Yuan Feng was already envisioning his road to greatness.With the global announcement inflating his ego sky-high, he didn't even bother wasting time on the average nobodies still huddled in the gym.
His sights were set on something bigger.Much bigger.
He pointed at two people without hesitation.
"You. You. You two are with me."
His voice was commanding, like a general picking out lieutenants.He nodded toward Rain Lin, and another guy who had been standing silently—Kai.
Then he turned to the crowd.
"I need three more: a healer, a tank, and a speed-type. B-tier talents only. First come, first serve."
To seal the deal, he tossed a spare core toward Rain Lin.
"Take it. You've earned it."
Rain Lin caught the glowing crystal like it was a blessing from heaven.Her eyes lit up.
After all, this was Yuan Feng—the guy who just got announced to the entire world.Who wouldn't want to join his party?
And he gave her a crystal core. Just like that?
Rain's heart skipped.He wasn't even that good-looking, but… power had its own charm.
Kai watched silently from the back, lips twitching in amusement.
And just like that… humanity's thirst for power starts showing its fangs.
In his previous life, things had gone a little differently.
Back then, Yuan Feng didn't get the global announcement.He didn't even realize the secret of leveling until after killing over a dozen dimensional worms with the gym group.Only when he was nearly frothing with frustration did he accept that monster kills didn't grant XP.
Eventually, he had tried to form a team, just like now.He even asked Rain Lin to join him.
She had refused.
Despite only having a D-tier wind talent, Rain had always carried herself with the grace and confidence of someone with a powerful family backing her.Even with signals down, she believed her family—likely harboring A-tier talents—would emerge dominant in this apocalypse.
She didn't need Yuan Feng.
But this time?
He had the announcement.
First to reach Level 1, out of billions.A walking legend.
Rain Lin didn't hesitate. She accepted with a sweet nod.
Kai, meanwhile, kept his expression neutral.
He didn't mind.
More talents in one team?More corpses for him later.
Doesn't matter if you're a genius, a goddess, or just in the way. In the end, if it makes me stronger… you're fair game.
That was the only truth in this world.
Rain absorbed the core right then and there.No one blinked.
In fact, it kicked off a rush.
Dozens of others suddenly surged toward Yuan Feng, begging to join his squad.
In the end, he chose:
Wan Gang, B-tier tank.
Xu Gongqing, B-tier speed type.
And surprisingly—Han Xueying, B-tier healer.
That last one was new.
In Kai's previous life, Han Xueying hadn't joined Yuan Feng at all.Guess the butterfly effect of the announcement was already in motion.
As the team prepped to leave the gym, a voice cut through the air.
"Brother Feng! Wait—I wanna join too!"
Yuan Feng turned slowly, clearly annoyed.
"My party's full."
The guy pleading was Tian Hong—and he looked desperate.
Suddenly, he pointed at Kai.
"Then let me replace him!"
Yuan Feng frowned, but Tian Hong plowed ahead, speaking fast:
"That guy's got some useless F-tier talent that can't even deal damage. I, on the other hand, have a C-tier metal manipulation ability! I can fight, I can dig out cores! Whatever he can do, I can do better!"
The gym went quiet.
People stared at Tian Hong, eyebrows raised.
The apocalypse was new.Most folks still had some respect for the dead.Kai's fireball incinerations looked clean, painless—even merciful.
But this guy?
He was openly volunteering to cut open corpses with metal tools to harvest cores.
That was… a lot.
Yuan Feng didn't even flinch.
"No need. My team's got enough firepower."
But it wasn't just about combat.
In Yuan Feng's eyes, Kai was useful.
He was the first to discover crystal cores, after all.And the game had just begun—who knew what other secrets he might uncover?
Maybe he could help unlock another global announcement.
Tian Hong's face turned pale.He glared daggers at Kai, practically shaking with frustration.
They'd never gotten along.
Pre-apocalypse, Tian Hong had hated Kai for one reason:
The girl he liked… liked Kai instead.
Kai had always been better.Smarter. Cooler.
Now, finally, Tian Hong thought he had the edge.He had a combat-ready talent.Kai had a glorified cremation candle.
But somehow, Kai had already attached himself to the strongest guy in the room.
Unfair.
But Tian Hong wasn't the only one fuming.
Even Han Xueying—the team's new healer—was irritated.
She hesitated, then spoke up:
"If we're not short on combat abilities… then isn't Rain Lin kind of unnecessary?"
The gym got real quiet.
This wasn't some behind-the-scenes beef.
Everyone knew Rain Lin and Han Xueying had been rivals for years.
They both competed in the campus goddess elections—neither won.But Rain took the title of CS Department Queen, and Han reigned over the Medical Department.
The tension was real.
Now? It was boiling again.
Everyone leaned in.
Even Yuan Feng was enjoying it a little too much.
Two beauties fighting over me? Not bad…
He cleared his throat and tried to sound official.
"My Dragonflame skill is a bit overkill for weaker mobs. Rain's wind blades are more efficient in those cases."
He emphasized the name.
"Rain."
She smiled sweetly.
Then—without hesitation—she flung a razor-sharp wind blade across the gym.
It whistled through the air—
Just barely grazing Han Xueying's cheek.
The intended target? Tian Hong.
The real message? Crystal clear.
This game had rules.But it was still survival of the fittest.
And right now?
Rain Lin wasn't backing down from anyone.