Yan stepped onto the nearby flowerbed just moments before the chaos erupted—an instinctive reaction.
From above, the entire field looked like a boiling ocean. Crowds surged violently, and at this moment the broadcast blared:
"Students and faculty, please evacuate in an orderly manner! Do not push! Avoid stampedes, please stay calm!"
But no one listened. Everyone was squeezing toward the exits, terrified of being the last one left behind.
With a vantage point half a head taller than the packed crowd, Yan carefully observed that "thing."
The pale blue light-screen spun violently, the air around it trembling faintly.
But soon he noticed something strange—within the closest circle around the vortex, fallen leaves, plastic bottles, paper scraps all lay perfectly still. Some debris lifted by the wind drifted across the vortex, only to float out from the other side.
It was as if the thing couldn't touch them at all.
Yan's brows knitted slowly.
Could it only affect people?
Staring at the blue glow, a bizarre thought suddenly flashed through his mind: He should go in; he must go in; how could he continue living this dull, unchanging life? If he entered that thing…
Smack.
Both palms struck his face. The sting snapped him awake immediately.
"Damn… seriously? Getting dramatic at a time like this?" he muttered under his breath, preparing to evacuate with the rest.
Whatever that thing was, it clearly wasn't normal. Better let the military or scientists deal with it.
However—
"—Yan!!"
The voice pierced through the noise like a needle. He jerked around toward the source.
Yi Lin was standing on the stage, waving desperately, shouting something. The scene was total chaos—broadcast noise and the clamor of the crowd mixed together, making it impossible to hear clearly.
Yan narrowed his eyes, watching Yi Lin's lips move, finally making out a few words:
—"Mouse… vortex… leave!"
He froze, heart tightening. Only now did he realize—the vortex was exactly where they had been standing minutes ago.
If Mausen hadn't walked off…
He might have already been sucked in.
————————————
"Do you know about Aukes? That visitor from beyond the sky…"
Yuqing Su had already guessed what he was trying to say, but she still nodded politely with a smile.
The atmosphere was perfect.
The surrounding noise seemed to fade, leaving just the two of them. This sudden "two-person world" made him almost forget he was still on campus.
But then, a loud commotion erupted across the field.
The noise surged like a rising tide, sweeping over the entire area.
Yi Lin's words were cut off. He frowned, turning around.
And in the next moment, he saw something he would remember for the rest of his life.
The crowd rushed outward like sardines swept by waves. Faces twisted by fear, mouths opening and closing—yet no clear words could be heard.
Some people were pushed down. Before they could rise, they were swallowed by the mass of bodies.
Yi Lin's heart tightened.
He didn't know what was happening, but running outward was definitely not wrong.
And someone else clearly had the same idea—Yuqing Su.
A soft hand grabbed his. She said nothing, tugging him toward the teaching building.
He instantly understood her intention, but after a few steps, he rejected that direction.
Anyone with basic emergency sense knew that wide-open areas were safer during disasters; the teaching building was clearly the wrong choice.
"No." He stopped and pulled toward another direction. "We go to the stage…"
Before he could finish, Yuqing Su had already adjusted her pace and followed his lead.
Yi Lin reached the stage moments before the crowd arrived. He bent down, pulled Yuqing Su up with him, and finally let out a long breath.
Adrenaline still burned in his veins, but his body felt hollowed out. He simply gave up resisting and slumped to the floor, gasping.
Yuqing Su sat beside him as well, leaning lightly against his back, breathing softly.
This place was far from the building and open on all sides—relatively safe.
After a short rest, they finally had the strength to look around. Most people were either fleeing toward the exits or being pushed toward the buildings. Few were still on the stage.
Yi Lin was thinking when he felt his arm tugged.
He turned and saw Yuqing Su.
She was pointing at something, lips parted slightly.
Following her gesture, he immediately understood why everyone had panicked.
Because there was a very obviously abnormal vortex.
Yi Lin's first reaction was—a portal.
Then he immediately remembered yesterday's comet. His intuition told him the two events had to be connected.
But now wasn't the time to think about that. His gaze scanned the crowd below—and he suddenly spotted Yan.
He was standing on the flowerbed, staring motionlessly at the "vortex."
Yi Lin's heart lurched. A wave of unease shot through him.
He immediately shouted,
"—Yan!!!"
But the field was too loud—broadcasts, screams, and chaos mixing into a wall of noise. His voice was swallowed instantly. He shouted again and again—still no response.
Until Yan suddenly turned his head.
Yi Lin's eyes lit up. He waved both arms wildly and yelled with all his strength:
"Yan! Be careful! Don't run around!"
Afraid Yan couldn't hear, he exaggerated the mouth shapes twice.
But in the next moment—Yan suddenly looked back toward the vortex. Before Yi Lin could react, he leaped off the flowerbed, forced his way into the crowd, and headed straight for the vortex.
Yi Lin froze on the spot.
No—no, man, what—what the hell are you doing?!