Chapter 1: The Mysterious Invitation
The city pulsed with neon lights, the streets quiet except for the occasional hum of passing cars. It was another ordinary night.
WY sat alone in her small apartment, the only light in the room coming from the glowing screen of her phone. Her fingers moved swiftly, tapping and sliding with practiced precision as she navigated the virtual battlefield of Infinite Warzone, her favorite mobile esports game. She had played this game for years, climbing the ranks late into the night, her skills honed through countless matches.
But in the real world, WY was just an ordinary office worker—one of many in the endless cycle of morning commutes, endless paperwork, and corporate expectations. Every weekday, she squeezed into packed trains, spent hours at a dull desk job, and listened to her boss drone on about deadlines. The only thing that kept her sane was gaming.
Her parents never understood.
"You're not a kid anymore, WY. Stop wasting time on those games."
"Why don't you focus on your career? Find a boyfriend? Do something useful?"
Every visit home was the same—nagging about work, marriage, and her so-called wasted youth. She knew they meant well, but they never saw what gaming truly meant to her. It wasn't just a hobby; it was the only place she felt truly alive.
Her thoughts snapped back to the present as the game's timer counted down. She was in the middle of a high-stakes ranked match, her last chance to push into the top 100 leaderboard before the season reset. Her opponent was strong—fast reflexes, sharp aim. But WY was better.
A smirk tugged at her lips as she baited her opponent into a trap. One perfect combo. One final strike. Victory.
Just as she was about to celebrate, the screen suddenly flickered.
Blackout.
The game was gone. Her entire screen turned pitch black. Then, a strange window appeared.
"Congratulations. You have been selected for the Transcenders Project."
WY frowned, sitting up straight. This wasn't part of the game. Did she accidentally download a virus? She tapped the screen, trying to close the window, but nothing happened.
"A challenge awaits. Accept the invitation, and you will gain power beyond limits."
A challenge? Power? What kind of joke was this?
She pressed the home button. Nothing. She tried restarting the phone. Still nothing. The only thing on the screen was the flickering "ACCEPT" button.
WY hesitated.
This was weird.
She had read stories online about strange invitations in games, urban legends about secret competitions, hackers luring players into deep-web experiments. But that was fiction. Right?
Her heart pounded. Logic told her to ignore it. But something inside her—a deep, unshakable curiosity—told her otherwise.
Her finger hovered over the button.
And then, she pressed it.
The screen exploded with a blinding white light. A low, mechanical voice echoed in her ears:
"Welcome to the Transcenders Project."
The world around her spun. Her vision blurred. Her body felt weightless.
Then—darkness.
——End of Chapter 1——