Chapter 1: The World Begins to Feel Off

“Alright, go home and get a good night’s sleep. Then forget about today’s events.” The police officer before them looked somewhat solemn.

“But…”

“I know it’s not easy to forget something like this immediately. Take a few days off at home to rest. Additionally, you just signed an agreement - what happened tonight must remain confidential; otherwise… I’m sure you understand the implications.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. Our team has already visited your residence, cleaning up all traces of blood, and conducted a thorough sweep of the neighborhood. For the next month, we’ll discreetly arrange for officers to patrol the area, ensuring nothing like this happens again.”

“But…” Duan Wenxuan’s face turned pale, still visibly shaken as he unconsciously reached toward his pocket where his cigarettes usually were. However, since it was his duty time, he hadn’t brought them along. “Okay,” he finally relented.

Duan Wenxuan had no further objections.

His friend Zong Cheng gently patted him on the shoulder from beside.

“Go back home.” The police officer glanced outside; it was already early morning, and hailing a taxi wouldn’t be difficult. Using a police car to escort Duan Wenxuan would draw too much attention.

“Thank you, Officer Uncle.”

The term “Officer Uncle” momentarily amused the police officer, “…your cat…”

“Oh.” Duan Wenxuan suddenly realized that since calling the police from his home until arriving at the station, he had continuously held onto that peculiar eerie cat, “Here, take this…”

For some reason, Duan Wenxuan’s face paled further as he attempted to hand the cat to the police officer. However, he could feel the cat extending its claws and gently digging into his skin—not particularly painful but seemingly carrying a warning tone.

“What are you thinking? Do you see me as someone who’d accept such things? My daughter loves cats, I’m just acknowledging how cute it is.” The police officer relaxedly stroked the fluffy, soft white cat’s head. It was evident that he genuinely appreciated the charming and quiet nature of the white cat.

“Alright, go on now.”

Duan Wenxuan hesitated slightly, but fear ultimately overcame any words he wanted to say. He followed Zong Cheng out of the police station entrance. The early morning air carried a chill, and with a deep breath, Duan Wenxuan felt his somewhat dazed mind clear up a bit.

Zong Cheng promptly hailed a taxi.

In the back seat, neither Duan Wenxuan nor Zong Cheng spoke, as the events of last night had profoundly shaken their worldview built over twenty-five years.

Just five hours ago, around 12:30 AM…

Duan Wenxuan, who was no more extraordinary than being slightly handsome, young, and owning two residential properties along with two commercial units, plus savings amounting to nearly seven or eight hundred thousand yuan, also needed sleep like anyone else.

At that time, he was deeply asleep.

Yet amidst his slumber, Duan Wenxuan suddenly felt a chill on his face accompanied by something heavy pressing against his chest, making it difficult to breathe. The final gust of cold wind even carried a sprinkle of icy rain—a combination potent enough to rouse even the deepest sleeper.

Upon opening his eyes and turning on the light, Duan Wenxuan discovered that the window in his bedroom was open.

That couldn’t be right.

Considering the chilly weather, Duan Wenxuan would never forget to close his windows. His first thought was of a burglar, but the issue was that he lived on the ninth floor; for a thief to climb up here would make them practically Spider-Man.

However, they might not have climbed; perhaps they entered through the door instead.

Money wasn’t important; survival was paramount.

Duan Wenxuan had no intention of investigating further. Ignoring the cold, he grabbed his phone and hastily shoved aside a cat that mysteriously appeared, perched on his chest. Turning swiftly, he bolted out of the bedroom.

As soon as he opened the door, Duan Wenxuan heard a deafening scream—so loud that his ears instantly hurt, causing him to cover them and collapse onto the floor.

It must have woken up all the neighbors in the building; hopefully, they wouldn’t think it was him screaming.

Sweating profusely from pain, that’s what raced through Duan Wenxuan’s mind.

Then, he saw a woman—or rather, definitely not a woman—it was something akin to an aberration, moving on all fours with its elongated neck stretched upward. With agility, this creature leaped effortlessly into the room through the window. Outside seemed to be raining, as her long, damp hair clung wetly to her back and shoulders.

Th-this-this-this…

What the hell is that?

Shaking uncontrollably, Duan Wenxuan tried to take a photo for posterity with his cell phone but found his hands trembled too much, failing repeatedly to unlock it via fingerprint recognition.

After about three or four seconds, the monstrous entity, grinning eerily, charged straight towards Duan Wenxuan.

Well, shit.

Duan Wenxuan closed his eyes and, at this life-or-death moment, summoned all his wits and strength. He grabbed the white cat, which had somehow appeared near him, and hurled it towards the woman, along with nearby items like the bedside lamp and books, sending everything crashing towards her.

Then, he swiftly opened the bedroom door and fled outside, clutching his phone tightly.

Upon exiting, he saw Zong Cheng standing by his doorstep, ready to knock.

“What’s wrong? I’ve already called the police.”

Being childhood friends since kindergarten, Duan Wenxuan didn’t abandon his buddy even amidst danger. However, without concerning himself further with others’ safety, he dragged Zong Cheng towards the elevator.

They sprinted non-stop to the entrance of the residential community, Duan Wenxuan’s legs still trembling severely.

“What happened? If it’s that dangerous, staying just at the neighborhood gate isn’t safe enough. Let’s run farther away,” said Zong Cheng, whose sharp mind and years-long brotherly bond made them practically inseparable. Even if Duan Wenxuan seriously claimed there were aliens, Zong Cheng would consider believing him.

“Y-you… drive your car over here, we’ll wait inside. Once the police arrive, it’ll be fine. But if they’re not here in time, we’ll make a run for it. It’s hard to explain right now,” Duan Wenxuan panted heavily.

Without hesitation, Zong Cheng went to the garage and brought his car over.

Upon returning, he noticed a white cat nestled quietly at Duan Wenxuan’s feet.

Duan Wenxuan looked on the verge of tears from fear, then swiftly climbed into the car. The white cat, moving quickly, followed him inside.

After about seven or eight minutes, police cars arrived.

The area was evacuated, caution tape set up, and Duan Wenxuan along with Zong Cheng were initially taken to the police station. During their statements, amidst the chaos, Duan Wenxuan recounted everything he could remember clearly.

Initially, Duan Wenxuan didn’t take the cat seriously, assuming it was just someone’s pet that had accidentally wandered in. However, no ordinary cat could collide with a mutant and emerge unscathed, nor would it remain unfazed afterward, quietly and accurately finding its way back to him.

As soon as he tried to describe the eerie nature of the cat, Duan Wenxuan felt haunted by a pair of eerie green eyes, chilling him so deeply that he dared not speak about it.

He remained restless until early morning, his eyes bloodshot from strain.

Finally, the police informed Duan Wenxuan that the woman wasn’t a mutant; he shouldn’t jump to wild conclusions. She merely suffered from a peculiar illness and had recently escaped from the hospital.

Now, things took a turn for the worse. Had she stayed at the hospital, there might have been a chance for treatment, but now any hope was lost, and she had already been fatally shot.

Duan Wenxuan was warned against spreading misinformation, disrupting public order, or causing panic through rumors. Additionally, they had him sign several agreements. In a daze, regardless of where he was directed, Duan Wenxuan signed without hesitation.

Early morning.

Life in the neighborhood returned to normal, despite the commotion caused by last night’s events. The police worked tirelessly throughout the night to dispel rumors within the community, tightened control over all citywide psych wards, and pledged regular police patrols for the neighborhood’s protection.

So now… everything is fine again.

When Duan Wenxuan opened his door, he still felt a bit fearful. However, upon entering, he discovered that indeed, there was nothing amiss inside. The police officers had thoughtfully restored everything to its original state, even cleaning up and replacing the broken items. They went as far as prying out the damaged bedroom floor and installing a new one.

This…

“The replaced items might have been contaminated by that thing; they needed to take them back for examination,” Zong Cheng astutely explained.

Duan Wenxuan let out a sigh of relief.

Feeling thoroughly relieved, Duan Wenxuan suddenly sat upright, then carefully placed the white cat on the bed before glancing at Zong Cheng.

What should he do with it?

Zong Cheng frowned. “It seems like the cat wants to stay with you, so keep it for now. We’re both exhausted, and we can’t figure anything out right now. If there’s truly something unusual, perhaps it might be useful.”

Duan Wenxuan sighed, realizing he had similar thoughts.

With no immediate inclination to continue talking, Zong Cheng glanced at the white cat, feeling dazed, and headed home himself.

They were neighbors.

Since their preschool days, their families lived close by. Later, during urban redevelopment, they received houses and storefronts together. Eventually, both families moved to their new homes jointly once more.

However, life is unpredictable. During Duan Wenxuan’s high school years, his parents were tragically killed by a truck while on vacation, but he narrowly survived. The truck driver was an employee of a large local logistics company and had been driving fatigued that day.

The company did not shirk responsibility; they compensated at double the highest standard and even covered Duan Wenxuan’s entire university expenses. To this day, every year on the anniversary of his parents’ death, that same company sends a floral tribute to the cemetery.

It truly was… impeccable conduct, making it increasingly difficult for Duan Wenxuan to harbor any resentment.

With the compensation from the house demolition and subsequent settlement, Duan Wenxuan amassed enough wealth to ensure a comfortable life without needing to splurge recklessly. Being already eighteen during his senior year of high school, there was no requirement for relatives to intervene or manage his finances.

After graduating from university, Duan Wenxuan opened a general store using one of his commercial units, lived in one of the residential properties, and rented out the rest. Combining monthly rental income with profits from the general store, he earned around twenty to thirty thousand yuan per month, living comfortably without ever seeking formal employment.

As for Zong Cheng, nothing unfortunate happened to his parents. After their home was demolished, somehow their small street-side stall selling stinky tofu and fried skewers thrived. They eventually opened a storefront, followed by several more, rapidly becoming notable figures in the restaurant industry.

Throughout his university years, Zong Cheng’s father successfully embarked on an affair with a young college graduate, while surprisingly, his mother also found herself smitten by a younger man. The outcome was straightforward: they negotiated a divorce, divided their assets, and ultimately parted ways amicably.

A handshake at the civil affairs office marked their separation - you pursue your youthful college sweetheart, I find my energetic young lover.

What did Zong Cheng receive? He got one house plus two hundred thousand yuan in cash, essentially as independence money from his parents to fend for himself, since he had already reached adulthood.

Later, Zong Cheng studied architectural design and now earns nearly a million yuan annually, proving once again that having a sharp intellect truly pays off.

However, these details aren’t crucial. What matters is that Duan Wenxuan slept until past 1 PM, waking up famished.

Upon opening his eyes, he noticed the white cat quietly curled up beside his pillow. Strikingly silent without any purring sounds, it seemed almost like a dead cat.

Ignoring the cat, Duan Wenxuan went to the kitchen and grabbed some toast, holding it between his teeth as he ate.

Upon returning to the bedroom, the white cat had resumed its quiet crouching position, staring unblinkingly at Duan Wenxuan with emerald-green eyes.

Duan Wenxuan took a deep breath… silently tearing off a piece of bread crumb and placing it near the white cat’s mouth.

The white cat remained indifferent.

If it didn’t want to eat, so be it. Duan Wenxuan was starting to get accustomed to this cat, seemingly invisible in its silence. He turned to open the wardrobe door, intending to find clothes to change into.

As soon as he opened it, Duan Wenxuan felt an intense burning pain on the back of his hand, causing him to instinctively clutch his right hand.

In that moment, he shivered uncontrollably from the cold.

Before his eyes, a vast expanse stretched out, covered in bleak frost-white desolation. Nearby were various disordered makeshift tents and wooden structures?

It was hard to tell exactly.

These appeared to be hastily constructed shelters against the wind, but their extreme simplicity was evident. In many places, people lay starving or sickly, resembling mere skeletons…

Gulp.

Duan Wenxuan unconsciously swallowed the piece of bread he had been chewing.