5:28 AM.
East City Mine.
Surrounded by an entourage, the director of the Bureau of Investigation walked out of the mine shaft, saying without looking back, "It is enough that we caught him."
"All of you share credit for this."
Those two sentences made everyone bow at the waist, obsequious smiles plastered across their faces.
Yet no one dared to utter a word of flattery.
The director disliked being interrupted when he spoke.
The last person who had dared to interject was transferred that very day to guard a watchtower outside the city.
At this moment, everyone could only bend their waists a little lower.
"However..."
The director shifted his tone, instantly setting everyone on edge.
"We lost a great many men in this arrest. It does not reflect well on us."
"We must salvage the bureau's face."
"...Who has a suggestion?"
With that question, the crowd grew even quieter.
From the director's tone, it was obvious he was already contemplating what to do.
At a time like this, who dared tell him how to do his job?
The stench of blood in the mine shaft drifted out on a mournful wind, whistling like the shrieks of a thousand vengeful ghosts.
This seemed to remind the director of something.
He opened his mouth and said, "Twenty-one of our seasoned operatives died, along with one hundred and thirty-five guards and miners from the facility."
"Are there any survivors?"
—A question like this could be answered.
And the sooner, the better.
"One mine security guard survived."
"Have you checked into his background?" the director asked.
"He's just a youth named Ye Huan. His father was an old cook in the mining zone. During the last epidemic outbreak, his entire family was wiped out, leaving him all alone to board with one of his father's colleagues."
"Once he came of age, he was arranged to work here at the mine."
"Because his background was completely clean and well-known, he was placed on the security squad."
"During the arrest, he charged forward and was knocked flying, his head smashing into a wall. He never woke up, so we assumed he was dead."
"And then he came back to life?" the director asked with interest.
"When they were collecting the bodies, he suddenly woke up, seemingly unable to remember anything—the doctor said it's a severe concussion."
That was reasonable.
—This boy truly carried a bit of luck.
And luck was precisely what the Bureau of Investigation needed right now!
"Acceptable," the director nodded. "Taking the initiative to charge forward shows commendable courage, at least."
"Have his personnel file sent to the bureau—make him a trainee investigator."
"Remember to handle the publicity properly."
"Set him up as a positive role model."
"See to it."
"Yes, sir!" the crowd answered in unison.
The car window rolled up.
With a puff of exhaust, the automobile sped off.
Only after the vehicle had driven out of the mining zone and the roar of its engine faded entirely did everyone finally relax a little.
"Where is Ye Huan?" the captain asked.
"Captain, he's still lying in the hospital."
"As long as he isn't dead. Send two men over to explain the situation to him."
"Understood, Boss."
***
The hospital.
Ye Huan was the only person in the ward.
He stared blankly at the ceiling, pinching his thigh hard every now and then.
"It's not a dream..."
"What on earth is going on?"
He had originally been a member of an archaeological team back in China on Earth. Not long after graduating, he had followed his professor and the main expedition on an urgent rescue excavation.
Yet the conditions beneath that ancient tomb were thoroughly shocking.
He had seen skeletons of grave robbers.
Densely packed, countless skeletons.
Everyone had been rattled. They had seen plenty of human remains before, but never so many grave robbers' skeletons clutching their assorted digging tools.
Just then, a massive earthquake struck.
All his companions were buried alive.
He alone, relying purely on instinct, dove into the tomb's inner passageway.
Along the way, all manner of mechanisms, subterranean torrents, and rolling boulders sprang forth, yet by pure fortune he managed to dodge them all.
In the end, he broke into a burial chamber.
Just when he thought he had escaped disaster, his vision went black.
When he opened his eyes again...
He had arrived in this world.
A human civilization entirely alien to him.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
After a brief rap, the door was pushed open directly.
Two men dressed in black uniforms walked in and sat down beside the hospital bed.
Ye Huan looked toward them in a daze.
Seeing his bewildered expression, the two investigators could not help but sigh inwardly.
Far too many people had died in this incident.
This youth already had no living relatives, and this time, many of the friends he had grown up with had also perished.
He was bound to feel miserable.
"The doctor says you're physically fine all over. As for the memory loss caused by the concussion, don't worry about it—you might remember everything eventually."
"You're out of danger now."
"Furthermore, starting from this moment, you are a member of the Bureau of Investigation, our fellow comrade."
Having said this, the two men looked at Ye Huan.
Ye Huan stared at them, unable to process it for a moment.
Why...
Why were there things floating above their heads?
Above the tall, thin man on the left hovered the words: *Junior Investigator.*
Above the bearded man on the right hovered the words: *Black Tide Cultist.*
—Not only that, but right before Ye Huan's eyes in midair hovered an antique bronze coin.
Lines of information naturally surfaced in his mind:
*You survived, living through to the second day.*
*Earned trophy:*
*Barely Passed the Trial - First Place Survivor (Note: Everyone else died).*
*Directly redeemed: "Primary Mimicry Information Readout" authority (1 use).*
*Redemption complete.*
*Instructions:*
*1. Select a target and insert the coin;*
*2. Obtain a full-life information essence projection of the target, lasting for 3 minutes.*
*—Seize this opportunity; if you die, you will never have another chance to live.*
Ye Huan found this difficult to comprehend.
Did these messages appear in my head only because I survived the ancient tomb?
Yet the visitors were waiting for his reply, and he had to say something.
He needed to prove he was a normal person.
A normal person—
would not invite further trouble.
"I understand. Thank you, big brothers."
Ye Huan offered an honest, simple smile, his gaze sincere and his voice filled with gratitude.
Seeing his attitude, the two men looked fairly pleased, though they still had their official remarks to deliver.
"You showed great bravery in last night's battle. The director personally took notice and gave the order, which is how you received this appointment to the bureau."
"This is a world of difference compared to your previous status. You must learn to cherish it."
Ye Huan nodded vigorously. "I'll find a chance to express my gratitude."
"Good. If there are any interviews in the future, speak well."
"Understood."
Seeing how sensible he was, the two grew even more satisfied. Giving his shoulder a friendly pat, they stood up to leave.
Ye Huan struggled to sit up from the bed.
"Let me see you out, big brothers—"
"No need, get some more rest."
"We're heading back to report. Rest assured, a bureau vehicle will come pick you up in a little while."
They moved to leave.
Ye Huan's heart clenched.
They were leaving!
If he wanted to test this, he had to do it now!
He chanted silently in his heart:
*Insert coin. Select Black Tide Cultist.*
—Both men clearly belonged to the Bureau of Investigation, yet one was a Junior Investigator, while the other was some kind of cultist.
Purely from an information-gathering standpoint, this cultist seemed far more useful!
The moment Ye Huan finished the thought...
The bronze coin vanished.
The Junior Investigator and the Black Tide Cultist had already turned, walked out the door, and gently closed it behind them.
Inside the ward...
Ye Huan was left all alone.
...Nothing happened.
He waited a little longer.
Still nothing.
So was that a visual hallucination just now?
Wait, this body did suffer a head injury; that was how the previous owner died.
Perhaps it really was a hallucination.
Ye Huan settled his nerves, slowly stood up, and tried taking a few steps beside the bed.
His movements were unhindered.
He stepped into the washroom, staring blankly at the unfamiliar face in the mirror.
—Must be around eighteen.
Rather clean-cut features.
Far better-looking than his original self back on Earth.
This is me now?
I will live in this strange world with this face?
Suddenly...
A figure appeared in the mirror.
Ye Huan whipped around.
The bearded man stood in the room, a cigarette dangling from his lips, smiling at him.
The Black Tide Cultist!
"Why did you come back?" Ye Huan asked, looking startled.
"What do you mean 'come back'? I'm not the real Zhao Qiang," the man said.
"Who is Zhao Qiang?"
"The Black Tide Cultist just now was Zhao Qiang."
"Then who are you?" Ye Huan asked.
"You just used 'Primary Mimicry Information Readout,' which generated me, this projection," the bearded man explained.
Ye Huan's eyes widened. He hurried out of the washroom, rushed to the window, and looked down at the street outside.
There, the bearded man had just crossed the road with the tall, thin man and was heading into an alley.
Ye Huan turned back to look.
There was another bearded man right here in the room!
Bizarre!
"Are you a ghost?" Ye Huan asked cautiously.
"Of course not. Please believe in science—in short, there isn't enough time for a full explanation. All I can say is, I know everything that man knows," the bearded man said.
"What can you do?" Ye Huan asked again.
"This."
The bearded man took a step forward and lightly tapped his finger against the center of Ye Huan's brow.
Instantly...
A scene unfolded before Ye Huan's eyes.
—It was back when the bearded man was young. He had spent all his credits to redeem a box.
Inside the box lay a martial arts manual.
*Iron Hand!*
A voice accompanied the memory:
*"This Iron Hand is a common martial art, though there are multiple versions, some of which can reach the level of a Shidu martial artist. They are occasionally sold on the market."*
*"Our Black Tide Cult has also modified this technique."*
*"Train hard. If one day you achieve great success with it and grasp the profound mysteries hidden within, you will be promoted to Inquisitor."*
*"Yes, many thanks, my Lord!" the bearded man said respectfully.*
—This was a memory from a certain moment in the past.
Ye Huan listened in silence, his gaze falling upon that manual.
In a flash...
Countless streams of information surged into his mind.
It was as if he had accompanied the bearded man through winter's harshest freezes and summer's scorching dog days, sweating profusely beneath the blazing sun and striking with all his might amidst howling snowstorms.
Four years passed.
Until the bearded man felt he could make no further progress, grew disheartened, and ceased his daily bitter cultivation—
A line of text suddenly popped up in Ye Huan's mind:
*Sampling, comparing, full interpretation underway.*
*Adopting evolutionary path.*
The bearded man vanished.
Yet Ye Huan continued to train.
Day and night alternated; seasons turned.
Alone in that environment, he trained for another seven full years!
One day...
The *Iron Hand* technique abruptly underwent a transformation.
Ye Huan suddenly realized that this art was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Many of its internal energy circulation mnemonics actually harbored a peculiar secret.
Perhaps this was the profound mystery the Black Tide Cult had embedded when modifying the technique?
Ye Huan steadied his mind, delving deep to slowly unravel its mysteries.
Another year passed.
When Ye Huan executed Iron Hand once more, a burst of crimson flame suddenly flared across his hands.
Hands...
could actually erupt with blazing fire!
—He had grasped the true mystery hidden within *Iron Hand*!
Ye Huan raised both hands, staring with wonder at the silently burning flames.
This fire clearly carried an uncanny, demonic aura.
According to the previous owner's memories, he had never heard of anyone who could summon fire from their hands.
This world... truly defied imagination...
Looking back now at the bearded man's past achievement from his current perspective, he realized the man had barely stepped across the threshold of the art!
What a pity.
To practice for merely four years, face a minor setback, make no progress for a few months, and then abandon such a miraculous technique!
Sheer stupidity.
In an instant...
Ye Huan opened his eyes.
Everything just now felt like a dream, yet it was so vividly real.
He raised his hands and silently channeled the mnemonic.
Both hands hardened like iron. Tapping them against the bed's metal railing produced a sharp, metallic *clang-clang*.
"So this is the mastered Iron Hand," Ye Huan murmured.
Not only that...
Crimson flames suddenly surged around his hands.
The iron railing at the foot of the bed felt like modeling clay beneath his grip, bending and reshaping at his whim.
The moment the flames appeared, his entire body's blood and vitality surged dramatically, and the muscles in his arms swelled slightly, as though his strength had temporarily jumped into a higher realm.
Ye Huan quietly experienced the sensation.
When he had executed Iron Hand just now, the effect was impressive—it ought to have reached the "Ranked" level.
Yet the moment those flames emerged, his entire state changed completely.
—Had he temporarily reached the Shidu level?
"Ugh..."
Just as he was pondering, a wave of dizziness washed over him.
The flames on his hands vanished immediately.
Right on its heels, an overwhelming pang of hunger erupted from his belly.
He instinctively glanced toward the bedside table.
A flower arrangement and fruit basket sent by the mining company sat there.
Unable to care about anything else, Ye Huan tore open the fruit basket, and without even checking what kinds of fruit they were, shoved them into his mouth one after another.
"I only have one minute and fifteen seconds left. Please listen to me,"
the bearded man suddenly said.
—He was still standing off to the side, quietly observing all of this.
Ye Huan froze.
The second hand on the wall clock ticked steadily onward.
It seemed those years of cultivation in his mind had taken barely any time at all?
After all, this projection could only exist for three minutes!
"Go ahead," Ye Huan said, snapping back to attention.
"This is a world inhabited by terrifying monsters—people call them yaomo."
"Yet above yaomo, at the very peak of the food chain, there exist beings far more horrific."
"To put it in terms you can understand, they are unknown entities of the Cthulhu variety," the bearded man said.
*Cthulhu...*
Ye Huan could not help but blurt out, "If monsters like that exist, what the hell is the point of me practicing martial arts?"
"Don't get agitated, listen to me—next, you must survive until tomorrow. Otherwise, you're dead," the bearded man said.
*Nonsense, obviously.*
The bearded man seemed to agree, continuing his explanation: "—Only by surviving until tomorrow can you receive a new evaluation and corresponding trophy to enhance your strength."
Chewing on fruit, Ye Huan interjected, "Isn't that just a daily settlement? Calling it a 'Daily Survival Settlement' would be accurate enough—why call it a trophy?"
"It is generally believed that for humans, a trophy carries more ceremony and inspiration," the bearded man replied.
"Too wordy. I prefer the term 'Daily Survival Settlement,'" Ye Huan said.
"Your feedback has been accepted. From now on, trophies will be cancelled, and the term 'Daily Survival Settlement' will be used directly," the bearded man stated.
*What kind of entity is this?*
*It actually takes my suggestions.*
Ye Huan thought to himself.
"Since surviving a day grants a settlement, I'll just go into hiding today where no one can find me," Ye Huan said.
The bearded man shook his head, speaking rapidly: "The Bureau of Investigation wields terrifying influence. If you vanish without cause, they will track you down in minutes."
"When that happens, your circumstances will become completely different."
His cadence sped up even more:
"Listen closely. In this man's memories, there is an extremely dangerous matter."
"What is it?" Ye Huan asked.
"The mutated martial artist captured in the mine shaft is imprisoned in the bureau's underground vault."
"He will be escorted away this afternoon."
"The Black Tide Cult has mobilized a massive force to intercept and snatch him back."
"Remember, under no circumstances must you get involved, or disaster will surely find you."
"What's the deal with this mutated martial artist? Is he that strong?" Ye Huan asked.
"No time for details. In short, he slaughtered nearly two hundred pursuers before he was captured; moreover, according to recent leads, the Black Tide Cult values him immensely," the bearded man said.
Ye Huan drew a sharp breath.
Though he knew nothing about the Black Tide Cult's background, they could casually alter a basic technique to allow Iron Hand to manifest crimson flames.
That alone was mind-boggling enough.
He absolutely did not want to touch this affair!
"You must find a way to survive until tomorrow. Tomorrow, a new settlement will occur, which can help you..."
"Stay alive..."
With those final words, the bearded man vanished completely from the room.
Ye Huan silently watched this miraculous disappearance.
*Tomorrow.*
*I must survive until tomorrow!*