METAMORPHOSIS - PART 1 (Patreon)

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Part 1: The Door Closes

Quan Law’s apartment was nothing special. A plain desk, a neatly arranged computer setup, a bed scattered with blankets and pillows, and a refrigerator empty except for a few cans of beer left over from the previous weekend. His life flowed on like a steady stream—uneventful, colorless.

IT, short for Information Technology, is a dream job for many. People imagine it as a career where you can sit in one spot and rake in heaps of money. There was once a time when it was called “the king of all professions.” Indeed, there was a golden age for the IT industry, but everything had faded into the past after the economic crisis that began a few years ago and still lingered today. If asked what a 28-year-old IT programmer has to show for his life at this point, Quan Law would answer bluntly: no friends, no romantic partner. The life of a coder in this expensive city was just enough for Quan Law to get by from day to day, barely making ends meet—and, of course, utterly dull.

However, it seemed that this monotony was about to come to an end… in the worst possible way. That night, after a long day of fixing bugs in software at the company, Quan Law dragged his exhausted body back home. Like a hard-to-break habit, he turned on his personal computer, despite the fact that the source of his fatigue had originated from it. A rice harvester would never want to see his sickle again after a long day of wielding it to the point of exhaustion, but an IT worker, it seemed, could always keep his eyes glued to the computer screen no matter the time or place. What caught Quan Law's attention now was a notification from his inbox. An odd email had been sent, though it didn't seem like a phishing attempt, as the sender used an email address from a well-known company's domain.

“Personal Security Software Project – 8000 USD. 

Requirements: Work directly at the client's villa for one week.”

Quan Law frowned. He didn’t know of any experienced programmer in his country who could earn 8000 USD a month, but he was certain that none existed. After years of hard work, his current salary was only about 10% of that amount. Not to mention, this 8000 USD was promised as immediate cash, to be earned in just one week. As a result, Quan Law quickly concluded in one word: suspicious. The salary was too high, an unimaginable figure for such a short-term project. Below the description, a line read: “If you agree, please come to the address below at 8 PM tomorrow. All details will be discussed in person.”

Quan Law hesitated. But then, as if by reflex, he searched the address on the map. It led to a secluded villa on the outskirts, far from the city center. All the signs so far pointed to something being off. But the pragmatic mindset of a programmer, honed over the years, quickly brushed those thoughts aside. It was just one week, after all. There was no reason to turn down such an easy sum of money. At worst, he’d only be going for an interview, and if anything seemed shady, he’d walk away immediately. Besides, the email came from a well-known company—there was no need to worry.

Without further thought, Quan Law quickly clicked the “Reply” button and typed a brief message: “I agree. See you tomorrow.”

The next evening, the sky was overcast. The taxi stopped in front of a large iron gate, beyond which lay a luxurious villa, its windows casting a warm golden glow. A sense of unfamiliarity crept over him, but before he could dwell on it, a maid in a black uniform stepped out and opened the gate.

“Are you Quan Law?”

He nodded. The maid said nothing more, silently gesturing for him to follow.

The villa was brightly lit, but the vast space was overwhelmed by a silence so heavy that it felt even more oppressive than an abandoned house. The thick red carpet underfoot was so plush that his feet seemed to barely touch the ground. Abstract, cold paintings hung on the walls; Quan Law couldn’t make sense of them, but he had the distinct feeling that they were watching him, tracking each step he took. A series of heavy wooden doors stood closed along the hallway.

He was led into a spacious room, where a woman sat in a large armchair. For a moment, he froze. This woman possessed a sharp, commanding beauty. Her long legs were crossed, and her silk dress clung tightly to her curves. Her slender fingers, tipped with red-painted nails, gently swirled a glass of wine. But for a man like Quan Law, a single bachelor whose eyes could only judge beauty in lines of code, he was not drawn to her physical appearance. What truly shook him was that this woman… looked remarkably like him.

“You’re right on time,” she said, her voice deep and slow.

Quan Law nodded and sat down across from her, as directed by the maid.

“Can we start?” he asked, a hint of impatience in his voice. Although he knew that accepting the job meant being stuck here for a week, he was eager to get to work as soon as possible, to finish it and leave earlier. He was itching to get away from this villa, and from the woman’s predator-like gaze that mirrored his own appearance.

 She smiled. “Of course. I already know who you are, Quan Law, but you still don’t know who I am. I’m Thalia Lee, the director of a small but quite successful cosmetics company in the southern region. Soon, we’ll be collaborating with a major fashion brand. That’s why I want you to develop software that allows users to apply makeup and outfits on virtual model. To make it easier to picture, it’ll be similar to those old dress-up games on Flash platforms, but much more realistic.”

Quan Law thought for a moment before asking, “How many people are involved in this project?”

“There are many people involved, but you will have to work with them here at the villa for a week, without leaving this place for a single step. Do you agree?”

Quan Law shook his head. “I can't. Although the money you're offering is tempting, I’m not ready to give up my current job with its meager salary. At least it offers me long-term stability. Plus, my company doesn’t allow me to take a whole week off.”

Thalia Lee shrugged. “Alright then. I won’t force you. You can leave.”

Quan Law was surprised. He hadn’t expected Thalia Lee to be so accommodating. He bowed his head in a polite farewell and followed the maid out of the room.

Though he had already passed through the large gate of the villa, for some reason, Quan Law still felt an invisible pressure surrounding him. Without hesitation, he pulled out his smartphone, ready to open the taxi app and leave immediately. But then… suddenly, everything went dark.

When he regained consciousness, the first thing Quan Law noticed was the sharp chill against his bare skin. His head throbbed painfully, and his throat felt parched. His body was heavy, as though held down by some invisible force. The room around him was unlike anything he’d known. It wasn’t his small apartment, nor was it the cozy living room from before. This was a stark, white room—no windows, no clock. A large mirror stood before him, reflecting the image of a frail man curled up on the floor, wearing nothing but his underwear. The urge to run overwhelmed him, but as soon as his feet touched the floor, they buckled beneath him. His body had lost strength in a strange, unnatural way.

The door suddenly swung open. Thalia Lee stepped in, and this time, there was no smile on her face. “Good morning on your first day of work, but... I’m afraid there’s no salary for you anymore.”

Quan Law instinctively recoiled.

“What have you done to me?”

“Just a little tranquilizer. But don't worry, haven't you already woken up?”

“Let me go!” he growled, but his voice sounded strangely weak.

She sat down at the edge of the table, propping her chin in her hand as she observed him, as if studying an animal in a cage.

“Quan Law, do you know where you are?”

He looked around. No way out, no windows, no means of contacting the outside world.

“Do you know? According to a study by François Brunelle, a photographer who specializes in finding people who look alike without any familial relation, the odds of having a ‘doppelgänger’ somewhere in the world is about 1 in 135. And how lucky I am that my ‘doppelgänger’ happens to be so close! Unfortunately, my ‘doppelgänger’ is a man.” Thalia Lee shook her head, expressing her regret.

“What are you trying to say?!”

Thalia Lee flashed a wicked smile. “Do you remember the software I mentioned? Didn’t I say it would be much more realistic than those silly Flash games… because, you will be the model! It’s all because you’re a man. Because of you, I had to spend a lot more money and effort for another week. But be grateful for that—your boring, poor life as a programmer is about to be over. In the future, you’ll replace me, live a life of wealth and luxury. Isn’t that great?”

Her words were simple, yet they sent a chill through Quan Law's entire body, despite him not fully understanding what Thalia Lee's true intentions were.

PART 2 >>