"Xiao Tian, done with work?"

Just as I was lost in thought, Lixiaochun spotted me. She approached with that handsome senior, stopping right before me.

"What are you doing here, Xiaochun?" I asked, forcing calm.

"Came to check if your job’s going smoothly."

"Oh… and who’s this?"

"Right, let me introduce you. This is Senior Jin Zuo. This is my classmate Zhuo Tiancheng. Xiao Tian’s my childhood friend—we’ve been close since kids." Lixiaochun smiled warmly as she made the introductions.

"Hello, Classmate Zhuo." Senior Jin extended his hand.

"Hello." I shook it briefly before pulling away. Forcing a smile, I turned to Xiaochun. "Is Senior Jin your boyfriend?"

"What are you saying? He’s just a friend. We’re in the same guild in-game." Lixiaochun blushed, looking shy.

I noticed Jin’s eye twitch slightly at the word "friend," but he instantly masked it with a smile.

*You see him as a friend… but he clearly doesn’t feel the same.*

"So where are you headed now?"

"Senior Jin’s taking me shopping at the game mall."

"The game mall? Well, safe travels. I’m heading home." *The game mall? None of my business.*

"Won’t you join us, Xiao Tian? …Alright, goodbye then. Oh, and log into the game tonight, okay?" Lixiaochun started to invite me but cut herself off, her voice tinged with regret.

"Got it. See you." I nodded at her, then at Senior Jin.

"Goodbye, junior."

After our farewells, we all walked off. Lixiaochun led the way, passing me first. Then came that confident, handsome Senior Jin behind her.

"Worthless trash. Stay away from Xiaochun. Someone like you doesn’t deserve her." His low, arrogant whisper slipped into my ear.

I narrowed my eyes, watching their backs until they vanished from sight.

"Bastard…" Even my usual calm shattered as I muttered the curse. But words wouldn’t kill him. I turned toward home.

---

My house stood near the academy—a two-story luxury villa. Only my sister and I lived there; our parents worked abroad and rarely returned.

My sister’s name was Zhuo Yinghong. Homophonic with "hero," it was a fiercely bold name.

ID: Sakura City Blood.

Ranked 37th globally among Swordsmen; 5th in China’s Sword God rankings. Young, stunningly beautiful, and icy in demeanor, her in-game swordplay was ruthless and domineering. Her avatar, known as the Frost Valkyrie or Royal Sect’s Gleaming Sword Shadow, left a deep impression worldwide. Fans spanned the globe.

Her avatar had official merch and figures. She was also a model. At seventeen, she’d achieved more than most do in seventy years.

Beneath her blinding stardom, my own worthlessness—unable even to log into games—loomed larger. The contrast was brutal: a genius sister versus a brother who couldn’t scrape the bottom of this gaming world. Since my holographic dizziness syndrome began, I’d faced endless scorn.

I stood at the door, reluctant to enter…

*Click~*

I finally opened it and slipped quietly into the foyer.

At the edge of the living room, I saw my sister on the sofa. Her straight black hair was damp—fresh from a shower. Dressed in a simple tank top and shorts, she wore glasses, one leg crossed over the other. Her fingers flew across a laptop on the glass table.

She was likely researching tonight’s world boss raid at midnight. Her guild, Royal Sect, ranked among China’s top guilds. Its popularity? Always number one. The beauty effect.

"Sis… I’m back." I called to her back from the room’s edge.

"Hmm." Zhuo Yinghong didn’t turn. Her cold reply cut off any further words.

Watching her back, I clenched my fists. Disdain from strangers meant little. But from family? That cut deepest, leaving bitter不甘.

*Sigh.*

I exhaled softly, turned back to the foyer, and opened the small room’s door there. Stepping inside.

The villa had four rooms. Upstairs held two standard bedrooms: one hers, the other her dedicated gaming room. Downstairs, behind the living area, lay a lavish master suite—our parents’ room. The last room, tucked in the foyer, was originally for storage. That was mine.

Plain layout. Bare walls. No decorations. I collapsed onto the bed the moment I entered, staring at the ceiling.

After zoning out awhile, I checked my phone: 11:50 PM. Hesitating, I rolled off the bed and pulled a cardboard box from under it.

Inside lay an old game helmet.

"Tomorrow’s New Year’s Day. A fresh start. Let’s see if my condition’s changed today." I muttered to myself.

I put on the helmet, lay back, and closed my eyes to enter the game…

Neural connection successful.

Do not disconnect power arbitrarily.

Account Zhuo Tiancheng bound and logged in.

Game Mystic Box loaded.

System detected prolonged account inactivity. Replay tutorial?

YES/NO

I hadn’t logged in for years. Honestly, I’d forgotten how Mystic Box worked. I pressed YES.

…