The road ahead ended, and a cliff stretched infinitely deep below, shrouded in mist.
Lin Ye Bai stood at the mountaintop, his white robe stained with blood, his hand trembling slightly as he gripped the broken blade, blood dripping from the edge.
From this vantage point, he could see the entire Imperial City, bathed in the blood-red glow of the setting sun. Smoke rose from the city as foreign invaders cast a shadow over the crimson palace walls.
Thousands of pursuers were closing in. Lin Ye Bai's expression remained indifferent, showing no sign of despair. Arrows flew from behind him, raining down like a black storm.
With a leap, Lin Ye Bai dove down, thunder crackling and the sky splitting open. A golden light fell from the heavens, entering his body.
"Your Highness…" someone cried behind him, their voice lost in the wind.
[Detected a suitable reincarnator]
[Registering into the main god's space…]
[Reincarnator detected in a near-death state!]
[Initiating basic healing, 100 points deducted]
[Current points: -100]
When he regained consciousness, everything before him was pure white. A gentle white light enveloped him, swiftly healing the gruesome wounds on his body. The injury was gone, as though it had never existed.
But the pain from the golden light intensified, focusing on his chest, as if something sharp had embedded itself there.
The concepts of the "main god space," "reincarnator," and "points" were abruptly shoved into his mind, causing a splitting headache. Before he could fully adjust, he heard a notification:
[Newbie world deployed, spatial transmission initiating]
[This is a trial world. Complete the task, and you will become part of the main god's space…]
Lin Ye Bai's vision darkened, and he lost consciousness once more.
When he awoke, the sky had turned completely dark, and the buildings around him were strange and towering. The power grid appeared to be malfunctioning, with nearby streetlights flickering erratically.
A lamp post near the entrance of a community swayed precariously, sparks flying from it. Suddenly, a pair of slender arms reached out from the dark, pushing the already unstable post over. The streetlights went out entirely.
A large flock of black birds, disturbed by the crash, flew through the sky, their shrill calls piercing the night. Lin Ye Bai rubbed his forehead, forcing himself to regain focus.
The main god's voice sounded again:
[Random item this time: Multiverse Livestream]
[Multiverse Livestream: Temporarily bound to this world, viewers can donate and exchange rewards]
[Tip: Proper use of items can increase survival chances]
Each world allowed for a single item draw, the outcome dependent on luck.
Still feeling dizzy, Lin Ye Bai continued receiving knowledge about the world and his mission from the main god space:
[Main task: Kill a high-level mutant x1]
[Side task: Investigate the source of the mutation]
[Main task failed, reincarnator will die]
[The system will automatically sync the world's language and writing system]
Lin Ye Bai looked down, noticing his once-white robe had turned into a black jacket. The fit was tight, and the design was peculiar. It made him feel a bit self-conscious, though it was practical enough.
His jade crown had shattered under the pursuit of arrows, and his long hair cascaded down, which he casually tucked behind his ears.
[Temporary Identity: Security Guard]
[Security Guard: Guards the community entrance, maintains order]
Lin Ye Bai sat in the security booth, unfamiliar with this environment. Everything felt strange. He studied his surroundings, trying to adapt to the lingering pain in his chest.
Tall buildings loomed, and trees had withered. The crescent moon hung in the sky, half-hidden behind a layer of dark clouds, casting a blood-red hue.
[Livestream has started]
Sitting in the booth, Lin Ye Bai opened a book on the desk, hoping to understand more about his temporary role. The first page of the diary read:
August 1, sunny
Got paid today. It's three thousand, guess how much I'll give you?
Three thousand?
No, only two hundred, because I'm "serving" fifteen people at once.
August 2, cloudy
I'm a security guard, I like to eat little bear cookies.
The supermarket closed, couldn't get cookies.
August 3, rainy
The property manager disappeared. All the residents in Building 1, Unit 2 are gone.
August 4, sunny
The streetlights are broken. Something seems to be watching me at night.
August 5, rainy
I know why those people disappeared. They all…
The writing stopped abruptly. The page had dried bloodstains, but the paper remained pristine, unmarked. The book's cover read "Work Diary."
What did "serving fifteen people" mean? What were little bear cookies? Who was the property manager? What happened to the missing people? The unfinished words hid some dark secret.
Confused by the cryptic writing, Lin Ye Bai turned his attention to the book's quality. Just then, a clear female voice came from outside, tapping on the window:
"Security brother, can you give me a ride home?"
Lin Ye Bai looked up to see a girl outside, wearing clothes far too revealing. Her arms were exposed, and her skirt barely covered half of her thighs. The fashion of this world was… quite odd.
Suddenly, words appeared before his eyes:
[Abyss Lord] entered the livestream
[Melon Patch Mistakes] entered the livestream
[Male on Male] entered the livestream
[Literary Master] entered the livestream
...
To help the reincarnator better understand how to use the items, the main god space also fed him concepts such as viewers, donations, livestreams, and hosts. This way, Lin Ye Bai wouldn't be completely lost.
He raised an eyebrow. The girl, too, was startled. She hadn't expected the security guard at the entrance to look like this. If he had such looks, why settle for being a guard?
His skin was unnaturally pale, giving him a sickly look. His face was so delicate it almost seemed unreal, exuding an inherent elegance even in his security guard uniform.
Such a person, appearing here, was odd. Yet the girl ignored all of that, her eyes full of pleading:
"Security brother, my house is still a ways off. The streetlights are broken, and I'm scared to walk alone at night. Could you walk me downstairs?"
Lin Ye Bai's gaze landed on her neck. There, a terrible claw mark had yet to heal, the blood having stopped but the wound was a deep, purplish-black color.
Lin Ye Bai didn't speak. He stepped out of the booth, falling half a step behind, as if agreeing to her request.
"Security brother, do you know? A lot of people have gone missing lately. I'm scared." She leaned in, attempting to hold his arm.
"I'm scared too," Lin Ye Bai took two steps back, quickly avoiding her.
She hesitated, then sighed, "I don't know what happened to those who disappeared… I'm so worried about them…"
Lin Ye Bai remained silent. Why did her voice sound like someone reaping the rewards of a harvest? Like an old farmer cutting his crops.
At that moment, a flurry of text scrolled rapidly before his eyes. Although there was an option to "disable the bullet screen," Lin Ye Bai chose to keep it to learn more about the system:
[Great Venerable Tianlong]: I can tell she's not human!
[Literary Master]: Offering to escort a vulnerable girl through the night shows the host's noble character. Even in the darkest night, his humanity shines brightly.
The girl led the way, and Lin Ye Bai memorized the route, staying alert and keeping an eye on the surroundings in case he needed to return. Without the streetlights, it was pitch dark, and there was no sign of other people.
The moonlight took on a blood-red hue, making the night feel eerie. They stopped in front of the last building at the edge of the community. The building had some lights on, but there was no other sound, which felt odd.
"We're here… Would you like to come up for a cup of tea?" The girl smiled at him from the stairway, her eyes curved prettily.
"No need."
"I know being a security guard must be tough for you. I'm not like the others, I'll be kind to you~"
Her tone was strange, and Lin Ye Bai glanced at her, confused. He quickly turned to leave, but just a few steps later, he heard a scream.
Something was happening in the hallway. The girl sounded panicked, and then there was the sound of something heavy crashing.
"Help, help me!" Her desperate cry tugged at his heart.
[Magician's Zen Staff]: Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva protect her.
[Literary Master]: The three "helps" express her urgency, echoing her previous invitation for tea, and serves as a foreshadowing.
Lin Ye Bai quickly surveyed the area and grabbed a muddy shovel from the ground. The soil was dark, smelling faintly of blood.
The hallway was still dark. As soon as he stepped inside, everything grew eerily silent. The girl had vanished, as if swallowed by the darkness. Blood began to drip slowly down the stairs.
Lin Ye Bai carefully avoided the blood, climbing the stairs.
He looked like he was searching intently, deeply concerned.
Above him, the girl was crouching on the ceiling, her twisted form grinning with excitement. Her blood-red eyes gleamed in the dark, her nails growing long and sharp.
She was almost ready to pounce on him. Only a little more. She was so close…
The viewers in the livestream fell silent, none warning Lin Ye Bai of the danger lurking in the dark.
Viewers could either watch from Lin Ye Bai's perspective or use a global view, and most had chosen the global view until now. The critical moment had come, and his next reaction would determine whether they continued watching.
As Lin Ye Bai walked into the hallway, he heard the faint sound of breathing above him, and a cold, malevolent gaze lingered on the back of his neck.
He took a few more steps but suddenly coughed, looking weak and unsteady. Climbing the stairs had become difficult—he was too drained to fight off the impending attack.
Taking advantage of his vulnerability, the girl dropped from the ceiling, ready to claim her victory.
But just as she lunged, Lin Ye Bai didn't seem to notice. At the last second, he swung the shovel, slamming it into her, sending her flying.
[Uchiha Boba Tea]: That's what flying feels like~
[Abyss Lord]: A flicker of interest crosses his deep gaze.
In the darkness, her blood-red eyes were strikingly prominent, glowing with a faint red light. Her nails grew rapidly, pitch black and sharp, and her entire body emitted a loud crackling sound as her bones seemed to stretch and snap.
Lin Ye Bai's strike was merciless. Her mouth split open into a grin, her smile grotesque and twisted, no longer human. But her voice was pitiful, with a kind of hypnotic power: "Brother~ Brother~ It hurts so much..."
"It hurts..."
Lin Ye Bai struck her head with two sharp blows, crushing it inwards. Her tone was calm: "Once you're dead, it won't hurt anymore."
[Literary Master]: This short and powerful line has a clear and strong message, deeply reflecting the host's kind and soft heart. It elevates humanity, cleanses the soul, and carries a tranquil, almost transcendent power.
[Flowers of Wealth]: Master, where can I buy your works?