Chapter Two: The Arrival of the Apocalypse

"Can you tell me what's going on? Am I dead?" Carter looked at the so-called room in his mind, starting to try to communicate with the system named 'Aeno', hoping this system could provide him with some useful information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It is now April 3, 2012, 19:45 Earth time, which is seven hours after the arrival of the 'extraterrestrial life' on Earth," the Aeno system gave Carter a detailed description of the current situation. "Also, the current status of the 'host' should be alive and well."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alive and well." Carter heard these words and felt indescribably happy, but his expression soon turned grim.

"Extraterrestrial life invasion?" What does that mean? Carter was stunned.

Moreover, it's been seven hours since the invasion. Carter calculated, isn't that the time when the 'meteor shower' entered the Earth's atmosphere during the day?

Could it be that those 'meteor showers' were not ordinary rocks but 'extraterrestrial life'?

Is it really the end of the world?

"Aeno, what does the invasion of 'extraterrestrial life' mean?" After snapping out of his daze, Carter hurriedly asked. It was impolite to address someone as if they were a servant, so Carter randomly chose a name to address the system.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Extraterrestrial life refers to life forms different from the host in the universe," the Aeno system explained promptly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are they powerful? Do they pose a threat to Earth?" After hearing the explanation from the Aeno system, Carter began to understand. These so-called 'extraterrestrial life forms' should be the 'aliens' that humans have been searching for. But whether these aliens are enemies or friends, Carter still doesn't know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Due to limitations in the system program, more data cannot be collected at the moment. If the 'host' wants to know more detailed information, please try to increase your level as much as possible," the Aeno system's voice remained emotionless as it spoke.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Increase level?" Carter's eyes widened at these four words. Could it be that this is a game, and there's even such a thing as leveling up? Could there even be bosses?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yes, the Aeno System' is indeed a system that can continuously increase levels. For each level the host advances, corresponding rewards and information can be obtained," the Aeno system explained succinctly, seemingly unaffected by Carter's surprise, and focusing on explaining the key points.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What's going on?" Carter was at a loss. He was on the verge of going crazy.

The important things he wanted to know, the Aeno system didn't know anything about. It just spewed out things he couldn't understand.

Leveling up, rewards—all these terms are things only found in online games, aren't they?

"Do you know what the outside world is like now?" Carter spoke after a long while.

From the Aeno system's words just now, after calming down, Carter knew that the Aeno system should not belong to the original Earth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"With the noon meteor shower entering the Earth's atmosphere, extraterrestrial life has brought a powerful virus into the Earth. It is believed that by now, life on Earth should have changed," the Aeno system quickly began to explain the situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A powerful virus?" Carter had already prepared himself for the worst, but when he really heard that a "powerful virus" had entered the Earth, he still couldn't believe it was true.

"What is this powerful virus?" Carter asked after taking a deep breath. Although he still didn't believe that there could be such a thing as 'the end of the world,' from the communication with the Aeno system just now, Carter gradually accepted the fact.

At the same time, he also confirmed that the Aeno system would not harm him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Virus carried by extraterrestrial life, also known as a genetic virus. If the body's genes are strong enough, being infected with such a virus will make one even more powerful, that is, a genetic warrior," the Aeno system continued.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, isn't this a good thing?" Carter asked in confusion.

"It can be said to be a good thing, but Earthlings are too weak and cannot adapt to the genetic virus," the Aeno system bluntly explained, leaving no hope for him.

"What happens if they can't adapt?" Carter couldn't believe that Earthlings were considered weak by Aeno.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They turn into zombies," Aeno displayed some images in the metallic room, showing people Carter was most familiar with. But when he took a closer look, Carter was shocked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were no lively eyes, and their movements were stiff. Clearly, they were dead.

But how could they still walk?

Looking at these zombies with festering faces, Carter was genuinely frightened.

"Are these zombies powerful?" Thinking of a game called "Biohazard" he had played before, Carter remembered descriptions of zombies. Apart from losing human thoughts, were their other physical functions more powerful?

Now he didn't know if these real-life zombies were the same.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Initially, zombies have five times the strength of ordinary humans, but their speed is relatively slow. As time goes on, zombies will also evolve, with each evolution doubling their strength, and their weaknesses will gradually disappear," Aeno provided detailed information, seemingly not touching her qualification level.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, what's the situation outside now?" Listening to Aeno's introduction, Carter's heart gradually cooled down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"If nothing unexpected happens, more than fifty percent of humans have already turned into zombies by now, and after tomorrow, this number will double. A few months later, only one-tenth of the previous humans will be spared," Aeno gave Carter a rough range. "Those who are not prepared tomorrow have a high probability of being attacked by humans who have already turned into zombies, and with the genetic virus spreading in the air, weak humans simply cannot escape the fate of becoming zombies."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What about me?" Listening to Aeno's description, Carter's heart was getting colder and colder, bit by bit.