Chinese Shrinking 2

Coiled Fist

13

From the enormous table to the right of the bed, Hadi watched, waiting for his master to wake up. Life before ending up in the hands of that young Chinese man seemed so distant. Ten years had passed since that fateful day when the world changed forever, ten years since everyone shrank to minuscule sizes, ten years of chaos around the world.

Hadi was sitting, hugging his knees. Despite the room's light being off, he could make out the gigantic body lying on the bed a few meters from him. He had arrived at Lin Feng's house just two months ago. He was just a child when he shrank and lived for years in one of the shelters created by the Chinese government. Those shelters had become the only home for millions of people. Although they offered some level of protection, life in those shelters was far from easy. Against all logic, the population of the shelters increased every year. Due to the growing population and lack of opportunities, extortion groups formed. Although Chinese soldiers tried to maintain some level of order, not all were interested in the well-being of the shelter population.

The sound of the cell phone alarm, a few meters from him, made Hadi grimace in pain. Although the alarm volume wasn't that high, for him, it was like being next to a thousand megaphones. That enormous device was black and covered by a case with a huge chrysanthemum flower symbol. He remembered that before shrinking, his parents used those devices to communicate with all sorts of people; however, he never had the chance to have one.

Feng let out a huge yawn upon hearing the alarm. Tired, he opened his eyelids and looked toward the source of the noise.

"Good morning, Hadi," Feng said with a half-smile on his face.

Feng had intense obsidian-colored eyes, framed by long eyelashes. Those eyes were hypnotic, or at least that's how Hadi felt.

The young Chinese man got out of bed and proceeded to stretch. Hadi watched Feng's long legs; as far as he knew, Feng was part of his university's basketball team, something normal considering his imposing height.

Feng approached the furniture next to his bed and crouched to get a better look at the tiny Asian who had joined his life. At first, he wasn't sure about the idea of adopting someone barely two centimeters tall, but a couple of friends convinced him. The Chinese government promoted the adoption of Asians to address the growing population in the shelters.

The young man used his thumb and index finger to grab Hadi and brought him up to his mouth.

"Today, you can come with me to the university, but remember you must behave," Feng said in a stern tone.

Generally, it was forbidden to bring Asians to schools because they distracted students during classes. However, because the government promoted the adoption of Asians, universities allowed students to bring their adoptees on certain specific days. The university population was one of the government's main targets.

No matter how much time passed, Hadi could never get used to being so close to the mouth of the gigantic Chinese boy. Those thin lips felt like the gates of hell to Hadi. Being so close to Feng's mouth, Hadi was overwhelmed by the boy's morning breath. He tried to hold his breath as much as possible, but even so, when he breathed, he felt dizzy.

"Come on, let's have breakfast," Feng said, still in a sleepy tone. The Chinese boy crouched down and gently placed Hadi on the floor. "Come on, try to keep up with me," Feng said, giving the little Asian a motivational smile. Feng liked the idea of giving Hadi some independence, so whenever possible, he liked Hadi to move around the house by himself. This not only gave Hadi a certain level of freedom, but it also helped keep him in good physical condition, or so Feng said. However, Hadi felt that the real reason was that Feng liked to see him on the floor.

Hadi looked at Feng's enormous feet; those feet were as big as a couple of buildings. From his position, Hadi saw the boy wiggling his toes, which sent a shiver down his spine. But worst of all was the powerful masculine odor emanating from those feet. For someone his size, the smell was more than overwhelming. His fear of being near those feet was such that there were even nights when he had horrible nightmares where he saw Feng lifting his foot over him and then crushing him like an insect.

"Alright, let's go to the kitchen. We still have time before I need to be at the university," Feng said, starting to walk towards the door of his room. As soon as he took the first steps, Hadi felt the vibrations generated every time Feng's feet hit the floor.

Hadi waited for Feng to leave the room before starting to walk, as he had learned the hard way that it was best to create some distance between him and the gigantic Chinese boy. For Hadi, it was surprising how fast Feng moved. How could something so gigantic move so quickly? It was a question he asked himself several times a week.

As soon as Feng left the room, it was Hadi's turn to start moving. Due to his minuscule size, the distance he covered with each step was extremely small, so for him, moving from one place to another was tiring and exhausting. Even so, he had no other choice. As he advanced through the room, his eyes noticed the specks of dust on the floor; it had been several days since Feng had cleaned his room. He saw Feng's enormous sports sneakers in the distance, the ones he used for his training at the university.

While walking in the huge room, he wondered what it would be like to be normal-sized. Looking at Feng's enormous furniture and belongings, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like not to be tiny. How different would everything be if that experiment had never been carried out? Maybe he could have attended university, maybe he would have gotten a girlfriend, and now he would be working. What would his job be? Maybe he would have been a teacher. Of course, all those were just beautiful thoughts that took him away from reality.

Upon leaving Feng's room, Hadi found himself in a huge hallway. Feng's family's house was very large even by normal standards. That house had a certain traditional air that knew how to blend with the modern. But if Hadi had to choose the most beautiful place, it would definitely be the garden. That place seemed like a small paradise on earth. Hadi liked it when Feng placed him on his shoulder and they walked through the garden. That place was the only spot where Feng didn't let Hadi walk by himself.

The little Hadi had learned to move along the edges of the walls; that area always proved to be the safest. As he walked down the hallway, he noticed one of the doors connecting to the hallway slowly opening. From the doorway, a boy almost as tall as Feng emerged, with disheveled hair and wearing only boxer shorts. Feng's younger brother let out a big yawn.

Feng's brother, Liu, was a younger and slightly slimmer version of his older brother. Unlike Feng, whose muscles were more defined by regular basketball exercise, Liu had a more athletic but less pronounced build. His eyes, also a deep obsidian color, always seemed to be halfway between curiosity and sleep. His hair, slightly longer than Feng's, fell in disordered strands over his forehead, giving him a more relaxed and less polished appearance.

Liu had a lazy smile that, despite his carefree attitude, radiated warmth. Although he was almost as tall as Feng, Liu had a more relaxed posture and was often seen with an air of tranquility that contrasted with his older brother's vibrant energy.

From a distance, Hadi watched the other Chinese giant with fascination. During those months, the second person he had interacted with the most, besides Feng, was Liu, who initially had made it clear that he was not entirely comfortable with the Asian's presence in the house. However, as the weeks passed, Liu softened his attitude towards Hadi.

With steps reflecting laziness, Liu headed to the kitchen. As he did, Hadi watched the younger brother intently. He wasn't sure why, but there was something fascinating about the immense size of the Chinese. Although for him, practically all his life, the Chinese had been gigantic beings, seeing them not only filled him with fear but also with longings for a world that no longer existed and that he barely knew. Perhaps that was something intrinsic to the generation that grew up under the yoke of the new reality.

Seeing that Liu had disappeared from the hallway, Hadi once again headed towards the kitchen. That journey through the immense house had become routine for him, for better or worse. After a few minutes, he reached the enormous door that was the entrance to Liu's room. In the time he had lived with the gigantic pair of brothers, he had only entered Liu's room three times. He looked down and noticed that his feet felt damp; it was then that he realized he was standing on a gigantic sweat footprint.

Hadi's face showed an expression of disgust upon noticing this. It wasn't the first time he ended up standing in one of the brothers' sweaty footprints, but even so, it wasn't something he got used to, nor was it something he wanted to get used to. The sharp and penetrating smell of sweat invaded his nose, making him frown. That summer was turning out to be hotter than usual, so it was common for both Feng and Liu to leave the marks of their sweaty footprints on the wooden floor of the house, which creaked slightly under their weight.

The little Asian started running to quickly leave the confines of that gigantic footprint. After that unpleasant experience, he quickened his pace towards the kitchen, despite knowing that moving faster would tire him more. Leaving the hallway and finally reaching the living room, he was now surrounded by gigantic furniture: huge black leather sofas with a modern style that matched the brothers' minimalist taste, and dark wooden tables with an antique design, elaborately carved, that rather gave the impression of belonging to a museum. Sunlight filtered through a pair of large windows, casting beams of light that illuminated dust particles in the air, giving the room a warm and cozy appearance. The curtains, a soft beige color, moved slightly with the morning breeze, creating a gentle whisper.

In the distance, Hadi heard the sound of the brothers' voices. It seemed they were having a pleasant conversation. The sound of their deep, resonant voices mixed with the clinking of cutlery moving over glass plates, creating a daily melody that filled the house. From the kitchen, a pleasant smell of toasted bread and freshly brewed coffee reached Hadi's nose, making him feel a bit hungrier and more motivated to keep moving forward.

When he arrived at the kitchen, Hadi saw the gigantic pair of brothers sitting. They were chatting while shoveling large amounts of food into their mouths. The sight was almost a spectacle for the little Asian, who watched them with a mix of reverence, jealousy, and fear. Fear was a constant emotion for all those living in that world of giants.

The kitchen was decorated in white and gray colors, giving it a slightly clinical look. The cabinets gleamed under the light of LED lamps, and the granite countertop stretched like a vast plain before Hadi's eyes. On the countertop, a silver coffee maker emitted a wisp of steam, filling the room with the rich and comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The soft hum of the refrigerator, barely perceptible to the brothers, was a constant roar for Hadi, which he could hear thanks to his tiny size.

The little Asian looked ahead, and in his eyes were reflected the enormous feet of Liu and Feng. With a look of defeat and sadness, Hadi walked until he stood in front of Feng's gigantic feet. Those immense feet, as long as buildings, were a constant source of terror for Hadi. As he approached, his nose was assaulted by an intense smell of sweat that made his eyes sting as if someone had poured a liter of lemon juice on his face. Near Feng's big toe, Hadi saw what looked like a peach-colored pulp.

He approached the mound of pulp and, using his hands like a spoon, scooped up the substance. With a reluctant look, he brought the pulp to his mouth and began to swallow. The substance had a thick consistency, almost like the pulp of a fruit. In his mouth, he perceived the taste of banana, but he also noticed a bitter and salty flavor that he quickly identified as Feng's foot sweat.

As he swallowed with difficulty, Hadi's thoughts wandered back to his childhood before he shrank. He remembered the days when he enjoyed normal meals at his parents' house, a life so distant without the constant humiliation he now endured. The Chinese government had started selling special food for those who had Asians under their care. However, Feng always forgot to buy that food, so he usually resorted to mixing pieces of fruit and then crushing them under his toe to create a strange mixture. That mixture by itself wouldn't have an unpleasant taste if it weren't for the sweat from Feng's foot mixing with it.

From his position on the floor, Hadi listened to the sounds of the brothers' conversation. Feng spoke enthusiastically about his upcoming basketball game, while Liu responded in a softer voice. The clinking of cutlery against glass plates and the murmur of their voices created a constant background. The smell of stuffed buns and strips of rice permeated the air, mixing with the aroma of coffee and creating an atmosphere that, despite everything, had a homely touch.

"Remember that dad wants you to improve your grades. The last time we talked, I noticed he was upset with your performance," Feng said, casting a slight reproachful glance at his younger brother. Although Liu's grades weren't bad, it was clear that the family expected much more from him. After all, their father covered all their expenses and had given them the house they lived in. The least he expected was for his two sons to be exceptional academically.

With an annoyed sigh, Liu looked at his brother. “I know, I just got distracted a bit last semester. I just need to focus, and I'll do better this term,” Liu said, now fully awake. His eyes, previously sleepy, now showed determination. “Do you know when Dad will be coming?”

“He told me he'll be away for a couple more months. The real estate projects are consuming too much of his time. From what he told me, the government wants to start construction as soon as possible, but for now, they’re still reviewing details,” Feng said as he took a steamed bun and took a big bite.

“So, I guess it will still be just you and me,” Liu said, remembering that the last time he had seen his father was at their grandfather’s birthday party. He grabbed a steamed bun, its soft and fluffy texture in his hands, and with his free hand, he took a small transparent container that seemed to be just a couple of centimeters tall. Inside the container, very tiny beings were moving; to the Chinese, they seemed like mere specks, barely the size of grains of salt.

Liu tilted the container slightly over his steamed bun and let a couple of dozen of those specks fall onto the hot surface of the bun he was about to devour. The contrast of the tiny specks on the white, steaming surface of the bun was notable. As he did so, a warm and slightly sweet fragrance rose, mixing with the air already filled with the aroma of coffee.

“We need to buy more supplements; we only have enough for this week,” Liu said, as he took a huge bite, filling his cheeks with that delicious food. The salty taste of the filling mixed with the softness of the dough, creating a feast in his mouth. The fluffy texture of the bun made every bite pleasant, and this was reflected in Liu's facial expression. Feng had a half-smile on his face. Although he was the athlete in the family, when it came to who had the bigger appetite, Liu was the clear winner, which was curious since his brother never seemed to gain an extra kilo. In the 20 years he had lived with Liu, he had never lost his slender appearance no matter how much he ate.

“We can go tomorrow. I'll have the afternoon free. What do you say? Or do you have exams?” Feng said as he grabbed a fried dough strip, its crispy texture contrasting with the steamed bun. The crunch of the dough was clearly heard when Feng took a bite, filling the kitchen with an appetizing sound.

“My last exam is today at noon. We can go tomorrow without a problem. Are you taking Hadi with you today?” Liu asked. Feng rolled his eyes, noticing that his brother was talking with his mouth full of food. For years, their parents had failed to instill table manners in Liu, probably the only thing their father had ever failed at in his entire life.

“Yes, I want to show him the university. It will be fun, and last time I couldn’t show him the team. It seems I’m the only one with an Asian,” Feng said with a slight pretentious tone, savoring the idea of standing out among his peers.

“Probably because it’s very annoying having to be careful not to crush them. I don’t blame them. I’m already used to it, but honestly, it’s still annoying having to watch where I put my feet,” Liu said, shrugging. Liu understood perfectly that, while it might be fun to adopt an Asian, it was mostly annoying since it required being careful. That might not be a problem for people with Feng’s personality, but for someone like Liu, it was extremely tedious.

“You know they used to be people, right?” Feng said, raising an eyebrow to emphasize his question.

That question made Liu roll his eyes.

“Yes, Feng, I know. Like everyone, I know very well the story of the incident. Even so, it doesn’t change what I said. Besides, you eat supplements just like I do, and I don’t see you complaining about it,” Liu said, giving him a look that made it clear he had won the argument of the day.

Feng avoided his brother’s gaze.

“Alright, you win for today. Well, I need to shower, I have classes in an hour,” Feng said as he got up from his seat and headed to the bathroom.

Liu had a look of satisfaction as he watched his older brother disappear. He might not be able to beat Feng in physical strength, but when it came to a battle of arguments, he generally had a slight advantage. Feng had the bad habit of running off when he knew he was defeated, something he was aware of but couldn’t help.

Liu finished his breakfast and, before getting up from the table, looked down and soon found Hadi, who was about thirty centimeters from his feet. The Chinese couldn't deny that he liked the idea of the power he felt seeing the little Asian at his feet. Hadi was so small and fragile that even the smallest of his toes was a force beyond Hadi’s comprehension.

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Liu quickly moved his right foot and placed it over Hadi's unsuspecting body, pinning him between the floor and the sweaty skin of the Chinese boy's foot. Liu’s foot sweat invaded Hadi’s mouth and eyes. The little Asian tried to struggle against the gigantic foot, but it was useless. The acrid smell of sweat filled his nostrils, making his stomach churn.

Beneath his foot, Liu could feel Hadi. He applied a bit of pressure, trying to elicit some reaction from the Asian being pressed down, but nothing changed. For him, at least. Hadi wanted to scream in pain, but because of the enormous foot crushing him, he was unable to utter a single word. He felt like his ribs were going to collapse at any moment, and his internal organs were screaming for him to do something. A couple of tears escaped his eyes, not just from the incredible pain coursing through his body, but from the horrible stench he was inhaling at that moment. The acrid odor of Liu’s foot skin was too intense for someone as small as Hadi, who at that moment wanted to beg for mercy.

“It hurts… please…” Hadi thought, though the words couldn't leave his crushed mouth.

After about a minute, Liu lifted his foot and placed it next to Hadi. He saw how the Asian could barely move after being pressed down.

“Sorry, Hadi, I didn’t see you down there. I thought you were a bug or something,” Liu said with a beautiful smile showing his pearly teeth. Liu’s tone was jovial and full of warmth, but Hadi knew not to believe that Oscar-worthy performance.

“You’re lucky. If it weren’t for the fact that I remember Feng always makes you have breakfast under the table, I surely would have crushed you,” Liu said as he playfully wiggled his toes. This made Hadi start to tremble with fear. Those gigantic toes were bigger than him, each toe as large as a truck. The toenails almost seemed to be made of diamond, and Hadi was sure that if he wasn’t careful, Liu could easily cut his body in half with just one of his toenails.

Liu laughed when he saw he had elicited the reaction he expected from Hadi, who was paralyzed with terror. Liu got up from the table, picked up his and his brother’s plates, and placed them in the sink, planning to wash them once he returned from university.

Hadi, with tears in his eyes, watched the enormous Chinese boy walk away from the kitchen. The little Asian hugged his body in an attempt to stifle the pain coursing through every one of his limbs at that moment. He could feel the layer of sweat from Liu’s foot that had adhered to his body. With a look of defeat, he forced himself to walk back to Feng’s room. At that moment, that was his life. He could hate it, but he couldn’t do anything to change it.

14

Jerry was nervous. Like millions, he now lived under the new order established by China after the terrible incident that altered the height of billions of people around the globe. When that incident occurred, he was just a child; he went to school, had friends, and then everything changed. That life was left in the past and would never return. He had just turned 25 a week ago, and the life he had now was very different from what he once believed he would have. Despite all the difficulties during the first years of that event, he had persevered and survived, and that was a great achievement. In those chaotic years, many disappeared, devoured by insects or animals. Hope arrived when Chinese soldiers began collecting all the affected people and giving them a new place in the world.

Of course, the new position they had didn’t compare to the status they enjoyed before shrinking, but things could be much worse, or so Jerry told himself. After all, there were worse fates than working as servants for the Chinese. They could have the fate of many who were selected to become food supplements, and that was a terrible fate. Compared to that, what he and the other men in Jerry’s city did wasn’t so bad. Of course, not everyone shared his point of view, and that was normal; not everyone was the same. Among those who didn’t share his thoughts was Thomas. At that moment, Thomas had an exhausted expression. All night, Thomas had complained to Jerry about how tired he was of working under the Chinese as a mere servant. He was older than Jerry, so he had more memories of what life was like before that incident altered the world order.

Thomas still dreamed of the life that was taken from him and the life he lost. The early years had left a deep mark on him, and it wasn’t strange, as Thomas had seen traumatic things during his childhood. He had to witness almost his entire family being devoured by a beetle, and the only reason he didn’t share the same fate was because just as that huge insect was about to pounce on him, the giant boot of a Chinese soldier fell from the sky, crushing the insect like the bug it was and nothing more.

“You don’t understand, Jerry. We were the masters of the world; we had it all, and look at us now, degraded to mere slaves surviving by cleaning the feet of those giants. Where’s the justice in that? They were the ones who caused all this! They should feel guilty; they should do everything possible to give us a normal life, but look at us: they turned us into slaves,” Thomas said with a voice so full of hatred that it could be felt in every word. Thomas’s eyes were red with anger.

Jerry sighed and patted his friend supportively. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand what Thomas was saying, but what could they do? From what they knew, the Chinese government had long stopped looking for a way to reverse the effects of that experiment. They were only one millimeter tall. What could they do with that height? Rebel and not work? If they did that, within the next hour, they would find themselves on some Chinese food dish, reassigned as supplements. And if not, any Chinese man could end their rebellion with a simple step. The truth was they were powerless.

“Thomas , I understand, I do. I also wish we could have a life like theirs. I sometimes dream of the life we could have had, but we must focus on the now and what we have. Our lives are far from perfect, but at least not everything is bad. We only have to work a few hours, and the rest of the time is ours. This city isn’t so bad. Didn’t you say you met someone you were interested in? Come on, try to see the bright side. Besides, what we do is much better than what others do. Or would you rather be a supplement?”

The moment Jerry said the word “supplement,” all the blood drained from Thomas’s face. Being a supplement was probably the worst possible fate. All Westerners were afraid of being assigned to become a supplement; there could be nothing worse than being digested inside the stomach of one of those Chinese giants.

A familiar sound caught the attention of the two men. Jerry sighed with resignation, while Thomas began to tremble.

“Come on, let’s put on our suits,” Jerry said seriously.

Chen Hao had only a white towel around his waist. The Chinese basketball player was drenched in sweat after a hard basketball practice. Chen Hao’s team was preparing to compete in the regionals, so they had intensified their training in recent days. The university student left the locker room, where his teammates were changing, and walked to an adjoining room that had been built next to the locker room.

That room had a couple of chairs, vending machines, two televisions, and internet access. Despite these amenities, there was a simplicity to the room’s construction. The walls were painted white; even so, there were no visible stains or damp spots on them. Chen Hao walked to one of the chairs with a lazy step. When he reached the chair, he saw a small square hole in the floor that was about 40 cm long by 40 cm wide and about fifteen centimeters deep. At the bottom of that hole was a Western city. In recent years, the utility of Western cities has exploded, becoming especially popular among the young population.

Beijing University had acquired a couple of cities and installed them for the personal use of its athletes, as a way of rewarding them for the good results they had achieved in recent years. Western cities and Westerners, in general, did not have the same level of restriction as Asians, mainly due to the minuscule size of the Western population compared to the average Chinese man. Being so small, interactions were more complicated, so instead of being seen as a form of distraction, they were seen as simple objects.

Chen Hao took out his phone, took a selfie smiling, and proceeded to post it using several hashtags. Although he didn’t need to do that to make his photos popular, as a member of the university’s basketball team, he was already very popular. The Chinese athlete sat down and then removed his sandals from his feet. Given Chen Hao’s great height, it was no surprise that he had large feet. Of course, for most people, that was just a little bit interesting, but for the Westerners in the city in front of Chen Hao, the meaning of large feet took on another meaning.

Hao’s size 47 feet positioned themselves over Jerry and Tom’s city, plunging large parts of that small city into deep darkness. Looking up at the sky, they saw the gigantic feet of the Chinese athlete covered by a transparent layer of sweat. Those feet were as large as an aircraft carrier. A sense of fear spread among all the inhabitants of that small city. Although seeing the enormous feet of the Chinese was common for the inhabitants of that city, no matter how many times they saw them, a sense of fear arose within them; it was a primal fear of being in front of an invincible predator.

Chen Hao’s feet were placed on two small supports on either side of the hole in the floor. These supports held the athlete’s feet so they wouldn’t crush the city below; even so, Chen Hao’s feet were suspended less than a centimeter above the city. The strong smell of sweat emitted by the athlete’s feet spread throughout the city like a mist. The heat emitted by those enormous feet, mixed with Chen Hao’s sweat, created a thin layer of condensation on the windows of the small houses and buildings of that Western city. Inside several houses, the sound of whimpering mixed with sounds of disgust emitted by the Westerners exposed to the natural stench of the athlete’s feet. However, those who had it worst were the workers preparing to start cleaning Chen Hao’s feet.

Jerry and Thomas were among them. Being a small city, all men aged 18 to 40 were forced to work as foot cleaners for the athletes, an extremely humiliating and degrading job, not to mention the high mortality rate. Jerry, dressed in his special suit, used the supports holding the giant Chinese athlete’s feet to start walking towards Chen Hao’s enormous sweaty foot. Workers like him had to wear special suits to filter the potent odor emitted by the giants’ feet. Due to their minuscule size, the smell of the athletes’ feet could be extremely potent for them, to the point where, without the suits, they could faint. In severe cases, their lungs, larynx, and trachea could be compromised, not to mention the mental impact it had on them.

The closer he got to Chen Hao’s enormous foot, the better he could see the layer of sweat covering the Chinese athlete’s massive feet. It was clear that the athlete hadn’t showered before coming to them. As a recommendation, all athletes were asked to shower before requesting the service of a Western city, but most athletes didn’t follow that recommendation. Was it because they found it tedious? Or did they enjoy making the lives of the Western servants more difficult? It was hard to guess the answer, and they would probably never know for sure.

Once he was in front of that enormous foot, Jerry began to climb the sweaty skin of Chen Hao. It wasn’t easy, but years of experience had taught him the tricks, so once he got into his rhythm, he started moving over the skin like an insect, looking for dead skin or dirt to remove. He wasn’t alone in his work; at least a thousand other Westerners were moving on each of Chen Hao’s feet as if they were insects.

Chen Hao had a contented smile as he watched the tiny Westerners move over his feet like ants, though clearly, they were even smaller than ants. Chen Hao had been a child when the experiment occurred, and because of that, it wasn’t difficult for him to adapt to having Asians as pets and Westerners as mere objects or slaves who had to serve him.

In Chen Hao’s eyes, it was natural for the Westerners to have the role of serving them. After all, while the accident had been their country’s fault, in the end, altruistically, they had strived to rescue as many people as possible from all parts of the globe. After that feat, it was natural for both Asians and Westerners to be assigned a role within Chinese society, and if that role involved living at the feet of the Chinese, well, so be it. After all, there was little they could contribute due to their new size.

Chen Hao took a photo showing his feet and posted a comment: “After a hard training session, nothing is better than relaxing this way.” As soon as he posted it, his photo received hundreds of “likes” and dozens of people started commenting, many posting laughing emojis. No comment objected to what Chen Hao was doing; after all, everyone fulfilled their role within society. Chen Hao was one of the university’s star athletes, and the Westerners fulfilled their role of serving at Hao’s feet.

Thomas was near the area between the toes of the giant Chinese athlete. His face showed a clear expression of disgust and total revulsion as he walked on the sweaty skin of the athlete’s foot. He could clearly see the pores of Chen Hao’s skin and experienced firsthand how his boots stuck to the skin due to the sweat. He hated this life he had, but Jerry’s words were correct: what was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to fight? He looked up at the attractive face of Chen Hao; from his perspective, that athlete was a deity. How was he supposed to rebel against such a large being? Even if more joined his cause, they couldn’t do anything to face a single Chinese person. With one foot, their entire rebellion could be crushed.

As he walked towards the area of the athlete’s toes, he saw how everyone around him was diligently working to clean the athlete’s foot. Some had found a couple of scales of dead skin and, in groups of two or three, were removing them; others were trying to remove the sweat that covered the skin, though that seemed like a lost cause. Despite the degrading nature of these activities, everyone performed them without hesitation, and Thomas couldn’t help but think that in a couple of generations, no Westerner would remember the times when they were the rulers of the world, the times when they too were giants and didn’t have to serve as slaves, the times when they didn’t have the feet of those Chinese giants over them.

With a bitter look, Thomas reached the area between the second and third toe of Chen Hao’s foot. He noticed there were small lint balls from the socks the Chinese athlete had been wearing. Those lint balls were his size and were completely soaked in Chen Hao’s foot sweat. With a look of disgust, he approached those lint balls and, using all his strength, tried to peel them off Chen Hao’s skin. He felt he had to use all his strength for such an activity, which only increased the sense of powerlessness within him. To move a lint ball from the Chinese athlete’s foot, he had to use all his strength. How pathetic was that?

As Thomas pushed, the sweat in that area continued to generate, so when he was about to succeed in his mission, he felt his feet lose balance and began to fall. A scream of terror escaped Thomas’s throat. A couple of workers nearby saw what happened, but they could only turn their gazes; they knew they couldn’t help Thomas and, even if they could, the most important thing was to fulfill their duties.

As he fell, Thomas flailed his arms and legs, trying to grab support. Fortunately, he managed to grasp the skin between Chen Hao’s toes and stop his fall. He sighed with relief at first, until he noticed he had somehow lost his protective helmet, and a look of absolute horror appeared on his face. Thomas’s eyes welled up as he began to perceive the potent smell of Chen Hao’s feet. Without his protection, he could do nothing but take the full impact of the athlete’s foot odor.

Thomas acted quickly, trying to hold his breath and climb back up, but after a minute, he was forced to breathe. Then, the wild and potent smell of the Chinese athlete’s feet invaded his nostrils, larynx, trachea, and lungs, causing Thomas to scream in absolute horror. His scream was so loud that it was heard by the workers on the top of Chen Hao’s toes.

Thomas’s eyes turned red as he screamed in horror, breathing in that potent and masculine stench. From his mouth, cries for mercy came out in a jumbled mess. He felt all his senses being overwhelmed by the odor he was breathing, to the point where he could taste that horrible smell in his mouth. As he fell into absolute despair, the part of his mind that still retained a bit of sanity couldn’t help but think how pathetic he was. He was so insignificant that the mere smell of the athlete’s feet was an abominable torture for him.

Thomas didn’t know how long he screamed. His only relief was the moments when he lost consciousness; those moments spared him from the immense torture he was in. However, when he felt the foot he was clinging to move, he thought his torture would finally have a definitive end. Even so, he began to cry, knowing it would soon be over.

Chen Hao felt satisfied after about thirty minutes of the Westerners cleaning his feet. Although he would have liked to stay longer, the truth was he had a few activities in a few hours, so it was time to hit the showers and head home. The Chinese athlete lifted his feet and put them back into his sandals. Looking at his feet, although he didn’t notice much, he knew the Westerners had taken care of removing dead skin and dirt from under his nails, which now looked impeccable.

“I’ve got to try and convince my father to buy a city, even a small one,” he said, giving a glance at the tiny Western city.

The athlete wiggled his toes as a sign of satisfaction. That small and insignificant movement ended Thomas’s torture, as his body was pulverized between the Chinese athlete’s toes. Thomas’s remains would mix with Chen Hao’s foot sweat, and within an hour, there wouldn’t be a trace of Thomas’s existence. Of course, even if the Chinese athlete had known about Thomas’s situation, he couldn’t have cared less. After all, Thomas and his kind were considered vermin at the feet of the Chinese.

Chen Hao was about to leave when Wang Fang walked in the door.

“Hey, are you leaving already?” Fang asked, seeing his friend. Wang Fang was a couple of centimeters shorter than Chen Hao, so he had to look up slightly to see him.

“I’ve got a few things to do, but I’ll be at the party tonight. Are you going?” Chen Hao asked as he grabbed his gym bag, which he had left in a corner when he entered.

“Sure, see you there,” Wang Fang said, nodding and waving goodbye to his friend.

Wang Fang sat on a chair and looked at the tiny Western city in front of him. A smile appeared on his face as he lifted his feet, casting enormous shadows over the small city.

Jerry watched wearily as Wang Fang’s huge feet were placed on the support. They hadn’t even had ten minutes to rest, and they had to start again. Everyone was exhausted after cleaning Chen Hao’s feet, but they knew they had no choice, so despite their fatigue, each took their tools and marched toward Wang Fang’s gigantic feet.

“Surely Thomas will complain all night again,” he thought about his friend, not knowing that at that moment, his friend’s remains were being erased by Chen Hao’s foot sweat.

Life as a Westerner was certainly difficult. After all, in this new order, their lives were as insignificant as the dust beneath the feet of the Chinese men.

15

The sound of the mattress creaking under Yang Zixuan's weight echoed through the room as the college student shifted in bed, seemingly reluctant to abandon the warmth of the sheets that enveloped his body. However, despite his lack of enthusiasm, his eyelids slowly opened, allowing the light seeping through the window to reach his eyes. A large yawn escaped Zixuan's mouth as he pulled the covers off himself and sat up on his bed. He grimaced slightly at the cold sensation of the floor against his bare feet.

"At least today I only have one class," said the exchange student as he glanced at the time displayed on his phone screen. It was thirty minutes past nine in the morning. Zixuan got out of bed and walked to the door of his room. As he stepped into the hallway of the house where he was staying, he noticed the peculiar silence, which was quite unusual since, by that hour, Jason and Conrad would usually be arguing over who would get to the kitchen first for breakfast.

Yang Zixuan was an exchange student from Beijing, studying engineering. He had been living in the United States for three months, and although it had initially been challenging to adjust to the way of life in the country, he felt that after three months, he had adapted quite well. Unlike other exchange students who chose to stay in the dormitories, he had opted to live with an American family, which offered certain advantages compared to dorm life. At first, he regretted that decision since the family had two sons—one around Zixuan's age and another who was older and about to move out. During that time, he had learned how noisy the two brothers could be, although, after months, he had gotten used to it.

"Seems like everyone left early," Zixuan said as he entered the bathroom. What the young Chinese student didn’t know was that he wasn’t actually alone. In reality, no one had left the house; rather, all the members of the American family were currently experiencing a moment of great uncertainty. They were starting their day when the effects of an experiment in China began to manifest on this side of the world. All of them, without exception, felt a severe dizziness, as if someone had flipped the sky and the earth, followed by a tingling sensation throughout their bodies like a million ants crawling beneath their skin. And then, the inevitable happened.

Connor was the family's eldest son, having just graduated in political science and administration. With intelligent eyes and good physical condition, he had always been relatively popular wherever he went. Connor had warm brown eyes that radiated cheerfulness, and his neatly cut brown hair accentuated his facial features, giving him an air of leadership. If there was one thing Connor was dissatisfied with, it was his height; he was 5'10", which wasn’t a bad height, but he had always wished he were taller. This feeling intensified when Zixuan moved in with them.

When Connor’s parents told him they were going to host a foreign student from China, he was neutral about the idea since he was about to move into his own apartment and didn't mind having someone new in the house. However, that changed slightly when he met Zixuan. Connor had expected the Chinese student to be short, maybe shy, but instead, he was greeted by Zixuan who, while not extroverted, couldn’t be described as shy either. The best way to describe him would be to say he was simply calm. Zixuan was slim, with a build that couldn’t compare to Connor’s melon-sized muscles. However, Zixuan stood at 6’1”, which annoyed Connor greatly. On one occasion, he even joked, “Aren’t Chinese people supposed to be short?” He had said this sarcastically while they were all having dinner together in the kitchen.

Zixuan had ended up laughing at the comment, which only irritated Connor even more. One time, they had all gone shopping for new shoes for Robert, Connor’s younger brother, who was 19, the same age as Zixuan. They had walked into a store, and Connor decided to try on a few pairs of shoes since the ones he had been wearing were already a bit worn out.

As he was trying on a pair of shoes brought by the store employee, Connor's father suggested that Zixuan also try on a pair since he would be staying with them for a year and would need proper footwear for when the snow came.

"Those boots Connor is trying on look pretty good. Let me get a pair for you too. Trust me, it's hard to get around in the snow without the right shoes," said Robert’s father as he approached the store clerk. "Could you bring another pair? He’s going to try them on too," he said, pointing at Zixuan.

The employee nodded with a smile, seeing the opportunity to increase her sales commission. “Size 10?” she asked, glancing at Zixuan.

Zixuan felt a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation since he hadn't planned on buying anything, but now that things had reached this point, he decided to go along with it.

“Size 11.5,” Zixuan said with a slightly forced smile. Connor, on the other hand, glanced down at Zixuan’s feet. It made sense that, given his height, Zixuan would wear a larger size, but that only made Connor find him even more annoying.

The employee was about to leave to get Zixuan’s shoes when Connor stopped her. “Could you bring me another pair? These don’t fit that well.”

“Size 10.5?” the employee asked, assuming the shoes were too tight.

“No, bring me a size 9,” Connor replied almost begrudgingly, to which the employee nodded. Connor’s father chuckled at the expression on his son’s face.

“You’ve always been a size 9. I don’t know why you wanted to try a bigger size,” the father said, casting a playful glance at his eldest son.

Now, however, Connor found himself in a situation he couldn’t comprehend, and there was no one else who could help him except for that annoying Chinese student. That morning, Connor had woken up early with plans to spend the entire day with his girlfriend. He had showered, gotten dressed, and was in the hallway checking the traffic situation when a series of horrible sensations suddenly coursed through his body. He tried to steady himself against the wall, but to his confusion, it felt as if the wall was moving away from him.

“What’s happening?” he muttered as he felt the entire room seemingly expand exponentially.

By the time he felt his body stabilize, he noticed that everything around him was now enormous. The walls of the hallway seemed to stretch up to the sky. The light bulb on the ceiling now resembled a small sun, and the framed pictures on the walls looked large enough to house entire cities. The hallway extended for what seemed like dozens of miles, and beneath his feet, he could see the wood grain with incredible clarity.

“What the hell happened to me?” Connor said, utterly dumbfounded. For a couple of minutes, he stood frozen, not knowing what to do. It wasn’t until he managed to calm down a bit that he began to analyze his situation more clearly.

“I definitely need help,” he muttered while looking at the towering doors of the bedrooms. “Rob is downstairs with Dad, so only Zixuan should be in his room. Looks like he’s my only option for now... unless he shrank too, like I did. Maybe I should wait for someone to come upstairs,” Connor pondered, trying to formulate a plan to get help.

He was still debating the best course of action when he heard the sound of Zixuan’s door opening. Connor’s eyes darted to the end of the hallway where the Chinese student’s room was located.

As the door opened, Connor saw Zixuan step out. At that moment, the Chinese student was wearing a white cotton t-shirt and a pair of short shorts. Zixuan’s hair was tousled, and his face still bore a sleepy expression.

“So, it’s just me,” Connor nervously muttered to himself as he observed the towering Chinese student who had just woken up. Even from a distance, he could perceive Zixuan's colossal size. “How small have I shrunk?” he wondered, looking at his own body. He wasn’t sure about his size, but it was clear he was minuscule, as Zixuan now seemed as large as a mountain.

As Zixuan began to walk, despite the distance between them, Connor could feel the vibrations traveling through the floor with each step the giant took on the wooden surface.

“How am I supposed to get his attention?” Connor muttered to himself, feeling nervous at the thought of approaching the massive Asian. “Shit! Stop being a coward,” he told himself as he began to run toward Zixuan. He started waving his arms and shouting the student’s name. “Zixuan, look down!” Connor yelled as he ran toward the giant. “I need help, I don’t know what happened, but look down here!” he shouted with all the power his lungs could muster.

“Zixuan?” Connor muttered, realizing that despite all his efforts, the giant Chinese student was not looking at him. To make matters worse, the vibrations were now so strong that it was becoming difficult for him to maintain his balance. When Zixuan was only a meter away, he appeared as massive as a mountain, and each of his feet seemed the size of entire neighborhoods.

At that moment, Connor finally realized the life-threatening danger he was in. If he had managed to get Zixuan’s attention, everything would have been fine. But having failed, he now found himself in a life-or-death situation. Terror surged through his mind like a tidal wave, and he began to sprint in the opposite direction of Zixuan.

“Zixuan, stop! I’m down here!” Connor screamed, pushing his legs to run as fast as they could carry him. Cold sweat drenched his back, and his face was etched with pure panic. “Listen to me!” he desperately cried out.

All around him, Connor noticed a shadow looming over him, covering an area of hundreds of square meters. His entire horizon was soon swallowed by darkness, and then he looked up. Suspended dozens of meters above him was the massive foot of the Chinese student. Even from that distance, Connor could see every crease in Zixuan’s foot, noticing a thin, transparent layer of sweat likely produced overnight while Zixuan slept. Each of his toes was as large as apartment buildings.

Since Zixuan was barefoot, Connor could see specks of dust the size of his body clinging to the sweaty skin of the Chinese student’s foot. “No! Stop! Wait! Don’t step on me, Zixuan!” Connor cried out desperately as he realized the enormous foot was beginning to descend.

With eyes wide in terror, he watched as the colossal foot came down from the sky. Connor tried to keep running, hoping to avoid being crushed, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t escape the shadow of death cast by Zixuan’s massive foot. “No, no, no, don’t step on me,” he whimpered, collapsing in sheer terror.

As the giant foot descended, Connor caught a whiff of the sweat emanating from Zixuan’s foot. In his final moments, the American was forced to breathe in the powerful stench that filled his nostrils and even seemed to coat his tongue.

The instant Zixuan’s foot made contact with his body, in just a microsecond, Connor’s body was crushed against the wooden floor, and in the next moment, he was pulverized beneath the foot. Connor’s body couldn’t withstand even a fraction of Zixuan’s weight, and in mere instants, he was reduced to a tiny red stain on the sweaty sole.

The Chinese student didn’t even notice the life he had just snuffed out. Such was Connor’s insignificance that his death did not even register in Zixuan’s senses, leaving him entirely unaware of the American’s horrific final moments.

After leaving the bathroom, Zixuan descended the stairs to the first floor where the kitchen was located. He saw a frying pan full of scrambled eggs and bacon on the stove, and on the dining table, someone had left an empty plate. Still drowsy, Zixuan grabbed the plate, not before giving it a quick glance to make sure it was clean. It wasn’t the first time the father of the family had left a plate ready for him to serve himself breakfast.

Zixuan approached the stove and made sure the breakfast was still hot before serving himself. Using the spatula that was set to the side, he began scooping copious amounts of scrambled eggs from the pan onto his plate. Once his plate was full, he placed it on the kitchen table and retrieved a fork from the cabinet.

“I think this is the first time it’s been so peaceful in the morning,” Zixuan said as he sat down, picking up the fork to take a large bite. Of course, it wasn’t actually peaceful at that moment, especially since Robert was currently screaming for his life.

Robert had woken up that morning thinking it would be just like any other day. He had a couple of morning classes, so when he heard his brother in the bathroom, he decided to head down to the kitchen, where he saw his father preparing breakfast for Connor, himself, and Zixuan. This was a common gesture in their family, as both of Robert’s parents loved to cook, often taking turns to prepare meals for everyone in the house.

“I need to get going; I’ll see you all in the afternoon,” Robert’s father said, bidding Robert goodbye before hurriedly leaving through the front door.

Robert yawned, waving his father off. He grabbed a clean plate and set it on the table, then approached the pan to savor the aroma of the breakfast his father had prepared. “Not bad,” he said with a half-smile as his stomach grumbled, demanding food. He was about to step away to grab the plate he’d set on the table when he was hit by a sudden, overwhelming dizziness that swept through every inch of his body. With nothing to steady himself on, he felt like he was tumbling forward as if plummeting into a void. Robert’s body crashed onto something soft, which fortunately prevented any fractures or bruises, but the surface was hot, causing him to wince in surprise.

As the dizziness faded, he found himself standing on a yellow surface that seemed to stretch for several meters. Thankfully, he was able to stand upright, his shoes protecting him from the heat radiating from whatever this yellow substance was. It only took him a few seconds to realize where he was.

“What the hell just happened?” he muttered, staring in shock at the mountains of scrambled eggs in the distance. The intense smell of eggs and bacon was overwhelming, prompting him to cover his nose. “How did this even happen?” he wondered, feeling as if the world had lost all sense.

At that moment, Robert was completely lost. For some inexplicable reason, he had shrunk down in size and ended up on a hill of scrambled eggs—the very breakfast he had been about to eat just seconds ago. “Am I still dreaming?” he asked, pinching his arm hard, hoping it would wake him up from this bizarre nightmare. Unfortunately, all he felt was pain right where he had pinched himself.

For nearly fifteen minutes, Robert struggled to figure out how to escape his predicament, but it was clearly impossible for him to leave the pan without help. And given his current size, he wasn’t sure how easy it would be to get someone’s attention.

He then heard the sound of bare feet descending the stairs, and a few seconds later, he saw Zixuan enter the kitchen, still looking half-asleep.

“Zixuan,” Robert said with a terrified expression upon seeing that the Chinese student was still normal-sized. Zixuan was as enormous as a mountain, and even though Robert was standing in the pan, he could clearly hear the sound of Zixuan’s footsteps slapping against the floor with each step the giant took.

Robert watched in horror as Zixuan noticed the plate he had set out. Panic surged through him as he saw the Chinese student grab the spatula and plunge it into the pan. For Robert, it was as if an earthquake had struck. The mountains of scrambled eggs began to collapse wherever the massive spatula passed. “No! Stop!” he screamed, terrified as he felt himself lose his footing and plummet down from the hill of eggs he had been standing on just moments before.

Screams of terror escaped Robert’s throat as he was thrown around uncontrollably, feeling as though he was falling again. He closed his eyes, bracing for the worst. When all the motion finally stopped, he realized that half of his body was now trapped inside a piece of the fluffy scrambled egg.

Robert then saw an enormous fork, the size of a skyscraper, descending from above and stabbing into the hills of scrambled eggs. He screamed in horror as tons of scrambled eggs were lifted off the plate and toward Zixuan’s open mouth. “I have to get out of here!” he shouted, desperately trying to free himself. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free.

“Zixuan! Down here!” he screamed in terror as the giant fork came down once more, positioning itself dangerously close to where he was trapped. “Stop! Help, please, I’m down here!” he cried, tears of fear streaming from his eyes.

The enormous fork stabbed into the eggs again. Robert could hear the sound of the metal prongs piercing through the massive mounds of yellow. He felt himself being lifted into the air once again. “No! Stop! Please, don’t!” he shouted as he was carried along with tons of scrambled eggs toward Zixuan’s mouth.

Robert watched as Zixuan’s lips parted, and in his eyes, he saw a perfect reflection of the inside of the Chinese student’s mouth. The teeth were as large as houses, and Robert could see thick strands of saliva stretching from one side of the mouth to the other. Zixuan’s enormous tongue looked large enough to hold an entire soccer field. He noticed small bumps on the tongue—Zixuan’s taste buds—each one so large that Robert could practically use one as a pillow.

The back of the mouth revealed a massive pink uvula marking the entrance to the throat. It was as dark as the deepest night, and Robert could swear he heard ominous sounds coming from the black hole that was the entrance to Zixuan’s throat.

Zixuan then brought the fork closer to his mouth. Robert could feel Zixuan’s breath, and a look of utter horror and disgust appeared on his face. The warm breath was so humid that Robert felt moisture forming on his eyelashes and hair. “No! Please, don’t eat me!” Robert screamed desperately as he was carried into Zixuan’s mouth.

“No! No! God, please stop!” He shrieked as he was drawn deeper into the giant Chinese mouth.

The inside of the mouth was as hot as a sauna, and Robert, still trapped, felt himself and the tons of scrambled eggs being pushed toward Zixuan’s molars. Throughout the ordeal, Robert never stopped screaming, not even for a second, and in doing so, he ended up swallowing liters of saliva. “No, no, someone help!” Robert howled in sheer terror.

As Zixuan’s enormous teeth began to chew, the horrifying sound of tons of food being crushed reached Robert’s ears. At that moment, he wet himself in terror. Although he couldn’t see clearly due to being tossed around by the hundreds of liters of saliva, he could feel a tooth land mere inches away from him.

Then, Robert felt himself and the rest of the chewed food being pushed toward the back of the throat.

A final scream, filled with absolute horror, escaped Robert’s lips as he slid down Zixuan’s tongue and into his throat. The look in Robert’s eyes, as he descended through the esophagus, was one of pure anguish and dread.

About fifteen minutes later, Zixuan finished his breakfast and stood up. By then, he was fully awake and satisfied, completely unaware that inside his stomach, poor Robert was still crying and screaming in terror, begging for help. Of course, no one would ever hear him or even know what had truly happened.

The stories of Robert and Connor would become just two among thousands of lives that were lost during those first few hours when the effects of the experiment were felt across the world.

16

The sound of the alarm on his phone resonating in his ears signaled that it was time to get out of bed. With a quick movement and the familiarity of having done this hundreds of times, Gao Rouchen silenced the alarm while opening his eyes and letting out a final yawn.

Rouchen used his right hand to remove the covers from his body and quickly sat up on his bed, stretching his arms upward like a lazy cat. Gao was originally from Shanghai and had moved to the United States two months ago as part of an exchange program promoted by his university in collaboration with American universities.

He lived in the university dorms, which he had no trouble getting used to. Rouchen’s dark eyes landed on the bed on the other side of the room.
“I guess he left early,” Rouchen said, noticing the empty bed.

“Today’s laundry day,” he muttered as he glanced at the laundry basket in the corner of the room, already overflowing. A pair of dirty socks had fallen off the top and lay on the wooden floor of the room.

Rouchen got out of bed, walked to a bedside cabinet, and grabbed a white towel and a clean set of clothes. The Chinese student then left his room and headed toward the shared bathrooms in the dormitory.

“It’s pretty empty today,” he remarked, noticing that he was the only one in the bathrooms at the time, which was unusual. As far as he could remember, the dorm bathrooms were almost never empty.

He began to undress, first removing the T-shirt and shorts he was wearing. Rouchen had a slim build, accentuated by his tall stature—standing at 6'2". In just a moment, he was completely naked.

However, unbeknownst to Rouchen, he was not alone. More than fifteen pairs of eyes were watching him and every move he made.

Trevor, Shawn, Jacob, Terry, and eleven others had gathered about two meters away from where Rouchen stood.

The eyes of the tiny American students were fixed on Rouchen’s gigantic figure. From their perspective, the enormous Chinese student towered several kilometers above them. Most of them were paralyzed, overwhelmed by the sight of the colossal figure.

“What the hell happened to us?” Terry asked, staring at Rouchen in fear. Watching him undress was almost hypnotic.

“We’ve shrunk, but this shouldn’t be possible. People don’t just shrink! And why didn’t he shrink?” Jacob asked, pointing toward Rouchen’s colossal figure.

“There has to be an explanation behind this, and there has to be a way to reverse it,” Trevor said, trying to calm everyone, who were clearly panicking.

“There better be a way! I’m not staying like this for the rest of my life!” Shawn shouted, visibly the most upset of them all. It wasn’t surprising; he used to be the tallest of the group, and now he wasn’t even the size of an ant.

“This has to be temporary. Maybe in a few hours, everything will go back to normal,” Terry said, unaware that what had just happened would change the nature of the world forever.

“What are we supposed to do until then? Just sit here and wait to regain our size?” someone asked.

“Do you have a better idea? Although we should find a quiet place—these tremors are making it impossible to think clearly,” Terry said.

It was then that everyone’s eyes widened in fear and surprise. There shouldn’t have been any tremors, but they realized what was causing them when they saw Rouchen begin to walk.

With every step the Chinese student took, powerful vibrations spread across the floor. When they were normal-sized, they barely noticed these vibrations—they caused them themselves, after all. But now, those once-insignificant tremors felt like massive seismic movements.

“Is it my imagination, or is he actually walking in our direction?” Jacob asked, his face pale as a sheet of paper. The eyes of all the tiny American students remained fixed on Rouchen's monolithic figure. At that moment, he was naked, and they could see every detail of his body. The Chinese student’s large, long feet looked capable of crushing football stadiums with ease. His legs seemed so tall and strong they could have been the pillars holding up the heavens. Higher up, the Americans saw the largest flaccid penis they had ever laid eyes on. Even if they were normal-sized, it would have measured about five inches flaccid, but now, as they barely measured a millimeter in height, what hung between Rouchen’s legs was like a mythical monster, accompanied by two enormous testicles swaying with each step he took.

“I think we need to run,” Terry said, noticing Rouchen wasn’t looking down as he walked. “We need to get out of here, now!” he yelled, understanding they had to escape the path of Rouchen’s steps.

At his words, everyone started to run—everyone except Shawn, who was frozen in terror, staring at Rouchen as he approached. The enormous shadow cast by the Chinese student’s foot covered Shawn, enveloping an area that spanned hundreds of square meters.

“Shawn, run! For God’s sake, run!” Terry screamed as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Yet, he wasn’t in a much better position—Rouchen’s shadow loomed over him as well.

Terry looked up to see the sweaty sole of Rouchen’s foot blocking out the sky. At his normal size, he would have been about the same shoe size as Rouchen, but now, he wasn’t even the size of an ant. He noticed the layer of clear sweat glistening on the sole’s skin, and the strong, pungent odor hit his nose and mouth like a punch.

“No! No! No!” Terry screamed as the massive foot descended like the wrath of an angry god. “Please don’t step on me!” he pleaded desperately, realizing there was no escaping Rouchen’s enormous foot.

His cries for mercy did nothing to stop Rouchen’s step. As the Chinese student’s foot made contact with the floor, Terry and Shawn were pressed against the bathroom tiles. The horrific stench of Rouchen’s foot filled their lungs, though their suffering was short-lived. Within seconds, their bodies burst like fruit under the colossal sweaty foot.

Rouchen didn’t even notice that he had crushed a pair of university students beneath his sole. They were so small that he didn’t feel the crunch of their bodies beneath his foot.

Jacob was the only one who managed to avoid being crushed. The enormous foot had missed him by just a centimeter. He had fallen onto his back, and in front of him were the massive toes of Rouchen’s foot. Each toe was as large as a building. The masculine odor emanating from them burned Jacob’s eyes and throat like someone had poured bleach into them.

The big toe of Rouchen’s foot was so close that Jacob could have touched the sweaty skin if he had reached out.

The colossal foot lifted again, rising dozens of meters into the air and casting a shadow of death over Jacob. But this time, the shadow quickly passed over him, and the enormous foot landed dozens of meters ahead.

Jacob watched in terror as the massive Chinese student disappeared into the shower area. Looking toward where the foot had been, Jacob saw enormous red stains on the floor a few meters away. The horror was evident on his face as he realized those were the remains of his friends, their bodies pulverized under Rouchen’s foot, leaving nothing recognizable of the group.

At that moment, Jacob’s emotions overwhelmed him, and he began to cry like a small child, calling out for his family.

Twenty minutes later, Rouchen emerged from the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. The Chinese student proceeded to dry his body before quickly dressing in the clean clothes he had brought with him.

Rouchen left the dormitory bathrooms and returned to his room. First, he grabbed his phone and slipped it into his pocket. Then he bent down to pick up the laundry basket filled with his dirty clothes. The dorm’s laundry area was located at the back of the building, which was a bit of a distance from Rouchen’s room.

“They should build a laundry room closer to the dorms,” Rouchen muttered as he carried the laundry basket in his arms.

As he walked to his destination, he remained oblivious to the tiny specks scrambling to avoid being crushed under his enormous Rainbow sandals.

Those tiny specks on the floor were none other than dormitory students and administrative staff who had been affected by the Chinese experiment.

Frank, a member of the dormitory cleaning staff, was familiar with several of the students who lived there. When he shrank, he hadn’t been alone in the hallway—a couple of students had also been walking there when the incident occurred.

It had taken Frank and the students nearly an hour to regroup. Though they had all been in the hallway, none of them had been close to each other when they shrank, forcing them to traverse vast distances that, before, they could have covered in just a few steps.

When they finally reunited, they spent their time arguing about why they had shrunk, though they couldn’t reach any conclusions. The event was too unexpected and illogical, leaving them to speculate.

“Do you think everyone else shrank like us?” Tyron asked, unable to shake the feeling of intimidation from the massive hallways they were now trapped in.

“It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s clear everyone here was affected,” Frank replied, feeling like he could use a cigarette.

“We definitely need help, that much is certain,” Jerome said, glancing around.

"Maybe we should head outside. I don’t hear anyone, and it’s strange that no one has come by all this time," said Frank, though he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of leaving the building. Besides, it was hard to say how long it would take them to get out.

"Easier said than done," Jerome replied irritably, about to continue when the sound of massive objects colliding with the floor interrupted him. He turned to locate the source of the noise and saw an Asian-looking student opening the door with his foot while carrying a large laundry basket.

Frank’s eyes also locked onto the gigantic student. "Looks like not everyone shrank," Frank said seriously, watching the massive figure begin to walk. Even from a distance, they could feel the vibrations of the giant’s steps.

"Finally, someone we can ask for help!" Tyron said, hope lighting up his face.

"Don’t celebrate just yet. How exactly are we supposed to get his attention?" Frank asked, trying to suppress the fear creeping up inside him.

"We just need to get closer. If we shout, he’s bound to notice us. We can’t stay here forever. Come on, let’s yell," Jerome said assertively.

"We’re the size of ants—no, maybe ants are bigger. Do you really think he’ll hear you?" Frank countered, trying to ground Jerome in reality.

"So what are we supposed to do? Just sit here and wait for someone to look for us with a magnifying glass? No, this is our chance," Jerome said, running toward Rouchen, waving his arms.

Frank cursed under his breath as he saw Jerome dart off and chased after him. "Stop! This isn’t going to work!" Frank shouted, but Jerome refused to listen and kept running.

"Hey! We’re down here! I have no idea what happened, but we’ve shrunk!" Jerome shouted, waving his arms. "We need help!"

"You idiot, he can’t hear you!" Frank yelled, his voice cracking with terror as he noticed Rouchen’s enormous foot lifting off the ground, casting a shadow of doom over both him and Jerome. At that moment, Frank gave up trying to stop Jerome and instead attempted to flee.

Unfortunately, it was already too late. Both of them stared in horror as the massive sole of Rouchen’s sandal loomed above them. From beneath it, they could see dirt chunks the size of cars and several red stains scattered across the sole.

"No! Don’t step on me!" Frank managed to scream before being crushed under the colossal sandal. Both their bodies burst under the overwhelming weight of Rouchen’s step.

Tyron watched in shock as Frank and Jerome disappeared beneath the Chinese student’s sandal. When the sandal lifted again, he couldn’t find any trace of them.

As Rouchen walked off into the distance, Tyron ran to where Frank and Jerome had vanished. What he saw when he arrived made him vomit, and he quickly fled, trying to get away from the crushed remains of his friends.

Meanwhile, Rouchen reached the laundry room and noticed it was empty. Again, he thought it strange and began to suspect something unusual was going on. Lost in thought, he started loading his dirty clothes into one of the washing machines.

As he tossed his clothes into the machine, Mason stood near the edge of Rouchen’s enormous sandal. The sandal’s height rivaled that of an eight-story building. "How am I supposed to climb this?" he muttered, staring hopelessly at the towering wall that was Rouchen’s sandal. His plan had been to climb it to try to get the giant’s attention, but now that he was in front of the sandal, he realized how ridiculous his idea was. Not only was he small—he was minuscule. Even if he managed to reach the top, how could he possibly get someone so massive to notice him?

Rouchen finished loading his laundry and was about to stand up when he noticed something extremely small near his foot. Close to where his right foot rested, there was a tiny speck. If he hadn’t been crouched down and looking at the floor, he wouldn’t have noticed it at all. It was moving strangely. "A bug?" Rouchen thought indifferently, lifting his foot a few centimeters above the speck. With a swift motion, he crushed it under his sandal.

He stood up and sat in a chair at the back of the laundry room. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he planned to watch some videos to pass the time while his laundry was washing. Opening Bilibili, he noticed several live videos from the government with critical information.

Rouchen clicked on one of the videos and focused on it.

"Based on information gathered so far, countries near China were the first to be affected by the experiment. However, by this time of day, there should be no place on the planet unaffected. The government urgently requests all Chinese citizens abroad, especially those in Western nations, to exercise extreme caution when walking. In fact, if possible, avoid going outside until a plan of action is in place. However, if it is impossible to stay put, please carefully observe the ground as you walk. According to government estimates, the population outside Asia has likely been reduced to a height of one millimeter. Once again, we urge you to walk cautiously."

Rouchen felt like he was hearing some kind of cruel joke. But then the presenter began showing various videos of how the populations of Asia—excluding China—had been reduced in size.

"This can’t be real," Rouchen said, a knot forming in his stomach.

"Wait a minute. If it’s true that everyone outside China has shrunk to a millimeter, that explains why everything has been so quiet since this morning. It’s not that no one’s around—it’s that I couldn’t see them," he muttered, his face turning pale as the horrifying realization dawned on him.

He had been walking through his dorm, the bathrooms, the hallways, and now the laundry room. Fear and guilt filled his expression as he lifted his right foot to examine the sole of his sandal.

The first things his eyes identified were chunks of dirt and dust stuck to the sole. He also saw a couple of squashed ants—when had he stepped on them? He hadn’t even noticed, and that only deepened his feelings of apprehension and guilt. Then his eyes caught something else: dozens of tiny red stains near the heel and more near the toes of his sandal.

"Shit!" Rouchen exclaimed, going pale at the sight.

He placed his foot back on the ground, unable to stop thinking about all the people he had unknowingly crushed. "I’m so sorry," Rouchen whispered, his eyes fixed on his right foot, as if hoping the ghosts of those he had stepped on would recognize his remorse.

Like many Chinese students in America at that moment, Rouchen was coming to terms with the new reality of the world—a world where he could decide someone’s life or death simply by placing his foot in the wrong spot.

17

"So, don’t you think it’s a little strange? It’s really hard to believe, and in a way, I feel a bit guilty," said Chen Yuze as he stared at the plate of food in front of him. At first glance, the plate of Kung Pao chicken looked completely ordinary. The spices and sauce created an aroma that opened Yuze’s appetite, yet he could only stare at the pieces of chicken as if they were some kind of monster.

"It is a little strange, but if they’re promoting it, there must be a reason. Besides, you don’t even notice them unless you actively look for them," said Wu Tianyu with a shrug. Picking up a piece of pork with his chopsticks, he added it to the rice from his roasted pork dish. Unlike Yuze, he seemed completely unfazed.

"Even so, they’re people, and it’s our fault they ended up like this. I don’t know—I just feel it’s cruel to do this," Yuze said with a sigh. The office worker glanced toward the company cafeteria. Dozens of employees were chatting pleasantly as they carried bites of food to their mouths. Some, like him, seemed hesitant to eat, but others didn’t even look at their plates.

The company where Yuze and Tianyu worked had close ties to the government, which made it a pilot participant in the "supplements" program being implemented. A government official had explained that if current trends continued, controlling and managing the shrunken Western population would become increasingly difficult in the coming generations. Despite their tiny size, their population was increasing every six months. Though the experiment had reduced them, it hadn’t rendered them incapable of reproduction.

"Saying it’s our fault is a bit much. We weren’t the ones who developed that experiment. Just don’t overthink it," Tianyu replied, looking at his friend with slight annoyance. "Besides, weren’t you okay with the idea of the service cities? What’s the difference here?"

"That’s totally different! It’s not like they’re going to die doing those jobs. This is completely different," Yuze defended himself, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"How is it any different? I bet some of them get crushed while doing those jobs. With their size, that can’t be too uncommon," Tianyu responded, a triumphant smirk on his face.

"That’s just your speculation, and I’m sure I’ve never crushed anyone," Yuze countered, holding his friend’s gaze.

"You can’t be sure of that. Odds are you have, and you just didn’t notice. Like I said, with their size, it’s relatively normal," Tianyu said confidently. His dark eyes gleamed with victory as he noticed Yuze growing pensive. The two men shared some similarities: both were 26 years old and had lean builds thanks to their genetics and regular gym sessions after work. Tianyu’s facial features were sharp and distinctly masculine, contrasting with Yuze’s softer ones.

"Even if what you say is true—and I’m not saying it is—I still think it’s wrong. We’re talking about eating people," Yuze said with a hint of sadness.

"Well… I wouldn’t call them people. I’d call them supplements, and that’s it. Come on, like I said, you don’t even notice them going down your throat," Tianyu said, popping another piece of pork into his mouth and chewing emphatically. Yuze watched his friend Adam’s apple move as he swallowed.

"I just hope none of them are still alive when they reach your stomach," Yuze muttered, watching his friend eat nonchalantly.

"Eh, I’m sure some will be, but it’s not like they can do any harm. From what they told us, they can’t hurt us even if they are alive when they reach our stomachs," Tianyu said, echoing the explanation they’d been given when the program was announced.

"I wasn’t talking about them hurting you," Yuze said, frustration creeping into his voice. "I meant it would be much worse for them to reach your stomach alive than just being chewed."

"Oh, you’re right about that," Tianyu admitted with a half-smile. "It must suck to be them. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in there," he added, patting his stomach lightly.

"Do you seriously not feel guilty?" Yuze asked, sounding defeated. He felt like he was talking to a wall.

"Why? Like I said, I don’t notice them—they’re way too small. Besides, from what I’ve heard, the ones chosen as supplements are just troublemakers who don’t follow directions. I see no reason to feel bad for them," Tianyu replied, completely unbothered. "Come on, start eating, or your food will get cold."

Yuze grimaced as he looked down at the plate in front of him. Even though it was difficult to see, he could make out tiny specks on the chicken and spices. "I don’t know if I can really do this."

Tianyu rolled his eyes. "Just don’t think about it. Pretend it’s just another dish."

"As if it were that easy," Yuze said, picking up his chopsticks hesitantly.

As Yuze wrestled with his moral dilemma, hundreds of Westerners on his plate screamed in terror. The enormous Chinese man loomed over them, his chopsticks suspended in the air. None of them understood why they were there. Unlike Chinese citizens, they hadn’t been told anything. They’d simply been selected, transported, and dumped onto the plate like seasoning.

Upon landing in the hot dish, all of them screamed in pain as the heat scorched their bodies. They were stunned, terrified, and in agony as they tried to comprehend the strange, horrifying world of the worker’s meal.

"Ross! Ross! Where are you?" Trenton shouted frantically as he struggled to move across the massive piece of chicken he stood on. His body was coated in the soy sauce that covered the enormous chunks of meat. Around him, condiments the size of cars and houses blocked his view. He screamed, desperately searching for his friend. By some miracle, he and Ross had managed to stay together throughout their ordeal, from being shrunk to being collected by Chinese soldiers.

Now, as countless others screamed for help or begged for mercy, Trenton fought to navigate the sticky sauce. Each step was a struggle, his body burning from the heat. "Ross! Answer me!" he cried, searching for the familiar face of his friend.

Trenton and the others could hear the voices of the gigantic Chinese men, but to them, it sounded like thunder. Their voices were so deep they resembled the sounds of nature more than human speech.

For several minutes, Trenton and the others noticed that the massive chopsticks suspended above them didn’t seem to move toward them.

"Trenton! I’m here! Help me!" Ross’s voice reached Trenton’s ears, and he began searching for its source. It was difficult due to the overwhelming screams of those around him, but then Trenton’s eyes found Ross.

Ross was stuck to a massive piece of chicken. Around him were other people who also seemed unable to move a single muscle. Ross’s hair was disheveled, and his body was completely covered in soy sauce, giving him a grimy appearance. Despite the distance between them, Trenton could see the fear on his friend’s face as he desperately shouted for help.

"I’m coming, Ross!" Trenton yelled as he began trying to run toward his friend.

When Trenton reached the edge of the enormous piece of chicken he was standing on, he noticed an abyss he would have to jump over to reach Ross.

"Damn it," he muttered in frustration.

He was about to take a run and jump across when he saw the massive chopsticks hovering in the air, beginning to descend toward the plate of food. A look of shock and fear appeared on Trenton’s face as he realized the colossal utensils were heading straight for the piece of chicken Ross was on.

"No!" he cried in terror, watching as the chopsticks pinched the piece of meat.

The screams of terror intensified as everyone realized what was happening, but amidst the panicked cries, Trenton recognized his friend’s voice.

"Trenton, help me! Don’t let him eat me! Please!" Ross begged, his voice trembling with fear as he felt himself being lifted high above the plate, and carried toward the mouth of the enormous Chinese worker.

Trenton watched helplessly as his friend was taken away.

"No, please! Stop!" Trenton shouted, his voice breaking as the chopsticks moved the piece of chicken, along with Ross, closer to Yuze’s face.

Ross, unable to move, stared at Yuze’s lips. They were closed for the moment, but he could already imagine the horror he was about to face once they opened to welcome him in.

"Please, don’t eat me. I’m not food," Ross pleaded, tears streaming down his face as he prayed for a miracle to save him from the cruel fate awaiting him.

Yuze stared at the piece of meat between his chopsticks, noticing the tiny specks clinging to it like seasoning. His mind told him it was wrong, yet his stomach, growling with hunger, didn’t seem to care.

"Stop overthinking it and just do it," Tianyu said.

"Alright," Yuze replied with a heavy sigh. Then, separating his lips, he added softly, "I’m sorry."

Ross watched in horror as the giant’s lips parted, revealing the inside of Yuze’s mouth. A massive pink uvula hung at the back of his throat, and teeth the size of buildings loomed like unbreakable steel walls. Rivers of saliva flowed across Yuze’s mouth, and his enormous tongue, large enough to house a small neighborhood, moved slightly as if beckoning him inside.

"No! Don’t eat me!" Ross screamed as he and the others stuck to the piece of chicken were carried into Yuze’s mouth.

As they approached, the warm breath of the giant washed over Ross and the others trapped on the chicken. The mix of saliva and the coffee Yuze had drunk that morning sent him into a state of absolute terror.

"No! We’re not food! Please, don’t eat us!" Ross screamed, his voice trembling as they passed Yuze’s front teeth and were plunged into darkness.

Yuze dropped the piece of chicken onto his tongue with a grimace.

"I don’t know why you’re making that face—it’s not like you can feel them," Tianyu said, rolling his eyes.

A look of annoyance crossed Yuze’s face as he chewed the piece of chicken.

"Just because I can’t feel anything doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with this," Yuze replied after swallowing. "I just hope they weren’t too scared."

He glanced down at his flat stomach.

"I have no idea, but maybe you can think this is something they might want," Tianyu said casually as he picked up another piece of pork, which also had tiny specks stuck to it, and popped it into his mouth.

"That’s a lie," Yuze replied.

"Doesn’t matter. Besides, how do you know it’s a lie? Maybe they’re happy to be food—it gives their lives purpose," Tianyu said, rubbing his stomach lightly with his right hand.

"Do you think our stomachs are amusement parks or something?" Yuze asked sarcastically.

"Maybe they are—to them," Tianyu said. Holding another piece of meat with his chopsticks, he added, "Enjoy your time at the amusement park that is my stomach. Watch out for the acid lake—I hear it burns," before tossing the pork into his mouth.

"Sometimes I think you don’t take anything seriously," Yuze muttered as he picked up his chopsticks and turned his gaze back to his food.

At that moment, Trenton was on his knees, staring upward at the mouth of the Chinese worker where he’d seen his friend disappear.

"Why? Why?" he cried, his voice filled with anguish as he relived the moment Ross was eaten.

What had they done? Why had they been eaten? What did they do to deserve this? Trenton wondered, tears streaming down his face as he imagined his friend’s final moments.

Then he noticed the massive chopsticks moving toward him, pinching the sides of the piece of chicken he stood on. He felt the wind rush against his skin as the chicken was lifted high into the air, ascending toward Yuze’s face.

Trenton’s eyes filled with the purest terror as he saw the giant’s thin lips once again. Moments later, as if parting to reveal an ocean, the lips opened, exposing the enormous tongue that moved slightly, almost in greeting. Thick strands of saliva stretched like suspension bridges across the cavernous mouth, and the warm breath engulfed him like he had been transported to the heart of the Amazon jungle.

"No... no... please, no... I’m not food," he said, his voice trembling with terror as he saw the giant’s mouth drawing closer. Yuze tried to imagine that what Tianyu had said might be true—that perhaps some of the tiny Westerners didn’t see being eaten as such a terrible fate. Of course, that was ridiculous, and he knew it, but thinking that way helped alleviate his guilt.

Yuze then placed the piece of chicken into his mouth and began to chew. Trenton was plunged into absolute darkness as the massive chunk of chicken was transferred from the chopsticks to the giant’s mouth. Upon entering, he was immediately assaulted by torrents of saliva that quickly drenched him from head to toe.

Moments later, Yuze’s teeth began to chew the piece of chicken. Trenton and everyone else trapped inside the Chinese man’s mouth began sobbing and pleading for help, but their cries were swiftly silenced as Yuze’s teeth came down on them, crushing them effortlessly.

Trenton could hear the sickening crunch of bodies being obliterated by Yuze’s enormous molars. Absolute horror consumed every inch of his body and mind. By a stroke of luck, Trenton was among the few who survived being crushed, but as he was pushed along with the rest of the food toward the back of the throat, he knew an even more horrifying fate awaited him.

A final, terrified scream escaped Trenton as he, along with the chewed remains of the chicken, slid down Yuze’s throat, destined for the infernal cavern that was the stomach. The journey to the stomach felt eternal, though it lasted only a few seconds. The first to land were the chewed remains of the chicken, immediately followed by Trenton.

Covered head to toe in mashed chicken and Yuze’s saliva, Trenton was assaulted by the abominable stench of the giant’s stomach. He brought his hands to his face, trying not to breathe the foul air.

The sounds inside were overwhelming—a cacophony of stomach gurgles, the rhythmic thumping of Yuze’s heartbeat, and the sound of his breathing. Trenton could hear the acid and enzymes in the stomach slowly dissolving the surface beneath him. He was dizzy from the lack of oxygen and completely blind in the pitch-black darkness of Yuze’s stomach.

"Help... someone help," he said weakly, collapsing to his knees in utter despair. He knew that inside the giant’s stomach, his fate was sealed.

"I don’t want to die," he whispered, his voice broken, knowing that soon his body would be dissolved by the powerful stomach acids.

Outside, Tianyu looked at his friend with satisfaction.

"See? It’s no different from eating a normal meal," he said, noticing that Yuze was now eating without hesitation.

"It’s not that," Yuze replied. "I’m just trying to imagine that this is what they want, even though I know it’s a lie. Strangely, it helps with the guilt," he said, looking at his friend with a defeated expression.

Tianyu chuckled.

"Well, we can’t be entirely sure it’s a lie," he said.

"Maybe not, but it wouldn’t be so bad if it were true. I just hope that if any of them made it to my stomach alive, they’re not suffering too much," Yuze said guiltily, glancing down at his flat stomach.

"I’m sure your stomach’s a fun place," Tianyu said with a shrug. "Come on, let’s hurry up—lunch break’s almost over."

Yuze nodded, realizing they had only 20 minutes left before they had to return to work. The urgency of finishing lunch helped ease his guilt a little.

Like many Chinese people, Yuze had initially been very reluctant about the government’s supplement program. But as the weeks passed, those feelings of guilt began to fade, and the idea of supplements became integrated and accepted within Chinese society. This acceptance sealed the fate of the Westerners, who would forever be regarded as nothing more than another ingredient in the kitchen.