You're a Calamity Too

This opera robe really was Chen Yan's.

Eight years ago, a tiny, shabby opera troupe came to the Third District and put up a small stage in the wilderness to perform two plays. Seven-year-old Chen Yan became obsessed with it.

In this world, theater culture was not popular. Back then, the troupe had spent two hard days building the stage, yet only five people came... Chen Ling and Chen Yan, who had been drawn over while playing in the wilderness; a passing porter dragged over to make up the audience; and a beggar who came to ask the troupe for food...

The last was a teacher from the Second District who genuinely loved theater and had come after hearing of it.

Of the five, only Chen Yan and the teacher listened attentively through the entire performance. Chen Ling fell asleep halfway through, the porter hurriedly left as soon as it began, and as for the beggar, he rushed onto the stage to beg for food during intermission. A martial-role actor kicked him straight off the stage, and he left cursing.

But Chen Ling saw that his younger brother's eyes were filled with light as he looked at the stage.

After that day, Chen Yan began teaching himself theater. Somehow, he had gotten hold of two books. Every morning, he woke early to practice the singing style in their room, copy down scripts, and even teach himself needlework to make costumes.

The one Chen Ling wore had been sewn by Chen Yan himself. At the hem was a tiny blue flower he had left behind while sewing it.

"Here. Giving it back to you."

After washing the opera robe, Chen Ling casually handed it to Chen Yan. Looking at his reflection in the water, he saw that the wounds and bloodstains had mostly disappeared.

The two carefully followed the path to the edge of Frost Street and looked toward home.

Around the house with its shattered front door, the area had already been completely sealed off with cordons. Several Enforcers in black-and-red uniforms moved through it.

Two stretchers stood at the entrance, each holding a corpse covered by a white sheet.

"How is it?"

"They couldn't be saved." An Enforcer looked regretfully at the white sheets. "Brother Meng had ordered those two to monitor the couple living here. They must have noticed something was wrong inside and forced their way in. They died fighting the Calamity."

"What about the couple? Are they dead too?"

"...No."

The Enforcer looked toward the entrance. A man and woman were being helped out of the house by other Enforcers. Their eyes were unfocused, their faces deathly pale, and their whole bodies trembled as if their souls had left them.

"They survived."

"Weren't they the first ones attacked by the Calamity? Why did they survive?"

"Our guess is that although they were attacked first, they didn't fight back. The two Enforcers drew their guns and fired, enraging the Calamity, which was why they were killed..."

"You mean that Calamity was toying with them?"

"That's what we think."

"Any other clues?"

"Almost none... That Calamity's abilities were extremely strange. It tore apart over half the house and left behind nothing of value. We can't even determine which direction it came in from."

"Frost Street is so large, yet it happened to break into this house. Was that a coincidence?"

"Hard to say. Frost Street is already at the outermost edge of the Third District. Behind it is the back mountain, and beyond that is the Mass Grave where the Gray Realm Convergence occurred, followed by the Second District... Judging by the route, it would make sense if the Calamity crawled out of the Ash Realm, went to the Second District for a massacre, fled into the back mountain, then turned and charged into this part of Frost Street."

"The murder scene in the Second District was also near the back mountain?"

"Yes. These locations aren't far apart, and they're all in a straight line." The Enforcer nodded slightly.

The two were about to say more when a sharp, shrill howl came from nearby.

"Calamity!! Calamity!!!"

Li Xiuchun suddenly broke free from the Enforcer beside her. As though she had seen something horrifying, she glared at them while scrambling backward. "Don't even think about hurting me!! Don't even think about hurting me!!!"

As she retreated again and again, she slammed into the people supporting Chen Tan behind her. The impact made Chen Tan's pupils suddenly contract.

He immediately curled into a ball, clutching his head with both hands and muttering meaningless sounds. His eyes were filled with terror as well.

The many Enforcers nearby exchanged glances, helplessness flashing across their faces... They were not overly surprised. With practiced ease, they tied the two up with ropes, stuffed white cloth into their mouths to keep them from disturbing the public, and headed straight for Third District headquarters.

Seeing this, Chen Ling quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Doctor Lin had said that among survivors of a Gray Realm Convergence or a Calamity attack, eighty percent suffered mental breakdowns, and most could never be cured. It seemed that Li Xiuchun and Chen Tan had developed those symptoms as well.

For Chen Ling, this was fortunate. Only four people had witnessed him become a Calamity. The two Enforcers had already been killed by the "Audience." If Li Xiuchun and Chen Tan told everyone what had happened, he would immediately become wanted.

Fortunately, Li Xiuchun and Chen Tan had both gone mad. His identity would not be exposed, and he could still walk the streets openly as Chen Ling.

Of course, that was assuming the Enforcers did not uncover anything about him later.

It still isn't safe... I need to find a way to completely stop their investigation... Chen Ling disliked taking risks, and he disliked even more having his fate held in someone else's hands. His mind raced as he tried to find the safest solution.

Just then, a figure rushed past him!

"Dad! Mom!"

Chen Yan cried out and sprinted toward the two figures being taken away, his wan little face full of panic.

Chen Yan had no idea what had happened. He was only fifteen. Seeing his parents being brought out of the ruins felt no different from the sky collapsing.

Chen Ling's gaze narrowed. Instinctively, he wanted to grab Chen Yan, but after hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward and quickly followed behind him, calling for their parents as well.

Hearing their cries, the Enforcers all turned around. Two boys were hurrying toward them, and they lowered their heads to begin checking the files.

"This couple has two children. One is eighteen, and one is fifteen."

"We didn't find their bodies in the house just now. I was about to send someone to look for them, but they showed up on their own..."

"Ah, those poor children."

"..."

Several Enforcers whispered among themselves.

Chen Yan rushed to Li Xiuchun and was about to say something when her pupils contracted violently. Somehow, she spat out the cloth in her mouth and screamed ahead of her:

"Calamity!! You're a Calamity too!! You want to kill me too?!"

Chen Yan froze on the spot.