Lacosta

In a world where time is a weapon and the System governs all, Lin Wei is just another name on a list—until the day he awakens an ability that shouldn't exist. With enforcers hunting him and the city’s underbelly teeming with secrets, his only chance at survival is mastering his newfound power: Time Manipulation.  

But bending time comes at a cost. Each use brings him closer to unraveling not just the System’s grip on reality, but his own past—one erased, rewritten, and buried beneath layers of deception. As he pieces together the truth, Lin Wei is thrust into a war between those who seek to control time and those who dare to break free from it.  

With every second stolen, the lines between fate and free will blur. The deeper he dives, the more dangerous the choices become. Will he dismantle the System, reshape history, or lose himself in the fractures of time itself?  

Because not all timelines are meant to be saved—and some should never exist at all.

Fractured Eternity

Lin Wei's breath came in sharp gasps as he darted through the rain-slicked alleys of District 7. His heartbeat pounded against his ribs, drowning out the distant hum of hovercrafts above. Behind him, the enforcers were closing in. He could hear their boots striking the ground in perfect unison—a trained, relentless pursuit.

The narrow streets twisted like a maze, neon lights flickering erratically, casting elongated shadows across the grimy pavement. The rain had done little to wash away the filth of the city, the scent of damp metal and burnt oil clinging to the air. He didn't know how long he had before they caught up, but stopping wasn't an option.

[Quest Alert: Escape the Enforcers – Time Remaining: 2:47]

The message flashed in his vision, its pulsing orange glow a cruel reminder of how little room he had for error.

Lin Wei shoved past a market stall, knocking over crates of synthetic fruit. A vendor shouted, cursing him in a language he barely understood, but he kept running. A split-second decision—left or right?

The alley ended in a towering steel wall, slick with rain, its surface too smooth to climb. His pulse quickened. Dead end.

The enforcers rounded the corner behind him, their black armor catching the neon glow. The leader stepped forward, his visor reflecting Lin Wei's own terrified expression back at him.

"End of the line," the enforcer said, voice flat, modulated through his helmet's speaker.

Lin Wei's mind raced. Think, think! There had to be a way out. But his body was already betraying him, muscles trembling from the chase, lungs burning from the cold air.

A sharp, electric pulse shot through his skull. His vision blurred.

[Abilities Unlocked: Time Manipulation Lv.1]

Lin Wei barely had time to process the message before the world around him seemed to slow. The raindrops that had been falling in a steady rhythm now hung in the air like frozen beads of glass. The enforcers' movements became sluggish, their steps stretching out in long, distorted echoes.

His body felt weightless, his mind sharp. He could move.

Lin Wei lunged forward, slipping past the nearest enforcer before they could react. The feeling was intoxicating, like stepping outside the flow of time itself. But just as quickly as it had begun, the sensation snapped—

A violent whiplash tore through his mind.

The world slammed back into full speed. His knees buckled, the sudden force of time's return leaving him breathless.

Before he could recover, a heavy metal fist crashed into his ribs.

Air exploded from his lungs as he crumpled against the wet pavement. His vision blurred, the neon lights overhead distorting into jagged streaks.

A boot pressed against his back, pinning him down.

"Unstable," one of the enforcers muttered. "The System marked him."

Lin Wei clenched his jaw, swallowing back a groan. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The second enforcer chuckled. "You will soon enough."

The First Step