The Descent

Three days later, on September 9, while Lin Chenxing and the others waited for the authorities to begin their cleanup operation and pushed ahead with their preparations as efficiently as possible, everything changed.

The crisis had arrived!

It began with the endless creatures of the ocean launching their attack. Countless birds and beasts transformed into "monsters" and began attacking human settlements!

In the early hours of September 9, islands across the sea sent out warnings: Sea Beasts were running amok along the coast. Countless marine animals swam upstream through the rivers and began attacking people along the banks.

The military put up a fight with a vast arsenal of guns and artillery, but there were too many Sea Beasts. As soon as one group was killed, another took its place, and the creatures slowly pressed forward.

When it became clear they couldn't hold out, people began to flee. Riots broke out as well.

The crowds surged toward the airport, scrambling to board the few planes available.

But the politicians and wealthy had already arrived. The crowd could only watch as the first plane slowly took off.

Under the military's guidance, people began heading toward the remaining planes in batches.

In just half an hour, every plane was full.

They took off, only to explode above the sea before the desperate eyes of the crowd.

Not a single plane escaped.

Everyone aboard was dead.

They had died in the beaks of the birds.

All the crowd could see was a mass of birds flitting among the wreckage scattered across the sea, carrying off one black speck after another in their beaks.

The desperate crowd fell into even greater despair...

Although plenty of soldiers and kindhearted people who wanted to save others remained on the islands, none could survive the countless Sea Beasts surrounding them.

The sun set, and all fell silent.

This was only the first wave of attacks.

In the early hours of September 10, the same scene unfolded once more along the coastlines of every continent, and beside rivers, lakes, and streams.

After witnessing the islands' devastation by satellite, nations around the world evacuated residents from the coast and the areas bordering major waterways overnight.

But they forgot one thing.

Animals came not only from the ocean and other bodies of water, but also from deep in the mountains—and even from within the cities.

As if by prior agreement, the upheaval arrived while everyone was utterly unprepared.

Cries, pleas for help, and curses rang out without end.

At that moment, social order collapsed.

At the foot of the Taihang Mountains, in Chuilong Town.

Explosions echoed through the sky without pause, and the gunfire never let up.

Flames blazed into the sky, lighting the earth as bright as day.

Huge figures roamed or flew about. Some crouched as if savoring something, while others let out the occasional howl.

House after house collapsed, sending up clouds of dust that blanketed street after street.

People fled without stopping, hoping to glimpse some sign of hope amid their despair.

In a shadowy corner of a house, a father and daughter spoke in hushed voices.

"Dad, I think staying in town is only going to get more dangerous. We'd be fine if we had a basement, but we don't. If we keep hiding here, they'll find us sooner or later."

"Xiao Mo, how are we supposed to escape right now? The town is full of these monsters. Where could we even go? There's no way. We should stay here as long as we can, at least for now. We'll be alive. You saw the people who fled from the building next door. They didn't get far—just a few hundred meters—and they were still spotted. We can wait until the monsters nearby have left before we try to escape."

"Dad, here's what I'm thinking. The person who just died was about to open a car door, right? The car was unlocked, so he must have had the keys. We can find the right moment, take his car, and look for somewhere safer."

"But that doesn't feel right. We can't just take someone else's car. Besides, our own car isn't far away. It's just outside the residential complex."

"The longer we stay outside, the more dangerous it gets. With things as they are, why should we worry about that?"

"All right, then." As he said this, the man's eyes stopped darting about and grew firm, as if he had found something to rely on. "Which way should we go? We'd better decide now, so we'll know where to head when the time comes."

The woman glanced at the man, a little puzzled, but didn't dwell on it. "The nearest place with a relatively safe underground space and plenty of food seems to be the row of shops at Dingsheng Residential Complex. There's a supermarket there, and it has a basement. It should be easy to seal the doors, too."

The man nodded. Then the two of them crouched and quietly made their way toward the window.

After circling the room and confirming there were no monsters in the visible area around the house, they both breathed a sigh of relief and started toward the door.

As soon as they opened it, they rushed toward their chosen destination.

Seven or eight hundred meters away, a catlike monster that had been gnawing on a corpse raised its head and looked toward the sound in confusion. It gave a soft meow, then immediately turned and bounded off.

It wasn't the only catlike monster to notice. Several other kinds of monsters had heard them, too. The farthest was more than a thousand meters away.

The father and daughter hurriedly opened the car doors, started the engine, floored the accelerator, and sped off.

Just seconds later, the nearest catlike monster reached the spot where the car had been and prepared to chase after it, though it was already more than ten meters away.

But these monsters were still animals, albeit stronger and smarter ones. Their instincts hadn't disappeared. When a cat came across a mouse, only a few would keep up the chase. And there were plenty of other foods nearby that were just as delicious to them—and much easier to catch.

Thanks to that, the car ultimately reached Dingsheng Residential Complex without incident, despite the pursuit along the way. The monsters scattered when they found better food.

Yet the row of shops at Dingsheng Residential Complex seemed strangely quiet, as if the monsters had already wiped out everyone there and left.

The father and daughter drove straight to the supermarket entrance, got out quietly, and crept inside, taking cover with every step.

Inside, the supermarket was a mess. Shelves and racks lay toppled across the floor.

Bloodstains appeared now and then among the scattered goods, along with some ghastly remains.

The father and daughter felt their stomachs churn, but to carry out their plan, they could only cover their mouths and press on.

When they reached the kitchenware section, they each picked out a knife that felt right in their hands. Those with sheaths fastened them to their belts. They kept one hand on the handle, ready to draw at any moment.

When they reached the dried goods section, a sudden chill came over them, as though something were watching.

They stood back-to-back and began slowly edging toward the entrance.

A dark shape flashed by. At last, they saw what had been watching them: a leopard with a pitch-black coat and blood-red eyes. Its gaze made them deeply uncomfortable.

The Black Leopard slowly circled them without making a sound. Each step was light, yet full of power.

The man drew the knife from his belt and pointed it at the Black Leopard, ready to strike.