Without waiting for Ren Ye to finish speaking, Huang Wei, sitting across from the desk, kept his right hand outstretched. His eyes, fixed on Ren Ye, seemed unchanged—yet something had shifted.
In the blink of an eye, his eyes turned a chilling blood-red, a faint halo flickering around him like the ghost of someone wronged.
What truly startled Ren Ye was the sudden sharpness of Huang Wei's facial features. His cheeks seemed to gain depth, transforming the man before him into something more... dangerous. The air around Huang Wei thickened with a murderous pressure, oppressive and suffocating. Ren Ye instinctively recoiled, pressing his back against the chair as though he could escape the invisible force closing in on him.
What's going on with his eyes? Did I just see something that shouldn't be seen?
Ren Ye had mentally prepared himself for this meeting, knowing he was stepping into an unknown world—one that could shatter everything he thought he knew. He had expected horror, the kind of inexplicable events that would leave his mind reeling. Yet, standing before him now, with his back against the chair, he realized he was still unprepared. His body trembled involuntarily, betraying the flood of confusion and fear in his chest.
"As I said," Huang Wei's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable force, "from the moment you nodded, the gears of fate began to turn. You have the opportunity to embrace a life more magnificent than you could ever imagine."
Ren Ye wiped the sweat gathering on his forehead, his hand shaking slightly as he reached out to shake Huang Wei's. His voice was strained, the words barely escaping his mouth. "What... what do you mean by that?"
Huang Wei, satisfied by Ren Ye's response, allowed himself a small smile. He felt the shock had worked—Ren Ye wasn't an ordinary person, his mind was strong, but even the strongest needed a little jolt to break their perception of reality.
As Ren Ye took a moment to regain his composure, Huang Wei's tone softened. "There is something called the Star Gate in this world. Those who enter become... gods."
Ren Ye's brow furrowed, confusion lingering in his eyes as he processed the words.
Huang Wei continued, his voice rich with intrigue, "It's a saying among the Star Gate players. To put it simply, in the world we know—no, in the entire universe—there are many pieces of space debris, scattered like stars. Ordinary people can't see them. The Star Scar Gate is so vast, it cannot be fully explored. Some of these 'gates' are tiny, no bigger than a tomb, yet they hold the supernatural heritage of countless races and civilizations."
Ren Ye's mind raced as he tried to piece this together, but Huang Wei was already on a roll. "The people who are invited into these gates—we call them players. Once inside, they must complete bizarre tasks. Success means gaining powers or objects with abilities comparable to gods themselves."
He paused for a moment, his gaze shifting to Ren Ye, as though testing him. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Ren Ye, still dazed, tried to process the overwhelming information. He swallowed and, with effort, attempted to make sense of it. "So... this is like... a multi-world dungeon? Where everything is infinite?"
Huang Wei raised an eyebrow. "I don't read those online stories—they're too... lowbrow. But yes, there are similarities. Though, there are essential differences."
He leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Did you get... pink eye when you stepped through this... door?"
Ren Ye blinked, struggling to keep his composure as he glanced at Huang Wei's glowing red eyes. "No... no pink eye here," he replied with a chuckle. "But you... on the other hand..." His words trailed off, his eyes lingering on Huang Wei's unnerving gaze.
Huang Wei shrugged, unfazed. "Correct, no pink eye here. I'm just a handsome fighter."
Huang Wei's expression shifted again, becoming more serious as he continued. "To simplify things, the powers granted by the Star Gate come in two forms: orderly and disorderly. The orderly inheritance follows a set path—like having a one-on-one mentor guiding you through it. The disorderly one? Well, that path is much more erratic. Advancement depends on your personal talent and understanding of the process. In the early stages, the abilities of those with disorderly inheritance are weaker compared to orderly ones."
He leaned back, letting the weight of his words settle in the room. "In short, the more structured and specific the inheritance, the rarer and more valuable it is. The biggest difference, though, is that those with orderly inheritances are fully recognized and bound by the Star Mark Gate itself."
"What does it mean to be bound to it?" Ren Ye asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Huang Wei's response was sharp, concise. "When the Stargate accepts you, it becomes yours. You will have a Door Spirit assigned to you, one who holds the authority to open or close the door whenever you wish. As you grow stronger, you'll have the power to reshape the rules within the Stargate, to control that world. You become its master."
Ren Ye stood frozen, his mind racing. For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, with urgency in his voice, he broke the silence. "Let me make sure I understand... Hypothetically speaking, if a Stargate were as vast as Earth, then after it accepts me, I'd control that Earth? I could invite anyone I want, even... let's say, a few ladies for company, and live in luxury... would that be illegal?"
Huang Wei gave a small nod, as if indulging a moment of absurdity. "Theoretically, yes."
Ren Ye's mind began to paint an image of that life, each detail more vivid than the last. "A life of luxury... truly magnificent," he murmured.
Huang Wei's gaze hardened, piercing. "What I've just shared can be summed up in one sentence."
Ren Ye, brow furrowed, gathered his thoughts. "The universe is full of fragments of space, scattered like stars. Those who enter these Stargates receive divine powers upon completing trials. There are two types of inheritance: orderly and disordered. The former is more powerful, rarer, and more valuable."
Huang Wei nodded, approval in his eyes. He rose, walking with purpose toward the back of the room, his hands clasped behind him. "A month ago, one of our players discovered that after completing his Stargate mission, he was granted access to another—one far greater. He was allowed to bring three others with him."
Ren Ye's voice was uncertain. "Consecutive missions?"
A gleam of pride sparked in Huang Wei's eyes. "Exactly. This player's previous tasks weren't just missions—they were a prelude. His reward? The rarest of privileges: the qualification to enter another Stargate. It's unheard of for a separate Stargate to unlock access to another. This one is different—its inheritance system is likely unparalleled."