Chapter 1: The Mysterious Letter

The letter arrived on a typical Wednesday morning, its cream-colored envelope standing out among the bills and advertisements that usually filled the mailbox. Y, a young and aspiring journalist, picked it up and examined it carefully. There was no return address, and the only indication of who might have sent it was a small, intricately designed wax seal bearing the image of a crescent moon. Y's curiosity was piqued. She carefully broke the seal and pulled out the letter, unfolding it to reveal a single sheet of paper with a brief message typed on it: "Meet me at the old oak tree in Riverview Park at midnight. Come alone. I have information about the Blackwood case that will change everything." Y's mind immediately began racing with questions. The Blackwood case was a notorious unsolved mystery that had been making headlines for months. A wealthy businessman had been found dead in his mansion, with no leads or suspects to speak of. As a journalist, Y had been following the case closely, but she had never gotten close to getting any real scoops. She wondered who could have sent this letter and what they might know about the case. Could it be a genuine tip, or was it just a prank? And why did they want to meet in secret at midnight? Y decided that she had to go to the meeting. She couldn't just ignore the letter and possibly miss out on a huge story. But as she thought about it more, she began to feel a sense of unease. What if it was a trap? What if she was walking into something she couldn't handle? As the day went on, Y found herself growing more and more anxious. She tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept wandering back to the letter and the mysterious meeting. At midnight, Y found herself standing outside Riverview Park, her heart pounding in her chest. The old oak tree loomed in front of her, its branches creaking in the wind. She took a deep breath and stepped into the park, her eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. As she approached the tree, a figure emerged from the shadows. Y's instincts told her to be cautious, but her journalistic curiosity got the better of her. She took a step forward, her voice barely above a whisper. "Who are you?" she asked. The figure didn't respond, but instead beckoned her closer. Y hesitated for a moment, and then took another step forward, her eyes fixed on the mysterious stranger...