When he touched the cracked screen, the phone lit up again.
The menu was simple, just like the original novel described: a list of dungeons. Yet there was already one glowing icon.
Ant Nest.
His brows furrowed slightly.
So the dungeon was already there, just as in the story. He couldn't erase it from reality, but he could access it. His own special ability—Dungeon Capture—was not yet tested, but at least the phone still worked like canon.
He tapped the icon.
The screen shifted. Darkness filled his vision, the stench of damp earth and rusted soil filling his senses. His body wasn't here—he knew that—but the immersion was terrifyingly real. Every vibration of the tunnel walls, every scrape of insect legs, every bead of sweat felt authentic.
And when a pair of crimson eyes gleamed in the darkness, his heart hammered in his chest as if his life were on the line.
The Ant Soldier rushed forward. Its body was armored, its mandibles sharp as blades.
Zhou Wen raised the rusted sword in trembling hands. He slashed clumsily. Sparks flew as steel met chitin, but his arms shook with the impact.
The soldier retaliated with brutal force. He tried to dodge, but he was far too slow. Pain lanced through his body as the mandibles tore into his side. He screamed—then pixels scattered.
The screen went black.
A soft ding echoed.
> Player Defeated.
Zhou Wen stared at the glowing screen in silence, his chest heaving. He wasn't dead in reality—but the pain had been real enough.
Blood welled at his fingertip. He pressed it to the screen.
> Revival Successful.
He gasped as his body reformed inside the Ant Nest. The same tunnel. The same shadows. The same monster.
"Too weak…" he muttered. Even with the cheats promised by the system, his current stats were pathetic.
He wasn't strong enough yet.
---
The next day, on the training grounds, he faced her.
An Jing.
Clad in white, her movements were as elegant as they were merciless. Zhou Wen's borrowed sword trembled under her strikes. He tried every trick he had, but her skill was overwhelming.
Within minutes, he was disarmed and pinned to the ground, her blade resting near his throat.
Her calm eyes studied him for a long moment.
"You're weaker than I thought," she said flatly. "Don't waste your time. You'll only get yourself killed in a dungeon."
He forced a bitter smile, masking the flicker of ambition in his heart. "Maybe you're right."
She sheathed her sword and walked away, her white figure disappearing into the crowd.
Zhou Wen lay on the ground a moment longer, his fingers curling into fists.
He had no intention of staying weak.
---
That night, he returned to the Ant Nest. Again and again, he fought the soldier. Again and again, he died. The pain was unbearable, the defeats humiliating. But every revival brought sharper reflexes, keener awareness, a more precise grasp of timing.
Hours passed before finally, his trembling blade pierced the Ant Soldier's neck. The monster let out a screech and collapsed, dissolving into light.
The phone buzzed.
> Companion Egg Dropped.
The egg glowed faintly, warm in his digital hands. Max potential. His cheat had worked.
The shell cracked open. A small ant crawled out, no larger than his palm. Its black carapace gleamed, and its beady eyes looked at him with unusual clarity.
It tilted its head and chirped softly.
For some reason, Zhou Wen thought it was… cute.
A faint connection stirred between them. The crossbreed function flickered in his system menu, as if tempting him with possibilities.
Zhou Wen smiled faintly.
"So even ants can become companions now… interesting."
He stroked the tiny creature's head. Its mandibles clicked happily, like a pet greeting its master.
The bond was faint, but real.
And for the first time since arriving in this world, Zhou Wen felt a flicker of warmth.
He wasn't alone.
---
End of Chapter 2
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