Chapter 1: “You have a glorious and bright future.”
【The greatest fortune in a person's life is to discover their mission in the middle of their life, when they are in their prime.】
【If you cannot yet win, then wait for the next cycle to try again. If you still cannot glimpse the light of day, then pass the torch to the next generation.】
【No one is unaware of human baseness and desire.】
【Yet, the remaining nobility and faith have caused this species, like “explorers,” to burn in the darkness to this day.】
【In a “game” where everything is at stake,】
【—they raised the fire of war against the gods of the sky.】
【The person standing at the pinnacle of the world, guarding the future of all humanity, gambled life and death with the planetary invaders.】
【He gazed at his distant homeland,】
【Bearing the fervent hopes of civilization.】
【—Excerpt from December 31, 2023 (Future) After the game began, the human forum’s Top 3 hot post “First Player Su Ming’an”】
...
...
【You have died.】
Crimson words appeared before Su Ming’an’s eyes, red like blood, as if clutching his heart.
He gasped, sweat trickling down his temples. He had never thought that an ordinary day like today would turn out like this…
...
【Three hours ago】
“Ding-dong! World Game loading…”
Su Ming’an looked up, rubbed his eyes, and thought he was hallucinating from staying up all night editing videos.
He was eighteen this year, a freshman in college, majoring in psychology, and interested in reading philosophy and detective novels. He usually worked part-time as a horror game streamer, and was somewhat well-known.
Today was just a very ordinary day. He had just finished his advanced math class when he was called to a cafe by someone claiming to be a Bilibili staff member…
“Mr. Su, Mr. Su…?”
A female voice came from in front of him. A red-haired woman sat across the coffee table, her long hair like curled rose petals, her eyes gentle, and her voice soft:
“—We would like to invite you to participate in a real-life game.”
“A real-life game? I don’t have any plans for that right now.” Su Ming’an refused. He was a faceless game streamer and had no interest in showing his face.
A “cha-cha” sound of paper scraping against the table rang out as the woman placed her hand on a pitch-black card and handed it over.
“This game is a bit different,” the woman said. “Why don’t you take a look?”
Su Ming’an lowered his gaze.
The blood-red text on the card looked as if it was outlined in fresh blood.
【With the world as the arena, and real living beings as health bars—】
【Multiplayer online, infinite dungeons! Simulated world, combat battles!】
【Global players, fierce competition! High-level game, waiting for you to play!】
Su Ming’an looked at such an irregular invitation method, chuckled softly, and shook his head.
“Not interested.” He tossed the black card back to her and turned to leave.
“If you leave now, do you know what kind of path you’re heading down?” the woman said. “But if that’s your choice…”
Su Ming’an did not stop.
The woman watched him leave quietly, no longer trying to persuade him, only revealing a subtle smile.
“You’ll be back…”
...
“Whoosh!”
A car sped past, splashing water from the ground, which Su Ming’an jumped to avoid.
“—Damn it! Driving so fast, are you in a hurry to reincarnate?!” A pedestrian beside him cursed at the truck.
Su Ming’an covered his ears, which were ringing from the pedestrian’s shouts, and rubbed his temples.
【World Game loading…】
He vaguely heard such a sound. It had been present since last night, as if reminding him that something was about to happen.
A scientific world, no magic—he couldn’t even say such a thing.
He hailed a taxi. He was attending a high school classmate’s birthday party that evening. In the taxi, the car radio played:
“…According to information released by the Cardiovascular Surgery Transplant Team of the Xiaoshu Academy of Sciences, the ‘dual-heart surgery’ has entered a critical experimental phase. In the future, combining two hearts may help people extend their lifespan. This theory is still in the experimental stage, and the public is advised not to imitate it…”
Su Ming’an was somewhat surprised.
Such news, which could potentially endanger social safety, actually made it onto the radio.
One heart corresponds to one human life. This is a rule of nature’s evolution. And in biology, there is no such thing as “rights” as humans speak of, only various organs, abilities, and characteristics. If one were to forcibly violate this, taking someone else’s heart would inevitably deprive them of their life.
…Buying and selling, transactions, power struggles, moral blackmail, public opinion, emotional favoritism, trolley problems, unrecognized sacrificial replacements. These are all potential problems.
“We’re here, 12 yuan.” The driver stopped the car.
Su Ming’an paid the fare and arrived at the party location, walking to the door and knocking.
A female classmate named Shen Xue led him inside. Today was her birthday party.
Her makeup was light, but she had clearly dressed up carefully. The flickering lights illuminated her eyebrows and eyes; her pupils were bright, like misty clouds, and when the wind blew, waves would roll, as if any emotion would be carried away from her eyes by the wind.
She held Su Ming’an’s hand, leading him step by step into the living room.
Su Ming’an found that he was the first to arrive. In the kitchen, Shen Xue’s distant relative, Liu Anna, was preparing dinner. Besides that, the room was empty, and he could only smell an indoor incense.
“Where are the other classmates? Are they all late?” Su Ming’an asked.
“…Later, maybe,” Shen Xue said softly.
A girl in a domestic apron, the gradually dimming sky, a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.
Su Ming’an had heard that Shen Xue, the class beauty, had once had a crush on him, but this was just gossip and not worth believing. After all, on the surface, he was just an ordinary college student. Besides being proficient in murder mystery games, liking philosophy, studying psychology, being good at public speaking, and having top-tier gaming skills… he had no other specialties.
Shen Xue sat beside him, saying nothing, just propping her chin and looking at him.
“What’s wrong?” Su Ming’an asked.
“Su Ming’an,” Shen Xue said. “What do you want to do after graduating from college?”
“Hmm… maybe a freelancer,” Su Ming’an said.
“Then why did you choose psychology as your major?”
“I want to… seek inner peace,” Su Ming’an said. “Before, I searched online, and it was all ‘Don’t study economics, run!’, ‘Don’t study civil engineering, run!’, ‘Don’t study teaching, run!’ and so on… So I chose a major that didn’t have many ‘run!’ warnings. As it turns out, it’s very good, I like psychology.”
Shen Xue listened and laughed.
Her eyes curved, like a pair of beautiful crescent moons.
Su Ming’an thought that since she was so concerned about him, he should politely return the question: “—And you, Shen Xue, what do you want to do?”
Shen Xue’s gaze slightly condensed.
At this moment, the edges of her figure were softened by the light, as if ancient oil paint flowed over her body.
“I want to see the sea,” she said after a moment.
“See the sea, is that so simple?” Su Ming’an said.
“Yes,” Shen Xue said. “I’ve never seen the sea, because I can’t leave home too far.”
“…”
She suddenly said, “Seeing the sea… is actually just one of my wishes. I want to open a tailor shop, sew buttons for people, tailor clothes. I want to become a journalist, understand the miners who were killed, care about the bloody truth, and express my indignation at the world. I want to… I want to try my best to live this life.”
Su Ming’an was somewhat unable to respond; he didn’t know how the conversation had suddenly progressed to this point.
She didn’t want to be confined to an ivory tower and a routine job; she hoped to have a rich and fulfilling spirit, and a journey full of desire and passion… But how difficult that was.
“Have some pastry.” Shen Xue suddenly handed him a osmanthus cake.
Su Ming’an reached out and took the osmanthus cake—
Just at that instant—
Shen Xue suddenly pounced forward.
If it were an ordinary boy, seeing the class beauty pounce like that, he would definitely be so excited that he’d forget everything.
But Su Ming’an was very alert; he knew that something abnormal meant trouble. His hand instantly moved to the self-defense dagger he carried at his waist—
Shen Xue’s hand suddenly reached out, and with a “thump,” the dagger was knocked to the ground.
—Only then did Su Ming’an realize that his strength had somehow, unknowingly, drained away.
Was it that incense in the room… a sedative?
“What are you doing?” Su Ming’an’s eyes turned cold.
“You actually carry something like this with you.” Shen Xue didn’t answer. She looked at the lonely, reflecting dagger on the ground: “I know you lack a sense of security, but do you even have to guard against me?”
Carrying a dagger was Su Ming’an’s habit. He hadn’t expected it to be used on this day.
What did Shen Xue want to do by sedating him?
“I…” he began.
“Pfft—”
In the girl’s hand, a spray bottle was aimed at him.
Ever since he inhaled that mist, all the strength in his body had been disappearing.
The girl’s soft voice came from beside his ear, her breath warm, like a feather tickling him:
“I just… like you, that’s all…”
...
“Stay by my side… forever.”
...
Su Ming’an closed his eyes.
Along with a pain in his chest, a cutting sensation, his last heartbeat stopped.
...The other person.
Actually wanted to kill him.
Why?
She clearly,
Just now, was talking about the sky and the sea.
...
【World Game has officially begun】
【Detected personal novice quest failure, rating: D, about to enter the opening ceremony of the billion-human World Game…】
【Unknown error occurred, return suspended!】
【…】
【…】
Suddenly, he heard an abrupt notification sound. Unlike the previous cold system notifications, this was a gentle male voice.
【Determining worldline… Planning world ending…】
【Planning complete, game start.】
【Watcher Chasing Dawn, Player BE3030, welcome back.】
【The authority to disregard death has been handed to you, the world awaits you.】
【The only one standing at the edge of the river of time, please do your best… to end this game where humanity gambled everything.】
【“—Henceforth you will constantly despair, constantly hope.”】
【“—You will lose everything, gain everything.”】
【“—You will save everyone, kill everyone.”】
【“—You will write down every name.”】
【“—You will erase every name.”】
【“—You will become the kindest you.”】
【“—You will become the most evil you.”】
【“—You can understand anyone’s interests and hobbies, cater to them, and become lifelong sworn friends with anyone.”】
【“—You can also understand anyone’s weaknesses, harm or even kill them, and become bitter enemies with anyone.”】
【“—Experience all fates, personally bury failed worldlines, and make everyone forget.”】
【“—Experience all fates, personally create successful worldlines, and make everyone remember.”】
【“—You will experience long years of glory and burdening billions of graves. Painful yet beautiful, brilliant yet monotonous.”】
【“—But, you will choose this irreversible path of salvation… right?”】
...
What does that mean?
Su Ming’an found these words difficult to understand.
...
【You will have a glorious and bright future.】
The voice disappeared.
...
【—You have died. Do you wish to load a save?】
False game start: Prologue
True game start: Chapter 14
...
This book contains over 1000 illustrations, character portraits, handwritten notes, and plot comics drawn by me and my readers. All are original creations. I personally spent 60,000 yuan on commissions. There is no team; it’s all done out of love, with no AI drawing.
If you don't want to see them, you can click the middle of the screen to bring up “Settings” in the bottom right corner — “More” — “Bonus Chapter Display”, and turn it off (the quality is quite high, so I don't recommend turning it off).