Chapter 1: The Awakening

The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty alleyway. Lin Mu clutched his side, breath coming in ragged gasps, his legs burning with exhaustion. His entire body screamed for rest, but he couldn't stop—not now. Not when they were still chasing him. He glanced back, catching a glimpse of dark figures moving in the shadows, their intentions clear. If they caught him, he was dead.

How had it come to this? A simple walk to clear his mind had turned into a nightmare. He never imagined he'd be running for his life in a place that felt… strange, otherworldly even. The air here was thick, almost suffocating, and the buildings around him were twisted in unnatural ways, like something out of a bad dream.

As he pushed forward, his vision began to blur. The pounding in his head intensified, and he stumbled, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. The darkness behind him drew closer, and Lin Mu's heart pounded in his chest, not from fear but from something deeper—an instinctual knowledge that everything was about to change.

Suddenly, his body seized up. A sharp pain shot through his mind, and his vision went white. He collapsed, his body wracked with convulsions as a voice echoed in his mind.

"System initializing… Synchronizing host…"

Lin Mu's consciousness swam in the sea of pain, his mind grasping at the voice. What was happening to him? Was this the end?

"Welcome, Lin Mu. You have been selected as the host for the Infinite Evolution System. Prepare for synchronization."

The pain intensified, and Lin Mu screamed, his voice drowned out by the overwhelming flood of information pouring into his mind. He saw flashes—memories of worlds not his own, creatures beyond comprehension, battles fought in the endless expanse of the multiverse. And at the center of it all, a system—a cold, calculating presence that measured, controlled, and guided.

As suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.

Lin Mu lay motionless on the ground, his body drenched in sweat, his mind numb. Slowly, he forced his eyes open, the darkness of the alley pressing in around him. The figures were gone, and silence reigned. He sat up, his body aching, but the fear that had gripped him moments before was gone, replaced by something new—power.

His hand twitched, and a holographic screen appeared before him.

Host: Lin Mu

System: Infinite Evolution

Level: 1

Attributes: Strength 2, Agility 3, Endurance 2, Intelligence 4

Evolution Points: 0

Available Evolution: None

Mission: Survive the First Challenge.

Lin Mu blinked, trying to comprehend the screen floating in front of him. His mind raced, piecing together fragments of what the voice had said. Infinite Evolution System? Was this some kind of game? And why him?

Before he could think further, the screen shifted, and another notification appeared.

Warning: Host has 10 minutes to complete the first mission. Failure will result in termination.

Panic surged through Lin Mu's veins as he leaped to his feet, ignoring the soreness in his body. Termination? What kind of system was this?

His mind worked frantically, trying to process everything at once. The mission was simple enough: survive. But what did that mean? Where were the threats? He scanned his surroundings, half-expecting the dark figures to reappear.

The seconds ticked by, each one dragging Lin Mu closer to the edge of panic. He had no weapons, no skills, nothing but the system in front of him. And yet, deep down, something told him that this was only the beginning. He had been chosen for a reason.

The silence of the alley was broken by a low growl. Lin Mu's heart skipped a beat as a shadow detached itself from the darkness, slinking toward him. It was a creature, unlike anything he had ever seen—its body hunched and skeletal, with glowing red eyes that bore into his soul. The stench of death clung to it like a second skin.

Without thinking, Lin Mu stepped back, his mind racing. Survive. The word echoed in his head, a cold reminder of the stakes. He had no time to think, no time to plan. He needed to act, and fast.

The creature lunged.

Lin Mu barely dodged in time, his instincts kicking in as he rolled to the side. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to move, his mind focused on one thing—survival.

Another growl echoed in the alley, and Lin Mu turned to see more creatures emerging from the shadows. They were hunting him, and he was their prey. He had to find a way out. His eyes darted to the screen in front of him. There had to be something, anything, that could help him.

His gaze fell on the word "Evolution." Could it be? He reached out mentally, willing the system to respond.

Evolution Points: 0

Available Evolution: Basic Agility Enhancement - Cost: 1 EP

Unlock by defeating enemies.

Of course. He needed to kill the creatures to gain points. But how could he fight them when he was so weak?

The first creature lunged at him again, and this time, Lin Mu didn't dodge. He ducked low, grabbing a broken piece of wood from the ground and swinging it with all his might. The wood connected with the creature's head, and it let out a screech of pain, but it wasn't enough. The creature lashed out, claws raking across Lin Mu's arm.

Pain flared, but Lin Mu gritted his teeth. He swung again, this time aiming for the creature's neck. The wood struck true, and with a sickening crunch, the creature collapsed, its body dissolving into dark mist.

You have defeated a Shadow Fiend. Evolution Points +1.

Lin Mu's breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at the dissolving body. He had done it. He had killed it. And now, he had the points he needed.

Without hesitation, he activated the Basic Agility Enhancement. A surge of energy flowed through him, and he felt his muscles tighten, his body becoming lighter, faster. The remaining creatures growled, sensing the change.

This time, when they attacked, Lin Mu was ready. He moved with newfound speed, dodging their strikes with ease and retaliating with precision. Each kill brought more points, and with each point, he evolved further. Strength, endurance, agility—they all increased, turning him from prey into predator.

When the last creature fell, Lin Mu stood alone in the alley, his chest heaving, his body trembling with adrenaline. The screen in front of him flashed again.

Mission complete. Evolution Points: 5. New skills unlocked.

Lin Mu let out a shaky breath, his mind reeling from everything that had just happened. He had survived, but only just. And now, the system was his to command.

But as he stared at the screen, one thought lingered in his mind. This was only the beginning. The Infinite Evolution System had chosen him, and there was no turning back.

Somewhere in the depths of the system, a new notification flickered to life.

Next world loading…

Chapter 1: The Awakening

The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty alleyway. Lin Mu clutched his side, breath coming in ragged gasps, his legs burning with exhaustion. His entire body screamed for rest, but he couldn't stop—not now. Not when they were still chasing him. He glanced back, catching a glimpse of dark figures moving in the shadows, their intentions clear. If they caught him, he was dead.

How had it come to this? A simple walk to clear his mind had turned into a nightmare. He never imagined he'd be running for his life in a place that felt… strange, otherworldly even. The air here was thick, almost suffocating, and the buildings around him were twisted in unnatural ways, like something out of a bad dream.

As he pushed forward, his vision began to blur. The pounding in his head intensified, and he stumbled, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. The darkness behind him drew closer, and Lin Mu's heart pounded in his chest, not from fear but from something deeper—an instinctual knowledge that everything was about to change.

Suddenly, his body seized up. A sharp pain shot through his mind, and his vision went white. He collapsed, his body wracked with convulsions as a voice echoed in his mind.

"System initializing… Synchronizing host…"

Lin Mu's consciousness swam in the sea of pain, his mind grasping at the voice. What was happening to him? Was this the end?

"Welcome, Lin Mu. You have been selected as the host for the Infinite Evolution System. Prepare for synchronization."

The pain intensified, and Lin Mu screamed, his voice drowned out by the overwhelming flood of information pouring into his mind. He saw flashes—memories of worlds not his own, creatures beyond comprehension, battles fought in the endless expanse of the multiverse. And at the center of it all, a system—a cold, calculating presence that measured, controlled, and guided.

As suddenly as it began, the pain stopped.

Lin Mu lay motionless on the ground, his body drenched in sweat, his mind numb. Slowly, he forced his eyes open, the darkness of the alley pressing in around him. The figures were gone, and silence reigned. He sat up, his body aching, but the fear that had gripped him moments before was gone, replaced by something new—power.

His hand twitched, and a holographic screen appeared before him.

Host: Lin Mu

System: Infinite Evolution

Level: 1

Attributes: Strength 2, Agility 3, Endurance 2, Intelligence 4

Evolution Points: 0

Available Evolution: None

Mission: Survive the First Challenge.

Lin Mu blinked, trying to comprehend the screen floating in front of him. His mind raced, piecing together fragments of what the voice had said. Infinite Evolution System? Was this some kind of game? And why him?

Before he could think further, the screen shifted, and another notification appeared.

Warning: Host has 10 minutes to complete the first mission. Failure will result in termination.

Panic surged through Lin Mu's veins as he leaped to his feet, ignoring the soreness in his body. Termination? What kind of system was this?

His mind worked frantically, trying to process everything at once. The mission was simple enough: survive. But what did that mean? Where were the threats? He scanned his surroundings, half-expecting the dark figures to reappear.

The seconds ticked by, each one dragging Lin Mu closer to the edge of panic. He had no weapons, no skills, nothing but the system in front of him. And yet, deep down, something told him that this was only the beginning. He had been chosen for a reason.

The silence of the alley was broken by a low growl. Lin Mu's heart skipped a beat as a shadow detached itself from the darkness, slinking toward him. It was a creature, unlike anything he had ever seen—its body hunched and skeletal, with glowing red eyes that bore into his soul. The stench of death clung to it like a second skin.

Without thinking, Lin Mu stepped back, his mind racing. Survive. The word echoed in his head, a cold reminder of the stakes. He had no time to think, no time to plan. He needed to act, and fast.

The creature lunged.

Lin Mu barely dodged in time, his instincts kicking in as he rolled to the side. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to move, his mind focused on one thing—survival.

Another growl echoed in the alley, and Lin Mu turned to see more creatures emerging from the shadows. They were hunting him, and he was their prey. He had to find a way out. His eyes darted to the screen in front of him. There had to be something, anything, that could help him.

His gaze fell on the word "Evolution." Could it be? He reached out mentally, willing the system to respond.

Evolution Points: 0

Available Evolution: Basic Agility Enhancement - Cost: 1 EP

Unlock by defeating enemies.

Of course. He needed to kill the creatures to gain points. But how could he fight them when he was so weak?

The first creature lunged at him again, and this time, Lin Mu didn't dodge. He ducked low, grabbing a broken piece of wood from the ground and swinging it with all his might. The wood connected with the creature's head, and it let out a screech of pain, but it wasn't enough. The creature lashed out, claws raking across Lin Mu's arm.

Pain flared, but Lin Mu gritted his teeth. He swung again, this time aiming for the creature's neck. The wood struck true, and with a sickening crunch, the creature collapsed, its body dissolving into dark mist.

You have defeated a Shadow Fiend. Evolution Points +1.

Lin Mu's breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at the dissolving body. He had done it. He had killed it. And now, he had the points he needed.

Without hesitation, he activated the Basic Agility Enhancement. A surge of energy flowed through him, and he felt his muscles tighten, his body becoming lighter, faster. The remaining creatures growled, sensing the change.

This time, when they attacked, Lin Mu was ready. He moved with newfound speed, dodging their strikes with ease and retaliating with precision. Each kill brought more points, and with each point, he evolved further. Strength, endurance, agility—they all increased, turning him from prey into predator.

When the last creature fell, Lin Mu stood alone in the alley, his chest heaving, his body trembling with adrenaline. The screen in front of him flashed again.

Mission complete. Evolution Points: 5. New skills unlocked.

Lin Mu let out a shaky breath, his mind reeling from everything that had just happened. He had survived, but only just. And now, the system was his to command.

But as he stared at the screen, one thought lingered in his mind. This was only the beginning. The Infinite Evolution System had chosen him, and there was no turning back.

Somewhere in the depths of the system, a new notification flickered to life.

Next world loading....