Chapter One: The End Times of Jialan

When he came to his senses, Lu Ming was already standing on a desolate street.

Before his eyes stretched houses and shops overgrown with weeds and moss, alongside vehicles whose abandonment was uncertain.

He pulled off his sweat-soaked headphones, gazing at the unfamiliar street with a mix of perplexity and bewilderment.

If he remembered correctly, he had been exercising as usual beneath his dormitory building when, without warning, darkness fell over his vision—and then he was here.

He didn’t bother to pinch his face, for the dull ache in his legs had already reminded him this was no dream.

Instinctively, he tried to take a few steps forward, but a faint yellow barrier of light abruptly blocked his way. The pain from bumping his forehead into it confirmed once more that this was reality.

“Gently awaken your slumbering soul, slowly open your eyes…”

Suddenly, a melody so familiar it was almost jarring drifted into his ears, accompanied by a lively, cheerful AI-generated voice that began to speak in time to the background music of “Tomorrow Will Be Better.”

“Welcome, welcome, a warm welcome to the residents from Blue Star! Congratulations to all of you for becoming the protagonists of the sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty-sixth Apocalyptic Strategy of Jialan. I have carefully selected this beloved song from your homeland, hoping you will enjoy it.”

Jialan Apocalypse? Strategy protagonists? What did that even mean? Transmigration? An alternate world? Or some mysterious black-site experiment?

As a somewhat melodramatic amateur novelist, he’d imagined countless times what it would be like to travel to another world, to gain a protagonist’s halo, to become a dragon among men, slaying demon kings, marrying beauty after beauty, and reaching the pinnacle of life. But this… this was clearly not the dream he’d envisioned. An apocalypse, and one that had to be strategized—this would be anything but a world where “tomorrow will be better.”

“What the hell kind of apocalypse? What kind of strategy? Do you know how much a single deal of mine is worth? You need me as your protagonist? Send me back right now!”

Lost in thought, Lu Ming was startled by a sudden shout from behind.

He turned to see a man wearing a denim vest, flip-flops, and sunglasses, half dragging a pair of swim trunks, cursing to the sky. He looked as though he’d been dragged here in the middle of relieving himself. Lu Ming couldn’t help but think, so this is how the rich are summoned—truly beyond the reach of us mere mortals.

The man clutched a cigarette between his lips, eyes squinting as he scanned the surroundings as if searching for the source of the voice. Lu Ming quickly lost interest in him.

Glancing around, within his line of sight were dozens of other strangers, men and women, all equally shrouded in the pale light barrier. Some were frozen in terror, others lost and confused, all looking at one another in helpless bewilderment.

Helpless?

Truth be told, he was no different.

It was only his fate as a solitary star that compelled him to maintain a habitual calmness.

A serious electronic voice, perhaps prompted by the man’s outburst or as a matter of course, began introducing the local setting:

“This is Planet 618 of the Jialan System, with an ecosystem highly similar to Blue Star.”

“Due to a certain unknown cataclysm, the entire planet has become tainted by corrupted energy, transforming the world into a nest for monstrous creatures.”

“You, the chosen ones, have two options: either eradicate these beings, survive to the end, and reap all honor and fortune, or be hunted down, becoming fodder for their continued evolution.”

“Jialan System…”

If this was true, it meant a transfer far beyond the reach of Blue Star civilization, erasing any real hope of returning on his own.

If it was false—a cover for some clandestine experiment—he would have to wait for proof before drawing conclusions.

For now, the priority was to remain calm, gather as much information as possible, and commit every word to memory.

“Sudden arrivals are bound to cause panic and confusion, but do not worry. To ease your anxiety, we have thoughtfully prepared seven survival guidelines. Please keep them in mind.”

“First: Destruction begets rebirth. As the world is corrupted, it also evolves, giving rise to a new energy system. Understand it, master it, wield it, and you will become unimaginably powerful.”

“Second: Blindness means death. Under the influence of the corruption, all water sources are contaminated. Until you possess means to resist it, avoid all external water sources—except perhaps for those with iron stomachs and no regard for life.”

“Third: Hope amid adversity. There is no need for despair. To lighten your burdens, the world is scattered with countless supply crates of various sizes, with occasional airdrops as well. Inside you may find vital food, a handy tool, a bottle of body-strengthening serum, or perhaps the most essential thing in this apocalypse—a regional map. Don’t worry about missing them; they are unique and will draw your attention at a glance. Whether you can claim them, however, depends on your strength and luck.”

“Fourth: Calamity rarely comes alone. Before humanity mastered fire, the night was more fearsome than any beast. In the Jialan System, this terror is magnified a hundredfold. Night is when the mutated creatures are at their most savage and bloodthirsty. Even higher-level beings sneak out for sport under the cover of darkness. So be warned: unless you possess overwhelming power, never venture out at night.”

“Fifth: The struggle for survival begins. Each of you will receive four universal functions to offset various shortcomings in daily life, offering you many conveniences. Please familiarize yourself with them and use them flexibly.”

“Sixth: Survival is like rowing against the current. Do not think to hide and cower your way to safety. Caution is important, but strength is the foundation. To give you time to adapt, the mutation level of the world is temporarily suppressed. But this suppression will not last; every thirty days it will weaken, raising the regional mutation level by one each time. Stay vigilant. Only those who press forward will survive.”

“Seventh: Civilization has fallen, order is in chaos. In a world without rules, you are the embodiment of freedom. Your choices, your actions, your aims—everything is for survival. Will you preserve your humanity or abandon it? Will you help others, or pursue pure self-interest? Will you create new rules, or become a tyrant of chaos? The choice is yours. If you are powerful enough, wealthy enough, no one will judge you, condemn you, or punish you. You are the world. You are its god. So survive! Explore! Grow stronger! Everything may one day be yours. You will—”

Bang.

The announcement was abruptly cut off, the manic, cheerful survival briefing silenced, and the world fell into sudden stillness.

But the quiet did not last. The familiar melody of “Tomorrow Will Be Better” began once more, but this time, instead of the lively AI voice, only cold, mechanical text scrolled before their eyes.

“Survival briefing complete. Rebooting Jialan World.”
“Assimilating civilization progress…”
“Civilization progress assimilated.”
“Standardizing language systems…”
“Language systems standardized.”
“Constructing world channel…”
“World channel constructed.”
“Establishing trade space…”
“Trade space established.”
“Restoring city functions…”
“City functions restored.”
“Jialan World reboot complete. Bio-barrier removal imminent. Apocalypse strategy countdown commencing.”

“3:00”
“2:59”

With the projected countdown turning a glaring white, the faint yellow barrier before him vanished with a swift ripple…