As Lin Xiao was watching the news, Mother Lin walked in and asked, "What is the news saying?"
Lin Xiao shook his head, frustration evident in his voice. "Even they don't know what's happening."
Mother Lin started pacing around, her anxiety palpable. "What is happening? Are we going to be okay?"
Lin Xiao could sense the underlying fear in her questions. She was probably wondering if they were all going to die. He felt helpless too.
He knew they couldn't go out because he had no idea how to protect themselves from the moon's effects.
At least he wasn't worried about running out of food, thanks to the system store and the groceries they had bought earlier today.
Thinking of food made Lin Xiao suddenly feel hungry. He decided to go to the kitchen to get something to eat. As he walked towards the kitchen, a thought struck him. "Xiao Bai and Lil'blackie! Where are they?"
He turned on his heel and ran upstairs, his heart pounding. When he reached his room, he found Xiao Bai and Lil'blackie curled up together, sleeping peacefully.
Xiao Bai was sprawled on his back, his paws twitching slightly as if he was dreaming.
Lil'blackie was curled into a tight ball, her nose tucked under her tail, looking serious even in sleep.
Lin Xiao felt a wave of relief wash over him. The sight of his cats sleeping so contentedly amidst the chaos was somehow reassuring.
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb their peaceful slumber, but then he decided it was better to have them awake and ready, just in case he needed their help.
He gently reached out and stroked Xiao Bai's soft fur. "Xiao Bai, wake up, buddy," he whispered.
Xiao Bai's eyes fluttered open, and he let out a small, adorable yawn, stretching his paws in the air. He blinked up at Lin Xiao, looking slightly confused but very cute.
Next, Lin Xiao gently shook Lil'blackie. "Lil'blackie, wake up."
Lil'blackie uncurled slowly, her eyes opening to narrow slits. She gave Lin Xiao a stern look, as if to say, "Why are you disturbing my nap?" before finally sitting up and stretching.
"Something's happening outside," Lin Xiao explained softly. "I might need your help."
Xiao Bai tilted his head to one side, his expression curious and concerned. "What's going on, Lin Xiao?" he asked in his cute, slightly clumsy voice.
Lil'blackie, always more serious, fixed Lin Xiao with a piercing gaze. "Is it something dangerous?" she asked, her tone calm but alert.
Lin Xiao nodded and took a deep breath, explaining the situation. "Yes, it's dangerous. The moon turned red again, just like yesterday.
But this time, there's a second moon in the sky, and it's also red. Looking directly at these moons can impact your intelligence and sanity."
Xiao Bai's eyes widened in excitement. "The moon is red? Is it tasty?" he asked, jumping up with an innocent curiosity that made Lin Xiao smile despite the situation.
Lil'blackie promptly smacked Xiao Bai on the head with her paw. "Shut up," she said sternly. "This is serious."
Lin Xiao continued, "The red moons are affecting people differently. Some can see the second moon and its color, while others can't. The news is confused, and there's no official word on what's happening. The system warned me that prolonged exposure to the moons could lead to losing sanity."
Lil'blackie nodded, her expression thoughtful. "So we need to avoid looking at the moons and figure out what's causing this."
Xiao Bai rubbed his head, pouting slightly. "Okay, I get it. No looking at the moons. But what are we going to do, Lin Xiao?"
Lin Xiao sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "For now, we stay inside and avoid looking directly at the moons. We need to gather more information and figure out what's happening. I'm trying to contact Li Jing for more details, but it's tough."
Lil'blackie tilted her head, her serious expression softening a bit. "We'll help you, Lin Xiao. Whatever you need."
Xiao Bai nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, we'll help! We'll find out what's going on and keep everyone safe."
While Lin Xiao was talking with his cats, a sudden scream came from downstairs.
His heart dropped as he bolted toward the source of the noise. Bounding down the stairs, he skidded to a halt in the living room.
His mother and sister were frozen in shock, their eyes glued to the television screen.
The TV showed a chaotic scene, the camera struggling to focus through what looked like a haze of red particles.
Blood seemed to fill the air, creating an eerie and horrifying spectacle. Reporters were shouting in panic, and the screen flickered as if the equipment itself was affected by the bizarre phenomenon.
Lin Xiao's voice trembled as he asked, "What happened?"
Mother Lin, pale and trembling, pointed to the TV. "They were reporting live from a city center... and then suddenly, one of the reporters exploded and this started happening. People are screaming and running. It's... it's everywhere."
Lin Xiao was shocked. How could someone explode unless some superpower user caused it? His mind raced with possibilities, trying to make sense of the chaos.
Suddenly, the TV screen, still showing the studio, went black with a message: "No Signal." Someone had stopped the broadcast.
Lin Xiao's heart pounded. He quickly switched to other news channels, but they were all the same—blank screens or emergency messages. The entire network of news seemed to have been shut down simultaneously. This was no ordinary event; it was orchestrated, deliberate.
"Mom, Mei, we need to stay calm," Lin Xiao said, his voice steady but urgent. "This is serious, but panicking won't help. We need to think and act carefully."
His mother nodded, her face ashen. "What do we do now?"
"We stay inside and away from the windows. We need to block out any view of the sky," Lin Xiao instructed, remembering the warning about the moons. "I'll check the house and make sure we're secure."