Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Darkness swallowed Feng Bu Jue’s vision, and the game menu flickered, unresponsive. After a brief daze, he realized he’d shifted from standing to sitting—perched on a rigid-backed chair.
“Welcome to Terrifying Paradise.” The voice this time was ordinary, a generic young man’s tone, yet its delivery still carried an eerie edge.
[Loading complete. You are now entering Team Survival Mode (Common).]
[This mode includes scenario briefings, with potential for side/hidden quests and unique world-building.]
[Scenario Clearance Reward: 80% bonus to base experience upon completion.]
[Scenario briefing will now play. The game will begin immediately afterward.]
A cutscene materialized before Feng Bu Jue’s eyes, like watching a film through movie-theater glasses. A narrator’s voice accompanied it.
[This is a modern metropolis, bustling like any global megacity—towering skyscrapers, endless traffic, overpopulated streets, and polluted air…]
The visuals fast-forwarded through mundane cityscapes.
[Until one night, the sun set and never rose again. Pale moonlight flickered through drifting clouds, illuminating a silent, desolate city.]
Feng Bu Jue’s vision plunged into darkness, then dimly brightened to moonlit gloom. The city still held scattered lights, but nothing like its former nocturnal vibrancy. From a distant overhead view, streets lay littered with motionless cars—no pedestrians, no movement.
[You awaken, finding yourself on the late-night subway you ride daily. You’ll soon realize the strangers around you—and yourself—are the city’s only survivors.]
As the words faded, Feng Bu Jue’s senses snapped back. The game menu reappeared. The scenario had begun.
He sat on a moving subway train, windows blurring into streaks. Nearby, Wang Tan Zhi occupied a seat. This carriage held three other passengers: a young couple across from them, likely students. The boy’s pale face and long hair blurred gender lines, his androgynous appearance matched by the girl beside him. Both were slender, attractive, their nicknames confirming their relationship: Loneliest When Missing You (male) and Loneliest When Remembering You (female).
Team Survival Mode allowed a final pre-game adjustment period. Player names hovered above heads, visible to all. Once underway, names would vanish—requiring a menu check to identify teammates. The team tab revealed limited data: names, levels, and statuses (Surviving or Dead). No details on health or debuffs.
The fifth passenger sat opposite Feng and Wang—a hulking man easily over six feet tall and 220 pounds. His chiseled jaw and V-shaped torso strained against his long-sleeved tee, muscles visible even through fabric.
“Self-introduction,” the giant rumbled, thumping his chest. “Long Ao Min. Just hit level 10.”
“I’ll say,” Feng Bu Jue replied dryly.
Wang Tan Zhi blurted, “Wait, is ‘Valiant Charger’ part of your name? Can names even be that long?”
“That’s my title,” Long Ao Min said, his nameplate displaying [Valiant Charger·Long Ao Min]. “Earned at level 10. The system assigns it.”
Feng Bu Jue nodded. “Translation: this guy’s a powerhouse.”
“Haha, just played longer than you guys,” Long Ao Min chuckled, clearly pleased.
“Brother Long, modesty doesn’t suit you,” Feng teased. Privately, he marveled at anyone bold enough to name themselves Long Ao Min—a name that screamed “unshakable dominance.”
Turning to the couple, he chirped, “Hey, lovebirds.”
“Hey,” they muttered, already cuddling and whispering.
While Feng and Wang chatted with Long Ao Min about game mechanics, the couple’s affectionate gestures—hand-holding, hugs—felt oddly intimate. The game restricted harassment, but consensual Pda was permitted… up to a PG-rated limit.
The train slowed, grinding to a halt. Station lights glowed faintly, unnervingly silent except for the train’s groans. Doors hissed open—then the cabin plunged into darkness.
Loneliest When Remembering You gasped. Her boyfriend stiffened but held his composure.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!” Wang Tan Zhi screamed.
Feng Bu Jue sighed. “If the system didn’t stop me, I’d shove a wrench down your throat.” He stepped onto the platform, shaking his head.
Long Ao Min followed, smirking. The couple trailed, eyes rolling at Wang’s cowardice.
Surveying the station, Feng said, “I’ll check the front—maybe the driver’s still…”
“Stick together,” Long Ao Min interrupted.
“Why bother?” Loneliest When Missing You scoffed. “We’ve got a level 10 tank here. Let’s just follow him and smash everything. Kill everything, reach the surface.”
Feng glanced at the team tab: the couple were levels 7 and 6. “Fine,” he conceded. “Brother Long?”
“Follow my lead,” Long Ao Min said, hefting a shield from his satchel.
Wang Tan Zhi whispered, “Jue Ge, since when do you back down?”
“Checking the driver was a long shot,” Feng murmured. “No point arguing over trivia.”
At the escalator’s top, a sign pointed to exits and surface landmarks. They needed the nearest way out.
Suddenly, a system alert chimed in their minds:
[Main Quest Triggered]
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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