Chapter 1 Let's Postpone the Marriage License

"I'll marry you."

Standing outside the closed doors of the City Hall, Wynette Jewell stared at the empty entrance and pulled out her phone.

Today was the day she and Noah Shepherd were supposed to get their marriage license.

She waited from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Noah never showed up.

He was the one who suggested getting the license. Yet he was also the one who stood her up.

This was the third time.

Wynette finally gave up and immediately called Noah's biggest rival, Adriel Gallagher.

She still remembered the first time she'd been left hanging at City Hall. That was when Adriel asked her to marry him.

She turned him down.

The second time ended the same way.

Then this morning, Adriel texted her again. He asked her to marry him.

This time, she said yes.

Just minutes ago, she saw a new post on Instagram.

From Noah's first love.

Chapter 1: Pornographic Video

[Ultra-Thin Hyaluronic Acid Condoms, 2 boxes (18 count), $300.]

Evelyn's phone received the payment notification as she drowsily waited for her husband Damian to return home on the sofa. Today marked their eighth wedding anniversary.

Heat rushed to her face upon seeing the message. He had been distant for several months, and she had assumed he had lost interest in her long ago. Unfortunately, tonight would inevitably disappoint him.

Evelyn placed a gentle hand over her abdomen, clutching the pregnancy test results tightly. The test confirmed it. She was pregnant.

Just then, a message from Damian arrived. [Emergency at work. Won't be coming home tonight. Your gift is in the study.]

The smile on Evelyn's face vanished instantly. If he wasn't coming home, then who was he planning to use those condoms with? Was he having an affair? The thought made her heart constrict painfully, making it difficult to breathe.

She refused to believe it. They had been together since high school, eight years of love and commitment. How could he betray her? Clinging to the slimmest hope, she stubbornly waited in the living room.

Half an hour later, her phone chimed again. It wasn't Damian, but an anonymous sender who had shared a video.

The footage showed a woman being brutally pinned to the bed by Damian. His muscular chest pressed firmly against her breasts. His hand roamed from her waist down to her buttocks, roughly kneading her tight flesh. The woman's fingers stroked his chest, and Damian's large hands squeezed her two full breasts together, as he leaned down to suck and bite.

...

Evelyn immediately recognized the woman. It was his secretary, Sienna.

“Damian, do you like me or your wife?” Sienna asked in a soft, coquettish voice in the video.

Evelyn remembered arguing fiercely with Damian about hiring a female secretary. He had appeased her by saying Sienna only slightly resembled her when she was younger. How ridiculous!

Chapter 1 Cancer

"Ms. Reed, your follow-up results are in. You have Stage II stomach cancer. Are you sure you don't want your family to know?" the doctor asked.

"No need," Chloe Reed said.

Stepping out of the hospital, a hot breeze hit Chloe. She tucked the report into her bag, her face paling slightly.

Three years into her marriage with Ethan, he had cheated on her. Now she had cancer. The story of her life was absurd.

Chloe was terrified of dying, especially because of a man who couldn't keep it in his pants. She had made herself sick from anger over him.

Since she couldn't keep him, she decided to let him go.

With everything planned, Chloe drove to the office.

At her desk, she grabbed a stack of files and walked toward Ethan's office on the 17th floor. She knocked lightly.

"Come in."

Chloe pushed the door open.

"What is it?" Ethan lifted his head, his eyes heavy as they met hers.

He had always been striking, with sharp features. Years in the business world had stripped away his youthful naivety, leaving a mature, commanding presence.

Chloe handed him the files, her voice gentle. "These are last week's check-up reports. The hospital sent them over, and I need your signature."

She placed the report in front of him, considerately opened the pen, and put it in his hand.

Ethan rubbed his temple lazily, did not even glance at it, and signed. "No need to involve me in these little matters again."

"Alright." Chloe complied smoothly and collected the files.

As she turned, a glimpse of white under the large office desk caught her eye. She recognized the skirt. It belonged to her stepsister, Mia Reed.

Chloe lowered her gaze, masking the scorn in her eyes, and walked away briskly.

Seconds later, the faint click of a locked door echoed.

'Are they really that desperate?' she sneered inwardly.

Chloe's heart sank like a stone to the bottom of a lake, swallowed mercilessly by the cold water. The weight of it left her feeling suffocated.

She picked out the last two sheets from the stack.

Had Ethan glanced, he would have seen not only her Stage II stomach cancer report but also the divorce papers on the final page.

Chloe had known Ethan since she was five. That year, her father had cheated, and her mother filed for divorce. Her two older brothers went with their father, leaving her with her mother.

Out for a Run

Chapter 1

Raven’s POV

The night sky seems even darker than usual tonight, with just a sliver of the moon shining down on us. I silently run through the woods letting my wolf Emerald out tonight. She has been anxious all day. Well, really, for the last few days. I could tell that she needed to come out for a run. So, we did what we normally do, took a small nap to wait until after 1 am to make sure no one would be around, and then headed out for our run. I would always stick to the woods just over the far ridge from my pack, as it is near my favorite stream when I needed a little peace. It is always quietest over on this side of the pack, as it is the closest to our neighbor's, the Blood Walker pack. They are our neighbors to the north, but their land only borders ours for about two thousand feet. They have never entered our land, and the whole pack has all been warned not to trespass onto their land. We were all advised of the dire consequences that would arise if someone ever did. We would be at war instantly, as we are not friendly neighbors and we do not have a treaty with them. I have heard horror stories about their Alpha. They are a very strong pack, and the outcome of a war between us would not be favorable to us here at the Silver Blade pack.

Alpha Cole Walker is the Alpha of the Blood Walker pack. He is said to be one of the most dangerous Alphas in the United States. It is said that he would kill anyone who dared to enter his packlands uninvited. Due to this fact, most of our pack members studiously avoid this area altogether. I take advantage of that and use this area to enjoy my solitude, and what little freedom I can get from the packhouse, by coming here when I do manage to get out. The Goddess knows that I need it too. I do not know what I ever did to deserve the life I live, yet I live it every single day. The blatant hate in my fellow pack member's eyes. The nasty comments and physical abuse I suffer are bad enough. But I have to say the worst of it is the disrespect and unwarranted anger that the pack has for me. My twin sister, Reagan, on the other hand, is the golden child of the pack. They all love her unconditionally. She is cherished and appreciated, no matter what she does. They all seem to ignore the fact that she is a horrible and mean she-wolf. I was born first, and with that should come the respect that after I find my mate, I will officially be the Luna here, and he will take over as the Alpha of the pack. Yet they all treat her as the next Luna.

Chapter 1

Auren POV

The morning air was cool as I hurried through the pack house, balancing a tray of breakfast plates. The faint smell of caramel and freshly brewed coffee wafted through the halls, but it did little to soothe the anxiety brewing in my chest. Today was my birthday—my eighteenth—the day I would smell my mate who would take me away from this cursed life. Life as an orphan omega in our pack was riddled with hardships and misery.

“Do you plan on making me wait all morning, Auren?” Maris’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts like a whip as I entered the dining room.

Maris was Alpha Bram’s betrothed. He was thirty-three years old and still unmated. Maris was twenty-seven and daughter of the Alpha of Iron Pine pack. They had met each other in the annual mating ball about a year ago.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, bowing my head. Her dark, carefully fashioned curls shimmered in the sunlight filtering through the wide windows of the dining hall, and her perfectly manicured nails tapped against the table impatiently. Everyone knew Maris would be the Luna soon. She carried herself like it, with a sharp tongue and a sharper glare.

She narrowed her eyes at the tray in my hands. “Where’s my almond latte? I specifically asked for it.”

“It’s coming, Maris—” I stopped myself, flinching. “I’ll get it right away.”

Her lips curved into a cruel sneer. “See that you do. I’d hate to have to speak to Bram about your incompetence.” I didn’t know why was it that she hated me so much. It was like she was always finding an excuse to punish me.

The other maids, already standing around the table, exchanged knowing looks. One of them, a tall brunette named Reya, a sycophant, shot me a glare. “Honestly, Auren, you should be more careful. Lady Maris has enough to deal with without you messing up her morning.”

“Right,” chimed in another maid, Hyra, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “She’s practically running this pack already. You should be grateful she even lets you serve her.”

I nodded, clutching the tray tighter to keep my hands from trembling. “Yes, of course.”

As I turned to leave, Maris’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “And don’t call me Maris like we’re equals. It’s Luna Maris to you.” Her words were laced with venom, and the maids chuckled. My cheeks burned, but I didn’t argue. She wasn't a Luna, but she liked others to call her Luna.

In the kitchen, I prepared the latte with trembling hands, still feeling hurt about how they all loved to humiliate me for no reason. And no one remembered my birthday. Usually everyone got a note from the Alpha wishing them Happy Birthday, but not me.

My reflection in the polished metal of the coffee pot caught my eye. A slim girl with wide, gray eyes stared back at me, her blonde hair pulled into a loose braid. My face looked paler than usual and my expression was weary. It was a known fact that we got our wolves at sixteen and smelled our mates as soon as we turned eighteen, but why didn’t I smell mine?

“It’s just another day,” I whispered to myself. “Keep your head down, and it’ll be fine.”

But it didn’t feel like just another day. The air felt charged. I allowed that little hope to bubble inside my chest.

After delivering the latte and enduring another round of scornful looks and remarks, I retreated to the laundry room to catch my breath. That’s when it hit me—a scent unlike anything I’d ever smelled before. Warm and earthy, like pine trees after a rainstorm, with a hint of musk. My pulse quickened. My heart thundered.

‘Mate.’

The words of my wolf, Siena, echoed in my mind, both thrilling and terrifying. The mouthwatering scent tugged at me, pulling me out of the laundry room and down the hall. My feet moved on their own, guided by an invisible thread. The scent made my chest tighten, pulling me as if it had wrapped around me. Down the quiet hallway, the smell grew stronger, drowning out everything else around me. It was so strong and intoxicating that I couldn’t think of anything else. All my wolf wanted was to coat herself in it, roll in it.

‘That’s our mate!’ Siena said enthusiastically. ‘Go fast. I want my mate.’

The scent grew stronger as I stepped outside onto the training grounds. Warriors trained in the morning light. My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the source. And then I saw him.

Alpha Bram Thorne.

I couldn’t believe that the moon goddess had made Alpha Bram my mate. Shock mingled with awe. The world around me faded as irresistible desire rippled through me. A deep sense of completion overcame me, as if I’ve found a missing part of my soul.

He stood at the center of the field, towering over the others with graceful confidence. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his sharp features were set in a look of concentration as he demonstrated a fighting move. The sunlight caught the sweat on his brow, making him seem almost otherworldly.

My breath hitched as our eyes met. Hope swelled in my chest when I saw recognition in his eyes. This was it. My mate. My Alpha. He was going to pull me out of my wretched life. Before I could stop myself, my feet carried me towards him.

I stared at him like he was my God. He was so beautiful and strong that every girl in the Crimson Howl pack had a crush on him. All I wanted was to reach him and fall into his arms as he wrapped them around me. ‘Mate,’ I whispered, my cheeks flushing.

But, why was he behaving so coldly? Didn’t he recognize me?

When I was only a few feet away, his expression shifted. His body stiffened, and his warm, amber eyes turned cold. The flicker of recognition in his gaze was quickly replaced by a harsh disappointment and anger. It cut deep and so I hesitated.

‘No, go to him!’ Siena urged. When I took a few more steps toward him, Maris came into my peripheral vision, heading straight to Alpha Bram.

“Alpha Bram!” she chirped excitedly, elbowing me roughly, nudging past me, making me stumble to the side.

He looked at her and beamed as if I wasn’t even there. He opened his arms for Maris who rushed to him and hugged him tightly. She tipped her head up and he pressed a kiss to her lips.

My heart sank. I stood frozen, unable to move. The warmth I’d felt moments ago evaporated, leaving an intense ache in its place. The weight of his horrible rejection settled over me. His betrayal felt like a knife was plunged in my chest and then twisted.

Siena howled inside me out of rage and jealousy. ‘No, he is our mate.’ She wanted to come out and tear Maris away from him, but I knew that she was a weak wolf. If she surfaced, Alpha Bram would kill her instantly.

For years, I’d dreamed of this moment—the day I’d find my mate, the one person destined to see me for who I truly was, who would love me, cherish me. But now, that dream lay shattered at my feet. Tears sprang in my eyes.

Alpha Bram glared at me, daring to come close. Maris also turned to look at me with narrowed eyes. Dread plummeted in my stomach. I was afraid that if I went nearer and declare that I was his mate, they would throw me in the dungeons. So I turned and walked away, my shoulders slumping with miserable rejection I hadn’t even heard spoken aloud. The scent of him lingered, bittersweet and unbearable. By the time I reached the pack house, tears blurred my vision.

I thought today might be different, that I could finally have someone to share it with. Instead, I was left with a heart full of despair. Weren't mates supposed to look after each other?

I hid inside the laundry room and started crying. Was there a way to get out of this pack? The idea of rejection was so painful. How would I serve him now?

I curled up on the cold floor, my arms wrapped around my knees as tears streamed down my face. The ache in my chest felt unbearable. It was like a deep, raw wound that wouldn’t stop bleeding. I didn’t know what to do or who to go to for comfort.

Alpha Bram’s cold, distant stare replayed in my mind over and over. My mate. He didn’t even want to acknowledge me.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Chapter 2

Auren POV

Being an orphan had always been hard for me. According to our previous Alpha, who was Alpha Bram’s father, my parents died in a pack war. He was kind enough to give me shelter in his packhouse and even allowed education in a school for omegas. However, a few years later when he died and Bram became the Alpha, he pulled me out of the school, made me pack’s servant and gave me lowly jobs, clearing stating that if I had to stay in the pack, I had to earn my living. His lusty gaze would often linger on me, and I would shy away, afraid of his intentions. But then he would snap his gaze away from me as if he saw vermin.

I was born with a tattoo the size of a squash ball on my back. A golden moon shackled by dark thorn vines curving around it. The Shaman had kindly warned me that it was a mark of a curse and so I had to keep it hidden at all times, afraid that if anyone saw it, they would kill me.

Suddenly, the door opened, snapping me from my thoughts. I hurriedly wiped my tears, but it was too late. Maris stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and a smug smile playing on her lips and her face donned with a wicked expression.

“Well, well,” she said, stepping closer. “If it isn’t our little orphan, sniveling like a child.”

I didn’t respond, keeping my head down. My whole body trembled in fear even though Siena wanted to come out and attack Maris.

“I know what happened,” she said, her voice dripping with venom. “You think you’re special because Bram is your mate? Let me tell you something, Auren.” She crouched down, her face close to mine. “We knew it long back. But you’re nothing. You’ll always be nothing. Bram doesn’t want you. He’ll reject you soon enough, and when he does, you’ll wish you’d never set foot in this pack.”

I swallowed hard, trying to fight back the fresh wave of tears.

“If you tell anyone—anyone—about this,” she continued, her voice low and dangerous, “I’ll make sure you regret it. Do you understand?”

I nodded weakly, too scared to speak. Maris straightened, brushing invisible dust off her skirt.

“Good. Now clean yourself up. You’re pathetic. I don’t want anyone to see you crying because if they do, they will ask you the reason. I swear you’ll regret it if they come to know the reason.” Saying that, she turned sharply, flicking her hair and marched out.

The weight of her words crushed me further. I brought my knees against my chest and hugged them tightly. Mates were supposed to take care of each other. His betrayal was worse than all my years of enduring servitude. And they knew that I was his mate? The revelation shocked me.

When I finally stepped out of the laundry room, the humiliation didn’t end. Reya was waiting for me in the kitchen. “You are reassigned to work in the toilets!” she barked at me. “Stay there until you get a new duty. Don’t you come out of that place!”

I balked as I stared at her. “What?” Toilets were the worst place to work.

She slapped me hard across my cheek. I screamed in pain as I fell down. Her lips curled into a sneer. “Did you not listen to what I said? Clean all the toilets. Now!”

Chapter 1

The day Dante Bellandi brought his seventh pregnant mistress to me for delivery,his friends started betting on how fast I’d break.

But when the baby’s cry filled the delivery room, I didn’t flinch.

“Dude, that’s seven kids. You think Seraphina’s really gonna snap this time?”

Dante shrugged. “She can’t have kids. But the Bellandi family needs heirs.”

“Better knock up more so she gets used to it.”

I carried the newborn out, my face blank.

“Congratulations. Seven pounds six ounces. Mom and baby are fine.”

Dante took the child, that cocky, lazy grin on his face, then slapped the divorce papers down on the counter.

“Baby, sign it. Elara won’t have my next kid unless I prove we’re really done.”

“Once the Bellandi family has eight heirs, no one’ll dare say you don’t deserve to be my Donna.”

I’d played his sick game seven times already.

This time? I signed right away.

Then I turned and texted the man who’d waited for me for years.

[Let’s get married.]

Dante forgot one huge thing.

I wasn’t infertile.

Our genes were incompatible—we couldn’t have healthy children together.

Want a baby?

I just needed a different man.

What was he thinking, assuming I’d keep his army of bastards just to hold onto the Bellandi name?

I handed him the signed divorce papers just as Elara Voss was wheeled out of the delivery room.

Dante rushed straight to her, shoving me aside.

Agony exploded in my stomach. My miscarriage wounds hadn’t healed, and my face drained white.

No one noticed.

Everyone crowded around Elara, asking if she hurt, if she was tired, if she needed rest.

I leaned against the wall and walked slowly back to my office.

The miscarriage report lay on my desk.

It burned my eyes.

Three days before Dante’s seventh bastard was born, I’d miscarried again.

It was the third child I’d lost.

I’d been on the operating table, bleeding out, barely conscious, with no family to sign my critical care notice.

Meanwhile, Dante was at the theater where he’d proposed to me, watching a Broadway show with the pregnant Elara.

Three days after surgery, at three in the morning, he dragged me out of bed to deliver his new mistress’s baby.

His eyes were red as he pulled me to the delivery room, his voice almost breaking.

“Seraphina, Elara’s young. She’s scared. I only trust you.”

I didn’t argue. I just changed into my surgical scrubs in silence.

No screaming. No fighting.Not like before, when I’d call him crazy and rather take off my white coat than deliver for his women.

This time, I wheeled his mistress into the delivery room myself. Just like I would any stranger.

I’d been with Dante for ten years. I knew exactly how he looked at a woman he loved.

I could see he was really in love with Elara.

I picked up our photo from the desk.Dante was black and blue, one arm in a cast, grinning wide, holding me tight.

My hands shook as I pulled the photo out of the frame.

On the back, his messy, bold handwriting:Dante Bellandi will always protect Seraphina Valenti.

The day I turned eighteen, my gambling-addicted father sold me to an underground private club.Dante fought to save me, beaten bloody, his hand broken—he never could play his favorite baseball again.

But he’d still sat in that hospital bed, smiling, pulling me into a birthday photo.

“Don’t be scared. I’ve got you now.”

My fingers traced his face in the picture.

“Dante, you saved me once. But I lost three babies for you.”

“Now we’re even.”

I tore the photo to pieces and threw it in the trash.

Someone knocked. Dante walked in and spotted the empty frame right away.

“Where’s our picture?”

Before I could answer, he shoved his phone in my face, glowing with the excitement of a new father.

“Seraphina, help me name him.”

I stared at the screen, my chest squeezed tight.

That name.

He’d stayed up nights for our first son, flipping through every baby name book.

One of those names was still carved on a church memorial stone.

I studied his face—his soft smile, that gentle, loving look.I finally knew for sure. He’d forgotten we ever had a child.

He’d lived for thirty-seven days.

Born weak with a genetic condition, he didn’t make it through the winter.

“Seraphina?”

Dante’s smile faded, and impatience flashed in his eyes.

“I thought we were past this. I’ve explained it a hundred times.”

“The Bellandi family can’t be without an heir. If you loved me, you’d understand—”

I cut him off.

“This one.”

I pointed to a name on the screen.

Dante froze.

Before he could speak, a sharp shout erupted from outside.

Chapter 1 Gamification

[Ding, ding, ding. Target planet gamification progress: 1%... 55%... 99%...] [100%! Target planet Azure Earth has completed gamification.]

In the dead of night, a mechanical voice that no one could hear rang out. A few minutes later, a streak of blue flashed across the sky, and every human on Azure Earth gained a strange red mark on their forehead before it quickly sank back into the skin.

The next day, everyone froze the moment they opened their eyes. A black panel hovered before each of them, displaying several lines of text: [Awaken your Gift? Yes or No.] [Countdown to Scenario Entry: 4 hours 1 minute 53 seconds.]

The timer kept ticking down second by second, and the jumping numbers filled everyone with an instinctive sense of urgency. Though no one understood what was happening, a chill still ran through them. Some thought they were hallucinating, while others assumed it was a prank.

"Who pulled this prank? How is it showing through everything? Some kind of projection?"

"Who the hell's losing it this early in the morning? Turn this thing off already. This is so damn weird. How did they even make it? There's nobody in my house."

"Crap, something's wrong with my eyes. I knew staying up all night would bite me in the ass."

"Awaken a Gift? Hah, this is kinda fun. Of course I'm picking yes. Wonder which edgelord came up with this."

"Holy shit. Am I the main character? Why am I seeing a panel in front of me? Is this my cheat skill or what?"

A lot of people were shocked enough to post about it online, only to discover everyone else could see it too. That's when they finally realized something was seriously wrong. Even if this was a prank, there was no way every place on Earth could be in on it at the same time. So what the hell was happening?

When Sophie Lynn opened her eyes, she saw the panel floating in the air not far away. Her first reaction was that someone had broken into her home, but after studying every detail on the panel, the sharpness in her eyes faded and they returned to their usual innocent roundness. There was no light source at all. The thing had clearly appeared out of thin air.

Her eyes locked onto every word on it. Awaken a Gift... enter a Scenario... Those terms weren't unfamiliar to Sophie; she'd read plenty of novels. A weight settled in her chest. Had fiction become reality? And was this black panel something only she could see, or could everyone else see it too?

Sophie hurriedly grabbed her phone. The moment she got online, the first video she saw was someone talking about waking up to a floating panel. After watching several more clips and scrolling through the comments, she understood: everyone could see it.

And once people tapped the option to awaken a Gift, they really did awaken one. After seeing all kinds of abilities in videos that didn't look fake at all, countless people rushed to tap the panels in front of them too.

After a brief pause, Sophie lifted her hand and tapped "Yes" beneath Awaken your Gift. The next second, the black panel changed before her eyes. [ID 12345678 is awakening a Gift...]

Sophie stared at the panel in silence while carefully feeling for any changes in her body, but she felt nothing at all. A few seconds later, the black panel finally gave her an answer: [ID 12345678 has successfully awakened a Gift! Awakened Gift: Triple S Parasite. Tap for details.]

Before Sophie could react, the black panel flew into her body and left behind a tiny black square on the inside of her left wrist. She checked herself in alarm and finally found the change there. She scratched at it hard, but it felt fused to her skin. When she tapped it, the panel reappeared in front of her.

So it had bound itself to her? After thinking for a few seconds, Sophie put that aside and looked at her newly awakened Gift instead. Triple S Parasite... A flash of wild excitement lit up her eyes. A Triple S Gift, and one called Parasite at that. It sounded insanely strong. Eagerly, she opened the detailed description.

"[Triple S Parasite:

1. Disguise Layer: Takes the form of a Lucky Clover. Carrying a Lucky Sprout increases Luck by 2 points. Giving a sprout to a target releases colorless, odorless micro-spores that secretly parasitize the target with zero risk of detection.

2. Once parasitism reaches 100%, the target will be assimilated, lose all thought, and become a Puppet.

3. Energy can be drained at any time from a target that has reached 100% parasitism to strengthen the user, with a chance to learn the target's abilities.]"

After reading it, her heart started pounding like crazy. This Gift was incredible. It even came with a disguise effect and could turn targets into her puppets without them ever noticing. The corners of Sophie's lips curled up, and eager greed filled her round eyes. After calming down a little, she checked the countdown again. A little over three hours remained. Time was tight, and she needed to prepare before entering the Scenario.

Sophie headed out at once to buy supplies from the nearby supermarket. Things were bound to get messy outside, and who knew how much worse it might get later? Better to stock up on food and anything she could use for self-defense now, before everyone fully caught on. The panel's appearance had shattered Azure Earth's long-held balance.

After getting dressed, Sophie rushed out without daring to waste even a second. She had to race against time and be fully prepared before entering the Scenario. On her way downstairs, she noticed there were at least twice as many people out as usual. Clearly, plenty of people had the same idea.

She rushed into the supermarket and quickly grabbed bread, instant noodles, masks, a fruit knife, and anything else she could think of. Her cart was packed to the brim, and plenty of other people were doing the exact same thing.

Once she had everything, Sophie squeezed toward the checkout as fast as she could. Looking at the growing crowd around her, she frowned. "Could you please hurry a little? I'm in a rush." The longer she stayed, the more dangerous it felt. If this kept up, a stampede might break out.

Chapter 2 Entering the Scenario

"I'm already going as fast as I can. Why are there so many people today? This is weird," the cashier muttered. Sophie forced down her impatience, and the second everything was bagged, she paid and hurried back to her apartment.

She ignored the chaos behind her. Once outside, she finally let out a breath, then hurried upstairs with a grim face. Her place was on the twenty-second floor, and luckily, she'd chosen a high floor when she bought it because she liked peace and quiet. The turmoil downstairs wouldn't reach her that quickly. After locking herself in, she checked the countdown again. Roughly an hour remained.

She quickly sorted the things she'd bought, changed into a snug athletic outfit, and put on a mask, sunglasses, and a white cap. Wrapped up like this, anyone unfamiliar with her would never recognize her. Then she packed water and food into a light backpack and tucked a fruit knife and lighter into her clothes. More preparation couldn't hurt, but too much weight would only slow her down.

Once everything was ready, Sophie checked the countdown again. About twenty minutes left. She picked up her phone to see what was happening online, and soon discovered the Authority had already responded. Sophie saw the official notice too.

[Authority News: Azure Earth is currently being invaded by an unknown force. Based on our tests, everything shown on the panel is real. Please take it seriously. We cannot confirm whether entry into the Scenario will be mandatory for everyone, so please prepare in advance. Pack light food and other essentials. If you encounter Authority personnel inside a Scenario, you may ask them for help. Please do not panic. We are with you.]

After reading that, most people calmed down a little. They no longer felt quite so panicked or scared.

[Little Penguin: Yeah, don't panic too much. The Authority's still here. If something happens, find a police officer.]

[Moonbeam: If we work together and help each other inside the Scenario, we'll definitely clear it.]

[Watermelon Lover: I just wanna know what the Scenario is about. Why won't this black panel tell us?]

[Duangduang: Did your panel go into your body too? After I tapped Awaken a Gift, it went right into my wrist.]

[Watermelon Lover: Same here. A black square showed up on my left wrist. It looks like a tattoo.]