The disappearance of the white-haired girl had unknowingly passed for several months.

One evening, Lin Zichen was in the living room massaging his parents’ shoulders.

Lin Yansheng and Zhang Wanxin, from spending long hours at the computer typing novels, had grown stiff in many parts of their bodies and often felt discomfort.

Especially their shoulders, which frequently cracked whenever they moved.

“Xiao Chen, you’re so thoughtful, even giving mom a massage. All the love I gave you wasn’t for nothing.”

Zhang Wanxin lay on the sofa, enjoying his firm yet gentle touch, her face full of happiness and contentment.

Sitting nearby, Lin Yansheng felt a bit upset, “Not fair. Our son barely massaged me for half an hour, but for you it’s been almost an hour and he’s still going!”

Zhang Wanxin huffed, “When he was little I was the one changing all his diapers and bathing him. If I get more of his filial love now, how is that unfair?”

“You say that, but I was the one mixing his formula.”

“You dare bring that up? You always made it too hot or too cold. Absolutely shameless.”

The couple bickered playfully.

Lin Zichen chuckled, unconcerned.

He knew his parents were only fooling around, not truly quarreling.

Besides, a little bickering brightened the family atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the television was broadcasting news.

“Kyoto Prodigy, Another Triumph! At just ten years old, he has successfully fused with a beast gene and can lift a thousand-pound boulder with one hand! A promising future!”

Hearing the words Kyoto Prodigy, Lin Zichen immediately turned to the screen.

As expected, it was the same child who, at two years old, had lifted a twenty-kilogram weight single-handedly.

“Again with this Kyoto Prodigy. Is the kid trying to become an influencer to sell products with how often he’s on screen?”

Lin Yansheng rubbed the stubble on his chin and muttered.

Zhang Wanxin frowned, “The child has just turned ten. His body isn’t even fully developed yet and they already let him fuse with beast genes? What if he can’t handle it and mutates?”

Lin Yansheng thought for a moment, “They’re a thousand-year-old Martial Arts Family from Kyoto. They know more than we do, maybe they have advanced gene fusion technology.”

“Even so, how can they experiment on their own child? I don’t understand.” Zhang Wanxin shook her head, unimpressed by the Martial Arts Family.

Lin Yansheng dismissed it, “You don’t get it. These families often put clan interests above all else. Sacrificing an individual is nothing to them, that’s how they’ve grown so powerful.”

“Fine, fine, you know everything.” Zhang Wanxin rolled her eyes, unwilling to argue.

Lin Zichen listened without commenting.

The Kyoto Prodigy was someone he had always paid attention to.

He’d learned that at the beginning of the month the boy was attempting to lift a hundred-kilogram barbell.

Now, by the end of the month, he had grown strong enough to lift five hundred kilograms.

His strength had quintupled.

With resources, he had started far ahead.

But Lin Zichen, only eight years old and never fused with a beast gene, could already lift a three-hundred-kilogram barbell. Even without family resources, he believed his potential surpassed the Kyoto Prodigy’s.

The thought brought a faint smile to his face.

Soon another report appeared on television.

This one was international.

In a neighboring country across the sea, a beast attack had occurred.

Footage was shown.

The video displayed a ruined, abandoned city, crawling with massive mutant rats.

In one shot, an especially gruesome scene appeared.

A giant rat three meters long with eight eyes was gnawing on a fresh human corpse.

Its fangs dripped with crimson blood.

The sight was terrifying.

The broadcast didn’t censor it, showing every detail, even zooming in. Clearly not for children of his original Earth.

Yet Lin Yansheng and Zhang Wanxin didn’t change the channel.

On this mutated Earth, everyone—even children—had to understand the danger of beasts.

Thus, reports often contained disturbing content.

“Investigations confirm that this attack was fueled by cultists. We urge international assistance. Help us eradicate them. Our nation of Yinghai will fight these cultists to the death!”

On screen, an elderly man of Yinghai with graying hair bowed after his furious statement.

It was Lin Zichen’s first time hearing the word cultists.

He borrowed Zhang Wanxin’s phone to look it up.

He learned that cultists were traitors who formed an anti-human organization.

For profit, they betrayed humanity, siding with beasts, turning their weapons on their own kind and staging attacks in human lands.

Many smaller nations suffered terribly from their actions.

‘Fortunately I was born in a strong country with stability where I can grow up safely.’

Lin Zichen felt relieved.

For now, all he wanted was for his homeland to remain safe until he reached eighteen.

By then, with his cheat ability, even giant mutant rats like the ones on the news wouldn’t frighten him—he would protect his family.

Boom—

Suddenly, explosions of compressed air shook the windows.

The glass trembled.

His eardrums rang.

Alert, Lin Zichen rushed to the window.

Pulling aside the curtains, he saw dozens of Cyborgs streaking across the night sky, leaving trails of light.

“At this hour, why are so many official Cyborgs flying? Did something happen?”

Lin Yansheng had joined him, watching the distant figures, confusion on his face.

Zhang Wanxin also came, her expression worried. “I hope nothing bad has happened.”

Lin Zichen stood in front of her, silently staring at the trails left in the sky, sharing her unease.