The audition room was cold, smelling of expensive perfume and nervous sweat. Behind the long mahogany desk sat three judges, including Director Chen—the most feared man in the Chinese film industry.
"Next! Shifa, from India," a voice called out.
I walked to the center of the stage. My long hair flowed down my back, and I stood tall at 183cm, looking every bit like the lead actress they needed. But as I reached the mark, the room fell into a cruel silence.
"A mute actress?" one of the judges whispered, loud enough for me to hear. "How can she lead a multi-million dollar film if she can't even say her lines?"
Director Chen didn't look up from his coffee. "You have sixty seconds. Show me grief. But remember, if you make a single sound, you're out."
I closed my eyes. I didn't need to speak. I focused my energy on Director Chen. Suddenly, my vision flickered. My secret power—the one that made my world silent—activated.
10... 9... 8...
In my mind, I saw the next ten seconds. I saw Director Chen's phone vibrate. I saw his face turn pale as he read a text message about a tragedy in his private life.
3... 2... 1...
Reality snapped back. The Director's phone buzzed exactly as I had seen. He looked at the screen, and his hands began to tremble. In that split second of his real pain, I didn't just act; I mirrored his soul. I let a single, silent tear roll down my cheek, my expression filled with the exact void he was feeling.
The room went deathly quiet. The judges stopped whispering. Director Chen looked at me, his eyes wide with shock. He didn't know how I knew his pain, but he knew one thing: I was the Empress he had been searching for.
"Stop," he choked out, his voice cracking. "The role is yours."
I bowed gracefully and walked out, but my heart was racing. As I grabbed my bag from the waiting area, a cold shiver ran down my spine.
I looked at the person standing by the door—a tall, mysterious man in a black mask. I tried to look into his eyes to see his future, but my vision remained dark. For the first time in my life, my power failed.
This man had no future. Because he was already a ghosI walked out of the audition room, my legs feeling like jelly. I had the role, but the look in Director Chen's eyes haunted me. It wasn't just shock; it was recognition. As if he had seen my silent tear in a dream a long time ago.
The hallway was crowded with tall, beautiful models and actors, all whispering and staring at me. A girl from India, 183cm tall, with hair that reached her waist—I was an outsider here, and they knew it.
Suddenly, my vision blurred again.
5... 4... 3...
The "10-second future" flashed before my eyes. I saw a heavy equipment cart filled with sharp stage lights losing its balance. I saw it tilting directly toward a young girl sitting on a bench, scrolling through her phone, completely unaware.
2... 1...
"Watch out!" I tried to scream, but only a sharp breath escaped my throat.
Without thinking, I lunged forward. My long hair whipped behind me like a silk banner. I grabbed the girl's shoulder and pulled her back just as the massive cart crashed exactly where she had been sitting. The sound of breaking glass echoed through the hall like a gunshot.
The hallway went silent. Everyone stared at the wreckage, then at me.
"How did you know?" the girl stammered, her face pale. "It... it hadn't even started falling yet."
I couldn't answer. I just pointed at the broken lights and nodded, my heart racing. But as I turned to leave, I felt a cold gaze on the back of my neck.
Standing at the far end of the corridor was a man. He was dressed in a sharp, black suit that looked like it cost more than the entire studio. He wasn't looking at the accident. He was looking at me.
His eyes were like dark obsidian—deep, cold, and unreadable. I tried to use my power on him, but for the first time in my life, the clock didn't start.
No 10 seconds. No 5 seconds. Nothing. It was as if time itself had stopped around him. He walked toward me, his footsteps silent on the marble floor. He stopped just inches away, his height matching mine perfectly.
"The girl who sees too much," he whispered in a low, dangerous voice. "You should be careful, Shifa. In Shanghai, some secrets are better left in the dark."
He tucked a small, silver pin shaped like a dragon into my hand and vanished into the elevator before I could even blink.
I looked at the silver dragon in my palm. My power was back, and I saw the next 10 seconds: the dragon pin was going to turn red.
3... 2... 1...
The silver metal began to glow a deep, blood-red.t of the past.