"I won't accept this! I won't accept this!"
A furious roar broke the silence in Dorm 404 of Modu University.
Alexander jolted upright from his bed. His face was pale, drenched in sweat, as though he had just woken from a nightmare.
"What's going on? Didn't I die?"
Still in shock, he pressed his hands against his face, rubbing hard in an attempt to clear his head.
But…these hands, this face…?
He felt the smoothness of his cheeks. They were nothing like the rough, calloused hands he'd had before.
What on earth is happening?
He glanced around. This is…my college dorm?
Memories from a decade ago resurfaced, sparked by the familiarity of his surroundings. The long-buried recollections washed over him in a tide of nostalgia.
"Yes, this is definitely my old college dorm. I still remember how everything was laid out!" he said excitedly, then jumped out of bed. He didn't even bother putting on his shoes before dashing into the bathroom.
Staring at the handsome face in the mirror, Alexander froze. That face should have been covered with hideous scars, but now it was completely unblemished.
Ten years…
For ten long years, since his face had been ruined, Alexander had never willingly looked at himself in a mirror.
Returning to his bunk, he grabbed his phone and checked the calendar:
[Blue Star Calendar, Year 478, May 23]
Time, place, appearance, even his physical state…
I've been reborn!
I've come back to the very day the Apocalypse Game is set to descend!
Finally, Alexander understood what was happening.
"Those two neutral Warlords invited me to celebrate my promotion to Warlord. While we were talking, Carrie barged in with a Zombie Emperor! Along with those two turncoats, they ganged up on me!"
"That Zombie Emperor—who knows what kind of deal it made with Derek's family. More importantly, how did they get their hands on a Legendary Barrier that trapped me completely?"
Seated in his chair, Alexander replayed the events of his previous life.
Carrie.
Just thinking about that name made his heart surge with fury, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles went white. This was the woman who had once shared his bed, the same woman hailed as the "campus belle" of Modu University.
It made him sick to think about. Before the apocalypse, Carrie—on Derek's orders—had deliberately gotten close to Alexander and used all sorts of dirty tactics behind his back to ruin his life and shatter his spirit. After the world collapsed, when they crossed paths again, she plotted with Derek to kill him. By sheer luck, Alexander survived that attempt, though it left his face disfigured.
But even then, Carrie never let up. Under the protection of the Derek family, she continued to hunt him down, humiliating him like a cat toying with a mouse.
How could Alexander alone stand against one of the three great families of the Dragon Kingdom? Although the Dragon Kingdom was governed by a central government, the influence of the three great families was massive—like feudal lords of old. Each possessed deep, mysterious foundations, including secret arts that could brainwash their followers into becoming deathly loyal, and other arts that could enhance a person's physical abilities. After the apocalypse, these secrets only made them stronger.
Luckily, Derek's family initially saw Alexander as insignificant, which gave him time to grow. Even so, after enduring countless hardships and finally reaching Level 90—becoming the Dragon Kingdom's tenth Warlord—he still didn't get the chance to exact revenge on Carrie. She reappeared with a Zombie Emperor and two other Warlords, using a legendary item to seal him in place and kill him.
For ten years, Alexander's hatred for Carrie had burned in his heart. He dreamed of killing her every single day. If not for Derek's protection…
Wait a second. Kill her.
Alexander's hands began to tremble with excitement. He had been reborn. The apocalypse hadn't arrived yet, and as far as anyone knew, Carrie was still his girlfriend. He could deal with her in advance!
But first, check the time.
He forced himself to calm down. That was a habit born of surviving in the apocalypse: staying completely cool-headed made it easier to think.
He took out his old phone again. It was now 5:24 PM. There was a text message from Carrie. The lock screen password? Carrie's birthday. As if he could ever forget that date, given the blood feud between them.
He unlocked the phone and read her message:
"Alexander, I'm sorry. I need to go tutor some kid at six tonight. I can't celebrate your birthday with you."
If you knew nothing else, you'd think she was just a hardworking, independent girl. The only odd detail was why she'd choose her boyfriend's birthday to go tutor someone else. But Alexander knew better: there was no "kid." She was going to "tutor" Derek in bed.
Derek. The Derek family's young master. Even now, Alexander still had no clue why Derek despised him so deeply—only that it seemed tied to some old grudge left behind by Alexander's long-deceased father. Derek treated Alexander like a cat playing with a mouse, ordering Carrie to feign affection for him while orchestrating all manner of humiliation behind the scenes.
But how did Alexander recall it so clearly? Because that very night—at exactly 7 PM, while he was alone celebrating his birthday in the dorm—Derek sent him videos of Carrie "tutoring" him, along with receipts for lavish expenses, plus a "birthday greeting" from Carrie herself. Unfortunately, 7 PM was also the moment the Apocalypse Game descended. Devastated by the betrayal, Alexander missed the best window to power up, falling behind everyone else right from the start.
Now that he was reborn, he was determined not to let history repeat itself.
He picked up his phone and texted Carrie:
"Carrie, it's fine if you're busy tonight. But let's meet first. How about the abandoned warehouse behind the track? I'll wait for you there before six."
After sending the message, Alexander began rummaging through the dorm. Relying on vague memories, he finally found a sharp dagger under one roommate's bed. (Never mind why it was there; who doesn't keep a few contraband items around in a college dorm?)
He slipped the dagger into his pocket and checked his phone again. Carrie had already replied:
"Fine. But why there? I have to leave by six, so hurry."
Because I'm going to kill you, he thought. But he deleted that line and sent something else:
"I have a surprise for you."
Once the message was sent, Alexander stowed his phone, grabbed a backpack filled with clothes, and left the room.
In the hallway, plenty of guys were hanging around—some chatting, some smoking, others discussing why the sky had turned red. Alexander's expression shifted from grim to genial the moment he stepped out, giving no hint that he was about to commit murder.
Someone up ahead was listening to a so-called expert on his phone:
"This global phenomenon of red skies is just a once-in-five-thousand-year natural event. There's no need to panic—just enjoy the view."
Alexander glanced at the crimson sky. Only he knew it was a sign that the Apocalypse Game was about to begin. These carefree people would soon face a world where some turned into zombies or got bitten. Who knew how many would survive?
Descending the stairs, Alexander mentally rehearsed what would happen next. By the time he snapped out of his thoughts, he was already standing in front of the abandoned warehouse behind the sports field. During the day, the place was usually deserted.
Alexander carefully surveyed the surroundings. Confirming that no one was watching, he walked inside.
The moment he stepped in, he saw Carrie sitting on a chair, waiting.
I was such a fool back then, Alexander thought, remembering how he'd been too blinded by love to notice her designer clothes and luxury accessories—none of which cost less than six figures. How could someone from a so-called ordinary family afford all that?
Carrie looked at him, not even bothering to stand. She wore an impatient expression. "Finally! So what's this big surprise? I've got to leave soon for that tutoring job, so make it quick."