Wang Lei leaned against the cold, damp wall of the alley, trying to make sense of the system's strange message. Survive? What for? The word hung in his mind, echoing over and over. Before he could process it further, footsteps echoed through the alley, cutting through the stillness of the night.
A group of men emerged from the shadows, their faces twisted into sneers. Their leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward, pointing at Wang Lei with a grim smile.
"Look what we have here, boys," the scarred man growled, his voice dripping with malice. "Wang Lei. Still alive, huh? With one leg, no less. You should've died a long time ago."
Another man laughed, his teeth yellowed and broken. "Ain't no use for trash like you in this world. You're nothing but a crippled waste of space. We'll put you to better use, Wang Lei—how about we sell your organs? At least then you'd be worth something."
Wang Lei's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent. His heart pounded in his chest as the gangsters closed in. The cold smirk he wore earlier faded, replaced by a deep, chilling stillness.
"You see," the leader continued, circling Wang Lei like a predator stalking its prey, "your life's worth more dead than alive. Selling your organs will help us live longer, so really, we're doing you a favor by ending your pathetic existence. It's a blessing for you too. [At least in death, you'll be useful.]"
The gang laughed as if this was some grand joke. But Wang Lei wasn't laughing. His mind raced as he scanned his surroundings, calculating his chances. He knew he was at a disadvantage—one leg, no weapons, and surrounded by enemies.
Ding!
[Mission Update: Survive the slum attack.]
Wang Lei's heart thudded in his chest. [The system was watching him—guiding him.] If it could truly restore his leg, then he had to survive this. He glanced toward the sewer drain just a few meters away. [It was a long shot, but it was his only option.]
The gang leader reached for him, but Wang Lei was faster. With a burst of adrenaline, he lunged forward on his one leg, diving toward the drain. The sudden movement caught the gang off guard for a moment, but they quickly recovered, shouting in anger.
"Get him!"
Wang Lei slid into the underground sewer, his body crashing against the damp walls. Pain shot through his missing limb, but he gritted his teeth and pushed on, the sound of the gangsters' footsteps echoing above him. The narrow, suffocating tunnel stank of rot and decay, but he didn't care. [His only goal was survival.]
As he stumbled through the drain, the sound of rushing water roared ahead of him. But then, something unexpected happened. The walls of the drain began to change, the damp stone giving way to ancient, cracked ruins.
Wang Lei paused, catching his breath as he took in the sight before him. The tunnel had opened up into a massive underground chamber, lined with strange symbols glowing faintly along the walls. In the center of the room was a circular platform, shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light.
"What… is this place?" Wang Lei muttered under his breath. He approached the platform cautiously, his eyes scanning the glowing symbols.
Ding!
[Mission Update: You have found a ruin. Enter the portal.]
Wang Lei froze. He had heard of ruins—everyone had. Ten years ago, a spiritual wave had swept across the world, granting many humans supernatural powers. These people could teleport, had super strength, or controlled elements like fire, water, and earth. These abilities had created a new class of powerful beings called "Awakened."
But for every Awakened, there were countless others who had no powers—those who remained "Normal." Wang Lei was one of them.
The ruins were places born of the spiritual wave, mysterious and dangerous locations scattered across the world. They came in stages: White Ruins, the easiest to clear; Blue Ruins, which were far more difficult; Red Ruins, where only high-ranking Awakened dared venture; and Black Ruins, the most terrifying of all. The three known Black Ruins—the Bermuda Triangle, the Amazon Deep Forest, and Egypt's Pyramid—were places even the strongest Awakened feared to enter.
But the ruin Wang Lei had stumbled upon was different—it wasn't one of the terrifying Red or Black Ruins. The faint light and ancient symbols told him this was a White Ruin, the least dangerous of them all.
Wang Lei glanced back toward the tunnel, hearing the shouts of the gangsters echoing behind him. [His choices were clear: face certain death at their hands or risk everything by entering the ruin.]
With a deep breath, he stepped onto the platform. The air around him shimmered, and in the blink of an eye, the world vanished.