Prologue First Encounter

  In the suburbs of Zhongzhou City, Huaxia State, at noon.

  This is an ordinary street in a common residential area, where the scorching summer sun bakes the earth and the sparse pedestrians, making passersby occasionally complain or curse at the uncomfortable weather. Although it's not desolate here, it won't be as bustling and prosperous as the city center either.

  On the edge of the street, a motionless figure lay there. The scorching sun was like fire, but he was wrapped in black clothes from head to toe, and the dark fabric must have been unbearably hot under the direct sunlight, the ground had already been scorched to an extent that made people dare not even touch it, the feeling of this black clothing sticking to his skin made one's heart tremble just thinking about it. And yet, this person had been lying here for a whole day and night.

  "What is this person still doing here?"

  "He's probably dead already."

  The gaze of passersby would only briefly linger on him before hastily leaving. Most people living here dwell at the bottom of society, rushing about daily for a living, and in this apathetic society, kindness is the cheapest thing to them. At the same time, in this era, those who fall by the roadside are definitely not worth saving, which has unknowingly become an icy consensus.

  "Mom, look quickly, is there a person over there? Is he sick?" A little boy holding his mother's hand pointed at the man on the ground and said.

  "Don't go near him, don't forget what mom said. Many people who are lying on the roadside have been abandoned because they got infected with 'Isloka'. We must not get close, or we will be infected too. Come, let's move further away."

  "Ah!" The little boy exclaimed, his face showing a frightened expression, and he actively pulled his mother's hand to run further away, not even daring to look at him again.

  Even a six- or seven-year-old boy knows about the terror of "Istilok".

  Isloka is a terrible disease that gradually erodes the human body's immunity and vitality until it disappears completely. The only way to contract the disease is by being infected with the "Isloka virus". Its nature is similar to AIDS, which was prevalent in the 20th and 21st centuries, but it is even more terrifying than AIDS. So far, the longest-lived person with Isloka has only survived for five years.

  After entering the 30th century, humanity suffered from the revenge of nature. In order to compete for increasingly limited resources, terrible wars broke out frequently, and gunpowder smoke rose everywhere. After the war, under the nuclear pollution and magnetic pollution left behind, the "Isloka" virus was produced. People with weak innate immunity who have been in a heavily polluted environment for a long time will easily produce the "Isloka" virus in their bodies, and the appearance of the "Isloka" virus also means that this life is nearing its end.

  What's even more frightening is the contagiousness of the "Izloka" virus. It can be transmitted through any form of bodily fluid... including blood, saliva, and even sweat... So when someone contracts the "Izloka" virus, their family usually has no choice but to ruthlessly abandon them. Because no amount of money or effort can save their life, leaving them behind would only risk infecting more people...

  "Islorca" is like a terrible devil that people avoid at all costs. It is also known as the heavenly punishment for humanity's cruel wars. Because there are no nuclear and magnetic contaminations left by war, the "Islorca" virus would not have been produced. Thus, under the condemnation and call of people from all over the world, the well-known "Hundred-Year Non-Aggression Pact" was signed by various countries. And the battlefield for resolving international disputes also moved to the virtual game world, the second world that humanity has long relied on, as stipulated in the "Pact".

  Settling disputes with the outcome of wars in the game world, this method was accepted by the vast majority of humans around the world. After the signing of the "Hundred Years Non-Aggression Pact", the development of virtual game worlds also reached an unprecedented peak. Countries will also invest a lot of financial and human resources in cultivating top players in the game world.

  After the "Hundred Years' Truce Treaty", as nuclear pollution and magnetic pollution gradually faded, fewer and fewer people suffered from "Ithysloka", but the shadow of fear it left to humanity was destined to never disperse.

  As a result, the black-clad man who had collapsed by the side of the road was naturally assumed to be an abandoned victim infected with "Islotoka" virus, and no one dared to approach him.

  Until...

  "Big brother! Big brother, wake up quickly, lying on the ground like this will get you heatstroke. Big brother..."

  In front of the man, a girl in a light yellow dress appeared. She looked like she was only about ten years old, with eyes as beautiful as stars and skin as delicate as a porcelain doll. Anyone who saw her would involuntarily stop in their tracks, wondering if they had just seen a fairy who had accidentally fallen to earth.

  The girl held a cup of half-drunk cold drink in one hand, and with the other small hand, she opened an umbrella to shade herself from the sun. She gently shook the motionless man, her eyes filled with anxiety and worry, and her mouth let out soft cries.

  Perhaps the man's coma was not deep, or maybe he had never really been in a coma. At the girl's not-too-loud call, the man's body moved slightly, then slowly and with great difficulty, lifted his head, revealing a pale male face. This was a boy who looked only sixteen or seventeen years old, with disheveled hair, completely dry lips, and a face that presented a frightening pallor. He slightly opened his eyes, and his dull gaze met a pair of extremely bright and pure eyes.

  So beautiful... eyes...

  "It's great, it's great, you're finally awake!" The girl let out a soft sigh and then smiled happily. The young man stared at the girl's pure and innocent smile through his blurry vision, momentarily stunned. Before today, he had experienced too many cold eyes and indifference, and had long been accustomed to it. He couldn't believe that in this world, there still existed such a pair of pure and clear eyes.

  "Big brother, are you sick? Can you get up? It's going to be very hot lying on the ground like that... Ah, don't worry, my dad and mom will come over soon. They'll help big brother, yeah, my dad is a doctor, he'll definitely make big brother feel better." The girl held up an umbrella to shade his upper body, asking and comforting him with a soft and gentle voice.

  The man moved his dry, cracked lips, his throat as if on fire, he tried for a long time, but only managed to utter one word...

  Water...

  "Water..." The girl fanned her eyes, then put the half-drunk cold drink to his lips: "I don't have water... will this do? It's cool and sweet."

  The girl carefully placed the straw in his mouth, and the young man exerted all his strength to take a long sip. Instantly, a cool, refreshing liquid filled his mouth like a clear spring. Then it flowed slowly down his throat, into a body that seemed to have already died. In that instant, he finally felt the existence of his own body, and his vision cleared up a lot. He bit tightly on the straw that had pulled him back from the brink of death, his eyes fixed on the girl who was staring at him at the same time, unwilling to leave.

  "Is it delicious? If it's delicious, then drink it all up. If you want more, I'll ask Mom and Dad to buy some later." Seeing him sucking so hard, the girl's slender eyebrows curved into two crescent moons, revealing a smile that was cute to the extreme. This smile also deeply imprinted itself in his heart... He knew that for this lifetime, he would never be able to forget this moment, nor would he ever forget this girl.

  Even footsteps came from behind, the girl immediately turned around and waved her hand shouting: "Dad, mom, I'm here, this big brother fainted."

  A couple who were still under middle age came, their ordinary clothes showing that they were not a wealthy family. When they saw the girl and the man lying on the ground beside her, they were both shocked at the same time.

  "Yao Yao, leave him quickly!" The girl's mother rushed over in terror, hastily pulling the girl to one side. In a soft cry, the cold drink cup slipped from the girl's hand and spilled all over the floor.

  "Waa... Mom, why did you pull me away? Big brother is thirsty and wants to drink water... Mom, Dad, can't you save him? Dad, you're a great doctor, right? You'll definitely be able to save him, won't you?" The girl struggled slightly in her mother's arms, still looking at the young man with concern.

  "Don't worry, he didn't get Isloka."

  The girl's father was a doctor, and he often came into contact with many patients suffering from Isoloka. After taking a few glances at the young man, he already knew that he didn't have Isoloka. Upon hearing his words, the girl's mother finally put her mind at ease. She squatted down, flashing an apologetic smile at the young man: "Child, I'm sorry, earlier I was too worried and... what's your name? Why are you here?"

  The boy's lips moved slightly, and after a long time, he finally managed to utter in a strained voice: "I... am called..."

  What's my name now... I don't know.

  Because I've decided to forget my old name... I really hope I can forget it forever.

  ……

  ……