Lingdong Airport was done for.
After two incidents in a short span, each worse than the last, even if the military swore up and down later that safety was restored, who would dare to fly out of Lingdong again? Nobody’s stupid enough to gamble their life to test if Lingdong’s airspace is truly safe.
And with transportation options so developed these days, why insist on flying from Lingdong? Switching to a high-speed rail, taking a bus, or departing from another airport—isn’t that a better choice?
More importantly, two days had passed. Despite soldiers standing guard day and night and researchers working tirelessly, the cause of the “sky crack” was still unknown. Worse, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again.
In other words, Lingdong was still in danger, much like those coastal cities under the threat of the giant serpent, forced into a state of serious preparedness. But if an emergency really broke out, and it turned into a clash… what would happen to the civilians?
With no other option, the military decided to repurpose the airport as a key strategic site and reopened Lingdong’s land routes. They couldn’t evacuate the entire population of this hub city in the short term, so they hurriedly built shelters and initiated top-down evacuation drills.
Meanwhile, investigations into Lingdong’s airspace continued relentlessly, with the “miracle” videos on the internet being analyzed hundreds of times.
Hundreds of military drones ascended to the clouds, probing every angle of the “sky crack’s” location. Unfortunately, physical objects seemed to pass through the rift as if it were thin air. However, the vibrations and reflections of sound waves provided some answers.
“Based on sound wave feedback, there is indeed a ‘gap’ in Lingdong’s upper airspace,” explained a scientist, simplifying the concept so the higher-ups could grasp it. “It’s like a door that only responds to vibrations below 20 Hz. You can think of 20 Hz as the key to unlocking it.”
“Continue.”
“We used drones to emit sound waves in a 360-degree pattern. Most of the waves traveled far, but some bounced back, outlining the shape of the ‘door’ on a graph. Incredibly, it’s an extremely thin, flat door, completely invisible to the naked eye! Except for its slight reaction to 20 Hz, it’s otherwise motionless.”
“And we don’t dare try lower frequencies,” the scientist said gravely. “If 20 Hz can loosen the door, would lower frequencies open it completely?”
They didn’t dare gamble—and couldn’t afford to.
No one knew what lay beyond the door, and no one could guarantee modern technology could handle the monsters that might emerge. Moreover, the military had its concerns: the city center wasn’t far from the airport, and human lives weren’t something to toy with.
“Cease probing. Let’s stick to our current strategy.” The leader sighed. “By the way, wasn’t there news about young people on the internet finding some expert on top of a building?”
“Yes. There was indeed a faint silhouette on the rooftop,” another person replied, placing a stack of photos and images on the table. “Based on the outline of the figure, we enlisted 500 artists to create sketches. They worked independently and submitted their drafts within a day. Interestingly, 58% of the artists produced remarkably similar portraits.”
“Among these 58%, 40% depicted a man, while 60% drew a woman. The image is too blurry to discern the gender clearly.”
“Police profilers suggested the rooftop figure is a tall woman over 1.8 meters, with long hair, a large frame, wearing loose pajamas, and high heels.”
“Many artists also believed the object in her hand looked like a curling iron. So perhaps she was in the middle of styling her hair when she suddenly rushed out to fight the monster?”
The leader: …
Are these military-assigned personnel even reliable?
Reliable or not, the leader didn’t have time to verify. A landline call from an old friend in Yanjing revealed the dire situations unfolding across various regions.
At the Ningyuan Mountain Range, large contingents were already assembling.
Two Days Earlier
With the year’s end approaching, Yu Mingyang’s misfortune was unparalleled. Lucky for him, he managed to keep his life. Unlucky for him, Si Nuocheng treated him worse than a weed.
Casual neglect, arbitrary feeding—three durians placed by his bedside. If the stench killed him, that was his problem; if it didn’t, that was his achievement. The root cause? Yu’s phone had a triple lock, and they couldn’t crack it.
Si Nuocheng booked a high-speed train ticket to Ningyuan and said, “Lingdong has reopened. Your parents will arrive at the hospital this evening. Be good, don’t fire the caregiver, and don’t let your parents care for you themselves. I heard your mom fainted when she heard about the plane crash. Don’t scare her again—you think it over.”
Tearfully, Yu Mingyang nodded. “Boss Si, I understand everything, but could you move the durians away? I don’t like them…”
“The durians are for the caregiver. His granddaughter loves the smell.” Si Nuocheng chuckled coolly. “He’s been taking good care of you—look at that round face of yours. I’m just helping you do him a favor. Aren’t you going to thank me?”
Yu Mingyang: … Thanks, my ass!
There’s a kind of hunger called “Grandpa thinks you’re hungry.” Try being force-fed a bucket of food every day and see if your face doesn’t puff up!
Even so, he resigned himself to the same response: “Boss Si, thank you…”
Leaving his unfortunate friend behind in the hospital, Si Nuocheng and Ji Si headed to the train station. The monstrous events in Lingdong had clearly shaken the public; the station was packed with people fleeing, busier than even peak holiday seasons.
Si Nuocheng grabbed a few newspapers and asked, “Why are we going to Ningyuan?”
Hearing this, Ji Si knew Si Nuocheng was the type to work on his phone instead of browsing the internet. Without a secretary to handle mundane affairs, he probably wouldn’t bother keeping up with “news.”
“On the 30th, a monster in the Ningyuan Mountain Range will awaken to hunt.”
Just one sentence, and Si Nuocheng’s expression grew grave. He looked at Ji Si, seeming to have a thousand questions, but held back. He controlled his curiosity well, refraining from interrogating Ji Si, and instead calmly asked, “What exactly are these ‘monsters’ you speak of?”
Excellent self-restraint. Ji Si was pleased.
Talking to a sharp person was refreshing. Their questions were always on point. If it had been someone else, it would’ve been the classic three-parter: “How do you know?”, “Who are you?”, “Are you even human?”
“Monsters are a broad concept. They can be creatures, like the giant serpent in Jing Du; magical beings, like the Lingdong entity; or spiritual forms, like malevolent ghosts. They can also be mythical beings, like Jormungandr, the Leviathan, or Abaddon.”
Ji Si rubbed the scepter in his hand, his tone laced with a nostalgia Si Nuocheng couldn’t comprehend. “Disasters often begin with the emergence of spirits. These are spiritual entities born from the darkness in human hearts. As long as humanity’s shadows persist, they will not vanish.”
“But humans are dualistic beings. Darkness exists, but so does light. When the two are balanced, spirits, even if present, won’t cause disruption.”
“Like nature’s food chain—everything is interconnected. As long as there are opposites and predators, a cycle can be maintained.”
“Carnivores decay into soil, soil grows crops, crops feed herbivores, and herbivores sustain carnivores. This is life, the great cycle. Unfortunately, humanity, in its arrogance, has disrupted many links in the chain.”
Ji Si looked at Si Nuocheng, and for a moment, the High Priest’s eyes seemed to hold a galaxy. “Humanity has unbalanced the cycle, and the natural order will unbalance humanity in return. This is cause and effect.”
“Spirits multiply as human desires grow unchecked. When their numbers reach a critical mass, they condense into a unique energy field, awakening terrifying beings—or attracting creatures from beyond.”
“The giant serpent at Jing Du is just the beginning, Si Nuocheng.”
Ji Si’s voice was calm. “When someone overeats and becomes obese, the path back to health is painful. Similarly, if humanity wants to correct its trajectory, the cost will be steep.”
“But if you don’t, the only outcome is extinction. Just as an overweight heart eventually gives out, leading to death.”
The year 2222 was when karma would be fully reckoned.
“The awakening of monsters is Heaven’s final warning. If you don’t save yourselves, no one else can.” Ji Si finished, glanced at the time, and patted the bewildered Young Master Si on the shoulder. “It’s almost time. Let’s go.”
Si Nuocheng lifted his gaze. “What you’re saying… it sounds like some pseudo-theology that mixes superstition and science?”
“Just think of it as a bedtime story,” Ji Si chuckled softly. “Even if you come to know everything, you still need to live as though you know nothing. Feel it, experience it. This is your life…” It’s also the path of awakening you must walk alone.
The mystic High Priest led a still-confused Si Nuocheng onto the high-speed train. The two took a window-side double seat. While Ji Si watched the scenery outside, Si Nuocheng, after finally calming down, opened up a newspaper.
What he saw shocked him. He hadn’t expected that before the giant serpent incident in Jing Du, similar attacks by massive creatures had already occurred on the other side of the ocean.
For example, in the Nut Country, a giant crocodile had crawled out of a riverside village. If not for the fact that houses in rural areas there were spaced far apart, the crocodile might have wiped out the entire village. In the end, the military drained the river and used concentrated artillery fire to kill the beast, preventing further panic.
Or, over in the Yoga Country, a water monster had appeared and remained uncaptured to this day. Strangely, even when the military was mobilized, it was obstructed by a massive crowd of civilians.
Ignorant villagers believed that sacrificing cattle and sheep could appease the “river god’s” anger. Some even insisted that the “river god” was a messenger of the heavens, eating only “filthy sinners.” They argued that the military had no right to harm the water monster.
Even more shocking, these deluded people fought tooth and nail to protect the “river god,” fully resisting the armed forces. And, absurdly, the heavily armed troops were unable to do anything about them…
Si Nuocheng: Is this for real? Seriously? What the hell?!
Young Master Si angrily flipped the page, only to land on another startling piece of news: “Online Prophecy Resurfaces: Sensationalism or the Real Deal?”
“Yesterday, a netizen named ‘High Priest JS’ posted a prediction on Weibo… Its authenticity is unclear. However, witnesses claim that personnel in camouflage uniforms have indeed been spotted today in the Ningyuan Mountains…”
High Priest JS?
JS… Chicken Shreds—wait, no—Ji Si?
No, hold on—High Priest?
Author’s Note:
Si Nuocheng: I’ve caught onto the key point. High Priest is also “Chicken Shreds,” Ji Si is also “Chicken Shreds.” So, do you like eating spicy shredded chicken?
Ji Si: …
Yu Mingyang: No idea why, but Boss Si has recently developed a huge obsession with shredded chicken. He’s eating it with tomato sauce, chili sauce, mustard, sesame paste… Every way you can think of. Can’t he get tired of it?
Si Nuocheng: Nope, it’s delicious! Burp!
Ji Si: … I’m already tired of it. Burp…
