The Ten-Day Apocalypse
The protagonist, Qi Xia, awakens in a strange room with nine others. A humanoid sheep informs them they must participate in a special game—to create a god like Nuwa. Their first challenge is "The Liar," where each must recount their last memories before arriving. As they exchange stories, they realize they come from different provinces and all died in an earthquake, suggesting a global catastrophe.
After four rounds, they win but do not return to reality. Instead, they step into a ruined city filled with death—the "Land of Ruin." A humanoid dragon explains that to escape, they must gamble against the "Twelve Zodiacs" wearing animal masks and collect 3,600 "Dao" within ten days.
As the game progresses, Qi Xia’s teammates die one by one, revealing that in their final moments, they awaken supernatural abilities—such as pulling objects from empty containers. This phenomenon, called "Echo," allows them to manipulate reality in small ways. On the fourth day, Qi Xia is also killed but unexpectedly wakes up the day before entering the Land of Ruin. He relives the earthquake, returns to the interview room, and finds his wife has disappeared from the real world, leaving no trace of her existence.
The Land of Ruin was created by powerful figures who followed an ancient book detailing methods to obtain supernatural abilities. Their goal was to create a god, using over a thousand souls who were originally meant to descend into hell as test subjects. However, the highest authority, Tianlong, defied the original plan, believing he should be the one to ascend. He abandoned the god-making project and instead made a wager with Qi Xia.
Qi Xia either loses (or does not lose) the bet and has his sorrow sealed. However, before his defeat, his power surges, and he declares that all fallen participants will return and that the Echo-bearers will overthrow Tianlong. Because of his words, all the deceased revive on the eleventh day.
In the second grand cycle, Qi Xia loses his sorrow and can no longer awaken his ability, "Everlasting Vitality." This weakens his efficiency in looping through time. Meanwhile, Tianlong fabricates a lie that collecting 3,600 Dao will allow them to escape, stalling for time.
Qi Xia, desperate to find another way out, even attempts to become one of the Zodiacs. He starts as a Human-Sheep, and after killing many participants, ascends to the status of an Earthly Sheep. However, as he is about to become a Heavenly Sheep, Tianlong deceives him, erases his memories, and resets him to a normal human—thus beginning the main story.
Through countless loops, Qi Xia allies with others who have awakened Echo abilities, battling Tianlong and his forces, including the Zodiacs and Divine Beasts. They must not only survive deadly games but also uncover the hidden secrets of the Land of Ruin, all while navigating betrayals, tests of trust, and human nature’s complexities.
The story’s climax is full of twists. The first major revelation is that Qi Xia had already become a god. The entire novel is actually his second loop—his first rebellion failed, Tianlong destroyed the Land of Ruin, and Qi Xia was the sole survivor. In eternity, Qi Xia used his godlike power to recreate the Land of Ruin, reviving the Zodiacs, Divine Beasts, and participants, setting the stage for another battle against Tianlong.
The second twist reveals Qi Xia tricks Tianlong into a dream, using his power to create a new world where everyone’s wishes are fulfilled. However, this world cannot contain Qi Xia. In the end, he sacrifices himself, exchanging his despair for everyone else’s happiness.
