The coral stone path rose from the depths of the underwater city, illuminated by the soft glow of hundreds of pearl lanterns floating along the walls of ancient ice. Xiao Tian walked in silence beside the city lord. The key in his hand glowed faintly, resonating with the city's energy—like the beating heart of the dimensional gate that awaited ahead.
"You are not a player…"
The voice broke through the silence—quiet yet chilling.It wasn't a roar.This time… it spoke.
"You are… like me."
Xiao Tian froze.His eyes widened.A sudden tightness gripped his chest as he quickly turned to look at the city lord—
…only to see him frozen mid-step.His gaze was blank.His expression lifeless.
Xiao Tian blinked.He moved his hands.His body still responded normally—But the world around him had fallen into unnatural stillness.
He scanned the surroundings.
The flowing water had stopped.Bubbles and fish hung motionless in place, frozen in the final beat of time.Even the soft flickering of the lanterns had halted.
The entire world had come to a stop…except for him.
"You are not a player… You are like me."
The voice echoed again—clear and firm.It wasn't external.It was coming from inside him.
Something stirred within his chest.He didn't know if it was power… or fear.But one thing was certain:
He had to find out where that voice came from.
…
It didn't take long for him to arrive at the Special Containment Sector—a forbidden zone the city lord had warned him never to approach.
But now… no one stood in his way.
Before him stood a massive, circular containment cage, constructed from matte-black alloy layered with translucent crystal. Ancient sigils were etched along the rims, and slow-turning rings of energy orbited around it like a dying machine that refused to shut down.
The air surrounding the cage was unnaturally still, as if time itself had stopped.Even the hum of energy was oddly silent.Parts of the structure showed cracks that slowly repaired themselves—evidence of decay that had built up over centuries.
Inside, curled in the darkness, lay a monstrous creature—its body so vast it coiled three times around the chamber like a serpent too bored to move.
Its form was massive and terrifying.A lion's frame, thick with muscle, layered in deep golden scales.Claws rough and jagged like ancient blades.Its neck was adorned with cloud-like tendrils of smoke that swirled as it breathed.Twin horns twisted from its head like warped ivory.Its wings—leathery and torn—hung limp, as if they hadn't taken flight in a thousand years.
And its eyes…Amber with a tint of blue.Sharp. Steady.Staring straight at him.
It let out a long, drawn-out yawn before lazily shifting its claws. The joints cracked audibly in protest.Then, slowly, it adjusted its position with the ease of something that had no reason to rush.When it finally spoke, its voice was laced with boredom.
"You've come back again, I see…"
Its tone wasn't menacing.Not mocking.But weary… and filled with knowledge.
"You've been here… again and again.You die, and then you return.Then you die… and return once more."
"As for me… I simply watch.Watching your path loop endlessly…So many cycles I've lost count of how many iterations have passed."
Xiao Tian stood frozen, confused, stunned.
"I… I'm here for the first time," he whispered.
The creature gave a faint, knowing smile.Not out of amusement—But understanding.
It slowly raised its head with the effort of something that had long since grown tired of moving.Then, in a clearer voice, it spoke again.
"You are a mistake… just like me."
It lazily scratched the ground with a claw like a bored feline playing with stone, then continued:
"Someone is interfering with the system.I was the first—The first to be altered, changed,Meant to destroy something inside the system."
"But I was caught… before I could succeed.So the system created you.Newer.More seamless.More… obedient."
Xiao Tian stood motionless, stunned.It felt as though his world was quietly collapsing.
The beast studied him again, its expression unreadable.
"But this time… you feel different.There's something inside you… unstable."
It narrowed its eyes.
"Were you… upgraded by the Intervener?Or… are you infected with a virus?"
Xiao Tian didn't understand.He wanted to ask everything.
"What do you mean? What system? What interference? Who… who is the Intervener?"
"And why… do you say I'm like you?"
The creature exhaled a long, heavy sigh.
"So… you haven't been activated yet."
"Have you received it?The gift from the one who interfered?Activate it, and you'll know."
Xiao Tian's eyes widened."Who gave it to me? Activate what?"
Then suddenly—A memory surged back.
The power he'd absorbed—The core stone.
Something…that didn't belong to this system.
[Background System: No anomalies detected][Unit 'Xiao Tian' operating within assigned NPC parameters][No alerts triggered]