Xiaole's Vanishing Night.Xiaole had always loved the rhythm ..
Added 2025-04-14 16:49:58 +0000 UTCXiaole's Vanishing Night.
Xiaole had always loved the rhythm of his night runs. The track at the edge of the city, dimly lit and mostly deserted, offered him peace after long days of training with the Taiwan national team. That evening, he slipped into his sleek, long-sleeved compression top, the cool air brushing against his legs as he jogged past the empty bleachers.
But something felt off.
A figure loomed near the entrance gate, just out of focus, yet clearly there. Xiaole glanced back once, then again. The figure followed.
He picked up his pace, heart racing, not from exertion, but instinct. He turned a corner near the equipment shed and a hand grabbed him.
He struggled, but another grabbed his waist. Before he could yell, he was shoved into the back of a black van. The doors slammed shut, and darkness took over.
When he woke, the first thing he noticed was the silence. Then, the ropes. His wrists were tied behind him, ankles bound. He wasn’t blindfolded or gagged, which only made the situation more unnerving. He lay on a cold concrete floor, a single flickering light above him.
Strangers, faces unfamiliar and unreadable stood nearby. They said nothing, only watched. One of them, wearing a dark hoodie, approached and crouched beside him. He didn’t speak. He just… smiled.
Xiaole’s breath caught when he saw what the man held a roll of silver tape, gleaming under the dim light.
