Chapter 001 – The One-Dollar Spike System
"Bro, I just got dumped!"
Su Chen stared at the message from his friend Max, sighed, and typed a lazy reply.
Su Chen: "That's nothing new. What's the big deal this time?"
Max: "It's serious this time. Her family moved out of the city. Rumor is, something big's about to happen. Only certain areas will be safe. Her dad spent millions just to get them out!"
Su Chen frowned. Something big?
There had been strange rumors online for months—posts disappearing, weird news reports getting deleted. Most people thought it was just conspiracy junk.
But now, hearing it from Max made him uneasy. He knew his friend's ex's family—rich real estate developers worth billions. If people like that were spending fortunes to escape, maybe the rumors weren't so crazy after all.
Aliens?
The apocalypse?
Some kind of zombie outbreak?
He fired off a few sarcastic messages.
Max: "??? Dude, what the hell are you talking about?"
Su Chen: "Just guessing."
Max: "You've read too many sci-fi novels. Should I call my cousin at the mental hospital and reserve you a bed? I'll even get you a discount."
Su Chen: "Go to hell."
Max: "Haha. But honestly, I don't know if this whole thing's real. Still, I'm gonna stock up on supplies—maybe ten bags of rice or something."
Su Chen: "Already done. Rented a storage unit two months ago."
Max: "You're insane… and kind of awesome."
Su Chen laughed. Classic Max. The guy wasn't messaging him because of heartbreak—he was just bored.
Max was twenty-two, same as him, and had gone through at least five girlfriends a year since high school. Getting dumped was practically his hobby.
Su Chen: "So what now? Gonna find your next victim or go back to your family's farm?"
Max: "Neither. I just bought a new VR helmet. Tonight, I'm joining you in Eternal Dawn! We'll grind together!"
Su Chen: "More like you just want to flirt with the NPCs."
Max: "Shut up. Go read about the open beta—it starts tonight. See you in there!"
---
Su Chen opened the game's forum. Eternal Dawn was still three hours away from its global launch, but the hype was insane.
This wasn't just any game—it was developed by the Atlas Corporation, with backing from several major countries. A worldwide release.
Even crazier—you could get a free VR helmet just for signing up.
Su Chen had played countless games, but nothing on this scale before.
Scrolling through the posts, one thread caught his eye:
> "Eternal Dawn Is Linked to the World's Strange Events—Proof Inside!"
Wild speculation. No evidence. But still… something about it felt off.
Normally, Su Chen would have laughed it off. But remembering the rich families leaving the city, he couldn't shake the unease.
Maybe ignorance really was bliss.
He wasn't rich or powerful—just a semi-pro gamer with a few hundred thousand in savings. He made a decent living, but that was it.
No point overthinking.
When the clock finally hit eight, Su Chen slid on his new VR helmet and closed his eyes.
---
> "Loading game…"
"Connection established."
"Welcome to Eternal Dawn. Please create your character."
A vast temple appeared before him. A radiant figure floated above the altar—a divine guide wrapped in golden light. Her beauty was almost unreal, her voice soft yet commanding.
> "Please create your character," she said, sounding impatient.
Su Chen blinked. Wow. The AI's pretty advanced.
He was tempted to reach out and poke her cheek—but her icy gaze made him stop.
With a thought, six glowing icons appeared before him: Warrior, Priest, Mage, Fighter, Assassin, and Ranger.
Su Chen didn't hesitate. He'd always been a close-combat player. In every game, he chose the sword.
He selected Swordsman.
> "Class confirmed. Please enter your character name."
"Son of Heaven."
> "Name accepted. Customize your appearance—up to 30% difference allowed."
Su Chen tweaked his looks slightly, just enough that no one would recognize him in real life.
> "Select your starting location."
A massive world map unfolded before him, filled with glowing cities and kingdoms.
"Random," he said.
> "Confirmed. You will begin in Whitehaven Town under Crimson City. Reincarnation begins in ten seconds. Welcome to your new life in Eternal Dawn."
The divine guide smiled—a perfect, professional smile.
Ten seconds later, Su Chen's vision blurred. When it cleared, he was standing in the middle of a bustling town square.
Something felt off.
He opened his menu—and froze.
> "Wait… where's my talent?"
Every player was supposed to receive a unique ability when creating their character—ranked from F to SSS. But his screen was blank.
That guide—she hadn't assigned him anything!
Before he could react, a crisp chime echoed in his ears.
> Ding! The [One-Dollar Spike System] has been activated.
System inventory updated.
Su Chen's eyes widened.
"What… the hell?"