Just as the two were deep in conversation, a deep rumbling echoed from the sky. Wang Yanfei and Lin Yi instinctively stopped in their tracks, tilting their heads up toward the horizon.
A blinding light streaked across the once-clear blue sky. A massive meteor was hurtling toward the ground at an astonishing speed, heating the surrounding air and suffusing it with an oppressive, suffocating pressure.
"What the hell is that?!" Lin Yi froze, his voice tinged with panic.
Before Wang Yanfei could respond, the city's emergency alarms blared through the streets, their sharp, repetitive tones cutting through the morning air:
"Emergency alert! Meteor impact imminent! All citizens must evacuate to the nearest shelter immediately! Repeat, seek shelter immediately!"
Without hesitation, Wang Yanfei grabbed Lin Yi's arm. "Stop standing there—RUN!" He yanked his friend forward, following the school's emergency evacuation signs, sprinting toward the nearest underground shelter. Lin Yi, despite his usual laid-back nature, didn't hesitate either. He followed closely, scanning their surroundings with a tense expression.
They ran at full speed, reaching the school's reinforced underground shelter within minutes. The entrance, a thick alloy door several meters deep, was built to withstand even nuclear fallout. Inside, students and faculty were already gathered, their faces filled with anxiety, whispering among themselves in hushed voices.
A large screen mounted on the shelter wall flickered on, broadcasting live emergency news. The anchor's voice was hurried, urgent:
"This meteor is NOT a natural celestial object. Its trajectory is erratic, its origin unknown. The city's defense forces have activated the highest-level emergency response, attempting to intercept the meteor before impact!"
The screen zoomed in on the approaching meteor, showing countless missiles streaking toward it, leaving fiery trails in the sky. Laser weapons fired from various positions, forming a web of dazzling energy beams aimed directly at the rock.
But just before the attacks connected—they vanished.
Bullets, missiles, lasers—all seemed to disappear into an invisible void around the meteor, as if swallowed by nothingness.
Lin Yi's eyes widened in shock, his finger trembling as he pointed at the screen. "That… that shouldn't be possible!"
Wang Yanfei's fists clenched instinctively as he watched. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. The meteor continued its unstoppable descent, shaking the very ground beneath their feet, its low-frequency tremors reaching even the deepest levels of the shelter.
The shelter fell silent, the tension palpable.
The broadcast continued:
"Defensive measures have failed. An unknown energy field surrounds the object, neutralizing all attacks. Based on current projections, the impact site will be at the border between the Eastern Federation and the Western Corporate States. Exact coordinates remain unconfirmed. Please remain calm and await further instructions."
Lin Yi gritted his teeth, frustration evident in his voice. "Remain calm? How the hell are we supposed to stay calm?! That's one of the most densely populated regions!"
The shelter remained deathly quiet, aside from the mechanical repetition of alarm sirens and the flickering emergency broadcast. A heavy pressure settled in everyone's chests, the weight of impending disaster making it hard to breathe.
Lin Yi took a deep breath, turning to Wang Yanfei, his voice low. "Do you think… we still have a chance?"
For a moment, Wang Yanfei's expression was unreadable. Then, out of nowhere, he hugged himself and subtly leaned away from Lin Yi, muttering in a small voice:
"W-What are you trying to do? I… I like girls, okay?"
Lin Yi blinked, caught completely off guard.
A beat passed—then his tense expression shattered into uncontrollable laughter. "Are you kidding me?! We're about to die, and THAT'S what you're thinking?!"
Wang Yanfei shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, the faintest hint of amusement breaking through the tension.
The sudden burst of humor was cut short as the emergency broadcast blared a final countdown:
"All personnel, brace for impact! Estimated collision in 10 seconds! Expect severe tremors! Hold on to stable structures immediately!"
Wang Yanfei and Lin Yi exchanged a look before swiftly moving to brace themselves against a reinforced wall, gripping the nearest handrails. The shelter's occupants followed suit, grabbing onto whatever they could.
"Hey, Yanfei," Lin Yi muttered, voice lower now. "I don't think a joke is gonna save us this time."
"Shut up and hold on." Wang Yanfei's eyes locked onto the screen, his jaw tightening as the glowing meteor rapidly expanded, swallowing the screen's view entirely.
Then—impact.
But… nothing happened.
No explosion. No shockwave.
The ground remained still.
The entire shelter was so silent that the sound of people breathing became deafening.
Wang Yanfei hesitated, slowly releasing his grip on the railing. "What the hell?"
Everyone's eyes snapped back to the screen, which had frozen on the meteor's descent.
And then—everything changed.
The moment the meteor "landed," it didn't crash. It didn't shatter. Instead, a brilliant light erupted from its surface, shooting skyward like a celestial firework. Golden, blue, and violet energy beams spiraled into the clouds, twisting and weaving together into an intricate, otherworldly pattern.
A stunned whisper escaped Lin Yi's lips. "What… is that?"
No one could answer.
The dancing lights stretched higher and higher, until finally, they began to spread outward, like an enormous glowing net unfurling across the entire planet.
A new layer of ethereal light slowly encased Earth's entire sky.
The emergency broadcast continued in a shaky voice:
"We… we don't know what this is. The meteor is not acting as expected. There has been no impact or explosion. Instead… a massive, unknown energy barrier appears to be forming around the entire planet."
A single voice whispered from within the shelter. "Is it… swallowing Earth?"
"No," Wang Yanfei muttered, shaking his head, his gaze sharp. "It's not swallowing… it's covering."
Lin Yi frowned. "Covering? Covering what?"
No one knew.
All they could do was watch as the entire sky transformed, enveloped by the light of an unknown force.
Four hours later.
The city had fallen into an unnerving silence. There were no further tremors, no destruction—just a deep, lingering tension hanging in the air. Schools were temporarily suspended, and most citizens remained indoors.
At home, Wang Yanfei used the sudden break to focus on his daily strength training. He finished his final set of push-ups, exhaling sharply before heading to the bathroom for a cold shower.
Draping a towel around his neck, he sat down at his desk, casually picking up his smart wristband.
The screen immediately flashed red.
"99+ new messages."
His eyebrow twitched. "What now?"
Clicking on the notification, he found his school group chat exploding with messages.
"TypingAddict: BRO. This is INSANE. That light show? Definitely alien tech."
"SpeedrunnerYuzu: Aliens? Pfft. The AI already said they're still investigating. But man, we're witnessing history. My civil engineering major is about to rise, mark my words!"
"LilBearBoom: Guys, what if this is the start of an intergalactic invasion? The space agencies must be losing their minds right now."
"UnluckyOverlord: You fools. This is OBVIOUSLY the start of humanity's supernatural awakening. I shall stand above the masses as a chosen one, LOL."
Wang Yanfei chuckled despite himself, rubbing his temples. He scrolled through the chaos, noticing how half the chat was either freaking out or role-playing the start of a fantasy novel.
New Era? Apocalypse? Alien Invasion?
Nobody knew the truth.
But one thing was certain—this was only the beginning.