Becoming a Monster - Chapter 285: Consequences of Friendly Fire

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Song Changming is a Fire Patrolman in the Patrol Armor Bureau. He has a special system which enables his Lifespan to increase everyday. Initially, he had no great ambitions. After accumulating a hundred years of lifespan while lying low, he only wanted to rise step by step in the Patrol Armor Bureau, to live better in glory and wealth.As for practicing martial arts or pursuing the Tao, all these began when he threw away that ring in which lives an old spirit.

The Supernatural era descended, the rules changed, mystery arrived, and the world altered. Countless ruins of civilization emerged, and an abundance of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures lay at everyone’s fingertips. Radical faction, “This is the best of times, entering a new world, excavating relics, mass evolution!” Conservative, “This is the worst of times, with countless monsters outside, once you leave the Safe Zone, extinction awaits humanity!” … Meanwhile, at a remote ruin, Lu Yuan successfully discovered new treasures and sought after the mysterious wealth, desperately trying to contact his fellow Earthlings. “Found a communicator, can it get through?” “Hey, humans—I’m almost becoming a god, and you’re still hiding in the Safe Zone?”

Talents.Supernatural abnormalities that changed the genetic make up of most people in the world today, no one knows how it came into this world, but before we knew it, the abnormalities became normal.They were the foundation the modern society was built on, the fuel to humanity's existence. Then they came along, heroes.In Nova City, also known as the Capital of the Awakened, where massive enterprises and these talent-made heroes ruled with power and influence, regular people were just victims of the everyday battle between these so-called heroes and villains.Years ago, in the middle of this Chaotic relationship, I, Mason Harris — a regular 18 year old kid who had always looked up to these heroes, aspire to be just like them even without awakening any talent, lost my parents in a crossfire between these heroes and villains.Since then, I lost any aspirations I had, any admiration I harbored. Till one day, I came across a strange system that changed my life forever, and I awakened a talent.That Talent's Name was Nanoforge.Because of it, I was linked to the greatest technological system known to mankind, create state of the art weaponry out of thin air? Easy. Hack into the universe's most elite security system? Piece of cake.But I didn't go unnoticed, soon enough corporate organizations,hero agencies and even alien warlords from all over the universe wanted me gone at any cost, so if they wanted to wage a war against me, bring it on.I have no desire to become a hero anymore, but with this system, I am justice.The battle to stop the injustice caused by these so-called heroes, it wasn't just the city's fight anymore, it was mine. He made sure of that the day he watched my parents die.