Accompanying the Phoenix - Chapter 78

After being awakened from their slumber, billions of people found themselves dispersed in various sealed crypts. Surrounded by earth, they each had only a shovel.

The story centers on Adam, a young man living a life of extreme hardship. Betrayed and cast out by his own family at a young age, he is forced to survive on the streets, working grueling, low-paying jobs just to make ends meet. His existence is a constant struggle against poverty and despair.Everything changes when Adam discovers a mysterious application on his smartphone. This app has a single, reality-altering function: every time he taps the screen, one dollar is instantly deposited into his bank account.At first, Adam uses the app to solve his immediate problems—buying food and securing a place to live. But as he taps his way from hundreds to thousands, and then to millions of dollars, his ambition and vision expand exponentially. He transitions from a destitute outcast to a global magnate, creating a business empire that astounds the world.People point in awe and say, “Look, that's Adam's mobile company,” as they admire the most high-tech smartphones on the market. They marvel at sleek, futuristic cars on the road, remarking, “That car is from Adam's company.” His influence even reaches for the stars, with observers noting, “That new rocket company? Adam started that too.”

The year was 2334, when virtual reality reached its peak with the creation of the SHS prototype, an advanced neural simulation that allows players to fully immerse themselves in alternate worlds.Henry Bartholomew was hand picked as a recruit to try out this new project. He had carefully chosen to enter the world where he was the son of a king, a chilling and lazy life.What happens when he wakes up as the son of a Baron instead? And even worse, his newly claimed character has a bad reputation around the people.With all odds against him, the young man decided he was by all means going to create a world where he could live as carefree as he wanted.But first he needed to do one thing - make his land the most successful in all the seven continents and save his family nameAnd luckily, he had support -[Your Ep has been filled.][Earning points can now be claimed.]The young lord tapped the screen.[Cards available for purchase.][Territory upgrade.][Description: this card allows you to upgrade your territory, allowing the land to level up multiple folds with more qualities and growth.][Cost: 7000 CpRank: Bronze. (0/10) {10 Cp to upgrade} ]'Upgrade all.' the young man replied.

...[Inside an underground basement]“You are going to die for nothing, hahahaha,” the old man's voice thundered through the room, sending chills down my spine.Step.With a swift and ruthless motion, he lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air and slashing my throat, crimson droplets staining the darkness.“We'll see,” I whispered defiantly, my final words escaping as a mere breath against the impending darkness.Slowly, inexorably, my consciousness slipped away, and I descended into a deep, unfathomable slumber.“Huh!?” My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself seated in a bustling tavern, the air thick with laughter and the clinking of glasses.In front of me stood a captivating lady, her beauty juxtaposed with an angry furrow upon her brow, threatening to shatter the harmony of the jovial scene.“Don't follow me around!” Her words pierced the air like shards of ice, the intensity of her emotions palpable as she cast a resentful glare in my direction, before swiftly departing from the tavern....Am I trapped within the confines of a game? The fragments of my shattered common sense scattered before me, leaving me to question the very fabric of my reality.