Surviving the Game as a Barbarian - Chapter 1

“21 days. 7 hundred million won. 29 strangers. One unforgettable man.” Yoon Ji-won never planned to become a substitute driver. He never planned to be locked inside a building for 21 days with 29 dangerously attractive men. And he definitely didn’t plan to have his world turned upside down by a smooth-talking younger guy who won’t leave him alone. After a mysterious interview, Ji-won is thrown into a secretive, high-stakes project with an offer too tempting to refuse. The rules? Obey. Stay. Survive. But when he meets “Number Three,” everything starts to unravel. Cold stares. Lingering touches. A spark that turns into a fire he can't put out. Is it destiny? Or just another trap? For readers who crave intense power dynamics, isolated tension, and twisted attraction wrapped in a sleek, modern BL thriller.

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.”

“You’re the moonlight that lights up the night’s darkness~

“Hah..Hah..”

In the midst of what seemed like a battlefield, a young boy with white hair knelt on the ground, struggling to catch shallow breaths. A short sword pierced his heart, his arms and legs were broken, making him unable to stop the crimson blood from coloring the ground.

“That's what you get for betrayal,” a red-headed teenage boy sneered as he stood before him.

“A pathetic person like you could never be my brother,” added a purple-haired girl, her voice seething with anger, as she stood alongside the redhead.

With great effort, the young boy shifted his gaze forward. He could see many familiar faces in front of him—his so-called family, his so-called friends but his gaze remained fixed on her.

“Wh..y, A.nna,” he uttered with immense difficulty and sorrow in his voice, his vision blurring as he locked eyes with the blonde-haired girl, who regarded him with emotionless eyes.

“I did that so I could save you,” he said, his voice gradually growing louder.

“I DID THAT SO YOU COULD LIVE!” he shouted, making everyone present flinch in fear.

“I never asked you to do this” the blonde-haired girl replied, her words crushing the very soul of the boy.

“A...nn.a,”

the young boy whispered one last time, a small tear slipping down from his eye as he breathed his final breath.

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Neil survived eight grueling years in a post-apocalyptic world only to die and be reincarnated in the body of Eden Morton, a character from a game he

used to play as a teenager, by an unknown entity for unknown reasons.

Eden's life was a pitiable one, plagued by the constant manipulation and betrayal of those around him – whether it was the princess, the famed hero, or even his very own family. Eden died without ever experiencing genuine love. Now, as Neil took over, he was determined to embark on a new journey, seeking the one thing he and Eden never had : a life worth living.