Back on Earth, Lin Xian stood silently in his empty dorm room. For some reason, a strange emptiness crept into his heart. But he didn't let the feeling linger for long. Without hesitation, he began packing all of his belongings.
This time, he had made up his mind—to travel, hunt mutants, and grow stronger.
Where would he sleep? He wasn't foolish enough to rest on the streets or in ruins. Didn't he still have the Pixel World? A place where Liu Yanyan was waiting for him, always smiling sweetly with that gentle look in her eyes.
He even packed Liu Yanyan's belongings from her room—clothes, accessories, everything. As he folded her clothes, his eyes suddenly widened at the sight of a lacy lingerie set. A mischievous grin crept across his face.
"Tonight… she's wearing this," Lin Xian muttered, slipping it into his bag.
In less than an hour, both dorm units were completely cleared out—leaving no trace behind.
Without looking back, Lin Xian left the dormitory area.
His goal was simple: hunt mutants and grow stronger.
---
Three unfamiliar suns hovered in the sky, casting a strange and overwhelming light. The world had changed. It had been a week since people finally realized—Earth as they knew it… was gone.
All living things—humans, animals, even plants—were undergoing rapid evolution and uncontrollable mutations.
Natural disasters erupted across the globe. Massive tsunamis drowned the southern continents, volcanoes exploded without warning, and mysterious islands emerged from the depths of the oceans.
Domestic pets like cats and dogs mutated into ferocious, oversized beasts. They turned on their owners and attacked without mercy. The death toll surged, and rumors of humans awakening supernatural abilities spread like wildfire.
Governments and powerful families began offering protection and resources for anyone willing to fight under their banner.
Yet globally, chaos reigned.
Food became more valuable than gold.
Famine and violence swept through every major city.
Even so, this country managed to hold on. The government remained firm, maintaining order through armed soldiers and advanced technology.
They routinely purged mutants from urban areas and distributed food rations to the people.
Thanks to the president's strict order to halt food exports, national reserves remained stable—enough to support millions.
But everyone knew… this fragile peace was nothing more than a thin veil stretched over a brewing storm.
---
Lin Xian wasted no time. Relying on his enhanced physical abilities, he dashed through the streets, killing every mutant in the area surrounding the dormitory.
Golden chains, dancing like serpents, pierced and dragged the corpses into his personal storage space.
The situation outside wasn't good. Most people were hiding indoors.
With mutants still roaming freely, attacking and devouring humans, fear had driven civilians into their homes.
The government had issued a warning, urging all citizens to remain inside for their safety.
At the same time, they had begun constructing a fortified shelter with high walls. Once completed, civilians would be evacuated there.
---
A golden chain shot forward, piercing a black rat trying to escape.
Wearing a half-face oni mask, Lin Xian narrowed his eyes and muttered,
"Why are there so few mutants around here?"
As he hunted through the park area, something felt… off. There were far fewer rat mutants than he had expected—almost none.
While standing atop a tree branch, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
A black shadow flashed toward him at incredible speed.
His instincts screamed. Lin Xian turned instantly.
He barely managed to summon a golden chain in front of him to block the incoming attack.
Boom—
His body was flung backwards, crashing into a thick tree with a heavy thud. Leaves rained down like confetti.
"Ugh—damn it…"
Lin Xian spat out a mouthful of blood.
Forcing himself to stand despite the pain, he looked toward the attacker.
A massive black cat—two meters tall—stood before him. Its narrowed eyes radiated killing intent and primal rage.
Lin Xian's face darkened. He returned the glare, matching the beast's bloodlust with his own.
Had it not been for his instinct, he would've been dead from that surprise attack.
He didn't speak. Instead, he raised his hand.
"Dance for me."
With a sharp clinking of metal, golden chains appeared from thin air, flying toward the mutant cat.
They moved fast, surrounding and attacking from every direction.
Sensing danger, the cat didn't let the chains touch it. With swift movements, it dodged and deflected them using its sharp claws.
It charged toward Lin Xian with terrifying speed.
A shadow blink—then it was right in front of him.
Its claw slashed downward.
But Lin Xian was ready. He blocked with a chain.
Clang—
Sparks flew as metal met claw.
For a brief moment, they froze—locked in place, glaring fiercely into each other's eyes.
"Grrrrrr…"
The mutant cat growled low and deep.
Lin Xian didn't flinch. He stared straight into its eyes and said coldly,
"Stupid cat… you'll die for attacking me from the shadows."
The next instant, golden chains erupted from the ground, piercing the cat from multiple directions.
"Nyaaaa—!"
The beast howled in pain, trying to escape.
But Lin Xian didn't give it a chance.
More chains flew forward—this time not to pierce, but to wrap.
They coiled around the cat's limbs, torso, even its head.
The cat struggled, slashing and twisting, but it couldn't avoid every chain. One of its legs got caught.
Without hesitation, Lin Xian yanked it, sending the cat tumbling to the ground.
A barrage of chains rained down, impaling it from every angle.
The mutant cat's body looked like a giant hedgehog made of golden spikes.
"Nyaa..."
A weak, mournful cry escaped its throat—as if unwilling to die.
...
From the Author:
Thank you for reading my novel. If you have any suggestions for improvement, please write them in the comment section—I will definitely read them. Also, could you please leave a short comment so I know if you're a real person or a bot?
.....
[edit]
I'm the author of this story. To be honest… I'm a bit confused about the plot direction in these early chapters, so I sincerely apologize if the story feels rushed or unclear. I know some of you might feel disappointed, and I truly appreciate your patience.
But if you're still interested in the world I'm building, I'd love to recommend another story that I wrote with a lot more planning and attention to detail. The title is:
"Back to School, Trapped in the Apocalypse"
In that story, I took my time to build the characters, the setting, and the plot carefully—no rushing. So if you enjoy the apocalypse + system + action + drama genres, I think you'll really enjoy it.
And don't forget—if you have any suggestions, feedback, or just want to discuss the story, feel free to leave a comment below! I'd love to read your thoughts 😊
Thank you so much for reading and supporting!