The pleasant chime of the phone alarm punctured the silence precisely, yanking Lin Chen violently from the boundless darkness back to reality.
He sat up abruptly, his chest still haunted by a phantom, searing pain, as if the blade of betrayal remained lodged in his heart.
His hand instinctively moved to his chest—the skin was smooth and intact, with no wound, no bloodstain, only a thin layer of cold sweat.
"...I'm not dead?"
He looked around: a rented room less than twenty square meters, adorned with a faded, yellowed poster of a long-outdated female celebrity; the desk piled high with takeout containers and instant noodle cups, the air thick with the smell of stale smoke and cheap laundry detergent.
—This was his "nest" before the apocalypse, a typical urban island.
The landlord was the notorious "Rent Collector King" of the area, always shuffling around in yellowed plastic slippers, either collecting rent or on his way to do so.
But the man only cared about money; as long as the rent was paid on time each month, he never pried, which at least meant peace and quiet.
He rushed to the desk and snatched up his phone. The screen lit up, the time glaringly displayed:
August 16, 2035, 08:08:23
"2035? August 16th?!"
Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply, his heart pounding like a drum.
He remembered all too clearly—
The apocalypse erupted on September 15, 2035, at exactly 9:00 AM.
The global "Blood Rain Cataclysm" descended simultaneously, the zombie virus infiltrating human bodies through the rain, and human civilization collapsed overnight.
Which meant...
He had been reborn, returned a full thirty days before the apocalypse arrived.
"Not a dream..." He pinched his thigh hard, wincing from the pain. "I really came back."
He strode quickly to the bathroom mirror.
The man in the reflection was twenty-five, broad-shouldered and tall, with distinct features, but heavy dark circles hung under his eyes, his gaze numb and weary, looking utterly drained by life.
He had grown up in an orphanage, with no family or relatives. Having been in Yangcheng for half a year, he had no friends.
By day, he worked as a designer at a small company; by night, he retreated to his room, ordering takeout, scrolling through videos, and playing games.
His life was as stagnant as dead water, devoid of ripples and hope.
But now—
"Hah..." Lin Chen suddenly laughed. The laughter was cold as a blade, his eyes no longer holding any trace of confusion. "In this life, I'll live only for myself."
Brothers? Loyalty? All bullshit.
"Zhao Kai, Li Qiang, Black Dragon..." He muttered the three names under his breath, his knuckles turning white and cracking audibly. "In one month, I will personally kill you all."
Among the three, the one he hated most was Zhao Kai, the one who had called him brother but ultimately stabbed him in the back.
Unfortunately, he had only met these people after the apocalypse began.
Right now, they were probably still muddling through life somewhere in Yangcheng, or perhaps riding high on success.
In this metropolis of over twenty million people, there was simply no way to find them—he only remembered where each of them was when the apocalypse struck.
But it didn't matter.
He had plenty of time to set his plans in motion.
As he pondered, a stream of unfamiliar information suddenly flooded his mind:
[Primordial Creation Pearl has bound to the host's soul]
Current Level: One
Function: Absorb high-energy substances to upgrade; elevate the host's life level, randomly awaken an S-class or higher Special Ability (ability level cannot exceed the current level of the Creation Pearl)
Charging Cycle: 10 days
Contains "New World Seed," current space area: 400㎡ (approximately the size of a standard basketball court)
"It's real!"
Lin Chen flipped his palm, and a white pearl that was neither metal nor jade appeared—identical to the one embedded in his chest just before his death in his previous life, now gently enveloped in a faint purple halo.
Immediately, more information flooded in:
The Primordial Creation Pearl is a supreme treasure born alongside the universe at its inception, unique to each universe, possessing the unparalleled power to "create a world anew."
Awakened by absorbing his dying blood, it reversed time and space, carrying his soul back to the past.
He gently stroked the pearl, his voice low and hoarse: "Thank you... for saving me."
With a thought, his entire being was instantly drawn into the pearl's space.
Before him lay a hazy and mysterious realm: at its center stood a small tree about half a person's height, wreathed in purple energy and flowing with spiritual essence; nearby, a spring measuring one meter square bubbled and flowed, its water as clear as glass.
Lin Chen crouched down, parted the soft turf beneath his feet, and scooped up a handful of moist black soil, sniffing it:
"I wonder if I can grow vegetables here..."
He walked to the tree, lightly touching its trunk with his fingertip, and a piece of information naturally surfaced:
"Primordial Creation Tree, rooted in Chaos."
This tree serves as the foundation of the space, capable of absorbing high-energy substances from the outside world to upgrade; its roots delve deep into the boundless Chaos, continuously drawing energy to sustain the operation of the entire space.
He then approached the spring, cupped his hands to scoop up the clear water, and drank it.
As the cool liquid flowed down his throat, a warm current instantly spread through his limbs and bones, while new information emerged:
"Creation Spirit Spring, capable of restoring Spiritual Power. Automatically generates one Creation Spirit Crystal daily."
Lin Chen reached into the water and indeed felt a hexagonal crystal the size of a ping-pong ball, translucent and gleaming with a faint inner light.
[Creation Spirit Crystal]
Effect: Enables the consumer to awaken a Special Ability no lower than A+ class and become loyal to the host (cannot be used by the host themselves)
"Loyalty? How loyal can it be?" Lin Chen was eager to test it on someone.
Looking around, aside from the tree, the spring, the soil, and the white mist swirling at the edges, there was nothing else.
He narrowed his eyes, quickly sorting through all the information.
Suddenly remembering something, he pulled out his phone and checked the time—08:15:48.
After staying inside for another five minutes, he exited the space and saw the computer time displayed as 08:20:50.
The flow of time inside and outside was completely synchronized.
Next, with a thought, he attempted to awaken a Special Ability through the Creation Pearl:
[S-class · Infinite Space (non-upgradable)]
Activation Range: Within 10 meters
Characteristics: Infinite capacity, time stasis, weight ignored
Cooldown: None
Note: Cannot store living beings
A gentle yet immense energy surged from the pearl, flowing throughout his body.
Lin Chen immediately felt both his physical body and mental strength skyrocket. Based on his past life's experience, they had been enhanced by at least five times or more!
—In his previous life, his initial A-class earth-based Special Ability only enhanced him by two times, yet the current effect was already comparable to an A-class enhancement-type ability.
Then, looking at the phone in his hand, Lin Chen focused his mind, and the phone instantly appeared within his Special Ability space. One minute later, it reappeared in his hand.
The phone's time was one minute slower than the computer's time!
With the experiment complete, Lin Chen's heart couldn't help but race wildly.
However, the "non-upgradable" note made him pause briefly, cooling his excitement once more.
Based on his past life experience, each person could only possess one Special Ability. If this ability couldn't be upgraded, would he become useless?
Then there was "Special Ability level cannot exceed the Primordial Creation Pearl's current level"—did this mean his ability could only advance when the pearl itself leveled up?
He reexamined the Primordial Creation Pearl's information: "Perhaps... it could grant me a second Special Ability, or even more?"
After all, it recharged fully every ten days, allowing another awakening. How could a treasure capable of reversing time and space be a single-use item?
But what exactly were the high-energy substances required to upgrade it? And how difficult would it be to obtain them?
After pondering for a while without full clarity, he set aside his doubts, excitement surging again: "An S-grade Infinite Space for supplies, the Primordial Creation Pearl for living storage... and a full month to prepare! I'll stockpile everything needed!"
His laughter faded quickly as he fell into deep thought.
Money?
Opening his banking app, the balance stared back at him: 52,380.
"This amount can't even cover basic supplies, let alone weapons and medicine," he narrowed his eyes.
In his previous life, he'd been an ordinary office worker—no lottery wins, no stock market ventures—with no shortcuts to wealth.
Conventional methods were useless; only unconventional ones remained. A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "After the apocalypse, order collapses, currency becomes worthless, and debts are forgotten."
He acted without hesitation: increasing Huabei limits, applying for Jiebei loans, raising credit card temporary limits, and submitting applications across multiple online lending platforms.
An hour later, his account balance exceeded 860,000 yuan.
"The disbursement is fast... these institutions probably see me as easy prey," he sneered, then frowned. "But 860,000... still not enough."
His gaze darkened as he murmured, "It seems only 'zero-dollar shopping' can fill the gap."
For apocalypse survivors, "zero-dollar shopping" wasn't a moral issue but a survival instinct. Supermarkets, warehouses, ports—anywhere that could help people survive was fair game.
Next, he opened a digital map, tracing the border with his finger before stopping on U.S. territory.
"Domestic weapon control is too strict, and I have no black market connections. But firearms are legal in the U.S., freshwater resources are abundant, and farms and warehouses are everywhere." A cold smile touched his lips. "I'll 'relocate' some supplies from there first."
However, visiting the U.S. required a visa.
"Need to secure a tourist visa quickly—preferably depart within a week," he muttered to himself. "While the blood rain hasn't fallen and order remains, with flights available and customs operational... this is the final window."
He opened his computer and swiftly compiled a streamlined procurement list:
Weapons: Firearms and accessories, observation equipment, protective suits, ammunition, melee weapons
Survival: Long-lasting food, water purification systems, common medicines and medical consumables, cold-weather clothing, snow vehicles
Infrastructure/Energy: Generators and fuel, solar power systems, protective building materials, communication and lighting equipment
Tools & Special Items: Manual tools, high-yield crop seed bank, advanced medical kits, oxygen supply and disinfection supplies
The list grew more detailed, his thoughts clearer.
In his previous life, he'd survived five years through caution and earth escape, only to die from betrayal. This time, holding ultimate treasures, how could he remain prey on others' chopping blocks?
Just then—
The phone vibrated.
A message popped up in the company work group chat:
Boss @All members: Everyone must be at their desks by 9 AM today! The urgent project must be completed overnight! Latecomers will have their full attendance bonus deducted, and anyone who shirks responsibility will be fired on the spot!
Lin Chen stared at the screen, silent for three seconds.
In his previous life, he had pulled three consecutive all-nighters for this project, causing his immunity to plummet and nearly costing him his life during the early days of the apocalypse.
Now?
He slowly typed out a line, his fingertips showing not a hint of hesitation:
"I quit. Keep that PPT for yourself, you idiot."
Send.
Block the boss.
Leave the group chat.
The actions flowed seamlessly, clean and decisive.
Five years of pent-up frustration, grievances, and forced compliance shattered completely in that moment.
He lay back on the bed, gazing at the ceiling, and let out a long, deep sigh.
Right now, the most urgent matters—
were to get his visa sorted and finalize his purchases. Not a single day before the apocalypse could be wasted.