Rebirth

The night spread over the vast land, with moonlight illuminating the persistent presence of death. It was a gruesome scene of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. The remnants of magic left behind still flickered with despair. On the blood-stained battlefield, no humans were to be seen, but monsters roamed in the thousands.

Zhang Mu was half-buried among the dead, his body soaked as if he had just been pulled out of a pool of blood. A fatal wound stretched from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, nearly splitting him in two.

Cold, so bitterly cold, he could feel his life slipping away, his consciousness fading.

In the eastern sky, a hint of snow-white emerged; dawn was about to break, and with it, an impending end.

In just over seventy days, the entire population of Jiangcheng had been wiped out!

Four million people, all dead!

The once-thriving metropolis was now a playground for monsters.

Perhaps it was the sound of his breathing that drew the monster's attention. Heavy footsteps approached until a massive figure loomed before him, blocking the light of dawn. The creature stood three meters tall, with greenish-black skin, ferocious fangs, large, bell-like eyes, and wielded a club smeared with a mix of red and white substances.

The ogre had found the barely breathing survivor and couldn't help but reveal a brutal sneer. It swung its club, smashing it down heavily.

Zhang Mu lost consciousness.

...

July 16, 2015

It felt like a brief moment, yet also as if centuries had passed. His dormant consciousness was suddenly yanked back from the abyss, all sensations returning. He bolted upright in bed.

Where was this?

Zhang Mu looked around frantically, his gaze finally settling on the mirror opposite him. Reflected was a young face, with thick, disheveled black hair. He wasn't remarkably handsome, but he had a well-proportioned face and strikingly delicate features. His complexion was somewhat pale, and his face was covered in cold sweat, as if he had just awakened from a nightmare."My rental place?" Zhang Mu touched his intact body, his expression one of disbelief. "Didn't I already die in battle?"

Could all of this have been just a nightmare?

Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he glanced at the digital clock on the wall. It read 9:30 PM. If his memory served him right, there were only two and a half hours left before the game started. Of course, it could just be a coincidence. But at that moment, a familiar ringtone echoed in his ears.

A chill went down Zhang Mu's spine, the once-blurry past regaining clarity... He realized that everything was exactly as he remembered. The call was from Sun Lin, his college girlfriend, or at least she still was at the moment. If he wasn't mistaken, the first thing she would ask upon connecting was: "Where are you?"

A female voice came from the phone: "Where are you?"

Zhang Mu felt his heart sink. "I'm home."

"I'm downstairs."

"Why don't you come up?"

"No, come down. I need to talk to you," she ended abruptly.

Sun Lin hung up. Listening to the busy tone, Zhang Mu's thoughts plunged into chaos. The identical situation made him aware of a grave issue: perhaps those weren't dreams, everything was about to happen, all was to be replayed.

Sun Lin was waiting downstairs. Eventually, what needed to be confronted couldn't be avoided.

After a moment's contemplation, Zhang Mu got dressed and went downstairs.

The night was cool, a thin mist in the air, the streetlights casting a slight crimson hue, as though the world were steeped in a blood-mist, filling the atmosphere with an eerie sense.

There stood Sun Lin under the streetlight, dressed in a beige T-shirt with capri jeans, her curly blonde hair draped over her shoulders, and a luxurious handbag slung over her arm. She looked vibrant and stunning, turning the heads of passersby. Upon seeing Zhang Mu approach, her beautiful face was shrouded in frost.

"Did the great writer sleep all day?"The once dream-haunting, familiar face presented itself before me again. It felt almost like a lifetime had passed. They say time can dilute emotions, and that adversity can numb a person, but being in the same situation still unavoidably stirs up a touch of sourness and melancholy, especially when you know what's going to unfold next. If my memory serves me right, I've been working on a horror story recently, finding the night atmosphere more conducive to sparking inspiration. That's why I've been pulling all-nighters and sleeping through the day.

Sun Lin's face was expressionless, her eyes flicking to the side as she spoke in a neutral tone, "There are some things I've kept hidden for a long time. Shall we sit somewhere and talk?"

"No need. Just speak your mind," I responded.

"We should break up."

If there was any hope before this moment, now I could confirm the harsh reality.

Zhang Mu took a deep breath, his face calm, and asked, "Is it because of Huang Kai?"

"You knew? That's good. I don't want to hide it anymore," Sun Lin seemed to raise her voice deliberately, drawing weird looks from passersby. "You're dependable and ambitious, cautious, and responsible, but you lack passion. You may provide a sense of security, but that's not scarce in this day and age. What girls nowadays seek is excitement and romance. I don't think you understand life, let alone love, so I don't want to continue with this!"

Zhang Mu's expression didn't change, his dark eyes like an unfathomable, icy pool, calm yet profound. His reaction was unexpectedly stoic, eerily so. Those deep eyes seemed capable of peering into one's soul, giving Sun Lin a sense of foreboding.

She grew somewhat flustered and, without waiting for him to speak, added, "Yes, I liked you in the past, but after being together, I realized you're not my type. Huang Kai is generous and outgoing; he can give me everything I want, unlike you, always cooped up in your room, typing away. Love shouldn't be forced; I hope you understand!"Sun Lin knew him too well. An unfortunate childhood had shaped Zhang Mu's unique personality. He was a man of few words, with a passion for reading and writing. Starting in high school, he gained a bit of fame as an author, specializing in suspense and horror stories. The royalties from his writing covered all his university expenses, met Sun Lin's extravagant needs, replaced old appliances at home, and even allowed him to purchase a new computer for his sister who had just started college. To others, Zhang Mu seemed introverted but gentle. His emotions rarely showed on his face, yet he possessed a meticulous and delicate mind. Whenever faced with difficulties, he might appear calm, like still water, but internally, he was always brewing a counterplan.

Undeniably, Zhang Mu was an exceptional man. However, when compared with Huang Kai, he seemed to fall short. The Huang family was quite prestigious in Jiangcheng, known for producing generations of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. They had both power and wealth, with a very affluent household. Sun Lin, inherently vain, didn't want to miss the chance to 'become a phoenix'—her metaphor for drastically improving her situation. That's why she wanted Zhang Mu to give up on her completely!

Zhang Mu's gaze turned sharp as a blade, chilling and intimidating. "Do you think Huang Kai is better than me?" he asked.

"Yes!" Sun Lin met his icy stare, feeling as though she had fallen into an icy cavern. She had never seen such a terrifying expression. Hastily, she added, "You have to understand, I don't owe you anything. Seeking a better life, you, as a man, should wish me happiness graciously!"

Zhang Mu sighed softly. "You're right, everyone has the right to pursue a better life, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, you shouldn't trample on my dignity as a stepping stone for your ascent."

Sun Lin started to panic. "What... what are you talking about…"

Zhang Mu's speech was steady, neither slow nor hurried. "As for you believing that a man who sends a woman to do his talking, one who shrinks back himself, is stronger than me—then from a man's perspective, I indeed need to take some actions."

About a hundred meters away, a black BMW was parked by the roadside.Zhang Mu, like a gust of wind, suddenly charged forward, yanked open the car door, and dragged out a trendy young man with a silver earring.

Huang Kai was shocked and yelled, "What the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" He was half a head taller than Zhang Mu and had an impressive build. Yet, he was pulled from the car like a ragdoll and heavily thrown to the ground.

Sun Lin screamed, "Stop it!"

Huang Kai had been secretly pursuing Sun Lin for half a month without anyone knowing. Today, having successfully confessed his feelings and anticipating a spectacle, he specially came to witness Sun Lin breaking up with Zhang Mu. He intended to then grandly drive his new car over and take the girl away publicly, relishing the despair on his rival's face. Sun Lin was also keen on this, seeing it as a token of commitment, and thus she actively played along with Huang Kai's plans.

Who would have expected Zhang Mu to recognize Huang Kai's new car, and who could have imagined that Zhang Mu, known for his gentle temperament and calm demeanor, would do something so outrageous in front of a crowd?

Furious, Huang Kai cursed, "You bastard, do you have any idea who I am? My dad is the head of the department. If you dare harm a single hair on my head, I'll have your whole family killed..."

Zhang Mu grabbed Huang Kai, smashed his head against the car, then swung a left hook, knocking out two of Huang Kai's teeth. Following that, with a heavy punch from his right hand, he nearly broke Huang Kai's prominent nose.

Dazed from the blows, Huang Kai hadn't even reacted when Zhang Mu forcefully kneed him in the stomach, almost making him vomit his dinner. Zhang Mu continued, slapping him repeatedly, disorienting him to the point where he couldn't tell east from west, his cheeks stinging and swelling like a pig's head.

Sun Lin screamed in panic, attracting several passersby who gathered nearby, discussing the commotion excitedly.

"How can they fight like that?"

"The rich second generation guy tried to steal someone's girlfriend and got beaten up!"

"Well, what's there to discuss? He deserves it, he should be hit, and hit hard!"Several bystanders, young guys, not only didn't try to stop the fight, but they also cheered, finding the scene satisfying. People often harbor a resentment towards the wealthy and prefer to sympathize with the underprivileged in daily life. However, understanding what was happening, they chose to watch with detached indifference.

"Do you think you can push me around because I'm soft? Are you proud of your 'bureau chief' daddy?" Zhang Mu pinned the bruised and swollen Huang Kai to the ground, gripping his arm and said with his usual calm, "Come on, call me 'daddy,' and I'll let you go."

Enraged, Huang Kai cursed, "I f*** your..." But he couldn't even finish his last word before a crisp "snap" interrupted him, his left arm was cleanly and decisively broken. The brutality of the act frightened the onlookers tremendously, and some had already called the police.

Zhang Mu grabbed Huang Kai's other hand, "You still have one arm and both legs. I'm counting to three."

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

With tears and snot streaming down his face, Huang Kai screamed thrice before passing out from the pain.

Zhang Mu kicked the unconscious Huang Kai, sneering, "Good boy!"

Sun Lin was utterly shocked, "You... you've gone mad!"

"People who only want to live relying on others are forever just background characters. It's better to take control of your own destiny and honor than to leave it in someone else's hands. Sun Lin, this is my final piece of advice to you. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Zhang Mu lifted his head to look at the night sky, his voice slightly hoarse, "The times are changing rapidly; take care of yourself."

Huang Kai lay motionless on the ground like a dead dog, while Sun Lin stared blankly at Zhang Mu's departing figure. This usually gentle and introverted man had shown such a domineering side, causing turmoil in Sun Lin's heart, her emotions becoming extremely complicated. She felt as though she had lost something precious forever.Zhang Mu returned to his modest one-bedroom rental. Though small, the space was clean and tidy, housing nothing of high value except for a computer he used for regular writing. Originally from Yan City, this 21-year-old was majoring in Chinese Literature at Jiangcheng University and was in his senior year. Currently, he was interning at a local magazine in Jiangcheng.

After a quick change of clothes and putting on a baseball cap, he immediately headed out. The security guard, who had been searching for his residence, was downstairs inquiring about his whereabouts. Zhang Mu casually walked past him, slipping into a dark corner and climbing over the wall to leave the residential area. Despite walking along the bustling and noisy streets, his mind was anything but at peace. He was still trying to make sense of his situation.

Why would someone, supposed to be dead, be reborn into the past?

Or perhaps, it wasn't rebirth per se.

It could have been a unique twist of fate that allowed Zhang Mu the extraordinary chance to foresee the future. He was like a player who had taken part in a game beta test; those two months of intense, combative living were a form of special training. They had provided him with invaluable intelligence and honed his mental strength, giving him a starting advantage over any other player.

Zhang Mu couldn't bear the thought of being humiliated a second time, nor did he want to experience death again!

At midnight, the game would commence precisely on schedule!