*****
"Man, if Xinzhi City doesn't show up in the next five minutes, I'm uninstalling reality."
The sun was already dipping low, and long shadows stretched across the grassy plain.
He'd been walking for hours, no food, no water, no clue.
"System, map."
Nothing appeared.
"System, inventory."
There was nothing.
He sighed, dragging his feet.
"Right. Primitive but already developed fantasy world. No signal, no Wi-Fi, and no one to blame but myself."
As the wind brushed through the tall grass, he noticed faint traces of smoke rising in the distance.
His eyes lit up.
"Finally! Civilization! Or maybe a barbecue... either way, I'm going."
He started sprinting, his worn shoes thudding against the soil.
But the closer he got, the clearer it became that the "campfire" wasn't exactly cozy.
It was a wreck.
A shattered wagon lay tipped over, luggage scattered everywhere.
Burn marks covered the ground, and the faint hum of qi still lingered in the air.
"Yup... definitely not a barbecue."
He crouched near a broken wooden crate, inspecting a strange blue crystal embedded in the dirt.
It pulsed faintly.
"Whoa... what's this?"
He poked it.
The crystal vibrated, then exploded into a puff of light.
"GAHHH! What the hell, bro?! You can't just blow up for no reason!"
He stumbled back, coughing, until he realized something strange: his system interface suddenly flashed.
———「System Log Updated」———
◆ You have discovered a Residual Qi Field.
◆ Passive Affinity Increased: +0.1%
—————————————————
Zhao Yu blinked.
"Huh... so touching weird glowing crap gives me stats? Okay, cool. I'm basically a professional rock toucher now."
He grinned to himself and stood, brushing off his clothes.
"Alright, if there's a destroyed wagon, that means people travel here... which means roads... and roads mean cities!"
He turned east, following the trail of broken wheels and faint footprints.
Hours passed.
The sky darkened to deep indigo.
Crickets, or whatever Solar-3's version of them were, chirped all around him.
His stomach growled.
"Ugh... I'd sell my entire moral compass for a bowl of ramen right now."
He trudged up a small hill and froze.
In the distance, glowing faintly under the twin moons, stood a city surrounded by high, radiant walls.
Floating lanterns drifted upward from within, forming a sea of warm golden light.
His jaw dropped.
"No way... That's gotta be Xinzhi City."
He nearly fell to his knees, half in awe and half in exhaustion.
"Civilization! Finally! I'm coming, food, beds, and possibly overpriced potions!"
Then,
Ting—!
———「System」———
◆ Main Quest Progress: 93%
◆ Warning: Unregistered Entity Detected nearby.
———————————
Zhao Yu froze, turning slowly toward the dark treeline behind him.
The bushes rustled.
Something big was moving, its presence heavy, breathing ragged.
"Oh come on..."
He muttered.
"Can't I have one peaceful moment without getting murdered by wildlife?"
The rustling grew louder.
The moonlight caught a glint of scales.
Zhao Yu gripped his stick again, muttering,
"Okay, calm down... maybe it's just a big rabbit. Like... a buff rabbit."
Then the creature stepped out, a giant, serpent-like beast with glimmering blue scales and molten eyes.
His stick trembled in his grip.
"...Never mind. That's not a rabbit. That's trauma with wings."
The system pinged again:
———「Side Quest」———
※ Survive Untill Dawn
◆ Objective: Don't die.
◆ Reward: +100 EXP, +1 Unknown Drop
—————————————
Zhao Yu gulped.
"Don't die, huh? Great advice, system. Really specific."
He slowly began backing away.
"Alright, alright... plan B, Silent Step, don't fail me now."
He closed his eyes as he focused and whispered,
"Silent Step, activate."
Nothing.
"...You bitch."
*****
In Xinzhi City
Luo Yi sat quietly in the council chamber, her fingers gracefully wrapped around a porcelain cup of steaming jasmine tea.
Her long, midnight-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, tied in a loose braid that swayed slightly as she moved.
Her sharp, violet eyes were calm yet piercing, able to measure truth from deceit in an instant.
Her posture was straight and poised, the white and silver robes of her councilor rank flowing around her like liquid silk, embroidered with subtle patterns that shimmered faintly under the holographic lights.
Even her delicate fingers seemed purposeful, each movement deliberate, as if she could bend the will of others with the slightest gesture.
The faint hum of the floating hologram orb illuminated her face, calm, sharp, and unreadable.
She tapped the table once, and the orb shimmered to life, projecting the 3D images of Yang Yi and Rang Rang across the room.
"Report,"
Luo Yi said softly, her voice steady, almost melodic, the kind of tone that carried authority without needing to raise volume.
Yang Yi bowed slightly from the projection.
"Yes, Councilor Luo. We found him early this morning at the edge of the southern sandsea , roughly thirty kilometers from the coast. He was unconscious, lying near traces of residual qi burn and energy distortion. No local clans or mercenary divisions reported activity in that sector for the last seventy-two hours."
Luo Yi took a sip of tea, the sound of porcelain tapping lightly as she placed it back on the saucer.
"Residual qi burns… and no records? That's quite unusual. Did the Ministry of Ether detect any rift formations?"
Yang Yi shook her head.
"None, Ma'am. The ether flow remained stable. But the man himself… there's something unusual about him."
"Unusual?"
Luo Yi arched a brow, the sharp line of her cheek catching the light.
Rang Rang, who had been quietly observing, leaned forward eagerly.
"Nya~ Yes! When he woke up, he didn't know who he was, not his name, not where he came from, not even how he got here. He looked completely… blank, like he'd forgotten everything."
Yang Yi nodded.
"Exactly. His amnesia is profound. He doesn't recall his origin, his training, or his identity. Even basic survival instincts appear fragmented. There's a hint of strength in his aura, but he's unable to channel it consciously. He's… lost."
Luo Yi's eyes narrowed, her voice calm but precise.
"So, a foreigner with complete memory loss. What about his qi signature?"
Yang Yi straightened.
"That's where it becomes more concerning. His qi pattern doesn't match any regional codex, not Solar, not Eltarian, not even the outlands. It's fragmented, unstable… like it was forcibly compressed. When we tried to run a trace, the reading glitched the analyzer itself. It displayed an unknown frequency labeled '0-Root.' I've never seen anything like it."
Luo Yi leaned back in her chair, tapping her finger against the armrest rhythmically.
"A 0-Root… unregistered origin, amnesia, residual energy burns. You're saying this man, what shall we call him for now?"
Yang Yi hesitated.
"We've been referring to him as 'Subject X' in the reports, Ma'am. It's temporary until we can determine his identity."
Rang Rang tilted her head.
"Yeah… I mean, it's hard to talk to someone who doesn't even remember their own name. But he's… kind of strong. There's something about him. Like he's hiding something deep down, or maybe just forgotten it."
Luo Yi's lips curved faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
"A forgotten power, then. Or perhaps a sealed one. Either way, we cannot overlook this. Especially not now."
Yang Yi tilted her head slightly.
"You mean… because of the upcoming festival?"
Luo Yi nodded once, slow and deliberate.
"Yes. The Celestial Convergence, Xinzhi's oldest celebration, predating even our city's founding. The archives mention that once every thousand years, when the twin moons align over the capital's spire, a 'Guest of the Stars' shall descend. A being not of this world, but one who carries the light to change it."
She set her cup down, eyes glinting faintly through the holographic haze.
"For centuries, most believed it to be a metaphor. But after your report, Yang Yi, I'm starting to wonder if it's not prophecy after all."
Rang Rang's eyes widened.
"Wait-wait-wait, you think that guy, the one we found unconscious, is the Guest of the Stars?! The one from the old inscription in the Hall of Dawn?"
Luo Yi's lips curved faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
"I think coincidence rarely visits twice in one century. The energy readings, the timing, his unknown qi root… all aligning so close to the Convergence? It's too precise to ignore."
Yang Yi frowned.
"With respect, Councilor, if he truly is the one the prophecy speaks of, shouldn't we… test him? Or at least confirm his nature?"
"You'll have your chance,"
Luo Yi replied calmly.
"Keep him under observation. Ensure he remains unaware of his significance. The last thing we need is panic or false hope before the Convergence. If the people believe a savior has arrived, and he turns out to be nothing but a drifter…"
Her tone sharpened.
"Xinzhi's stability could fracture."
Rang Rang scratched her cheek nervously.
"So… we babysit him? Nya~"
Luo Yi allowed herself a faint smile.
"If that's how you wish to phrase it, yes. Observe him. Guide him. And, if necessary, protect him."
Yang Yi bowed her head.
"Understood, Councilor."
As the hologram began to dim, Luo Yi added softly, almost as if to herself,
"If fate truly sent this man here… then let us see whether he carries salvation, or ruin."
The connection flickered out, leaving Luo Yi alone in the vast chamber once more.
She gazed out the window at the sprawling city below, Xinzhi's towers glowing in the dimming dusk, as floating lanterns began to rise in preparation for the coming festival.
Steam curled from her untouched tea.
"The Guest of the Stars…"
She murmured.
"Perhaps destiny has finally decided to stir."
*****