After the series of previous events...
Lin Xian resumed his relentless hunt for the mutant rats throughout the day.
His body was covered in blood and dust, but his steps remained firm, without hesitation.
As the three strange suns in the sky began to set beyond the horizon, the sky turned a dim crimson, as if welcoming a darker night to come.
Finally, Lin Xian decided to return to his dormitory and rest. He needed strength to face tomorrow—which could be even crazier than today.
Lin Xian ran, his body drenched in the blood of mutant rats.
But since the area had been overrun by mutant rats, most people had already evacuated to safer zones.
So, there were hardly any people left around. That was why Lin Xian's gruesome appearance didn't attract any attention.
...
Upon arriving at the apartment, Lin Xian opened the door.
And he was immediately greeted by a warm hug from Liu Yanyan.
She didn't care at all about the bloodstains on his body.
Truthfully, ever since Lin Xian had left, she felt a strange emptiness and longing within her.
She realized she had become deeply dependent on him, and had truly fallen in love with him.
She didn't want to lose him.
Because of that, she had been terribly worried for his safety.
She waited anxiously, her heart gnawed by fear.
Seeing the worried and anxious expression on Liu Yanyan's face, Lin Xian felt a warm surge in his chest and smiled gently.
He gently patted her head, trying to soothe her feelings.
Then, he said casually, "Alright, let's go inside. I'm starving."
Liu Yanyan nodded and reluctantly released her embrace.
But before she could step back...
"Ahh—!"
Lin Xian suddenly picked her up in a princess carry.
Her face turned crimson red. She wanted to protest.
But her body only gave a weak resistance in his arms, as if she wasn't truly trying to escape.
In the end, she could only look down, flustered, biting her lip in embarrassment.
Lin Xian carried her into the bathroom so they could bathe together and wash away the blood.
Strangely, odd and suggestive sounds could be heard coming from the bathroom.
Anyone who heard them would blush from the implication.
...
More than three hours passed since they entered the bathroom.
Afterward, Lin Xian and Liu Yanyan came out together.
Lin Xian had a broad, satisfied smile on his face, clearly in a good mood.
Meanwhile, Liu Yanyan looked like a ripe tomato.
Her head was lowered in embarrassment, unable to meet Lin Xian's gaze.
Oddly, she was walking with a limp, as if her legs were sore.
Lin Xian had to support her as they headed to the bedroom.
After changing into clean clothes, the two of them had a quiet, romantic dinner together.
They dined under the strange glow of thirteen moons and countless shimmering stars in the sky.
A sharp contrast to the world outside—which was full of panic and famine.
...
Elsewhere, inside a luxurious villa, in a warm dining room, a family gathered for dinner. Four people were seated: a dignified middle-aged man with a calm temperament sat beside a beautiful silver-haired middle-aged woman. Across from them sat two lovely girls—one with snow-white hair and a cold aura, and the other a cheerful black-haired girl, the youngest daughter of the family.
That night, the room was filled with warmth. The sound of cutlery clinking against plates was accompanied by soft smiles and gentle laughter.
The silver-haired woman looked at her family members with a loving smile. But behind that smile, there was a subtle sadness she couldn't quite hide.
"It's been so long since we've had dinner together like this, hasn't it?" she said softly.
The other three paused, slightly surprised.
The black-haired girl pouted, "Come on, Mom, that's the third time you've said that. I'm getting tired of hearing it~"
The white-haired woman beside her nodded and added with a hint of guilt, "Sorry, Mom. We've both been too busy and ended up neglecting you. But please don't cry again, okay?"
The silver-haired woman snorted and pouted playfully, like a sulking child.
The man beside her, none other than the head of the Bai family, Bai Zhen, chuckled and gently pulled his wife into a side hug.
"Come now, dear. The kids are grown. They have their own paths. We, as parents, can only guide them... not restrain them."
She nodded quietly, and the couple shared a tender gaze, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.
Watching that, their daughters both rolled their eyes and muttered inwardly:
'Dad, Mom... can you please stop feeding us dog food like this?'
Fortunately, the "dog food" moment didn't last long. Otherwise, Bai Qinglan and her younger sister might have lost their appetite.
After dinner, just as the girls were about to stand up, a deep voice stopped them.
"Sit down."
The previously warm atmosphere instantly vanished, replaced by a heavy seriousness. The man at the head of the table—Bai Zhen, the patriarch of the Bai family and supreme leader of the Bai Group—looked at them with calm, authoritative eyes.
As one of the most powerful figures in the city, his words could not be ignored.
He slowly activated the tablet in front of him and spoke with a low, steady voice:
"The world has changed—and it's no longer the one we knew. The mutant rat invasion was only the beginning. Flora and fauna across the planet are evolving unnaturally, for reasons we don't yet understand. And today, our intelligence confirmed that humans are being affected too."
The three women tensed.
Bai Zhen swiped his tablet and opened a video file.
"Watch this."
The video played. It was tactical footage from a Lian Yue military unit. A masked man—wearing a half-face oni mask, surrounded by floating golden chains—was seen effortlessly annihilating massive mutant rats. His movements were lightning fast, his power overwhelming. In the end, he leapt into the air with strength far beyond any normal human.
The room fell silent.
Bai Qinglan stared wide-eyed at the footage, then whispered, "...Is this real?"
Bai Zhen turned to her, his expression serious.
"Yes. Confirmed by the Lian Yue police chief himself. His daughter was one of the people rescued in that video. And the truth is—since the three suns appeared, a few individuals have awakened supernatural powers. But... most of these cases are still under wraps."
He took a deep breath and continued, emphasizing every word.
"However... none of them compare to this masked man. For example, one fire-user could only release a fireball half a meter wide before fainting from exhaustion. But this man... his power is on an entirely different level."
The three women exchanged stunned glances.
"Right now... powerful factions, private organizations, and even military forces are all searching for him. Some want to recruit him. Others... might want to control him. In fact..."
Bai Zhen looked at them with a calm but shocking expression.
"The Yi Family's Patriarch is even willing to offer his eldest daughter in marriage, just to bring this man into their faction."