Chapter 1: Recollection
Today is the year 2022, ten years have passed since that day. Now, we no longer live on the Earth we once knew. Even if the apocalyptic event had never occurred, I doubt Earth's mother would have allowed us to stay. Humanity's over-exploitation and waste of resources—did we ever think about the day this would happen? Regret, confusion, and fear still linger, accompanying the arrival of that day, and they have never ceased.
Now, humanity is reduced to less than a tenth of its original number. Perhaps those left can be called the elites, but how many of them are not ones who crawled out from the sea of blood? Watching helplessly as their loved ones mutated, shedding tears as they killed once-close companions, the darkest side of humanity was fully unleashed. No matter how many nights passed, when I closed my eyes, the sounds of howling, crying, and pleas for help would still echo in my ears.
Later, scientists verified that the meteorite impact was not the only trigger. It was the improper disposal of industrial waste that had infected the water sources. People had been drinking this industrial-contaminated water, and the already-existing mutation virus within their bodies exploded due to the impact. Only a few survived with resistance or those who mutated with stronger abilities, or perhaps some others gained unknown powers from some sort of chance. These people, whom we call "Evolvers," gained supernatural abilities—spiritual powers (space, metal, wood, water, fire, earth) and physical powers (enhanced strength or speed, close combat)—which later gave them the power to lead and make decisions.
Let's take a walk through my memories of that time, shall we? Perhaps, living wasn't the best choice, but we had no choice but to survive. The force that ties us down should never be underestimated.
This is just my memory…
2012, December 21st, the weather was clear. Chen Luo, a 20-year-old introverted girl, loved to hide in her own world and read books. At the moment, she was lying on the balcony, watching the drifting clouds, but her mind was preoccupied. (Could it really be the end of the world today? What if the Mayans' prophecy comes true? What should I do? But today doesn't seem like anything major should happen, right? Ugh, why do I always overthink things?) Shaking her head, she went to the fridge to grab a piece of bread and wondered where to go for fun in the afternoon.
At that moment, a reddish-orange light streaked across the sky. Her first thought was, No way, a meteor? Really? As she was still pondering whether to make a wish, the ground suddenly shook, sending a chill through her. An earthquake? In her slippers, she ran outside. On the nearby open road, she saw many people running out of their homes as well. The shaking stopped, and later, she found out it was caused by a meteorite impact. Everyone was disheveled, and as the shaking ceased, they slowly returned home, grumbling and complaining, thinking something major had happened.
On her way back, a middle-aged lady near Chen Luo suddenly fainted, scaring her. Many others also fainted. Having read many apocalyptic novels, Chen Luo felt this might be the prelude to the mutation. She didn't dare approach but watched from a distance. As people debated whether to call emergency services, those who had fainted got up again, confused, with no memory of what had just happened.
Returning home, Chen Luo couldn't shake the unease. How could they faint and be fine afterward? Was it the tremor that caused this? A sense of something terrible brewing lingered in her heart. She immediately called her mother. "Mom, hurry home, don't stay at the store." On the other end, her mother responded, "Luo Luo, what's wrong? Business is good today, we're adding more dishes, and how about the fish you like?" Chen Luo anxiously said, "Mom, don't ask, just come home quickly. I have a bad feeling." After reassuring her, her mom promised to come back soon. It would take her half an hour to get home.
Chen Luo came from a single-parent family, so she and her mother were very close. Her father, a soldier, had died for the country before she was born.
Chen Luo looked outside again from the window. The sounds of cars, street vendors, and noise still filled the air. Everything seemed normal, but it felt like the calm before the storm. Not thinking too much about it, she decided to prepare, fearing the inexplicable chill creeping through her mind. She gathered all food and water in her bedroom.
Just as Chen Luo was finishing up, her mother came home. She quickly asked, "Mom, did you faint earlier?" "No, what's with you? Are you worried about something big happening?" Her mom gently ran her fingers through her daughter's long hair. Chen Luo sighed in relief but didn't know how to explain herself. She couldn't tell her mother she had read too many post-apocalyptic novels. Sigh, she would have to handle this carefully and persuaded her mom to sleep with her that night.
After lunch, as they entered the bedroom, her mom noticed all the food and water in the room. Just as she was about to ask, the sky suddenly turned dark. Chen Luo looked at the clock—it was only just past noon. A chill ran through her. This can't be right. She rushed to the balcony, and outside, everything was shrouded in darkness, the streetlights turned on. People were confused, wondering what was happening with the weather. Then, many more people fainted. Most thought it would be like before—fainting and waking up with no issue—but Chen Luo noticed something strange under the orange light from the street lamps. The skin of those who fainted turned a faint blue. It was eerily strange.
Suddenly, those who had fainted got up and immediately began attacking those nearby, biting them, with beast-like growls filling the air. Screams erupted, and everyone began running in all directions. Chen Luo quickly closed the window and collapsed on the floor, trembling. The sounds of screams outside confirmed what she had just seen was real. Thinking of her mother, Chen Luo forced herself to be strong, stood up, and shouted to her frightened mom to close all the curtains. She began searching for anything in the house with long tubes, finally breaking off a piece of the wardrobe. She grabbed her mother's telescope and peered through the small gap in the curtains.
With the telescope, she could see more clearly. The people who were no longer human had blue skin, almost like corpses. They looked normal, except for the growls coming from their mouths, the blood on their bodies, and the severed hands and feet they carried. Chen Luo felt nauseous, but she held it in. The books always say that if you're bitten, you turn into a zombie... She kept watching, and sure enough, the people who had been bitten began to rise. But they were even worse than before—parts of their bodies were missing. One had no chin, only a long tongue hanging out. The hollow stomach seemed to reveal the intestines. At that moment, Chen Luo couldn't hold it in anymore. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited violently.