Night fell, but Minh didn't feel tired, even though he had worked non-stop all day. A strange sense of unease welled up inside him, as if he were waiting for something he couldn't quite name. The dim light from his desk lamp wasn't enough to chase away the darkness in his mind. He turned off the light, lay down on the bed, but knew that sleep would not come easily tonight.

As if inevitable, it wasn't long after Minh closed his eyes that another strange dream pulled him into its vortex.

Minh opened his eyes, feeling his body weighed down as if crushed by a massive boulder. A sharp pain radiated from his joints, spreading throughout his body, as if his flesh were being torn apart piece by piece. Every nerve felt like it was transmitting someone else's agony. He clenched his teeth, trying not to let out a groan, but the most terrifying part was the feeling that this body was no longer his own.

He was in a dark, suffocating space, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. Thick darkness enveloped everything, except for a surgical light shining directly onto a cold steel table, where a lifeless body lay. Minh's eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and he was horrified to realize he wasn't lying in bed but was instead pinned against the cold body of a woman—someone who had just died.

Minh wanted to scream, to escape from this terrifying corpse, but his throat couldn't produce a sound. His body no longer belonged to him; it was bound to this writhing, tortured corpse. Every breath, every sensation wasn't his, but it was horrifyingly real. Minh realized that he was living the final moments of a victim who had been tortured to death.

The surgical light cast a stark illumination on the butcher's face—he was meticulously stitching each stitch into the victim's flesh. His face was dotted with sweat, his eyes vacant yet intensely focused; he was creating a grotesque masterpiece. Every time the needle pierced the flesh, pain spread throughout Minh's body, as if he were the one being sewn. The butcher lifted a knife, cutting away chunks of skin, punching holes, and every cut brought excruciating pain as if he were being torn apart. Minh felt his bones being crushed, his body breaking apart piece by piece.

Minh wanted to struggle, to break free from this horrifying nightmare, but all his efforts were in vain. The victim's memories flooded into his mind like a torrent: screams, indescribable pain, humiliation, terror at being tortured, and finally, death. Minh could do nothing but helplessly witness and endure every horrific moment. Tears and snot flowed, but he couldn't breathe, couldn't scream. A sense of despair engulfed him, as if he too would die with this victim.

The final wave of pain peaked as the butcher completed his "work." He sewed the body into a giant fabric doll, each final stitch tightening, sealing the corpse within the thick fabric. Minh was dazed, his vision blurred, his consciousness dragged into endless darkness.

Minh jolted awake, gasping for breath. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest. His trembling hand touched his face, and he could still feel the panic that hadn't yet subsided. The horrifying images from the dream clung to him, refusing to let go. He looked around the room, searching for some peace in the dim shadows, but found only emptiness and fear.

The next day, Minh couldn't shake the dream's images from his mind. Every detail was too clear, too vivid, as if he had truly experienced that nightmare. The sharp pain, the overwhelming fear, the sense that death was imminent—all of it seemed to linger even after he had woken up. As someone who values logic, Minh couldn't dismiss this as mere irrational panic. He began to delve into every scientific theory, from dream research to neurological disorders, but the more he explored, the deeper he sank into a labyrinth with no way out. Reality and illusion began to intertwine, shaking the very foundations of his once-certain thoughts.

With his strong belief in the power of science, Minh decided to see a psychologist, hoping that a scientific approach would help him decode these haunting dreams. But the session quickly turned disappointing. The doctor, with a calm and professional demeanor, offered only vague conclusions about stress and repressed memories from the past. These suggestions provided neither comfort nor the explanations Minh was seeking. He needed something more—an answer that was deep and precise. As a practical person, Minh couldn't accept the ambiguity and uncertainty in these explanations.

That afternoon, as if by fate, Minh happened to run into an old friend. After some polite small talk, Minh shared his strange dreams, hoping to gain a fresh perspective. But contrary to his expectations, his friend suggested a completely different direction—the spiritual realm, something Minh had long since distanced himself from after leaving his family. His friend spoke of mysterious stories, of dreams as warnings from the other side. At first, Minh found these ideas absurd and vague, but as the conversation continued, a curiosity began to rise within him like a smoldering fire waiting to ignite.

Minh was not the type to be easily drawn into the mystical. He had always maintained a rigid mindset, forged over the years, where only truth and evidence held value. But these dreams carried a power that couldn't be ignored. They were too real, too intense, making him wonder: Could they be more than just products of his imagination—could they be a connection to something deeper, beyond his understanding?

These dreams not only confused Minh but also reminded him of the past he had tried to bury for years. Minh was born into a family with a long spiritual tradition. His grandmother was a famous medium, respected and trusted by many in the region. As a child, Minh had witnessed many of the mysterious rituals his family performed, but rather than being fascinated, he felt fear and wanted to escape the shadow of his family. Minh grew up torn between spiritual beliefs and the desire to become a man of reason and science.

As an adult, Minh was determined to leave his family behind, distancing himself from anything related to spirituality. He built his life based on logic, evidence, and science, becoming a successful person. But now, these strange dreams were pulling him back to the past he had tried to forget. The dreams weren't just simple nightmares; they seemed to be a door opening to a world he had abandoned, a world he didn't want to face.

This internal struggle didn't deter Minh; on the contrary, it challenged his resolute nature. Although he wasn't yet fully convinced of the supernatural, Minh understood that sometimes one must explore all possibilities before drawing a final conclusion. With the unyielding spirit of a Capricorn, Minh decided that nothing would stop him. He began to research mysterious phenomena related to dreams, experts in this field, and places believed to be influenced by forces that science has yet to explain.

Minh knew he was embarking on a journey he had never imagined. This wasn't just a quest for the truth; it was also a journey to confront himself—with his fears and unanswered questions. These dreams might be a warning or a piece of a larger puzzle that he had to solve. He didn't know what awaited him, but one thing was certain: He wouldn't let ambiguity or fear control his life.

With that determination, Minh stepped into the journey to uncover the secrets hidden behind the strange dreams. No matter the outcome, he wouldn't stop until everything became clear.