Bzz… bzz…

While Xiao Ye and the now-energetic Sinan Ying chatted and laughed, a buzzing vibration suddenly came from her. It sounded exactly like a phone, making me instinctively pat my pockets.

Sinan Ying pulled a new compass from her dress—the old one had broken in the collapse—and it was vibrating slightly.

“Hello? Sister Yuan?” She lifted the compass lid to her ear. So this thing worked like a phone… I didn’t even know how to react.

“Mm-hmm, yes, I’m with Xiao Ye… What? A beast tide?… Are you kidding?… Ah… Yes, yes… Okay, we’ll take shelter now!” Sinan Ying’s expression shifted wildly during the call. By the end, her face turned deadly serious, and my gut twisted with dread.

She snapped the compass shut and spun to me. “Xiao Ye, Sister Yuan said the beasts from Winteredge Mountains have swarmed out, forming a tide attacking the city!”

“Eh!? Why now of all times?”

A memory flashed: that stalker from the library trip. Could it be…

“Anyway, against a beast tide, one person’s strength means nothing. We must hide—now!”

“Heading downtown will run us straight into it! Where do we go?”

“Uh… Sister Yuan sent help… but she said it might be too late.”

“…So we find shelter ourselves?”

“…Ehe~☆”

“Stop acting cute! Find cover first!”

But where? Beasts trample everything—humans, buildings. No safe ground spots. High-rises risk bird-type beasts. Then…

“Underground! There’s gotta be a basement here! Go!”

I grabbed Sinan Ying, clutching her soft little hand, and sprinted to the nearest building. My blood surged, solidifying into blades that shredded the door in seconds. I charged inside without hesitation.

This building seemed like a warehouse. I fumbled for a spirit stone lamp; its glow flooded the floor. I scanned desperately for a basement entrance.

“There!” Sinan Ying pointed her tiny finger right. A trapdoor sat on the empty floor—definitely the way in.

We dashed over, smashed the lock, and then—

Boom!

The ground shook violently. Sinan Ying and I lost balance instantly. Had the beast tide arrived? Impossible this fast! No roars or thundering footsteps… What caused this?

Boom! The floor jolted again. Sinan Ying, just risen, yelped “Uwah~” and tumbled down. She scrambled up, yanking the trapdoor open. “Forget it! Get down now!”

“Wrong—”

“What?”

“Shut the door!!”

Too late. With a roar, cracks spiderwebbed from the trapdoor across the warehouse floor! Sinan Ying leaped back, barely escaping the fissure. A rustling hiss rose from the pitch-black gap, raising goosebumps on my skin.

Damn. I’d miscalculated. I thought avoiding ground and air beasts meant safety—but I forgot burrowers like Wasteland Beasts! They tunnel freely, outpacing others through the city.

What was this one? My weapon wasn’t handy. If it’s another Wasteland Beast, we’re doomed.

Crack! Dirt and stones sprayed. What emerged was—

“Worm!?”

“A burrowing worm!” Sinan Ying cried.

The giant worm, thick as an oil drum, was a monstrous earthworm with a heavy chitinous shell. Grotesque mouthparts oozed slime; its writhing body made it the most disgusting creature I’d ever seen. I’d rather brawl bare-handed with a Wasteland Beast than face this!

The worm screeched, lunging at me. My blood hardened into a massive fist, slamming it flat. It squealed on the floor, shell cracked wide, struggling to retreat underground.

This thing… surprisingly weak. I’d only meant to slow it, but killed it instantly. Its shell looked tough, but paled next to a Boneplate Lion’s.

“Xiao Ye, you’re amazing!” Sinan Ying jumped excitedly. Seeing her joy, pride swelled in my chest.

Yeah… I’m the pro who soloed a Wasteland Beast. A measly worm? Nothing!

However—

Boom! Boom! Boom! As if mocking me, right after the crippled worm vanished, twenty more burst from the ground!

“…This just got fun.”

---

While Sinan Ying and I faced the worms, downtown descended into chaos.

“ROOOOAAAR——————————————”

Ear-splitting roars drowned the streets. Human and beast blood stained roads, sidewalks, overpasses, and buildings. Corpses littered every surface. One wave of beasts fell; the next charged over their bodies, roaring.

“Hurry! This way!”

A young guard yelled, leading twenty-plus civilians toward a shop. They were powerless normals; he was just a beginner Anomaly user—no match for beasts.

“Move! Command said sheltering in buildings saves us! Hold on… Ah!!”

A giant python shot out, snatching him and swallowing him whole!

““AHHHHH————!!!””

Hope shattered. The crowd collapsed, paralyzed with terror, easy prey for the beasts.

A dozen pythons surged forward, jaws gaping. At the last second—

“Stop!”

A blinding lightning bolt charred the lead pythons to ash! The rest froze mid-lunge. In that split pause—

Thud! Thud! Heavy fists crashed down like boulders, pulverizing the remaining pythons in seconds. Rui Feng emerged from the gore. Days of rest had left him itching for action; now, back in battle, he was in his element. Alone, he’d already wiped out seventy beasts!

“Xin, guard these people. I’ll kill more!” Rui Feng vanished, sprinting to the front lines.

“Bro, don’t get reckless! Stay safe!” Rui Xin shouted after him—but he’d disappeared.

---

On the top floor of Winteredge Inn, by the floor-to-ceiling window, Sinan Yuan surveyed the downtown battle.

“Captain!” A guard rushed up.

“What is it?”

“Rui Xin reports—the last civilians have reached shelter!”

“Good! Alert Elder Hong immediately!”

“No need.” Elder Hong materialized beside them. “Do you think I don’t know what’s happening?”

“Step aside, all of you. Leave this to me.”