Ashen Requiem - Chapter 9: Nexus

When he arrived in this world, many familiar stories had yet to begin: Sleeping Beauty had not yet been born, the magic lamp lay buried at the bottom of a treasure vault, Snow White’s father had just remarried, and the Little Mermaid was still playing in the sea with her sisters. In the heart of the desert, the Land of Oz had not yet welcomed the girl named Dorothy.Then he came—the wizard of miracles and wishes.…Many years later, even illiterate children knew his legend: If you find yourself in the darkest abyss or hold the most fervent desire, you might encounter a handsome boy cloaked in robes in a distant forest or lonely mountains.He is the omnipotent wizard, the all-knowing prophet, the sage revered by kings, and the mentor of legendary heroes. He gave Pinocchio life, granted the Little Mermaid an immortal soul, and heard the pleas of both princesses and beggars.Now, it’s your turn.

While the blue light blossoms, the insignificant struggle at the bottom. He grasps the opportunity to change his fate and embarks on an unprecedented path…

Chen Sansi traveled back to the chaotic end of a dynasty, thankfully with the hardworking system by his side. He originally wanted to hunt to earn money and someday go to the Martial Arts Hall to learn some basic fist and foot techniques, aspiring just to be an ordinary rich man. Yet, fate had other plans. With officials imposing heavy taxes and the Martial Arts Hall bullying the citizens, he had no choice but to enlist in the army to survive, becoming an archer. From “archery (entry-level),” he worked tirelessly up to “operating a ten thousand weight bow, where arrows cannot be dodged,” taking the heads of enemy generals from a hundred miles away! From “basic soldier’s spear technique,” he worked tirelessly up to “National Guardian Dragon Spear, growing more valiant with each battle,” standing firm with a spear on horseback, alone turning back the Enemy Army of a million! Years later, Chen Sansi, having campaigned in the south and battled in the north, was truly invincible under the heavens, commanding two hundred thousand of the Iron Cavalry. Watching his subordinates forcibly ascend him to the throne and become emperor, he felt quite helpless: ’You... you have really caused me trouble!’

When a sudden outbreak in a remote village infects 70% of its population, the government swiftly silences any mention of rabies, zombies, or pandemics.University student Yan Cheng dismisses the reports as just another hoax—until his phone dies in a freak accident, electrocuting him in the process.While he struggles to revive his device, chaos erupts on campus as classmates turn into bloodthirsty monsters, the virus spreading like wildfire.As the world spirals into panic, one question remains: can Yan Cheng survive in a reality that seems straight out of a game—or has his luck already run out?