Between Worlds: The Infinity Journey

The last memory he had of his previous life was the intense white light. No, not a heavenly light. It was the brutal explosion of his computer, followed by a wave of heat that hurled him backward. He had been in the middle of a raid in Warframe, trying to complete a timed mission, when everything went horribly wrong.

"What the hell…" — that was his last thought before everything went black.

He woke up in a place that reeked of rust, burnt oil, and decay. The sky above was a constant swirl of ash and green gases drifting like poisonous clouds. Around him, endless heaps of wreckage stretched as far as the eye could see: broken ships, half-destroyed robots, massive containers, and countless fragments of technology that seemed to belong to different centuries.

He blinked, trying to process. His head throbbed with fragmented memories. He knew who he was… or who he had been. Zhao Wei, a young Chinese man obsessed with games and technology. But now, he was… who? Where?

Then something flashed in his vision. A hologram. No, a HUD, just like in the games he loved.

[SYSTEM INITIALIZED]

Welcome, User Zhao Wei.

Synchronization complete with memories of the previous cycle. Abilities and system adapted to the current environment.

Initializing basic tutorial...

"Wait… is this a system?!" — he said, his voice echoing among the wreckage. He ran a hand over his face. Still human. Dark hair, pale skin, and features he recognized as his own. But he was thinner, as if reborn in a different body. A young body, but one marked by hunger and struggle.

[Initial Mission: Survive]

Objective: Gather resources and craft a basic tool.

A minimalist menu appeared beside the HUD. He recognized the interface immediately: something between No Man's Sky and Subnautica, with an inventory bar and unlockable crafting options. The list was extensive, but almost everything was locked. At the top, the only available option glowed green: "Scrap Knife (Level 1)."

Wei looked around. He had no idea where he was or why this was happening. But the familiarity of the system and the need to survive snapped him back into action. He began exploring the nearest pile of trash. Among broken circuit boards and burnt cables, he found a sharp piece of metal and something that resembled an improvised handle.

[Resource collected: Scrapped Metal x1]

[Resource collected: Durable Cable x1]

[Item unlocked: Scrap Knife (Level 1)]

A holographic interface appeared in his vision, showing the item he could craft. He mentally selected the option, and the system did the rest. A blue glow formed in his hands as the materials fused together.

"Is this real?" — he murmured, holding the newly crafted knife. It wasn't pretty, but it looked deadly enough.

[Mission Complete: Basic Tool Created]

Reward: +10 XP, New Recipe Unlocked: Space Backpack (Level 1)

Wei was beginning to understand what was happening. He was on a junk planet. A cosmic landfill where everything discarded ended up. Damaged ships, broken robots, destroyed weapons... It was all here. And with his system, he could turn this scrap into something useful. Maybe even more than useful.

But a voice echoed in the distance, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey! You there, new scrap rat! This territory is ours!"

He turned to see a group of local scavengers, armed with makeshift weapons and wearing threatening expressions. They looked ready to fight for whatever metal he had.

Wei gripped his improvised knife. His first battle was about to begin, and he had no choice but to fight for survival.