Prologue

“Shenzhou National Television: May 17, 9020. The Blue Star Alliance Health Organization has announced that the outbreak on the Golden Coast of Usorimalan is a mutated strain of the rabies virus. This rabies virus has gained the ability to spread through the air...”

“Shenzhou National Television: August 5, 9021. Dear viewers, we interrupt with breaking news. Our national prevention center held a press conference today, announcing that a vaccine for the mutated rabies virus has been developed and that free nationwide vaccination will begin immediately.”

“Shenzhou National Television: April 3, 9022. The Blue Star Alliance has announced the establishment of a joint force under the framework of the Blue Star Alliance to address the growing threat of piracy and terrorism.”

“Today’s News: October 7, 9023. Regarding the recent frequent reports of unidentified flying object sightings, relevant authorities are conducting investigations. Please do not panic.”

“Shenzhou National Television: October 8, 9023. Emergency news replay. Dear viewers, it can now be confirmed: this is indeed an alien invasion. Please follow instructions and evacuate to shelters in an orderly manner. Next, we will broadcast a speech from our supreme leader.”

“Shimen Music Radio: October 9, 9023. Dear listeners, this is a rebroadcast. Whoever hears this broadcast, please be sure to spread the message.

We are under attack. The aliens have released a virus upon us—a new type of virus mutated from rabies, capable of airborne transmission and highly pathogenic. If you have already received the new rabies vaccine in advance, you do not need to fear the airborne rabies virus.

But be warned: the virus carried by patients after rabies onset has mutated again. The vaccine is ineffective against this further mutated virus. In other words, if you are bitten by a rabid patient, the vaccine will not work. So you must absolutely avoid being bitten, absolutely avoid contact!

If you encounter a patient showing symptoms of rabies, protect yourself immediately and take any measures necessary to avoid being attacked. Unfortunately, those infected with the virus can no longer be considered human. Even if it’s your family, your loved ones, your friends—no matter who it is, if they begin to show symptoms, you must not make contact. You can only choose to run or to kill them. It’s hard, but this concerns everyone’s survival. Please take this seriously.

Fellow citizens, the situation is very dangerous and difficult right now, but please trust our country, trust our soldiers. Our army has already launched a counterattack against the aliens. No matter what the final outcome is, in order to survive, we must fight together to the end!

Fellow citizens, this is not the end of the world. Even if this is a war with aliens, it is still just a war!

This is not doomsday! This is war!

Unite and fight to the end.”

Chapter One: Lucky Day

The air was cold and fresh. Stepping out the door, Henry Clark took a deep breath, then, after mustering his courage, looked up at the sky.

There was no sun, nor was there that alien spaceship; thick clouds covered everything.

Although he knew perfectly well that the spaceship was still in the same place and that he simply couldn’t see it because of the clouds, this alone was enough to give Henry Clark a bit of a sense of security.

The aliens had been here for two months already.

For the past two months, Henry Clark had looked up at the spaceship every day, but the time he spent staring at it was getting shorter and shorter.

The alien spaceship had never moved from its spot, and everyone had to get used to its presence.

He didn’t stare for long; the ache in his arms reminded Henry Clark that it was time for his daily training.

The skill Henry Clark was working hard to train was throwing stones.

If he could throw stones quickly and accurately, he could hit small animals like wild chickens and rabbits. That’s what primitive people did, and now Henry Clark planned to do the same.

He picked up a stone, swung his arm forcefully, and hurled the stone at a target ten meters away. The ping-pong-ball-sized target fell at the hit, while the stone landed on the dirt mound behind it, making almost no sound.

He picked up another stone and threw it hard. This time, the stone didn’t hit, but it grazed the target, and this level of accuracy left Henry Clark fairly satisfied.

After repeating the stone-throwing motion fifty times, Henry Clark ended his training early. After discovering last night that his arm hurt so much it was hard to even hold chopsticks, Henry Clark had already decided to cut back on his training.

Any skill requires long-term practice. Forty-one hits out of fifty throws, reaching this level in just two months, already made Henry Clark very satisfied.

Henry Clark needed a healthy and well-functioning arm to deal with any crisis that might arise. So, although he was eager to master a key survival skill, he still had to reduce his training to protect his arm. He understood well that too much is as bad as too little.