Year 2210, Yanxia, Jinghua City.

Even in the outskirts, the streets of Jinghua City never escaped the clutches of congestion. Ye Tianxie walked alone amidst the bustling crowd, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, his head slightly lowered as he gazed at the ground. His unfocused eyes didn’t look ahead, yet he never collided with anyone. He wore a blue plaid collared shirt, slightly worn black slim-fit pants, and a pair of sky-blue slippers—an outfit exuding a carefree, unrestrained homey vibe. However, even with this casual appearance, the dangerous aura he unconsciously exuded made many young women steal glances at him.

Today marked the 60th day since the distribution of the gaming devices for Destiny and also the official launch of the game at exactly noon. At this moment, the time pointed to 9 AM.

Despite it being the 60th day, the nearest distribution center still had an endlessly long queue. Ye Tianxie wasn’t surprised. He stopped at the end of the line, observing that the crowd’s size was entirely incomparable to the first month of distribution. Few had the patience to wait until today like he did. He lifted his head, looking at the blue-and-white sky, where a long streak ran across its center— a white scar-like mark stretching across the heavens. Ever since it suddenly appeared a hundred years ago, it had sparked global turmoil and countless expert speculations. However, as time passed, people grew from finding it bizarre to regarding it as a natural part of life. Now, anyone born into this world would always see a sky bearing this scar, while an entirely pure blue sky only remained in century-old images.

"Hello, sir. Please provide a DNA sample," the receptionist greeted with a professional smile. However, after a long moment, she received no response from the man before her. Ye Tianxie smirked slightly, admiring the young woman before him—an embodiment of "pleasing to the eye." Appreciating beauty was one of the greatest enjoyments for all men, and he was no exception.

Under his direct, invasive gaze, this woman—who dealt with countless individuals daily and never lost her composure—felt her heartbeat inexplicably quicken. His deep, dangerous eyes carried an inexplicable pull, as if an irresistible mystery beckoned her into its depths. She found herself sinking into his gaze, powerless to resist…

A single broken hair lay in Ye Tianxie’s palm as he presented it before the young woman. It was as if she awoke from a trance, no longer daring to meet his eyes. Flustered, she awkwardly picked up the strand of hair from his hand. In that fleeting moment of contact, the brief touch between their fingers amplified the strange feeling in her heart. This man is dangerous… a voice whispered in her mind. Yet, her erratic heartbeat refused to settle. Not daring to lift her head, she busied herself with the device in her hands to conceal her slight panic. "What type of device do you prefer… a pendant or a wristband?"

Full-dive virtual reality games had risen at the end of the 21st century and reached their peak in the 22nd. They connected players to an alternate reality through gaming helmets or pods, creating an entirely new world for humankind. By the 23rd century, virtual gaming had taken another unprecedented leap—Destiny, a game shrouded in endless mystery. What astounded everyone was that its gaming device was neither a cumbersome helmet nor an immersion pod but rather a small pendant worn around the neck or a lightweight wristband. No cables, no complicated operations, not even the need for charging. According to official statements, the built-in power source could last for over fifty years. Each person could own only one device, bound to their DNA upon registration. Even more astonishingly, every device was distributed for free.

After much hesitation, the girl mustered up all her courage, keeping her head low as she placed a thick card in Ye Tianxie's hand. "Sir, this… this is my personal phone number. If you have any questions about usage, you can… you can call me anytime…."

By the end, her voice was as soft as a whisper. Even she couldn’t believe that she—who rejected countless suitors daily—had voluntarily given her contact information to a man she had just met.

Ye Tianxie glanced at the nearly weightless black wristband on his arm, then flashed a smile that left the young woman spellbound before turning to leave. She stood there in a daze, staring at his departing figure, seemingly entranced.

Turning a corner, Ye Tianxie flicked his wrist, and without even glancing at the two cards in his hand, they disintegrated into paper scraps. His expression remained unchanged as he walked at a steady pace toward his residence—a place that could no longer be called a "home."

In this materialistic world, filled with filth and corruption, a girl like her was as rare as a diamond in the sands. But… for a man who had once possessed the most beautiful stars in existence, even a diamond was merely a diamond.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

He raised his wrist, examining the black wristband. Despite already knowing much about it through various sources, holding it in his hands for the first time still left him astonished. Perhaps everyone who received one would have the same doubts—could something this small, this light, truly connect to Destiny, the game hailed as the miracle of the century?

Just as he was lost in thought, hurried footsteps approached from ahead. As Ye Tianxie turned a corner, he nearly collided with a figure rushing toward him. Instinctively, he raised his left hand to block—and his palm met something incredibly soft and rounded. The perfect sensation sent a wave of excitement through his nerves, his fingers unconsciously giving a slight squeeze before he realized what he was touching. Then, he turned and bolted.

"AHHH—!"

A scream so loud that it nearly shattered Ye Tianxie’s eardrums erupted behind him. He glanced back, catching sight of a young girl in a blue-and-white plaid dress, her hands tightly covering her chest in panic. Behind her, four men in black suits and polished leather shoes—two of them wearing dark sunglasses—chased after him with grim expressions. Their attire screamed, Look at us, we’re bodyguards.

They were incredibly fast. Within moments, they had nearly caught up, just inches from grabbing Ye Tianxie’s back. Ahead was an alleyway between two buildings. With a swift turn, he darted inside, and the four men followed immediately. But then… they stopped.

Not because the alley was a dead end, but because the man they had been chasing… had vanished.

They had seen him run in. The gap in time between them was less than half a second—there was simply no way he could have disappeared from sight. Did he fly? Or turn invisible?

The four men stood there, dumbfounded. After a long hesitation, one of them suddenly shouted, "Damn it! Could this be a diversion?!" and they quickly retreated.

Above them, standing atop a six-story building, Ye Tianxie watched them leave, a thoughtful expression on his face. He raised his left hand, his lips curling into a wicked smirk. His palm still carried the memory of that astonishingly soft sensation, and the faint fragrance of a young girl’s perfume lingered in the air.

"Hmm… looks like this little girl isn’t just anyone," he murmured to himself. "If I’ve traumatized your delicate heart, that would be my greatest sin… Because, I did it on purpose."

A brand-new breakthrough—Destiny, a game shrouded in mystery. Beyond everything else, its gaming device alone was enough to leave the world in awe. Gone were the cumbersome helmets and bulky immersion pods, replaced by a small pendant worn around the neck or a sleek wristband on the wrist. No cables, no complicated operations, not even the need for charging. According to official statements, the built-in power supply could last over fifty years. Players were free to choose their preferred device, but each person could only own one, permanently bound to their DNA.

Even more astonishing—every device was distributed completely free of charge.

Ye Tianxie tugged at the thin black cord around his neck, drawing the girl’s attention. Hanging from it was a peculiar ornament—jet black, elongated, and irregularly shaped, with seven evenly spaced holes of identical size. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but under the sunlight, she could faintly see each of the seven holes reflecting an incredibly subtle glow—each in a different hue. When combined, they seemed to form the seven colors of the solar spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet.

“Sir, p-please wait a moment.” The girl, realizing her momentary distraction, quickly composed herself, though her actions became even more awkward. She carefully placed his hair sample into the machine, unconsciously memorizing the information displayed on the screen. Finally, she pressed the red button, completing the DNA binding process. Handing over a black wristband along with an elegantly crafted business card, she said, “Sir, this is your device. Please take care of it, and enjoy your time in the game. This is our branch office’s service card—if you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time.”

Ye Tianxie extended his left hand but did not take the items immediately. The girl hesitated, then finally gathered her courage to lift her gaze—her eyes meeting his deep, captivating ones. The moment their eyes locked, her heartbeat quickened once more.

Then, he spoke.

"Charms—Jasmine’s Dream. The perfect blend of jasmine, rose, and lily of the valley. A fragrance that intertwines warmth and freshness, elegant and delicate, pure yet intoxicating. It belongs to a girl of grace and tenderness—a fairy bestowed upon this world by the gods. I wonder… do I have the honor of letting such a fairy personally fasten this black binding upon me?"

A soft flush bloomed across the girl’s fair cheeks, her head lowering as she fidgeted nervously. The professional composure she had trained for years seemed to have vanished without a trace. Charms—Jasmine’s Dream. It was her favorite perfume, the one she had adored ever since she first encountered its scent. To this day, her fondness for it had never faded.

Ye Tianxie hadn’t expected her to be so easily flustered—she seemed more like an inexperienced girl untouched by romance. That only heightened his desire to tease her further. His deep eyes glimmered with mischievous amusement as he watched her delicate hands—slightly damp with nervousness—tremble as she fastened the black wristband onto him. A simple motion, yet under her quivering fingers, it stretched into an agonizingly slow process.

Throughout it all, Ye Tianxie savored the sight of her enchanting expressions, thoroughly enjoying the delightful moment.