Prologue 01

Brave Quest Online, the largest VRMMO, promised to fulfill players' dreams and offer a revolutionary gaming experience. With the ability to fully immerse oneself in a virtual world and a time dilation factor of 5:1, the initial fears surrounding the technology quickly gave way to widespread adoption. Tech mogul Yang Zhao, the mastermind behind the game company responsible for this virtual gold mine, distributed free VR capsules to every household under the guise of "academic purposes," preloaded with the game. Even those who initially opposed the technology, like housewives, found themselves benefiting from VR tutorials, with real-life skills learned in the game.

With a staggering 4 billion active players, the first anniversary celebrations of Brave Quest were highly anticipated, expected to dominate conversations for the entire month. Little did anyone realize that these festivities would mark the beginning of a cataclysmic event known as Exodus.

Accustomed to the time dilation within the game, players failed to notice when it gradually began aligning with real-world time. The magnificent fireworks that illuminated the dark sky signaled the start of the in-game celebrations, but then, chaos ensued. Like ripples on a calm lake, waves of astonishment, anger, and confusion swept through the masses as the account section of the interface, including the logout function, vanished.

Suddenly, it was as if we were trapped within the confines of the video game itself. Dying in the game did not mean you died in reality, although none of us knew the exact condition of our physical bodies. Instead, we would respawn at the temple, albeit with dire consequences. Higher-level players would lose significant progress, levels, and valuable gear upon death. The psychological trauma of dying in such a realistic and immersive manner turned this once-dreamlike technology into a horrifying nightmare—an experience of your body being torn apart.

The Tower of Trials, a colossal structure that pierced the heavens, had been a mysterious presence in the realm of Elysium since the game's inception. However, it wasn't until after the anniversary events that players discovered its doors could be opened.

The first floor of the Tower of Trials appeared to be an expansive reception area, where ethereal clerks sat behind small desks beside steel vaults and portal gates. As players ventured inside, it became public knowledge that in order to complete the game, at least one person would have to conquer all 1,000 floors of the tower.

It was during the game's seventh year that I, Chen ( Chester) Wang, experienced an unexpected exit from the virtual world during my sixth re-awakening.