Chapter Two: A Chance Encounter

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Ten years—an entire ten years. Countless times, Lu Yang had dreamed of living his life over again, of changing the course of this tragedy. Now, that dream had truly come true.

In his previous life, he had lost because he trusted the wrong people. But he had also seen clearly who had reached out to save him when he was at his most desperate, and who had kicked him while he was down.

“Liu Jie, thank you for everything you gave me. You taught me who my friends and enemies truly were. Since I’ve been given a second chance, I’d like to see whether your family’s wealth is more formidable—or whether the knowledge I’ve gained from ten years of rebirth is.”

Lu Yang’s eyes held more than hatred. They also gleamed with excitement.

The hatred from his previous life had not ended with that single gunshot. If not for Liu Jie, he would never have lost his family and the woman he loved, nor would he have endured so many hardships. Since he had been reborn, the first person he would not spare was Liu Jie—and neither would he spare Liu Jie’s family.

As for how he would take his revenge, Lu Yang’s gaze fell upon the calendar.

He did not know the winning lottery numbers. Nor did he know how society would develop over the coming decade. But he did know one thing: today was the day the game Second World officially opened to the public.

Beginning in 2010, virtual gaming had been viewed favorably by everyone. Yet no one could have imagined that, thirty years later, virtual gaming would become a colossal entity with more than three billion people online simultaneously—a multifaceted world encompassing online shopping, virtual education, gaming warfare, film production, and much more.

Countless financial conglomerates had recognized the business opportunities and entered the game. Thanks to their investment, the exchange rate between the game’s virtual currency and real-world money became extraordinarily high. Individual virtual items were driven up to prices of more than a million, and with the enormous prize money offered by the various leagues, the income of a top-tier player could far exceed that of a celebrity in the real world. The earnings of professional gaming studios surpassed those of many large corporations.

In his previous life, Lu Yang had wanted to enter the game at the earliest opportunity. But when he saw the exorbitant price of the gaming helmet, he could not bring himself to spend the money. It was not until half a month after the start of the school year, when a friend introduced him to the game, that he finally entered and became a member of Frost Studio’s gold-farming team.

Recalling his time at Frost Studio, a nostalgic smile appeared on Lu Yang’s face. His little sister had been there too. But in this life, he could no longer return to Frost Studio.

With ten full years of gaming experience more than anyone else, Lu Yang possessed countless money-making methods, dungeon strategies, knowledge of bugs and exploits, superior combat awareness, and battle techniques that no one could rival.

Reborn into this life, Lu Yang intended to rely on those advantages to establish his reputation in the game as quickly as possible, earn enough money to build the world’s greatest guild, and find once more the brothers who had never abandoned him.

“Brothers, I couldn’t repay your kindness in my previous life, but I’ll repay it twice over in this one. Mom, Dad—this time, your son will never let you down,” Lu Yang said through gritted teeth.

To enter Second World, one had to purchase its dedicated gaming helmet. Lu Yang remembered that his parents had gone with a construction crew to lay railway tracks in a remote mountain ravine. They would not return for three months. He was the only one left at home, and his parents had left two thousand yuan in the drawer for his living expenses.

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Carrying the money, Lu Yang headed toward the university. To ensure that every gaming enthusiast could purchase a helmet, the game company had established sales points all over the world. There was one near the school as well.

As if guided by fate, Lu Yang found himself standing at the university’s main entrance. Above the enormous pale-yellow gate were four large characters reading East Capital University.

This was the place that held all of Lu Yang’s memories of Shen Mengyao. In his recollection, this was where he had first met her in his previous life.

Fate was a strange thing, impossible to describe in words. It was almost as though certain people were destined to meet you at a particular time.

He remembered how radiant Shen Mengyao had been back then. She had only just begun her freshman year, yet a single photograph had made her the goddess of the entire university. Countless people pursued her, but she had never been moved by any of them. Instead, she would often secretly confide in Lu Yang about her troubles.

Lu Yang had truly wanted to tell her how much he wished to become one of those troubles. Recalling the way Shen Mengyao had looked as she sat on the stadium steps and poured out her heart, Lu Yang could not help gazing up at the sky, his eyes moist.

“Excuse me, could you tell me… um…”

That unforgettable voice from his memories suddenly sounded beside him. Lu Yang froze completely. When he turned around, who else could it be but Shen Mengyao?

Shen Mengyao was still as beautiful as ever. Her large eyes were clear and pure, utterly free of impurity. Her hair was tied into a ponytail that fell down her back. She was not especially tall—around five feet six—but the lovely pink-and-white dress she wore, together with her long, fair legs, accentuated her graceful figure.

“Are you homesick?” Shen Mengyao asked apologetically. “Is this your first time traveling far from home too?”

Lu Yang’s heart was filled with conflicting emotions, yet his face burned bright red. This was not how he had imagined his first meeting with her after being reborn.

“No. It’s just that some dust got in my eyes.”

“Ohhh, so that’s it.”

Her pretty, mischievous face was filled with disbelief.

Lu Yang covered his forehead and laughed helplessly. She was just as playful as she had been in his previous life.

“What did you need me for?” Lu Yang asked.

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Shen Mengyao lightly tapped her head and said, “Oh dear, I completely forgot. I wanted to ask how to get to the women’s dormitory, but I got lost.”

Lu Yang laughed. Shen Mengyao had always been hopeless with directions.

“Walk straight ahead. Turn right at the first fork, then right again at the second. Turn left at the third fork, and right at the fourth. Go around the rear cafeteria, walk past the library, then turn right, turn left, and you’ll be there.” Lu Yang asked, “Did you remember that?”

Shen Mengyao’s pretty face was filled with bewilderment. “That’s so complicated. It’s really hard to remember.”

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to remember it. I’ll take you there. Come with me,” Lu Yang said.

“Thank you.”

Shen Mengyao followed Lu Yang into the university.

It was the height of summer in August, and the trees across the campus were lush and flourishing. Ten-meter-tall banyan trees blocked the entire view overhead. Lu Yang led Shen Mengyao along the paths as though they were threading their way through a maze.

“Are you a student here too?” Shen Mengyao asked curiously.

“Not yet,” Lu Yang replied. “But I will be once September arrives.”

“You’re a freshman too?” Shen Mengyao asked delightedly. “Then how do you know this university so well?”

“My home is nearby,” Lu Yang explained. “I’ve exercised here since I was a child, so I know every corner of the campus.”

“No wonder,” Shen Mengyao said. “The trees here are so tall that they block your view, and there are so many forks in the paths below. I’ve gotten lost every time I’ve come.”

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