October 29, 2118. It was a day no human being could ever forget. The virtual game Infinite Fantasy collided with the real world. Two worlds that had existed on parallel tracks crashed into each other, turning the once-peaceful real world into a game!
Everything was assigned a level, and life itself took the form of a health bar. Countless monsters that had no business existing in this world poured in like mad, soon overrunning the major cities!
Humanity immediately mobilized its forces and went to war against these foreign creatures, only to suffer a devastating defeat at the hands of the unknown beings. The human armies were driven back at every turn!
At the final hour, with humanity's survival at stake, its leaders finally accepted the reality that the world had become a game. They used the rules of the game to fight the monsters, training large numbers of high-level warriors and forging high-level weapons and gear. At last, humanity managed to hold its ground!
But by then, the human population had already been decimated. Faced with endless game monsters, humanity could barely hold on to the cities it still had. The habitable world had shrunk to a third of what it once was. To win this war, they had to raise a super-player capable of turning the tide!
But the higher your level, the more experience you needed. Raising a true super-player would take a very long time!
……
A year had passed since the war between humanity and the monsters began. Before anyone knew it, the two sides had reached a strange balance. All kinds of industries built around monster hunting had sprung up, and the Adventurers' Association had been established. Everything seemed to be moving in a better direction…
“How’s the Champion Project coming along?” Inside a building called the Shenzhou Research Institute, a laboratory somewhere in Yanhuang Country, a senior military officer spoke with a tall, slender young man in a white lab coat and black-rimmed glasses.
Inside a glass case in the laboratory lay a custom pistol made entirely of platinum: Champion's Eye!
It had been two years since Infinite Fantasy first opened to the public. A game that had only been live for a few weeks had taken the world by storm, replacing the popular sports of the previous century. As its popularity soared, an organizing body formed by more than twenty powerful nations finally held the first Infinite Fantasy World League. The tournament featured three-on-three team battles and one-on-one matches to determine the world's strongest players. Champion's Eye was the ultimate prize for that first tournament's champion!
Phantom God. No one knew his true identity, and at first, the name meant little. But when he led Team Yanhuang to defeat Team Shen'ao and lift the Infinite Fantasy trophy, everyone cheered. More astonishing still, Phantom God went on to defeat the runner-up in the solo tournament with breathtaking skill, taking the individual championship as well. One team, two titles!
Champion's Eye was one of the two championship weapons Phantom God had won. Its terrifying stats surpassed level one hundred, and it had an additional, absurdly powerful attribute specially granted by the officials: a 100% critical-hit effect. The weapon soon became a legend!
The weapon had appeared out of nowhere half a year ago, materializing in Yanhuang Country. The government secured it at once and secretly transported it here.
But the requirements for using the weapon were far too strict. Its wielder had to reach the maximum level of one hundred and hold the title of World Champion. Both requirements were incredibly difficult to meet. Even the country's strongest ace player had only just reached level fifty.
Still, everyone knew how powerful the weapon was. If their country's ace player could equip it, the nation's combat strength would rise dramatically. They might even be able to reclaim every city occupied by monsters!
The so-called Champion Project wasn't about training a champion. It was about finding a way to lower the weapon's requirements through special means. But half a year had passed, and they still hadn't made any progress.
“There’s really no way to find the player who used to be Phantom God?” the young officer asked gravely. There had only been one championship so far, because so little time had passed. That meant Phantom God's team of three were the only world champions—and each of the three had a different class. The only person who could use Champion's Eye was its original owner: Phantom God!
The man in white shook his head. “We’ve mobilized every resource we have and searched nearly every town where humans still live, but we haven’t found anyone who meets the requirements. For all we know, he may have already met with disaster.”
“If this weapon appeared on its own, then the person who can use it will show up sooner or later. Continue the Champion Project as planned. Of course, we can’t put all our hopes in it.” The young officer turned to leave, then stopped at the doorway. “By the way, in a few days, I’ll arrange to have you and the weapon moved. You know there are plenty of eyes on championship-tier weapons. If it falls into the wrong hands, the damage could be catastrophic!”
The man in white nodded. “Understood. You be careful too, and don’t get too involved in dangerous battles, big brother.”
“I will. That’s all for now. We’ll be in touch.” The young officer’s usually stern face broke into a rare smile. He strode out of the laboratory, while the man in white turned his attention back to the weapon and continued his research.
……
Yanhuang Country had a lawless no-man’s-land, the biggest gathering place in the world for criminals, desperados, and gangs. People called it Black Corner.
There were no rules in Black Corner. The only rule was strength. The strong could trample on and enslave the weak at will, while the weak were worth less than dogs. Black Corner had a vast intelligence network and a black market. Even an innocent child might stab you in the back.
Three factions held the most power in Black Corner: the Black Gold Party, the Wildflower Society, and Infinite Group. The Black Gold Party controlled underground casinos, bars, and other entertainment venues. The Wildflower Society controlled the black market and trade network, while Infinite Group ran Black Corner's intelligence network. The three factions stood like the legs of a tripod, using and restraining one another.
But today, the leaders of all three factions had gathered for a secret meeting.
The handsome young man in a white suit, with an air of a gentleman, was Ling Jie, chairman of Infinite Group and the one who had called this meeting. The other two people sat across from him on the sofa. They were the leaders of the other two factions.
The burly man with a thick cigar between his lips, slicked-back hair, and black sunglasses was Ai Daowen, leader of the Black Gold Party. Beside him sat a playful young girl who looked about ten, with twin ponytails dyed blue and red and a Lolita dress paired with white stockings. She was Kuang Qian, president of the Wildflower Society.
Despite their very different appearances, all three were super-players above level forty. They were top-class experts even by the standards of the whole world!
“Since you’ve both come as agreed, I won’t beat around the bush.” Ling Jie adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “We’ve found out where the ‘championship-tier’ weapon confiscated by the government half a year ago is.”
The moment he finished speaking, the two people who had been so nonchalant changed their attitude at once and looked at Ling Jie with solemn expressions.
