Perhaps there aren’t that many spectators in the world, but there’s never a shortage of people eager to watch a spectacle.
The five players had barely stood by the roadside for a few minutes before onlookers began gathering in corners, whispering among themselves. The most brazen was an elderly man who deliberately sidled up to the traffic officer and asked, “What did these five do?”
Upon hearing the officer say they’d run a red light, the old man curled his lip in disdain. “Five young men in their prime, and they can’t even follow traffic rules? No manners at all.”
His voice carried loud and clear, and the players heard every word.
They took deep breaths, reminding themselves repeatedly—don’t lose your temper, don’t blow your cover. The mission comes first.
Oh, and you NPCs are so well-mannered, aren’t you?
Hah!
As if they hadn’t noticed these same NPCs hiding in corners, shamelessly filming their faces with their phones!
“Sir, it’s quite sunny here. You should head home early,” the officer said, shooing the old man away before turning back to the five. “Traffic safety concerns everyone. I won’t fine you this time. Instead, post on your social media that you’ll never break traffic rules again. Gather 30 likes, and you’re free to go.”
Social media?
Was this the first trial of the dungeon?
Already accustomed to bloodshed, their impatience was growing. “We don’t have that!”
The most hot-tempered among them was already reaching into his player inventory, ready to pull out an item and slaughter the NPC in front of him.
So what if the dungeon difficulty had increased? He’d just carve his way through.
---
“You eat first. I’ll sit here and play with my phone for a bit.” Chao Musheng settled onto the sofa, adjusting into a comfortable position. He’d been buried in work at Hanyue for so long that it felt like ages since he’d last lounged around scrolling on his phone.
In just over twenty days, new memes had already taken over the internet. Bored, Chao Musheng flicked through a few posts before the platform pushed him a local livestream.
Inside the stream, a traffic officer was earnestly lecturing five young men on road safety, though the men looked far from convinced.
The stream had few viewers, and some commenters were urging the host to stop, pointing out that this violated privacy rights. But the host ignored them, his tone dripping with eagerness for both the spectacle and the clout.
Chao Musheng glanced at the five men, their expressions fierce. He hoped they’d just listen to the officer and not cause a scene in public.
He exited the stream, turned off his phone, and walked over to Su Chenzhu.
“Done with your phone?” Su Chenzhu looked up at him.
“Not fun anymore.” Chao Musheng eyed the food in the insulated box. “The shrimp today looks delicious. Feed me one.”
Su Chenzhu picked up a shrimp, carefully cupping his hand beneath it to catch any dripping oil. Once Chao Musheng finished eating, he asked softly, “Another?”
“No, I’m just being greedy.” Chao Musheng shook his head. “Hurry up and eat. Stop focusing on sending red packets in the group chat.”
“But I’m happy.” Su Chenzhu picked up a piece of spare rib and handed it to Chao Musheng, who began chewing enthusiastically.
Fine. As long as he was happy.
---
“Breaking traffic rules, and with such a terrible attitude.” The officer was about to write them a ticket when a scream erupted from the crowd.
He looked up just in time to see a man lunging at him with a knife. The strike was swift, the blade aimed straight for his heart—no chance to dodge.
Just as he braced for death, the attacker’s foot caught on something, sending him crashing face-first onto the pavement. His head slammed into the curb, blood gushing as he collapsed, unconscious.
The remaining four players stared in horror. A legendary killer of the Infinite Space, felled in such a humiliating way?
No wonder the system had warned them not to provoke the hostility of NPCs. This world was terrifying.
“Run!”
One of them shouted, and in the chaos of the moment, the four bolted.
“Officer, the livestream viewers and I can testify—you didn’t lay a hand on him!” A man holding up his phone rushed forward. “He tried to attack you and tripped!”
“The other four got away!”
“Call the police! And an ambulance!”
“Running a red light and now attempted assault? Those four must be criminals too!”
The scene devolved into pandemonium—some chasing the fugitives, others calling for help.
The four players sprinted at full speed, using speed-boost items as they followed the system’s directions toward Kunlun Tower.
[Target locked. 51st floor.]
51st floor?!
They craned their necks, staring up at the towering building. Were they supposed to fight their way up from the 4th floor all the way to the top?
With only 23 hours left, they gritted their teeth and marched inside.
Beep beep beep—
The entrance alarms blared—metal detectors.
Security guards immediately swarmed them. “Visitors must register. No weapons allowed.”
The players drew their knives and slashed.
System-grade items against these lowly NPCs? Piece of cake.
Or so they thought.
The moment the blades made contact, they shattered.
Broken? Just like that?
The players gaped at the fragments on the floor. What kind of nightmare world was this?
Kunlun’s guards were highly trained professionals. In seconds, stun batons were out.
Panicking, the players hurled more items at them—
“Agh!”
None of their tools worked. Instead, they were zapped into submission, their limbs numb and useless.
Huddled together under the guards’ black tactical gear, their eyes filled with despair.
This wasn’t a player’s dungeon. This was hell.
Anti-riot forks pinned them to the ground. One guard, whose uniform had been slashed, kicked them viciously. “You think Kunlun security wears civilian-grade gear? This is military spec!”
The players clutched their heads. Once ferocious, they now looked almost docile under the guards’ dominance.
Military spec?
Stronger than system items?
System! System!
They screamed inwardly, but the system remained silent, as if dead.
Had they been abandoned?
Without the system’s power and items, they were reduced to their original, pitiful selves—cowering on the floor, utterly powerless.
The cold floor seeped into their faces, into their minds. This humiliating position hammered home the truth: without the Main God, they were nothing.
They begged silently for the system and the Main God to take them back.
Players who thrived on bullying others could never accept being ordinary again.
---
The game manager arrived at the executive office to find the entire staff glued to their phones, tapping away excitedly.
He exchanged a bewildered look with Assistant Yang. This was the executive office—usually the epitome of professionalism. What was going on?
“Quick, quick! The boss sent another red packet!”
“His relationship is a blessing for us!”
“I got over 100 again!”
Free money, even just a single dollar, was enough to brighten anyone’s day.
"Assistant Yang, is the boss and Assistant Chao in?"
The research team referred to Chao Musheng as "consultant," but the gaming department would never call him that—it was their bottom line and steadfast principle.
Assistant Yang was busy grabbing red envelopes in a group chat. Without looking up, he replied, "It's the boss's lunch break right now. If it's work-related, I suggest coming back in an hour."
No one should disturb the boss's enjoyment of handing out red envelopes!
And certainly not interrupt his romantic time with Assistant Chao during breaks.
"Then can I speak with Assistant Chao?"
"Assistant Chao is on leave today." Having snatched the last red envelope, Assistant Yang finally glanced up at the gaming manager. "Whether it's the boss or Assistant Chao, now isn’t the right time to approach them."
The gaming manager: "..."
Something about the executive office today felt off.
"Something’s happened downstairs!" An assistant answered a call from the front desk. "Four unidentified armed intruders broke into Kunlun Tower, but security has already apprehended them."
"What?!"
Armed intruders at Kunlun?
How niche. Who didn’t know Kunlun had the most professional security team?
"I’ll inform the boss."
The four players lay on the ground, their previously silent system suddenly reactivating.
[Ding! Target for pursuit is 10 meters, 9 meters, 5 meters away… Players, prepare for an all-out attack!]
An all-out attack, my ass!
The players were tightly bound, only able to move their heads and eyeballs.
Footsteps grew louder—quite a few people were approaching.
They strained their necks, desperate to see the face of the NPC who had doomed their mission without even showing up.
"Are these the four intruders?"
The voice was youthful. Under the bright lobby lights, the players squinted to make out the speaker’s appearance.
Around twenty years old, surrounded by protective figures like a pampered young master.
Above his head floated a massive, blood-red elimination marker.
This was their mission target!
"Has anyone called the police?" Chao Musheng noticed the men glaring at him. Scattered on the floor were bizarre plastic toys.
The style looked familiar—just like the ones found under celebrities’ chairs during the charity gala.
He bent down, picking up the two closest toys, and frowned.
[Ding! Mission failed. System disengaging!]
No, no!
At the notification, the players writhed violently, eyes bloodshot with rage.
They were elite players of the infinite game space! The system couldn’t abandon them like this!
"Are they having a seizure?" Secretary Liu eyed the plastic toys in Chao Musheng’s hands warily. "Xiao Chao, throw those away. What if they’re contaminated?"
Chao Musheng immediately dropped them.
One bounced off the floor and smacked a player in the face.
The bound player’s eyes burned with fury as he stared at the "prop" now lying before him.
Was this NPC really treating their hard-earned, life-risking equipment as worthless plastic?!
"Sorry, that wasn’t on purpose." Seeing their outrage, Chao Musheng picked the toy back up and kindly placed it into the player’s bound hands.
Players: "..."
There were many ways to humiliate someone. This NPC had chosen the bluntest.
[Emergency Alert: Players of the Pursuit Game Instance have failed. New players will be selected in four hours.]
In the infinite game lobby, the recently opened Pursuit Game Instance now bore a glaring red "X," marking total player annihilation.
Failed already?
Was this a "player hunts NPC" game or an "NPC hunts player" one?
Veterans of lethal instances paled at the announcement. To avoid being drafted into this nightmare, some even rushed to join other instances.
[Registration failed. Players cannot join other instances before the Pursuit Game begins.]
Players: "..."
"Is the system broken?" Brother Hu muttered. With so many instances available, why obsess over this one?
Xiaojuan stayed silent, staring at the relisted Pursuit Game—still unjoinable. "Brother Hu, ask around. Can anyone manually register for it?"
He returned with odd news. "Only some players can."
Those with decent reputations lacked the option entirely. Only notorious, bloodstained players could sign up.
What was the system trying to achieve? Why bar principled players from entering?
Even the police were stunned. The four fugitives they’d been tracking had somehow ended up at Kunlun Tower. Thankfully, Kunlun’s swift response prevented casualties.
Given the incident, the company let employees leave two hours early.
"My friends are asking when we’re treating them to dinner." Chao Musheng slipped on his jacket. "How about tonight?"
Su Chenzhu paused mid-motion. "Chaochao, wait a moment."
Minutes later, he emerged from the break room in fresh attire, hair styled more youthfully than usual—almost shedding years off his appearance. "How do I look?"
"Handsome." Chao Musheng took his hand. "People on the street will envy me."
"If anyone’s envious, it’ll be of me." Su Chenzhu interlaced their fingers. "I don’t want your friends thinking I’m unworthy of you."
"How could you think that?" Chao Musheng stopped walking, startled by his insecurity. Had he failed to reassure him enough?
"Chaochao." Su Chenzhu pulled him into a tight embrace. Chaochao shone too brightly—always noticed, always adored.
"You’re Su Chenzhu, the head of Kunlun, who’s created countless jobs." Chao Musheng cupped his face. "Every business leader probably thinks I’m the lucky one."
"Anyone who disagrees," Su Chenzhu murmured, forehead pressed to his, voice rough, "has terrible taste."
Chao Musheng laughed, hugging him back. "Then anyone saying you’re not good enough for me is equally tasteless. People without taste don’t speak sense."
"I booked a private room near campus." He kissed Su Chenzhu’s cheek. "Let’s go, boyfriend."
"Eldest Brother, has Old Fourth gotten another bonus recently? He’s treating us at such a high-end restaurant." Old Third looked around the opulent private room, snapping several photos with his phone. "I wonder what his girlfriend looks like."
The League Branch Secretary sitting beside him smiled without a word. Who said the romantic partner had to be a woman?
"League Branch Secretary, what are you smiling about?" Old Third noticed her expression. "You went to Hanyue too—you must’ve seen Old Fourth’s girlfriend. Is she pretty?"
"Not just pretty, but also wealthy." Under the curious gazes of everyone at the table, the League Branch Secretary’s smile deepened. "Most of us here have probably met him before."
"We’ve met?" Old Third was stunned. "Is it a senior from our fourth year?"
Among the seniors who went to Hanyue for the aid mission, whose family was well-off?
"No." The League Branch Secretary shook her head with a smile.
"Then…" Another classmate’s eyes sparkled with gossipy excitement. "Is it a senior brother?"
"Also no." The League Branch Secretary set down her teacup. "Stop guessing. Chao Musheng will be bringing his partner upstairs soon."
Just imagining the expressions everyone would wear when they saw Chao Musheng’s boyfriend made her want to laugh.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Old Third eagerly jumped up to open it.
"President Su?" Old Third froze at the sight of Su Chenzhu following behind Chao Musheng. He forced an awkward smile, unable to resist peeking behind the two.
"Old Fourth, why didn’t you bring your girlfriend along?"
President Su?!
No one had expected a figure as prominent as Su Chenzhu to dine at the same table with them. Everyone stiffened and stood up in nervous respect.
Chao Musheng shook his head. "I don’t have a girlfriend. Why are you all standing? Sit down."
He held Su Chenzhu’s hand as they stepped into the room, raising their joined hands. "Let me introduce everyone—this is my boyfriend, Su Chenzhu."
"Hello, everyone." Su Chenzhu smiled. "Thank you for taking care of Chao Chao all this time."
The classmates in the room: …Huh?!
What?!
What did Chao Musheng just say?!
President Su—a man of his stature—was his boyfriend?!
Dazed, everyone slowly sank back into their seats, speechless for a long moment.
"Order whatever you like." Chao Musheng grinned. "Don’t hold back on my boyfriend’s wallet."
"President Su." Eldest Brother was the first to break the silence. "Does… does anyone else know about your relationship with… with Musheng?"
"Of course." Su Chenzhu didn’t dismiss Chao Musheng’s student friends. Instead, he met their gazes with solemn sincerity. "Chao Chao and I are serious about each other."
Eldest Brother’s tense expression relaxed slightly. "Congratulations to you both."
"This is a small gift from our dorm." Eldest Brother presented an elegantly wrapped box. "Please don’t think it’s beneath you."
Inside was a beautifully crafted fountain pen.
"Thank you." Su Chenzhu accepted it. "I like it very much."
"You all prepared gifts?" Chao Musheng noticed the other friends had presents tucked behind them too.
"Brother Chao, I didn’t know your partner was President Su." One friend hesitated, clutching a gift box. "So mine might be a bit… feminine."
"The thought matters more than the gift." Chao Musheng took it on Su Chenzhu’s behalf and handed it to him.
"Thank you." Su Chenzhu accepted each carefully chosen present, warmth softening his usually sharp features.
"It’s our first time meeting your partner—of course we brought gifts." Old Third, now more at ease seeing Su Chenzhu’s gentle demeanor, grinned. "It’s all about the ceremony."
"Order, order! Anything on the menu!" Chao Musheng raised his glass of soda. "Thanks for the thoughtful gifts, everyone."
Su Chenzhu lifted his own glass. "Thank you."
He deliberately toned down his imposing aura, and with Chao Musheng lightening the mood, the table soon forgot Su Chenzhu’s status as a tycoon. They eagerly shared amusing stories about Chao Musheng.
Su Chenzhu listened intently, savoring every detail.
As the atmosphere warmed, he excused himself to settle the bill while the others teased Chao Musheng.
The hallway was quiet. Behind a potted plant, Lin Sheng—his face blank and lifeless—stirred at Su Chenzhu’s approach.
High-energy detected. Absorbing it would let him break free from this world and return to his main body.
Su Chenzhu paused, his smile fading as his gaze landed on Lin Sheng.
"I don’t understand." Lin Sheng stared at him, puzzled. "Your energy is… chaotic."
Last night, his connection to the main system had abruptly severed. Without directives, his mind grew sluggish, leaving only instinct to seek sustaining power.
Su Chenzhu remained silent.
"Humans are greedy and vile." Lin Sheng took a step forward. "Lend me your strength, and I’ll purge this world of its ugliness. Your energy will stabilize."
Su Chenzhu’s voice was ice. "Get lost."
With a tap of his foot, the corridor warped, dissolving into a barren void.
"I traced the threads of rewritten fate." Lin Sheng’s confusion was almost childlike. "Gods spare no mercy. Why pay such a price to alter destiny?"
Su Chenzhu’s hand shot out, seizing Lin Sheng—now a writhing, slimy tendril covered in panicked eyes.
"You scorn humanity, yet a mere fragment like you has learned their greed and curiosity." Su Chenzhu tightened his grip. "This world belongs to me and Chao Chao. Outsiders aren’t welcome."
"You—!" The tendril shrieked. "You’re the one who fought the Main God in the void! You disrupted the plan!"
Only a god could defy another’s design.
"Main God’s… orders…" It twisted, torn between fleeing and obeying its last command:
Sever the bond between life and fate.
"No." Su Chenzhu’s fingertip glowed, reducing the tendril to dust.
"I didn’t change fate." He opened his hand, letting the ashes scatter. "Humans decide their own destiny."
Glancing down, he saw golden seals flicker across his palm.
"Su Chenzhu." Chao Musheng pushed open the private room door, spotting him in the hall. "Were you paying the bill?"
"Mn." Su Chenzhu turned, softening. "Chao Chao, done catching up with your friends?"
He didn’t care for humanity.
But his Chao Chao loved this world and all in it.
"Your hand—?" Chao Musheng hurried over, grabbing his wrist.
A faint scratch marred the back of it.
"Ah." Su Chenzhu shrugged. "Someone bumped into me earlier."
