feeling drowsy.
By evening, his fatigue had worsened, but Ye Xiyao still had to work a part-time job at a late-night diner from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. He didn’t have the luxury to stop and rest.
Fortunately, the diner wasn’t too busy that night. When he arrived, he found that everyone else seemed to be idle. The staff sat together, chatting and watching the news, since there were no customers to attend to.
Ye Xiyao also found a quiet corner to sit down, looking up at the TV like everyone else, though no one noticed him. The evening news was reporting on a series of disappearances that had occurred over the past three months. Ye Xiyao was aware of the case, and the entire city—indeed, the entire alliance—was following it closely.
As of today, 17 people had gone missing. Just last night, another person disappeared. The more people went missing, the more public panic escalated exponentially.
The police had been working hard to investigate the case, but unfortunately, there had been no progress so far. As a result, citizens had become too afraid to walk at night. The increasingly quiet diner reflected the far-reaching impact of the disappearances.
At that moment, the news anchor offered some words of reassurance, trying to calm the public:
“To enhance public safety and improve city security, starting today, the Lucheng Police Department and the Alliance Security Bureau will form a joint patrol team that will conduct 24-hour, city-wide patrols. If any residents encounter trouble while out, they can seek help from the patrol team at any time.”
No one knew what this “Security Bureau” was, but the name was easy to understand. It sounded like a safety organization, likely similar to the police department.
The staff began discussing the patrol team as they listened to the news.
“A patrol team? Why haven’t I seen them? We should have one stationed outside our diner!”
“Idiot, the patrol team has to move around! You think they’re gonna stand guard just for you?”
“So when are they coming around here?”
“There’s a police station next door, what do you need a patrol for? Don’t be such a coward!”
Their conversation grew livelier, with laughter and chatter filling the previously quiet diner. But Ye Xiyao felt out of place amid the commotion. He quietly watched the TV, keeping to himself as usual. No one spoke to him, and he didn’t make any effort to engage with others.
When he heard about the patrol team, Ye Xiyao recalled that he had seen them earlier. On his way to an interview, he had hurried through several blocks and noticed groups of police officers wearing silver and black uniforms at various intersections.
The patrol officers carried a weapon that Ye Xiyao had never seen before. Or maybe it wasn’t a weapon—he wasn’t sure. But it looked impressive and intimidating. They stood like a silver-black line of defense in the city, solemn and severe, giving people a strong sense of security.
With the patrol team around, there shouldn’t be any more disappearances, right? Ye Xiyao thought absently.
Suddenly, someone made a chilling comment: “What if the suspect isn’t even human? So many disappearances, and not a single clue caught on camera? That’s not normal.”
“What, you think it’s a ghost or something? You’ve been watching too many horror movies.”
It seemed that the others didn’t take the supernatural suggestion seriously, brushing it off as a poor attempt at a joke.
Someone rolled their eyes and said, “If there really were ghosts in this world, there would definitely be ghost hunters too. What’s there to be afraid of?”
In a quiet corner where no one was paying attention, Ye Xiyao quietly clenched the hem of his clothes, his lips turning inexplicably pale. Luckily, no one was watching him.
Ye Xiyao suddenly stood up, intending to go outside for some fresh air. But the moment he took a step, his vision went dark, and he lost his balance, stumbling forward.
The nearest staff member saw this and instinctively opened their mouth, but couldn’t remember Ye Xiyao’s name. They just shouted, “Hey! That guy fainted! Someone call an ambulance!”
The store manager heard the commotion upstairs and quickly rushed down, immediately saying, “Don’t wait for an ambulance, just get a taxi and send him to the hospital!”
But before the car could arrive, Ye Xiyao had already calmly sat up amid the chaotic scene of onlookers. His face was deathly pale, and he said, “I’m fine.”
Before he could finish speaking, blood dripped from his nose.
Someone nearby shouted, “That doesn’t look fine at all!”
Despite everyone’s concern, Ye Xiyao insisted on not going to the hospital, claiming that he was just a little tired. No one could convince him otherwise, and since he wasn’t particularly close to anyone, after a few obligatory expressions of concern, the others eventually dispersed.
Only the manager remained standing in front of him. After a moment, the manager said sternly, “Come with me.”
As the manager walked upstairs to the break room, Ye Xiyao felt a sense of unease. He had been working part-time at this late-night diner for quite some time, but because of his reserved nature and tendency to keep his distance, he hadn’t become close with anyone.
However, Ye Xiyao was diligent, responsible, and never slacked off. Apart from his lack of sociability, there was little to criticize about his work, so the manager had always been quite satisfied with him.
Having already lost a tutoring gig earlier today and with no full-time job in sight, Ye Xiyao was desperate to hold on to his only source of income.
Before the manager could speak, Ye Xiyao preemptively apologized, “I’m sorry, manager. I promise this won’t happen again.”
The manager, caught off guard, paused for a moment, unsure what Ye Xiyao was referring to. “What do you mean?”
Ye Xiyao earnestly replied, “I won’t faint again.”
The manager laughed, “How can you promise something like that?”
But Ye Xiyao insisted, “I really won’t.”
The manager sighed, “Xiao Ye, I’m not blaming you. I just want to remind you—working like this every day, can your body handle it?”
Ye Xiyao started to say, “I can handle—”
The manager interrupted, “Wipe your nose.”
Obediently, Ye Xiyao wiped his nose, but the more he wiped, the more the blood flowed. Finally, he stuffed some tissue in to stop it, and then repeated to the manager, “I can handle it.”
“You don’t have to push yourself so hard. Look at the other staff here. After finishing work in the early hours, they go straight to bed and don’t wake up before the afternoon. But you—you’re busy during the day too, right? How can you possibly get enough sleep? Don’t ruin your health.”
Suddenly, the manager remembered something and asked, “Didn’t you already graduate? Are you not planning to find a stable job?”
Ye Xiyao answered, “I’m interviewing.”
“Then it’ll happen soon. You graduated from a prestigious university—there are plenty of big companies that would love to have you.”
As the manager spoke, they gave Ye Xiyao a closer look. It was odd—despite being his employee, the manager realized they rarely noticed this quiet, hardworking young man. Only when speaking to him did they suddenly notice how thin and delicate he looked, evoking an inexplicable sense of pity.
The manager reached out, intending to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. But, as if by coincidence, Ye Xiyao lifted his arm to scratch his ear just in time, avoiding the touch.
The manager didn’t think much of it and pulled their hand back, saying, “No matter what, your health is your foundation. You’ve been doing part-time jobs ever since you were a student. Now that you’ve graduated, why not take a break? Give yourself a vacation and go home to rest for a while.”
Ye Xiyao tried to explain a simple truth everyone understands: “If I don’t work, I won’t have money.”
“You’re too young to be worrying about that,” the manager laughed. “Just go home and act a little spoiled with your parents, tell them you need some money to get by.”
Ye Xiyao’s expression didn’t change. He only blinked, his thick eyelashes lowering, hiding his eyes.
It seemed like he was about to lose this part-time job too. Ye Xiyao had already come to that conclusion.
In fact, he had a way to make the manager keep him. He just needed to…
Ye Xiyao pinched his hand, restraining the subtle thought that had crossed his mind.
After a moment, he softly asked, “Manager, could I stay for just one more week? I’ll leave after that.”
“You don’t have to put it like that! I’m not trying to rush you out, I’m just worried about your health…”
The manager scratched his brow and paused. While it was true that he cared about his employee, he was also afraid of Ye Xiyao collapsing at the diner one day and not getting back up… A small late-night eatery couldn’t afford to take on that kind of responsibility.
The manager changed his tone, saying, “Well, if you feel like you can hold on, give it a try for another week. But if you feel unwell, don’t push yourself.”
Ye Xiyao understood his meaning, so he didn’t ask for more. “I understand. Thank you, Manager.”
There really wasn’t much business that day. Before 2 a.m., the manager let everyone off early.
After Ye Xiyao cleaned the last table and grabbed his backpack to go home, the manager suddenly called out to him and handed him a small red envelope.
Ye Xiyao was startled, unsure whether to accept it.
“Take it quietly, don’t let the others know. It’s a belated gift to congratulate you on your graduation. I hope you find a good job soon and have a bright future!”
Perhaps afraid that Ye Xiyao might refuse, the manager didn’t give him a chance to speak and added, “Hurry home, and remember not to take any shortcuts. It’s been chaotic lately—stick to the main roads where the police patrol.”
Ye Xiyao barely had time to say thank you before the manager waved him off and closed the door.
Holding the red envelope, Ye Xiyao felt a deep sense of guilt. He had accepted the manager’s blessings, but he wasn’t sure he could find a good job.
–
In the end, Ye Xiyao still took the shortcut home.
Even though the manager had warned him and the string of disappearances had everyone on edge, he was used to taking this shorter route, which saved him twenty minutes.
Besides, he knew he wouldn’t “disappear.”
This area was filled with old, soon-to-be-demolished buildings, long abandoned and desolate even during the day, let alone at night. There were no surveillance cameras or signs, just dilapidated streetlights flickering weakly.
Because of how deserted it was, when Ye Xiyao saw a man walking toward him, he froze for a moment.
At this hour, he had never encountered anyone else taking the same shortcut.
Instinctively, Ye Xiyao moved to the side. He wasn’t scared—he just didn’t want to brush past the man.
He stepped toward the edge of the road, confident that as long as he didn’t make any noise, the man wouldn’t notice him.
But oddly enough, even though Ye Xiyao had put a considerable distance between them, half a minute later, they still ended up “brushing past” each other.
In that moment, both he and the man hesitated.
“Ah, can’t possess him.”
The man’s voice had a gritty texture, like the sound of coal burning, each word carrying a discomforting roughness. He muttered, “Turns out you’re not human, huh?”
Ye Xiyao pressed his lips together, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, and continued walking.
But just then, the already dim streetlight suddenly went out.
All that remained was an overwhelming darkness.
Before Ye Xiyao could react, he was engulfed in it, losing all sense of direction.
He stood still, feeling a power surrounding him—one that wasn’t human.
Then, after a brief pause, that unpleasant voice let out a sharp laugh:
“Look what I’ve found… A little demon who’s very good at hiding his presence.”
