"​​Chapter 1 Chaos Begins

The digital calendar on the wall displayed July 15, 2012.

Tang Fan shifted his buttocks, trying to settle more comfortably in his seat. He lifted a cup of steaming green tea and took a sip, his eyes fixed on the TV with an expression of utter detachment.

""Good evening, audience. Welcome to Linjiang Television. I’m your host, Wang Qing."" The popular anchorwoman greeted viewers with her professional smile. ""As temperatures continue to plunge recently, this sweltering July feels more like the chill of December. We strongly urge our viewers to prioritize cold-weather precautions."" She continued, her smile unwavering: ""Now for the weekly news highlights. Starting June 23rd through yesterday, our city has recorded over 100 unexplained disappearances. Viewers are strongly advised to avoid going out after dark. Pekingese-sized rats have been discovered in Liancheng Development Zone. Yuanpu County has witnessed two-meter-long giant centipedes. And in Baiyun Village, Dongshui Town, Farmer Old Wang’s orange grove has ripened...""

""Unbelievable,"" Tang Fan muttered, staring at the anchor’s beaming face. The unsettling news pouring from her attractive, full lips felt jarring. He set his cup down and straightened his clothes.

Though this was July, typically the hottest month of the year, the plummeting temperatures Wang Qing mentioned had become undeniable. Tang Fan wore two layers: thermal underwear beneath a casual jacket.

Programs like this had been airing relentlessly for the past month.

Initially, he’d been fascinated – scorpions the size of millstones, mosquitoes as big as basketballs. It felt strangely novel.

Now, such bizarre events happened daily. The extraordinary had become ordinary. Hearing that mosquitoes were returning to their normal size would be the real shocker.

It started around late June, right after that meteor shower. Since then, the news had become monotonously repetitive – either the rising toll of missing persons or reports of newly discovered mutant animals and insects, whose sizes seemed to swell relentlessly over time.

Oranges ripening in July? All these signs flew in the face of everything people knew.

Even someone as unflappable as Tang Fan found it baffling. More sensitive souls were already spinning wild theories.

Predictions of an impending apocalypse flooded the internet, seemingly supported by evidence. As more people speculated and joined the frenzy, a wave of hysteria swept through public discourse. Doomsday survival clubs, salvation societies – groups of all sizes sprang up both online and in reality. Tang Fan himself had received invitations to join.

He grabbed the remote and changed the channel with a flick of his thumb.

""With bizarre phenomena proliferating in recent months, viewers must be deeply puzzled. Tonight, we have biologist Dr. Wang to shed some light,"" announced the new host.

""Well, the mutation in animals and insects,"" the bespectacled Dr. Wang began in his slow, deliberate manner, ""must be analyzed genetically. Genetic alteration is the root cause."" He started with the obvious. ""Since the earliest mutated insects were discovered, we've been conducting research, collecting samples. Our findings confirm the mutations are intrinsically linked to a peculiar energy that emerged in the atmosphere around late June. In essence, this anomalous energy is the catalyst for the mutations.""

""But what is this anomalous energy? Could it affect humans?""

""Our research reveals this energy possesses properties diametrically opposed to known energies. It’s a form of reverse-negative energy. Consider sunlight: a positive energy. This anomalous energy is its negative counterpart. It bears some resemblance to moonlight, sunlight reflected and altered by the moon. We've termed this energy 'Dark Energy'. Though,"" Dr. Wang pushed his glasses up, a rare smile briefly touching his otherwise serious face, ""some jokingly call it 'Mana'."" He resumed his sober tone: ""So far, we've found Dark Energy solely affects animal and insect genetics. Humans appear immune. This energy emerged after the late June meteor shower. Its initial concentration was below 0.5%, but has now reached 1.5%. Our research shows a direct correlation: higher Dark Energy density accelerates the rate and scale of mutations.""

""Listening to you, Dr. Wang,"" the host replied, ""it's hard not to think of mythological demons and monsters – those said to absorb lunar essence to cultivate and evolve.""

""An apt analogy,"" Dr. Wang conceded. ""But scientifically, mythical creatures don't exist. This is evolution driven solely by genetic mutation. Dark Energy is the trigger. Imagine,"" he gestured vaguely, ""one day encountering mosquitoes the size of elephants or bees as large as hippos.""

""Doesn't that pose an existential crisis for humanity?""

""Rest assured,"" Dr. Wang soothed, ""though mutations occur, our research is actively decoding their genetic sequences. While these creatures do present new dangers, they also herald new opportunities. Just imagine – unlocking the secrets of this evolution could allow humans to achieve genetic breakthroughs: perfection, enhanced strength. We could usher in an entirely new epoch!"" Suddenly animated, Dr. Wang waved his hands with the fervor of a preacher, his voice rising in excitement.

Tang Fan sneered. Idiots. If mosquitoes truly grew as large as elephants, humanity would be facing extinction. Just picture it: a creature that size trying to suck blood would pierce a person like a spike, instantly lethal. And the sheer number of insects in the world? An army of mutant bugs would be a truly horrifying scenario.

He switched off the TV. He’d had enough. With all the strangeness lately, if the apocalypse really came, Tang Fan doubted he’d even be surprised.

Carrying his teacup, he stepped onto the balcony. It was past nine. The night sky was starless, dominated by a peculiar moonlight. Normally, a full moon would cast a clear, silvery glow. Tonight, it seemed veiled in gauze, its light hazy and indistinct. Faint crimson streaks marred its surface, lending it an eerie and unsettling aura.

gust of wind made Tang Fan shiver involuntarily. He inhaled the crisp air, feeling instantly more alert.

It was unbelievable. This was July, in the south of China. Temperatures shouldn't be hovering around a mere 55-60°F.

Setting his cup on the railing, Tang Fan leaned his hands on the cold metal and gazed into the distance. He exhaled slowly, his breath puffing white into the chill air before dissipating. The city below glittered with countless lights, and the low murmur of urban life drifted on the breeze, like a distant call from the horizon. Yet, beneath the unnatural moonlight, the familiar city felt unnervingly silent and strangely... menacing.

Tang Fan had grown up in a mountain village. Both his grandfather and father were hunters, so he’d learned essential skills from childhood. His grandfather, in particular, would gather medicinal herbs during his mountain treks. He’d simmer them in giant tubs, subject Tang Fan to grueling training sessions, and then dump him into the pungent concoction to soak. Every single morning started before dawn with practice of a health-preserving internal exercise.

For one particularly intense period, the herb tub became Tang Fan’s bed. When he finally returned to a real bed, he spent the first night tossing and unable to sleep.

As a result, Tang Fan’s physique was astonishingly robust. He hadn’t fallen ill once since his early teens, even though the herbal soaks had stopped after elementary school. The rigorous foundation built during childhood endowed him with an almost superhuman constitution.

His grandfather taught him to solve problems with his head first, and only use his fists if thinking failed. His father, in contrast, advocated solving everything with fists – simple and efficient. Predictably, whenever his father voiced this philosophy, his grandfather would promptly demonstrate why it was a flawed strategy by giving him a sound thrashing.

This dichotomy shaped Tang Fan’s unique approach. He genuinely tried to think things through first. But realistically, about 70% of the time, the solution still ended with his knuckles.

Tang Fan graduated from a small, private vocational college. Its teaching staff was mediocre, and the school was newly established. Tang Fan himself had been a middling student, neither outstanding nor failing spectacularly.

After graduation, job hunting was brutal. Companies rejected him either for his lackluster diploma, or his non-existent work experience and skills. The most humiliating were those who would sneer, questioning if his obscure college even existed, insinuating he must have bought his certificate.

After repeated rejections, a minor miracle occurred: he landed a job in sales, peddling household goods. Selling bombs might have suited his personality better; salesmanship was a painful stretch. But survival demanded compromise. Tang Fan was truly on his own in the world. For those few months, he often surprised himself with his patience, enduring lectures, arbitrary orders, and even open insults.

Eventually, his temper snapped. He refused to put up with that crap any longer and quit decisively. Screw this, he thought.

Now, having planned a full month of relaxation before tackling the job search again, this deluge of bizarre events threatened to derail even that simple plan.

""Maybe an apocalypse wouldn’t be so bad. No more job hunting. Just slay monsters and level up,"" Tang Fan muttered gloomily, oblivious to the darkening sky overhead where the air began to shimmer and distort. A faint swirl slowly taking form."