New Year Incident（To celebrate the first person to collect my novel, I will update 10 chapters）

The atmosphere of the New Year was gradually growing stronger. Every city in the East Country was decorated with colorful lights, and the intelligent display screens on both sides of the streets played festive greetings in a continuous loop. For the citizens of the East Country, the New Year was a statutory holiday. No matter how busy work was, except for frontline workers, everyone could return home and reunite with their families. Wang Yanfei's parents were, of course, no exception.

"Finally, a few days of rest." His mother put down the research report in her hands and stretched. Today, she was not wearing her research institute uniform but had changed into a warm sweater, making her look much softer and less stern than usual.

Hearing her mother's words, Xiaoxiao immediately jumped up from the sofa. "Three days! We have a whole three days! I must plan properly; I can't waste a single moment!"

Her father smiled slightly, closed the book in his hands, and said casually, "Don't exhaust your mom too much. She's been busy for over half a year; she needs a good rest."

Xiaoxiao stuck out her tongue with a mischievous smile. "Got it! I'll plan it lightly!" Then she turned to Wang Yanfei. "Brother, do you have any plans for tomorrow? If not, come play with me!"

Wang Yanfei turned away from the dining table, a faint smile on his lips. "Don't get too excited. Whenever you plan things, it ends up being more exhausting than our parents' work."

"Hmph! That won't happen!" Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and pouted before running off to discuss the itinerary with their parents.

After dinner, the family gathered on the living room sofa. Xiaoxiao took out her plan and excitedly explained, "On the first day, we can go to the amusement park in the city center. On the second day, I want to see the lantern exhibition—I've heard the festival in the new district is particularly beautiful! And on the last day… let's stay home and cook a big meal together. What do you think?"

His mother nodded. "That sounds like a good plan. Just remember not to stay out too late at night."

Xiaoxiao eagerly nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be home on time."

His father smiled approvingly. "As long as your mother agrees, I have no objections." Just as he finished speaking, Xiaoxiao grabbed Wang Yanfei's hand. "Brother, we must make the most of these few days. You can't just stay home and be a hermit!"

Caught by her enthusiasm, Wang Yanfei could only nod. "Alright, I'll follow your lead."

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The Second District was immersed in the peaceful atmosphere of the New Year. Smart lighting cast a warm glow on the clean streets, and in the distance, the sound of fireworks occasionally echoed. Lin Yi sat at the dining table, enjoying a reunion dinner with his family.

His father, a retired soldier, still maintained a straight posture despite the traces of time on his face. His right arm was a mechanical prosthetic, its metallic sheen adding a sharp edge to his presence. In contrast, his mother was gentle and kind, softly urging Lin Yi to eat more. "Yi'er, eat more. You're too skinny."

"I know, Mom." Lin Yi smiled and complied before glancing at his father. "Dad, you should eat, too. Let's not talk about work today—just relax."

His father nodded slightly, picked up some food, put down his chopsticks, and looked at Lin Yi with sharp eyes. "How have you been recently? Don't slack off on training at school. If you want to achieve something, you must have the determination of a soldier."

Lin Yi nodded firmly. "Don't worry, I won't let you down."

After dinner, the family headed to his grandparents' house. The old home was simple yet warm, with red 'Fu' (fortune) characters adorning the walls and small wooden carvings handcrafted by his grandfather decorating the room. His grandparents, smiling from ear to ear, handed Lin Yi a thick red envelope. "Lin Yi, Happy New Year! May your studies go well!"

Lin Yi accepted the envelope with a smile, feeling the warmth of family. He glanced at the clock—it was close to midnight, and outside, the countdown was becoming more lively.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Happy New Year!" Fireworks exploded into the sky, illuminating the night. Cheers erupted all around. His father patted him on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "A new year, a new beginning. Keep working hard and bring honor to the family."

"I will, Dad." Lin Yi answered softly, then bid his family goodnight and returned to his room.

In the quiet of the early morning, Lin Yi gradually drifted into sleep, but his dreams were anything but peaceful.

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As Lin Yi's consciousness sharpened, he once again found himself in that familiar yet foreign wasteland. The surroundings remained filled with dilapidated buildings and silent ruins, dust and decay mixing into the air, making the atmosphere oppressive. The sky was perpetually gray, and time seemed completely frozen here.

"I'm back again…" he murmured, frowning as countless questions surfaced in his mind.

Ever since he found Wang Yanfei's martial arts manual in this wasteland and brought it back to reality, this place had not appeared in his dreams. He had thought he had escaped its grasp, but now that he had returned, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Why now? Did something major happen?" Lin Yi reached into his inner coat pocket, searching for any new books or clues.

But the pocket was empty. His heart tensed, and he quickly tapped his wristband, trying to access more information. When the screen lit up, he was stunned. The power indicator showed dangerously low battery—less than 5% remaining, as if it could shut off at any moment.

He quickly navigated to the log page and found a new entry:

"The black box has been retrieved and is located nearby."

Lin Yi stared at the message. Compared to last time, the black box seemed even more worn out, with cracks running along its surface like scars of time and erosion. He carefully activated the device. The screen flickered a few times before displaying lines of familiar yet unsettling text:

"New Era 652: The Western Nation attempted an information warfare invasion on East Country's Intelligence Brain, causing a large-scale smart network crisis. However, East Country activated the 'Island Protocol,' isolating the global AI nodes while retaining core functions."

Lin Yi frowned. This was vastly different from what he had previously seen.

The screen continued, the fragmented data flashing intermittently:

"Year 654: The Guardian Bureau's Director, Wang Yanfei, integrated superhumans with conventional forces, successfully resisting the Western Nation's mechanical army. East Country's defense line remained intact."

The image shifted to a blurred battlefield projection. Amidst the smoke and flames, Wang Yanfei was fully enveloped in jade-like energy, wielding a massive steel pillar to block a devastating blow from the enemy's ultimate weapon. As his roar echoed, East Country's troops surged forward, crushing the opposition.

"Yanfie…" Lin Yi whispered, but the screen abruptly changed, becoming even more fragmented:

"Year 656: Large-scale social upheaval. East Country and the Western Nation merge into the 'Human Alliance'."

The footage showed a grand parliamentary hall, where the flags of both factions intertwined. The Intelligence Brain's cold voice read out a peace treaty, but the streets outside were filled with unrest, with glimpses of protests and conflicts.

"What the hell happened?" Lin Yi muttered, his unease growing.

The screen glitched, displaying cryptic fragments:

"Alien civilization invasion… Human Alliance emergency mobilization… Wang Yanfei transformed into a giant…"

His breath caught as the projection revealed a colossal Wang Yanfei standing beneath a fractured sky, wielding a weapon that cleaved through an alien warship.

Then the display froze, and a final message emerged:

"Variable shift confirmed. Timeline unstable. Lin Yi, rewrite the future."

Sweat gathered in Lin Yi's palms. What did "variable shift" mean? What did "timeline unstable" imply?

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Lin Yi clenched the black box and surveyed his surroundings. The wasteland remained desolate, the skeletal remains of buildings casting long shadows under the dim sky. He glanced at his wristband's timer—one hour and a half left.

"Still enough time," he murmured.