Extraterrestrial demons invaded; I laid the groundwork eight years in advance.

After dinner, Shen Tian pulled Zhao Ya to the sofa to look at photos of the school.

Shen Ling sat to the side flipping through the newspaper—although it's more convenient to read the news on a mobile phone now, he still prefers to read paper newspapers.

Shen Bai cleared away the dishes and then cut a plate of fruit from the kitchen and brought it out.

"Dad, how's it going in South America?" He sat down on the sofa and placed the fruit plate on the coffee table.

Shen Ling put down the newspaper and picked up a slice of watermelon: "The rainforest is nice, but it's too humid. This research project is about local medicinal plants. We originally planned to stay for another two weeks, but the situation there became unstable, so we left early."

"You didn't encounter any danger, did you?" Shen Tian asked, leaning closer.

"No," Zhao Ya patted Shen Tian's head. "There were just a lot of mosquitoes. Your dad had more than a dozen bites on his legs."

Shen Ling rolled up his trouser leg, and sure enough, there were still several dark red marks on his calf.

Shen Tian laughed so hard she almost fell over.

Night was falling.

Zhao Ya yawned and checked the time: "It's almost eleven o'clock, time to sleep."

Shen Tian jumped up from the sofa and pulled Zhao Ya towards the master bedroom: "Mom, let's sleep together tonight!"

Zhao Ya laughed as she was pulled into the room.

  

Shen Ling smiled helplessly and said, "Fine, I'll sleep on the sofa then."

Shen Bai said, "You can sleep in my room, I'll just sleep on the sofa."

"You're sleeping on the sofa?" Shen Ling frowned. "What? Do you think I'm old?"

"How could that be? Your health is even better than mine. I haven't slept on the sofa in ages, I want to give it a try."

Shen Ling stared at him for two seconds, then didn't persist.

"Okay," he said. "Don't catch a cold."

Shen Ling entered Shen Bai's room and closed the door.

The living room fell silent.

---

late at night.

Shen Bai stood alone on the balcony, his hands gripping the railing, gazing at the city lights in the distance. The skyline of Shanghai stretched out in the night, with countless lights twinkling on and off.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Shen Ling walked over to him, took out a pack of cigarettes, and put one in his mouth. The lighter clicked and lit it, the flame illuminating his dark face before going out again.

Shen Ling, with a cigarette between his fingers, took out another one and handed it to him.

"Want one?"

Shen Bai took it.

The lighter lit up again, and a tiny crimson glow appeared on the cigarette butt. He took a drag, then slowly exhaled, his brow furrowing slightly.

He actually doesn't like the smell of smoke.

When I was a kid, I thought people who smoked were cool. The way they calmly exhaled smoke made it seem like they were in control of something.

Later, he obtained the system and tried it a few times during countless sleepless nights. Nicotine could indeed provide temporary relaxation, but he still didn't like the taste.

The two stood side by side, neither of them speaking, as the smoke dissipated in the night breeze.

"noob."

"Um?"

"All that you told us—sitting in an office, doing behind-the-scenes work, never working on the front lines—is it all true?" Shen Ling paused, his voice not loud, but as heavy as lead, "?"

Shen Bai tightened his grip on the cigarette by half an inch.

The cigarette butt flickered in the night wind for a moment, then returned to its steady state.

He didn't answer immediately. His father's breathing was right beside him, even and steady, as if he were waiting for an answer.

After a four-second silence, Shen Ling spoke again.

"never mind."

He brought the cigarette to his lips, took a drag, and then slowly exhaled.

"No need to answer. How could I not know my own child?"

His father didn't look at him, nor did he ask any further questions. Those words were like a pebble thrown into deep water; they sank to the bottom without making a splash.

Shen Ling flicked his cigarette ash and looked into the distance, as if he was recalling something.

"Thank you for your hard work these past years."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a heavy seriousness.

"From a young age, you were different from other children. You were sensible, independent, and had your own ideas; we never had to worry about you. Later, your mother and I traveled all over the world, leaving you at home alone with your younger sister. You were only in junior high school then, right?"

"Second year of junior high," Shen Bai said.

"Second year of junior high. While other kids were still nagging their parents for game consoles and toys, you were already handling all sorts of things at home." Shen Ling took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled. "So all these years, your mother and I have always been very at ease with you. It's not that we didn't want to take care of you, it's that we felt you didn't need to."

Shen Bai didn't say anything, he just put the cigarette to his lips.

"You have your own ideas, and you've made steady progress." Shen Ling paused. "Looking back, every decision you've made since you were little hasn't been a mistake."

"But," Shen Ling's tone turned somber. He turned to look at Shen Bai, his eyes filled with a worry Shen Bai had never seen before.

"You have things you want to do, and your mom and I support you. But you need to take good care of yourself. Don't try to be a hero outside. Don't forget, your mom, your sister, and I are here at home. We just want you to be healthy and safe."

Shen Bai met his gaze and nodded vigorously.

"I will, Dad."

Shen Ling stared at him for a few seconds, then turned back and stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray next to her. Then she patted Shen Bai on the shoulder.

Get some rest.

He turned and went back inside, and the balcony became quiet again.

A night breeze brushed my face, carrying the chill of early autumn. The city lights in the distance were dimmer than before.

Shen Bai stood alone in front of the railing, the scarlet cigarette butt in his hand glowing and dimming in the night.

"Am I a hero?" he asked himself in a low voice.

Before he obtained the system, he was just an ordinary high school student. His biggest wish was simply to get into a good university, then make lots and lots of money so that he and his family could live a good life.

Calm, stable, and without turmoil.

But life is always like this—the more you crave stability, the more storms fate throws your way.

That summer when he was sixteen, fate slammed an exam paper in front of him and told him: Eight years from now, the end of the world will come. Only you have the potential to save the world. If you don't, only destruction awaits.

He accepted.

He created Xiao Cheng and amassed a fortune in the stock market.

He showed favor to Li Zhou and Liu Feng, one helping him build a vast business empire, and the other secretly laying the foundation for Dawn.

He secretly won over people's hearts and controlled their power, instilling faith and slogans in them.

Every day, he is racing against time.

The methods used are not all ethical.

He didn't think he was anything special.

Some people choose this path willingly. He didn't. He simply didn't turn away when the overwhelming force forced him to choose.

That's it.

But he doesn't regret it.

Because he has something he wants to protect.

This world is beautiful.

In the distance, there are breathtaking mountain views and tranquil riverside afternoons. There are the mundane details of daily life, as well as heart-stirring stories. There are tempting and delicious foods, and even more so, the glimmer of light in ordinary days.

He couldn't bear to see the world change—everyone who lives life earnestly deserves an ordinary, warm tomorrow, one where they don't have to fear the dawn.

Shen Bai looked up. There were no stars tonight, but the distant horizon was faintly lit.

It's not starlight, it's the lights of thousands of homes.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, turned around, and went back inside.

The living room was quiet. He lay down on the sofa, and a faint light shone through the streetlights outside the window, casting blurry spots of light on the ceiling.

From next door, Shen Tian and Zhao Ya could be heard talking softly, their conversation indistinct except for occasional laughter. Then, the sound of Shen Ling turning off the light came from his side, and everything fell silent.

In my mind's eye, Xiao Cheng's voice softly sounded: "Master, should I wake you tomorrow morning?"

"No need," he replied in his mind. "I don't have anything to do tomorrow."

"Received. Goodnight, Master."

"Good night."

Outside the window, the night wind rustled through the plane trees in the neighborhood.

Shen Bai listened to those sounds and slowly closed his eyes.

"Some things, I feel are worthwhile. That's enough."