The world trembled—and it wasn't from a natural disaster.
It began in silence. No earthquakes, no sirens, no sudden explosions.
Just... signals.
Pulses.
Across the globe, satellites registered the same anomaly—irregular neural frequencies emerging from dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of individuals. It was as if the invisible architecture of reality had cracked, and something ancient, coded, and suppressed was flooding to the surface.
Inside Lin Chen's system interface, a stream of messages flooded his consciousness.
[GLOBAL ALERT: External Host Awakening Sequence Detected][Status: Uncontrolled Awakening — Synchronization Level: 11.3% and rising][Projected Host Population (Stage I): 3,700+][Projected Social Collapse Index: 46% (Severe Instability)]
He stood at the observation deck of his hidden compound, staring at the hologram projected in front of him. A world map peppered with glowing red dots—newly awakened hosts—expanded outward in a terrifying spiderweb pattern.
"These aren't just isolated cases anymore," he muttered. "This is global activation."
Li Chu, still recovering from her memory shock, stood beside him. She had been quiet since the confrontation atop the Tower Lab, her expression unreadable.
"They're waking up too fast," she said, voice low. "Most of them aren't ready. Their minds won't be able to withstand the interface pressure."
[SYSTEM WARNING: Host stabilization threshold critically low. Chaos protocol may initiate in high-density regions.]
In the background, news networks tried—and failed—to make sense of the situation.
"Reports of citizens displaying abnormal abilities continue to rise. In Moscow, a young girl allegedly bent steel with her bare hands. In Buenos Aires, multiple vehicles were reported to levitate during a traffic collision. Tokyo has issued a state of emergency after an anonymous individual unleashed a citywide EMP."
Lin Chen's jaw tightened.
"This was inevitable. Once Erebus lost control of their gatekeepers, the system data began leaking into dormant carriers."
"Which means," Li Chu said slowly, "every potential host with the right neurostructure… is now fair game."
He turned to the system.
"Give me projections."
[SYSTEM TASK UPDATE: Priority Alpha Status Engaged][Objective: Secure Global Influence Core Before System Reaches 30% Saturation][Suggested Action: Establish Authority Over Awakening Network]
Lin Chen stared at the words for a long time.
If the world was changing, he had two choices: hide in the shadows, or take control of the chaos.
He chose the latter.
As dawn broke over the skyline, it was no longer the world Lin Chen remembered.
Cities across the globe were erupting in chaos—not from war or natural disasters, but from a silent detonation: the simultaneous awakening of latent Hosts. From Tokyo to Cairo, London to Buenos Aires, the System's dormant carriers were activating en masse. Power surges, unexplained phenomena, and civilian panics were sweeping through streets like wildfire.
On the rooftop of his temporary command post in X City, Lin Chen stood with his arms folded, his gaze scanning the massive digital map projected by his system interface. Pulses of red—each one a detected System signature—blinked with increasing frequency.
[System Notification]Global anomaly detected. Estimated newly awakened Hosts in the last 24 hours: 3,417.Probability of uncontrolled events escalating: 91.6%.Recommendation: Consolidate influence. Assume Core Control Node Authority.
He exhaled slowly. "So, it begins."
"Chen, the Southeast Asia sector just blacked out," whispered Bai Xue, his newly recruited intelligence chief. "Satellite feeds down. We suspect a hostile awakened caused a geomagnetic burst."
"How many dead?"
"Too early to count. But... it's not minor."
Lin Chen clenched his jaw. He'd known this moment would come—the day when the System would no longer be his secret, his burden alone. But the sheer scale overwhelmed even his enhanced mind.
"Deploy Shadow Wing units to coordinate search and stability protocols," he said. "And contact Erebus… no, wait. Monitor them, but no contact. If they wanted war, they've just found it."
[System Alert: Energy surge detected in Northern Europe. New High-Tier Host signal—classified as Omega level.]Classification: Unstable. Risk of planetary disruption: Medium-High.System Recommendation: Prepare Tier-3 Intervention Protocols.
He turned to the digital projection again. "Omega level. That's a first."
A chill slid down his spine, not from fear, but anticipation.
He tapped into the network. "Attention: Lin Chen to all regional commanders. Code Black Alpha initiated. I repeat—Black Alpha. This is no longer containment. We move to integration and ascendancy. All awakened under our banner must be secured. By force if needed."
The air behind him shimmered as a communication hologram formed.
It was Dr. Helena Kraus—an ex-Erebus operative now aligned with Lin Chen's cause. "You're not going to like what I have to say," she began.
"Try me."
"The awakenings—they're not natural. Erebus seeded a failsafe signal two years ago. The broadcast just triggered worldwide."
Lin Chen's voice dropped to a cold whisper. "A kill switch?"
"Not exactly. More like... a release valve. Every potential host is now entering a destabilized mutation phase. They won't know who they are, or what they've become. Some will break. Some will ascend. All will change."
[System Warning]Mutation Cascade Protocol detected.Survival odds without Core Stabilizer: 12.4%.
Lin Chen's hands curled into fists.
"And what's the stabilizer?" he asked.
"You," Helena said. "You and maybe one or two others. You're the only one with a complete system integration. If they listen to anyone... it's you."
A heavy silence passed. Below, distant sirens wailed. Gunshots cracked in the horizon. Helicopters whirred past the skyline.
"Then let's give them a reason to follow."
Meanwhile, on the far side of the world, in an underground bunker buried beneath the ruins of an old Soviet base, Erebus's Council of Twelve convened in emergency.
"The boy is seizing the initiative," a cloaked figure rasped. "He's forcing order where chaos should rule."
"Let him," said another, their voice metallic. "We'll feed the sheep their shepherd. Then butcher them all together."
A third leaned forward. "Deploy the Prime Host. Let Lin Chen taste true war."
Back in X City, Lin Chen stared at the sky. His System interface flickered, revealing something new.
[Unlocked: Global Host Registry.]Current Status: 5,024 active Hosts.Rank Distribution:
Alpha Tier: 1.2%
Beta Tier: 14.7%
Gamma Tier: 61.9%
Unstable/Unknown: 22.2%Note: Position as Central Node confirmed. Authority expansion recommended.
He swiped his fingers and brought up a visual of the Earth. Host signals blinked like fireflies—each one a potential ally… or a ticking bomb.
"This isn't the end," he murmured. "This is the start of something far worse."
Behind him, his team waited for orders.
He turned. "Global broadcast. Now."
The screen lit up across every major news outlet, from social feeds to satellite channels.
Lin Chen stood before a gray flag marked by no nation.
"My name is Lin Chen," he said, voice calm, eyes unwavering. "You've seen the signs. The awakening. The chaos. You feel the change inside you. You're not alone."
The world listened.
"We are not freaks. We are not mistakes. We are the next step—and I will guide us forward. If you are lost, I will find you. If you are hunted, I will protect you. And if you think you can use these gifts to rule through fear—then you will face me."
[System Broadcast: Authority Node Declaration — Accepted.]Global Host Sync initialized… 1%… 5%…
As the system-linked Hosts began syncing with Lin Chen's frequency, somewhere deep in Erebus's compound, a screen turned red.
[Countermeasure Activation: Project Charon — Prime Host Release Scheduled.]Countdown: 168 hours.
And in a capsule bathed in stasis light, a figure stirred—eyes snapping open, crackling with lightning and hunger.