From Ancient Times Till Now, Dreams Are the Hardest to Keep

Night deepened, silence enveloping the entire city.

The peonies on the balcony trembled in the evening breeze as Su Cheng stood by the window, gazing at the distant flickering streetlights, his mind heavy with thoughts.

There was no moon tonight, and the stars were sparse, as if even the sky was lost in contemplation.

The flood of information he had received during the day still swirled relentlessly in Su Cheng’s mind. Now, standing alone on the balcony, he tried to untangle his chaotic thoughts, searching for a viable way forward.

The residential complex was eerily quiet at night, pitch-black except for the occasional chirp of insects, making it feel as though he were stranded in the depths of the wilderness.

In such an environment, one couldn’t help but question the reality of their own existence.

When would this endless night finally give way to dawn?

No one knew the answer. But one thing was certain—time marched forward relentlessly. No matter how long the night, the sun would eventually rise and dispel the darkness. Light would always return.

"Ah…" Su Cheng sighed deeply, staring into the distance before falling silent. After a long while, he finally withdrew his gaze and turned to head back into the bedroom. But just as he pivoted, he caught a faint glimpse of something perched atop a nearby telephone pole.

"What’s that?" He squinted, fixing his eyes on the pole. In the dimness of the night, a vague silhouette flickered in and out of view, seemingly shifting slightly.

"Oh, just a bird."

Once he recognized it, Su Cheng dismissed it and strode into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

He had school tomorrow—he needed to rest early.

Yet, lying in bed, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

His restless thoughts tormented him relentlessly, countless ideas circling in his mind.

Finally, he sat up, switched on the bedside lamp, and scanned the familiar room before sinking back into contemplation.

Eventually, he climbed out of bed again, walked to the fridge, and pulled out a carton of milk, gulping down several mouthfuls.

The sleep-inducing effects of milk were scientifically proven.

After finishing it, Su Cheng returned to bed, closed his eyes, and forced himself to sleep.

Time passed slowly, and gradually, his consciousness blurred, his body grew heavy, until at last, he slipped fully into slumber.

He had no idea how much time had passed when his eyes suddenly snapped open.

What greeted him was a vast, blinding white world. Everything around him was stark white, stinging his eyes. He found himself lying on a cold, hard surface, shivering uncontrollably.

What was happening?

Was this a dream?

Why was he in a place like this?

Su Cheng’s mind swarmed with suspicion. He pinched his arm hard—the sharp pain confirmed this was no dream.

If it wasn’t a dream, then where was he?

Questions piled up in his mind, lingering without answers.

He struggled to his feet, scanning his surroundings for an exit. But no matter how hard he looked, there was nothing but endless white stretching in every direction.

Overcome with despair, Su Cheng slumped back to the ground, letting the biting cold seep into his bones. His eyes reddened with frustration as he muttered, "What kind of hell is this?"

"Creak—"

Suddenly, the sound of a wooden door opening reached his ears.

Su Cheng jolted, whipping his head around.

Hovering in midair behind him was a floating wooden door, slowly swinging open with a faint groan.

"That door…" His pupils contracted sharply. The sight was eerily familiar—it reminded him of his near-death experience. The same floating door, the same surreal scene.

In his memory, approaching that door had been what allowed him to return to the real world.

With that thought, Su Cheng strode forward without hesitation.

But before he could get close, he heard the clamor of traffic and bustling crowds, as if he were standing in the heart of a busy downtown. This was completely different from his last experience.

He distinctly remembered that last time, the space beyond the door had been deathly silent, filled with ruins and strange symbols, reeking of decay.

But this time…

Baffled, Su Cheng quickened his pace, reached the door, and yanked it open.

What greeted him was a lively street scene—cars honking, crowds surging, the clamor of urban life.

"Isn’t this downtown Yancheng?" Su Cheng stood frozen, tears welling in his eyes.

He was finally out!

Without a second thought, he stepped through the threshold and onto the street.

Behind him, the door vanished into thin air—but he didn’t notice.

The street remained chaotic, the noise deafening, but Su Cheng exhaled in sheer relief.

"Beep—"

"Honk—"

"Hey, are you crazy?!"

"Whoa, where did this guy come from?"

"Wait, doesn’t he look familiar…?"

"That uniform…"

Instantly, brakes screeched, horns blared, and pedestrians gasped in shock—the scene descended into pandemonium.

Su Cheng glanced around and saw furious drivers glaring at him, clearly blaming him for the sudden traffic jam.

"S-sorry… I didn’t mean to!"

Flushing red, Su Cheng bowed repeatedly in apology before hastily retreating to the sidewalk, waiting for the congestion to clear.

"At least I’m not in my pajamas—people would’ve thought I was insane."

He looked down at his school uniform, grateful for small mercies.

"Wait—where’s my phone?"

He patted his pockets and froze. Every pocket was empty—no money, no phone.

How was he supposed to get home now?

Scanning his surroundings again, he realized he was standing by a crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. Nearby was a clean, well-kept bus stop, where a handful of passengers sat waiting.

"Guess I’ll have to borrow a phone."

With no other options, Su Cheng sighed and walked toward the bus stop.

He picked out a young man around his own age, hesitated for a moment, then tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, could I borrow your phone to make a call?"

To his surprise, the young man looked up, took one glance at his face, and froze—eyes wide, mouth agape, as if he’d seen a ghost.

Su Cheng frowned and repeated, "Hey, can I use your phone?"

The young man still didn’t respond, just stared at him intently, scrutinizing his uniform as if verifying something.

Then, abruptly, he shot to his feet.

"Su… Su Cheng?! Is that really you?!" The young man trembled with excitement, his voice shaking with disbelief. "You look paler on TV, so I didn’t recognize you right away."

"Huh? You know me?"

Su Cheng was utterly baffled. He racked his brain but couldn’t place the guy’s face.

Paler on TV?

Had he been on television?

But what happened next left him even more stunned.

The other passengers at the stop, hearing the commotion, all stood up, their faces alight with fervor as they stared at him with blazing eyes.

Then—

They swarmed him, encircling him completely.

"Su Cheng, can I get your autograph?!"

"Can we take a photo together?"

"I’m a huge fan—please, just write something for me!"

"Please… just sign my shirt!"

The sudden barrage of requests and the flashing of phone cameras left him utterly overwhelmed, frozen in place for a moment.

"Ahem!"

A deliberate cough cut through the commotion. A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped out from the crowd, holding a pen and a small notebook, which he extended toward Su Cheng with an ingratiating smile.

"Um... my daughter is your biggest fan. Could you please sign this?"

"Hey, old man, don't cut in line!"

"Have some manners, will you? Don’t hold up the rest of us waiting for autographs!"

"Yeah, first come, first served—ever heard of it?" The crowd erupted in protest, hurling accusations at the man.

"Shut up, all of you!"

The man glared at them and snapped coldly, "Which one of you even brought a pen and paper? Opportunity favors the prepared!"

Faced with this bizarre scene, Su Cheng was completely baffled. Without another thought, he turned and bolted, desperate to escape the chaos.

"Hey, don’t run away!"

"It’s your fault—you scared him off!"

"Yeah, all because of your nonsense!" A chorus of complaints erupted behind him, accompanied by the sound of frantic footsteps giving chase.

Su Cheng didn’t dare stop. He sprinted as fast as he could, his mind screaming just one thought: Get away from this absurd reality!

"Beep beep—"

Soon, he found himself on an unfamiliar street, where a bus happened to be idling ahead.

"Holy crap, it’s really Su Cheng!"

"Quick, take a picture!"

"Record a video for my socials!"

"I thought Su Cheng had great skin—why does he look kinda dark and rough here?"

"Are you stupid? Use a beauty filter!"

"Oh... right, turn on the filter!"

"Now that’s more like it—definitely him."

Passengers on the bus leaned out, phones raised, frantically snapping photos of him.

Su Cheng didn’t even glance back. He took off like the wind, fleeing the scene.

"What the hell is wrong with this world?" he muttered between gasps as he ran, his heart pounding with confusion.

"Whew..."

Finally reaching a plaza, Su Cheng bent over, hands on his knees, panting heavily. He looked up—only to see crowds of people milling about, some already staring wide-eyed at him. Instantly, he wanted to retreat.

But when he straightened up, ready to slip away in another direction, the sight before him left him frozen in shock—an image he would never forget.

Su Cheng stood motionless, staring at the giant screen in the corner of the plaza. His pupils shrank, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

There, on the massive display, was his own face. Against a bright red backdrop, bold golden letters blazed across the screen—

『GUARANTEED HIT』

The gilded text was impossible to miss, deliberately enlarged and thickened.

Beneath it, the words continued:

『When his arrow leaves the bowstring, it will pierce clouds and shatter stone—unstoppable!』

『Warmest congratulations to Su Cheng for winning the World Archery Championship in the individual event!』