Lu Jinchen's eyes slowly fluttered open. The bright ceiling light stung his vision, and he blinked a few times before his eyes adjusted. His head throbbed painfully, and his entire body ached as if he had been hit by something heavy.
Confused, he looked around and realized that he was in his own bedroom. He tried to sit up, but something held him down. That's when he noticed the ropes—his hands and feet were tied tightly to the bedposts. His mouth was gagged with a cloth, making it hard to breathe.
Panic and confusion crept in as he tried to move again.
What was going on? he thought, his mind spinning.
He tried to recall what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being at the banquet. After that—nothing. Everything had gone blank. He frowned. That had never happened before.
