The surroundings fell silent, leaving only the sound of the man searching for medicine.

And the scent of something roasting…

Due to the power outage, the air was becoming stifling. Sweat continued to bead on Ji He’s forehead.

She cautiously peeked out, observing the man in front of her.

He remained completely unaware, focused on shining his flashlight while searching for medicine.

Ji He’s heart pounded. She gripped the handle of the iron shovel so tightly that sweat seeped from her palms. This man was clearly dangerous. She wasn’t sure if she could take him down.

Clenching her teeth, she held her breath and steadied herself. Slowly, she raised the iron shovel, hiding behind the corner, preparing to strike the moment he walked past.

The office layout was simple. If he wanted to leave, this was the fastest route.

The man moved quickly. In no time, he had packed the medicine into a bag and slung it over his back, heading out at a brisk pace.

Ji He could hear his footsteps, his heavy breathing.

She instinctively held her breath, gripping the shovel tightly, counting down in her head.

Now!

BANG!

A loud crash echoed through the silent office as Ji He’s iron shovel struck the back of the man’s head.

Not daring to stop, she continued—Bang! Bang! Bang!—swinging the shovel multiple times.

Only when the man collapsed to the ground, motionless, did she finally gasp for air. She cautiously nudged his head with the shovel.

She wasn’t about to get too close—what if he retaliated?

The man remained still. He seemed truly unconscious.

She checked his breathing—he was alive.

That was enough.

Ji He exhaled deeply, feeling some relief.

No matter how strong someone was, a shovel was still a deadly weapon.

She wiped her sweaty hands on her pants, pulled out a pair of gloves, and only then did she use a nearby employee’s phone to call the police.

The line was busy. She had to redial several times before she got through.

People were already looting—shouldn’t they be arrested immediately?

After reporting the incident, Ji He turned to head deeper inside.

The power was out. The looters had already broken the refrigerators inside, leaving the vaccines exposed to the rising temperature.

If they spoiled, it would be a huge waste.

Ji He only took the vaccines that were at risk of going bad. She left the rest untouched.

She’d let the police handle the rest.

Leaving the pharmaceutical company, Ji He felt a heaviness in her chest. The stairwell was pitch black, making it hard to see. Carefully, she made her way down.

It was eerily silent. No sounds at all. Where had everyone gone?

At first, she had used her flashlight, but she soon turned it off, relying on the dim glow of her phone screen as she cautiously descended.

The heat was unbearable. Sweat had already soaked through her clothes after just a short descent.

She wiped her forehead with her arm and kept going. Soon, she reached the first floor.

Outside, the noise was chaotic—people talking, shouting.

Ji He pressed her ear against the metal door, careful not to make a sound. The door felt warm from the heat.

“Apocalypse… grab everything… food…”

“Supplies… children… ability users…”

The crowd outside was in turmoil, their voices filled with panic. Even through the door, Ji He could hear the fear and desperation in them.

Anxiety stirred in her chest—something unexpected was happening.

Sweat dripped down her forehead, but she didn’t bother wiping it away. She stayed pressed against the door, listening intently.

Then she heard it—

All the food was ruined. It was no longer safe to eat.

And ability users were wreaking havoc, looting and attacking even the police…

Ji He yanked her head away from the door, her heart pounding wildly.

Ability users…?

No way.

She wanted to believe it was fake news, but deep down, she had a bad feeling that it was real.

Swiftly, she hurried back up a few steps, found a corner, and crouched down.

Taking advantage of the empty stairwell, she logged into the game’s chat channel, hoping for information.

【ElderBlade: This disaster is a sign from Planet M! It’s telling us the world is about to be reshuffled, and we are the new rulers! Brothers and sisters, it’s not too late to join us! If we seize this opportunity, we can take control of the world and stand at the top!】

【JiaChenXing: Rule everything!! Let’s reshape the world into one that belongs to us!】

【10-Meter Blade: We’ll take everything, crush everything! We’ll silence all those who looked down on us before!!!!】

【FlameSoul: I advise you not to refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. While we’re still giving you a chance, you’d better join us. Otherwise, when we have time to deal with you, you’ll regret it!】

【HappyGenius: Are you insane? Just because of a sudden heatwave, you’ve lost your humanity?! Do you even realize how many innocent people have died because of you? How many families have been destroyed?!】

【NeverForget: Everyone, stop fighting! We’re all part of the same gaming community. We should understand and support each other. FlameSoul and the others must have their reasons—they’re not as bad as you think.】

【HappyGenius: Look at these pictures!】

【HappyGenius: They’re monsters! It’s insane that the game granted them abilities! This was just a drought—we trusted the government to handle it, and we would have gotten through it. But look at what they’ve done! Looting banks? Attacking police stations? Robbing jewelry stores? Terrorizing multiple cities?! The entire country is in chaos because of them!】

【LiGe: That’s right! The game gave you abilities, but not so you could commit crimes! Don’t think you’re invincible just because you have powers! I refuse to believe that no matter how strong you are, you can survive against missiles! If you keep this up, you’ll be in hell soon enough!】