Return in Triumph
In a terrible state, the odds of a comeback were slim. There was only one option left: escape!
The corners of the screen dimmed and blurred, the center flickered with static like an old television. The game simulated a wounded man, utterly exhausted, his vision spinning and starry. Everything appeared in waves of blur.
Fortunately, the minimap was still visible. Relying on it, Xiu Nan guided the assassin Cassius through twisting alleyways, dodging any pursuers that might be hot on his trail.
“Huff... huff... huff...”
Cassius gasped like an ox; running at full speed was barely more than an average person’s brisk walk, if that. His stamina bar drained after only a short sprint.
He had to slow to a walk, waiting as his stamina replenished at half its usual speed. It was sheer torment!
In forty seconds, Cassius hadn’t even managed to escape a hundred meters. Two red dots on the minimap closed in fast, and faint footsteps echoed from behind.
They were tracking him by the trail of blood.
After fifty seconds, the footsteps grew louder—closer. At a bend in the alley, Xiu Nan stopped trying to flee; there was no time left. Better to make a last stand and see if he could take down two of them head-on.
The red dots on the minimap drew rapidly nearer.
“There’s blood on the ground. If they get too close, they’ll realize I’m hiding here at the corner! So I have to strike first, while they’re still dozens of meters away!”
Xiu Nan’s mind was clear; after the loss he’d just suffered a minute ago, he couldn’t let history repeat itself.
Violet Rose Pistol
Ammunition: 9/12
Skill 2: Coriolis Force—Violet Rose Insignia effect: Every five seconds, the user can spend mental energy to curve a bullet in flight, up to three times.
Press “2” to activate Coriolis Force.
The pistol pressed against the wall, aimed and ready. Its obsidian, polished body gleamed with bright violet patterns, as if a bewitching and beautiful rose had bloomed—deadly and fragrant.
He pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The nine-millimeter Baratum round exploded from the chamber, slicing through the air at nearly four hundred meters per second.
The moment the bullet reached the crossroads, a violet gleam flashed in the assassin Xiu Nan’s eyes.
The image froze for an instant—two blurred figures running in the distance. The bullet still flew straight, and at any moment in its path, Xiu Nan could click the mouse to make it curve.
The timing was entirely in his hands.
Three! Two! One! Click!
Whoosh!
The Baratum round curved in a deadly, dangerous arc and struck Assassin C squarely in the left chest.
A perfect hit—straight to the heart!
Critical hit to the vital organ.
“-205”
A stroke of luck—five times critical damage!
In an instant, Assassin C’s health dropped to zero.
Blue Relic 1.0 Auxiliary Combat Suit
Protection: Upper body
Armor: 0/100
Assassin C—Health: 0/100
He crumpled forward to the ground. One red dot on the minimap vanished.
“One more left!”
Sweat poured from Xiu Nan’s palms. The thrill of a pistol fight—he hadn’t felt this rush in ages.
Next, he should roll out from the corner and face his enemy in the open. The other could also curve bullets; cowering behind a wall was useless.
Press “Z” to roll.
Cassius lunged forward, blood spurting from his wounds like a fountain, but he didn’t care. Suddenly, he was in the middle of the street.
He locked on, squeezing the trigger rapidly.
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...”
“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom...”
In the alleyway, they exchanged fire—a vivid spray of blood blossomed on each body, trembling with each hit.
Thud! Thud!
Both fell, blood pooling and mingling together.
Mutual destruction.
But Xiu Nan had given it his all.
His viewpoint rose, revealing an overhead view of the entire alley. The crimson blood pooled into the shape of a bizarre rose.
Character Cassius the Assassin has died...
Time: June 7th, 2017, 17:05
Location: Red Leaf Street, West District, Crescent City
Killer: Assassin A of the △△ Organization
Murder Weapon: Violet Rose Pistol
The screen faded; new subtitles scrolled up.
Battle Report: Eliminated three peripheral assassins of the △△ Organization; their assassination skills were slightly inferior to world-class assassins.
Combat Tag: Mutual Destruction
Combat Tag: One-Shot Kill
Tag Store: Locked (Novice)
Mission: Failed
Recommendation: Restart
Reminder: Cat with Nine Lives (4/9)
Xiu Nan sighed, feeling his performance had been subpar. There were plenty of minor mistakes too, but at least he still had four restarts left.
He scratched his head and glanced at the time.
It was just after six in the evening—still early. He stretched, worked out until he was drenched in sweat, then waited a bit before showering. Afterward, he washed his clothes.
A single, aging, unattached man living alone, no girlfriend.
Rented a place away from home; his parents couldn’t help him. Cooking, cleaning, laundry—he did it all himself.
Once the clothes were washed and hung out to dry, he sat down to write.
Xiu Nan racked his brains, scratching his head as he churned out four thousand words of filler to placate his readers, then uploaded the chapter with a satisfied click.
To be honest, writing a book was like falling in love. When you’re dating, it’s the honeymoon phase—ideas flow endlessly, words pour forth. With a fledgling novel, there are always heartfelt things you want to express.
So much passion, energy, time—all poured into the opening chapters.
After “marriage,” things cool down rapidly. What once thrilled you becomes routine.
Once you have it, it’s not as sweet as before. Life settles into a dull routine.
This period lasts from fifty thousand to a million words.
Beyond a million words, it’s like an old married couple. Not only is there no sweetness or surprise, but life is filled with trifling annoyances—daily chores that make your head ache.
Simply put, the passion has faded to plain water—tasteless. Xiu Nan was right in this phase; after the story collapsed, writing the late chapters felt like a prison sentence.
But he couldn’t stop—he had to make a living.
At least, as a failed author, Xiu Nan still had some integrity: he intended to write a reasonably complete ending.
After all, it was already 1.5 million words—time to wrap things up.
As for what to write next, he hadn’t decided.
He’d play it by ear. For now, he just wanted to play “Transcendent World”; the rest could wait.
Outside, the city was shrouded in darkness, life dull and uneventful.
Only gaming brought him any real joy.
He sat back down at his desk, laying out his gamer’s arsenal: Origi Biscuits, Big White Rabbit Milk Candy, Doll Snacks, and Six Nukes.
Nearby were Kangshuaifu noodles and Tujungtu sausages.
Essentials for late-night gaming—those in the know understood.
He grabbed a wet wipe, cleaned his delicate hands—gaming required a sense of ritual.
Taking a deep breath, he clicked the game icon.
The familiar pentagram appeared on the screen.
“I’m back...”