The Game Begin

Zhang Mu carefully sorted through his memories and pulled out his phone to dial a number. Soon, a very sweet voice came from the other end.

"Hello, big brother? I've missed you so much! Do you have any new works coming out?"

Zhang Mu had an extremely unfortunate childhood. He had been in a car accident when he was young and had witnessed the deaths of his biological parents. He spent time in an orphanage and wasn't adopted until he was ten by the Chen family. By then, he was considered too old to change his surname. Chen Tingting is his sister, though they are not related by blood.

"Tingting," Zhang Mu's tone softened when he heard his sister's voice, "What I'm about to say might sound insane, and no one might believe it, but you trust your brother, right?"

"Of course, Tingting totally believes in her brother!"

"I am very lucid, not out of my mind. This information is crucial; promise me you'll remember it."

Chen Tingting, who has always admired her more mature and stable brother compared to peers, knew that if he was saying this, something serious must be happening. She immediately dropped her playful tone.

"Brother, what's going on?"

"In two hours, there will be a cataclysmic change in the world. Countless terrifying monsters will descend from the sky. Don't ask why, I can't explain it. These creatures attack humans on sight, and the human situation will be perilous. You need to find an excuse to take mom and dad to the police station. It's sturdy enough and safe. Also, prepare some self-defense items, and bring extra water and food. Remember, I'm not joking! When you encounter these creatures, don't be afraid. Some of the monsters are quite weak. Find a vulnerable one and kill it; once you kill one, you'll gain 'player' status."

"What are you talking about?" This was beyond belief. Chen Tingting, who had always taken her brother's words to heart, couldn't help but question, "Big brother, are you...?""I've told you, I'm not sick! We don't have time, so don't interrupt me!" Zhang Mu knew what his sister wanted to ask. "After the disaster breaks out, many small orbs of light will fall from the sky. These are gifted skills, and they'll disappear in twenty-four hours. Each person is limited to absorbing one. But be aware, over 99% of these gifted skills are not powerful, so don't rush to use the first one you pick up. The better skills are often guarded by monsters!"

In ten minutes, Zhang Mu rattled off a heap of extremely useful information for the initial phase, then asked, "Did you get all that?"

Chen Tingting asked cautiously, "Ah, yes, I remembered, but all this is just too..."

Zhang Mu took a deep breath. "Have I ever lied to you in all these years? Promise me, you must take Mom and Dad near the Jingcha Bureau. Whether it's real or not, we'll know in two hours. I can only do so much. If the disaster really happens, you must protect yourself. As long as we're alive, there will be a day when we meet again."

Zhang Mu then called several of his closest friends. They were friends from the orphanage, most of whom had been adopted and lived in different cities. They had kept in touch for more than a decade and had a great relationship. Due to time constraints, he could provide only a bit of information. However, if they could grasp it well, they would definitely have an advantage over other players in the early stages.

Withdrawing every last penny from his card, a few thousand in total, he bought a large backpack and a large suitcase. He filled the backpack with chocolate and candies and purchased several knives and a hammer. He also found a large fireman's axe, two small buckets of gasoline, several bundles of rope, and stuffed them into the suitcase. Spending double the price, he hired a cab to Bi Jiang.

Bi Jiang is located in the suburbs, with a five-hundred-meter-long bridge called Jiangcheng Bridge spanning across the river. After the disaster occurs, a powerful skill orb will fall onto the bridge. If he can obtain it, he will have a significant lead over the other players.It was 11:32 PM, with only 28 minutes left.

Despite two months of intensive training, where life-and-death trials spurred rapid growth, the duration wasn't sufficient for unlimited development. Zhang Mu had the mental fortitude, certainly, but his physical skills might not rival those of special forces operatives. Engaging in combat with advanced creatures posed a significant threat, and being besieged by them would be even more perilous.

Beside the Bi River, water rushed with a constant whoosh, and occasional insect chirps punctuated the night. The road was pitch black and deserted, with only the sporadic passing of long-distance buses or trucks.

After a long wait, a howling sound echoed from the distance, and a large eight-wheeled truck approached. Zhang Mu immediately spread his arms, positioning himself in the middle of the road.

"Honk—!"

The truck honked several times. Zhang Mu didn't budge, standing steadfast in the road, forcing the vehicle to brake to a halt a dozen meters away.

Zhang Mu, pulling his suitcase, headed toward the truck. A chubby head squeezed out from the truck's window. It belonged to a big, plump man in his thirties, weighing around 250 kilograms. His neck was buried in fat, with a buzz-cut head, his round face nearly swallowed, and eyes squinted to slits by the surrounding flesh. He seemed larger than two Zhang Mus put together.

Clutching a cheap cigarette between his teeth, the hefty driver banged on the window frame and barked aggressively, "You damn brat, trying to get yourself killed?!"

Rushing to apologize, Zhang Mu explained, "I'm so sorry, brother. I'm a student from Jiang University. I have an emergency. Could you please give me a lift back to the campus?" He pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and pleaded, "Please."

Seeing the stack of red bills, the driver's eyes lit up. He immediately swung the truck door open, a wide grin spreading across his face, "Kid, you've got sincerity. Eh, well, it's tough finding a ride at this late hour, alright... Helping others is the source of happiness, right? I'll take you part of the way since it's on my route anyway."The cab of the truck was high off the ground, so they handed up the suitcases and backpacks first. Fatty reached out, helping Zhang Mu up.

The moment Zhang Mu was on the truck, he suddenly flung out a wad of cash. Taken by surprise, Fatty instinctively closed his eyes and recoiled. Zhang Mu stepped forward, his fist flying through the fluttering red bills, and struck Fatty in the face.

Bang!

If one could say that layers of fat might serve as a cushion, it was evident that their buffering capacity was limited.

The punch left Fatty seeing stars. He cursed but had no time to fight back as Zhang Mu kicked him back, followed by a swift elbow strike. Fatty's nose bled profusely as he stumbled and fell onto the driver's seat.

Zhang Mu pulled a sharp knife from behind his waist. Holding Fatty down with one hand, he pressed the blade against his throat, "Stay still. Don't move!"

The knife edged forward, piercing the skin just a bit.

"Arghh!" Feeling the icy blade cutting through his flesh, Fatty let out a scream akin to a pig being slaughtered, "Big...big brother, please, no! I'm broke, can't even afford cigarettes, just a poor sucker! I'm not married yet, please don't kill me!"

"Look at you, all pathetic. You're not young anymore, and still no wife?"

"I...I want to find one too!" Fatty's face was slick with something wet. Touching it, he realized, "Ah, mother! Look, blood! I'm bleeding! This is serious, call an ambulance!"

"It's just a scratch," Zhang Mu said nonchalantly.

He bent over to open a suitcase and took out a large firefighter's ax.

Fatty, tears and snot running down his face, yelled, "Murder! Help!"

Zhang Mu motioned with the ax blade near Fatty's mouth, "Shut up, or I'll make sure you can never close your mouth again."

"Bi-big brother, let's talk this out, please."

Zhang Mu spoke coldly, "No more nonsense. Get up and turn the truck around."

"Alright, alright!" The chubby man, though tough on the outside but weak on the inside, hastily turned the vehicle around. "Big brother, weren't you... weren't you heading to school?"

"Is your brain stuffed with fat as well?"

The sight of the firefighter's axe swinging before him nearly brought the chubby man to tears. "I'm turning around, I'm turning around, I'll do whatever you say!"

The truck made a U-turn and headed towards Jiangcheng Bridge. It came to a stop a few hundred meters from the bridge; the time was 11:57, with only three minutes left.

It was the dead of night, with hardly any traffic on the bridge. Below, the rolling river waters surged — an ideal spot for murder and disposing of a body.

Frightened, the chubby man's voice quivered, "There must be some misunderstanding. I have no grudges against you!"

Zhang Mu pulled out a towel hanging in the car, "Use this to wipe your blood. Keep your hands on the steering wheel. If you move them even a centimeter, I'll stab a hole in your stomach."

The chubby driver wiped the blood from his face and obediently placed his hands on the wheel.

The young man was only in his twenties, yet his moves were exceptionally sharp. He spoke at a steady pace, never fluctuating, remaining utterly calm from start to finish. He didn't seem like a common highwayman but more like a ruthless, cold-blooded killer who wouldn't blink an eye at murder. If the chubby man tried to fight back, perhaps his life would indeed be in danger.

Under the orange glow of the streetlights, Zhang Mu's eyes were intensely focused on the road ahead, the bridge entirely deserted. Silently, he was counting down in his heart.

"What's your name, chubby?"

"I... My name is Pang Ren,or you can call me fatty."

Huh, that name sounds interesting.

A thought struck Zhang Mu.

This is unbelievable.

Wasn't the First Berserker in his memories also called Pang Ren?Zhang Mu had only met him a few times, and the so-called "Number One Mad Warrior" seemed to be a big fat guy!

"This timid, dim-witted fatty is really the future Number One Mad Warrior!"

Zhang Mu spoke indifferently, "My name is Zhang Mu, nicknamed 'Wood.' From now on, you're with me."

The fat guy immediately beat his chest and swore, "Yes, yes, I've been wanting this. Boss, if you ask me to go east, I'll never head west. If you ask me to roll, I won't crawl!"

"About ten seconds left."

The fatty was confused. "What do you mean, ten seconds?"

BOOM!

It was like the sky was collapsing, a deafening roar echoed across the heavens, causing a pain that throbbed in one's eardrums. Then a bright light was released, illuminating the world in a vast white expanse. Even the pitch-black underground chamber was now filled with light. There was no source; the light just materialized out of nowhere, overwhelming their ability to think.

After an unknown period, the intense light receded.

The fatty regained consciousness and couldn't help screaming in shock, "Oh my God, the sky has turned red!"

The once star-studded sky was gone, replaced by a thick, dark red firmament. The surroundings had also undergone significant changes, with countless tall trees appearing along the sides of the road at some point. Then, an even more astonishing scene unfolded as millions of pillars of light descended upon the earth. When the light pillars disappeared, they left behind numerous unheard-of monsters.

More than twenty beams fell on Jiangcheng Bridge, all materializing into hideous creatures. They had brownish-red fur, fierce fangs exposed, drool hanging from their mouths, and their eyes filled with blood. They resembled dogs but stood and walked like humans, each about 1.6 meters tall. Some were naked, others wore leather armor, and some carried long sticks or cleavers. They were terrifying, sending a chill down one's spine at the mere sight.

The fatty yelled out, "Damn, monsters!"Zhang Mu quickly covered his mouth, "Don't make a sound."

Once again, the sky was filled with countless specks of light, each the size of a fist, resembling a meteor shower streaking across the sky. They fell like raindrops, landing all over the ground, hovering half a meter above it. Tree branches, rooftops, the ground, and even the water were all covered with these glowing orbs.

As expected, the game had begun.