"???" Ivy exclaimed in bewilderment.
Watching the progress bar steadily climb across her retina, Ivy's jaw dropped and her heart pounded against her ribs like a frantic drum.
What the hell?
The game was turning into reality?
She, Ivy, a broke college student who couldn't even pass her exams, was about to become the founder of Destiny, the world-renowned villain Unity, pursued by humanity?
Back when the game was just a game, Ivy had fantasized about it replacing reality. But now that it had actually become real, she instinctively felt a sense of danger.
But there was a whole damn officer in her house! Did becoming a boss mean that her first step was… killing her father?
“Well, if it means I can suddenly become a big shot, taking on some sins, like, wouldn’t be too bad, cough, cough…”
Ivy’s mind was racing, the screen on her retina shifting and coalescing into two 3D character models.
One was clearly her own face, wearing the same school uniform she had on, standing in a pool of light.
The other, however, was Unity, seated upon a throne of fate. Her face was obscured by shadows, but her posture was regal and commanding.
The two 3D models stood on opposite sides, their shadows stretching and twisting as if under the influence of some strange force. A glowing symbol appeared between them.
[Inheritance Progress: 0%!]
[Inheritance Progress Not Activated. Requires completion of Activation Mission—Blood and Iron.
Blood and Iron: You must immerse yourself in blood and iron, complete a death sacrifice, to demonstrate your resolve and rebirth.
Completion Rewards: 1. Activation
2. Inheritance of Iron Eater
3. ??
Sacrifice Ritual as Follows.......]
A mission pop-up appeared before Ivy, overwhelming her with its sudden arrival.
[Blood and Iron], [Death Sacrifice]?
The opening keywords sent shivers down Ivy’s spine. After that, she didn’t have the mental capacity to focus on the rewards or the mission steps.
"Whether I sacrifice others or myself, I can't do it," Ivy muttered.
She desperately wanted to inherit the game, but these harsh words were like a bucket of ice water poured over her heart.
Sacrifice herself – suicide;
Sacrifice others – murder;
Either way, Ivy felt the risk factor was way too high. What if she failed the mission and got herself killed before she even got started?
Ivy was willing to inherit the game, to take on the burden, but that meant inheriting first, then taking on the burden.
This activation mission, however, was the opposite: taking on the burden first, then inheriting.
The former meant reaping the benefits first, then facing the dangers as they came. The latter meant facing the dangers first, then reaping the benefits as they came.
Ivy took a few deep breaths, frustration welling up inside her. She minimized the game window on her retina.
She pulled open her window blinds and peered out through the narrow, cracked window pane. Dense, tangled pipes spewed out gray smoke, blending with the polluted air to create a greasy, hazy color.
“It’s like a rotting garbage heap,” she thought. “Countless green and red maggots crawl and fester inside. I’m just a malnourished one among them!”
She glanced up. Night in Lower City wasn’t truly night, because the sky wasn’t lit by the sun but by the butt of Higher City.
The people of Lower City had a more familiar name for the Black Sky: Lights Out!
....
Waking up, Ivy had two dark circles under her eyes.
She hadn't slept at all. Even when she closed her eyes, the game images continued to play in her dreams.
She quickly wolfed down a few bites of rice and rushed out the door.
After she left, Eric Ruiz emerged from the bedroom.
Wang Suli, observing her eldest daughter’s heavy-hearted expression, said with concern, “Your eldest daughter didn't sleep well. You shouldn’t have spoken like that last night, it hurt her self-esteem.”
Eric Ruiz gnawed on a steamed bun, completely dismissive. “Which of my words weren’t true? She’s got weak constitution, no future, isn’t that the truth? Don’t think this brat won’t hold a grudge just because she doesn’t say anything. She’s burning inside.”
Wang Suli was astonished. “You know that and still provoke her?”
Stolen story; please report.
Eric Ruiz let out a cold snort. “I have to use this method to extinguish the fire in her heart.”
His tone wasn't like he was talking to his daughter, more like he was talking to a prisoner he was interrogating, cold and cruel. “Talented people can suppress their anger and call it a strong heart. Un talented people can only harm themselves by suppressing their anger.”
Wang Suli wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.
Eric Ruiz slammed his chopsticks down on the table. “If you want to survive in Lower City, you have to know your place. I have to help her extinguish that fire in her heart. Only then will she be willing to back down, become a good little girl, help with chores, and assist Audrey.”
Wang Suli was just a housewife, she didn't understand these principles. She could only sigh, “It's just unfortunate for her.”
“Unfortunate?” Eric Ruiz scoffed. “As long as Audrey can have a good future, what does it matter if Ivy suffers a little? Besides, what lower-class people like us aren't suffering? Being able to live is good enough.”
Audrey Ruiz, still sleepy, walked out from her bedroom. “Dad, when are you going to take me to buy a watch?”
Eric Ruiz put on a stern face, pretending to be angry. “You always thinking about a watch, huh? We’ll buy it on the way to school later. You have to study hard in your new class. Don’t let your mom and I down.”
Audrey smiled like a flower. “I’ll definitely study hard and get into Higher City to become an elite. Then, I’ll bring all of you to live there with me.”
...
“Those who have their college entrance exam qualification certificate need to come in this Tuesday. Students who are not taking the exam can also go to the Academic Affairs Office to register this week and graduate early.”
During the break, Class Teacher Dong Kai walked in to announce the notice.
As Dong Kai spoke, his gaze swept across the classroom, pausing momentarily on Ivy’s hunched figure. He felt no particular waves of emotion.
“From next week onwards, the classroom will be about one-third empty,” Dong Kai thought to himself.
Every year, as the college entrance exams approached, there would always be a group of students who would graduate early. He had grown accustomed to it.
He hadn't bothered to delve into the reasons behind it. It was simply because they didn't have talent, didn't see any hope, or couldn't afford the exam fees… In short, they were eliminated from the college entrance exam.
“Wow, early graduation! Makes me want to do it too. It’s basically a forced leave of absence though.” A voice mumbled from the corner.
This was followed by a burst of laughter.
The laughter might not have been malicious or sarcastic, but it was impossible to hide the sense of superiority it carried.
At this moment, the whole classroom was cut into two distinct circles. One circle tilted their heads back and laughed, while the other bowed their heads in silence. They were like two worlds apart.
Ding-a-ling—
“Alright, the next class is in the martial arts training room. Don’t be late,” Dong Kai reminded them before turning and leaving the classroom.
Several of the students who had been joking followed him out. Suddenly, one of them turned back and said with a laugh, “Don’t come and use up our weapon resources if you’re not taking the college entrance exam. We don’t have enough to go around. Thanks.”
Martial arts training required various weapons. Limited to the 47 available resources, the students usually shared a set among themselves.
The words fell, and the figures who had risen in silence stiffened before sinking back into their seats.
The classroom quickly fell into a deathly silence. Time seemed to freeze as each motionless figure remained stiff and silent. Ivy was a part of that oppressive stillness.
After a while, a hoarse voice said, “People are different from birth. My father told me this, but I didn’t understand it back then. Now, I understand.”
Another voice, deadpan, said, “My mother also told me this, that the rich have their fate, the poor have their fate. That's just the way it is. You have to accept it if you want to live long. That’s the rule of Lower City.”
A voice filled with anguish said, “I just can't accept this rule! Why does the government have to put everyone into different tiers? What’s even funnier is that you can only get a basic ranking in the government system by passing the college entrance exam. But we, we’re nothing in the government system. Do you know what that means?”
An indignant voice answered, “It means that we are only worthy of the most miserable life, the lowest wages, no benefits, no access to locked areas, forced to buy standing tickets for the train, limited access to medicine when we get sick, and we can’t even afford a grave when we die.”
A rational voice chimed in, “That’s because after the Great Catastrophe, the planet’s resources were depleted. The human government designed a [Blood Replacement Elimination Mechanism]. Resources are prioritized for Higher City because it represents the future of humanity. Lower City entered an era of low energy consumption, and the ranking system was refined.”
A voice choked with sobs added, “The ranking system represents potential and contribution to human survival. The higher your ranking, the more resources and benefits you receive. And the college entrance exam is the most important initial ranking for most people. Having a ranking at least means that you are valuable to human survival. Being a void, however, means—you have no value. You’re just waste blood in the human circulatory system. Even breathing is wasting resources. You should be expelled from the body.”
A meek voice chimed in, “I heard that at the beginning of the new era, those who were voids were collectively sent to the [Eternal Sleep Zone]. But over the past 200 years, humanity has recovered its humanistic civilization. People like us have an opportunity to contribute a little to human survival with our remaining miserable lives. We should be grateful.”
Everyone’s venting was silenced.
"You're right, we should be grateful. I'm going to take my father's blessing next month and go burn the dead bodies in the disposal factory. I'm going to the Academic Affairs Office now. Who wants to go with me?"
"Yeah, I’ll go with you. I’m not brave enough to burn the dead bodies. I’ll go find a construction site and move bricks."
"Alright, let's go to the Academic Affairs Office."
"I don't want to live like this forever, with no strength. I want to go out and fight. One day, I want to go to Higher City and see it for myself. I heard the water there is pure and clean, the air is sweet. So, I'm going to apply to join the Investigation Corps, the Lower City outpost."
"La Tap, you're crazy. The outpost is cannon fodder. You'll die."
"I'd rather die trying for that chance. It's better than living like this. At least it's a quick death. I'm just afraid they won't even look at a broken life like mine."
“It's better to die a peaceful death than to live a miserable life, you know… ”
One by one, figures rose and left the classroom.
“Ivy, aren’t you coming?”
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
Ivy responded with a blank face, but her butt remained glued to the chair. Her black eyes, like the smoke before a storm, held a heavy restraint.
“You’re not afraid of death, but you are afraid of not even having a chance to die?”
Ivy sat in the stifling classroom, the air stagnant and heavy under the whirring fans. She unconsciously swayed her water cup.
On the surface of the water, there was a thick layer of sediment—a neutralizer for radioactive residue.
The upper tiers were cleaner and transparent, while the lower tiers were filled with murky contamination.
“Maybe I'll drink this water and die tomorrow. This world, ha ha, what am I hesitating for?”
Ivy swallowed hard, grabbed her bag, and walked out of the classroom. She glanced at the Academic Affairs Office and the martial arts training room, then turned her head and walked in the opposite direction.
Those weren't the paths she had to follow. Her path was only visible to her.
[Blood and Iron: You must immerse yourself in blood and iron, complete a death sacrifice, to demonstrate your resolve and rebirth.
Completion Rewards: 1. Activation
2. Inheritance of Iron Eater
3. ??
Sacrifice Ritual as Follows: 1 pound raw iron, use fresh blood to draw the symbol of fate.]
(PS: The fearless and insane bathe in their own blood to be reborn. The weak and vicious beasts devour the blood of their kind to recover their souls. Different choices forge different destinies!)