Whoosh——

Boom——!!!

Colorful fireworks exploded across the sky, painting the night in vibrant rainbows of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet. Countless bright lanterns flooded the darkness with dazzling light, turning night into day. Cheers, chatter, and music blended into a roaring tide of sound, carrying the festival’s wild energy to every corner of the city.

After days of preparation, Winteredge City’s annual grand event—the Winteredge Ancestral Worship and Blessing Festival, commonly known as the BBQ Festival—officially kicked off tonight!

The usually cold, lifeless factory district was draped in colorful streamers and banners, transformed like a wedding palanquin. Streets glittered with oddly shaped ornaments; massive carvings made of spirit stones turned plain roads into a fairy tale. If the outskirts looked this magical, downtown was even more spectacular! The city government had splurged on hundreds of new spirit-light display panels—functioning like dynamic ad boards on Earth—mounted everywhere visible. Their shimmering lights cycled through slogans, images, and simple animations, making the night even more dazzling.

A line of giant parade floats crawled down the main road. Actors in gorgeous costumes sang and danced atop them, each daring move drawing roaring cheers. Citizens of Winteredge—men and women, young and old, rich and poor—wore their finest clothes. They shed everyday restraint, shouting and laughing on the streets, releasing a year’s worth of tension in the festival’s frenzy.

But the true stars of the festival weren’t the citizens, the floats, or the decorations.

It was—

“Fresh Windwhisper chicken off the grill! Cheap sale!”

“Premium Rockswallow pythons just arrived! Only ten left—first come, first served!”

“Grilled Ramon rabbit skewers—buy one, get one free! Don’t miss out!”

“Rare monstrous beasts for tasting! A century-old shop, honest prices for all!”

“Charred Graywolf skewers, fire-roasted Hunter Lizards—all kinds available! Huge clearance sale!”

………………

—grilled meat!

The tradition of roasting monstrous beasts was alive and well. Stalls selling grilled meat filled the square, under eaves, and along streets. Wisps of smoke curled everywhere, charcoal fires glowing as bright as lanterns. Primal aromas punched straight into your nose. Each stall piled mountains of bizarre beasts—some normal, some grotesque—all chopped, skewered, spiced, and sizzling over flames.

Most stalls sold common beasts. Only veteran shops with long histories dared to grill high-tier ones. Higher-tier beasts were trickier to handle: Windwhisper chickens and Ramon rabbits just needed plucking and skinning, but Spine Snakes and Arrow Frogs required poison gland removal. Rockswallow pythons and Thornhide apes needed special cleavers to cut. Water Spirit salamanders and Silverfish melted if the fire burned too hot… The rules were terrifyingly complex.

As for the Sinan Family, I’d thought they’d skip the festival entirely. After their last anomaly investigation, they’d deployed teams to monitor the whole city, on high alert. But…

“Boneplate Lions, Cloudswallow sparrows, Giant Worms, Bloodtooth Fish Kings—all free! While supplies last!”

“““““Yes!”””””

…I was too naive.

The plaza before Winteredge Inn was packed beyond belief. All the beasts hunted from recent mountain trips were piled into a meat mountain. Every chef from the inn worked tirelessly, turning fearsome monsters into mouthwatering grilled skewers. Exotic spices dusted the meat, releasing intoxicating aromas. Even the fires were lit by fire-type Anomaly Power users… This level of swagger and flaunting wealth put street stalls to shame.

Clutching seven or eight skewers of grilled Cloudswallow sparrow and a small wine flask, I slipped away from the inn. Shadows and smoke from the grills blurred faces in the flickering light, so I finally lowered my hood. The cool air felt refreshing.

Normally, I preferred quiet over crowds. Back on Earth, I’d even snuck out of karaoke rooms a few times. Now, I just wanted a peaceful spot to drink, admire the triple moons, eat skewers… and find Sinan Ying.

Sinan Ying wasn’t at the inn. She must’ve gone out to clear her head. I didn’t know the techs tracking clan members, nor could I find Sinan Yuan, Rui Feng, or others. Meeting her would take luck.

Winteredge City bordered the Longbridge Canal. South of the city, tributaries hosted shipping companies, usually bustling with cargo ships. But tonight, everyone had flocked downtown. The docks were quiet, decorated with ribbons and flowers that only highlighted the emptiness.

I found a stone bench by the river. Clear water reflected the serene moonlight. The gold, silver, and orange moons complemented each other, each making the others shine brighter. If Earth’s poets saw this triple-moon spectacle, they’d probably weep… I uncorked my flask, took a sip. Mild alcohol, tasting oddly between beer and wine—surprisingly pleasant.

Breeze on my face, wine in hand, delicious meat in my belly… pure bliss.

…But how was Earth faring now? My family, friends—they must still be worrying over my disappearance.

The thought darkened my mood. Right. This wasn’t time for leisure. Finding a way back was the priority.

Just as I was steadying myself…

“Xiao Ye?”

“Huh!?”

I turned. Nearby, atop a pile of cargo crates, sat a beautiful girl. Delicate features, violet eyes and hair, a dark gray skirt—it could only be Sinan Ying.

“Xiao Ye… were you… looking for me?”

“Yeah. I was.” Finding her wasn’t my only goal, but I kept that to myself.

“I see… Thank you.”

Silence fell again.

…Awkward.

The anomaly失控 incident must’ve crushed her spirit. Sinan Ying had none of her usual energy. Her smile seemed forced, and she didn’t cling to me with jokes like before. This version of her felt distant from the girl I knew. Was it just sadness? Or was this her true self?

Either way, I had to try talking.

I stood, walked over, and sat beside her without asking. I handed her a skewer. “Here. Want some?”

Sinan Ying hesitated, then took it. She bit in—and instantly melted with a soft “Mmm～～”. After finishing the skewer, her mood seemed lighter.

“So…” I chose my words carefully. “Can you tell me about yourself?”

“About me?”

“Well… I know the Sinan Family is impressive. But we’re friends, and I realize I don’t know much about you personally.”

“…But I don’t know anything about you either. You go first.”

Progress! She was willing to talk, just hesitant to open up. For now, I’d follow her lead.

———————————————————————————————————

Half a day earlier, deep in the Winteredge Mountains.

A remote wilderness spot, usually empty, now held over a dozen men. Before them sat a fridge-sized device with thick antennas.

“Are all Bloodtooth Fish cleared from the Bloodtooth River?”

“Yes. Everything’s ready—just waiting for the signal!”

“Everyone,” Sunny stepped forward, his voice grave as he faced the group, “this day is finally here. Our role is a small piece of a massive plan, but that doesn’t make it unimportant! After a month of lying low, it’s time to reap our rewards!”

“Well said. Then…” Olga slammed a button on the device. It roared to life, emitting a strange, powerful pulse from its antennas. The wave shot out at terrifying speed, flooding the entire Winteredge Mountains!

“Let’s begin!”