C2 – System Activation

A group of students burst into a dormitory building and secured the door behind them.

“Are we going to die?” a girl asked, her face drained of color.

“Don’t worry, the government is aware and will surely send the military to rescue us!” a boy reassured her. That boy was Lang Zhe.

“Lang Zhe, did Yan Cheng make it out?” Huang Qiu’s voice cut through the tension. Lang Zhe turned to face her.

“Boss, I lost sight of him back at the cafeteria, so I honestly don’t know,” Lang Zhe admitted, his expression betraying little hope.

Just then, the relentless pounding of zombies on the dormitory door began.

“We need to head upstairs!” Huang Qiu urged, her concern for Yan Cheng momentarily set aside.

​Meanwhile, Yan Cheng lay unconscious on his bed, his phone emitting an unusual sound.

“Parasite located, initiating symbiosis,” a voice announced as an electric arc jumped from Yan Cheng’s laptop to his phone.

“Symbiosis complete!” The phone screen finally glowed to life.

After setting down his phone, Yan Cheng noticed something gleaming within the head of the zombie he had just slain. Approaching, he discovered a sparkling energy crystal and picked it up.

​”Energy crystal detected. Commencing active absorption!”

​”Who’s there?” Yan Cheng asked, on high alert. He then saw his phone light up, casting a beam directly onto the crystal in his hand. In a flash, the crystal vanished.

“What just happened?” Yan Cheng was utterly baffled.

“Hello, I am the assistant for the Materialization System, here to guide you through its use.”

“System?” Yan Cheng sensed that he might have just hit the jackpot.

“Yes!”

After a moment to take it all in, Yan Cheng inquired, “Could you explain the system to me?”

“This is the Materialization System for mobile phones, which can materialize items from mobile games. This process of materialization requires energy.”

​”Mobile games?” Yan Cheng exclaimed, then added, “Hold on, let me download some more games first.”

He had quickly zeroed in on the crucial detail!