Translated by: Novellise
"Lu Yuan, what are your plans for the future?"
"With your talent, you can definitely qualify for a residence in the inner city."
The headmaster said with envy.
He had toiled all his life, scrimped and saved every day.
All he wanted was to secure permanent residency in the city for his family.
But Lu Yuan, fresh out of school, could easily get a place in the city centre.
It really showed that comparisons can drive you to despair!
At the same time, the headmaster was very curious about Lu Yuan's talent.
But he didn't ask directly.
After all, it was a personal matter and prying would only provoke Lu Yuan's discontent.
"I plan to stay in the outer city."
Lu Yuan shook his head, showing little nostalgia for the inner city.
Despite the lure of the inner city, all the benefits and resources had already been divided among the major powers.
For an ordinary simulator without a background like his, it was almost impossible to make a name for himself in the inner city unless he joined one of those simulation families and became their pawn.
On the other hand, although the outer city was dangerous, with Lu Yuan's current power, he could handle most of the sinister threats.
Moreover, he possessed a Tier One Lord Core and carried valuable treasures and many secrets with him, making it even less likely that he would join other forces.
"You want to stay?"
The headmaster was somewhat shocked and once again gave serious advice.
"Although there's a saying that it's better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix, the outer city has been deteriorating and becoming more dangerous over the years. Every simulator with any ability is fighting tooth and nail to get into the inner city."
"Lu Yuan, you are still young. Think it over carefully."
"Headmaster, I've made up my mind."
Lu Yuan remained unmoved.
Seeing this, the principal said nothing more.
"After you graduate, the Empire will reclaim the free low-rent housing provided to all students."
"Lu Yuan, you probably haven't chosen a place to live yet?"
"As our most outstanding graduate this year, this is a small token from the school. Please accept it."
As he spoke, the headmaster handed Lu Yuan a key.
The mansion was located in the safest downtown area of District 6.
Although not very large, its prime location made it invaluable.
In this densely populated central area, the villa was worth at least tens of millions!
When Lu Yuan saw the director's gesture, he felt a surge of emotion.
Ordinary people worked themselves to the bone, lived in cramped, dilapidated low-rent houses, and lived in constant fear of eviction for non-payment of rent.
But Lu Yuan, fresh from his simulation, had done nothing, and the headmaster had already given him a spacious high-rise apartment, fearing that he wouldn't accept it!
This was the power of the Force.
Lu Yuan did not refuse and accepted the key right away.
After all, District 6 High School was his alma mater.
In the future, as long as it was within his power, he would help if he could.
After completing the registration, Lu Yuan left the school office amidst the enthusiastic farewells of all the teachers.
Seeing Lu Yuan leave with the respectful smiles of the headmaster and teachers on his face, the other students who had come to register were thrown into confusion.
"If I'm not mistaken, wasn't that Lu Yuan?"
"To see the headmaster and the teachers treating him like a VIP, even the people from the Security Bureau don't get such a grand welcome!"
"Go ask the headmaster. There must be some inside information that we don't know!"
Some quick-witted students immediately went to find out more details.
When they got the full story, everyone was stunned.
Especially the mention of the S-level assessment.
Like a heavy bomb, it made huge waves in the hearts of all the students.
Some of them were already smug with a B-level assessment and were strutting around conceitedly.
What was the concept of an S-level assessment?
Many went into a mental stasis, their minds went blank.
It was beyond what they could imagine.
As for Lu Yuan's classmates, they were completely shocked and found it hard to accept this reality.
Although Lu Yuan had good grades, he wasn't a native of River City, having fled here as a refugee from Linhai City eight years ago.
In addition, Lu Yuan had a somewhat reclusive personality, always travelled alone and had few friends.
Many of the students in his class were from River City.
They naturally had prejudices against refugees.
As a result, Lu Yuan had been somewhat isolated from their small social circle during the three years of high school.
But what had happened now?
Overnight, this poor kid from the slums had become a powerful figure that they had to look up to with awe?
This huge contrast left Lu Yuan's classmates with mixed feelings.
They felt jealousy, envy, astonishment and reluctance...
But that was the charm of the simulation.
What did it mean to defy fate?
This was defying fate!
From a humble commoner to the halls of power in one day.
The leap of the carp, rising to the heavens in one step!
...
River City, District 6.
Night had fallen and the temperature was plummeting.
As the last ray of light faded from the horizon, thick darkness, black as ink, swept over the border city like a tide.
An intense chill that went straight to the bone!
It was the midsummer graduation season.
Although ordinary people could wear short sleeves during the day, at night they shivered even in thick down jackets.
Especially in the pitch-black darkness, faint wailing echoed, as if ghosts were howling softly or some evil presence was whispering tempting words into the ear.
These persistent whispers echoed vividly in the minds of all ordinary people, day after day, year after year, ceaselessly.
Under the torment of the cold and the eerie sounds, ordinary people either froze to death in the streets or went mad and died of madness.
To reach the age of forty was a miracle.
"Master, are you going out?"
Wuxin asked worriedly, looking at the pitch black night outside.
Although she had never lived in the Primordial World, her instincts told her that the darkness was unusual.
"I'm just getting something. The night is dangerous outside. Stay at home and don't wander around."
Lu Yuan instructed and then stepped out.
With a light touch of his toes on the ground, he jumped up like a swift hawk and landed firmly on a rooftop hundreds of metres high.
He looked around and saw half of River City shrouded in darkness.
This darkness was extraordinarily strange, seemingly capable of swallowing up all light.
Even the special military lights could not penetrate it.
In the pitch-black darkness, only a few scattered lights could be seen in the centres of various districts, as sparse as scattered fireflies.
These were the flames of life emitted by the simulators as they activated their vital energies.
A Tier One Ignition could illuminate tens of metres like a firefly, barely protecting a residential building.
A Tier Two Extraordinary could illuminate hundreds of metres, like a torch, guarding a street.
A Tier Three Morning Star could illuminate over a thousand metres, like a star in the sky, guarding several large residential areas!
As for those above Tier Four, they had long since left River City for more prosperous cities.
After all, fighting the darkness consumed a lot of spiritual power and vital energy.
River City was just a border town.
Small profits, big risks.
Only a fool would stay.
Low-level simulators, if they had any skills or connections, also flocked to the city centre.
If the simulators joined forces, they could warm each other up together.
Besides, the only Lord Core was in the Inner City!
The Inner City was bright and peaceful.
A spiritual field emanated a gentle glow, covering a radius of ten miles like an overturned bowl.
People walked leisurely along the streets, their faces radiant with happiness.
On both sides of the street were food stalls with various delicacies.
Children held candied hawthorns and playfully chased each other.
By comparison, the dark, desolate outskirts of the city seemed pathetically desolate.
But that was understandable.
The outer city was originally built to provide a steady flow of resources and talent to the inner city.
So in the eyes of the inner city dwellers, the whole outer city was just one big factory.
(End of chapter)