I can rewind time to prevent death

...

In Zhang Chengjing's bedroom.

Xiaomo stared blankly at the three characters written on the paper, unable to resist muttering under her breath: "Yan... Jun... Ze?"

Suddenly, a memory from her dream surfaced in her mind.

Through the window by the desk, she glanced at the street below. Her dazed mind snapped back, and she stood up. After seriously looking at the three characters on the paper once more, she turned, walked downstairs, left the courtyard, and headed out into the street.

Her choice of direction as she walked down the street was entirely driven by instinct. Even Zhang Xiaomo herself didn't understand why she chose to go this way.

At the corner, a tricycle selling twisted dough sticks passed by. The speaker mounted on the tricycle was broadcasting the shop's address.

"Old Wang's Authentic Twisted Dough Sticks, 32 Xinmin Street, just turn right at May Church..."

"Turn right."

Almost unconsciously, upon hearing the words "turn right," Zhang Xiaomo immediately made a right turn at the corner and walked straight down the street.

After about ten minutes, she reached another corner on this street. She slightly raised her head. The side of a tall building ahead had an LED billboard, the lighting radiating small glimpses of advertisements. Just as Xiaomo looked up, the previous set of words faded away, leaving only the phrase: "Move forward and reach your true self."

Without any thought, she followed the words subconsciously, crossed the pedestrian path, moved forward to the opposite side, and kept walking.

At the next street corner, she glanced toward the bus stop sign nearby. Someone had pasted an ad onto it.

The ad displayed a large arrow symbol, pointing toward the street on her left.

Xiaomo hesitated not even a moment and followed the arrow to the left-side street, continuing forward.

In this way, she kept receiving signals — whether it was passing chatter from strangers, slogans from shop advertisements, or a gesture made by someone on a nearby phone call pointing in a direction — all of these cues seemed to quietly lead Zhang Xiaomo onward.

Without any conscious resistance, she walked for nearly an hour and arrived at the entrance of an alleyway.

This place was the very rubbish alley Yan Junze had last traversed when passing through the Space-Time Rift and entering the Void.

Now, standing before Zhang Xiaomo, there was an arrow symbol pasted on the wall, pointing into the alley. Below it was a small line of text: "Please place trash into bins. Protect the environment, everyone's responsibility."

Xiaomo turned and walked into the alley, passing the first large green trash bin, then the second.

After passing the second trash bin, she halted, bowed her head, and fixated on a spot not far from her feet on the ground.

On that spot of ground was an irregular circle left by spilled paint, possibly from a discarded paint can. Its size was just right for two feet to stand within it.

Xiaomo frowned slightly, her mind caught in a struggle. Up till now, she had no idea why she was here, why she seemed mysteriously drawn to this place, or why she suddenly had the urge to stand in the paint-stained circle!

This seemingly ordinary circle somehow held a peculiar aura, as though something extraordinary waited for her within.

After hesitating for less than a minute, she suddenly moved her right foot forward, stepping into the circle. Her left foot quickly followed.

She stood firmly in place.

In an instant, she raised her head sharply. Startled, Xiaomo instinctively covered her mouth, but a scream still escaped from her lips.

Because she realized that she was no longer in that alley — she was now standing in an unfamiliar Void. Around her appeared pitch-black surroundings, yet her eyes could still discern the space clearly.

Everything felt so unsettling.

Then, Xiaomo became aware that a shadowy figure stood before her, a man's silhouette, to be precise.

The man stepped forward, emerging from the darkness, completely revealing himself before her.

This was a face she had never... No! Xiaomo gasped in shock. She remembered now. She had seen this face countless times in her dreams. At this moment, this man's face had become all too familiar.

"You are..." Xiaomo couldn't help but ask.

But just as she spoke, a thought flashed in her mind. The three characters she'd been seeing recently surged to the surface, nearly slipping out of her mouth.

In the next moment, her question was answered directly by the man.

"My name is Yan Junze!" The man smiled gently, his tone polite yet carrying an indescribable sense of warmth.

"Hello, Xiaomo! It's a pleasure to meet you again!"