As memories of his past tragedies resurfaced, Shu Zhang's determination for revenge reignited. With his resolve strengthened, he and his father returned home quietly.
Later that evening, Shu Zhang was scrolling through the Stellar Net when a notification pinged. He clicked on it.
"The God Emperor has discovered the Tier 4 Advancement Scroll and is now close to ascending to godhood. Soon, he will establish the first individual realm in the Fantasy of Tech."
Shu raised an eyebrow. "Great for him," he thought, "but it has nothing to do with me. At least, not yet." Like most others, Shu had longed to play Fantasy of Tech, the immersive virtual world where players could rise to immense power. But the system embedded in him had strictly forbidden him from participating. It was just another reason to despise the damned thing.
As he was sulking over his restricted life, the familiar, dreaded chime rang out.
Ding!
Before Shu could react, a dazzling ball of light shot through the closed ceiling and into his brain. A surge of incomprehensible sounds assaulted his senses, and then a new tab opened in front of him:
[Anomaly detected! Contacting supreme authority. Supreme authority is currently the main punishment model Aph67. Unable to contact! Entering temporary shutdown.]
The light that represented the system exited his body, forming a massive holographic interface in front of him.
[ERROR 400: A hostile attack has been inflicted on the core of System 304. The system is shutting down.]
Shu's heart raced. He scanned the options on the interface. Among the cryptic commands was one that made him freeze: Change the supreme authority.
He clicked on it.
A prompt appeared: Enter the 665,544-digit code to unlock the option.
Suddenly, a clicking sound reverberated through the air, and the option mysteriously unlocked itself. Shu entered his existence code—a unique identifier for every living being.
[The host Shu Zhang has been set as the supreme authority.]
For the first time, Shu saw a glimmer of hope. He had taken control of the system that had tormented him for years. But it wasn't over yet. The system's core would take a month to repair and modify. For now, he would have to wait.
His mind raced with questions. Who had helped him? Why? Could he trust this mysterious benefactor, or should he fear retaliation from the system's original creator?
One thing was certain—he finally had a chance to change his fate. Perhaps, during this month of downtime, he could repair his relationships with his family and the few friends who still remained. He would also prepare for revenge against those who had wronged him. His first step? Buy a VR set and join Fantasy of Tech, a virtual game that could elevate his status in society and help him uncover the secrets of his world.
That night, as excitement and anxiety swirled in his mind, sleep came slowly.
---
The Next Day
Shu Zhang woke to the sound of his alarm, courtesy of his brain chip. He jumped out of bed, a rare excitement bubbling inside him. As he stepped out of his room, he saw his younger sister playing a VR racing game. It had been a long time since he had spoken to her, but after everything that had happened last night, he decided to greet her.
"Morning," Shu said softly as her game ended.
His sister shot him a glare, assuming sarcasm. "Get out of here, freak," she snapped.
The words stung, but Shu understood. She wasn't hateful—just fed up. He recalled how concerned his parents had been when the system had first taken over his life. They had taken him to psychologists, scanned his brain, ran nerve studies, but nothing had ever seemed wrong with him from a medical standpoint. No one could understand the invisible torment he endured.
His parents had spent countless nights sitting by his bed, asking him to talk, trying to understand his sudden coldness. He pretended not to hear them, suppressing the urge to cry, trapped in the system's iron grip. Those memories flooded his mind.
Changing their view of him wouldn't be easy. He couldn't rush it, or it might backfire. For now, he would focus on his plan.
Leaving his sister behind, Shu hopped onto his hoverbike and rode to the nearest teleportation station. After a quick face scan, he selected the GGWL (Goman Game Worlds Limited) Mall as his destination. The transport fee was automatically deducted from his Stellar Credits account, and soon, the spatial passageway opened before him.
The shimmering tunnel reminded him of a painful memory. Once, the system had commanded him to stand inside a closing passage until it forcefully ejected him. The pain of being expelled from a spatial crack had been agonizing, and news reports of similar incidents had left a lasting scar on his mind. As soon as the exit crack appeared this time, Shu dashed through it, determined to avoid the excruciating experience again.
Before him stood the grand GGWL Mall, a towering spiral of gleaming lights that reached into the sky like an endless pillar. Even though it was only a branch, it was still a testament to the corporation's dominance. It made him wonder what their headquarters might look like.
Shu entered the mall and quickported to the floor where the VR sets for Fantasy of Tech were displayed. The game had revolutionized the industry with its ultra-realistic neural control, allowing players to experience time at twice the normal speed. It was a haven for professionals honing their skills, and even differently-abled individuals enjoyed its immersive world.
Shu had always dreamed of playing the game. The premise was simple yet intriguing: each player ruled a territory, advancing from settlement to town, city, country, and eventually to their own realm. The game was known for its depth and the endless opportunities it offered, but Shu reminded himself that he needed to get into the game before thinking too far ahead.
He selected a mid-tier VR set and purchased it. The assistant robot informed him that it would be delivered to his home by the afternoon.
Back home, Shu spent the morning researching the game's mechanics and creation system. Finally, his home AI alerted him that his package had arrived. He went to retrieve it, noticing the curiosity in his sister's eyes. She was home alone, their parents off at work.
The helper robots carried the three-meter VR set into his room. His sister was stunned—she hadn't expected Shu to finally get into Fantasy of Tech. Once the setup was complete and the nutrient fluid filled the chamber, Shu eagerly climbed in.
For the first time in years, he felt hopeful. Perhaps this was his chance to break free from the shackles of the system and carve out a new life for himself.