夜雨walloped the city, streets shrouded in a gloomy mist. Inside the dimly lit rented apartment, the only light came from the computer screen, casting shadows on the worn-out chair and desk. Lin Chen, 28 years old, stared blankly at the ceiling, his face etched with fatigue and desolation. He had just been laid off from his job, his heart broken by a recent breakup. Life had dealt him a cruel blow, and he felt utterly lost.

He sighed deeply, the sound muffled by the rain against the window. In desperation, he had turned to his hobby—reading web novels. It was a cheap and easy escape, even if it only brought temporary solace.

He was engrossed in a fantasy novel when it suddenly stopped. A loud crash echoed through the room, startling him. He looked up to see a bolt of lightning striking the歪脖子树 outside his window, the tree's crooked trunk splitting under the force. A second later, a warm, tingling sensation spread over his body, and he lost consciousness.