The sky was red,It seemed Like—
Blood dripped from the sky.The place was a total ruin.
The crimson rain fell in thick, sluggish drops, pooling between the cracks of the jagged obsidian earth. In this forsaken realm—where the heavens were shattered, and the earth was made of the corpses of forgotten gods—only those spared remained.
And among them, Li Ming opened his eyes.
A man—no, a remnant of one ,lay half-buried in the black sand, his body emaciated, his once-glorious robes now tattered rags. His fingers twitched, bones clicking like rusted machinery.
"System… status."
No response.
Of course. The Primordial Being had taken everything. His cultivation. His destiny. Even the voice that had whispered in his mind for centuries was gone—only echoes remained.
But then—
[…Recovery Protocol Activated.]
A broken, glitching voice. Not the smooth, omnipotent tone he remembered. This one was fractured, weak.
"You're alive?"He coughed, his throat raw.
[Core Functions… Damaged. Host's Soul Signature… Recognized.]
A laugh—dry, cracked, more a wheeze than sound—escaped him. "Even now, you won't let me die."So am i your pawn again.
[Error: Primary Directive Corrupted. New Objective: Survival.]**
Survival.So, it seems like you were also abandoned like me.
His fingers curled into fists.
"Where are we?"
[The Grave of Chosen Ones. Dimension Lock: Absolute. Temporal Flow: Stagnant.]
A prison for the System's discarded toys. How fitting.
He forced himself up, muscles screaming, bones grinding. His body was a ruin. But his mind—
His mind was sharp as a blade.
A shadow moved in the distance. Something humanoid, but wrong—twisted, limbs too long, face stretched into a permanent scream. Another failed chosen one, reduced to madness.
The creature lunged.
Li Ming shot his hand out—not to block, but to grasp.
Fingers clamped around its throat.
"You're weak," he murmured. "Just like me."
Then he squeezed.
The thing's neck snapped like rotten wood.
[…Host has eliminated [Degraded Chosen One ]. Partial Energy Absorption Initiated.]
A trickle of warmth entered his veins. Not cultivation. Not true power.
But it was a start.
He dropped the corpse, staring at his hands.
"How do we escape?"
The System hesitated.
[The Primordial Being's Seal has… weaknesses. There are "Temporal Rifts." One will open soon.]
"And then?"
[Then… you begin again.]
A slow smile spread across his face.
"Good.
Because this time—
He wouldn't pretend to be a hero.
Chapter 1 End Hook:
- The Broken System's Warning: "If you regain your power… he will notice."
- MC's Response: "Let him come."