New Era, January 1st

A week passed in a blur of summer heat and peaceful daily life.

Lin Yi's body, which was originally just "healthy and athletic," was undergoing a quiet transformation.

Time, disguised by this mundane and trivial routine, slipped silently and firmly toward that node destined to overturn everything.

His bone density increased stealthily, providing a more solid foundation, while his neural reaction speed improved significantly and his five senses became much sharper.

His muscle lines became more refined and fluid under his well-proportioned frame, concealing a restrained, explosive power.

If his physical fitness had previously been that of a sports-loving high school student, he was now comparable to a professional athlete.

Outwardly, he remained that sunny, handsome youth, but inwardly, he was like a piece of fine steel that had been repeatedly forged to remove impurities, waiting only to be sharpened and tasted by blood.

The curtain was about to rise on this grand drama, with life as the wager and the world as the stage.

[July 24, 2027, Saturday], which was the date identified in his past life as January 1 of the New Era.

The morning sun, carrying a hint of heat, spilled into the room through the gaps in the curtains.

Lin Yi opened his eyes; there was not a trace of post-sleep haziness in them, only the stillness of an icy lake.

"Xiao Yi, get up quickly! Today is your big day!"

His mother Zhou Jinghua's voice, filled with joyful busyness, drifted in from outside the door.

"Coming, Mom."

Lin Yi replied in a steady voice, then quickly got up to dress and wash.

In the mirror, the youth's face still held a touch of callowness. He faced the mirror and slightly adjusted the arc of his lips, ensuring that the smile was exactly what an eighteen-year-old should have.

At the entrance of Fujin Hall in Hongfu Tower, the LED display had long since lit up with a festive red banner: "Warmly congratulate student Lin Yi on his top-tier exam success."

It was just past eleven o'clock, and guests were arriving one after another.

"Xiao Yi! Congratulations, congratulations!"

His uncle Zhou Jianjun, a sturdy middle-aged man with a resolute face, patted Lin Yi's shoulder hard. The grip of a retired soldier was truly not to be underestimated.

"Oh my, this child, he's getting more spirited as he grows!" His aunt, dressed elegantly with a gentle smile, held Lin Yi's hand and praised him.

His cousin Zhou Jieyu, a boy who had just started middle school, circled Lin Yi excitedly, "Brother Yi, you're awesome!"

His younger cousin Zhou Mengmeng, an elementary school student with pigtails, looked up with her small face and asked enviously, "Brother, does that mean you don't have to study anymore once you go to college?"

Looking at the genuine smile on his uncle's resolute face, a scene from his past life flashed suddenly through Lin Yi's mind:

The thick stench of blood mixed with rot; in a narrow stairwell, his uncle wielded a notched fire axe, roaring as he shielded him and his younger cousin behind him. The fire axe swung down with a dull whistle, precisely hacking into the neck of a Corrosive Abyss Wolf that was pouncing on him!

But his uncle, unable to dodge in time, had half an ear torn off by the beast's counterattack, fresh blood staining half his face.

"That's not quite right, you have to study even harder in college..." Lin Yi didn't say much else, just ruffled his younger cousin's hair. Seeing her face fall, he laughed, "Uncle, Aunt, go inside and take a seat first."

"Alright, alright, you go ahead and get busy." His uncle nodded with a smile.

No sooner had his uncle's family left than a slightly flamboyant voice cut in.

"Yo, Xiao Yi, you've made something of yourself, haven't you? Tsk tsk, Qingteng University. You've really saved face for our Lin family. Maybe your uncle here will have to rely on your care in the future."

Lin Yi looked up to see his uncle Lin Ruiheng and aunt Liu Mei arriving with his cousin Lin Ran.

His uncle wore an unnatural, sycophantic smile with a subtle sense of distance, while his aunt pulled on his uncle's sleeve, looking slightly embarrassed.

His cousin Lin Ran followed behind, looking somewhat constrained, calling out "Brother Yi" with shifty eyes.

Looking at this family, Lin Yi felt quite conflicted.

He knew better than anyone that this very uncle—who had friction with his own family and always spoke with a hint of sarcasm—had, half a year after the apocalypse descended and order collapsed, secured a position managing Supplies in the large "Rock" shelter through a stroke of luck.

Yet, when he learned that Lin Yi's family was struggling and living in dire straits in another small shelter, this uncle had braved the risks to have a supply convoy bring them emergency rations and medicine, along with a message promising to help secure them a spot to live in "Rock."

It was precisely because they moved to "Rock" later, resolving the worry for his parents' safety, that he had been able to set out on his path of exploration and adventure with peace of mind.

"Uncle, Aunt, you're here! Please, come in!"

Lin Yi's smile remained unchanged, pretending not to understand his uncle's sarcasm as he greeted them warmly. His gaze swept over Lin Ran, "Ranran is here too, go inside and sit."

After greeting his uncle's family, the classmates he had specifically invited followed closely behind.

Squad Leader Zhou Yuxuan, with his tall stature and steady temperament, handed over a gift box with a sincere smile.

"Lin Yi, congratulations."

"You're too kind, Squad Leader. Please, come in."

Lin Yi's voice was as steady as usual, though only he knew that his fingers tightened slightly around the gift box for a fleeting moment.

After the apocalypse, the only news he ever received regarding the Squad Leader was a single obituary:

"To cover the evacuation of the residents of the 'South Lake' shelter, the entire shelter guard team, led by Captain Zhou Yuxuan, sacrificed themselves."

"Brother Yi, we have to have a good drink today!"

His best friend Chen Yu draped an arm over Lin Yi's shoulder, accompanied by his tall and beautiful girlfriend, Su Xiao.

Su Xiao's beautiful eyes held a hint of lazy playfulness as she raised an eyebrow at Lin Yi in greeting.

Lin Yi laughed and punched Chen Yu on the shoulder: "Don't you even think about getting me drunk, you brat!"

He looked at his best friend and his girlfriend, a cynical thought crossing his mind.

Hmm... there isn't really anything special to remember about these two. They were out on a date when the apocalypse began, and they were wiped out in the first wave of the impact. I suppose you could call them star-crossed lovers.

"Lin Yi... congratulations."

The class beauty Ye Qingyu spoke in a soft voice, a faint, barely perceptible blush on her fair cheeks as she handed a beautifully wrapped gift to Lin Yi. Her gaze lingered on his face for a fleeting second before she instantly looked away.

"Thank you."

Lin Yi took the gift, his fingertips accidentally brushing against her cool skin.

Ye Qingyu, that girl... sigh, oh well...

Lin Yi sighed inwardly.

Because Ye Qingyu's grades weren't great and she happened to sit in the row in front of him, she would often turn around to ask him questions. The busybodies in class started teasing them about it. At the time, he had been completely immersed in his studies and couldn't be bothered to pay it any mind. Unexpectedly, Ye Qingyu never refuted the rumors either, and after a while, it became common knowledge that they were a couple.

Later... Ye Qingyu died.

The scene involuntarily surfaced in Lin Yi's mind.

A shrill alarm echoed through the dim corridor of the shelter.

A bottle of Mineral Water rolled into a corner, compressed biscuits were scattered across the floor, and Ye Qingyu lay in a pool of blood, her arms still tightly clutching a bag of food she hadn't had the chance to give him...

As a distant relative of the shelter's management, she had been assigned to the logistics team, which received slightly larger rations. That was what she had saved up, intending to give it to him in secret.

She hadn't even been able to let out a complete cry for help before she perished under the sneak attack of a Stealth Shadow Blade Beast.

There were some words she never got to say, even until the moment she died.

The smile on Lin Yi's face remained flawless, appearing even more gentle: "Classmate Ye Qingyu, thank you for the gift. Please, go inside and take a seat."

For the next while, friends and relatives arrived one after another.

Lin Yi acted like a teenager truly immersed in joy, wearing a perfectly measured, excited smile as he warmly greeted every guest and showed them to their seats.

His father, Lin Ruiming, was beaming, greeting familiar coworkers and elders.

His mother, Zhou Jinghua, was bustling about, checking on the banquet preparations with several female relatives who had arrived early, her face filled with unconcealable pride and joy.

Watching his parents' busy and satisfied figures, Lin Yi's gaze then swept casually across every familiar and vibrant face...

These people, who had either drifted apart or withered away in his past life, were now gathered so vividly in this small Banquet Hall, their laughter and congratulations weaving into a warm, boisterous ocean of sound.

He fell silent for a moment, and then, a joyful smile returned to his face.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the clamor and warmth.