Entering the Desolate Dust

Licheng.

Inside the campus, a man with a slight center-part hairstyle, wearing overalls and a white shirt, walked into the classroom.

"Wu Hen, since you have processed your withdrawal, you should say goodbye to your classmates. After all, you have spent two and a half years together," said the homeroom teacher, Wang Shan.

"See you all when fate allows," Wu Hen said, waving his hand with a sunny smile on his face.

In the classroom, the students looked at him. Some were surprised, some were mocking, and some were regretful.

"We're about to enter university; why is Wu Hen dropping out?" some female students whispered to each other.

"Could he be going abroad to study? I heard his family is very well-off. Back in middle school, the female housekeepers who came to pick him up would rotate through all sorts of luxury cars at the school gate."

"Brother, your vision is too shallow, only seeing the luxury cars... It was different female housekeepers coming to pick him up!"

"Damn, that rich and heartless? I didn't notice at the time; I just thought the housekeepers were very elegant!" a male student exclaimed in surprise.

"Tsk tsk tsk, different styles of housekeepers every day, slurp~" Many male students had tears of envy flowing from the corners of their mouths.

"Do you guys not watch the news? Last year, the richest man in our Licheng went bankrupt and was saddled with massive debt. Don't tell me there are still people who don't know that our Wu Hen is the son of that richest man in Licheng?" At this moment, a man with a crew cut and furrowed brows spoke up in the classroom.

As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned toward Wu Hen.

What, bankrupt?

Did those female housekeepers end up on the streets too?

Or did they find new masters?

Seeing that the atmosphere had become slightly awkward, Wu Hen laughed nonchalantly: "I had always wanted to interact with you all as an ordinary person. I didn't expect that before I could show my hand, my family's mine would be gone. Even if I got into university, I wouldn't have the money to pay tuition, so I might as well head out into society early to be a workhorse. I wish you all a bright future!"

Leaving these words behind, Wu Hen waved his hand again, picked up his belongings, and left the classroom filled with the memories of his youth.

Once Wu Hen left, the discussions in the classroom became even more boisterous.

At the school gate, the homeroom teacher, Wang Shan, glanced at the gloomy weather and let out a long sigh.

The sirens of weather warnings echoed throughout the city. Wang Shan knew that it wasn't safe outdoors, so he didn't dare to chat with the student for too long.

"Can your family really not hold on anymore?" Wang Shan was still very concerned about his student.

"Yeah, my younger sister's ongoing treatment requires money. My parents have already been placed on the debtor list. Every penny they earn now has to be paid back to the creditors. Only the money I earn can be used to treat my sister's illness," Wu Hen said.

"Then what are your plans? After all, you've only just reached adulthood, and there is still so much you need to learn." Wang Shan felt it was a great pity.

Although this child, Wu Hen, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he was quite outstanding in both his grades and his personal character. It would be a great shame if he couldn't continue his studies due to family misfortune.

"I've been granted eligibility for Otherworld Desolate Dust. The officials say that as long as I can find a Yuanyou Mineral Deposit and bring it back, I'll be rewarded with one hundred thousand," Wu Hen said.

"That brain-interface virtual game?" Wang Shan asked, somewhat surprised.

With the development of technology, humanity had still been unable to find traces of other civilizations in the vast galaxy.

Left with no other choice, the focus shifted from interstellar travel to virtual exploration.

Thus, an incredibly vast and boundless virtual world was created, known as Desolate Dust.

However, everything within Desolate Dust was extremely bizarre; it seemed to be developing in a direction that was beyond human control, even drifting away from the limits of human understanding...

"I feel like that's the future. To be honest, I'm tired of living this destitute life. If I want to turn my life around, this is a rare opportunity," Wu Hen said earnestly.

It was precisely because he had secured this extremely precious eligibility that Wu Hen had made the decision to drop out of school.

"If that's the case, then I'm a bit more relieved. Virtual world exploration has a future. After all, in these disaster-ridden times, going outside often leads to an untimely death. Powerful tech nations, cutting-edge enterprises, and research giants are all pouring massive amounts of capital into exploring and developing it. Every year, they select testers from the top students of various universities, and the compensation and rewards provided by the officials are quite exaggerated..." the elderly doctor said.

"Don't worry, Teacher Wang. I can still learn even after leaving school," Wu Hen said.

"Alright, then be careful on your way back. If you're living in the Old City, watch out for the thunderstorms. This storm has been going on for many years; in our Licheng alone, several thousand people have been struck dead by lightning..." Wang Shan said.

"You should take care of yourself too, Teacher Wang. If you have the means, you should buy a place in the Silver Plate of the New City," Wu Hen said.

"Sigh, that bout of gastric fungus infection I had wiped out the down payment I worked so hard to save. These days, natural disasters happen one after another. Even hunkering down in an old house can be dangerous. I had a nephew who was playing a game on his balcony because the signal was bad; he ended up suffering rapid hypothermia while playing, and he was gone just like that. Then there's Teacher Xiao Guan in my office—years ago, they held their wedding on a lawn, and just as the couple finished their vows, a lightning strike hit them both, and they were gone together... It's true, the Silver Plate buildings in the New City are the only safe ones. I don't even know where my two children will end up in the future. Sometimes I think about just giving up on treatment and leaving a bit more for my wife and kids..." Wang Shan couldn't help but chat about his personal life with Wu Hen.

"Old Wang, think about it. Are you really at ease leaving your wife and children for another man to take care of?" Wu Hen said.

"You really know how to comfort people, don't you? Thanks a lot," Wang Shan said, annoyed.

"Hehe, I'm off, old man."

"You brat!" Wang Shan watched Wu Hen's retreating figure and shook his head helplessly.

After Wu Hen left, Wang Shan headed toward the classroom.

Just as he reached the stairs, Wang Shan bumped into a girl who was standing by the teaching building, gazing in the direction of the school gate.

"Yang Qin, if you wanted to see him off, why not be a little braver?" As a homeroom teacher, Wang Shan had always been easygoing, and his mindset wasn't overly conservative.

"I... I..." Yang Qin hesitated, her gaze involuntarily fixed on the classroom window.

At the window, several boys and girls were watching, seemingly waiting to make a joke out of Yang Qin.

"He's not a young master anymore, so why are you still acting so coy? Maybe one day the takeout you order will be delivered by him personally. How romantic!" the man with the horizontal eyebrows at the window mocked.

"Enough out of you!" Wang Shan barked, then turned his gaze toward Yang Qin. "Do what you feel is right in your heart, and don't worry about what others say."

Hearing this, Yang Qin felt even more uncomfortable. She lifted her chin slightly and feigned pride. "I was just heading to the art studio. Wu Hen and I are only ordinary classmates!"

Just ordinary classmates?

Seeing Yang Qin's attitude, Wang Shan couldn't help but shake his head.

Back at the start of the semester, Yang Qin had been shameless enough to come to his office, bringing gifts and sweet-talking him, all just to get him to move her seat next to Wu Hen so she could be his deskmate.

Now that she knew his family had fallen on hard times, she couldn't even manage a simple farewell, too worried about what others might say.

One could only say that young girls were short-sighted.

Based on Wang Shan's understanding of Wu Hen, even without the massive backing of his family, his brilliance could not be concealed. He would definitely make a name for himself in the future, and he just hoped Yang Qin wouldn't regret this.

The school was located at the junction of the new city and the old city.

In the past, Wu Hen lived in the ultra-luxurious Silver Plate estate. Now, he had to pass through a district of old buildings, climb over a hill of dilapidated structures, and trek across a stretch of empty, abandoned factory zones before he could reach his new home.

His new home was bare, consisting of only one room to squeeze their family of four into.

His parents were self-made; they had started out by running a street stall.

After going in circles for half a lifetime, they had returned to their most arduous years. And compared to when they were penniless in the beginning, they now had a mountain of debt.

Usually, his parents wouldn't return until around eleven at night.

However, today was Father's Day, and the family had agreed to eat dinner together, so Wu Hen didn't have the heart to stay at school to say goodbye to his classmates one by one.

Pushing the door open, the scent of food already filled the room.

A pot of bamboo shoots and meat was already stewing. Wu Yingting, the chief debtor, was busy organizing goods that occupied half the room. He would likely have to head back out to the stall as soon as they finished this meal.

"Dad, there might be a thunderstorm today. Why not skip the stall? We owe so much money, one night's earnings won't make a difference," Wu Hen said as he walked in.

Despite his words, Wu Hen took the initiative to help Wu Yingting organize the merchandise.

"Your Fifth Uncle is pressing hard, saying he needs the money for his child's college tuition," Wu Yingting said.

In truth, after the bankruptcy, the major creditors and banks were concerned about Wu Yingting's health, urging him to eat well and not carry any psychological burden.

It was the friends and relatives who had previously gotten rich alongside his father whose true colors were the most detestable.

It was clearly an investment—there were gains and losses—yet when they lost money, they opened their mouths to demand repayment.

"You were once a figure who commanded the winds and clouds in Licheng. Can't you start a livestream or something to sell goods and pay off the debt? How long will it take to pay it all off with this kind of hard-earned money?" Wu Hen asked.

"I don't want to do that. I'd rather start over in a field I'm familiar with. The times are changing quickly, and people's needs are shifting too. I'm exploring from the very bottom. It'll only be tough for these few years, and I will make a comeback. Besides, I actually miss the days of running a stall and selling small goods; it was fulfilling and simple," Wu Yingting said with a smile.

"Won't people say you're just putting on a pitiful act?" Wu Hen asked.

"Of course I do, but do I care about that?" Wu Yingting had a surprisingly good attitude. After all, this wasn't his first or second time failing at business. He glanced at his son and couldn't help but ask, "How are things at school? Getting the cold shoulder?"

"It's alright. I never really flaunted my status as a young master anyway. Sure, there are kids of your business partners in my class, and they're quite gleeful about it, but that just makes it easier to stop associating with them," Wu Hen said, sounding equally indifferent.

"If you don't associate with them, then don't. By the way, something was delivered earlier. Did you buy something online again? It looks pretty high-end. If you have any private savings, try to spend them sparingly," Wu Yingting said.

"It's already here? That was fast," Wu Hen looked surprised, noticing a carbon fiber box in the room.

Fortunately, Wu Yingting hadn't opened it. If he had discovered it was a virtual reality headset, he definitely would have objected!

In Wu Yingting's view, virtual technology was not yet mature, and those who became beta testers suffered from severe side effects. He was vehemently against Wu Hen becoming a lab rat for technology.

"Honey, Yu Yu and I bought your favorite braised meat. Oh... Wu Hen is back too? You're home early today. That's good; it's been a long time since the whole family sat down to eat together," a woman walked in, holding a young girl's hand.

It was Wu Hen's mother, Yu Yi, and his younger sister, Yu Yu.

They had been bankrupt for over half a year.

This was the first time in these six months that the whole family had appeared at the same table.

"Happy Father's Day!" Wu Hen was the first to raise his glass, toasting his father, Wu Yingting.

Yu Yi and Yu Yu also raised their small glasses to celebrate this rare meal.

Wu Yingting was full of smiles at first, but as he smiled, the hand holding his chopsticks began to tremble violently.

He wanted to say something humorous to lighten the mood, but looking at his grown son, his wife who was enduring hardship with him again, and his daughter who still needed protection...

The words choked in his throat.

His eyes instantly turned red.

"You've been sneaking white liquor again, haven't you? Look at you, choking on it. Hurry up and eat some food!" Yu Yi, knowing how to cover for her husband, hurriedly served him some vegetables.

"I choked. It made my eyes water. Let's eat, you all eat too."

As a family, they had tasted all sorts of delicacies, but these few plates of greens and a platter of braised meat tasted better than any meal they had ever had before.

Wu Hen actually saw his father secretly wiping away tears.

He deliberately kept his head down to eat, leaving a shred of dignity for this old man...

For as long as he could remember, his father had been like a magnificent mountain in his heart, immovable. But seeing his tear-filled eyes today, and seeing him reveal a look of helplessness, Wu Hen understood that it was time for him to step up and support this family.

After the meal, his parents braved the risk of an approaching thunderstorm to head back out to their street stall.

His younger sister also went off to attend the free tutoring classes provided by the community.

Wu Hen made up an excuse, telling his family he was staying at a classmate's house and wouldn't be back tonight.

In reality, Wu Hen headed toward the basement of the old building. He had rented a storage room from the uncle next door, intending to enter that virtual world tonight!

He closed the door.

He unwrapped the helmet.

Looking at the high-tech virtual helmet, Wu Hen couldn't help but feel curious.

What exactly was the world inside like?

He didn't know why everyone who had been inside refused to easily reveal what this second world looked like.

He gently put on the helmet and powered on the device.

"Hello, Wu Hen. Are you sure you want to enter Wasteland?" the helmet's AI voice chimed.

Wu Hen took a deep breath.

This realm held infinite possibilities. Even if he might just be a lab rat, his parents—who worked street stalls—and his younger sister—who still had to attend school—lived in an environment constantly threatened by disasters.

His family didn't care about extreme wealth or status; all they cared about was living together in peace and safety.

The old city and the dilapidated buildings couldn't withstand the increasingly severe natural disasters of today.

Unless they returned to live in the new city of Silver Plate, misfortune would eventually befall his family.

Participation came with a financial subsidy: thirty thousand upfront, with even higher amounts for subsequent participation.

Finding a single Yuanyou Mineral Deposit in the virtual world could sell for one hundred thousand!

He had to go for it!

"Confirm entry into Wasteland!"

"Please close your eyes and relax, just as you would when falling asleep," the embedded AI said.

Wu Hen followed the AI's instructions. Soon, he felt a warmth, as if his entire head were submerged in some kind of soothing oxygenated liquid...

A wave of intense drowsiness followed, and his consciousness sank completely into the void.