Siege of Beijing – April 5, 2030, 5:45 PM
A nightmarish army marched upon Beijing. Monsters and spiritual beasts surged in hordes, but first, a swarm of giant humanoid rabbits leaped from the outskirts of the city, growling inhumanly.
Chinese artillery roared in response. Each explosion shredded hundreds of creatures, the ground trembling from the impact of the shells. Bomber jets unleashed an apocalyptic firestorm, turning the horde into a hell of ash and charred flesh.
— "Hunter Squadron, what are you doing?!" shouted a lieutenant colonel in the Beijing command center.
Silence. Then, to everyone's shock, ten fighter jets dove straight to the ground and crashed without explanation.
— "KILL THEM ALL!"
The sergeant's scream echoed over the radio. In the trenches and ruins, Chinese soldiers clung to their weapons, terrified. One of them, trembling, stammered as he gazed at the oncoming black tide:
— "Captain... they... they're multiplying!"
The young man's panicked voice sent shivers through his comrades.
— "Soldiers! We are the defenders of China! Stand up and shoot them down!" roared the sergeant, trying to reignite his men's pride.
But in front of them, a colossal monster advanced. One of the giant rabbits stretched out its titanic hand, grabbed a swarm of ravenous white-eyed creatures, and hurled them with inhuman force onto the Chinese soldiers. Upon impact, bodies were crushed, sent flying through the air, reduced to scraps.
The sergeant's second in command recoiled, covering his head, paralyzed by the scene. A muffled sound. Then, silence. When he opened his eyes, he saw his sergeant, now a shapeless mass, his body crushed.
And before him stood a nightmare: a human with white eyes, cadaverous skin, and a demonic smile.
All around him, his comrades screamed in terror as the hungry creatures devoured them alive.
— "Let go of me! Please!" sobbed a young girl, her limbs ripped off by two laughing infected.
One of them leaned over her terrified face and burst out laughing.
— "No... I don't want to die like this..." sobbed a soldier on the ground. "Mom... Dad... I'm sorry for being such a little jerk... I love you."
A shot rang out. He had turned his weapon on himself.
Half an hour later, Beijing was under siege.
Hundreds of tanks opened fire on the horde, anti-aircraft turrets riddling the monsters with bullets. But then, an overwhelming presence silenced the battlefield.
A man stepped forward.
Elegant, dressed in a long dark coat, he wore a sword in its sheath, his black hair sweeping in the apocalyptic wind. His abyssal gaze seemed to pierce the soul of every living being.
His very aura made hearts tremble.
He slowly unsheathed his saber, and his voice echoed in every mind, transcendent and horrifying:
— "Demonic Qi Enhancement Technique: Heaven Splitter, Jailbreaker."
In the blink of an eye, the air, the ground, the very sky itself were cleaved.
A deathly silence fell.
Then the city trembled.
The entire line of tanks, the surrounding buildings, and even the atmosphere were cut clean. A gaping chasm several kilometers wide opened, obliterating all opposition.
The man smiled, lowering his sword slowly.
— "Miserable mortals."
In the Beijing command center, a desperate assembly had gathered. Deputies, generals, politicians... All knew that there was no hope left.
Suddenly, a general threw his helmet to the ground, draining his glass of whiskey in one go. He drew his handgun.
— "General Wu, what are you doing?!" exclaimed a Japanese ambassador.
— "Ambassador Kiyoto Tsuji..." murmured Wu, his gaze empty. "I understand the General... Listen to me well, I have a confession to make... I'm infected. I have a few hours, at most..."
A strangled groan.
The Chinese Prime Minister bent over, spitting blood. His skin turned as pale as death, his pupils dilated.
— "Who will protect China?!" cried a deputy, suddenly standing up.
— "Gentlemen..." whispered the minister, his face distorted by despair. "China is finished. Tao Yu Xin is invincible... Our planes used white phosphorus, the atomic bomb, sleeping gas... How do you expect to defeat a god?"
A heavy silence.
A colonel suddenly stood up.
— "Ask for the help of the cultivators... Listen to me! These creatures come from ancient myths... Our ancestors worshiped the Immortals, there must be some left!"
Skeptical murmurs rose. But the presence of the monsters, palpable and chilling, forced doubt to retreat.
The Prime Minister closed his eyes.
— "You know what you must do, Colonel. General Wu, I leave the next steps to you."
A soldier pointed his pistol at the minister's temple.
— "Permission to finish."
— "Affirmative."
A gunshot.
The minister's body collapsed.
But suddenly, the ceiling exploded.
A hurricane of darkness ravaged the room, throwing soldiers to the ground. Amidst the debris, a female figure landed gently.
The soldiers tried to raise their weapons... None could move.
— "I've blocked your meridians, mortals."
Her voice was soft, almost mocking.
An officer, enraged, stared at her with hatred.
Then his head exploded in a burst of blood.
The politicians and military officers screamed, paralyzed by fear.
— "To think I didn't even use martial arts..." the woman chuckled.
Then, a divine presence descended from the sky. A man dressed in a pristine kimono, radiating supernatural beauty.
Everyone knelt.
An absolute silence.
— "From now on, I, Tao Yu Xin, Taoist master of the shadow and apostle of the Dark God, proclaim myself Emperor of China."