Everything started three hundred years ago.
At that time, the entire planet was living in the golden age of technology.
Every year, unprecedented advances appeared in all sectors, and people's quality of life improved in an impressive way.
It was a true dream.
Even the lives of ordinary people were luxurious.
So much so that even the emperors of ancient times would feel envy.
But, like everything that is good, nothing lasts forever.
One day, in a mysterious way, the whole world trembled.
It truly trembled — a massive earthquake.
Countless cracks began to appear all over the planet. Some were so large that they turned into rifts that crossed several countries.
In a short time, the number of victims had already reached millions.
But this was only the beginning.
As soon as the countries reacted and sent teams to investigate, the worst happened.
From the cracks, whose depth no one could measure, countless monstrous creatures suddenly emerged.
There were all kinds of creatures that humans had never imagined: some moved faster than the speed of sound, while others were so gigantic that war tanks looked like toys in front of them.
Humanity entered an unprecedented crisis.
Fortunately, along with these mysterious cracks — which would later become known as the Nine Ravines of the Deep Abyss — an unknown energy began to appear.
Something new…
A hope for humanity!
***
Fangyan Kingdom, Luoyang City.
The sun rose slowly, lighting up the huge walls that surrounded the entire city.
As one of the last twelve third-tier cities of the Fangyan Kingdom, Luoyang was not bad at all, housing a population of at least two million people.
Even after the great disaster that happened more than three hundred years ago, it was still possible to see the streets full of people going to work.
…
In a humble house in the suburbs, two siblings were having breakfast together.
The scene was extremely harmonious.
Until the younger sister, after hesitating for a moment, spoke timidly:
"Brother, when I come back from school, I'm going to look for a job."
Looking at her older brother sitting in a wheelchair, Yang Mingxue could not help but feel guilt in her heart.
However, her words made Yang Hu frown.
"Xiao Xue!"
"How many times do I need to repeat it? Your duty is to go to school and cultivate to become a warrior!" Yang Hu immediately scolded her.
Not to mention that the system he had awakened a few days ago depended directly on his sister's cultivation.
Even if that were not the case, how could he allow her to sacrifice her own future?
"But… your warrior benefit will end this month…" Yang Mingxue lowered her head as she spoke.
The benefit she referred to was the subsidy granted by the Martial Alliance to all martial artists, whose value varied according to cultivation level.
For example, Yang Hu was an early-stage warrior. Although the subsidy he received was the lowest, it still totaled ten thousand federal coins.
This amount was, practically, the main source of income for the two siblings.
However, every three years, it was mandatory to pass a test to prove that the martial artist still had the combat power needed to continue receiving the aid.
This test consisted of facing another martial artist of the same cultivation level for ten minutes.
Normally, facing someone of the same level was not a big problem. Almost everyone who had passed the test once was able to do it again.
After all, over time, even if strength did not increase much, warriors' experience grew, and along with it, their combat power.
Because of this, this test was usually just a formality.
But, looking at her brother sitting in the wheelchair, Yang Mingxue could not help but show a sad expression.
Unable to move his legs, Yang Hu's chances of passing the renewal were extremely low, to say the least, nonexistent.