You're a Calamity Too

This costume robe really did belong to Chen Yan.

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

Theatrical culture was not popular in this world. Back then, the troupe had spent two exhausting 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 had come 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 hurried off as soon as it began, and as for the beggar, during intermission, he rushed onto the stage to beg for food. 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 scavenged two books, and every day he rose early to practice the singing style in their room, copy down plays, and even learn needlework to make costumes.

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

"Here. Giving it back to you."

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

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 caution tape. Several Enforcers in black-and-red uniforms moved through it.

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

"How is it?"

"Beyond saving." One of the Enforcers looked regretfully at the white sheets. "Brother Meng had ordered those two to follow 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."

One of the Enforcers looked toward the entrance. A man and a woman were being helped out of the house by other Enforcers. Their pupils were unfocused, their faces deathly pale, and their whole bodies shook without pause, as though 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 resist. Those 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 I mean."

"Any other leads?"

"Hardly any... That Calamity's ability was extremely strange. It tore apart more than half the house, leaving behind practically no useful information. We can't even determine which direction it came in from."

"Frost Street is so large, yet it happened to enter this household. 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, beyond that is the Mass Grave where the Gray Realm Convergence once occurred, and then comes the Second District... Judging from the route, it would make sense if that Calamity crawled out of the Ash Realm, went to the Second District for a killing spree, escaped into the back mountain, and then charged into this section of Frost Street."

"The murders in the Second District happened near the back mountain too?"

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

The two were about to say more when a piercing shriek came from nearby.

"Calamity!! Calamity!!!"

Li Xiuchun suddenly broke free from the Enforcers beside her. As if she had seen something utterly terrifying, she stared at them with wide eyes while scrambling backward. "Don't you dare hurt me!! Don't you dare hurt me!!!"

As she retreated, she slammed into the group behind her who were supporting Chen Tan. The impact made Chen Tan's pupils suddenly constrict.

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

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

Seeing this, Chen Ling let out a breath of relief.

Doctor Lin had said that among survivors of Ash Realm intersections or Calamity attacks, eighty percent suffered mental breakdowns, and most could never be cured for the rest of their lives. Now, it seemed those symptoms had appeared in Li Xiuchun and Chen Tan as well.

To Chen Ling, this was fortunate. Only four people had witnessed him turn into 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 openly through the streets as Chen Ling.

Of course, that was only if the Enforcers failed to uncover anything about him afterward.

"It still isn't safe... I need to find a way to completely block their investigation..." Chen Ling did not like taking risks, much less leaving his fate in someone else's hands. His mind raced as he tried to find the most reliable method.

Just then, a figure rushed past him!

"Dad! Mom!"

Chen Yan cried out and sprinted toward the two figures being taken away, his haggard little face filled with panic.

Chen Yan did not know what had happened. He was only fifteen, and seeing his parents being brought out of the ruins felt no different from watching the sky collapse.

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

Hearing their cries, the Enforcers all turned around. They saw the two boys rushing toward them, then lowered their heads and began flipping through their files.

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

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

"Poor kids."

"..."

Several Enforcers whispered among themselves.

Chen Yan rushed before Li Xiuchun and was about to say something when her pupils violently constricted. Somehow, she spat out the white cloth, stared ahead, and roared:

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

Chen Yan froze on the spot.