Chapter 1: The Reborn Gamer

"In life, one pick makes the melon sweet, two picks make it thin, and three picks lead to a vineless return."

Gu Shanhai stretched his muscles and joints. He wasn't your average Joe; he was a reincarnated soul.

Reincarnation meant he had traversed into this parallel modern world as a temporal voyager. It was a straightforward concept of rebirth.

Now on his third go-around, he considered himself lucky to have experienced three lifetimes, akin to the lyrics of Li Xian's "Huangtai Melon Song," the second son of Empress Wu of the Tang Dynasty. Yet, he doubted he could pull off such a feat again.

"Typical reincarnates would be dabbling in finance or plotting revenge in this modern age," he mused, eyes scanning the trending topics on his computer. "But alas, my return hasn't sparked any memories of business acumen."

He was different from the usual reincarnates, who often sought revenge due to betrayal or bitter circumstances. Gu Shanhai's rebirth was of his own volition, devoid of resentment or treachery.

Instead, he had manipulated time's flow, sailing against its currents with his own body as a solitary vessel. Along this journey, he found himself back in ordinary times.

"Thank goodness for this reliable anchor," he remarked, eyeing the upcoming virtual game "First Era" set for public beta release tomorrow. "Who would've thought a serious person like me would come back just to play games? If not for this heaven-sent opportunity, I might have considered memorizing lottery numbers instead."

Much like its fantastical premise, "First Era" wasn't just any ordinary game. With its expanding array of virtual worlds, it threatened to supplant the very reality Gu Shanhai inhabited, digitizing it into oblivion.

Resistance was futile; he couldn't dismantle "First Era" within a decade. If he possessed such power, there'd be no need for his rebirth.

Moreover, trying to gain strength out of thin air was a fool's errand. The game offered tantalizing abilities like resurrection and rapid skill acquisition, yet they came at a steep cost—consuming the player's potential and limiting their growth.

Even in his previous life, reaching the third iteration of the game hadn't entirely liberated Gu Shanhai from this digital straitjacket. It wasn't until his rebirth, washing away the shackles of causality along the river of time, that he regained his freedom.

So, relying on "First Era's" bestowed abilities to overthrow the game itself was a pipe dream. Once digitized, the chains would bind him indefinitely.

Yet, it wasn't all doom and gloom. For those uninterested in transcending the game's boundaries, being a player had its perks.

After all, "First Era" relies on individuals like them to explore new worlds and acquire various resources.

As long as one performs admirably, "First Era" is generous with rewards. Unlike those stingy bosses who promise the moon but deliver nothing, "First Era" truly delivers various benefits.

It all boils down to personal choice. In Gu Shanhai's previous life, he started off as an unscrupulous fourth natural disaster. Later, when he sought independence, he found himself grounded, unable to soar.

Of course, he wasn't alone in this realization; many others faced similar challenges. Each attempted to weaken the shackles imposed by "First Era" through semi-digitization, yet no one managed to break free entirely.

Every slight weakening of the shackles felt like a narrow escape, with one wrong move leading to oblivion.

"Let me check the prices of these items. A virtual helmet costs 10,000 yuan, while a virtual game cabin is a whopping 100,000 yuan. That's really steep," Gu Shanhai muttered, his expression darkening as he checked his account balance.

While he could afford a virtual helmet, he needed a virtual game cabin to access "First Era." After all, he wasn't opting for semi-digitization.

Indeed, it's fair to say that "First Era" is a fair employer. Upon entering the game, players have the option to avoid digitization, their only chance to break free. With each new version, "First Era" recruits players from other worlds for experimentation.

As the first version of Gu Shanhai, he already held a boss-level status. Through external interference, he manipulated many players to conduct experiments, ultimately leading to his current understanding.

Naturally, Gu Shanhai wasn't the only high-level player to employ such tactics. Others who had survived to the second and third versions had done the same.

While players may not die, the game world can be genuinely perilous. In its early stages, players are relatively vulnerable. Although they pose no threat to "First Era," they can easily be dispatched by other players.

Even if players cannot be killed, there are various means of torment, such as sealing or suppression, that can render their existence unbearable.

"Thankfully, I managed to secure a loan to pay off the house," Gu Shanhai remarked, knowing he would never return to this world. With no need to hold onto it, he cashed out and purchased a virtual game cabin.

"It'll arrive this afternoon, just in time for tomorrow's public beta."

"In the initial stages, the game focuses on player development and doesn't allow interaction with the real world, so safety isn't a concern. However, it's still something to consider."

"After all, without digitization, I'll only be considered a temporary worker, with inferior treatment compared to real players with a system."

(End of Chapter)