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Surviving in a Mutated World with a Simulator
墨書 Inktalez
That night, the earth lay in tranquil silence. The coastal city of Linhai was exceptionally cold in November, shrouded in clouds that obscured any trace of moonlight. As the clock approached three in the morning, the city had fallen into a deep slumber, with only a few scattered lights still glowing.
Linhai People's Park, located on the north side of Shuiyun Garden and west of Changle Community, spanned approximately 90 acres, making it the perfect choice for nearby residents to stroll and relax.
The tremor of the ground shattered the night's stillness, but everything happened so quickly that it did not awaken the sleeping city.
Tang Ziran lay in her warm bed, groggily opening her eyes. The room was dimly lit, clearly not at her usual waking hour. However, sleep eluded her; the reason was simple—she had just experienced a rather frightening dream.
Lying flat on her back and staring at the ceiling, her gaze unfocused, she couldn't help but recall the contents of her dream.
"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it felt like the end of the world."
Fragmented buildings, a city engulfed in silence, massive black crystal clusters, mutated plants, bizarre creatures... and people flying in the sky? She had been wandering through the city in search of food to fill her stomach. Even after waking from the dream, the feeling of hunger that twisted her stomach remained.
"Have I read too many novels?" Tang Ziran thought about the "extraordinary individuals" she encountered while searching for food in her dream. Perhaps it was due to watching numerous fantasy and sci-fi movies that she found herself accepting such powers as conjuring flames with a wave of a hand or soaring through the sky.
"But why did I have to suffer so much? It felt like I couldn't even fill my belly." Tang Ziran curled up under her blanket and turned over with a sigh. Although it was just a dream, it lingered in her mind.
"Isn't it said that dreams allow you to do as you please? Why was I only thinking about finding food instead of playing around with some powers?"
Yawning, she struggled to climb out of her warm cocoon. Tang Ziran walked to the window on the right side of her bed and pulled back the silver blackout curtains. Outside, daylight had already broken, but thick fog hung in the air, obscuring even the building next door to her community.
Tang Ziran lived on the fifth floor of Building Two in Shuiyun Garden. With her parents away on business trips, she had been home alone for some time.
It was the weekend, and she didn’t have to work. Her biological clock was quite regular, and when she felt awake at the appointed time, she got up. After freshening up, she headed to the kitchen to rummage for something to eat.
Three slices of bread, a cup of milk, and some jam.
Although she had felt very hungry in her dreams, that gnawing sensation had faded after waking up. She planned to eat a little something just to tide her over.
Sitting at the table, Tang Ziran slowly chewed on the soft toast. The slightly sweet strawberry jam successfully awakened her dormant taste buds. She tilted her head back and finished the milk in one go, then thought about the limited food in the fridge and decided to head to the supermarket soon to buy some frozen food and vegetables.
The fog outside was still thick. Considering that she didn’t need to buy much, Tang Ziran grabbed a reasonably sized backpack and headed out.
“It’s a quarter past ten.” She glanced at her watch on her left wrist and then looked up at the sky, which was a milky white, obscuring any sunlight.
The supermarket was located on the west side of her community. It took about fifteen minutes to walk down from her apartment. After selecting what she needed at the supermarket, she began her walk back.
As she strolled along the sidewalk of Chaoyang Road, wearing noise-canceling headphones and listening to music, she pondered what to have for lunch.
“Ahhh—run!” The terrified, piercing scream cut through her headphones and struck her eardrums.
“What’s happening? Did I just hear someone calling for help?”
She quickly took off her headphones and looked around. The cries continued around her; cars on the road suddenly accelerated. A few vehicles collided with each other, and the drivers didn’t have time to argue about responsibility. In their panic, they abandoned their cars and ran forward.
"Run, run!! There's a monster!" The trembling voice echoed with despair around Tang Ziran. Five or maybe six strangers rushed past her on the sidewalk, fleeing ahead.
She glanced back, but the fog obscured her vision, preventing her from understanding what was happening.
However, the overwhelming atmosphere of panic compelled her to join the escape. Surrounded by such terror, her body instinctively moved.
A loud "thud" sounded nearby as something heavy struck a car. Tang Ziran felt the hairs on her neck stand up—whatever it was, it was terrifying.
Suppressing a scream that threatened to escape her throat, she ran desperately forward, leaving her backpack behind in the greenery.
Faster... run faster...
...
Tang Ziran felt her knees hit the ground. She saw herself fall and lie motionless.
With a dull thud, a severed head rolled onto the ground.
Her wide eyes still reflected the terror of her last moments.
I... am dead?
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