In M Country, Lobauerguang City, at a hospital.

Late at night, in an empty hospital room.

"So, I only have about a month left to live?" Michael's voice trembled.

In front of him was a medical report. The medical jargon on it made Michael dizzy, but at the core, the message was clear: terminal cancer, not much time left.

Across the table, an elderly doctor, resembling a seasoned professor, shook his head. "Unfortunately, that's the result."

Michael felt as though a thunderclap had struck him. He stared intently at the doctor, hoping for more words, but nothing came.

After the doctor finished speaking, he lowered his head, revealing a backdrop filled with various trophies and certificates that showcased his exceptional medical skills and impressive credentials. Instead of wearing a white coat, this man was dressed in a sleek black suit, exuding the air of an elite professional as he idly played with his pen.

Clearly, this upper-class gentleman had no time to indulge the poor, young man before him. His eyes had witnessed too many lives come and go, so much so that the passing of a young life didn't seem to faze him.

"Heh…" Michael grabbed the diagnosis report, wordlessly standing up.

But the next moment, his legs gave way, and he almost fell to the ground.

"As expected, I'm not the type of person who can immediately accept the reality of a terminal illness." Michael thought bitterly. He looked up, but the doctor remained indifferent. The only other person in the room, a young female nurse, stood in the corner, applying lipstick.

"Hey, could you help me up?" Michael's voice was hoarse, a faint plea.

The nurse glanced at him briefly, then returned to her mirror, continuing to apply her lipstick without a care.

Just then, the door to the room opened. A young man, dressed in a sharp Armani suit and wearing a Rolex watch, stepped in. The air around him was filled with the scent of expensive perfume, and a luxury car key hung conspicuously from his waist.

The man walked straight up to the nurse, wrapping his arm around her slender waist. "Hey, sweetie, let's go."

The nurse immediately melted into his embrace and smiled as they walked toward the door. As they passed Michael, the nurse shot him a mocking grin. "Sorry, I'm off duty."

The two left, shutting the door behind them. Michael's face darkened as he struggled to get up, shakily opening the door and stepping out.

Sitting on a bench in the hospital corridor, Michael was utterly despondent.

"Why… why me?" His face trembled. He had always been honest and hardworking—never partying, never using drugs. His life consisted solely of going to work and coming home, nothing more.

"That group of money-obsessed fools are living their lives just fine. But me, someone who has never once enjoyed life, I'm supposed to die…?" Michael couldn't accept it. Just an hour ago, he had been working overtime at the office. It was only after suddenly collapsing that he was rushed to the hospital.

"This world is a damn scam. It's been torturing me from start to finish!" Michael covered his face with his hands.

Ding! The sound of his phone ringing broke through his thoughts. Michael glanced at the screen, and saw it was his female superior calling. The cold, detached name: Eleanor Vance.

He immediately straightened his expression and answered.

"Hello. Good evening, boss." Michael said respectfully.

The voice on the other end was ruthless and cold. "Michael, you didn't meet your targets again last week. Therefore, after the company's decision, you won't need to come in starting tomorrow."

Michael's eyes widened, his voice full of disbelief. "W-what? I didn't hear you clearly. Could you repeat that? Hello?" He hesitated, but all that followed was the cold sound of the line being disconnected.

Weakly, Michael put the phone down, his body trembling with anger. He grabbed at his hair. "Can it get any worse?"

"Haha, what a pathetic loser." At that moment, a cold laugh came from nearby. Michael looked up to see the female nurse and her jerk of a boyfriend still lingering, standing not far away and grinning at him.

Clearly, these two had witnessed everything that had just happened.

"This is how the world works. Why should anyone care about you when you don't try? A useless man who can't make a dime and has no woman to care for him." The nurse's boyfriend mocked him mercilessly, looking at Michael as though he were nothing more than a lower-class person to toy with.

Michael gritted his teeth, his face turning cold.

"Get lost!" He stood up abruptly. His voice echoing down the entire corridor!

The sudden outburst startled the nurse and her boyfriend.

The late-night corridor was dimly lit, eerily quiet. But Michael's voice was like thunder.

"Shut your filthy mouths, or I'll kill you both! I've got nothing left to lose. So do you want to try me?" His eyes were bloodshot, as though he could tear them apart with his gaze!

However, just as Michael finished speaking, his expression suddenly changed!

"Wait, what… is that?" He froze, his eyes locking onto something strange. He stared at the female nurse, and above her head, a line of text appeared:

[Louise]

[Age: 28]

[Remaining lifespan: 51 years, 49 days, 23 hours, 25 minutes, 38 seconds]

Michael was stunned, even questioning whether this was some kind of hallucination. He turned to look at the nurse's boyfriend, and above his head appeared another line of text:

[Gavin Bill]

[Age: 31]

[Remaining Lifespan: 36 years, 37 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes]

Michael's pupils constricted.

So, this means that these two damned fools, this couple, could live to 79 and 67, respectively?

"Sweetheart, this guy doesn't seem too stable, maybe we should leave now?" Both the nurse and her boyfriend had just snapped back to reality after being startled by Michael. They looked at Michael, who was now staring at them with wild eyes. His earlier shouts replaced by an intense glare that sent chills down their spines.

"You're right, darling. Don't mess with a madman. That's solid advice." Bill nodded and quickly led Louise towards the hospital exit, glancing over his shoulder, still cautious of Michael.

Michael barely paid them any attention anymore. His mind was in a daze. "Was what I just saw a hallucination?" He reached out, looking down at the palm of his hand.

[Name: Michael]

[Age: 23]

[Remaining Lifespan: 29 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes, 11 seconds]

"No, it's not a hallucination!" Michael's eyes widened in shock.

Just then, the sound of an ambulance siren pierced the air, its wailing clear and jarring in the quiet of the night.

Half a minute later, the hospital doors swung open, and a stretcher was wheeled in, carrying a nearly lifeless patient. Several doctors hurriedly pushed the stretcher toward the emergency room. And surprisingly, there were not only medical staff but also several family members and a dozen bodyguards!

"What the hell, who is this person?" Bill gawked in disbelief. He and his girlfriend quickly pressed their backs to the wall, clearing the way as they watched the stretcher pass.

Michael was drawn to the commotion. His keen eyes noticed the patient on the stretcher was dressed in expensive clothing. Several areas of his body wrapped in bloody bandages—gunshot wounds!

As his gaze lingered on the man, a line of text appeared:

[Name: William Cahill]

[Age: 48]

[Remaining Lifespan: 3 minutes, 18 seconds]

Michael's eyes bulged. This guy might be rich and powerful. But he only had three minutes left to live.

"The patient has multiple gunshot wounds! His condition is critical! Begin surgery immediately!" A doctor's tense voice echoed as the stretcher was rushed into the emergency room, the door slamming shut behind them!

The bodyguards stood outside, vigilant and ready.

The family members, in tears, clutched crosses hanging from their necks, praying for him.

Michael stood silently, a thought suddenly crossing his mind, 'Could all of this be fake? Am I just hallucinating from the shock I've been through?'

'If I just keep watching, I'll know for sure...' Michael watched the countdown continue to tick inside the room through the door.

[William, Remaining Lifespan: 0:59 seconds]

[30 seconds]

[20 seconds]

[10 seconds]

Inside the operating room, doctors were working frantically, while outside, a large crowd anxiously waited. Michael, his eyes wide open, followed the countdown in his mind, counting along with the numbers.

"5 seconds, 3 seconds, 2 seconds…" He swallowed hard, his face contorted with tension.

The entire space seemed to freeze, the only sound in the air being the cold ticking of the clock, relentlessly counting down. That sound was clear and cruel.

Finally, the clock reached the last second. The countdown ended, and Michael saw a '0'. A blood-red '0'!

Click!

At the same moment, the door to the emergency room was suddenly flung open.

All the family members and bodyguards rushed forward. Their faces full of anxiety. "How is he? What's the situation?"

Michael also lifted his head, waiting for the final answer from the attending physician.