139. The Era of the Great Abyss, has begun!

With a single gunshot, a spray of blood and brain matter exploded from Chen Entropy’s head.

Realizing this was no special effects performance, the live chat was instantly flooded with "666" and "Oh my god, stop!" as users frantically tried to scroll past the gruesome sight. Many more viewers were left in shock and confusion; even the hardcore fans who prided themselves on their love for extreme, gore-filled streams put down their phones in bewilderment, beginning to question the nature of reality itself.

"The—Pl—an—ner—!"

A fan—seemingly a die-hard supporter of "The Planner"—sent over a dozen "Silver Missiles," each worth ten thousand credits, as if completely stunned into madness.

Nearby, Jon was equally terrified, forgetting even to wipe the blood splattered across his face. While he had heard about the rules of this world from The Planner, he had dismissed them as lies. After all, who would believe that a place existed where suicide did not mean death? Yet, after Chen Entropy blew his own brains out, the onlookers watched in horror as his corpse began to dissolve into particles at a visible rate, vanishing from the camera’s view.

"Ah, this..." Jon appeared even more lost, staring blankly at the scrolling wall of comments, unable to find the words.

Five minutes later, a message popped up on Jon’s phone.

"F**k!" Seeing the sender, Jon nearly dropped his phone in terror.

Due to Chen Entropy’s suicidal stunt and the subsequent disintegration of his body, the stream’s popularity reached a new peak. Countless viewers recorded and shared the clip, sparking intense debate. While Jon stood there in a daze, another message arrived, feeling like a death sentence.

Jon’s heart tightened. He raised his handgun, trembling as he pressed the barrel to his temple, and pulled the trigger in one breath.

The moment the trigger clicked, he felt a sharp, agonizing pain in his brain. This was immediately followed by a sensation of his consciousness twisting, as if his soul were being ripped from his body. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on the grass in the Barren Refining Zone, with a biting cold wind howling around him.

"You’re finally awake~" Chen Entropy stood nearby, grinning, though his face looked pale and haggard.

Not far away, the black-clad man with a broadsword strapped to his waist was filming the two of them with broadcasting equipment. This "Undead" had been waiting by the abandoned bar in the Barren Refining Zone specifically to capture their emergence from the Abyss, proving to the viewers that dying in the Abyss meant returning to the real world. Seeing both streamers reappear unscathed, the audience erupted once more.

Taking advantage of the fervor, Chen Entropy exchanged a few words with the viewers before quickly ending the broadcast. As the screen cut to black, the composure on Jon’s face dissolved into bewilderment. He looked at Chen Entropy, lost.

"What exactly is going on?" Jon asked, his voice trembling. "This absurd place, a world where suicide doesn't mean death... does it really exist?"

Even when he pulled the trigger, Jon hadn't truly believed The Planner’s claim about resurrection. He had only done it because The Planner held his greatest secret, leaving him no choice.

"My advice is to ask nothing and think of nothing," Chen Entropy smiled at him. "I’ll pay you for this collaborative stream. Don't worry about the rest; just treat it as a simple business deal."

Chen Entropy paused, then added, "I have one more request: it would be best for you to leave Nightspire City within three days. Go anywhere you like, just don't come back for at least six months."

***

Following the collaborative stream between adventurer Jon Williams and The Planner, the "Barren Refining Zone Abyss" became a trending topic on major social media platforms.

"An otherworldly realm filled with monsters, treasures, and the ability to resurrect after death," was how viewers described it. Though many netizens remained skeptical, suspecting the use of clever special effects, interest in the Abyss grew rapidly. After all, Chen Entropy had carefully framed the "Abyss" as a sort of RPG dungeon. Even the background music curated by Hecalis for the stream consisted mostly of upbeat, adventurous game soundtracks.

On his way to school the next day, Chen Entropy checked the trending topics regarding the "Abyss." The collaboration between a tournament champion and a famous internet adventurer had been highly effective. Numerous viewers had posted clips of the previous night’s stream, especially the footage of their "resurrection," which had been shared tens of thousands of times.

Of course, this was largely thanks to Hecalis. After the stream, Chen Entropy had ordered her to use bot accounts to hype the topic, aiming to lower the public’s guard and pique their curiosity. Within days, treasure hunters and mercenaries from Nightspire City would surely head there to investigate. As for whether they would find an epic RPG adventure or a nightmare waiting in the dark—that was no longer Chen Entropy’s concern.

Moreover, the mega-corporations would certainly take action upon hearing the news, especially the Xu Group, which had already placed "The Planner" on their high-priority watch list.

"Everything is going smoothly~" A smirk tugged at the corner of Chen Entropy’s mouth, but his legs suddenly buckled.

A sharp pain lanced through his brain—the lingering aftereffect of his trip to the Abyss. Much like the first time, while he could return to the real world after dying in the Abyss, it left him with headaches and physical exhaustion that lasted a day or two.

"Brother, are you alright?" Nayuta turned, her expression full of concern.

Chen Entropy looked healthier than he had in days, but Nayuta was still worried. Her brother had been out late every night, completely neglecting his own health.

"I'm fine, just didn't sleep well," Chen Entropy said with a smile.

Despite his physical discomfort, his spirits were soaring. After parting ways with Nayuta, Hecalis sent him a message.

"Not bad," Chen Entropy narrowed his eyes with a smile and replied, "Now, let’s just wait and see."