Ethan Zhao woke up with a strange feeling.
For a moment he didn't remember why.
Then he looked at his phone.
And everything came back.
The messages.
The predictions.
The impossible trade.
He sat up quickly and opened his banking app.
Balance: $3,041.72
Ethan stared at the number.
"Okay… so yesterday actually happened."
He leaned back against the wall of his small apartment.
Just two days ago he had been worried about surviving the week.
Now he had over three thousand dollars.
And it all started with a message from the future.
His phone buzzed.
Ethan grabbed it instantly.
A new message appeared.
Good. You're awake.
Ethan frowned.
"Do you watch me sleep too?"
He typed quickly.
Who are you really?
The reply came almost immediately.
I already told you.
Ethan rolled his eyes.
Future me. Right.
Three dots appeared.
Then another message arrived.
You made the first move faster than I expected.
Ethan paused.
"Faster?"
He typed again.
So all of this actually happened before?
The response came slower this time.
Almost twenty seconds passed.
Then the message appeared.
Not exactly.
Ethan leaned forward.
Explain.
Another message appeared.
Things are already changing.
A chill ran through Ethan's spine.
"Changing?"
He typed again.
What do you mean?
The reply came.
In my timeline, your first trade only made $1,200.
Ethan blinked.
He looked back at his balance.
$3,041
"So I did better?"
The phone buzzed again.
Yes.
Then another message appeared.
Which means the timeline is shifting.
Ethan rubbed his temples.
This was starting to sound like a science fiction movie.
He typed again.
Why are you helping me?
A pause.
Then the message came.
Because in ten years… the world collapses.
Ethan's fingers froze.
"Again with that."
Another message followed.
Economic crash.
Another line appeared.
Technological war.
Then another.
Billions lose everything.
Ethan stared at the screen.
"That sounds a little dramatic."
But the phone buzzed again.
You were there.
Ethan's expression slowly changed.
You watched everything fall apart.
The next message appeared.
And you failed to stop it.
Silence filled the room.
Ethan swallowed.
"Stop what?"
But before he could type, another message arrived.
Before we go further, you need to understand the rules.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Rules?"
Another message appeared.
Rule 1.
A pause.
Then the text appeared beneath it.
I can only send one message per day.
Ethan frowned.
"That's… inconvenient."
The phone buzzed again.
Rule 2.
Each message can only contain 160 characters.
Ethan glanced at the previous messages.
They were short.
Very short.
"Like old text messages," he muttered.
Another vibration.
Rule 3.
The more the timeline changes… the less accurate my information becomes.
Ethan leaned back slowly.
"So the more I succeed…"
"…the more the future changes."
The phone buzzed again.
Exactly.
Another message appeared.
Rule 4.
Ethan waited.
But the message took longer this time.
Almost a full minute passed.
Finally it arrived.
Some memories are already disappearing.
Ethan's eyebrows pulled together.
"What?"
He typed quickly.
What memories?
The typing dots appeared.
Then stopped.
Then appeared again.
Finally the reply came.
Important ones.
Ethan frowned.
That sounded bad.
Very bad.
But before he could ask another question, a new message appeared.
Which means we don't have much time.
Ethan sat up straighter.
Time for what?
The reply came.
To make you powerful enough.
Ethan blinked.
"Powerful?"
Another message appeared.
Money.
Another.
Technology.
Another.
Influence.
Ethan stared at the screen.
"That's a lot."
The phone buzzed again.
Because the people who caused the collapse…
The next message appeared.
Already exist.
A chill ran down Ethan's spine.
"People?"
He typed quickly.
Who are they?
The typing dots appeared.
Then stopped.
For several seconds nothing happened.
Then the phone vibrated again.
But the message was different.
Only three words.
Not yet.
Ethan frowned.
"Not helpful."
He tossed the phone onto the desk.
The room fell quiet again.
Outside, the city moved like normal.
Cars.
People.
Traffic.
Everything looked ordinary.
But now Ethan knew something terrifying.
The future was already written.
And somewhere out there…
Someone had already destroyed it.
His phone vibrated again.
One final message appeared.
And Ethan…
He leaned forward slowly.
The second line appeared.
Someone is already watching you.
Ethan's heart skipped.
He looked up instinctively.
Through the window.
Across the street.
Nothing seemed unusual.
But for the first time since the messages started…
Ethan felt something new.
Fear.