The night was still, quiet in the way only a Sunday night could be. The world had begun to drift into sleep, streetlights flickering in the distance, windows darkened. The ticking of the clock in Junshen's room echoed louder with each passing second, magnifying the stillness. Midnight approached. For most people, this was just another night—but not for him. Not tonight. He leaned forward in his chair, eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. The Chronicles of Glory—the game everyone was waiting for—was about to release.
His fingers hovered above the keyboard, tapping, the soft clicks merging with the ticking of the clock. Five minutes left. He could feel his heart quicken with anticipation. The release time seemed odd—most games launched in the morning, but this wasn't unfamiliar to him. The Advent of Glory had also dropped at midnight, in his other life, five years ago.
He glanced at the forum—hype spilled across the screen in a flood of messages. People discussing strategies, forming parties, already preparing for dungeons and guilds that hadn't even been introduced yet. The screen flickered with excitement, the pace of posts so fast it was hard to follow. But Junshen wasn't interested in finding a guild. He already knew what kind of guild would most likely dominate the game; history was repeating itself, after all. Literally. He just needed to see how it all began again.
Less than a minute now. The room felt electric, charged with an excitement that buzzed in his chest. His cursor danced between the release website and the forum, back and forth, waiting for the final moment.
Three. Two. One.
He refreshed the release page. Nothing.
Confusion flickered through his mind. Is this a scam? His fingers darted to the forum, where the chatter had shifted from excitement to dismay. The posts filled with frustration and confusion:
"Wth. Where's the game?"
"Is it just me, or there's nothing yet?"
"This better not be a scam!"
Junshen's eyes narrowed. He was ready to chalk it up to a delay, a server crash maybe, when a thin, piercing sound suddenly ripped through the air. It was so sharp he slapped his hands over his ears, wincing as the noise tore into his head. Then, just as quickly as it had started, the sound has vanished. He kept his eyes squeezed shut for a second longer until a faint glow of red light filtered through both his eyelids.
He opened his eyes, and see the red light bathing his room in an eerie glow. Floating in front of him was a system panel, but it wasn't the familiar blue of his personal interface. No, this was red—fiery, almost menacing. He stared at it, his heart thudding in his chest as the words slowly appeared:
"Welcome to The Chronicles of Glory."
His hands reached out, touching nothing but air, yet the panel remained.
Back at the forum, everything had gone quiet. He refreshed the page, and slowly, new messages began to trickle in:
"What the hell is this?"
"Are you guys seeing the same?"
"What's with this red light? Is this some sort of weird phenomena?"
"What are you guys talking about?"
It seemed not everyone could see the red system. Many of the posts were from confused people, those who hadn't experienced the same thing, asking if everyone had collectively lost their minds. But for those who had seen it, there was no doubt—this wasn't just a game release. This was something else.
Junshen glanced back at the red system floating before him. It looked just like his blue system, yet somehow more ominous. His thoughts spiraled—is this connected to the blue system? Did this overwrite his original? He whispered into the air, "Panel on." The familiar blue window popped up, overlaying the red one. Only this time, there were two tabs at the top: one marked Junshen System in blue and another labeled Game System in red.
Confusion swirled in his mind. Why was the blue system named after him? Was it because he was the only one using it? It made sense—the blue panel had always felt personal, like something meant only for him. But the red system? That was new.
His thoughts were interrupted by a post on the forum.
"Guys, check the news! Emergency broadcast on every channel!"
Junshen shot up from his chair, rushing to his living room. He fumbled with the remote, turning on the TV. Sure enough, every major network was broadcasting the same thing. An impromptu news anchor, eyes serious, spoke clearly but with tension:
"Reports are flooding in from various cities, claiming that individuals are experiencing vivid sensory hallucinations—red lights and strange sounds. The government urges citizens not to panic. While the cause of these phenomena is currently unknown, experts are already investigating. For now, continue to monitor the news for updates, and remember to stay calm."
Junshen's heart raced as he turned off the TV. This was bigger than he had thought. The red system, the hallucinations… It wasn't just him. Something was happening on a grander scale.
---
The next morning, the campus was abuzz with tension. Officially, classes were suspended, but students had still shown up, too curious or stubborn to stay away. Inside the classrooms, proctors tried to maintain order, but most were too distracted, chatting about the strange events from the night before. Murmurs and speculation filled the air, an undercurrent of anxiety running through the student body.
Then the door swung open, and the room fell silent. A group of men in dark suits filed in, their presence commanding attention. They weren't teachers. They weren't even from the campus.
"Who are they?"
"Are we safe here?"
"They look like they're from the government."
A man in sunglasses stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Good morning, students. I need your attention."
The murmurs died instantly, everyone hanging on his words.
"My name is Gerald Lambert, and I'm with the newly-formed Bureau of Alliance Regulation."
Confusion swept through the room. Bureau of what? Some of the students exchanged bewildered glances. There had never been any mention of such a department before.
"This department was created specifically in response to the events of last night. Some of you may have experienced the red light, while others did not. For those who didn't, life would probably go on as normal. But for those of you who did… well, you've been tagged as players."
The room erupted. Voices clashed, some excited, others fearful.
"Players? Like those from a game?"
"I knew it! just like in a game!"
"This has to be dangerous… right?"
Gerald raised his hand, silencing the room once more. "The government has set up a guild, and if you're a player, you're welcome to join us. However, you're also free to form your own alliances or guilds if you like. But make no mistake—this ability you've been given, it's real, and it comes with great responsibility."
As he finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving the room in chaos once more. The chatter returned, louder than before.
"I want to join!"
"Should we trust the government?"
"I'll make my own guild."
Junshen's mind was spinning. Guilds. Dungeons. He was sure that's what this was leading to. It had to be. The world was shifting, reality merging with something new. Something dangerous. He knew they had to level up—to prepare for whatever was coming.
His phone rang, jolting him out of his thoughts. It was Maki. He answered quickly. "Maki?"
The voice on the other end was weak, almost trembling. "H-help."
Junshen's heart dropped. "Where are you?"
Silence, followed by a loud beep. The call had ended.
Without hesitation, Junshen bolted from the room, racing toward Maki's house, a sense of dread creeping up his spine.
---
The street was swarming with police by the time he arrived. His heart raced as he spotted a small, hunched figure leaping from the second floor of Maki's house—a creature. A goblin. The police fired at it, but the bullets only slowed it down. Goblins, like the one they're chasing down, were notorious for their endurance; they could take a stab or two and still run.
Suddenly, a man with a sword—another player, by the looks of it—jumped and charged at the goblin, slicing it in two. Junshen's eyes widened as he recognized the weapon. The beginner sword.
He opened his red system and equipped the same sword from his inventory. The familiar weight settled in his hands as he rushed past the police, their eyes widening as they realized he was one of them—a player.
He stormed through Maki's house, slashing through goblins left and right. His body moved on instinct. It was strange—he had never wielded a sword in his life, yet now, it felt natural, like muscle memory from years of experience. He cut down goblin after goblin, leveling up with each kill. His stats surged with every victory, growing stronger by the minute.
After what felt like an eternity, the goblins stopped coming. The portal, glowing ominously in the hallway, seemed dormant for now. He didn't know how to close it, but that wasn't important right now.
"Maki!" he called, rushing to his friend's room. The door creaked open, revealing Maki's sister, pale and shaking.
Inside, Maki lay on the floor, blood pooling from a wound in his stomach. His face was pale, his breaths shallow. Junshen's heart clenched at the sight.
"What happened?" Junshen asked, his voice was about to break.
Maki's sister swallowed hard. "He... he protected me and got hurt."
Panic surged in Junshen's chest, but he forced himself to think clearly. The wound was bad—too much blood. He didn't have much time. Without a second thought, he opened his blue system and scrolled through his inventory. Among the items he had picked up from the goblins were various potions. He quickly grabbed the most potent one he had—a red intermediate potion—and knelt beside Maki.
He uncorked the bottle and carefully poured the liquid over the wound. Nothing happened for a brief moment. Then, slowly, miraculously, the wound began to close, the blood ceasing its flow. Maki's complexion brightened, his breathing becoming more steady.
Both Junshen and Maki's sister let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much, Junshen," she whispered, her voice trembling with gratitude.
Junshen sat back, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It's nothing. I'm just glad I got here in time."
---
In a high-rise building, far from the chaos in Maki's neighborhood. A man stood by the window, gazing out at the city lights. His posture seemed so relaxed, but there was something in his eyes that is stirring up his calm demeanor.
"President Yan," a voice said from behind him.
The man, President Yan, turned to see one of his subordinates bowing respectfully. "Everything's ready," the man said, his tone even.
President Yan smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "Good. Let the world see the greatness of the Bielmeid Alliance." His laughter filled the room, a low, unsettling sound that echoed through the high-rise as he gazed out at the city below.