Chapter 1: I Read This Book Before
The last thing Zhang Wei remembered was the glow of his phone screen, the final chapter of Super Gene blurring before his eyes as exhaustion claimed him. He had been furious—frustrated by the protagonist Han Sen's endless, grinding struggle in the early arcs. If only I could tell him what to do, he'd thought, where to go, what to avoid…
A sharp, seizing pain in his chest. A gasp. Then darkness.
When his eyes fluttered open, the world had changed. The familiar confines of his apartment were gone, replaced by the damp, earthy scent of soil and the gentle gurgle of a creek. His body felt different—leaner, harder, humming with a latent strength that was not his own. He was kneeling by a stony bank, clutching a wriggling insectoid creature in his mud-streaked hands.
What the…
His gaze dropped to the thing he was holding. It was a black beetle, about the size of his hand, its carapace possessing a dull, metallic sheen like crude iron. It looked like a grotesque hybrid of a crab and a Hercules beetle. A dagger was gripped in his other hand, its edge nicked and stained.
Muscle memory—or perhaps someone else's memory—took over. Almost instinctively, his hands moved with a practiced efficiency that felt foreign yet natural. He swiftly severed the still-twitching claws, revealing the pale, tender meat within. Bringing the claw to his lips, he sucked the morsel out and swallowed, followed by tougher chunks of flesh from the main body. It tasted bland, vaguely nutty, and faintly metallic.
A cold, robotic voice echoed directly in his mind, devoid of emotion.
"Black beetle killed. No beast soul gained. Eat the flesh of the black beetle to gain zero to ten geno points randomly."
"Black beetle flesh eaten. Zero geno points gained."
A transparent blue screen materialized before his eyes, superimposing itself over the verdant valley.
Name: Han Sen Type:Not evolved. Status:None. Lifespan:200 years. Geno Points Required for Evolution:100 Current Geno Points:79 Beast Souls:None
Zhang Wei's breath hitched. Han Sen? This status screen… the beetle… the creek…
No. Way.
This was the opening scene. Chapter One. Of Super Gene.
He—Zhang Wei, a die-hard fan from Earth who had just finished the entire 3000-chapter webnovel—was now inside the story. He was Han Sen.
A wave of disorientation and sheer, unadulterated panic washed over him, followed by a spark of exhilarating possibility. He knew everything. Every plot twist, every hidden treasure, every future ally and betrayer.
The initial shock was quickly tempered by a surge of frustration that was both his and the original Han Sen's. He felt the character's exhaustion deep in his bones—the grueling three months of relentless hunting, the diminishing returns, the hopelessness.
"I have received zero geno points from more than thirty black beetles in a row," he muttered, the words feeling both familiar and new on his tongue. "I must have eaten too much. My body's hit its limit with this trash mob. Zero points! When will I ever finish the first evolution?"
The memories of this body flooded his mind, a tapestry of struggle and survival. He saw the history of this world—God's Sanctuary—unfold as he had read it. Over a century ago, humanity had mastered teleportation, only to discover this terrifying, wondrous realm where technology failed. Guns were useless, electronics were dead weight. Here, only the primal laws of strength and evolution ruled. Horrifying creatures dominated the landscape, and humanity, stripped of its technological advantage, found itself at the bottom of the food chain.
But there was a path forward. By slaying these creatures and consuming their flesh, humans could evolve, gaining strength, speed, and—most coveted of all—lifespan. Theoretically, perpetual evolution could lead to immortality.
In this harsh new reality, forgotten ancient martial arts were resurrected and refined into powerful new schools. And then there were beast souls—mystical essences of slain creatures that could be transformed into weapons, armor, or even powerful familiars to fight alongside their owners.
But to Han Sen—to Zhang Wei, in Han Sen's body—these avenues were closed. The martial arts taught in standard education were basic, worthless against stronger foes. Beast souls were a luxury for the wealthy and powerful, impossibly out of reach for a poor teenager like him. He was trapped in a cycle of hunting the weakest creatures, his progress stagnating.
The memory of his encounter with a Copper-Toothed Beast flashed in his mind—a creature that was considered weak by most evolved standards. It had nearly killed him. The month-long recovery had been agony, a stark reminder of his fragility.
He was stranded at 79 geno points, with the common creatures around him offering no more gains. He had been steeling himself to risk another attempt on a Copper-Toothed Beast, a desperate gamble that could easily be his last.
But I know that's a mistake, Zhang Wei thought, his fan's knowledge kicking in. The drop rate from those things is abysmal for someone without a beast soul. Chapter 44, he almost dies again to one.
As these thoughts swirled, a flicker of movement in the creek caught his new, sharper eyes. Ripples spread, and something began to emerge from the water. He expected another common black beetle.
But this was different.
A bright, brilliant gold gleamed beneath the surface, stark against the muted stones and dark water. His heart began to pound, a rhythm of excitement and disbelief.
He stared, frozen, as the creature fully climbed onto the bank. It was shaped like a black beetle, but that was where the similarities ended. It was the size of a basketball, its entire body a shimmering, polished gold as if sculpted by a master artisan. Its eyes were not simple compound lenses but deep, crystalline orbs that glinted with an almost intelligent light. It moved with a deliberate, heavy grace, each step precise.
That's… that's not supposed to be here, Zhang Wei's mind raced, scouring his memory of the novel. The first sacred-blood creature Han Sen encounters is a Flaming Fox, and that's not for another hundred chapters! This is a Golden Black Beetle! They don't spawn in this zone!
🔔 [DING!] 🔔
[Die-Hard Fan System Activated!]
A new, stylized screen—vibrant and game-like—popped into his vision, overlaying the standard status screen.
Welcome, User Zhang Wei! Congratulations on your isekai journey into your favorite webnovel! Let's change the narrative, shall we?
New Mission Issued: [First Taste of Gold] Objective:Kill the Sacred-Blood Golden Beetle. Reward:10 Bonus Geno Points + Unlock «Spoiler Mode» (One-Time Use) Warning:This entity is a timeline anomaly! Its presence here deviates from the original plot. Tread carefully, Fan-Senpai!
Zhang Wei—Han Sen—almost laughed aloud. A system! And it called him Senpai! The absurdity was overwhelming, but there was no time for disbelief.
The golden beetle, oblivious to the existential crisis it was causing, began to scuttle directly toward him. According to the novel, standard black beetles had poor eyesight but excellent hearing. He held his breath, every muscle tense.
The system was right. This was an anomaly. A chance. This single creature could be the key to breaking him out of this hopeless grind.
As it drew within arm's reach, the original Han Sen's honed instincts and Zhang Wei's frantic knowledge merged into a single purpose: Don't let this opportunity escape.
In a burst of motion, he exploded from his crouch. One hand slammed down on the golden shell, pinning the creature with all his strength. It was surprisingly solid, unyielding. His other hand, gripping the dagger, became a blur.
Aim for the joints. Don't let it get leverage.
Six swift, precise cuts. The gleaming golden claws fell to the ground, twitching. The beetle, now helpless, thrashed violently, its heavy body flipping over and revealing a paler, softer underbelly. There, a distinct white marking—a vulnerability never described in the novel but known to Zhang Wei from countless similar monsters in the story.
He didn't hesitate. He drove the dagger deep into the mark and twisted.
The thrashing ceased instantly. The golden light in its gem-like eyes faded.
The standard robotic voice echoed first.
"Sacred-blood creature black beetle killed. Beast soul of sacred-blood black beetle gained. Eat the flesh of sacred-blood black beetle to gain 0 to 10 geno points randomly."
Before he could even process this, his new system flared to life with celebratory fanfare.
[MISSION COMPLETE!] Rewards Distributed! Current Geno Points: 89/100 «Spoiler Mode» Unlocked!
New Beast Soul Acquired: [Sacred-Blood Golden Beetle] Type:Tool-Type (Shell) Rarity:Sacred-Blood Status:Unassigned
Han Sen stood there, chest heaving, the body of the magnificent golden creature at his feet. He looked at his bloodied hands, then at the shimmering loot notification only he could see. A slow, fierce grin spread across his face, a mixture of Han Sen's relief and Zhang Wei's triumphant glee.
The story had just been rewritten. Chapter One was over.
And he was no longer just Han Sen.
He was the fan who knew what was coming.
"Time to change the script," he whispered to the rustling leaves, the words a vow.