The Lone Path

The night was deep, and a gentle breeze

swept through the city streets, carrying a hint of summer's lingering heat.

Under the streetlights, Ling Tian walked casually, hands in his pockets, a

lollipop in his mouth. He lazily kicked a stray can, listening to the crisp

metallic sound as it rolled away. A faint smirk played on his lips. 

"Twenty taels of silver might not be

much, but in modern times, that's still worth about eight to ten thousand

bucks," Ling Tian muttered to himself, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Life had been monotonous lately—commuting, overtime, squeezing into packed

subways. It was as if the world had been stuck on a never-ending loop. The only

source of excitement? Games. 

Pushing open the creaky door of his

apartment, Ling Tian kicked off his shoes and collapsed into his computer

chair. As the screen lit up, his gaze landed on an unread email with a bold

subject line: 

[Invitation to Experience the New VR

Role-Playing Game—Chronicles of the Gods] 

The email's background was a stunning

illustration of a grand battlefield—warriors clashing swords, mages unleashing

devastating spells, archers shooting arrows with pinpoint accuracy. And at the

very edge of the image, a robed figure stood behind the group, their hands

glowing with intricate runes, seemingly controlling the entire

battlefield. 

"Full-dive VR, randomized equipment

drops, high freedom mechanics… and solo-friendly gameplay?" Ling Tian's

brow arched as interest sparked in his gaze. "An open-world RPG with

unrestricted combat styles? Now this… this is my kind of game." 

Without hesitation, Ling Tian clicked

download. The files streamed into his system at high speed. Reaching for his

well-worn VR headset—one he had painstakingly saved up for—he adjusted it on

his head. 

The moment the device locked into place,

his entire world flipped upside down. 

A buzzing sound filled his ears, and his

consciousness was forcefully pulled into a new realm. 

 [A

New World] 

As the blurry light around him faded, Ling

Tian found himself standing inside a grand hall. 

Polished marble floors reflected his image,

towering stone pillars stood on either side, their surfaces adorned with

intricate carvings of ancient gods engaged in battle. Above, hundreds of

floating blue lanterns bathed the hall in an ethereal glow. The air carried a

faint scent of herbs and parchment. In front of him, a semi-transparent screen

slowly materialized— 

[Character Name: Ling Tian] 

[Class: Support Master] 

[Level: 1] 

[Attributes: Strength 10 | Agility 10 |

Constitution 10 | Intelligence 15] 

[Equipment: Beginner Leather Armor (Defense

+3), Training Staff (Attack +2), Rune Ring (Support Effect +5%)] 

"Support class? Interesting."

Ling Tian's gaze sharpened slightly. 

Most players considered support roles as

deadweight—neither tanky like warriors, nor powerful like mages, nor lethal

like assassins. But Ling Tian believed that true support wasn't about healing

or buffs; it was about controlling the battlefield. 

"If I'm going to play, I might as well

play this my way," Ling Tian muttered, swiping his hand to open the skill

panel. 

[Basic Skills] 

- [Yin-Yang Reversal (LV1)]: Swap certain

buffs and debuffs between targets, or temporarily redistribute attribute

ratios. (Cooldown: 60s) 

- [Energy Shield (LV1)]: Temporarily boosts

defense for yourself or an ally. (Cooldown: 30s) 

"Yin-Yang Reversal?" Ling Tian's

eyes flickered with intrigue. 

This wasn't a simple healing or buffing

skill—being able to redistribute attributes mid-fight meant this was a tactical

ability with enormous potential. 

Just as he was analyzing the skill's

possibilities, a commotion broke out in the distance. 

 [First

Battle] 

Ling Tian turned toward the noise and saw a

five-player party locked in battle with a towering, three-meter-tall Dire

Wolf. 

The team's warrior stood at the front,

shield cracking under the relentless blows, his health bar dropping rapidly.

The mage furiously hurled fireballs, but they barely singed the beast's fur.

The priest's healing spell was still on cooldown. The entire squad was on the

brink of collapse. 

"Captain, I can't hold on much

longer!" the warrior roared. 

"Hang in there! Just a few more

seconds!" the captain shouted back. 

Ling Tian tilted his head slightly,

watching the chaotic scene unfold. His fingers hovered over his skill panel as

he mused aloud, "Looks like they're in trouble. Guess I'll test this skill

out." 

With a tap, he activated [Yin-Yang

Reversal]. 

Golden runes spun in the air, then burst

into shimmering light. Instantly, the warrior's health bar surged, while the

Dire Wolf's attack speed plummeted. 

"Whoa—my HP just shot back up!"

the warrior gasped. 

"The wolf's slowing down?!" The

mage's eyes widened in disbelief. "What kind of skill is this?!" 

Ling Tian casually blew on his fingertips

as if dusting them off, his smirk deepening. "My support skills aren't

just for healing." 

With their status effects reversed, the

team swiftly regained their footing. Within minutes, the Dire Wolf collapsed

with a final, pained howl, its body bursting into a shower of loot. 

The captain, still catching his breath,

turned to Ling Tian, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "Brother, that

skill of yours is insane! Let's team up!" 

Ling Tian chuckled, shaking his head.

"No thanks. I prefer running solo." 

The captain frowned. "Solo leveling is

slow, though. It's way more efficient to party up." 

"Speed isn't the point." Ling

Tian slung his staff over his shoulder, glancing toward the vast wilderness

beyond the training grounds. "I need to master control over the

battlefield." 

The team watched as he walked away, his

figure disappearing into the dusk. The mage let out a low whistle. "That

guy… is a monster." 

 [The

Road Ahead] 

The night wind was crisp, carrying with it

the distant howls of unseen creatures. 

A system notification popped up in Ling

Tian's view— 

[Congratulations, Player Ling Tian! First

battle complete. Reward: +3 Free Attribute Points.] 

Without hesitation, Ling Tian pulled up his

stat panel and allocated the points into Intelligence and Constitution. 

"Boosting support effectiveness while

ensuring survival—perfect for solo play." 

Deep in the forest, shadows stirred.

Moonlight gleamed against the surface of his staff as Ling Tian flexed his

fingers, anticipation glittering in his eyes. 

"The road to becoming the strongest

support… doesn't need a team." 

With a confident stride, Ling Tian stepped

into the darkness, ready to carve his own path through the game's untamed

world. 

[End of Chapter 1]