Bai Yang

June 19, 2056. A dorm room at Jiangnan First Military Academy.

After taking a shower and resting for a while, Bai Yang looked at his muscular reflection in the mirror. He was very handsome, but his expression was exhausted.

He had just turned nineteen and was a first-year student in the Elite Class.

His daily martial arts training nearly exhausted him. He could only rest at night.

Three years ago, an accident had transported him to the world of Swallowed Star, where he became a minor character with barely any screen time.

Bai Yang's original self had passed the Quasi-Warrior Assessment alongside the protagonist, Luo Feng. They'd shared a meal, and then he'd vanished from the story.

If not for the mysterious Light Shadow Earth that had appeared in his mind after he crossed over and boosted his memory, he might not even have remembered ever meeting Luo Feng.

But now that he knew, he had to seize the opportunity.

As long as he hitched a ride with Luo Feng, even becoming an Immortal wasn't just a dream.

The Immortal Experts in this world lived for at least several trillion eras.

One era was 10,081 years. That was a lifespan measured in units like "jing"!

"If I can live forever, I can buy a planet and be its emperor. What couldn't I do?"

Bai Yang struck a few poses in front of the mirror. In the anime, this character had been cut down to not even a single line of dialogue.

The production team had given him a handsome face, and with his current muscles, he had plenty of potential.

Those sweet, clever fox girls, cat girls, and elf maids in the universe were hard not to think about.

But he couldn't afford to daydream about the future right now. His top priority was getting stronger. Otherwise, he'd be in serious trouble.

The bald supervisor's threat from that afternoon still rang in his ears:

"Punching power: 791 kg. Speed: 19.3 m/s! Bai Yang, you can't even match an advanced student anymore!

"If you fail the test on the 25th, I'll put you in the regular class for closed-door training! Don't even think about taking the Quasi-Warrior Assessment! I can't afford that kind of embarrassment!"

Bai Yang sighed, wrapped a towel around his waist, and left the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of his bed.

Just thinking about that guy's face and tone made him want to punch him.

"The future the system simulated has finally arrived. This is going to be tough."

He got up and washed an apple. With a slight twitch of his fingers, the fruit floated in midair.

He picked up a fruit knife and casually swiped it at the apple.

After a flash of the blade, the apple was peeled and split into twelve pieces, which dropped one by one into the fruit bowl.

Bai Yang picked up a toothpick, speared a piece, and ate it slowly as he thought about what to do.

As a transmigrator, he naturally had a cheat of his own.

The mysterious Earth in his mind could not only improve his memory, but also project a screen of text:

[Earth Defense System]

Current simulations: 0

Countdown: 27 minutes

Earth Points: 1

The system randomly selected the experiences of members of various organizations from "Earth," allowing him to acquire their abilities.

In the three years since he'd crossed over, including the beginner's gift he received when he first arrived, he'd gained two abilities and one True Simulation.

[Sword Saint Society]: Ordinary member—Swordsmanship (Rank B)

[Tsukuyomi Organization]: Test subject—Psychokinesis (Rank D)

A year ago today, he'd also been lucky enough to draw the chance to simulate the future.

"This simulation is a True Simulation. Duration: five years!"

[Age eighteen: Before you crossed over, your original self suffered a serious illness, leaving you weaker than in the original story. You studied and trained desperately, and finally entered the Elite Class at Jiangnan First Military Academy.]

[Age nineteen: Due to a chronic condition, your performance was extremely inconsistent, and many suspected you'd cheated your way into the school. After failing Supervisor Geng's test, you couldn't take the Quasi-Warrior Assessment, and you missed your chance to meet Luo Feng.]

[Your older cousin Bai Sheng arrived at the school, intending to take you to Kyoto Base City. You refused, so he overpowered you by force.]

[At a hospital in Kyoto, you were diagnosed with adrenocortical disorder caused by a genetic defect and training beyond your limits.]

[Your uncle, Bai Pianyong, was overwhelmed with guilt. He felt he hadn't looked after you properly and had failed your father. He used the Bai Family's resources to arrange long-term treatment for you in a special-care ward.]

[Age twenty: After a long course of treatment, you were finally discharged. But your constitution had deteriorated so badly that becoming a warrior was now a distant hope.]

[Age twenty-one: You secretly tried training again, but your condition flared up. You were hospitalized and fell unconscious, throwing your plans into disarray. The shelters hadn't been prepared in advance. The Golden Horned Behemoth attacked the major base cities, and monsters spread from Tianjin City to Kyoto Base City.]

[Bai Sheng charged into the Beast Tide to save you and died. Then you followed...]

[This simulation has ended prematurely.]

[Earth Points +1]

Holy shit.

Bai Yang had been stunned when he saw it. What kind of luckless bastard had his original self been?!

No wonder he'd only appeared once in the original story, during the Quasi-Warrior Assessment. Otherwise, even if he hadn't mastered the Genetic Energy Cultivation Method, how could he have been too afraid to take the practical exam and then vanished forever?

Bai Yang slammed his fist into the bed. Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in that hopeless future!

If he failed the school test on the 25th, he couldn't take the Quasi-Warrior Assessment and wouldn't meet Luo Feng.

And if his health stayed like this, he wouldn't pass even if he took the assessment.

The standards for a Quasi-Martial Artist were 900 kilograms of punching power and a speed of 25 meters per second. At his current level, reaching them would be difficult.

The next simulation would be available after midnight tonight.

The system gave Bai Yang a headache. Its definition of "Earth" was extremely broad.

Apparently, any organization that considered itself to be protecting Earth could be included.

That was how even a villainous group like the Tsukuyomi Organization qualified.

But its selection pool also seemed extremely narrow.

Twice in a row, it had chosen characters from One Punch Man. There was no variety at all.

Where were the Avengers, the Justice League, and the Land of Light?

What about Doraemon's Time Administration Bureau?

The swordsmanship and Psychokinesis he'd obtained were too weak to do more than cut fruit or perform a few tricks.

How much could abilities at that level help him in this terrifying world?

With some time left, he took out his phone and checked it. Then he noticed he had an email.

The sender was his uncle, Bai Pianyong!

Thinking back over the past three years, Bai Yang couldn't quite describe how he felt about the gray-haired old man.

As someone from the generation that had lived through the Grand Nirvana Era, his uncle was old-fashioned, and sometimes a little cold-hearted.

Though grateful for his care and concern, Bai Yang's awkward identity as a transmigrator made him try to avoid seeing his elder whenever possible.

They usually communicated by email.

He opened the message and read it. Sure enough, his uncle was urging him to stop training and focus on recovering his health.

Everything was just as the simulation had foretold!

With summer vacation approaching, his older cousin would pick him up from Kyoto Base City and take him to receive the best medical care in the country.

"The story's about to begin. How can I leave now?! This can't be cured. It's a dead end."

Bai Sheng was an Advanced War General. He was a full two major realms above Bai Yang right now!

Bai Yang's only option was to gamble by using his Earth Point to improve the rewards he could get from a simulation!

Soon, midnight passed, and June 20 arrived!

"System, use one Earth Point!"

The countdown in the system in Bai Yang's mind reached zero, and a notification appeared:

"The simulation is beginning...

"Congratulations, host! You have randomly selected the ultimate life-form of the Monster Association: Orochi, the Monster King!"

"The simulation has ended. Please choose:

"1. Orochi's abilities and cultivation

"2. Orochi's combat insights

"3. Orochi's memories

"4. Earth Points +1"

He'd hit the jackpot!

Bai Yang was overjoyed. He immediately shouted in his mind, "I choose Orochi's abilities!"