Chapter 1: The Whole World Has a System
New Year’s Eve, 2020.
“Mmm, it smells so good, brother! You could be a chef one day!”
A thirteen-year-old girl, her cheeks round and rosy like an apple, drooled as she gazed at the platter of braised pork with potatoes.
“Caught you sneaking food again!” Seventeen-year-old Chen Mo tapped his little sister’s nose affectionately.
Ning Xuan stuck out her tongue, grinning, “Hehe, that’s only because you cook so well!”
Chen Mo filled two bowls with rice, poured two glasses of cola, and raised his glass, “Happy New Year, little rascal!”
Ning Xuan gulped down her cola in one greedy swallow, then gleefully raised her tiny, pink fist above her head, “Hooray! Happy New Year! Cola is so yummy! My New Year’s wish is to have meat and cola every day from now on!”
Chen Mo shook his head, “What a lack of ambition!”
Laughter and joy filled the cramped room.
At that moment, the Spring Festival Gala was airing a comedy sketch, “My First Close Encounter with an Alien,” about the mishaps of an extraterrestrial’s first visit to Earth.
Ning Xuan’s imagination soared, “Brother, do you think there are aliens in this world?”
Burp—
Chen Mo let out a satisfied burp, then grinned mischievously, “Of course there are aliens. Look at us—two orphans, no parents, but actually, we’re both aliens. Our mission is to invade Earth!”
“Pfft!” Ning Xuan cast him a scornful look, “With that childishness, you’ll never find a girlfriend!”
“Ning Xuan!” Chen Mo pretended to be angry, his face darkening, “I told you to cut down on idol dramas. Look at the nonsense that’s filled your head!”
Boom—
A piercing sound tore through their eardrums. Chen Mo’s heart sank, an ominous feeling rising within him. He quickly covered his sister’s ears.
But Ning Xuan wasn’t scared; she broke free from Chen Mo’s hands, excitedly running to the window. “Brother! Come look! It’s beautiful!”
Chen Mo joined her at the window. Looking up, he saw the sky ablaze with countless stars, their long tails trailing behind them, dazzling in a kaleidoscope of colors, as if the Milky Way had fallen to Earth.
“Brother, are the aliens here?”
Chen Mo joked, “Yes, yes, they’ve come to take us back to the universe.”
“Ah—”
Suddenly, Ning Xuan’s face twisted in pain, her hands clutching her head.
Chen Mo panicked, “Xuan Xuan, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”
Ning Xuan was mischievous and loved pranks.
But her agony was no act. She whimpered, “Brother! I hear a strange voice inside my head. I’m scared!”
Chen Mo hugged her tightly, gently stroking her back to comfort her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. Maybe you misheard.”
Ning Xuan shook her head hard, “I didn’t mishear. The voice said ‘Evolution begins, binding successful,’ and claims to be a ‘Zhi Particle’ from the Centauri region…”
Damn!
Chen Mo’s face darkened. Was his sister really an alien, receiving signals from space?
Looking at Ning Xuan, it didn’t seem like she was faking.
“Xuan Xuan, don’t be afraid. Maybe it’s just the fireworks outside making you hear things.”
Ning Xuan spoke to the empty air, “What do you want?”
Then she muttered to herself, “Really? You’re not lying?”
“You mean everyone has one?”
Chen Mo felt a chill run down his spine, “Ning Xuan, stop scaring me. Who are you talking to?”
Ning Xuan’s fear slowly gave way to excitement, “Brother, the thing talking in my head calls itself Zhi Particle. It says it comes from the energy center of the Centauri region, here to help Earth upgrade and evolve. Everyone will have their own unique Zhi Particle to guide them!”
“Everyone? Then why don’t I have one? Am I not human? Ning Xuan, you’re lying again!” Chen Mo launched his secret weapon, pinching Ning Xuan’s waist.
“Ha, haha, brother, stop, don’t tickle me! I really didn’t lie! Ouch!” Ning Xuan’s body went limp from his tickling, unable to resist.
But… this wasn’t right. Normally Ning Xuan would have confessed by now; today her stubbornness was unusual. Could she really be telling the truth?
Ding~ding~ding~
Chen Mo noticed his phone had received thousands of messages on WeChat. The phone was a cheap knockoff he’d bought for 300 yuan after collecting bottles from the school trash bins and selling them after class. Slow as molasses but loud, with a long battery life and able to run WeChat—more than enough for Chen Mo.
Opening WeChat, he was bombarded by a sea of red notifications, almost freezing his phone.
His desk-mate and best friend Ding Yan had sent dozens of messages.
“Amazing! Mo, did you hear the strange voice?”
“Zhi Particle! I mean Zhi Particle!”
“Stop watching that lousy Spring Gala, answer me!!”
…
“Mo, I feel like the Earth is about to change drastically. Let’s join forces and conquer all!”
Then Chen Mo checked his high school group chat.
Sure enough, everyone was talking about Zhi Particles. Everyone had awakened, even a classmate claimed his ninety-year-old great-grandmother had awakened too!
Good grief, does no one have any rights anymore? Am I not human?
It felt like the whole world had won the lottery—except him! Was fate jealous of his looks and charm?
“Brother! Countdown! I see a countdown!” Ning Xuan grabbed Chen Mo’s arm, nervous and excited.
Chen Mo’s face contorted in agony, but he forced a smile, “What countdown?”
Ning Xuan pointed to the air with innocent fingers, “Top left corner, I see a line of golden numbers: 00:59:59, ticking down, 00:59:58, 57, 56…”
Chen Mo pressed his chest; his heart ached! Damn it! He couldn’t see anything! Was the world about to leave him behind?
Ning Xuan’s wide-eyed innocence brimmed, “Brother? You really don’t see anything?”
Chen Mo braced himself, feigning calm, “Hah? Don’t underestimate your brother. Those Zhi Particles are minor stuff. I have their boss—call it ZhiDad!”
Ning Xuan gasped in admiration, “Wow, brother, you’re amazing!”
Buzz—
The Spring Gala abruptly stopped. A middle-aged man with a square jaw appeared, his icy voice and sharp gaze piercing through the screen.
He spoke coldly, “Friends watching at home, don’t panic. I am Lei Dongtian, captain of the Special Operations Group. I believe you have all encountered Zhi Particles—these are five-dimensional intelligent particles, far beyond Earth’s technology. We have urgently gathered the country’s top scientists to study them. Before the authorities release scientific conclusions, do not act rashly or blindly follow the Zhi Particles’ instructions. Stay home, do not go outside!”
“Friends watching at home, don’t panic. I am…”
Lei Dongtian’s words replayed again and again.
“Brother? What should we do? Is this the end of the world?” Thirteen and frightened, Ning Xuan clung to Chen Mo’s hand.
Chen Mo’s mind was in turmoil, but he couldn’t show it—he was Ning Xuan’s brother.
“Silly girl, don’t be afraid. I’m here; nothing will happen!” Chen Mo’s relaxed tone soothed Ning Xuan’s fears.
Tick, tick.
Time became a death knell, suspending the siblings’ hearts and robbing them of peace. What should have been a festive New Year’s Eve dinner had turned into a nightmare for the world.
Checking his phone, Chen Mo discovered that not only China, but Japan, Korea, Europe, America—every country, every person—was seeing the countdown in the corner of their vision. Except Chen Mo.
Something was wrong—when the unusual happens, beware. How could he be the only one excluded? Was he really an alien, and the Zhi Particle useless to him?
“Brother! The last minute!” Ning Xuan bit her lip, burying her head in Chen Mo’s chest. She didn’t dare open her eyes, yet even with her eyes closed, she could still “see” the countdown. That was the most terrifying thing about the Zhi Particle.
00:00:10
00:00:09
00:00:08
…
00:00:03
00:00:02
00:00:01
Boom—
That piercing sound again, slicing through their eardrums!
Whoa! Ah!
Outside, countless cries and screams erupted.
Chen Mo summoned his courage, moved to the window, and looked outside. He saw the stars blazing across the heavens, crashing toward the Earth at incredible speed. The sky was filled with brilliant fireworks.
“Quick! Hide under the bed!” Chen Mo decided instantly, grabbing his sister and crawling beneath the bed.
He breathed heavily, his heart gripped by fear.
A minute passed. Five minutes. Ten minutes.
Aside from the shouts outside, there was no earthquake, no apocalypse as he’d imagined.
Ning Xuan whispered, “Brother, my Zhi Particle tells me there’s an Evolution Sphere one kilometer away. I should go and receive my first rookie evolution.”
Evolution Sphere? Rookie evolution?
What the hell was all this?
Chen Mo could only laugh helplessly.