Chapter 7-Game Descent: I Am the Sole Player
Bai Shan met the unknowing gaze of Chen Xinyi's wide eyes. The baby's eyes held no complex emotions—like a pair of black mirrors, they clearly reflected her image.
"Goodbye."
After a moment of silence, Bai Shan said softly once more.
From today onward, a polite word like "goodbye" had become the most sincere and heartfelt wish one could offer another.
She straightened up, didn't look back, and walked out through the lobby's iron door.
The iron door slammed shut behind her with a heavy clang that jolted the heart.
Two hours after the game's descent, Bai Shan finally stepped out of the residential building she'd lived in since childhood. She walked a short distance before stopping to observe the high-rise from outside.
Liu Chaoyun had said a tree was growing on the rooftop. But when Bai Shan looked, the entire building had clearly transformed into a towering trunk, crowned with a lush canopy. Dense tendrils had already drooped down to the building's midsection.
The structure looked as though it were being devoured from top to bottom.
She had seen this strange tree growing on the rooftop one night over a month ago. The property management had said they'd cleared the rooftop—yet it had survived until now.
A flock of birds flew over and dove straight into the canopy, vanishing without a trace. In the distance, from all directions, even more flocks were converging toward this spot.
"Is this tree emitting some kind of signal?"
From the 25th floor, Bai Shan had witnessed the giant tree deliberately trapping a bird, and then a massive bat had crashed in and nearly killed her. It seemed it wasn't just bad luck—the tree was very likely the cause.
In the plant kingdom, releasing signals to lure animals for seed dispersal was common. But this tree was clearly luring animals to digest them.
It could lure ordinary birds, and it could lure mutated bats. If it continued to develop, could it eventually bewitch humans into walking right into its trap?
Bai Shan slowly backed away, wanting to observe more carefully and thoroughly, when her foot suddenly stepped on something and she nearly slipped.
She turned to look—it was a desiccated corpse.
The flesh had shriveled, dried skin clinging to a skeleton still wearing a down jacket.
Bai Shan had seen mummified remains in museums, but none had ever hit as hard as this. Fighting back nausea, she examined it. Was the culprit that bat that had nearly killed her?
The vast majority of bats don't drink blood—they eat insects and nectar. But in Tomorrow's Dominator, the mutations in animals and plants weren't just about blindly growing larger and eating people. Some would develop their dominant abilities to extremes—Bai Shan had encountered a supersonic cheetah in the game.
Others had ancient genes reawakened within them. Birds might revert to dinosaurs; fruit-eating bats might awaken the genes of some vampiric bat lineage.
Bai Shan had even slaughtered an Aberrant resembling a Tyrannosaurus Rex in the game, but its strength far exceeded the actual T-Rex of millions of years ago—even an RPG couldn't pierce its flesh.
Yet powerful physiques weren't the most troublesome thing Bai Shan had encountered. She'd also run into monsters that seemed to have fused with human genes, possessing intelligence on par with an adult human.
These mutated creatures would grow just like humans. The ones that survived to the late game were each more formidable than the last.
Bai Shan quickened her pace. The late-game concerns were too far off. The immediate priority was finding a driver—her RV was still parked on the 25th floor.
Her mother had a friend who ran an online shop. This auntie's hometown was in Songjiang Province, and she went back every Spring Festival. She presumably had a good relationship with her family.
Before coming downstairs, Bai Shan had already mapped out the route to the Arctic secret room. It happened to pass through Songjiang Province. She was confident she could persuade that auntie to set out with her. Bringing someone along would be troublesome, but Bai Shan simply couldn't drive.
And that auntie could not only drive cars—she could drive big trucks too, and she enjoyed hiking and rock climbing and other outdoor activities.
Most importantly, given Bai Shan's social circle, this was her only option.
Stepping out of the residential complex, vehicles were scattered haphazardly across the road. A truck had crashed into the convenience store next to the complex. The red bricks of the sidewalk had been heaved up by powerful tree root systems, broken and scattered, making it nearly impossible to walk.
A handful of people were still moving through the streets, Bai Shan among them. She saw bloodstains and corpses, and heard someone wailing inside a crumpled car, trapped against the airbag.
Bai Shan righted a bicycle lying on the roadside. With a flip of her right hand, a red dart appeared in her palm.
[100% Accuracy Dart] was a B-Tier item. The "100% accuracy" causality effect was very useful, and it could launch up to three darts simultaneously. Its weakness was low attack power, which was why it was only B-Tier.
Even so, a B-Tier item was more than sufficient in the early game.
The red dart shattered the lock above the bicycle's rear wheel. Bai Shan hopped on, and the chaotic streetscape receded behind her.
Military vehicles came driving toward her. On board were soldiers with guns at the ready, followed by police cars and ambulances.
A red-eyed giant rabbit with a severed limb dangling from its mouth hopped into the middle of the road. It was as large as a sedan. It was quickly riddled with bullets.
Bai Shan on her bicycle swerved around the giant rabbit's carcass.
The people in the vehicles were clearly surprised to see Bai Shan navigating the streets alone, but she didn't pause for a second. One hard push of the pedals and the bike shot into the distance.
Whether it was the authorities or herself, both had anticipated and prepared for this disaster—but the game had come too fast, catching everyone off guard.
If it had only been the Tomorrow's Dominator 1.0 scenario, under the leadership of the national apparatus, humanity might have been able to suppress the early-stage Aberrants. Drones would have been highly effective against those things.
However, the most terrifying aspect of the game's First Stage wasn't the Aberrants—it was the rule that anyone who failed to reach Level 5 would be erased.
After seven days, if everyone who failed to meet the requirement was truly erased, it would symbolize that humanity had no choice but to abandon resistance, submit to the game, and enter an era of total domination by Tomorrow's Dominator.
Because in the face of such terrifying technological power, human resistance would be meaningless.
Without question, Bai Shan held an advantage in this game. After Tomorrow's Dominator descended, she'd bid farewell to her future of making bubble tea and transformed overnight into a potential powerhouse—a rising star poised to become a world-renowned force to be reckoned with. Yet thinking about all this, Bai Shan felt strangely calm, even tinged with an inexplicable sadness.
The cold wind lashed at her face and crept into her collar and sleeves. Bai Shan didn't shrink from the cold. Her cycling speed only increased.
Strength Enhancement 80%, Agility Enhancement 50%, Body Enhancement 40%—in a computer game, these were trivial numbers. But made real, Bai Shan felt as though her entire body had been reborn!
Her body felt as if it had shed all its burdens. Strength surged through every fiber. Her legs pedaling the bicycle seemed to have inexhaustible energy, and the cold wind became an exhilarating stimulus.
At a school sports meet, with her current physical condition, she could probably win a gold medal with ease.
The cross-river bridge appeared in her field of vision. Once across, she'd reach the urban district she needed. Bai Shan leaned forward, gripped the handlebars tighter, and her eyes sharpened with intense focus.
The road conditions ahead looked rather rough, she thought.
*
"Xiao Wang, you're leaving too?"
"My parents live out in the county. I'm worried about them."
"Filial piety is a good thing, but it's too dangerous outside. If something happens, it won't be worth it."
"Hey sis, which county are you heading to? Want to team up?"
The building lobby, usually filled with nothing but hurried footsteps, had now become as noisy and crowded as a market. Some were leaving with their entire families; others lingered, looking around indecisively.
Xiao Wang politely declined the invitation from the family of three across from her. The fact that they had a car and were heading in the same direction was tempting, but having spent several years fending for herself in the city, she was naturally cautious—especially in the current chaos.
They kept trying to persuade her, so Xiao Wang had to say: "No thanks, sis. I'm planning to find my dog first, then meet up with friends from my hometown to head back together."
Upon hearing she was looking for a dog, the woman's expression shifted, though her tone remained warm. "Are you crazy?! A giant cat has taken over the 16th floor. Old Li just organized people to barricade all the corridors on that floor. How can humans fight those things?!"
"Used to be people eating dogs. Now dogs will eat people. Don't go out there looking for death..."
The woman's words sounded well-intentioned, but Xiao Wang felt uncomfortable. She retorted somewhat coldly: "These days, humans aren't necessarily above eating humans either."
The woman was struck speechless, shot her a glare, and turned away.
Xiao Wang glanced over. The woman's husband had already draped his arm over a young man's shoulder, while their heavyset son stood on the young man's other side, practically propping him up.
When the rule was that killing players was the only way to advance, a mutated dog might actually be safer than a human.
She hefted her heavy backpack. It was stuffed with instant noodles, bread, and snacks she'd stockpiled, along with some medicine and clothes. In the pocket of her windbreaker was a small knife for self-defense.
The day she'd brought her treasure home, she'd resolved to take responsibility for a little life.
It was Treasure who had rescued her from depression. Yet she'd been forced by circumstances to chase her away. Treasure seemed to understand what was happening—she didn't roll around begging for attention like usual. She just tucked her tail and left quietly, not making things difficult.
Xiao Wang wiped the corner of her eye. Even if Treasure had turned into a monster, it should be her who dealt with it.
She watched the family of three leave with the young man in tow, then waited alone at the entrance a while longer. Estimating they'd had enough time to drive away, she finally stepped out of the building.
People trickled out of the building one after another, but the majority chose to stay home for now and wait and see.
Only one pet cat in the building had mutated. All other pets had been driven out at Old Li the security guard's command. The banyan tree atop the building looked terrifying, but it hadn't shown any aggressive behavior.
Looking at the thick green wall outside their windows, some people even felt a strange sense of security.
All they had to do was seal up their doors and windows tightly to prevent anyone with ill intentions from getting in. Overall, this building was still quite safe.
As for the game rules... maybe it was all just a bluff? Better to wait. The government would figure something out.
"Mom! Dad! We have to leave!"
"What are you talking about? Our home is right here. Where do you think you'd go?"
"If we don't run now, are we waiting for the massacre on Day 7?"
"We really should have monitored your phone usage. What nonsense. You're a middle schooler—do what middle schoolers are supposed to do. Where's your winter break homework?"
The girl stood in the center of the living room, trembling with urgency. She couldn't understand why, when something this serious had happened, her family could act as if nothing was wrong.
This building had thirty floors and housed at least five hundred people. Five hundred players.
"Don't you believe what the game said? Everyone just registered their special abilities. Isn't that enough to convince you?"
The girl suddenly flung her arm. A scorched black mark appeared on the clean white wall, as if struck by a bolt of lightning.
The two middle-aged adults froze, as if snapping out of a daze. The man murmured, "I just feel like... we should stay here. It's safe here. It's the nest..."
"Yeah, where else would we even go..." the woman echoed in a daze.
Seeing the conversation going in circles, the middle school girl felt an indescribable suffocation. Something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what.
"Fine. We don't have to leave—but we absolutely must go outside!" she compromised.
"Go outside for what?" her mother asked.
"To hunt."
Killing people was out of the question. That was a line that must never be crossed, the girl thought.
That older sister who'd been the first to leave the building had given her a crucial hint: "players" weren't necessarily limited to humans. Mutated animals and plants might also count as "players." Killing them and accumulating experience levels was the way to avoid being erased after seven days.
Who knew what the game's Second Stage would look like after seven days? How long could the food at home last?
Family hunting was one of humanity's oldest traditions, formed during the Paleolithic era. It wasn't until the Agricultural Age that this practice disappeared into plots of owned land.
No one had imagined that tens of thousands of years later, human society would be forced to revive this tradition. The family would become the smallest combat unit.
The daughter's words sobered the couple somewhat. The three of them began taking stock of everything in the house. The middle-aged woman noticed that the living room window had been open the entire time—branches and leaves from outside had crept in all the way to the sofa.
An inexplicable shiver ran through her. She went to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and hacked off every branch that had intruded into the home before sealing the window shut.
The woman wiped the cold sweat from her brow. When she turned around, she saw her husband standing frozen, his expression tense.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you hear that? A gurgling sound? It seems to be coming from the bathroom."
*
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