Woke up, and I'm in chaos?

When Lin Yue's eyes snapped open, the first sensation wasn't the familiar smell of disinfectant from the laboratory, but a bone-chilling cold—not the chill of a winter night with the window open, but a cold that seeped into his marrow, carrying the metallic tang of rust. He instinctively tried to rub his eyes, only to find his arm as heavy as lead. With the slightest effort, a sharp "zizizi" sound echoed in his ears, like metal scraping against gravel.

He strained to turn his neck, and all he could see was a swirling mass of gray mist. This mist was unlike anything on Earth; it had no fixed form yet exuded an indescribable pressure. Occasionally, black gravel would fall from the mist, landing on the ground with a dull "dong" that made his chest tremble.

"Where am I?" Lin Yue's head buzzed. His last memory was of the laboratory last night—he'd been working on a project report on his computer until three in the morning when the screen suddenly blue-screened. A powerful electric current had surged up his arm from the mouse, and then... this chaotic scene.

He struggled to sit up, finding himself on rough, black rock that felt like it could tear through his clothes. He fumbled for his pockets—phone, ID badge, keys—everything that could prove his identity was gone. Only the washed-out cotton T-shirt and sweatpants he was wearing remained, now soaked and ice-cold from the gray mist, clinging to his skin like a wet rag.

"Did I transmigrate?" The absurd thought surfaced, only for Lin Yue to suppress it. He was a top engineering student from a Project 985 university, a believer in data and logic. Yet, the scene before him forced him to believe—no sky, no ground, just an endless expanse of gray fog. Even the light seemed to appear out of nowhere, flickering as if some creature were breathing.

He tried to stand up. As soon as he straightened his back, a violent gust of wind slammed into him from the side. Lin Yue became like a leaf caught in a gale, crashing hard against the rocks behind him with a dull "bang." A tearing pain shot through his chest, and he couldn't help but cough, tasting a faint hint of blood.

"This mist is dangerous!" Lin Yue gasped for breath, leaning against the rocks and clutching his chest. He realized that hidden within the seemingly chaotic gray fog were countless tiny "blades." That impact hadn't just been the force of the wind; those "blades" had been slicing through his clothes and skin. He looked down at his arm; the sleeve was already cut in several places, and where blood seeped out, the gray mist was slowly encroaching, turning the skin a strange black.

Just then, a low vibration emanated from deep within the gray mist, like something colossal moving. Lin Yue quickly ducked behind the rocks, peeking out with only half an eye. He saw a massive black shadow flash through the mist, moving so fast it left only an afterimage. Wherever it passed, even the violent gusts of wind parted automatically.

"Chaos Fierce Beast?" Lin Yue's heart leaped into his throat. He'd read plenty of Primordial Era settings in novels, where Chaos Fierce Beasts were incredibly powerful, capable of swallowing a person whole in a single bite. He held his breath, staring intently in the direction the shadow had disappeared, his palms slick with cold sweat.

He didn't dare linger. He decided to find a relatively safe place first. Lowering his body, he spread his feet shoulder-width apart, minimizing his contact with the mist. He moved slowly along the crevices in the rocks. With every step, he carefully observed the changes in the surrounding mist, terrified of another violent impact.

After about half an hour, Lin Yue's strength began to wane. He leaned against a relatively flat rock to rest, when he noticed that the gray mist in the distance seemed thinner. The black rocks there were tinged with a faint golden light, starkly different from their surroundings.

"I should check that out!" Lin Yue gritted his teeth and shuffled towards the golden light. The closer he got, the more he felt the warmth emanating from the light. The "blades" in the mist seemed to be weakened by it, no longer as sharp as before.

When he was still about thirty feet away from the golden light, a massive black shadow suddenly appeared beside it. The shadow was at least ten feet tall, its back to him, surrounded by an aura that seemed to originate from the same source as the golden light. The gray mist recoiled from the shadow as if encountering its nemesis.

Lin Yue, terrified, quickly hid behind the rocks, his heart pounding. He looked at the shadow's silhouette—broad shoulders, thick arms, and hands hanging by its sides that were thicker than his thighs, with clearly defined fingers covered in fine black scales.

"What in the world is that?" Lin Yue clenched his fists, his mind filled with fear and confusion. He didn't know if he was about to face kindness or malice. He could only cover his mouth tightly, afraid to even breathe loudly, lest he alert the being.

The black shadow seemed to sense something and turned its head slightly. Lin Yue quickly closed his eyes, his mind blank, praying he wouldn't be discovered. After a while, the suffocating pressure gradually subsided. He cautiously opened one eye to see that the black shadow had turned back, standing silently in the golden light like a motionless sculpture.

Lin Yue let out a sigh of relief but didn't let his guard down. He knew that in this strange world of Chaos, danger lurked everywhere. To survive, he needed to quickly understand his situation and find a reliable way to live. Leaning against the rocks, he calmed his breathing and pondered his next plan—first, he needed to figure out the identity of the black shadow; second, he needed to find a stable energy source; and third, he needed to understand if this was truly the "Chaos" he imagined.

Time trickled by. The gray mist continued to churn, and the distant rumbling sounds occasionally echoed. Lin Yue's strength slowly returned. He knew he couldn't stay hidden here forever. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fists and decided to risk approaching the black shadow—whether it was a fierce beast or a powerful being, it was better than waiting to die.

He pressed himself against the rocks, inching forward step by agonizing step. When he was about fifteen feet away from the black shadow, he suddenly stopped—a wisp of pure energy floated from the golden light surrounding the shadow and landed in his palm. This energy was warm and gentle, instantly dispelling the chill from his body and even easing the pain in his chest.

Lin Yue froze. He looked at the wisp of pale golden energy in his palm, then at the black shadow not far away, and a strange sense of security suddenly welled up within him. He hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered the courage to cup his hands towards the black shadow. "Junior Lin Yue, I wonder what your esteemed identity is? I have accidentally arrived here and know nothing of Chaos. I beg for your guidance."

The black shadow didn't turn around, but simply uttered two words in a deep, hoarse voice: "Pangu."

"Pangu?" Lin Yue's mind went blank, as if struck by thunder. He looked at the silent black shadow before him, then recalled the warm energy he had just received, and suddenly understood—he hadn't just transmigrated into Chaos, he had encountered Pangu, the creator god who opened heaven and earth!