"Ding... Congratulations on discovering the special item: Life Crystal!"
Chu Tian, located in a pitch-black mine, put down his pickaxe and bent down to pick up the 999th Life Crystal.
A hint of joy flashed in his eyes: "Three years, finally dug up 999 crystals, this damn quest! What kind of reward will it be? God-tier equipment, god-tier talent, special bloodline profession? What can the system give me? Anything, and I can rise again!"
Ao Shi Dynasty guild, I will make you turn to ashes. Huang Xueyi, Yu Xue, you pair of dogs and bitches, I will make you pay the price.
His eyes were firm. He drew his dagger and plunged it into his own chest. His life value continued to decrease, and finally, his body turned into a white light and disappeared.
Chu Tian, in a soul state, arrived at the resurrection point and looked at the "question mark" above the Resurrection Angel's head. Finally, he could complete the quest.
"Esteemed Resurrection Angel, I have brought 999 Life Crystals and met the quest requirements!" Chu Tian uttered the words that triggered the quest.
"Ding... Congratulations, you have completed the unique hidden quest [Resurrection Angel's Salvation]! Quest reward: One chance to [Resurrect]!"
Looking at the crystals disappearing from his inventory and hearing the system prompt, Chu Tian found it difficult to accept. He had spent three years traversing abandoned mines in various empires across the game continent. The reward he received was a chance to resurrect once? Others resurrected for free, only losing a level of experience. Me...
Before he could question it, the 999 Life Crystals in the Resurrection Angel's hand turned into powder, and a dazzling light shone upon him. A scorching sensation, different from any previous resurrection, spread throughout his body. Chu Tian's consciousness plunged into darkness, as if eons had passed.
...
In a rental apartment in Shengjing City, Chu Tian suddenly sat up, noticing his skin was as red as molten iron before slowly fading. The scorching sensation gradually disappeared. Chu Tian, covered in sweat, stood up and looked around.
"This... is?"
Slowly, memories resurfaced in his mind. This small room, with just a bed upon entry, wasn't it the shared apartment he rented during his sophomore year for private time with Yu Xue? Chu Tian suddenly realized something. He picked up his phone by the pillow and turned it on. The date displayed: September 12, 2031, Friday!
He still couldn't quite believe it. He quickly opened his door and ran outside.
*Knock, knock, knock...*
Chu Tian knocked on the door of the adjacent room. He remembered a girl who had just moved in yesterday. Later, he found out she was from the same school and department, his junior. It was she who called the ambulance when he was beaten and had his legs broken.
"Luoluo, what's the date today?" Upon seeing the door open, Chu Tian asked directly.
The girl was taken aback: "You... how do you know my name?"
"Uh... it's not important. Quickly tell me, what year, month, and day is it today?" In his haste, Chu Tian had accidentally called out her name, making him slightly embarrassed, as this should have been their first meeting.
"Today is the 12th of September, year '31...!"
Before the girl could finish speaking, Chu Tian turned and rushed back into his room, closing the door with a slam! Chu Tian sat by the bed in a daze: I... I really reborn!
Recalling the completed quest, the reward description stated: "The quest reward is what you most desire!" Chu Tian gave a wry smile: He only wanted a divine item or a divine talent, a chance to rise again. He never expected... Then again, his greatest wish was to stand and walk again, and to make those dogs and bitches pay. Perhaps only rebirth could achieve that.
He looked at his legs. Three years ago, they were crippled by a beating, resulting in a high amputation. Although everyone knew Huang Xueyi had ordered it, there was no evidence, so it was left unresolved. Afterward, with the help of friends, Chu Tian fled to another city to escape further harm.
Chu Tian's mind was not yet entirely clear, and he began to recall. September 12th. This day was unforgettable for him. On September 11th of his previous life, Yu Xue broke up with him. On the afternoon of the 12th, he went to borrow money from Huang Xueyi. It was to buy the "Tiandao" full-immersion holographic game helmet. At that time, he didn't know Yu Xue had left him for Huang Xueyi.
In early 2031, "Tiandao Group" emerged, sweeping through and acquiring all global gaming companies. Initially, it faced joint attacks from major international gaming giants, but within half a day, all resistance from these giants vanished. They were all incorporated under "Tiandao Group." For the next six months, no games were launched globally. Everyone knew "Tiandao Group" was preparing a major move.
Indeed, that was the case. Three months ago, precisely on June 2, 2031, a sensational announcement was made globally. "Tiandao Group's" 100% realistic full-immersion virtual online game, "Tiandao," would officially launch at 00:00 on September 13th.
There was skepticism again. Many believed entering a game with such a historically significant mental immersion was unsafe. Moreover, "Tiandao" was developed in just half a year! Many "experts" even called for governments worldwide to ban the game. However, governments worldwide remained silent, and those vocal "experts" also quieted down.
After a three-month wait, accompanied by pervasive advertising, all promotions featured only the initial slogan. There were no posters, no CGs, and no game background descriptions. Everyone guessed from the name "Tiandao" that it might be a cultivation-themed game.
Chu Tian, reborn, knew it was a survival game in a future world. With four years of game experience, he knew the trigger locations for most fortuitous encounters, the production sites of various divine equipment, and had the strategies for quickly clearing all dungeons. However, what the hell was he supposed to do without a helmet?
He checked the time. At this time in his previous life, he should have been on his way to borrow money from Huang Xueyi. In this life, he would never repeat that. Thinking back, he realized he had been the fool.
Patting his pocket, he had only eleven yuan and fifty cents. He was still short of 1988 yuan and fifty cents to buy the cheapest holographic helmet! Reborn with great ambition, he was unable to even enter the game. Was he supposed to wait for the human-wide distribution of helmets by "Tiandao Group" half a year later?
*Knock, knock, knock...* A knock on the door.
Chu Tian got up and opened the door. The moment he opened it, he froze. Standing outside was his neighbor, 'Luoluo.' But he froze not because Luoluo was knocking on his door, but because she was holding a No. 207 holographic helmet. This helmet, which she was supposed to give him as a gift six months later after they became very familiar, why was it in her hands now?
"Neighbor... Neighbor senior, I just moved in, please take care of me. A small gift, nothing much!" Seeing Luoluo blush, the memories of his previous life instantly overlapped. "Senior neighbor, thank you for the care over the past six months. A small gift, nothing much!" In his past life, Luoluo smiled at him...
"Senior? Hey, hey, hey..." The small hand waving in front of him brought Chu Tian back to reality.
"Ah... Thank you, Luoluo... junior!" Chu Tian reached out and took the helmet.
"Then... I'll go back now!" Luoluo, blushing, ran back to her room.
Both closed their doors... One leaned against the door, muttering, "He really knows my name? Could it be that he still remembers..." The other sat on the bed, looking at the helmet in his hand: "Did she also prepare the helmet back then and only give it to me after six months? Why is this?"
Chu Tian, as an orphan raised in an orphanage, didn't think he had such great appeal to women. He dismissed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, tore open the helmet's packaging, and his eyes lit up with excitement.