"I received a call from your sister."
Feng Yun's sharp eyes bore into the blond-haired man standing before him.
"My sister?"
His expression darkened. "Hmm? Tell me, why would my sister call you instead of me?"
The blond man stiffened under Feng Yun's gaze. "S-She told me you weren't answering your phone, so she called me instead. She wanted me to tell you to pick up."
"Hmm... I see."
Without another word, Feng Yun turned on his heel and walked away, his black robe fluttering in the wind. The blond man stood frozen, his fists clenching as irritation crept into his voice.
"Who the hell does he think he is? If it weren't for his sister, I wouldn't even talk to him."
As Feng Yun strode away, his thoughts drifted to his past.
"Family."
It had been so long since he had heard that word directed at him. A word that once held meaning, now reduced to a distant echo from a life long lost.
He pushed the thought aside. The past didn't matter. Only the present did.
Minutes later, he found himself in an unknown city, his boots clicking softly against the cracked pavement.
The stench of death filled the air. Blood pooled in the streets, seeping into the cracks of the broken roads. The city was in ruins—collapsed buildings, overturned cars, the bodies of soldiers and civilians alike lying motionless beside military tanks.
Feng Yun stepped forward, completely unbothered by the carnage.
To him, death was nothing new.
Yet his gaze sharpened when he spotted a massive, inhuman corpse lying in the center of the destruction.
"This isn't human..."
A familiar metallic chime echoed in his head.
[Ding...]
→ Green Orc (Lv.5) – Qi Refining Stage 1
→ Specialty: High Durability and Endurance
Feng Yun's face remained calm, unreadable.
Most would have felt terror at seeing the system rank a beast one entire realm above them. But he only crossed his arms, a smirk forming.
"So this was my competition? Too bad it's already dead."
He spoke aloud. "Hey, how many of these green orcs are in this world?"
[Ding...]
→ Only one. And it's already dead.
A chuckle escaped his lips.
"A test. The game isn't looking for mindless slaughter—it's looking for survivors. The strongest ones."
With that realization, Feng Yun turned on his heel, his crimson eyes gleaming.
He had work to do.
Two days passed.
The city was silent, its ruins stretching endlessly beneath a sky painted in hues of dusk and smoke. The smell of rot thickened with every breath.
Feng Yun, standing atop the remains of a collapsed tower, finally paused. His eyes gleamed as he whispered:
"My stats."
A familiar blue panel materialized before him.
[Ding...]
Name: Feng Yun
Level (Realm): Level 1 (Body Tempering Stage 1)
Souls: 200/20
Age: Unknown (Reason: Outsider)
Title: Evil Swordsman
→ Evil Sword Art (Lv.1), Devil Pace (Lv.1), Screaming of Evilness (Lv.1)
Bloodline: ???
Cultivation Technique: Soul Devour Demon (Demon Cultivation Technique)
Another notification popped up.
[Ding...]
Would you like to level up?
→ 20 Souls Required (Requirement Met)
Feng Yun smirked and pressed [Yes].
A sudden warmth coursed through his veins. His bones cracked, his muscles tightened, power swelling within his body.
[Ding...]
Level Up Complete – Level 2 (Body Tempering Stage 2).
Another prompt flashed.
Would you like to level up?
→ 40 Souls Required (Requirement Met)
Feng Yun's grin widened. "Again."
He pressed [Yes]. The same rush of power followed.
Then another.
Then another.
By the time he stopped, his stats had transformed.
[Ding...]
Name: Feng Yun
Level (Realm): Level 3 (Body Tempering Stage 3)
Souls: 60/160
"So the required souls double with each level..." He clenched his fist, feeling the newfound strength coursing through him.
Before he could bask in it, a new alert flashed.
[Ding...]
Trial Ending in 10 Seconds.
Feng Yun's eyes narrowed.
Then, a final screen appeared.
[Top Five Players]
1️⃣ Steven Gram – 2000 pts
2️⃣ Shin Mori – 1000 pts
3️⃣ Ravi – 500 pts
4️⃣ Kim Lee-jong – 250 pts
5️⃣ Feng Yun – 125 pts
[All survivors will be randomly assigned to new cities and grouped into teams.]
[Out of 8 billion players, 100,000 remain.]
A bright flash engulfed him.
When it faded, Feng Yun found himself standing in a new city.
The landscape was the same—ruined buildings, corpses littering the streets, blood painting the walls.
Feng Yun exhaled calmly.
Then—
A hand gripped his shoulder.
His instincts flared. His hand twitched, ready to strike—
Then a voice spoke.
"Leon! Leon!"
Feng Yun turned, his crimson eyes meeting those of a red-haired man.
The stranger smiled awkwardly, as if greeting an old friend.
"Hey, man, why are you acting like you don't know me?"
Feng Yun's expression darkened.
"Leon? Who the hell is Leon?"
He knew nothing of this body's past. No history. No memories. Nothing.
The red haired man sighed. "Dude, are you serious right now? Did you hit your head or something?"
Feng Yun's voice was flat, emotionless. "I don't know you."
The man's smile faltered. "Wait... you seriously don't remember? It's me, Riyal. Your best friend."
Feng Yun remained silent.
His mind processed rapidly. He had been reincarnated into a new body, but who was Leon?
He decided to play along.
Crossing his arms, he muttered, "Alright, Riyal. If we're such close friends... tell me something about myself."
Riyal hesitated before responding. "What do you want to know?"
Feng Yun's cold gaze locked onto him. "Tell me about my family."
Riyal's expression softened.
"Your father, Mr. Leonard, was a great man. He helped my dad at work. And your mom... she was like a mother to me."
Feng Yun's eyes narrowed. "Like your mother?"
Riyal's voice wavered. "My mom... died giving birth to me. Your mom took care of me since our families were close."
Feng Yun watched him carefully.
Then—he smiled.
A single, unsettling smirk.
Riyal's eyes welled with tears. "Y-you believe me?"
Feng Yun's smirk widened. "Yeah, sure."
At that moment—Riyal broke into sobs.
Feng Yun raised an eyebrow. "Hey, why the hell are you crying?"
Riyal wiped his eyes, his voice shaking. "I-I'm not crying! I'm just happy... You're still yourself."
Feng Yun's smirk deepened.
"Still myself?"