Reality

Ye Zhao's three Speed Rings sold in seconds, and three hundred thousand yuan in cash appeared before her.

She scanned the cash.

[Unable to scan real-world items.]

Fine.

Ye Zhao lay around in the hotel for an entire day before the tension from the game eased slightly. Early the next morning, she opened an online platform.

It had been one day since the first Survival Game instance ended, and plenty of information about the first game had already appeared online.

One Player had even started a livestream to recount his miserable experience in the game.

"...My friends and I originally thought the zombies were the scariest part. We thought we just had to hide from them and survive for ten days. Who knew the most terrifying thing would be that completely unexpected explosion!"

"Luckily, we hid in the Safe House in time and barely survived."

"The Safe House was a game item I drew. It could withstand three attacks. Although we escaped the nuclear blast, we didn't dare go outside afterward and nearly starved to death inside. It wasn't until the government troops of the game world found us and rescued us from the Safe House that we got taken to a base."

"But the few of us had all been infected with nuclear radiation and had to stay in the hospital for treatment. My whole body was rotting, without a single patch of good skin left. It was agony, it hurt so much. I really wished I could just die on the spot! There were originally four of us, but in the end, only me and one other companion held on and survived."

"Luckily, the two of us drew Attribute Pages with Constitution +10. The two who died drew Strength instead. Otherwise, we definitely wouldn't have made it..."

"The game world was too terrifying. Danger was everywhere! If you get selected, you must stay alert to your surroundings and never let your guard down!"

"I guess I got lucky too. After the game ended, I was rewarded with a Thunder Element Ability. I can already release a small bolt of lightning."

As he spoke, the streamer spread open his palm, and a small string of lightning appeared in his hand. He looked incredibly pleased with himself, drawing a flood of amazed comments. At that moment, the terror of the Survival Game seemed to have vanished.

Everyone yearned for his ability.

This Player had originally just been an ordinary person, a delivery rider by profession. Now, he had become one of the hottest online celebrities of the moment.

The donations from this single livestream had exceeded ten million. If he did not have to participate in the next game, he could live the rest of his life without worry.

[The game world really is terrifying. Even though we didn't participate, we could see the number of Players disappearing in an instant. And apparently, none of the people who died in the game have returned to reality... Terrifying, absolutely terrifying.]

[I watched my classmate disappear right in front of me. The game has ended, but he still hasn't come back. Sob, sob... His parents cried their eyes out at the school. Parents having to bury their child, without even a body to see. Who can they blame for this?]

[Does anyone know what the Black Hole Game is exactly?]

[The streamer is so lucky. Let me share some of that luck. If I get pulled into the game, I hope I can draw a life-saving item too!]

[Sharing good luck +1...]

[Sharing good luck +10086...]

By chance, Ye Zhao spotted Ye Mingyue in the livestream.

It was not that Ye Zhao had mistaken her. As a millionaire influencer, Ye Mingyue often livestreamed about her lavish life. Whenever she appeared in someone else's stream, special text effects would pop up. The large, multicolored words, "Her Highness Mingyue Has Arrived," were impossible to ignore.

The moment Ye Mingyue entered the livestream, she threw down two hundred thousand yuan in gifts to attract attention.

Ye Minghao and Ye Mingtian followed right after. Without a word, they each threw down two hundred thousand.

Those two sent gifts in Ye Mingyue's livestream every day. They were both high-level spenders, and when they appeared, all sorts of effects filled the screen, so dazzling they hurt people's eyes.

Ye Zhao ground her teeth. They had casually spent six hundred thousand yuan just like that. Was the two million yuan they gave her to sever family ties really too little?

Ye Mingyue: [Being able to come back alive makes you a hero. You're amazing!]

Ye Mingyue: [Is that Safe House really that powerful? What does it look like? Can we see it?]

Ye Mingyue: [You're so cool! You can actually use lightning. You're a real hero!]

Ye Mingyue: [I'm really scared of being selected by the game. I'm not afraid of dying, I'm just afraid of leaving Dad, Mom, my brothers, and my little brother~]

Ye Mingyue: [Sob, sob.]

Ye Zhao: Sooner or later, I'm going to deal with that sobbing freak.

She would not have thought that way before. After all, she had been a nobody. How could she possibly have had the means to contend with a billionaire family?

But things were different now. She had the confidence to stand against the Ye Family. People tended to get a little inflated once they had some strength.

Ye Zhao was no exception.

Once she accumulated a little more capital, she would definitely beat that sobbing freak to death.

She unwrapped a milk candy and popped it into her mouth, then closed the livestream. Out of sight, out of mind.

Ye Zhao opened the Game Panel, intending to see whether anyone was trading items. But the moment she opened it, the overwhelming number of friend requests and private messages nearly blew up her account.

There were so many rich people in this world. After all, sending a friend request or private message to a stranger in the game cost money: ten yuan for the first message, one hundred for the second, and one thousand for the third.

Luckily, she had chosen anonymous trading. Otherwise, she would not have known a moment of peace in real life.

People online were extremely curious about the anonymous big shot who could produce so many game items. They all speculated that she had obtained some incredible Golden Finger.

[Other people don't even have enough game items for themselves and can't bear to trade them away, but she not only trades them, she puts up so many at once. She definitely has a Golden Finger!]

[If only I could cling to this big shot's thigh. Sob, sob, sob. Mysterious big shot, please look at me. I'm willing to serve you to the death~~]

[Let's all go burn incense at a temple. If gods truly exist in this world, I hope they can descend and save us...]

[What's there to be afraid of? The Survival Game is so powerful, and it can even give people abilities. This means humanity is about to evolve. It's a tremendous opportunity! Wealth is found amid danger. When has there ever been a free lunch in this world?]

[Black Hole Game, please select me. I'm willing to enter the game!]

[Pick me, pick me. I'm already sick of living in this world anyway. Send me to the New World!]

[...]

For a time, the internet split into two camps. One hoped the Black Hole Game would disappear immediately, while the other worshipped it, becoming believers of the Black Hole Game and even looking forward to the game's arrival, hoping it would bring them into the New World and a new era...

Ye Zhao ignored those messages and checked the game items she had traded for.

She had exchanged the Lightning Strike - Elemental Card for an Earth Wall - Elemental Card.

[Earth Wall - Elemental Card: Can release one hundred 3m × 3m earth walls.]

[Remaining Energy: 1]

She had exchanged the Fireball - Elemental Card for an Ice Spike - Elemental Card.

[Ice Spike - Elemental Card: Can release ten 30cm × 30cm ice spikes at a time.]

[Remaining Energy: 2]

Although there was barely any energy left, it did not matter to Ye Zhao.

She scanned the two new cards and added them to the Creation Pool.

She traded a Speed +3 Ring for a whistle.

[Whistle: This is a loud whistle.]

Ye Zhao: ...

The whistle owner even sent her a message: [Are you selling the Water Elemental Ability Card? I'll offer one million. If you think that's not enough, I can add more. Let's make friends. We can work together more in the future, right?]

Ye Zhao: [Not for sale.]

After that, she ignored him.

That afternoon, she received another private message from Nie Yun. [Hello, big shot. I'm a Player who just came out of Game Instance 001. I've already joined the China Survival Game Special Strategy Group! I'm now representing the Chinese government to purchase your Water Elemental Ability Card. If possible, could you sell this card to us? We can promise to meet any of your demands as best we can~]

Ye Zhao: [One million.]

Nie Yun: [Thank you, big shot. You really are such a wonderful person~!]

Nie Yun: [Big shot, do you want to join an official organization? The people here are all very nice. After I joined them, they protected me. I feel so safe~]

Ye Zhao declined Nie Yun's invitation, took down the Ability Card listing, and made a private trade with Nie Yun, receiving one million yuan.

Nie Yun: [Big shot, do you have any more items that increase Speed? We want to buy a large quantity~ You can name your price~~]

Since Nie Yun represented an official organization, Ye Zhao did not refuse. She created ten Speed +3 Rings and priced them at one hundred thousand yuan each.

She could not make any more. She had to save enough Creation Points to deal with the dangers of the New World.

After the trade, Nie Yun sent a string of thank-you stickers. [Big shot, you really do have them. Can't you really join us? We really need talented people like you!]

Ye Zhao refused once more and stopped responding to Nie Yun after that.

When Nie Yun received no further reply from Ye Zhao, he turned to the several uniformed people beside him and shook his head. "The big shot is ignoring me now."

The group felt relieved after receiving the items. One of them said, "Although we don't know why she can produce so many game items, her willingness to trade with us shows that she bears us no hostility. We can continue dealing with her."

Nie Yun said, "And she didn't overcharge us either. A Speed +3 Ring only cost one hundred thousand yuan! The big shot is really too kind~"

"If only I could meet her in the next game. Sob, sob."

Two days later, Ye Zhao received her examination report. Her body was perfectly healthy, even a hundred times healthier than before.

Ye Zhao was finally at ease.

Over the next few days, Ye Zhao spent her time eating and drinking at the hotel, watching television and browsing online. Whenever she got tired, she went to the hotel gym downstairs or the shooting range to have some fun.

Of course, she had not forgotten to summon Lord Ghost Messenger. This world was too miserable. If she could switch to another world, that would be wonderful.

Unfortunately, she hired Taoist priests to perform rituals several times and burned who knew how much spirit money, yet she still received no response from Lord Ghost Messenger...

Seven days passed quickly.

The second game officially began—