Chapter One: The End Arrives

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Outside the window, black fog was slowly creeping upward. Mu Chen crouched by the window, frowning as he watched the relentless ascent of the dark vapor. The thing was growing too fast. Although his apartment was on the 28th floor, at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the fog swallowed him whole.

If it were just the fog, he might not have cared so much, but outside, everything was deathly silent. Not a single sound of life could be heard; only the wind howled ceaselessly. The swirling black mist looked as if it intended to drag the entire world into a bottomless abyss.

Mu Chen pulled out his phone and opened the Jinjiang Community Residents’ Group chat, his fingers flying over the screen.

“Mu Chen (Admin): The apocalypse is here. Now accepting applications from fair-skinned, beautiful, long-legged people, requirements: age 18-30, looks at least a 7 out of 10, weight under 100 pounds. Interested parties, private message me now.”

No sooner had he sent the message than the group exploded.

“Building 11, 2704# No Cilantro: Holy crap! Mu Chen, were you dropped on your head as a kid? If you’re sick, just take some rat poison already.”

“Building 11, 1602# Chen Jun: Is this really the time for jokes?”

“Building 11, 1103# Neighborhood Committee, Chen Rong: @Mu Chen (Admin) Please be mindful of your words, and don’t incite unnecessary panic here. Stop spreading baseless rumors.”

Chen Rong, that standard community committee auntie, always liked to meddle in others’ business, even on ordinary days.

“Building 11, 904# Man Like the Wind: Bro, you’re something else. Even at a time like this, you’re thinking of picking up girls. I bow to you, man, seriously!”

“Building 8, 1104# Shen Linlin: Disgusting, scumbag, filthy rat!”

Linlin, no doubt, was already so angry she was spitting curses.

Mu Chen glanced at the screen, the corners of his mouth lifting in a slight smile. This was exactly the reaction he wanted. The more chaotic they became, the better it was for him.

“Mu Chen (Admin): @Building 11, 1103# Chen Rong, Auntie Chen, now is not the time for rules.”

“Do you really not know what’s happening out there?”

“I’ll be blunt—I’ve stocked up on supplies here. Food, water, shelter, you name it, I’ve got it. I have enough bottled water to last forever.”

He snapped a photo and tossed it into the group chat. In the image, dozens of large water jugs were stacked like a small mountain in the corner of his living room.

For a few seconds, the group fell silent.

“Building 11, 1602# Chen Jun: No way, is this for real? Mu Chen, you didn’t Photoshop that, did you?”

“Building 11, 2704# No Cilantro: Damn, that’s a lot of water! Brother Chen, take me in, please!”

“Building 11, 904# Man Like the Wind: Why do you have so much water stocked up?”

But in an apocalyptic world, it wasn’t impossible for someone to have prepared.

“Mu Chen (Admin): Whether you believe it or not is your business.”

“Mu Chen (Admin): The task stands—looking for girls who meet the criteria.”

“Mu Chen (Admin): Ad is valid long-term. Ladies, act fast, spots are limited.”

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He didn’t care what others thought. Survival was all that mattered now.

BOOM—

Suddenly, the whole building shook violently. Someone in the group screamed.

“What’s going on? Is it an earthquake?”

“Help! The building is swaying!”

Mu Chen grabbed the window frame to steady himself, then looked outside.

Within the dense, black fog, an enormous silhouette slowly emerged. The outline was clear—a tree. An unimaginably colossal tree. Its twisted, grotesque branches pierced the sky, as if trying to punch a hole through the heavens.

“What the hell is that?” Mu Chen muttered.

The next moment, a scream shattered the eerie silence of the complex.

“Ah—help!”

The voice came from the building across the way. Mu Chen squinted, peering through the gloom.

A thick branch from the giant tree suddenly shot out of the black mist! Its tip was razor sharp, stabbing straight through the window of a neighboring apartment. Glass shattered everywhere, followed by even more desperate screams.

“No!!”

A man’s anguished roar. Then came the cries of a woman and child.

But soon, all sounds ceased.

The murderous branch slowly retracted into the fog, several corpses dangling from it in plain view. The entire family, wiped out without exception.

Even Mu Chen sucked in a breath at the sight.

Damn, this was brutal.

The world fell silent. The residents’ group went dead quiet. The crowd that had just been arguing was now mute.

With such a bloody scene before their eyes, there was nothing left to say.

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Ding-dong.

At that moment, someone posted a video in the community’s main group.

The footage captured the entire process of the mutated tree’s attack. Even through the shaking camera, it was clear the person filming was terrified out of their mind. The image trembled, but the carnage was unmistakable.

“Holy shit, what kind of monster is that?!”

“It’s killing people! The tree is killing people!”

“The world really is ending. What are we supposed to do? Are we all doomed?”

“Someone help us! Where’s the army? Where are the police? Are they all dead?!”

The group chat descended into chaos. Panic, despair, rage—every bad emotion erupted at once, like a volcano blowing its top. The chat was flooded with desperate cries for help.

Mu Chen scanned the frenzied messages, and a thought flashed through his mind.

This was his chance.

Without hesitation, he switched back to the “Jinjiang Community Residents’ Group.” His fingers danced across the screen once more.

“Latest intel! Mutant plant in the neighborhood, danger level skyrocketing!”

“I’m safe for now, with plenty of supplies.”

“Once again: seeking fair-skinned, beautiful, long-legged girls, age 18-25, looks at least a 7, weight under 100 pounds—only three spots left!”

“If you want to live, private message me. Food, shelter, safety included.”

“In this screwed-up world, survival is king. Now, your looks are your only ticket.”

As soon as he posted, some people’s survival instincts kicked into overdrive.

“Building 11, 2704# No Cilantro: Chen Bro! Look at me! I’m not a girl, but I’ll work like a horse for you, whatever you need!”

“Building 11, 904# Man Like the Wind: Chen Bro, you’re amazing. That’s some ad—props!”

“Building 8, 1104# Shen Linlin: Mu Chen, you’re not human! You’re a monster! You’ll die a horrible death!”

Linlin popped up again, though her curses were far less fierce this time.

Mu Chen couldn’t even be bothered to respond. He was certain that before long, the smart ones would come knocking themselves.

Compared to the deadly demon tree, his “little requirements” were nothing. Besides, he had food, water, and that incredible apocalypse survival system in his hands.

That was his true advantage, the reason he could walk through this new world with his head held high.