The dusky sky over Shenzhou City turned an fading orange, casting an ethereal glow over the towering skyscrapers that lined the city. Known as one of China's modern civilization hubs, it was a place where advanced technology met ancient traditions. Beneath the bustling metropolis, however, lay another side of Shenzhou: a world of hunters, dungeons, and roaming monsters. The roar of a Dungeon Break was not uncommon, followed by the immediate blare of danger sirens.
Li Wei, a 23-year-old young man, walked briskly towards the Shenzhou City Library. With a slightly labored breath and a black backpack slung over his shoulder, he tried to avoid the throngs of people on the sidewalk. As an F-class hunter, Li Wei knew all too well the harsh realities of life in Shenzhou. A world dominated by large guilds, elite hunters, and constant battles against monsters was not a friendly place for someone like him, a hunter who didn't even have a special skill.
Li Wei turned to his right, gazing at the grand building that stood tall in the city center: the Shenzhou City Library. Unlike the skyscrapers around it, this building had a classic architecture blended with modern elements. It boasted a well-maintained green garden, complete with statues of ancient gods along the pathway leading to the entrance. In the midst of the bustling city, this place felt like a peaceful oasis.
Li Wei took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart from his rushed journey.
"Here it is, my new job," he thought with a small smile.
Finding a decent side job as a low-level hunter was extremely difficult. No guild was interested in recruiting someone who didn't even have a special combat skill. Luckily, he managed to land a job as a guard in the ancient books section of this library. The pay wasn't great, but it was enough to cover his daily expenses.
Li Wei pushed open the large wooden door of the library and was greeted by the distinctive aroma of old books that filled the room. Long corridors lined with towering bookshelves greeted him. Soft yellow lights illuminated the shelves, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere. A few visitors walked among the shelves, choosing books or sitting in comfortable reading chairs.
A middle-aged man in a cream-colored library uniform approached him.
"You must be Li Wei," he greeted warmly, extending his hand.
Li Wei shook his hand.
"Yes, I'm Li Wei. Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang."
"Don't call me Mr. Zhang, just call me Lao Zhang," the man replied with a chuckle. "I'll show you your new workplace. Follow me."
They walked down the long corridors of the library, passing cozy reading rooms and more modern computer rooms. Li Wei observed every corner of this place. Here, everything felt so peaceful, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of battles and the busy world of hunters. This section seemed separated from the outside world, a place where one could temporarily forget the reality filled with monsters and battles.
Lao Zhang led Li Wei to the lower floor, where the atmosphere of the library began to change. The lights here were dimmer, and the bookshelves looked older. A collection of ancient and rare books was displayed here. Some books were even kept in glass cases to protect them from damage.
"This is the ancient books section," Lao Zhang explained, gesturing around. "This place is rarely visited by ordinary visitors. Your job is to maintain cleanliness, assist visitors who are looking for books here, and ensure the safety of these books."
Li Wei nodded as he looked around. These ancient books exuded a strong aura of history. He could feel that some of them might have stories far more interesting than most of the books he had ever read.
After a few minutes of explaining the basic tasks, Lao Zhang left Li Wei alone. Li Wei took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He began to walk among the shelves, observing the neatly arranged books. One book caught his attention. It looked older than the others, with a thick, black leather cover that was starting to fade. On the spine of the book, in almost faded golden letters, it read:
"Legend of the Demon Sect."
Li Wei reached out to touch the book, curious.
"What is this?" he muttered softly.
But as soon as his hand touched the book, something strange happened. A transparent blue glowing window appeared in front of him. Text with clear letters appeared on the window:
[System Window]
Book Title: Legend of the Demon Sect
Description: A world where sects war for power and dominance. Follow the journey of a young man caught in the conflict between sects and fighting for survival.
Do you want to enter this story?
(Yes/No)
Li Wei's eyes widened, and he took a few steps back quickly.
"What is this? Some kind of VR game?" he thought, staring at the System Window floating in front of him. This was definitely not normal, and he had never seen technology like this before.
"Arghhh!" Li Wei suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, as if thousands of needles were piercing his brain. He held his head with trembling hands, his knees almost buckling from the sudden pain.
After a while, the pain subsided. With labored breaths, Li Wei looked at the window that was still floating in front of him. He reread the text there.
"Enter the story? Is this some kind of joke?" he muttered, trying to make sense of this situation.
However, there was something that intrigued him. As a low-level hunter who could never rank up due to lack of skills, this opportunity sounded tempting.
"What if this is a way to become stronger? Maybe there's something I can learn or get there?" Li Wei thought. With growing curiosity, he finally extended his finger towards the word "Yes" and touched it.
In an instant, his world changed. The bookshelves, the library walls, and the soft light all disappeared. Li Wei felt himself falling into a spinning vortex, his body being pulled in an unknown direction. The spinning sensation made his stomach churn, and his vision blurred.
"Cough, cough! What happened?"
Li Wei coughed as he felt his body hit the hard ground. When his vision cleared, he realized he was in a dense, unfamiliar forest. Tall trees surrounded him, and in the distance, he saw a large wooden building that looked like a temple.
The System Window appeared again in front of him, this time with different text:
[System Window]
Welcome to the world of 'Legend of the Demon Sect.'
Main Mission: Survive for three days in the Demon Sect territory.
Reward: Information about the Demon Sect's secret path.
Li Wei's heart pounded.
"Survive for three days? Where am I exactly?"
Li Wei's heart pounded.
"Survive for three days? Where am I exactly?"
Not far from where he stood, the sound of footsteps could be heard. Li Wei quickly turned and saw a group of men dressed all in black with swords at their waists, walking quickly towards him. His hunter's instinct was immediately activated.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" one of them shouted suspiciously, his eyes fixed on Li Wei.
Li Wei took a step back, his body tense and cold sweat starting to trickle down his forehead.
Li Wei stared intently at the group of men dressed in black in front of him. Their hands gripped the hilts of their swords tightly, ready for any potential threat. Li Wei could feel the tension in the air. They were no ordinary people judging by their movements and sharp gaze; it was clear that they were experienced fighters.
Li Wei swallowed hard, trying to calm his racing heart. He knew that one wrong step or answer could make the situation worse.
"I... I'm lost," he replied, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't know how I got here. I'm just trying to find my way out."
A man with a long scar on his face stepped forward.
"Lost, huh? In the territory of the Demon Sect? Do you think we'll believe such a flimsy excuse?" The man sneered, his voice low and menacing. "Are you a spy from another sect?"
Li Wei felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that in this world, which seemed like a wuxia setting, sects were the dominant force. Conflicts and intrigues among them could easily spark deadly battles.
"No, I'm not a spy! I don't even know where this is," Li Wei replied quickly. "I just want to get out of here, that's all."
The man with the scar didn't look convinced. His eyes narrowed, sizing up Li Wei as if searching for signs of a lie. A few silent seconds felt like long minutes to Li Wei. Finally, the man turned to his subordinates and nodded slowly.
"Capture him. Take him to the main hall for interrogation."
"Arghhh, wait! I don't intend to fight."
Before Li Wei could finish his sentence, two muscular men stepped forward and grabbed his arms roughly. Li Wei tried to struggle, but their strength was too great. His body was lifted like a dry leaf.
"Cough, cough! Hey, let me go!" Li Wei shouted, coughing from the sudden attack.
His helplessness was becoming more and more apparent. As an F-class hunter in the real world, he didn't have strong combat abilities. But here, he was even more powerless. What could he do in this situation?
As Li Wei was trying to think of a way out, he suddenly felt something appear in his peripheral vision. The System Window was active again:
[System Window]
Side Mission Unlocked: Escape from the Demon Sect followers before reaching the main hall.
Reward: Small Speed Pill (increases movement speed for 10 minutes).
Li Wei blinked a few times, trying to understand what had just appeared. A side mission? Maybe this was his only chance to survive! With his breath quickening, his brain raced, searching for a way to escape.
He looked around. They were still in the forest, the ground was rocky and filled with dense bushes. There might be an opportunity here. Quickly, Li Wei decided to take a gamble. He relaxed his body, pretending to be resigned and stopped struggling. The guard holding his arm seemed a little careless.
In a split second, Li Wei kicked one of the guards right in the shin.
"Arghhh!" the man cried out and stumbled backward.
Li Wei didn't waste this moment. He quickly turned and pulled his free hand, then jumped towards the nearest bushes.
"Catch him! Don't let him escape!" shouted the man with the scar on his face, angrily.
Li Wei ran as fast as he could. The sharp branches and tree roots under his feet made it difficult to move, but he kept trying to avoid them. In an instant, he pressed the window that appeared in his peripheral vision.
"Use the Small Speed Pill!" he thought aloud, hoping the System Window would respond.
Immediately, Li Wei felt something like heat spreading throughout his body. His legs felt lighter, and his vision sharper. He could hear the footsteps of his pursuers behind him, but they were falling further and further behind. The Small Speed Pill was working!
"Arghhh, I can do it!" Li Wei shouted as he ran at full speed.
He knew he couldn't stop until he was completely safe. With the instinct of a hunter and adrenaline pumping through his veins, Li Wei continued to run, dashing through the dense forest at a speed he never thought possible.
He jumped over rocks, passed large trees, and ducked under low branches.
"Cough, cough!" he coughed occasionally as his breath started to feel hot, but he couldn't stop.
Three minutes, four minutes, five minutes passed, and each second felt like an hour of suffering.
Suddenly, Li Wei saw a gap between the trees ahead a small path leading up a hill. He had no other choice. With one final push, he jumped out of the bushes and ran along the path. The footsteps of his pursuers could be heard getting farther and fainter, until finally they disappeared altogether.
Li Wei stopped for a moment on top of the small hill, panting heavily. "Hah...hah...I think... I made it," he muttered, trying to calm his racing heart. His legs trembled from exhaustion, and his body was covered in sweat.
[System Window]
Side Mission Completed: You have successfully escaped from the Demon Sect followers.
Reward Obtained: Small Speed Pill (1).
Li Wei smiled slightly, a sense of relief washing over him. He realized that this world was not just an ordinary story. It was an opportunity for him to become stronger, gain abilities, and perhaps, one day, return to the real world as a much stronger hunter than before. However, one thing was certain: the road ahead was still long and full of challenges.