Prologue Humans possess seven emotions and six desires. They gather and part, unite and sunder. They experience birth, aging, illness, and death. A human is a human. A human is a complex and advanced creature. Some shelter angels within. Some harbor demons.And some—imprison only themselves. But if a person holds nothing inside… Is that still a human? And if not— Then what is it? # Volume I: Awakening from the Ashes (999–900)# Extinction Countdown 999: Ashen Boy The day before Ye Shisan was to start elementary school, his grandfather—the man who raised him—passed away. Grandfather, a barefoot healer[1] beloved across sprawling villages, was so trusted that patients, with sly grins, often dodged their debts. Ye Shisan, frail from birth, owed his health to the old man’s tonics, brewed to nurture his weak frame. When Grandfather…

Ye Shisan, male, fourteen years old, a minor. The defendant was diagnosed with severe schizophrenia and delusional disorder. Tests revealed an XYY chromosome, a marker of a volatile temperament prone to violence and crime. The victim suffered a fractured sternum, penetrating chest and abdominal wounds, classified as second-degree minor injuries. The verdict: Given the defendant’s youth, he is exempt from criminal punishment and ordered to be confined in the city mental hospital. The victim’s compensation claims are partially upheld, with the defendant’s guardian liable for medical expenses, nutritional costs, and emotional distress, totaling… Twenty years later. After six rounds of testing and three expert reviews, Ye Shisan was deemed largely recovered from his mental illness. With regular medication and periodic hospital follow-ups, he was discharged. Ye Shisan stepped out of the mental hospital empty-handed…

This is a critical moment, I’m Liu Baojie! At three this afternoon, a catastrophic accident struck Linqing Winding Road. A taxi collided head-on with a private sedan, plummeting down the cliff…” “The crash claimed one life and left two injured. The sedan carried two senior directors of Xiehe Medical Group, Lin Changrong and Guo Huaian. Guo Huaian perished on the scene, while Lin Changrong was rushed to emergency care…” “Word is, a young man from the taxi performed a daring surgery on Director Lin Changrong, saving his leg… Here’s the on-site report…” Amid the frenzy of police and medics scurrying like stagehands in a chaotic play, Ye Shisan crouched on the ground, an outsider adrift in the tumult. Truth be told, this was the first time in twenty years he’d seen so many living souls—normal…

Shisan Bakery opened its doors. Unlike the bustling shops nearby, Ye Shisan’s place stood quiet. No flower baskets, no red banners—just him, wielding a broom, dustpan, bucket, and rag, embarking on his first day. The days that followed were light and joyful. In just a week, Ye Shisan transformed the shop inside and out. He commissioned a new sign, its lights glowing automatically at dusk—a wonder to a man out of touch with society for twenty years. After securing the bakery, Secretary Hu slipped him a card loaded with a hundred thousand yuan, saying to call if he needed more. Ye Shisan never dialed. The shop came fully equipped: a grand fridge, workbench, sink, separate prep basin, storage cabinets, vertical mixer, dough divider, proofing box, ovens, stovetop, and convection oven. There were even several sets of molds…