Chapter 1: The Genesis Lost by Lan Fatty
The train station hummed with a cacophony of voices as throngs of people traversed its bustling thoroughfare. A young man emerged from the station in toe with many others, while his worn backpack was slung gingerly over his shoulder.
Having recently graduated from high school, Jiang Ping had struggled to find his rightful place amidst the city's maze. Alas, the urban landscape had eroded his youthful spirit, leaving him marooned in a sea of uncertainty. To compound his worries, his five-year-long relationship crumbled at the mere mention of parting ways.
He had long grown weary of the complexities of city life, so Jiang Ping decided to forsake his job and seek solace in the embrace of his home. As he embarked on his homeward journey, an unexplained sense of trepidation clenched at his heart, casting a shadow over his every step.
"Thump..."
Suddenly, extricated from his deep self reproach, a figure enshrouded in mysterious black attire glided past Jiang Ping, inadvertently releasing a weighty tome adorned with a somber ebony cover, which plummeted to the ground with a resounding thud.
"Excuse me! Can you hold on just a moment; you have dropped something," Jiang Ping exclaimed, his voice laced with intrigue and urgency. Swiftly, he stooped down and retrieved the fallen book from the cobblestone. He cast a hasty glance around, hoping to catch sight of the black clad passerby. Yet, to his astonishment, the hooded man had vanished without a trace, dissolving into the ephemeral fabric of the bustling crowd.
"What, where did he vanish to in such short notice?" The surrounding onlookers cast curious glances at Jiang Ping, their eyes seemingly devoid of any recollection of the man who had crossed his path mere moments ago.
It was undeniably a bewildering sight. Dejected and laden with a sense of responsibility, Jiang Ping resigned himself to wait at an adjacent roadside shop, having nothing to do in the meantime. Unfortunately, the wait stretched on for an interminable span of two or three hours, each passing minute mocking his patience. As the resplendent sun neared the horizon, casting its golden hues across the landscape, Jiang Ping could only release a weary sigh, recognizing that he had no choice but to further the journey to his home, clutching the peculiar black book, now in his possession.
"Creak, creak..."
A dissonance sound emanated from the rusty hinges of the weathered gate, its protestations echoing through the stillness that had engulfed the neglected entrance. Above, an indigo sky stretched wide, adorned with flickering constellations, while the distant lights of the village began to twinkle, lending a gentle glow to the surrounding darkness. Jiang Ping, wearied by several hours spent laboriously tending to his dilapidated home, finally found solace within its worn embrace. Dragging his fatigued form, he prepared to recline and rest when he recalled the black books he had acquired earlier that afternoon.
Beneath the warm, amber illumination, Jiang Ping meticulously scrutinized the strange tome. The material composing its ebony cover appeared antiquated, its touch devoid of any discernible roughness. Neither leather nor fabric, it possessed an unassuming simplicity, bereft of any inscriptions. Its age remained a mystery, an elusive secret concealed within its bound pages.
"Whoosh..."
In a sudden flourish, a gleaming ray of golden light pierced through the lamplight, causing Jiang Ping to rub his eyes in disbelief. He questioned his own vision, suspecting he had imagined the scene before cautiously parting the book's cover in hopes of unearthing any clues to its origins.
The moment the tome yielded to his touch, Jiang Ping found himself arrested by a profound stillness, his entire being drawn into the ethereal depths of its mysterious pages. An amalgamation of voices, countless and distant, resonated through the velvety tapestry of the night. Though devoid of physical sensation, Jiang Ping perceived the world around him with uncanny acuity—a puppy, which had been gnawing on a bone nearby, extended its tongue to savor the remnants, and he, ensnared within the book's enchantment, discerned the glistening trails of saliva with astounding clarity.
Jiang Ping's mind reeled in confusion as he surveyed his surroundings, his thoughts echoing like thunder in his skull. It felt as if the very pages of a book were unfurling before his eyes, transforming the scene in front of him into a vivid, ever-changing tableau.
In the span of a heartbeat, the sky erupted with the thunderous detonation of artillery fire, while archaic planes, relics of a bygone era, dropped incendiary bombs in a relentless cascade. Soldiers, their hair, a kaleidoscope of colors, charged fearlessly into the chaotic fray, the cacophony of battle resounding in the air, punctuated by incessant explosions
"Is this... a world at war?" Jiang Ping's voice quavered with astonishment as he surveyed the blood-soaked soldiers and the vintage aircraft swirling above. It became abundantly clear that this was not a recollection from his past life before death, as he had speculated.
Time itself seemed to rewind, unraveling before Jiang Ping's bewildered gaze.
"Woo! Woo!"
A spine-chilling roar reverberated through Jiang Ping's ears, cutting through the air like a blade. A majestic black steam engine, exuding power and grace, let out a resounding whistle, its billowing plumes of hot white steam venting from its regal head. Pedestrians, donned in attire reminiscent of the Victorian era, strolled serenely past Jiang Ping, oblivious to his ethereal presence.
"The first industrial revolution?" Jiang Ping's voice wavered with uncertainty, for he found himself incapable of comprehending the enigma that enveloped him.
Jiang Ping stood as a spectral voyager, traversing the corridors of time, witnessing epochal moments in history unfold before his very eyes. He beheld the dawning of a new age with the audacious expeditions of Columbus, who pointed to the Central American continent and boldly proclaimed, "This is India!" to his intrepid crew. He observed the relentless struggle for supremacy among the Wei, Shu, and Wu kingdoms, and beheld the extraordinary vision of Emperor Qin Shihuang, whose unwavering determination birthed the awe-inspiring edifice of the Great Wall that spans the annals of time.
The tapestry of time unfolded before Jiang Ping, revealing the cyclical dance of creation and destruction that had shaped the ancient annals of our world. It was as if the very Earth had turned itself inside out, baring its enigmatic past in all its glory.
He bore witness to the birth and demise of the Holy Roman Empire, an empire both glorious and ephemeral, whose echoes reverberated through the ages. He beheld the awe-inspiring construction of the Khufu Pyramid, a towering monument standing proud at a height of 146 meters, testifying to the indomitable spirit of the ancients. He observed the rise and fall of the first dynasty in the annals of Egyptian history, an epoch that defined the destiny of an entire civilization.
In the cradle of Mesopotamia, Jiang Ping witnessed the genesis of the Sumerian civilization, a beacon of enlightenment amidst the fertile lands between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
But the journey through time was far from over. Jiang Ping's eyes widened with astonishment as he gazed upon a radiant aura that bathed the Earth. In the dawn of humanity, our ancestors wielded stone spears, locked in a primal struggle against the elements, the vast expanse of sky, and the formidable mammoths that roamed the frigid landscapes of the Ice Age.
He witnessed the first ancient ape, driven by a forest inferno, feasting upon cooked food—a pivotal moment in our evolutionary tale. He marveled at the ancient ape's descent from the safety of the trees, a daring leap that heralded a new era of exploration. The Earth quaked beneath the majestic tread of the Tyrannosaurus rex, its dominance unrivaled, while winged pterosaurs soared through the heavens, their expansive wings casting a shadow over the land. And then came the cataclysmic meteorite that brought about the demise of the dinosaur dynasty, an event that underscored the insignificance of individual power in the face of celestial might.
Further back in time, Jiang Ping bore witness to the ancestral struggles of mammals on the primordial Earth, where colossal insects reigned supreme, and wild ferns ran rampant across the verdant terrain. He marveled at the first peculiar ancient fish, venturing forth from the depths of the ocean to claim its place as the inaugural amphibian.
As the journey delved even deeper into antiquity, Jiang Ping was left awestruck by the Cambrian explosion, a spectacle of life's boundless creativity. Strange and marvelous creatures unfurled before his eyes, challenging his very capacity for imagination.
The primordial ocean, birthplace of life, witnessed the inception of the first single cell, which proliferated from the icy expanse of the polar regions to the equator, transforming the entire Earth into a frigid, white planet. In this icy silence, one could scarcely fathom the survival of any cellular lifeform under such extreme conditions.
Jiang Ping stood transfixed, his senses overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all. He had forgotten his purpose, his very essence dissolving into the vast tapestry of planetary history.
Fortunately, a mysterious tome within his mind stirred, jolting him from the precipice of spiritual oblivion.
The Earth continued its backward journey, unfolding before Jiang Ping a spectacle of continental plates in motion, their intricate dance leading to the formation of the majestic Pangu supercontinent, where the disparate fragments of land converged into a unified whole.
He bore witness to the birth of the atmosphere, a celestial breath that enveloped the primordial Earth, as well as the emergence of the vast oceans, their azure depths teeming with life's nascent stirrings. Organic matter took its tentative first steps amidst the tumultuous eruption of volcanoes, and the very fabric of the Earth was forged in the crucible of a hellish environment.
"It keeps going back!" Jiang Ping's voice quivered with astonishment. He observed how the immense Earth, once a mere fragment, grew and expanded through countless impacts and how the moon was birthed from a cataclysmic collision with an extraterrestrial meteorite.
A radiant beam of light darted from the Earth's original position toward the sun, as if guiding Jiang Ping's consciousness to bear witness to the sun's own magnificent genesis.
Nebulae swirled, star clusters danced in celestial harmony, and supernovas illuminated the heavens with their explosive brilliance. Enigmatic black holes, voracious in their appetite, devoured stars, while time itself unfurled, and the cosmos took its first breath, culminating in the resounding crescendo of the Big Bang.
Within the infinite expanse of light, Jiang Ping suddenly felt his own existence, as though he had returned, his sojourn through the mysteries of the universe condensed into a fleeting moment, while the chorus of summer frogs serenaded outside his door.
With a resolute "snap," Jiang Ping closed the book, and in that instant, seven grand characters materialized on its antiquated cover: "Genesis!" Jiang Ping's eyes widened in disbelief, unable to fathom that the enigmatic tome he had picked up to explore the origins of the universe bore such a seismic appellation.
"Ding!" A voice resonated within Jiang Ping's mind, ethereal and otherworldly. "The soul binding is complete, and Genesis has been officially activated."
"Who are you?" Jiang Ping consciously queried the disembodied voice, tinged with an aura of mechanical intelligence.
"I am Genesis, the entity now in your possession. I do not possess knowledge of my own origin. My sole purpose is to seek out a master and participate in the creation of all things."
Jiang Ping's lips curved into a bemused smile as he inquired, "Can you fashion a universe according to my present desires?"
"The true vastness of the universe lies beyond my present capabilities. For now, I can only create small worlds and miniscule realities, all of which requires the consumption of precious origin points." Jiang Ping felt a tinge of disappointment, realizing that the artifact he had stumbled upon did not grant him the power to become a true god. It seemed akin to playing within the confines of a sandbox, providing mere entertainment with no tangible impact on reality.
Sensing his master's dejection, Genesis continued, "The world I can presently create is akin to a miniature realm, blending the borders of reality and illusion. Although it may seem inconsequential, it does affect your three-dimensional existence. Each creation consumes precious origin points. Moreover, as I evolve, I may eventually be capable of fashioning a fully fledged three-dimensional world."
Jiang Ping chuckled, recognizing his initial overzealous aspirations. Listening to Genesis' explanation, he realized that its potential held limitless possibilities. However, he pondered the meaning of the "origin points" mentioned earlier. It appeared that everything revolved around this elusive concept. Thus, Jiang Ping posed his inquiry.
"What can I do with the points?"
"It has many uses. If the origin points are used to enhance the master's physicality, it can push your body to its utmost limit, greatly augmenting cellular activity. With a current lifespan of a mere 100 years, strengthening through original points can extend it to a maximum of 1,000 years." Jiang Ping's eyes gleamed with newfound expectations. The notion of transcending the boundaries of mortality danced before him.
"Beyond mere accumulation, how can one amass more original points? What greater purpose do they serve?" Jiang Ping's voice exuded a sense of anticipation and excitement.
Genesis' unwavering voice responded, its valuation solely centered around the origin points. "It is not advisable for the master to employ precious points solely for personal augmentation. The initial points serve as your capital, and their optimal usage lies in the creation of small worlds. The creatures within these realms flourish and thrive, eventually granting you feedback upon their demise. Directly strengthening oneself through original points exhibits the lowest utility, akin to squandering gold on agricultural tools." Jiang Ping nodded in agreement, realizing the folly of squandering precious points for personal gain. It seemed that their true purpose lay in the realm of world-building.
"Never mind, I suppose I can only plan for the future. By planting 100 points today, I can harvest 1,000 points in the future. It appears that I must earnestly embark on the noble pursuit of farming, not just for my own extraordinary growth, but also to seize opportunities within these small worlds. That, indeed, is the most cost-effective path!"
As Jiang Ping pondered, he came to a sudden realization. Since witnessing the birth of his universe, the formation of the sun, and the tapestry of cosmic history, his horizons had expanded exponentially.
A renowned historian once remarked, "To dwell within the realm of historical perception is to acquire true knowledge, for historical experience serves as the bountiful treasury of wisdom." And here Jiang Ping stood, gazing upon the truth of the entire universe. Were it not for the aid of Genesis, he might have been driven to the brink of madness.
If Jiang Ping were to sit for exams in fields such as geography or biology, a university degree would be a mere trifle to attain.
"Come to think of it, why does Genesis' function bear a resemblance to Fatty Lan's creation diary?" Jiang Ping chuckled to himself. Could it be that Fatty Lan had truly stumbled upon the majesty of Genesis? The origin points held immense value, requiring a century to accumulate naturally. Jiang Ping resolved to meticulously plan the utilization of his initial 1,200 points. A grand scheme of creation loomed in his mind, but careful planning and experimentation were imperative. This capital was his own, and he could ill afford recklessness. A single misstep could jeopardize the entire endeavor.
Engaging in a continuous dialogue with Genesis throughout the night, Jiang Ping prepared himself for his voyage of creation. He discovered that while Genesis struggled to create something out of nothing, it excelled at replication with even the slightest template. This understanding fueled Jiang Ping's determination to establish a thriving multiverse enterprise, with himself as the Chief Executive Officer.
In Jiang Ping's mind, he recognized that no business venture could offer better value than the exchange of money for origin points. With careful planning and experimentation, he aimed to embark on this grand scheme of creation, fully aware of the risks involved. The capital at stake was precious, and Jiang Ping understood the need for caution to ensure the success of his endeavor.
"I must remind master of an astonishing discovery I made when we ventured back in time—a dire threat looms over your world as an asteroid encroach ever closer to earth." Jiang Ping exclaimed in response, his tone laced with dread. He couldn't shake off the haunting image of the meteorite impact that decimated the dinosaurs, leaving only a mere 1% of creatures to survive the cataclysmic devastation.
Reacting swiftly, Jiang Ping retrieved his notebook, feverishly scouring its pages for information. Amongst the celestial bodies that regularly ventured close to Earth, he identified a solitary culprit—the Apophis asteroid. However, something inexplicable seemed to have altered its trajectory, veering it off its usual course.
Having witnessed the astonishing power of Genesis, Jiang Ping's faith in its enigmatic proclamations deepened. It became increasingly apparent that Genesis was a remnant from a civilization far surpassing humanity's reach—an artifact of profound significance.
"How much time do we have before the cataclysm befalls us?" Jiang Ping inquired anxiously, his mind racing to devise a plan.
"In your realm, it is estimated that the asteroid will collide with Earth in approximately 20 years," Genesis replied with unwavering composure.
Jiang Ping's heart constricted, feeling the weight of impending doom. Twenty years—a span neither short nor long, but undeniably pressing when faced with the prospect of annihilation.
"Are there any viable solutions?" Jiang Ping questioned, his brow furrowing in deep contemplation. This fortuitous encounter was not meant to be tainted by the specter of apocalyptic destruction.
"Given the current technological capabilities of humanity, resolving this asteroid crisis poses a formidable challenge. Even if it were to be shattered, the resulting fragments would rain down as an onslaught of meteorites upon our fragile planet. Master, it would be more prudent for you to focus on governing the world. Within your dominion of time and space, where temporal acceleration is within your grasp, you could potentially ascend to the realm of gods within a year. However, should your ventures fail, the consequences could be dire, leaving you bereft of options, resigned to a bleak fate," Genesis explained matter-of-factly, the astuteness of its analysis laced with a tinge of venom.
Jiang Ping couldn't help but twitch his lips at Genesis's acerbic remark. The analysis was undoubtedly logical, but it further accentuated the impending peril, adding to the weighty burden of creating and preserving their newly formed world. Saving humanity had now become an additional task, laden with an immense sense of peril.
"Then let us embark on the path of divine creation, starting from this very day," Jiang Ping declared, a smile forming on his lips as he gazed into the nocturnal expanse outside the window.