Everything was silent. Then Heng heard a voice calling him.
As he opened his eyes, what entered his sight was his room. His mind awoke, and he jolted from the bed.
"This is not real. It cannot be real. Wasn't I in the testing room? Is this a dream?" he said aloud, looking around.
It was the same room he had lived in for most of his life in that world. The walls were painted with a wood-patterned color. He had two desks and two chairs. He looked at one desk—yes, the transparent computer was still there. This computer was connected to the planet's AI system. Of course, it wasn't an advanced AI, but it still helped him understand many things.
He didn't have high-level privileges, so a lot of the important information he wanted to learn, he read from books, which were placed on the other table.
He looked out the window. There were trees. Well, he had read that all habitable planets have trees.
"Maybe this is a test," he murmured.
He walked over to the desk and activated his computer.
"Power 100%. Welcome back, host," said the automatic AI.
He needed to find out if this was truly real. They might know his surroundings, but he doubted they could read his mind. So he searched for photos of advanced cities, and just like before—back when he was younger—they popped up.
"Wait… so maybe I really traveled back in time. Maybe this is my cheat," he whispered.
"Heng."
He heard his name being called. That was probably his mother.
Oh my god. If this really was true, he could change everything. He needed to make himself and his parents move out.
He walked to the door and opened it. What entered his eyes was a greyish-white corridor with another door in front of him. That room belonged to his father. Since his father worked as an administrator, it held various documents. Heng was never allowed in.
There was nothing to his left, so he turned right, where the stairs were.
This house was not a skyscraper—it only had two floors. This planet was only a bit more advanced than Earth, but definitely had a smaller population due to its size—maybe two times smaller? He didn't remember exactly. It had been so long.
He looked at his hands.
Then he remembered.
Why was everything so silent now?
He walked toward the stairs. But the more he walked, the longer the corridor stretched. It looked endless.
Suddenly, red lights started glowing on the ceiling. Beeping sounds like sirens echoed loudly.
BAM.
He opened his eyes again.
The familiar scene met his gaze—the white walls of the room. But now, a real siren was blaring.
"What is happening?" he muttered, trying to orient himself.
"I do not know," said Number 3, who had heard him.
Number 1 and Number 2 were also awake, sitting up and looking around in confusion.