Cold and dark.
It was as if he'd been sealed inside a human-shaped steel coffin. His body was tightly bound, unable to move. All he could feel was the icy touch of metal and the profound blackness.
What happened?
After struggling for what felt like an eternity with no sign of escape, Ye Ming started to panic.
He only remembered standing at a crosswalk, engrossed in the Penacony storyline on his phone while waiting for the light to change. He heard the piercing screech of brakes, and looked up in shock to see the front of a truck growing larger and larger in his vision. Then, everything went black.
When he awoke, he was trapped in this humanoid coffin made of steel. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free. No matter how he shouted, there was no reply. The silence outside was terrifying, as if he'd been exiled to the silent, serene depths of outer space.
"Did I get transmigrated, or did I get buried?"
Just as Ye Ming was completely lost, a strange voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Depressing Simulator successfully loaded.]
[The Host may use the simulator to run simulations. Based on the degree of emotional distress and tragedy caused in each simulation, you will receive corresponding rewards.]
[Be assured that any actions taken within a simulation will have no effect on the real world. Please proceed with bold and daring operations.]
"This is... a cheat system!"
As an avid reader of online webnovels, Ye Ming instantly understood the meaning of the message in his head.
Simulators were one of the classic cheat powers in fiction. The only slight difference was that most simulators were used to gain foreknowledge, either to grow infinitely stronger or to enjoy many sweet romances. His simulator, however, required him to create tragedy—to twist the knife in others' hearts—to get rewards.
That was a risky business.
Although the simulator emphasized that his actions wouldn't affect reality, Ye Ming remained skeptical. Based on his years of experience reading novels, any system that went out of its way to stress that "the simulation won't affect reality" was almost guaranteed to cause some unexpected "accidents."
But thinking it over, Ye Ming realized he had no choice. If he didn't want to be trapped in this metal coffin until he suffocated, his only hope was to gain useful rewards from the simulation to escape his current predicament.
"So the rewards are linked to the degree of tragedy, huh?"
Recalling the countless heart-wrenching stories he had read in his past life, Ye Ming felt a strange sensation. In his past life, he was the one who suffered through the angst. Now, he was the one who had to dish it out.
"I don't like tragedies, but for the rewards... I'll just have to be ruthless!"
Ye Ming took a deep breath.
"Activate simulation!"
[Depressing Simulator successfully activated.]
[Simulation Location: The Glamoth Republic.]
[The Azure Empire of Glamoth was once a powerful empire with a vast territory spanning tens of thousands of light-years. However, the arrival of the universal Swarm Disaster brought an end to its golden age. In the brutal war against this endless calamity, the Empire suffered constant defeats, its territory shattered and scarred. To turn the tide, the Glamoth Empire decided on a desperate gamble. They resolved to alter the very essence of humanity to adapt to war, creating the ultimate weapons born for conflict—the fearless mecha legion later known as the Iron Cavalry of Glamoth, and their genetically-engineered Empress, Titania, who commanded and restrained the powerful knights through telepathy.]
[On this day, you, as a member of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, sense the Empress's call from within your incubation pod.]
[The Healing Live-Stream Room]
Aboard the Stellaron Hunters' base, Firefly stared in a daze at the live-stream interface that had suddenly materialized before her eyes.
Before she could even react, a series of notifications flashed in the bottom-right corner.
[Welcome Kafka to the Live-Stream Room.]
[Welcome Himeko to the Live-Stream Room.]
[Welcome Bronya to the Live-Stream Room.]
[Welcome Jingliu to the Live-Stream Room.]
[Welcome Acheron to the Live-Stream Room.]
[Sparkle]: Ooh, I see a lot of interesting names. Does anyone know what this live-stream is for? I smell fun to be had.
[Seele]: What is a "live-stream room"? This screen just appeared in front of me, and it seems like only I can see it. Does anyone know what's going on?
[Guinaifen]: A live-stream room is a live-stream room! And since this one is called the "Healing Live-Stream Room," I bet we're about to watch some really heartwarming programs.
[Herta]: For a moment, I actually can't figure out the technology behind how this stream appeared. Interesting.
Among the flood of messages, Firefly saw the names of Kafka and Silver Wolf. According to the script, they should be preparing to infiltrate the Herta Space Station right now. She never expected that this mysterious live-stream would pull them in too.
This turn of events was not something Elio had foreseen.
Just as Firefly was about to message Kafka and Silver Wolf to ask about the situation, the live-stream screen changed.
[The broadcast is about to begin. Viewers, please prepare yourselves.]
[Broadcast Location: The Glamoth Republic.]
[The Azure Empire of Glamoth was once a powerful empire with a vast territory spanning tens of thousands of light-years. However...]
The Glamoth Republic.
Seeing that familiar name, Firefly froze.
[Herta]: The Glamoth Republic? That's an ancient empire from the time of the Swarm Disaster. It's been extinct for over seven hundred Amber Eras. I didn't expect to see that name here.
[Robin]: Oh? So that means this is a story from over a hundred thousand years ago...
[March 7th]: A story from a mysterious, ancient empire that has already fallen? I feel like this is going to be a tragically beautiful romance story. And with these kinds of stories, I always feel like there's going to be some angst.
[Qingque]: No way, absolutely not! It's called the "Healing Live-Stream Room," how could it possibly serve up tragedy?!
As the bullet chat flew by, the text faded, and an image slowly materialized on screen.
In a silvery-white room that resembled a laboratory, several rows of adult-sized incubation pods were neatly arranged. Through the glass of the pods, one could vaguely see a viscous fluid and the blurry silhouettes of human figures inside.
[Herta]: @Ruan Mei.
[Ruan Mei]: You've already figured it out, haven't you? Although the technology is outdated, these are indeed incubation pods for cultivating clones.
[Firefly]: !!!
[March 7th]: Ah! I just remembered something! Himeko said the Express is currently passing through the stellar remnants of the Glamoth Republic. Doesn't that mean I'm at the very place where the story is happening... Eh? Wait a minute, what am I seeing!?
[March 7th]: Outside the parlor window, there's a giant block of perpetual ice floating in space! And inside the ice... there's a complete mech, perfectly frozen!
[March 7th]: @Himeko, Big Sis Himeko, quick, stop the Express and let's go fish it out! Maybe there's a living person frozen inside the mech, just like me!
[Firefly]: !!!???
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (260 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (230 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (100 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (110 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (280 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (110 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (130 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (162 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (130 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (90 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (60 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (90 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (110 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (100 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (80 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (50 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (80 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (80 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (50 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (60 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (60 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (30 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (30 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (30 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.