2026-04-09 04:55:29Li Ming slipped deeper into the narrow alley, heart still pounding from the rush of coming back. He could still hear the distant screams from the school grounds mixed with the occasional wet crunch and roar. Monsters were tearing through Qingyun City like it was nothing. He pressed his back against a graffiti-covered wall and pulled up his status for the first time.
A semi-transparent window floated in his vision, clean and simple.
Name: Li Ming
Level: 1
Class: None
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Vitality: 9
Intelligence: 12
Mana: 8
Luck: 7
Skills: None
Titles: Reincarnator (Hidden)
Throne Anchors: 0/3 (Create first anchor)
The numbers looked pathetic. Average high school kid stuff. But the system messages from earlier burned in his mind. Reincarnation. Absorption. Reset. This wasn’t like the global game everyone else was stuck with. This was his cheat.
He took a slow breath, forcing his hands to stop shaking. The pain from dying had been real, sharp claws ripping through skin and muscle. He could still feel the echo of it if he thought too hard. Good. Fear kept you sharp.
A low growl echoed from the mouth of the alley. One of those spined dog-things had followed the blood scent. It was smaller than the one that killed him, maybe level 3 or 4 if the novels he’d read were any guide. Its red eyes locked on him.
Li Ming didn’t run. Not yet.
He scanned the ground quickly. Broken bottle, rusted pipe, a discarded school bag. Nothing great, but better than fists. He grabbed the pipe. Cold metal in his grip. “Come on then.”
The creature lunged. Faster than he expected. He swung wild, clipping its side. It yelped but kept coming, jaws snapping at his leg. Teeth grazed his calf, drawing blood. Pain flared hot.
Li Ming cursed and kicked it off, backing up. His agility wasn’t enough for fancy moves. The thing circled, spines rattling. Another lunge. This time he dodged left, barely, and brought the pipe down on its head with everything he had.
Crack. The skull gave way. The monster spasmed once and went still.
[You have killed a Spined Scuttler (Level 3).]
[Experience gained: 45]
[Basic Loot: 1x Minor Healing Pellet, 8 Copper Coins.]
A small pouch appeared at his feet. Li Ming snatched it up, popping the healing pellet immediately. The cut on his leg stopped bleeding and itched as it closed. Not full heal, but enough.
He dragged the corpse deeper into the shadows and waited. Thirty seconds. A minute. Nothing happened.
“Range is only fifty meters,” he muttered. “And it has to die near me.”
He needed a better test. Something where he could control the distance.
Another scream cut through the air, closer this time. Human. Li Ming moved to the alley entrance and peeked out. Across the street, near a small convenience store, two students he vaguely recognized from another class were fighting off a pair of scuttlers. One kid had a kitchen knife, swinging like a madman. The other was on the ground, bleeding badly.
The knife kid landed a lucky stab. One monster died.
Li Ming felt it instantly, a faint pull, like static in his veins.
[Throne Absorption triggered.]
[Absorbed: Basic Knife Proficiency (Passive - Lv.1)]
[Minor stat bonus integrated: +1 Agility]
Not much, but it was something. His grip on the pipe felt a fraction steadier.
The second monster tore into the downed kid. Screams turned to gurgles. The knife-wielding student panicked and ran straight toward Li Ming’s alley.
“Help! Anyone…”
He didn’t make it far. The scuttler pounced from behind, claws sinking into his back. The boy hit the pavement hard, eyes wide with shock.
Li Ming stayed hidden, counting the meters. The body was maybe forty meters away. Close enough.
The pull came again, stronger this time.
[Throne Absorption triggered.]
[Absorbed: Street Brawler’s Instinct (Passive - Lv.1) - Slight increase to reaction speed in close combat.]
[Memory fragment: Panic. “Mom… I should’ve gone home earlier.”]
[Minor stat bonus: +1 Vitality]
Li Ming exhaled slowly. The memories were hazy, like watching through fog, but they carried the kid’s last thoughts. He felt pity for the kid.
The surviving scuttler started dragging the body away. Li Ming stepped out, pipe raised. With the new passive, his movements felt a hair smoother. He closed the distance in a rush and smashed the creature’s spine before it could turn fully.
[You have killed a Spined Scuttler (Level 4).]
[Experience gained: 60]
[Basic Loot: 1x Minor Mana Pellet, 12 Copper Coins.]
Another absorption hit as the second body cooled nearby.
[Throne Absorption triggered.]
[Absorbed: Scuttler Carapace Fragment (Passive - Lv.1) - Minor damage reduction against slashing attacks.]
[Minor stat bonus: +1 Strength]
Li Ming’s lips twitched in a thin smile. Three kills, three small gains, and he hadn’t even used the reincarnation yet. The Throne worked even on monsters if they counted as part of the Game. Good to know.
He looted the bodies quickly, more coins, a couple of pellets, and a cheap lighter from one of the kids’ pockets. No big skills yet, but the range limit meant he had to stay close to the dying. Risky, but controllable.
Sirens wailed in the distance, then cut off abruptly. Police weren’t handling this. Probably dead already.
Li Ming dragged the corpses into the alley and piled some trash over them. No point leaving easy evidence if smarter players started hunting for loot. He found a quiet spot behind a dumpster, sat down, and focused.
“Create Throne Anchor.”
A soft blue glow pulsed under his feet for a second, invisible to anyone else.
[Throne Anchor 1 created: Current location marked as respawn point.]
[You may create up to 3 anchors at current level. Anchors can be moved or destroyed.]
One safe point secured. If he died again, he’d wake up right here, stronger for it. The +15% multiplier from his first death had already bumped his base stats slightly when he checked again.
Strength: 10 → 11.5 (effective)
Agility: 12 → 13.8
And so on. Small, but it stacked. Every death would multiply the gains.
A heavy thud shook the ground nearby. Something bigger than the scuttlers was moving through the street. Li Ming stayed low, peering out. A hulking brute with gray skin and jagged bone plates lumbered past, dragging a broken lamppost like a club. Level 8, probably. Too much for him right now.
He waited until it passed, then slipped the other way, toward the edge of the school zone where fewer people had been. Better to avoid crowds. Crowds meant competition and witnesses.
His mind raced with plans. Find a weak dungeon if one has spawned nearby, those reset weekly according to the system. Farm it smart. Build more anchors in hidden spots. Steal better skills from players who thought they were hot shit after one lucky kill.
The global timer in the corner of his vision ticked down.
[Time until First Monster Tide: 22 hours, 47 minutes.]
Plenty of time to prepare. Or to die a few more times and come back harder.
Li Ming gripped the pipe tighter, the new brawler instinct making his steps quieter. He wasn’t going to charge in swinging like those idiots.
He was going to play the long game.
And when the strong ones showed up thinking they owned Qingyun City, he’d be ready to take everything they had.
Even if it meant dying to do it.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Through the Gate
The Central Plaza was a battlefield of shifting alliances and desperate screams. Factions clashed over control of the Ascension Gate while scattered monsters from the lingering tide still prowled the edges. Li Ming crouched behind an overturned bus, supporting his father with one arm while his mother pressed close on the other side.“We’re too exposed here,” Li Ming muttered, eyes scanning the chaos. “The Gate is two hundred meters ahead, but three factions are fighting over it right now.”His father grimaced, trying to stand straighter despite the pain. “Then we wait for an opening, son. You’ve kept us alive this far.”His mother touched Li Ming’s bloodstained sleeve. “Ming’er… you’re hurt too. That penalty you mentioned — is it making things worse?”Li Ming shook his head. “It’s manageable. Just stay behind me and run when I say. No hesitation.”A massive explosion rocked the plaza as two rival guilds collided near the Gate. Li Ming saw his chance.“Now!”He surged forward, half-car
Descent
The Ascension Gate spat Li Ming out onto the blood-soaked ruins of Qingyun City’s Central Plaza like an unwanted memory. The moment his feet touched Floor 0 ground, the penalties slammed into him like a physical blow.His body felt heavier. Slower. Weaker.[Floor Descent Penalty Active: All Stats -15% for 72 hours. Throne absorption quality -60%. Cross-floor range further restricted.]Li Ming staggered for half a second, then forced himself upright. The familiar cracked blue sky overhead looked almost comforting after the oppressive crimson of Floor 1. But there was no time for nostalgia.He moved.The plaza was still a graveyard of the Second Tide. Piles of monster corpses rotted under the sun while survivors picked through the remains. Li Ming kept the Shadow Veil Cloak active and his head low, slipping through the chaos like a ghost. Even with the penalties, his base power was still far above most Floor 0 survivors.He headed straight for the residential block, heart pounding harde
Echoes from Below
Zhao Feng winced as he leaned against the rocky outcrop, clutching the fresh bandage Li Ming had tied around his torso. The crimson sun hung low, casting long bloody shadows across the wastes. They had been moving for hours, putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the collapsed cave.“You should have left me,” Zhao Feng muttered, voice rough with pain. “I was dead weight back there.”Li Ming scanned the horizon before answering. “Dead weight doesn’t complain this much. Save your strength. We still have a long way before we can rest.”A weak chuckle escaped Zhao Feng. “You know… when you first saved us, I thought you were just another strong loner looking for cannon fodder. But you pulled me out. Twice now.” He paused, studying Li Ming’s face. “Why do you fight like this? Most people with your power would’ve built a big group by now. Ruled something.”Li Ming remained silent for a long moment, eyes distant. “Big groups attract attention. Attention brings betrayal. I
Fractured Alliances
Zhao Feng slammed his axe into the ground, still buzzing from the latest ambush. “Did you see their faces when the wolves hit? Lin Mei looked like she wanted to kill her own men!”The group had gathered in their newest temporary shelter — a shallow cave system hidden behind a collapsed tower. A small crystal lantern cast flickering red light across their faces. Su Ling was bandaging a cut on one man’s arm while the others counted loot.Li Ming leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, listening.“We’re actually doing it,” said a wiry man named Guo Wei, grinning as he weighed a pouch of Floor Coins. “Three supply convoys in five days. They must be bleeding resources by now.”“Keep your voice down,” Su Ling warned. “We got lucky today. If that wolf pack hadn’t shown up—”“Lucky?” Zhao Feng laughed. “That was the boss’s timing. He always knows when to strike.”All eyes turned toward Li Ming. He met their gazes steadily but said nothing at first. The praise felt hollow. Praise often prec
Hunter and Hunted
Li Ming moved through the narrow crimson ravine like a wraith, his Shadow Veil Cloak making him nearly indistinguishable from the jagged rock walls. Three days had passed since Captain Lin Mei began her personal hunt. The Scarlet Vanguard had increased patrol frequency and started offering bounties for any information on the “Crimson Shadow” and his small band. His group of six had become surprisingly effective. They struck fast, looted efficiently, and vanished before major reinforcements arrived. Li Ming’s leadership — cold, precise, and always one step ahead — had raised their average levels and given them renewed purpose. But the pressure was mounting. “Boss,” Zhao Feng whispered from behind a boulder as they observed a Vanguard supply route. “They’ve reinforced this convoy. At least forty guards. Lin Mei might be with them.” Li Ming studied the formation below. The carts were heavier, protected by shield-bearers and crystal mages. Captain Lin Mei was indeed present, her silver
Slow Bleed
Li Ming crouched on a narrow ledge overlooking a winding ravine, Shadow Veil Cloak rendering him nearly invisible against the crimson rock. Below, a Scarlet Vanguard supply patrol of eighteen soldiers moved in tight formation, escorting three heavily loaded crystal carts. His six followers were positioned according to his instructions — Zhao Feng and two others on the far side, Su Ling and the rest ready with ranged support. “Patience,” Li Ming whispered, though none could hear him. “Wait for my signal.” This was their third ambush in two days. The strategy was working. Small, precise strikes against supply lines and isolated patrols were slowly draining the Vanguard’s resources without provoking an all-out hunt. Yet. The patrol entered the kill zone. Li Ming activated Brutal Intimidation. The shout echoed through the ravine, stunning the front and rear guards simultaneously. He descended like a crimson ghost — Spiked Charge slamming into the lead cart’s guards, short sword flashin
You may also like
Harem Multiverse Challenge
Helen B.49.5K viewsWulin : Martial Heroes
Keikokumars24.2K viewsCultivation Sign-In System
ShadowKatake54.1K viewsSystem Activation: Becoming a Super Rich
Enigma Stone76.7K viewsCelebrity Investment System
ECO FLOW145 viewsThe System Gambler’s Rise
Bidemi168 viewsCold Apocalypse: My Wife's Betrayal
F.J. Wilder995 viewsThe Paralyzed Man's Revenge
Qorimasha310 views