Shen Hao stepped into the house, closing the door behind him, when he heard his mother's voice — warm and full of excitement.
"Your dad got a promotion, sweetheart! He's been appointed as the Regional Operations Director in the National Research Department.
We're moving to a better neighborhood this week!"
Shen Hao froze in place, stunned.
A promotion?
His dad?
For a moment, he thought he'd misheard. But the joy in his mom's voice was too real.
A strange warmth bloomed in his chest. For once, it felt like things were finally going right.
Without waiting, Shen Hao rushed upstairs to find his father.
The man was seated at his desk, reviewing some files, when Shen Hao burst in with a grin.
"Dad! Congrats! Mom told me the news!"
His father looked up, surprised but clearly pleased.
It had been a long time since Shen Hao had shown that kind of energy.
After a moment, Shen Hao asked the question that had been stuck in his head:
"So… what does a Regional Operations Director even do?"
His father chuckled, closing the folder he'd been reading.
"Good question. My job is to oversee all geological research and surveillance across the region. That means I monitor everything happening under Earth's surface —
earthquakes, tectonic plate shifts, strange underground activity, energy pulses deep in the crust, and anything that looks out of place."
"We use satellite systems, underground sensors, and advanced scanning tech.
If something moves where it shouldn't, we'll know. It's complex work… but it matters."
Shen Hao listened carefully, nodding.
Science had always interested him — the stars, the planets, even ancient myths. But now, for the first time, the Earth itself felt mysterious… alive… maybe even dangerous.
Something inside him sparked.
He didn't know it yet, but that spark would soon grow into a fire.
Weeks passed.
Their new home was nothing like the old one.
It wasn't just a house — it felt like a villa. Big windows. Clean streets. Quiet neighbors. Security drones floated by every few hours.
It felt unreal.
They could've changed schools, but Shen Hao chose to stay.
He wasn't popular, but the bullying had faded. People mostly ignored him — and that was fine.
For once, life was calm.
Simple. Peaceful.
His father was doing well. His mother smiled more. Shen Hao even started reading science articles again.
It felt like the start of something new…
Until it wasn't.
It happened suddenly.
No warning. No explanation.
Just silence.
Followed by something none of them could understand.
Something that would change everything.