Awakening

Ye Wudao had always felt as though he were dead inside. Work, meals, sleep—he questioned the meaning of his existence, certain it wasn't found in the smirking face of his supervisor, the bodies of the so-called professional women he encountered at bars, or in the endless steel jungle of the modern city. He felt himself rotting, destined to decay from twenty-four to old age, destined to turn into mere dust, forgotten—an inconsequential office worker, lost in the grand scheme of things.

He yearned for change, for purpose. Then, one day in the office, as he opened his computer, a message popped up on the screen: "Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you truly want to... live?" Initially dismissing it as a hacker's prank, he meant to close it. But just as he hovered over the mouse, an inexplicable thrill stopped him.

"Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you truly want to... live?" The words resonated within him, tugging at something deep inside. Confused, he clicked "YES," and in an instant, everything faded to black.

He awoke with a start, leaping up in panic, disoriented as the office blurred with his current reality. A few moments later, he regained his composure.

"Good, you are the most decent one among the newcomers," came a cold voice. Ye Wudao turned to see a young man with black hair, around twenty-four or twenty-five, his face marred by deep scars that lent him a menacing appearance.

The young man held a cigarette, inhaling deeply, his gaze drifting over Ye Wudao to the five others lying nearby—three men and two women. Beyond them, he noticed a dozen foreign individuals in the cramped space. They were inside a fast-moving train carriage, the chill and vibrations confirming they were in transit.

"Where is this place? Who are you? Why am I here?" Ye Wudao bombarded them with questions, switching to English due to the presence of foreigners. The others ignored him, except for the black-haired youth, who took a deep breath and said, "Think carefully; it should have implanted everything in your mind."

Think carefully? Ye Wudao struggled to remember. All he recalled was clicking "YES" when the message appeared, then everything went dark. Suddenly, fragments of thoughts surfaced—survival and life...

This was a game, its origin unimportant—perhaps gods, demons, aliens, or future humans. Regardless, he was now a participant, thrust into various horror film scenarios for choosing to escape the drudgery of urban life.

"This is Resident Evil 1. Lucky for you newbies; you've landed in a relatively easy horror movie. If you die, at least it should be a swift death," the black-haired youth smirked, crushing his cigarette in his palm.

"Are you saying we're just consciousness in a computer, like some fantasy novel? If we succeed, will our consciousness return to our bodies, and we'll live again?" asked a chubby guy on the ground.

The youth pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun, adjusting it as he spoke, "I don't know about consciousness, but you will feel pain, get hurt, and die. And you're mistaken—after this game, you'll enter another unknown horror film. The 'Main God' always brings in new members to replace those who die, usually between seven to twenty at a time. This Resident Evil is relatively safe, which is why we only have seven here."

The chubby guy scoffed, "How do you know the dead ones aren't back in their bodies? Maybe they chose death themselves."

The black-haired youth's eyes flashed with menace. He lunged, pinning the chubby guy down, the Desert Eagle pressed against his mouth.

"Do you want to test death? Can you imagine infinite horror? I've been through three horror films, the first being A Nightmare on Elm Street, with fifteen newcomers and two experienced survivors. Do you know the outcome? They all died in their dreams, leaving only me and one other alive. Do you want to feel your flesh being slowly shredded in a horrifying factory? You piece of trash! Do you want to die?"

His fury was palpable, the chubby guy trembling, unable to plead for mercy.

Ye Wudao and the other three intervened, and the black-haired youth returned to his spot, continuing to caress his gun. "In horror films, dying is real death, and you'll suffer greatly. If you lack the determination to live, you should kill yourself."

A young girl with glasses asked calmly, "Is there no way back to our bodies?"

He smirked. "I've been saying you're not just consciousness in a computer. This game—do you think it's human technology? No, it's the work of gods. We're just bugs for their entertainment, trapped in horror films. We've entered this world as bodies and minds, and I believe we can't go back."

The girl pondered, her calm demeanor suggesting she sensed a glimmer of hope. "Your tone implies there might be a chance of returning?"

The black-haired youth raised an eyebrow. "The newcomers are surprisingly sharp... Yes, there is hope."

"Completing a task, surviving a horror film, earns you a thousand points to redeem for many things. For example, you can trade for a hundred days living in this horror world…" he explained.

A middle-aged man interjected, "Why would anyone want to live longer in such a terrifying world? Isn't that a death wish?"

The youth chuckled, remaining silent as the girl continued, "There are many kinds of horror films, like this Resident Evil, which can be explained scientifically, lacking supernatural elements. Outside the story, everything else is normal…"

"Bingo! That's right. Living a hundred extra days means living normally outside the horrors after surviving several life-and-death trials. Imagine the happiness of existing without fear in this world…"

Ye Wudao shuddered, beginning to grasp the purpose of this world. Yes, the mundane existence felt decayed due to boredom, but enduring countless horrors and deaths could make a simple life the ultimate desire.

The black-haired youth added, "Besides redeeming days, you can exchange for many things, like this Desert Eagle with infinite bullets for just a hundred points, equivalent to ten days of living rights. Additionally, you can enhance your average attributes—intelligence, mental strength, cellular vitality, nerve response speed, muscle strength, and immunity, one point per day of living. An ordinary person starts with a hundred in each attribute. Survive one horror film, and you can double your strength. Survive a hundred, and you'll become a superhero!"

The girl with glasses asked coolly, "What about returning to our world? How many points do we need for that?"

"Fifty thousand points!" The youth lit another cigarette, inhaling deeply. "You need to survive fifty horror films without using points to enhance yourself."

Silence fell as they absorbed this information. Surviving fifty films without enhancing themselves seemed impossible.

"Of course, a thousand points is the basic reward for each horror film, but you can earn extras. For example, explaining the rules earns me a hundred points. You've noticed that strange watch on your wrists?" The black-haired youth gestured to his own sleek black metal watch.

They all looked down to see a countdown on their watches along with other data, including zombie counts and newcomer numbers.

"Every ten zombies you kill earns one point; every crawler gives you a hundred points; every newcomer... earns you negative points."

He smirked at Ye Wudao and the girl, who both quietly regarded him.

"Now, ask your questions quickly; this horror film is about to start."

The girl exchanged a glance with Ye Wudao, who nodded slightly. She pressed on, "I've seen Resident Evil 1; it ends with the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City. If we escape from this train, can't we survive easily?"

The youth nodded. "Check the watch; does it show a name in the top left corner? Read it."

"Matthew Addison!" they all exclaimed.

They were shocked to see a black soldier among the foreign mercenaries glow faintly before returning to normal.

"That's the leader of the mercenaries in the film. This horror film is confined to a specific area; the 'Main God' restricts movement beyond the plot's boundaries. If we go a hundred meters away from Matthew Addison, we'll... disappear. Got it? When he dies, that limit transfers to the other characters. We must survive this horror film."

Ye Wudao suddenly asked, "What is this 'Main God' you keep mentioning?"

"The 'Main God' is what manages our cycle in this horror film, granting us points and overseeing exchanges. It's a ball of light; honestly, I don't know what it really is."

The girl pointed to the countdown on her watch. "What does that number represent?"

"It's the time you have to survive in this horror film. Once it ends, you can return to the 'Main God' for your rewards and face the next horror film."

Just then, the train slowed to a halt. The black-haired youth finished his cigarette, drawing the Desert Eagle from his coat. "Alright, the story begins now. They can hear us from here. Remember, if they overhear us, we lose points—ten for each word. Those will be deducted from your next rewards. Good luck, newbies… survive!"