In the single room, Zhao Cheng looked into the mirror.
Reflected in it was a shriveled figure, hair and beard streaked with gray, his face covered in wrinkles, devoid of any vigor.
It had been a long time since he had seen himself so clearly. He could not help but feel dazed.
In that haze, his green and youthful years seemed right before his eyes, yet in the blink of an eye, they had become yesterday's faded flowers. It seemed as if his life was nearing its end.
He had aged terribly.
But he felt that it was time to make a change.
So he picked up the razor from the washbasin. He first shaved off his beard, then cut his long hair straight at neck level and tied it into a high ponytail.
Back when he had been wandering, this was how he had always handled his hair. Keeping it a little longer kept him warm and made him less likely to fall ill.
After all that, he did indeed look much younger in the mirror, though it still could not conceal the aging brought on by the depletion of his life force.
Afterward, Zhao Cheng took a shower. He could not even remember when he had last washed himself.
In truth, after the teleportation, his body was already perfectly clean. This shower was more of a habit—or perhaps a sense of ritual, a way to welcome a new life.
Perhaps he would obtain what he wanted. Perhaps he would die in the game tomorrow. But no matter what, he had stepped onto a path completely different from before.
Once he had finished showering and dried his hair, Zhao Cheng put on his pajamas and, without hesitation, used the No. 27 Genetic Enhancer placed on the bedroom table.
Using