"The tenets of the Ten Thousand Realms Containment System are: Secure, Contain, and Protect."
"The current world's space wall is weak, and abnormalities will begin to appear one after another."
"As the binder, you must contain these anomalies and protect human cognition."
"When you successfully contain an anomaly, the system will reward you with a number of lucky draws based on the level and degree of containment."
"Through the lottery, you can obtain abnormal abilities to ensure you can contain stronger anomalies."
"Humans cannot live in fear. You will be the hope of mankind."
"We control, we contain, we protect!"
As Ethan Walters looked at the panel in front of him and listened to the mechanical voice in his head, he realized that his peaceful daily life was gone forever.
He turned his gaze to Annie, standing before him.
The holder of the power of the female giant must be considered an anomaly.
Meanwhile, Annie was observing her surroundings. Initially, she didn't quite grasp Ethan's statement, "This isn't the world you know."
However, as she glanced at the towering buildings around her, she suddenly understood what he meant.
This couldn't be the world within the walls of Paradis Island, nor the Marley she hailed from. Both were too primitive compared to the city before her.
So, what was this place?
Annie felt a surge of panic but maintained her stoic facade as she looked at Ethan.
"Where is this? Who are you? Why do you know my name?"
Ethan shook his head, ignoring her barrage of questions, and said, "Let's get out of here first. We should head to my place; you made quite a commotion when you appeared."
"If we stay here, you might get caught and questioned."
Without waiting for Annie's response, Ethan began walking toward the park's exit. The golden lightning had caused a significant disturbance, and authorities might arrive to investigate.
Annie hesitated, reaching out to stop Ethan. She didn't want to follow him blindly, suspecting it might be a trap. However, faced with the unfamiliar surroundings, she gritted her teeth and decided to follow him.
For now, Ethan was her only connection to this strange world.
Hearing her footsteps behind him, Ethan let out a relieved sigh. At least she was going along with him for now.
He took out his phone and made a quick online purchase, only to be interrupted by Annie's cautious voice.
"What's that in your hand?"
Ethan casually closed the shopping page and handed the phone to Annie. "This is a phone, a communication tool. Think of it as an upgraded version of the telephone."
Annie quickly grabbed the phone. "Are you trying to contact your accomplices?"
The technology level in Marley was around the time of World War I, so they had telephones. However, here, the technology was far more advanced.
Annie was struggling to keep up with this new world, mistakenly assuming phones required conversation to operate.
Unbeknownst to her, Ethan had already arranged a few things discreetly.
Ethan shook his head. "Phones have other functions besides communication. They can help you understand this world better, and it's for you."
Annie was taken aback by his words and fell silent. She didn't use the phone yet, simply holding it in her hand.
As they walked through streets and alleys, Ethan explained patiently:
"That's a traffic light. It manages vehicle and pedestrian movement. You know about traffic, right?"
"Okay, the light's green; we can go."
"That's an image, a picture on a screen, like a TV... Do you know TV?"
"Don't worry, that's just a passerby, curious about your gear, not malicious."
"Alright, this is where I live. Wait a moment, I'll open the door."
Ethan babbled on while Annie remained silent. They finally reached his apartment.
Ethan's apartment was spacious, a single-family type—not extravagant but comfortable.
He took out the key and opened the apartment door, but Annie hesitated at the entrance, wary like a wild cat.
Ethan sighed. "There's no one inside, and no traps. If you want information, you'll need to trust me a little."
Annie's blue eyes scrutinized Ethan before she finally said, "You go first."
Eventually, they both entered the apartment, one after the other.
In the living room, Ethan pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing to the seat opposite him.
"Annie, have a seat."
Annie didn't want to sit, but Ethan's talk of 'trust' persuaded her to do so.
"So, can you tell me where we are now?" Annie asked, staring at Ethan.
Ethan picked up a kettle from the dining table, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it in one gulp before replying, "This is Blue Star, the Land of Sakura, a world without Marley or Paradis Island."
Annie's eyes widened at his words. She instinctively wanted to refute him—it sounded absurd.
But then she recalled everything she'd seen on the way: the towering buildings, the orderly vehicles, the giant TV screens.
In the end, she couldn't say anything. Lowering her head, her expression became visibly troubled.
She wanted to go back. Back to her home, no matter what.
But now, what should she do?
Annie had no clue how she had arrived in this strange world.
But soon, she realized something was off.
"Why do you know my name? How do you know me?"
Ethan looked at her with a hint of melancholy. "Maybe it's destiny."
He then got up and walked to a side room. Annie immediately went on alert.
But Ethan soon returned, holding a thick stack of papers in his hand.