This year marked the tenth anniversary of the global release of the horror survival game and also the first year, no, the very first month, of Ye Jinran’s tenure as the new owner of the System Store.
Just last month, the previous shopkeeper had been brutally murdered in a player-initiated terror attack. He had possessed an arsenal of rare life-saving items yet not a single one managed to save him. It had been a tragedy, bloody, senseless and utterly final.
What the old shopkeeper left behind was astonishing: a mountain of points, numerous physical stores scattered across various instances and a collection of props, some provided by the Main God, others produced within the dungeons themselves.
Taking over all of that was none other than Ye Jinran, a freshly selected player who had only just entered the game.
Now, however, he was no longer a mere player. He was the shopkeeper, Manager Ye Jinran of the System Store.
The store had been shut down for several weeks, during which the player base grew restless and furious. The rate of successful dungeon completions had plummeted.
Perhaps out of desperation, or madness, the Main God had chosen Ye Jinran from among millions of candidates and installed him as the new storekeeper to fill the vacant seat.
Daring not to show even the slightest disrespect toward the Main God, Ye Jinran repeatedly tapped his cyber wooden fish in silent prayer.
His direct superior was an indescribable entity, something far beyond the limits of human comprehension. The first time Ye Jinran laid eyes upon it, his mind failed to process the overwhelming flood of information.
Blood streamed down his face like tears as his eyeballs burst in their sockets. His internal organs twisted violently, shredded from within, a pain so excruciating he never wished to recall it again.
He was later revived with special healing items but every subsequent “meeting” was conducted through a cold, blue system interface. Lines of text flashed before his eyes, dictating his future without room for negotiation.
It was also then that he first saw the ticking countdown of his own death.
Every player selected into the game carried such a timer. When it reached zero, they would die instantly in the real world.
Ordinary players could extend their time by clearing dungeons and claiming rewards. But Ye Jinran could not. The Main God continuously sent him orders through the system, burying him under endless work. He had no opportunity to join normal instances or earn extensions by himself.
The only way for him to gain time was through trade, with other players.
In his physical stores, payments were not limited to points. So long as both parties agreed, anything could be exchanged, even the remainder of another player’s lifespan.
After several skillfully guided trades, Ye Jinran’s own countdown had accumulated to a comfortably large number. Once the fear of dying receded, he began to grow used to this line of work. Eventually, he even started to find clever ways to profit from it.
Ye Jinran had been an ordinary orphan before all this. His life had been plain to the point of invisibility. With a small social circle, freshly graduated from college and still struggling to find a stable job, he survived on part-time work and lived in a cramped rented room.
But once he entered the game, everything changed.
Points earned from the infinite survival game could be exchanged into real-world currency through certain backdoor means. Within just two weeks of taking over the store, Ye Jinran had already made enough to buy a small place of his own.
He still lived in a remote town and his new home was humble but compared to the past, it was a massive improvement. In a sense, the Main God had completely transformed his life.
So really, Ye Jinran thought he shouldn’t be angry, even if the Main God had just dragged him out of a warm bathtub mid-soak. With a weary sigh, he tapped his wooden fish again.
The System Store’s items were categorized into six tiers: S, A, B, C, D and E. The lower the rarity, the larger the stock. Certain A-tier and all S-tier items were unique, existing only as single copies.
Once a unique item was used, it would vanish from the shelves until the game produced it again. The Main God’s game worlds were not bound by a linear timeline, they could loop or restart, so every rare item eventually reappeared. When that happened, the system would notify Ye Jinran to retrieve it personally.
That meant he had to enter the dungeon himself each time to restock the item.
He had complained about it countless times. How could a store serving the entire planet have only one person running it? It was impossible to manage.
A high-paying job, perhaps but one that burned through his lifespan like kindling.
Still, despite realizing that his omnipotent boss was nothing short of a black-hearted capitalist, Ye Jinran didn’t dare to quit. There were always others waiting to take his place.
And compared to risking his life in those nightmare dungeons as a regular player, sitting comfortably behind a counter was far preferable.
After drying off, Ye Jinran changed into new clothes. Considering the background of the dungeon he was about to enter, he chose a long teal robe in a simple, ancient style. With his naturally gentle face and neatly tied long black hair, he looked like a scholar who had just stepped out of a painting.
Each dungeon could exist in any time period or setting and players from all over the world were randomly drawn into them. Fortunately, the Main God had granted Ye Jinran the ability to understand and speak all languages.
The last player he’d met, Amanda, had been from Country A. In the real world, they would have needed translators to communicate; his foreign language skills were passable at best.
But this time, there was no such problem. The dungeon he was entering was set in ancient China.
[Loading Instance: “Mist of Nanjin Village”]
[Total Clears Recorded: 12 | No True End Achieved]
[Instance Active | Current Players: 5/5]
This was a mid-level difficulty dungeon but uncovering its true secret was notoriously hard. Humanity had sent in multiple exploration teams before and not one had succeeded.
As he reviewed what he knew about the instance, Ye Jinran closed his eyes. Moments later, a blinding ripple of light engulfed him completely.
……
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, shutting out nearly all sunlight. Deep within the mountain range, the small village lay under a heavy shroud of mist that refused to lift.
Even though it was already noon, the fog remained dense and unmoving, as if determined to trap everyone within. The air felt suffocating, charged with the promise of a coming storm.
At the center of the village, an open space barely large enough to be called a square served as a meeting spot. Several people sat around on small stools, chewing distractedly on handfuls of dry fruit.
A broad-shouldered man paced back and forth, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air. His restlessness was almost palpable.
“Can you stop walking around?” one of his teammates grumbled, waving a hand impatiently. “You’re making me dizzy just watching you.”
“Yeah, Zhao, calm down,” another chimed lazily. “Panicking won’t get us anywhere. Running in circles isn’t going to spawn an exit.”
The man, Zhao Qian, finally stopped, slapping a hand to his head in frustration. “It’s been three days! Three days and I still can’t figure it out!”
A woman lounging on a bench and munching on sunflower seeds shrugged. “At least none of us have died. That already puts us ahead of the last few teams.”
They were the thirteenth team to enter “Mist of Nanjin Village.” A full five-person party, all of them close acquaintances. They had studied the notes left behind by previous teams, analyzed every piece of data and entered well-prepared to tackle the dungeon’s core mystery.
No one had ever achieved the True Ending but the rewards for doing so were enormous, tempting enough to draw countless players to risk their lives. Each player could only attempt a dungeon once, so every run was their one and only chance.
Some barely survived. Others turned profit out of peril. Over time, a new profession had emerged: professional dungeon explorers. They cleared True Endings for points, converted them into real-world income and earned more than most people could dream of.
This five-person team was one such group.
The restless Zhao Qian served as their lead strategist. Normally, he could deduce a dungeon’s direction with ease but this time he was completely stuck.
“Zhao, let’s go over what we know again,” suggested a boy who looked no older than a high schooler, propping his chin on his hand. “Maybe we missed something.”
“Yeah,” said the twin-tailed girl beside him, nodding eagerly. “We’ve searched every corner of this village, even dug up the ground. What else could there be?”
Literally dug up the ground, they had exchanged for a system shovel and excavated every patch of dirt they could find, just in case something was buried below. They found nothing.
“The name Nanjin Village means ‘village at the southernmost edge,’” Zhao Qian began, forcing himself to think clearly. “Population under three hundred. The villagers rarely leave, almost completely isolated from the outside world.”
“During this season, the area around the village is always surrounded by thick fog, or so the villagers claim,” he continued. “I doubt it’s natural. No matter what navigation tools we use, we always end up back here.”
“And sometimes,” the twin-tailed girl whispered, “we walk down the mountain only to realize we’ve somehow come back up again. That’s not normal fog.”
“All previous teams cleared by escaping the mist’s boundary,” Zhao said, rubbing his temples. “That’s the default ending. But to trigger the True End, we probably have to disperse the mist entirely.”
“Then maybe we should just wait for it to clear on its own,” the boy suggested brightly.
“Are you stupid?” the twin-tailed girl snapped. “Did you forget what we saw there? You think normal weather does that?”
They had ventured into the fog at least five times, enough to understand its dangers. Inside, vegetation grew out of control, twisting into unnatural shapes. New, unknown species sprouted overnight. Thorned vines carpeted the forest floor, lying in wait for anyone who slipped.
Once caught, the vines sank their spikes into flesh, draining blood while releasing a strange toxin that numbed all pain. Victims didn’t even realize they were being eaten alive until it was too late. Those who were rescued survived but were tormented by vivid nightmares for days.
Thanks to those lingering side effects, none of the five had slept properly for two nights straight. They were exhausted, irritable and fraying at the edges.
There were many possible escape methods: using a flight device to ascend beyond the mist’s reach, or employing long-range teleportation props, if one was willing to spend a small fortune in points.
Three days had passed. With only two days left before the dungeon’s five-day time limit expired, the tension in the air was heavy.
The group sighed collectively, returning to their snacks in defeat.
None of them noticed that a sixth person was quietly approaching from the other side of the square.
Ye Jinran had been watching them for a while. Seeing that they were too busy bickering to make progress, he finally decided to step forward.
He hadn’t expected much but there had been a small, hopeful thought in the back of his mind, perhaps this team might actually figure something out.
But no. They had already given up, nibbling fruit and moping in the fog.
Ye Jinran wasn’t concerned. If they failed to find the True Ending, they would eventually be forced to exit the dungeon. And to do that, they’d need to buy expensive escape items from his store.
A perfect win-win situation.
“It seems you’ve run into a bit of trouble,” he said in his usual warm, polite tone. He always approached struggling players this way, kind, unthreatening, almost gentle.
The sudden voice startled the group. They all turned toward him in alarm.
A stranger stood before them, an unfamiliar NPC. His features were ordinary yet pleasant, with a refined, calm demeanor that made people instinctively trust him. His long black hair was tied with a red string that hung loosely over his chest, the dark strands contrasting beautifully against his teal robe.
He radiated a composed, scholarly air, smiling with just the right amount of distance to seem both friendly and mysterious. Without realizing it, the five relaxed.
“H-Hello,” Zhao Qian greeted cautiously, taking the lead. “How should we address you, brother?”
Ye Jinran paused for a moment, then replied smoothly, “You may call me Ye Jing. The name is nothing special.”
“Brother Ye,” Zhao said politely, “we’ve been staying in the village for several days now but I don’t recall seeing you around. Are you a villager?”
Ye Jinran chuckled softly and shook his head. “Naturally not. I’m here visiting an old acquaintance. I only arrived this morning. If you’d seen me before, that would’ve been the real mystery.”
He wasn’t lying. He had entered this dungeon many times before. He knew every inch of the map, and could walk it blindfolded. Visiting an old acquaintance wasn’t exactly wrong, either.
This instance’s space channels were stable, meaning the System Store operated normally here. There was no need for a physical branch, so his visits were always brief, just long enough to collect the S-grade item hidden within.
That particular item was supposed to be the True Ending reward but since no player had ever reached it, Ye Jinran retrieved it after each dungeon reset to restock his shelves.
There was a hidden rule: as long as the S-grade item “Mist Veil Flower” was in stock at the store, the dungeon would not produce another one. And without the item, the True Ending could never be achieved.
Which meant, Ye Jinran thought with mild amusement, this team had chosen a very fortunate moment to come here. Perhaps their only real chance at a True End.
S-grade props were rarely purchased or used, so despite being unique, they seldom went out of stock. Who knew when the next opportunity like this would appear?
Zhao Qian nodded uncertainly. Normally, he would have been on guard against any NPC that appeared suddenly but something about this man disarmed him completely. The idea that something was wrong flickered in his mind, then slipped away.
Politeness demanded reciprocity, so Ye Jinran smiled and returned the question.
“And what about you all?” he asked pleasantly. “What brings you to Nanjin Village?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Nycreth
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
No pressure. Just a tiny coffee-shaped bribe. ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Blood Moon Town: ShhhChapter 2 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (1)Chapter 3 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (2)Chapter 4 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (3)Chapter 5 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (4)Chapter 6 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 7 · The Mist of Nanjin Village (6)Chapter 8 · The mist over Nanjin Village (7)Chapter 9 · The Mystery of Nanjin Village (The End)Chapter 10 · Real WorldChapter 11 · Riding The Wind (1)Chapter 12 · Riding The Wind (2)Chapter 13 · Riding The Wind (3)Chapter 14 · Riding The Wind (4)Chapter 15 · Riding The Wind (5)Chapter 16 · Riding The Wind (6)Chapter 17 · Riding The Wind (7)Chapter 18 · Riding The Wind (8)Chapter 19 · Riding The Wind (9)Chapter 20 · Riding The Wind (10)Chapter 21 Part 1 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 21 Part 2 · Riding The Wind (11)Chapter 22 · Real World (1)Chapter 23 · Real World (2)Chapter 24 · Golden Sands Fade Away (1)Chapter 25 · Golden Sands Fade Away (2)Chapter 26 · Golden Sands Fade Away (3)Chapter 27 · Golden Sands Fade Away (4)Chapter 28 · Golden Sands Fade Away (5)Chapter 29 · Golden Sands Fade Away (6)Chapter 30 · Golden Sands Fade Away (7)Chapter 31 · Golden Sands Fade Away (8)Chapter 32 · Golden Sands Fade Away (9)Chapter 33 · Golden Sands Fade Away (10)Chapter 34 · Golden Sands Fade Away (11)Chapter 35 · Golden Sands Fade Away (12)Chapter 36 · Golden Sands Fade Away (13)Chapter 37 · Golden Sands Fade Away (14)Chapter 38 · Golden Sands Fade Away (15)Chapter 39 · Golden Sands Fade Away (16)Chapter 40 · Golden Sands Fade Away (17)Chapter 41 · Golden Sands Fade Away (18)Chapter 42 · Golden Sands Fade Away (19)Chapter 43 · Golden Sands Fade Away (20)Chapter 44 · Golden Sands Fade Away (21)Chapter 45 · Golden Sands Fade Away (22)Chapter 46 · Golden Sands Fade Away (23)Chapter 47 · Golden Sands Fade Away (24)Chapter 48 · Golden Sands Fade Away (25) The EndChapter 49 · Main God’s DomainChapter 50 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (1)Chapter 51 · Anomaly Investigation Bureau (2)Chapter 52 · Item FactoryChapter 53 · Defrosted Friendship (1)Chapter 54 · Defrosted Friendship (2)Chapter 55 · Defrosted Friendship (3)Chapter 56 · Defrosted Friendship (4)Chapter 57 · Defrosted Friendship (5)Chapter 58 · Defrosted Friendship (6)Chapter 59 · Defrosted Friendship (7)Chapter 60 · Defrosted Friendship (8)Chapter 61 · Defrosted Friendship (9)Chapter 62 · Defrosted Friendship (10)Chapter 63 · Defrosted Friendship (11)Chapter 64 · Defrosted Friendship (12)Chapter 65 · Defrosted Friendship (13)Chapter 66 · Defrosted Friendship (14)Chapter 67 · Defrosted Friendship (15)Chapter 68 · Defrosted Friendship (16)Chapter 69 · Defrosted Friendship (End)Chapter 70 · The Real WorldChapter 71 · Matching TimeChapter 72 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (1)Chapter 73 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (2)Chapter 74 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (3)Chapter 75 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (4)Chapter 76 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (5)Chapter 77 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (6)Chapter 78 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (7)Chapter 79 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (8)Chapter 80 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (9)Chapter 81 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (10)Chapter 82 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (11)Chapter 83 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (12)Chapter 84 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (13)Chapter 85 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (14)Chapter 86 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (15)Chapter 87 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (16)Chapter 88 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (17)Chapter 89 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (18)Chapter 90 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (19)Chapter 91 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (20)Chapter 92 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (21)Chapter 93 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (22)Chapter 94 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (23)Chapter 95 · The Meaning of Endless Abundance (Complete)Chapter 96 · The Main God Invites You for TeaChapter 97 · The Player ForumChapter 98 · Training GroundChapter 99 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (1)Chapter 100 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (2)Chapter 101 · Eternal Night – The Stone-Striker (3)Chapter 102 · Eternal Night · The One Who Strikes the Stone (Finale)