Chapter 2, The Calamity of Unforeseen Misfortune

Sometimes, Zhou Liming often engages in self-deprecation, questioning why he was born if his own parents did not want him

Zhou Liming is very grateful to Dean Zhou. Without her, he would have likely had to enter society early during middle school, and how could he have enjoyed a few more years of school life compared to others? Diligent and eager to learn, Zhou Liming left a strong impression on the staff at the orphanage. No matter what task he undertook, he always worked hard without complaint, and he has always been an honest and well-behaved child

When Zhou Liming withdrew his gaze, who could have noticed that outside the atmosphere, a fist-sized fragment of a meteorite was hurtling towards Earth at high speed, coincidentally colliding with an orbiting satellite. The immense impact force, even if just a little, caused the entire satellite to explode in mid-air, transforming into a blazing fireball in space

Perhaps for many people, failing to enter university in the third year of high school means they can still repeat the year; for many classmates in the class, university is not the only path, as their parents have long paved a way for their lives; furthermore, some second-generation wealthy individuals find that their lives have, from the very beginning, been destined for a life of wealth and privilege

Zhou Liming sighed, likening it to raindrops falling to the ground and then splashing apart, a scene that cannot be adequately described in words. Those who have not witnessed it with their own eyes can never imagine the magnitude of such grandeur. The burning horizon and the books emitted a faint, piercing sound due to friction, continuously assaulting the visual senses and striking at the soul, as if the very essence of one's being were about to break free.

However, all of this existed only in the occasional dreams of Zhou Liming

Chunks of meteoric debris strike the atmosphere, igniting through friction, resembling raindrops falling onto the surface of a lake, creating ripples that spread outward. The only difference is that these ripples are, in fact, circles of raging fire. The extreme temperatures sweep through the atmosphere, forming waves of fire that blanket the sky, as if the entire heavens are ablaze.

The atmosphere is the Earth's final line of defense; countless small extraterrestrial objects, unable to penetrate the atmosphere, will be incinerated to ashes

The director of the orphanage is surnamed Zhou. The name Zhou Liming, both the surname and the given name, was chosen with the director's assistance, following her surname.

This small fragment of meteorite did not appear in the sky over the Pacific Ocean as scientists had inferred, but instead formed a diagonal line, rapidly rushing towards the Asian continent. Like an invisible ghost, it moved silently and quietly

As knowledge accumulates, Zhou Liming's understanding of this colorful world grows, and he yearns, like other peers, to enjoy the meals prepared by his parents every day, to go to the park or the seaside with his parents every Sunday, to live in a house that seems unattainable in his eyes, and to have a car to take him to and from school.

Zhou Liming stared wide-eyed, his mind still not able to comprehend the situation. His consciousness gradually became hazy, and after falling into an endless darkness, he heavily collapsed back onto the grass

Zhou Liming's favorite place is actually a small grove by a lake in the orphanage. Whenever he has free time, he lies on the grass by the grove, gazing at the ripples spreading out in circles on the small lake. In Zhou Liming's mind, this small lake and grove represent an unforgettable memory from his childhood

Zhou Liming understood that the terrifying speed of the meteorite, when colliding with the Earth, caused the surface of the meteorite to ignite due to the friction generated while passing through the atmosphere

Looking up at the horizon, the twinkling starlight is scattered across the sky

The orphanage is not far from the high school that Zhou Liming attends. Additionally, due to the large number of orphans adopted from the orphanage over the years, there are naturally many vacant rooms, allowing Zhou Liming to avoid boarding at the school

Suddenly, Zhou Liming recalled the discussion among classmates yesterday about the rare meteor shower that humanity would encounter, which would land in the Pacific region tonight. Wouldn't it be possible to witness the dazzling meteor shower and the fiery spectacle produced by the friction with the atmosphere? Unfortunately, he did not have a computer; otherwise, he could have witnessed the burning scene starting from the Indian Ocean on the news portal this morning

For Zhou Liming, who is about to bid farewell to the second year of high school and enter the grueling training ground of the third year, it signifies not only the arrival of a watershed moment in life but also a profound sense of confusion regarding the future

Looking at the electronic and book clock on his wrist, the time pointed to 9:00. Zhou Liming seemed to remember that the meteor belt would enter the sky over the Pacific Ocean at this time.

Zhou Liming's only friends are the companions from the orphanage. It is only when he returns to the orphanage that Zhou Liming feels the happiest. Only here does Zhou Liming forget his identity and enjoy the familiar air.

Unless one is admitted to a key university, it will be impossible to obtain approval for the scholarship application at that time

It is truly magnificent

In the midst of the spectacular scene ignited by the enthusiasm of the astronomers, who among them noticed the traces of the meteorite fragments, which were only the size of a fist and had not caught fire?

Continuous meteorite fragments are rolling towards the Asian continent. They began landing in the Indian Ocean early this morning and finally reached the Pacific at 9:00, continuing for three hours, which is exactly a full day.

A tremendous noise erupted, and Zhou Liming barely had time to turn his head. He had not yet discerned what was happening when he felt something strike him. His vision went dark, followed by a jolt to his head, and a sharp pain suddenly pierced his nerves. A viscous liquid began to flow down from his head, trickling along his neck and soaking his collar

With a loud bang, a small meteorite struck the thick marble-paved path. Even with its impact force reduced by half, it still generated a terrifying shockwave. As if hit by a cannonball, the marble on this section of the path was shattered into pieces, scattering in all directions and forming a crater over one meter in diameter.

According to reports from the newspaper, there will be as many as 527 meteorite fragments of varying sizes appearing in the sky over the Pacific Ocean. This will be a three-hour spectacle of unusual phenomena in the sky. Perhaps humanity will need at least a thousand years to witness such a visual feast again, as estimated by experts. Therefore, at this moment, nearly everyone with free time is standing under the sky, gazing up at the horizon

Sure enough, not long after, in the starry sky, a small orange light began to appear. In the blink of an eye, this light suddenly expanded, as if a ball of burning flame had crashed to the ground, scattering countless sparks that illuminated the entire horizon

Of course not... According to the regulations of the orphanage, once a person turns 18, they must leave the orphanage and live independently. This means that for Zhou Liming, even if he is admitted to university, if he does not apply for a scholarship, it is no different from failing the college entrance examination.

A little bit of strength is enough to change everything

Originally, the small meteorite fragments were on a trajectory to enter the atmosphere, but due to this minor accident, they experienced a slight deviation. Over a distance of hundreds of kilometers, even the slightest deviation can result in a vast difference between the actual landing site and the intended target. The small meteorite fragments, having strayed from their scheduled target, encountered a satellite, which reduced their immense impact force by half. Upon entering the atmosphere, they no longer had sufficient friction to generate combustion.

Zhou Liming's personality is somewhat reclusive; his identity as an orphan has led his classmates to view him through colored lenses, from his time in elementary school at He-Tu-Shu, through middle school, and now in high school.

Although the sky is magnificent, after watching for more than half an hour, Zhou Liming felt a sense of visual fatigue. Shaking his head, he said, "Perhaps I lack any artistic sensibility; such a spectacle, which humanity has experienced for thousands of years, holds little allure for me."

There is no dissatisfaction with society to speak of; life is inherently incapable of achieving fairness

Zhou Liming lay on the grass by the edge of the woods, gazing at the scattered lights reflected on the lake. Today is June 1st, which happens to be a Saturday, allowing his high school self to enjoy a bit of the Children's Day celebration. He can set aside the increasingly heavy study tasks, but once he reaches the third year of high school, Saturdays and Sundays will likely become estranged from him.

This orange glow illuminated a vast expanse of burning sky, but before this bright spot could fade, a second orange light suddenly erupted, once again painting the entire horizon in a fiery orange-yellow, resembling a sun emerging in the sky, obscured by thin clouds, casting a golden hue.

Zhou Liming, who understands the gap between himself and others, has hardly made any friends at school. His reclusive nature, coupled with a hint of inferiority complex, led him to choose an ostrich-like lifestyle, spending all his time at school deeply buried in books. This has resulted in his classmates perceiving Zhou Liming as a very strange and incomprehensible person

But as an orphan, can Zhou Liming, who has regarded the orphanage as home since childhood, have the above choices