CH 1

I won the championship, I transmigrated. What more is there to say?

"Welcome to the finals of the World Championship of 'Warfall'! The highly anticipated ultimate battle is about to begin. Who will claim the crown of the world champion? Let's wait and see!"

Amidst a lively cheer, the camera focuses on the player seats.

In the unprecedented esports arena, the barrage of bullet comments in the live chat fills the screen, and the cheers of the live audience threaten to overturn the roof of the venue. However, amidst this enthusiastic clamor, Ji Mingzhu, as a finalist, remains remarkably calm.

He appears to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, yet exudes an inexplicable air of laziness. With slightly drooping eyelids, he seems to perceive himself not on the highly anticipated world championship stage, but rather at a mundane family gathering during the Lunar New Year, displaying a bored expression.

【God Ji is literally showing his boredom on his face, hahaha】

【God Ji, wake up! It's the finals!】

【Damn it, this guy's calm and composed demeanor is somehow charming】

【The coach on the side must be freaking out, hahaha】

Despite his seemingly indifferent demeanor, Ji Mingzhu's exceptional features grant him a unique charm. Even without making any expressions, just standing there like a sculpture is enough to attract a large number of fans. The nickname "The Fugitive Idol of the Esports Circle" is not unfounded. Although he was mocked as a mere decorative presence by esports fans during the early stages of his career, as he advanced to the world finals, those doubts vanished along with his splendid achievements.

Ji Mingzhu glanced helplessly at the other professional players below, who were loudly cheering with their hands forming makeshift megaphones. He waved them off in a perfunctory manner and then entered the operating cockpit in front of him. The hatch closed, isolating the noise from the outside.

Subsequently, the match began.

"God Ji is still so aloof..."

The commentator on the stage forced a laugh and said, "His opponent is Francis from the European division, who has already won several world championships before. Facing such a formidable opponent, even though God Ji has never experienced a defeat since his debut, I believe he must be under pressure at this moment."

In response to the commentator's attempt to salvage the situation, the barrage comments burst out with laughter, saying, "Hahaha." Does Ji Mingzhu's expression really look like he's under pressure? He practically has the words "I'm tired, let's finish the game and go home to sleep" written all over his face. If it were any other player behaving so leisurely in the grand finals, they would undoubtedly be heavily criticized. But if it's Ji Mingzhu, it seems perfectly reasonable.

He has always been like this. Even when playing in team matches, while his teammates are shouting themselves hoarse, he still maintains this slow and leisurely demeanor, and then unleashes a burst of incredible plays, just like Nüwa repairing the sky.

"Alright, the game officially begins. Francis has chosen the Norman IV model, which is a heavily armored firepower-based mech. It is also known as the 'fortress turtle' and leans more towards defensive and offensive capabilities in its equipment selection... It seems he has studied God Ji's playstyle in advance, as this combination is quite effective against assault-type mechs."

"On God Ji's side, he has chosen Hurricane Chernobyl. Is he not planning to change tactics? Hurricane Chernobyl is at a disadvantage against the Norman IV... Okay, he's locked in. It seems he's truly determined to move forward with the unconventional version. Both sides are checking their weapon loadouts. The game is about to begin!"

【Using Hurricane Chernobyl against the Norman IV? Isn't that just giving away free kills?】

【I think God Ji chose it randomly... Didn't someone summarize the pattern of his mecha selection? If we calculate the days, today seems to be the day for playing Hurricane Chernobyl, right?】

【No, this is the World Finals... It's a bit too childish, isn't it?】

【God Ji has always had this style. Old fans are used to it. I hope Francis can hold on for a few more rounds so that it will be my favorite No. 6 Parade Voyager's turn to play.】

The barrage discussion did not affect the progress of the game. It was evident that Francis took his opponent very seriously. He immediately maximized his energy output, and the heavy mech stomped on the ground, causing a rumbling tremor. The tall buildings in the game's city map appeared fragile in front of the enormous mech. Accompanied by the roaring sound of the power system operating at high speed, the blue electric blade of the UR titanium shield flashed, effortlessly slicing a building in half like tofu, and it was aimed directly at the Hurricane Chernobyl in front!

"Francis takes the first move! Very standard variable frequency steps, precise micro-operations. He truly deserves to be in the finals! He has a deep foundation. The frontal combat capabilities of the fully powered Norman IV are too strong. Dealing with God Ji's mech will be challenging. He should choose to use his agility advantage to temporarily evade... What?! He didn't dodge?!"

"Hurricane Chernobyl confronts it head-on! How dare he?!"

"The alloy blade is unsheathed! Power raised to 61%. GDI leaps and counterattacks with a backhand slash, followed by a secondary military knife strike! Damn, the attack of the Norman IV was broken?! This micro-operation! How did he do it?!"

Ji Mingzhu's personality and his fighting style are completely opposite. The red and black-colored Titanium alloy blade reflects a dazzling halo in the sunlight. Compared to the broad and heavy figure of the Norman IV, the slender and agile Hurricane Chernobyl exhibits incredible maneuvers. Even experienced commentators have no idea how he achieved it. In the next moment, the Hurricane Chernobyl controlled by Ji Mingzhu swiftly drew out the alloy blade, with an angle so precise that it attacked the weak spot in the defense of the Norman IV—

"Boom!" 

With a resounding blast, a fissure appeared on the shoulder of the Norman IV mech, revealing a dense network of circuits and modules underneath, emitting sparks and crackling electric lights due to the severed wires. If it weren't for Francis's quick reaction, maneuvering the mech to retreat at a critical moment, that strike from the Hurricane Chernobyl would have been enough to shatter his power core!

"Close call! Francis managed to dodge it, his core wasn't hit! Truly the reflexes of a top-tier player! Francis has created distance and activated the firepower system, preparing to utilize the advantage of overwhelming firepower."

"Boom, boom, boom!"

At the same moment, the armor plates of the Norman IV mech lifted, and a multitude of missiles and rockets, trailing flames, locked onto their targets and relentlessly rained down on Ji Mingzhu's direction. Buildings and city overpasses erupted in a continuous chorus of explosions under the ferocious barrage, with massive fragments of cement and rocks being hurled through the air, resembling meteorites descending in a scene reminiscent of doomsday.

"Francis has initiated a heavy firepower suppression! How can this be? The Hurricane Chernobyl is an assault-type mech, lacking in firepower compared to heavy mechs. It's difficult to evade such dense coverage... Evaded? He dodged it!"

The Hurricane Chernobyl, standing several dozen meters tall, under Ji Mingzhu's control, exhibited no sense of heaviness whatsoever. It moved like an incredibly agile assassin, darting through the dense barrage and steadily closing in on the Norman IV mech.

"Variable footwork? No, there's also a recoil step into Zero-Style Spin... It's becoming hard to comprehend. At least five variations of assault footwork intertwined. My goodness, how did he manage such complex maneuvers?! This reaction speed and manual dexterity are godlike!"

In the presence of everyone's gaze, within the nearly ruined steel forest, the body of Hurricane Chernobyl gracefully rose, seemingly defying gravity as it half-rotated in the air. Its legs lifted like lightning, and through the gaps in the mecha's armor, one could even see the cables in its right leg twisting together, emitting a faint squeaking sound. Then, it performed an exaggerated and highly difficult knee strike in mid-air!

"Boom!"

With a deafening sound, the tremendous impact caused debris from the outer armor to fly off at the point of contact between the two mechas. The colossal Norman IV model, as heavy as a mountain range, was forcefully knocked back, tilting at a forty-five-degree angle, barely maintaining balance.

By the time Francis regained his composure, the figure of Hurricane Chernobyl had already disappeared in front of him!

Francis immediately felt a sense of foreboding. His gaze quickly shifted, and in the next moment, the body of the Norman IV sank. The sudden weight made its leg joints emit an overwhelmed creaking sound.

"It's above!"

Francis maneuvered his mecha to look upward.

At some point, Hurricane Chernobyl had already leaped onto the rear of the Norman IV, just like a hunter subduing a massive rhinoceros. It firmly gripped the back armor of the Norman IV, and the Titanium alloy blade in its hand even had time to perform a mid-air toss, then raised it high--

Inside the cockpit, Ji Mingzhu still maintained a calm expression. He loosened his wrist and firmly grasped the main control lever in front of him.

"Apologies... General."

"Swish!"

The alloy blade sliced through the air, transforming into a streak of black and crimson lightning as it pierced the back of the Norman IV. The friction between the Titanium alloy and the armor at the back of the neck created a dazzling shower of sparks, resembling a torch ignited in the midst of the steel forest, radiating brilliance.

Mech pierced!

The word "victory" appeared in the center of the competition screen. Simultaneously, the two commentators on the field rose from their seats, their voices escalating to the brink of breaking.

"The Norman IV has been pierced! It's a decisive strike! The outcome is settled!"

"Let us congratulate... Ji Mingzhu!"

"The unbelievable reaction speed and skills, a well-deserved world champion! Ji Mingzhu continues his undefeated legend, successfully capturing the championship throne of the World Tournament!"

The thunderous cheers and the sounds of fireworks and cannons erupted like an overwhelming tidal wave. Golden flakes rained down, and flowers and applause surged toward the center of the arena, converging into a passionate frenzy. The atmosphere was electric, resembling thunder in the night sky of the esports stadium.

...

"Rumble—"

"Rumble, rumble—"

Ji Mingzhu stared at the passing tram outside the window, his gaze unwavering, as if contemplating something. After a while, he let out a deep sigh.

"Your heart rate frequency is abnormal. Preliminary analysis suggests a disruption in endocrine function affecting your bodily functions, as well as issues with the neuroendocrine axis and growth hormone axis. Would you like to undergo further scanning and diagnosis?"

A crisp voice echoed in his mind, somewhat resembling that of a prepubescent boy, yet with an inorganic tone.

"Not necessary."

Ji Mingzhu rubbed his forehead helplessly. "I'm just feeling a bit down, and with all those professional terms, you're making it sound like I have a terminal illness."

"A low mood is one of the clinical manifestations, often accompanied by slowed thinking, memory decline, lack of pleasure, and even suicidal thoughts. For the sake of your physical and mental health, I suggest enhancing your daily exercise routine. I have already searched for nearby gyms, and there is currently a grand opening promotion offering a 30% discount on all services. Recharging 500 credits will grant you 1,000 bonus points..."

Then a light blue virtual window popped up in front of him, with a gorgeous and eye-catching promotional poster in the center. Four muscular men struck powerful poses on the poster, exuding a strong and brotherly aura.

Ji Mingzhu: "..."

"Let's not talk about that for now."

Ji Mingzhu gave up on that topic and rubbed his forehead. "So, if I understand correctly... I've awakened and traveled through time?"

Otherwise, he couldn't explain his current situation. He had just won the world championship in "Warfall" and returned home after the club's victory celebration, expecting to wake up in his own comfortable bed. Instead, he found himself in a rundown rental house.

The rental house was narrow and cramped, with worn-out furnishings that exuded a "I'm impoverished" vibe. The small sofa opposite him had a few holes, revealing the springs inside that had lost their elasticity.

The reason Ji Mingzhu felt he had traveled through time instead of being kidnapped was because of the suspended monorail train passing by outside the window. It wasn't the type of tram or subway he normally saw. The long elevated track traversed the city, with the train hanging underneath it, moving forward in a suspended manner. Through the window, he could vaguely see the gigantic billboards on tall buildings flashing neon lights, and shuttle-like vehicles  resembling transportation vehicles moving back and forth in the sky.

The colorful neon lights illuminated the night sky, creating a vibrant and dazzling display. Even though Ji Mingzhu could only catch a glimpse of a corner of this city through the small and rundown window, he could be certain that it was not the familiar society he was accustomed to. After all, his original era didn't have so many cyberpunk-inspired elements.

And then there was the voice of this AI in his mind...

"Can you be uninstalled?" Ji Mingzhu humbly inquired. "I'm not used to having a voice directly speaking in my mind. It makes me feel insecure."

"I understand. It seems you belong to a conservative ideological group," the AI responded.

"Conservative group?" Ji Mingzhu asked.

"The conservative group believes that the emergence of personal terminals monitors every action of life, making it an infringement on personal privacy. They strongly oppose terminal implants. This perspective is not uncommon. Although authoritative studies indicate that personal terminals are very secure, many humans still desire a sense of mental security."

Ji Mingzhu replied, "You make a valid point. Coincidentally, I am someone who lacks a sense of security, so..."

"I apologize."

The voice of the young boy sounded once again, "I cannot self-uninstall. Your terminal is implanted in the back of your neck and requires a deep surgical procedure to remove it. By the way, the cost of terminal removal surgery fluctuates around 310,000, which far exceeds your personal account balance."

Ji Mingzhu remained silent.

"Besides the price, the success rate of terminal removal surgery is also an important factor for you to consider," the voice continued.

The young boy's voice confidently explained, "Considering that you seem to be experiencing symptoms of memory loss and lack basic knowledge of this world, I suggest keeping the terminal. As an assistant-type terminal, my functions are quite comprehensive, and I can help answer many of your questions."

Ji Mingzhu was convinced, "Alright, then tell me some basic information about this world."

The voice of the young boy stuttered for a moment, "I'm sorry, my memory module has missing data, so I am temporarily unable to provide an answer."

"...What about my identity? Do I have any relatives or friends?"

"I'm sorry, my memory module has missing data, so I am temporarily unable to provide an answer."

"Who is your creator?"

"I'm sorry, my memory module has missing data, so I am temporarily unable to provide an answer."

Ji Mingzhu became unusually angry, "...Don't you know anything at all?!"