Reborn

(This story is set in a parallel-world Blue Star. Its worldbuilding—including the global situation, population, national cultures, and historical development—is unrelated to reality.)

"I can't accept this! I can't accept this!"

A furious roar rang out from Room 404 in the dormitory at Modu University.

Lin Zhiluo jolted upright in bed.

His face was pale, and sweat covered his forehead. He looked as though he had just woken from a nightmare.

"What's going on? Wasn't I dead?"

Still shaken, Lin Zhiluo covered his face with both hands and rubbed it, trying to clear his head.

But... these were my hands and my face?

Feeling the smooth skin beneath his palms, he looked down at his hands.

The hands before him were fair and smooth, nothing like the rough, calloused ones he'd had before.

What on earth was going on?

Lin Zhiluo looked around.

This was my college dorm?

The familiar surroundings stirred memories that had been buried for ten years, bringing long-forgotten recollections flooding back.

"That's right, this is my college dorm! I still remember a little of how everything was arranged!"

He said excitedly, then quickly climbed out of bed.

He didn't even have time to put on his shoes before rushing into the bathroom.

Staring at the handsome face in the mirror, Lin Zhiluo froze.

His face should have been covered in ugly scars, but now it was completely clear.

Ten years!

For the past ten years, his scarred face had kept Lin Zhiluo from looking in a mirror of his own accord.

He returned to the dorm, took out his phone, and checked the calendar.

[Blue Star Calendar, May 23, 478]

The time, the place, his appearance, even his physical condition...

I've been reborn!

I've returned to the day the Doomsday Game descended!

At last, Lin Zhiluo understood what was happening!

"Those two War Gods, who'd always been neutral, invited me to celebrate my becoming a War God."

"While we were talking, Yao Jinghan came in with a Zombie Emperor! She teamed up with those two War Gods who'd switched sides and killed me!"

"I don't know what deal the Zombie Emperor made with the Li Family. And, more importantly, how could they have a legendary barrier that completely locked onto me?"

Sitting in a chair, Lin Zhiluo recalled what had happened before his death.

Yao Jinghan!

Just thinking of her name filled Lin Zhiluo with boundless hatred. He clenched his fists tight.

The girlfriend who'd shared his bed!

The girlfriend hailed as Modu University's campus beauty!

She was revolting!

Before the apocalypse, she'd approached Lin Zhiluo on the orders of the Li Family's young master, using all sorts of vile methods behind his back to torment him and destroy his life and spirit!

After the apocalypse began, when the two met again, she and the Li Family's young master had seized an opportunity to try to kill him.

Fortunately, Lin Zhiluo had been lucky. Though his face was disfigured, he'd survived.

Even then, Yao Jinghan hadn't let him go.

Under the Li Family's protection, she'd kept hunting him down and crushing him, playing with him like a cat with a mouse.

How could Lin Zhiluo, alone, stand against one of the Dragon Kingdom's Three Great Families, the Li Family?

This was the Dragon Kingdom on Blue Star, after all.

Although the government ruled the Dragon Kingdom, the Three Great Families wielded considerable influence.

To put it plainly, they were the proverbial local emperors.

And each of the Three Great Families possessed an astonishingly deep foundation.

They had secret arts that could brainwash people, allowing them to raise armies of Death Soldiers completely loyal to their family. They also had secret arts that could enhance a person's physical abilities...

These secret arts made the Three Great Families even more powerful after the apocalypse.

Fortunately, at first, the Li Family hadn't considered Lin Zhiluo worth worrying about.

That gave him the chance to grow stronger while barely clinging to life.

Even so, after Lin Zhiluo had gone through countless hardships to reach level 90 and become the Dragon Kingdom's tenth War God,

he hadn't even had the chance to take revenge on Yao Jinghan.

She'd arrived with a Zombie Emperor, joined forces with two other War Gods, and killed him with a legendary item.

For ten years, Lin Zhiluo had hated Yao Jinghan with every fiber of his being. Every moment, he'd wanted to kill her!

If only he hadn't been under the Li Family's protection...

Right! Kill her!

Lin Zhiluo was so excited that his hands began to tremble.

I've been reborn!

The apocalypse hasn't begun yet!

Yao Jinghan is still pretending to be my girlfriend!

I can deal with her before it's too late!

Wait. Check the time first!

Lin Zhiluo quickly forced himself to calm down.

It was a habit he'd had to develop in the apocalypse: only by staying completely calm could he think clearly.

He took out his old phone again.

The time was 5:24 p.m.

His phone showed a message from Yao Jinghan.

The password was... Yao Jinghan's birthday.

How could Lin Zhiluo, who had a blood feud with Yao Jinghan, ever forget that date?

After unlocking his phone, Lin Zhiluo saw the message.

"Zhiluo, I need to go out and tutor a child at six tonight. I'm sorry, but since it's your birthday, I won't be able to celebrate with you today."

Just from the message, you might think she was a hardworking, independent young woman.

The only suspicious thing was why she'd go tutor someone else's child on her boyfriend's birthday.

Only Lin Zhiluo knew that she wasn't tutoring a child. She was tutoring the Li Family's young master in bed!

The Li Family's young master was named Li Haobo.

Even in his previous life, Lin Zhiluo had never learned exactly why Li Haobo held a grudge against him.

He'd only heard a vague rumor that it had something to do with old grievances left behind by his long-dead father.

The lofty Li Haobo had been openly hostile toward Lin Zhiluo, constantly toying with him like a cat with a mouse.

Yao Jinghan had acted on Li Haobo's orders, pretending to be Lin Zhiluo's girlfriend while secretly setting him up, playing cruel pranks on him, and humiliating him in every way imaginable.

How did Lin Zhiluo remember all of this so clearly?

Because tonight, at seven, while he was celebrating his birthday alone in the dorm,

Li Haobo had sent Lin Zhiluo a video of Yao Jinghan tutoring him, along with the bill and Yao Jinghan's "birthday tribute" video.

As luck would have it, seven o'clock was also when the Doomsday Game descended.

Devastated by the betrayal, Lin Zhiluo had missed his best chance to grow stronger and fallen behind everyone else.

Now, reborn, Lin Zhiluo would never let history repeat itself.

He picked up his phone and sent Yao Jinghan a message.

"Jinghan, that's okay. Since you have plans tonight, let's meet up first. Come to the abandoned warehouse behind the athletic field."

After sending the message, Lin Zhiluo began rummaging through everything.

At last, thanks to a hazy memory, he found a sharp dagger under one of his roommate's beds.

Don't ask why it was there.

Come on, everyone who'd been to college knew that a boys' dorm without a few tools wasn't a proper boys' dorm.

Lin Zhiluo tucked the dagger inside his jacket, then picked up his phone again.

Yao Jinghan had already replied.

"Okay, but why meet there? I have to leave before six, so hurry." —Yao Jinghan.

Because I'm going to take your life.

Lin Zhiluo didn't send that. He deleted the message and typed something else.

"Because I have a surprise for you."

When he saw that the message had been sent, Lin Zhiluo slipped his phone into his pocket and put on a backpack with some clothes in it.

Then he opened the dorm room door and walked out.

The boys' dormitory hallway was full of people. Some were bragging, some were smoking.

Others were discussing why the sky had turned red.

The moment Lin Zhiluo stepped outside, his previously cold expression softened.

No one could tell he was on his way to kill someone!

A guy standing up ahead had a phone playing an expert's voice.

"The sky turning red worldwide is a once-in-five-thousand-years natural phenomenon. Please don't panic. Just enjoy the beautiful view."

Lin Zhiluo looked up at the blood-red sky too.

Only he knew it foretold the imminent arrival of the Doomsday Game.

Everyone around him was still taking it easy.

When seven o'clock came and the Doomsday Game descended,

they'd turn into zombies, be bitten by zombies, or die. Who knew how many would survive?

Lin Zhiluo headed downstairs.

He mentally rehearsed what was about to happen.

Before he knew it, he'd crossed the athletic field and reached the abandoned warehouse.

Almost no one came to this abandoned warehouse before nightfall.

Lin Zhiluo cautiously surveyed the surroundings once more. After making sure no one was watching, he went inside.

As soon as he entered, Lin Zhiluo saw Yao Jinghan sitting in a chair.

I really was an idiot!

Lin Zhiluo couldn't help cursing himself.

Back then, he'd been blinded by love and hadn't noticed the luxury brands she wore.

Those things would have cost at least six figures.

How could Yao Jinghan, from an ordinary family, possibly afford them?

Yao Jinghan noticed Lin Zhiluo coming in too.

She remained seated, not bothering to get up.

Instead, she said impatiently, "What took you so long? What's the surprise? I'm waiting to go tutor, you know."

This is a novel about [a game invading reality], with a focus on [game stats and data]. (Readers unfamiliar with the genre can look it up.)

The protagonist is [ruthless and utterly self-interested].

The story is [near-invincible] and [satisfying].

There are no female leads, burdensome characters, or dragging plotlines.

Before you start reading, please read the relevant information.

If it suits your taste, then keep reading.

If it doesn't, feel free to stop now. Don't waste your time.

All goody-two-shoes readers, please skip this book. You'll find the content very hard to stomach!