Ch.01

Chapter 1

The sky over B City was gloomy. It had been sunny in the morning, but now dark clouds gathered overhead, as if rain was imminent.

Shi Yu pulled back the curtains, hesitating over whether to go out. If he didn’t, the groceries in his fridge would run out by the end of the week. But if he did… he might run into trouble.

It wasn’t that he was overly paranoid—it was just that this world was far too dangerous, nothing like the peaceful one he had lived in before.

All sorts of Horrors lurked in the shadows, invisible to ordinary people, and one wrong step could mean death. When Shi Yu first transmigrated here, he felt like the sky had collapsed—especially once he realized which world he had ended up in.

*Chaotic Malice*—wasn’t this the horror harem novel he had read before?

Just recalling the plot sent a shiver down Shi Yu’s spine.

*Chaotic Malice* had been an extremely popular horror novel in his original world. Upon its release, it soared to the top of trending lists and became the year’s most talked-about work.

Far from being lighthearted, the novel was set against a Lovecraftian backdrop of Horrors. It told the story of Sang Huaiyu, the heir of a wealthy family, who lost his loved ones in a supernatural incident during his youth. By chance, he fused with a Horror Item, gaining supernatural abilities. From then on, he teamed up with the main cast to eliminate Horrors and uncover the truth of the world.

Thanks to Sang Huaiyu’s handsome, refined appearance and charismatic personality, Fu Nanyao—the cornerstone of the Ability User Association—went from treating him with special regard to seeing him as salvation.

The gifted doctor Shen Yan also quietly fell for Sang Huaiyu during their missions, and even Han Chuyi, the younger brother of a prominent family, became smitten with him. The man was practically a real-life incubus.

But while having a protagonist who was universally adored was one thing, the most horrifying twist was—Sang Huaiyu, hailed as humanity’s hope and the strongest Ability User, wasn’t even human!

Readers had shrieked with excitement, only to be stunned when Sang Huaiyu suddenly grew bored, shed his disguise, and revealed his true form as an evil god.

Right before Shi Yu transmigrated, the story had just reached the point where Sang Huaiyu decided he was done playing. The most dangerous arc began, cutting off abruptly under the horrified gazes of readers—enough to make your skin crawl.

Shi Yu took a deep breath, snapping out of his thoughts, and stared at his empty fridge for a long moment before finally making a decision.

Fine, he’d go out. He’d stock up on groceries so he wouldn’t have to come out again soon. Otherwise, even if he didn’t run into any Horror encounters, he’d starve to death at home.

As for why he didn’t order delivery?

Shi Yu grimaced. In a world teeming with Horrors, the chances of something going wrong with food delivery were far higher than if he just went out himself.

He seemed to recall hearing about some kind of delivery Horror lurking around.

Rubbing his stomach, Shi Yu mused that the only reason he had survived this long after transmigrating was by lying low. Still, he frowned slightly, troubled.

He didn’t know why he’d suddenly become so ravenous this week. He had originally bought enough food for over ten days’ worth of eating show streams, yet he’d already finished it all.

Was it because spring had arrived, boosting his appetite?

The thought crossed his mind before Shi Yu shook his head. After changing into a hoodie, he carefully put on a mask, grabbed his trash, and left the residential complex.

To avoid attracting any hidden Horrors, Shi Yu made sure to bundle up completely whenever he went out. Still, there was no avoiding public transportation. Having only transmigrated six months ago, his Mukbang earnings barely covered daily expenses—he couldn’t afford a car.

Luckily, there was a bus stop about a hundred meters from his apartment.

Standing at the stop, Shi Yu eyed the overcast sky and decided he’d hurry back after buying groceries to lock all his doors and windows. This weather practically screamed *something bad is about to happen*.

Overcast, storm-threatening days like this were the preferred setting for all sorts of terrifying events in the original novel.

Clutching his phone, Shi Yu double-checked the bus number and station information before letting out a small sigh of relief. Pulling up his hoodie’s hood, he boarded the bus.

Not long after Shi Yu left, about 200 meters past where Bus 405 had stopped, Shen Yan arrived at the courier station only to find it closed.

A notice was posted at the entrance of the courier station, saying that the owner had ended the lease yesterday and bought a ticket home.

"The last trace of the 'Undiscardable Parcel' was here?"

"Yes, at this courier station, Dr. Shen."

"After Mr. Sang handled the 'Undiscardable Parcel,' only ten percent of its energy remained. However, this Horror is extremely cunning. At the time, it pretended to be exhausted, tricking us into lowering our guard. Who knew it would seize the chaos to escape... We only discovered later that it had hidden in a courier truck and was transported here by a deliveryman."

The speaker seemed ashamed as they mentioned this mistake.

Mr. Sang had dealt with the most dangerous part, and they were supposed to clear the remnants. Yet, at the final step, something went wrong, allowing the Horror Item to flee.

Even so, when mentioning Mr. Sang, the Ability User Association member's face turned slightly red, as if merely saying his name was enough to stir excitement.

In the eyes of the Ability User Association, though Mr. Sang was not an internal member nor affiliated with any organization, he commanded deep respect.

He was the undisputed number one Ability User in City B, having handled countless Horror incidents over the past year. Moreover, he had saved so many Association members that, to the newer recruits, he was virtually a living legend.

When Shen Yan heard Sang Huaiyu's name, he felt a faint stirring. Returning to the present, his expression remained stern as he looked at the embarrassed Association member.

"This was indeed your mistake."

His voice was cold, and with just that one sentence, the tall man before him looked even more ashamed.

Though the Ability User Association was not an official organization, it was formed through collaboration between mystic sects and all Ability Users with the purpose of protecting the city from Horrors. Yet now, because of their carelessness, a Horror had been let loose.

Shen Yan said calmly, "The 'Undiscardable Parcel' relies on human presence to survive. Now that it’s mixed into a residential area, it’s even more troublesome than before."

Previously, they had deliberately isolated it from populated areas to capture it. Now that it had blended back into the population, latching onto ordinary people, even with only ten percent of its energy left, it became twice as hard to handle.

After all, the 'Undiscardable Parcel' looked no different from an ordinary package. The only sign was that after being discarded, it would reappear and siphon off one-third of the discarder's life force.

The first time a person carried it, they would lose one-third of their vitality. The second time, the same. By the third time, the carrier would be completely consumed as nourishment for the 'Undiscardable Parcel.'

Before being detected, it had already claimed many victims this way.

Now, the worst part was that before the courier station closed, the deliveryman had already dispatched the parcel. They had no way of knowing whose home it would end up in.

Zhao Wen knew he had made a grave mistake, but the priority now was to locate the 'Undiscardable Parcel.' "Dr. Shen, what should we do now?"

The surrounding streets stood empty, with three or four housing complexes visible nearby.

"The courier tracking information is still available. We’ll have to check them one by one." There was no better alternative.

Human methods were often powerless against Horrors. The Association member nodded and hurried off to prepare.

Shen Yan frowned, glancing briefly at the bus slowly passing by before withdrawing his gaze.

"Also, remember to apply for a search permit."

Without proper documentation, it would be difficult to gain residents’ trust during the investigation, making the search even harder.

Hearing Dr. Shen’s words, Zhao Wen responded promptly.

"Yes, Dr. Shen."

The team split up, with two members assigned to apply for the search permit. Meanwhile, Shen Yan took off his gloves and entered the nearest residential area with the remaining members.

...

He had only intended to grab some essentials to stock up on, but Shi Yu didn’t expect he’d be this hungry lately. He’d just eaten lunch, yet the moment he got off the bus, his stomach was growling again.

The supermarket was a feast for the eyes—everything looked tempting. This snack, that snack… all of it called to him.

Shi Yu: "..."

Stupid appetite! How much is this going to cost me every day?

When he reached the food section, he couldn’t help but stop and stare, completely entranced. In the end, he ended up spending two weeks' worth of living expenses.

Shi Yu: "!!!"

Looking at the nearly empty balance in his account, his mouth twitched.

Well, money’s gonna get spent either way. Eating’s... fine, I guess.

Still, he’d need to do more livestreams this month to make up for it. Today’s shopping could count as next week’s supplies too. Staring at the cart full of groceries, the initial sticker shock faded into an oddly satisfying feeling. His mind was already racing with ideas about what he’d cook tonight.

With so many ingredients, he could finally put his cooking skills to use.

But while buying everything had been fun, hauling it all back home was a struggle. Carrying two heavy bags, he found himself stopping to rest every few steps. The short 100-meter walk from the bus stop took twenty minutes.

Pausing to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his forehead, he turned his head absentmindedly for a glance around.

It was just a casual look—but something seemed off.

Huh?

Since when was there a car parked by the entrance across the way?

A black SUV stood out like a sore thumb, though no one was inside. Shi Yu’s neighborhood was an old one without underground parking; everyone left their cars outside. He didn’t remember seeing that vehicle when he left earlier.

After staring at it for a couple seconds, he quickly looked away. Better not to get involved—curiosity was a death sentence in a world of Horrors.

"Curiosity killed the cat" wasn’t just a saying here—it was a survival rule.

After another minute of rest, the elevator came, and he made it safely home.

Only once he stepped into his living room did he truly relax. Rubbing his shoulders, he set the groceries down and checked the windows and security cameras. Everything looked normal.

Another day survived. Time to enjoy his meal.

Across the street, several people trailing behind Dr. Shen frowned, picking up on something strange.

They had already searched two nearby neighborhoods without finding any trace of the unclaimed package before arriving at this complex.

At first, it seemed like a standard sweep—but the moment they entered the building, something felt wrong.

It was too quiet.

The after-work hour should have been bustling with grandparents picking up kids and students heading home, filling the outdoor fitness area with noise. Yet stepping into this unit felt like entering a vacuum. All sound seemed to cut out, even the nearby chatter reduced to distant echoes.

"Old buildings don’t have soundproofing this good, right?" Wang Shan muttered, goosebumps rising on his arms.

Dr. Shen said nothing, simply closing his eyes. The higher they climbed, the sharper his psychic senses became.

A thin psychic thread tugged at his awareness. Opening his eyes, he finally caught it—the coppery tang of blood cutting through the tangled mess of ordinary human scents.

"Let's go to the seventeenth floor."

They exchanged glances and quickly climbed up the stairs.

But the next moment, that spiritual perception vanished completely.

Wang Shan barged in, kicking the door open, only to find a man sitting lifelessly on the sofa across from him—his face waxen, his body emaciated to nothing but skin and bone, clearly drained of all blood.

There was no sign of the package anywhere inside.

"It’s gone," Shen Yan said simply.

Just two minutes after he sensed the sinister package, the horror item had already absorbed its victim’s flesh and blood and disappeared.

"Dang, it's clever!" Wang Shan spat out angrily before calling for cleanup.

...

Shi Yu had just finished putting away his groceries and pulled out the ingredients he’d prepared earlier from the fridge. Tempted by the fresh meat and vegetables at the supermarket, he’d finally decided on making cola chicken wings and pumpkin soup!

He’d been dying for this.

Most people in this world lived off nutrient solutions, rarely eating proper meals. Even supermarkets were packed with instant food. When he finally found fresh meat, he stocked up heavily—today, he was going to treat himself.

With that thought, he slipped on his mask and walked over to his computer as usual, turning on the camera. As always, he greeted his viewers with a smile.

"Afternoon, Yu Yu! What’re we cooking today?"

Shi Yu’s online alias was "Bubble-Blowing Shark," and his fans affectionately called him "Yu Yu." At first, it weirded him out, but then he figured—hey, it’s the internet, and since no one could see his real face anyway, what did it matter? So he rolled with it.

Now, as a straight guy, he could hear “Yu Yu” and stay completely unfazed.

Hearing the question, he held up the chicken wings and pumpkin on the counter.

"Just went grocery shopping and saw some fresh chicken wings, so I grabbed a few."

"Today, I’ll be making cola chicken wings for you all."

Comments flooded in: *"Yesss, my favorite!"*

Outside the screen, office drones slogged through their days, chugging nutrient packs to save time. But online, they loved watching streamers enjoy real meals.

There were plenty of Mukbang streamers on MeowGoo, but most just visited restaurants. Shi Yu, however, cooked everything himself, which earned him a loyal following.

When he first started, barely a dozen people tuned in. Now, six months later, he’d built an audience of tens of thousands. Many young workers short on time even used his videos to accompany their own meals.

His streams had this weird magic—they pulled you in without you realizing it.

"Alright, cola chicken wings are actually super simple."

"First, prep your ingredients. Clean the chicken wings, marinate them briefly, then fry until golden brown on both sides. Finally, pour in the cola and reduce the sauce."

As the final step was completed, the rich aroma practically wafted through the screen.

Shi Yu's stomach had been growling loudly for a while now. While frying the chicken wings earlier, he didn’t blink once, his eyes locked onto the meat. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him lately—he simply couldn’t handle even the slightest bit of hunger.

He had been starving while cooking, feeling like he was wasting away to nothing.

“That looks delicious.”

“Take a bite for us, host!”

A fan in the chat sent a yacht gift, snapping Shi Yu back to attention. He chuckled and said,

“Alright, the pumpkin soup is still simmering, so I’ll tackle the wings first.”

The entire plate of chicken wings smelled amazing. Shi Yu adjusted the camera angle, showing them off to viewers before picking one up.

The moment he took a bite, the rich flavor of cola filled his mouth, and the meat effortlessly slid off the bone. He devoured one wing instantly.

“The host is going ham on those wings!”

Since it was a faceless stream, the audience could only see the host’s fair, slender fingers and the pile of chicken wings shrinking fast—one per minute. In no time, the freshly cooked wings were completely gone.

“Has the host’s appetite gotten bigger lately?” a familiar fan typed in the chat.

Previously, the host hadn’t eaten much when having fried chicken—last time he even saved half in the fridge. This time, though, he finished the whole plate.

Shi Yu also felt like his appetite had increased slightly. And… he reached down to touch his stomach, puzzled.

After finishing an entire plate of wings and the main course, he still wasn’t even close to full?

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