[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system":3,"chapter-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-3":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Anomaly Beyond The System",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},337356,599,"Chapter 3: Nightmare","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-3",3,"\u003Cp>Chapter 3: Nightmare\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a quiet bedroom, a young man lay on the bed, fast asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fingers twitched, his eyelids trembled—his face twisted as if trapped in a nightmare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aaaaaahh!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jolted awake with a sudden shout, eyes snapping open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips quivered, pupils wide in horror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha… ha... ha…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His chest rose and fell rapidly, gasping for air. Sweat rolled down his forehead, dampening his slightly long black hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-where ha-ha… a-am I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes darted around, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was different—not the crumbling shelter they used to live in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't luxurious—far from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was small, but it was clean. A simple bed, a small table, a few scattered accessories, and a calendar hung on the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze stuck on the calendar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The calendar itself didn't matter—but the date printed on it did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Am I... am I in the past?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian couldn't believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just moments ago, he was surrounded by those people… and Lia—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened, and his heart rate spiked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"L-Lia?... Lia? Lia!! AMELIA!!!\" He screamed, his voice breaking with panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No… no no no—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to lose his mind...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you shouting!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice came from the door—her voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"L-Lia?\" His throat tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes welled up as tears spilled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lia…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was standing there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew a shaky breath, fingers twitching against the sheets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened?! Why are you sh—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia stepped closer—and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"H-Hey... are you crying?\" Her voice wavered as she hurried to his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight in front of her made her chest ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brother had never cried—not when he lost control of his body, not when their parents died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he did, he didn't show it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he had been her pillar, holding her as she broke down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gently grabbed his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-What happened? Are you hurt? Do you feel any pain? Is everything alright?\" She asked in a panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She put her hand on his forehead, brushing his hair aside to check if he had a fever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other than the sweat, he looked fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at her, then smiled faintly through his tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-you're alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced a laugh, hoarse and shaky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing. Just... a nightmare.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Huh?' She didn't understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of nightmare does this to you? And why are you sweating so much?\" She asked, frowning at him—concern sharp in her tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He met her gaze, voice dropping low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A nightmare you never want to come true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hollow, lifeless eyes made her flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something deep in them—fear, loss, and a pain that she couldn't understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She crossed her arms, pretending she didn't notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine. Just… don't shout like that again. You scared me. I thought... something happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice, edged with worry, slowly pulled him back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry,\" he whispered, guilt lacing his tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sighed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her anger melted away the moment she saw his trembling fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...Wait.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"L-Luci… your fingers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gently grabbed his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked, confused—until he felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warmth of her hand on his. The pressure of her grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her grip tightened as if afraid it would fade if she let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Luci—brother… y-you... You can feel that?\" Her voice trembled, disbelief lacing every word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien stared at their joined hands and blinked, still dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-yeah\" He whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can feel… your hand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia's breath hitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes darted between his face and their joined hands, her pulse quickening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No way… no way, this—this isn't possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words came out in a whisper, but her body was trembling harder than his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave a small, uncertain laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I guess… it is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a second, neither of them spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silence was thick—a tangled web of disbelief, relief, and fear intertwined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Lia suddenly burst into tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You idiot!\" She cried, her voice cracking as she hit his chest lightly with her free hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why didn't you tell me earlier!? Why do you always do this—scaring me half to death!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He flinched, but couldn't look away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't even know until now,\" he murmured softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tears fell, dripping onto his blanket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You… you really can move?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Barely,\" he admitted, forcing his fingers to twitch again. It was weak, shaky... but he couldn't do anything more than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lia gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh god…\" she whispered, voice breaking between sobs and laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're getting better… you're really getting better!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien's lips curved into a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe… the nightmare wasn't all bad after all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face twisted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't say that,\" She scolded weakly, wiping her tears with the back of her sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that nightmare made you cry like that, I never want to know what it was.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at her, eyes softening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You already know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She froze. \"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed his eyes, the faintest shadow of pain crossing his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was a world… where you didn't exist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her throat tightened, and her tears started again—quieter this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sat beside him, resting her head near his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're an idiot,\" she whispered, pressing her forehead to his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But… I'm glad you're back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucien smiled faintly, his eyes turning toward the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah… me too.\" He glanced at her, but deep down, he knew...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nightmare wasn't entirely over.\u003C\u002Fp>",920,"2026-05-30T03:42:50.397Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","abf1c79d405b36598038f61506358e78d980a9c89633916b5010323d450b5b6e","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-4","the-anomaly-beyond-the-system-chapter-2",137,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-anomaly-beyond-the-system-cover.jpg"]