The sky burned blood-red as dusk settled over the fractured city. Screams rose from the distance, sharp and desperate, while guttural roars echoed from the overgrown Unknown Forests that had swallowed entire districts years ago. Yuan Shenzi stood on the rooftop of his family's mid-tier villa, fingers gripping the cold metal railing until his knuckles turned white.
Below, in the dimly lit streets of the fortified zone, shambling figures moved between abandoned cars and collapsed buildings. Zombies. Not the fresh kind from old movies, but the mutated horrors that now ruled the night. Their numbers grew thicker after sunset. The city's barrier lights flickered weakly, a constant reminder that safety was an illusion bought with power.
Today is the day, Shenzi thought, heart hammering. My 18th birthday. The Awakening Ceremony. If I get a decent talent… I can enter an academy. I can finally prove I'm not dead weight.
He was the youngest son of the Yuan family. His older brother and sister had awakened with respectable talents three and four years ago. They were already training in mid-level academies. Their father, the Yuan Patriarch, had only one rule in this apocalypse: the strong survived. The weak were discarded.
Shenzi took a deep breath of air that smelled faintly of decay and turned toward the stairs. It was time.
Down in the family hall, the atmosphere was colder than the evening wind outside. The Yuan Patriarch sat at the head of the long table, his face stern and unyielding. Shenzi's older brother, Yuan Wei, leaned back with a smirk. His sister, Yuan Mei, examined her nails with bored disdain.
"The Awakening is not a game," the Patriarch said, voice flat. "Trash talents get thrown out. Our family has no room for dead weight. Do you understand, Shenzi?"
Shenzi stood straight, hands behind his back. "Yes, Father."
Yuan Wei chuckled. "Don't embarrass us like those failures last year. Insect tamers? Plant whisperers? Pathetic. At least try to get something useful."
"Enough," the Patriarch cut in, though his eyes held no warmth when they landed on Shenzi. "The family's reputation is on the line. If you come back with nothing worthwhile, you know what happens."
Shenzi clenched his fists behind his back until the nails bit into his palms. He had trained every day, studied every scrap of System knowledge he could find, pushed his body harder than most. But deep down, a cold fear whispered that it might not be enough. In this world, effort meant nothing without talent.
The System had appeared over ten years ago, right when the apocalypse began. Mutated beasts poured from the Unknown Forests, zombies overran cities, and strange new plants turned entire regions deadly. Humanity received the Game-like System as their only lifeline. At eighteen, every person underwent Awakening, one chance to gain a Talent that decided everything. Combat talents dominated battlefields. Support and crafting talents found places in academies or guilds. F-rank or lower? They became scavengers, cannon fodder, or simply disappeared.
Shenzi followed the family guards to the armored vehicle waiting outside. The streets were tense. Armored patrols moved in formation while civilians hurried home before full dark. A distant beast roar caused a ripple of panic; people pressed closer to the barriers.
Inside the vehicle, Shenzi stared out the reinforced window. Other eighteen-year-olds traveled in similar convoys — some arrogant sons of high-ranking awakeners, laughing loudly, others nervous commoners clutching their clothes. The pressure of status hung heavy. The Yuan family was mid-tier at best. Failure here would drop them even lower.
Halfway to the central Awakening Hall, the convoy slowed. A low growl sounded from an alley. Two zombified dogs — twisted, oversized mutts with exposed bone and glowing eyes, lunged toward the street. The guards reacted instantly. One awakened with a D-rank Strength talent, smashing the first creature with a glowing fist. The second was cut down by energy blades from another guard.
Shenzi watched the corpses twitch before going still. Without power, that could be me.
The Awakening Hall rose like a fortress in the safe zone, tall walls, glowing runes, and heavy security. Hundreds of youths gathered in the grand central chamber. Crystal orbs floated above raised platforms, pulsing with soft blue light. The air hummed with nervous energy and whispered conversations.
Names were called one by one.
"Li Feng!"
A tall boy stepped forward confidently. He placed his hand on the crystal. Light flared.
[Talent: Flame Manipulation (C-Rank)]
Description: Control and shape fire with moderate power. Growth potential: High.
Cheers erupted. Envy flashed across many faces. Li Feng pumped his fist, grinning as his family celebrated from the VIP seats.
Next came a quiet girl.
[Talent: Minor Healing (E-Rank)]
Description: Accelerate natural recovery on small wounds. Growth potential: Limited.
Polite applause followed, but disappointment was clear. The girl lowered her head and stepped aside.
Shenzi's name echoed through the hall.
"Yuan Shenzi!"
The murmurs quieted. His family watched from the VIP section, faces stern and expectant. Shenzi walked forward, legs feeling heavier with every step. He placed his palm on the cool Awakening Crystal.
Bright light engulfed him. Energy surged through his body like electric fire. The world blurred.
[Global System Notification]
Awakening Process Initiated…
Talent Detection Complete.
A pause. Then the words appeared, cold and merciless.
[Your Talent: Insect Control (F-Rank)]*
Description: You can weakly influence low-level mutated insects within a small radius. Growth potential: Extremely Limited.
Additional Reward: Basic Status Panel Unlocked.
[Status]
Name: Yuan Shenzi
Level: 1
Talent Rank: F (Trash)
Strength: 8 | Agility: 9 | Vitality: 10 | Spirit: 7
The light faded.
For a heartbeat, the hall was silent.
Then it erupted.
"Insect Control? F-Rank?"
"That's not even trash, that's garbage!"
"Poor Yuan family. Another disappointment."
Laughter rippled through the crowd. Some pointed openly. Others shook their heads in pity or amusement.
Shenzi stood frozen on the platform, blood roaring in his ears. Insect Control…? How am I supposed to survive with this? Fight zombies with mosquitoes?
In the VIP section, his father's face turned thunderous. Yuan Wei openly sneered. Yuan Mei covered her mouth, failing to hide her mocking smile.
Security personnel in dark uniforms began moving toward the low-potential candidates. A firm hand landed on Shenzi's shoulder.
"Low-potential individuals, this way," the guard said without emotion.
The Patriarch rose from his seat. His voice carried clearly across the sudden quiet. "You are no longer welcome in the Yuan family until you prove yourself useful."
The words hit like a physical blow. Shenzi's chest tightened. No encouragement. No second chance. Just cold dismissal.
He was escorted toward the side exit. Whispers and laughter followed him like shadows. Outside, the night air had turned colder. Distant zombie howls grew louder, closer, as if the apocalypse itself was laughing at him.
Shenzi stepped into the dimly lit street, fists clenched so hard they trembled. The barrier lights flickered overhead. The smell of decay thickened.
Deep inside his chest, so faint he almost missed it, a strange second pulse of light flickered once — then vanished.
A tiny system line flashed in his vision for less than a second before disappearing completely.
[Unknown Anomaly Detected…]
Shenzi blinked, unsure if he had imagined it. The howls grew louder. The night felt heavier.
He was alone now.
And the world had never been more dangerous.