The Anomaly's Arrival History

Earth, April 1, 2026.

The deep black curtain of the universe was torn open by a silent, colossal force.

It was not the demise of stars, nor the birth of nebulae, but a pure, ominous rift.

It stretched across Earth's orbit.

From the depths of that scar, an endless, viscous gloom surged forth.

It writhed, it spread, gently enveloping and swallowing the entire Earth.

Light vanished.

The globe plunged into a complete twenty-four hours of absolute darkness.

People called that day the "Sunless Day."

What followed was a long night that lasted for a full month.

The sun seemed to have never existed, and the moon and stars became forgotten myths.

Fortunately, the glow of electricity still stubbornly pierced the eternal midnight.

Cities became isolated islands, twinkling with the fragile flame of civilization in a dark ocean.

The internet became humanity's sole spiritual connection, and also the best breeding ground for panic and despair.

The flames of doomsday prophecies burned fiercely in every forum, every chat group.

People frantically hoarded supplies, and the order that had been painstakingly stabilized collapsed within that month.

Until May 1st.

At that moment, all screens worldwide, whether the giant screens in shopping malls, the televisions at home, or the phones in pockets, regardless of whether they were powered on or had long been damaged, were forcibly lit up simultaneously by an incomprehensible, brute force.

A figure appeared synchronously on all screens.

It was shrouded in thick, swirling black mist, its specific features and exact form indistinguishable.

Only a voice, cold, flat, and devoid of any emotional inflection natural to life, echoed through every phone earpiece, every speaker, every headphone, reaching every corner of the globe.

"Survive, or perish."

"From this day forward, your world will be connected to our world for a 'game'."

"Each year, one person from each of your countries will be randomly selected as a 'player' and sent into our world."

"You will watch everything the 'player' does through live broadcast."

"If they survive, they will buy your country some breathing room."

"If the player dies, the broadcast channel will be permanently closed, and your country... will face reckoning."

The moment the voice fell silent, the screens went black.

The gloom surrounding Earth dissipated, and the sun shone upon the planet once more!

Yet the rift remained.

As the mysterious entity had foretold, people were indeed chosen and summoned away every year.

The chosen individuals came from all walks of life.

There were top-tier agents, battle-hardened elite soldiers, and ordinary people with no strength to even tie a chicken.

And the creatures from that unknown and terrifying world on the other side of the screen were given a unified name by the people of Earth—Anomalies.

They possessed supernatural powers beyond mortal comprehension, and their very existence mocked the laws of physics.

For the beings in the world of Anomalies, this kind of "game" had long been the norm.

They followed a "Lord" of unfathomable power, executing His inscrutable will.

For countless years, they had connected with one planet after another teeming with life.

Sometimes, they chose direct slaughter, completely devouring the planet's resources and civilization.

Other times, they opted for these more cruel games, enjoying the "fun" of their prey struggling in despair, slowly digesting a civilization.

However, this planet called Earth seemed somewhat special.

The time they spent here far exceeded that spent on any previous planet.

Their "Lord" seemed to have deliberately slowed down the pace of consumption...

Chu He's skin crawled under Xia Yan's gaze.

His hands, which had just been resting somewhat restlessly on Xia Yao and Kachi's waists, quickly retracted.

He forced an incredibly bright smile onto his face.

"Heh heh..."

A low growl rumbled from Xia Yan's throat.

"Hmph!"

He couldn't understand.

He truly couldn't understand.

Two days.

Just two days.

How could a human he could crush with a flick of his wrist make SSS-Class existences like Xia Yao and Kachi, who were so arrogant and proud, become like this?

He had personally watched them fight each other like the world was ending over this man, only to see them instantly make up over him.

That kiss...

A single kiss could make an SSS-Class Anomaly fall so deeply, developing feelings that would last until death?

This was no longer a simple beguiling ability.

He suddenly felt a chill.

This world, dominated by "Anomalies" for countless years, which treated myriad civilizations as food and playthings...

This seemingly eternal and strictly hierarchical order...

Could it be facing an unpredictable upheaval because of this small, seemingly harmless variable before him?

And at this thought, he couldn't help but feel a hint of anticipation. He utterly disdained humanity's martial prowess; they were too weak, he could destroy one with a mere blink.

However, he deeply admired human civilization. Especially Dragon Country's culinary culture, which was profound and diverse. It was the ultimate pursuit for him as a "Ghost Chef." Many of his current proud dishes were improved versions based on Dragon Country recipes.

Forget it.

If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it.

On Xia Yan's rugged face, the rage and frustration gradually subsided, replaced by a deep weariness.

He picked up the ingredients carried by his multi-armed monster subordinates and let out a dull roar.

"It's almost noon, time to eat!"

Twelve noon, the sun blazed fiercely.

In the school cafeteria, voices buzzed and shadowy figures mingled.

Surviving human students and Anomalies of various forms stood together, creating a bizarre spectacle.

When Xia Yan's mountain-like figure appeared before them, all sound ceased.

The entire cafeteria fell silent.

Xia Yan's face was grim.

His mountain-like oppressive gaze swept across the hall. Everyone, human or Anomaly, who met his eyes immediately lowered their heads in fear.

Except for Chu He and his companions.

He shouted sternly, his voice infused with undeniable authority that boomed in the depths of everyone's souls.

"What you saw and heard on the training grounds today, all of it, swallow it down!"

"If even half a word of this gets out..."

He paused, his eyes turning ferociously hostile.

His two multi-armed monster subordinates had already carried over a massive cutting board, over half a meter thick.

The board was made from the bones of some unknown, giant black beast, incredibly hard.

Xia Yan grabbed the heavy, door-sized bone cleaver.

Hand raised, blade fell!

Crack--!

A crisp sound, so sharp it made one's teeth ache!

The thick bone cutting board was split in half by his single strike, the cut as smooth as a mirror.

"Just like this board!"