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0.07% Re: Evolution Online / Chapter 1: Second Chance
Re: Evolution Online Re: Evolution Online original

Re: Evolution Online

Author: Yolohy

© WebNovel

Chapter 1: Second Chance

Thwack!

A sharp kick landed squarely on Liam's stomach, causing him to double over in pain. He was nothing more than a frail figure.

"Didn't I tell you to bring more lunch money today? Do you want me to starve, you little punk?" sneered a healthier-looking student clad in a school uniform as he delivered yet another blow to Liam's battered body.

Liam coughed up blood, his feeble frame collapsing onto the ground. He lay there, helpless and broken, while the relentless assault continued.

"Hey, take it easy, man. Don't go too far," another student cautioned, watching from the sidelines.

"Nah, this guy's a pushover, but he can take a beating. Ain't that right, Liam? You're the best punching bag in the whole damn school," taunted the healthier student, preparing for another kick. However, their cruel intentions were interrupted by the blaring sound of the school bell.

"Alright, let's get out of here. We don't want to be late for that horrible teacher's class. I'm not spending my evening in detention, staring at her ugly mug again," the group of high school bullies casually conversed, leaving Liam behind in the alleyway, forgotten and discarded.

Liam lay there in silence, his body frozen with fear. It wasn't because he dreaded the bullies who had just mercilessly beaten him. No, it was something entirely different that paralyzed him.

Just moments ago, he had been fighting for his life, competing for an elixir that was a coveted treasure. But how could he measure up to the other formidable contenders? He was nothing more than a small fry.

In the end, he had been struck down without breaking a sweat. But instead of meeting his demise, he found himself inexplicably transported back in time three years to when everything began.

With each passing second, Liam became increasingly certain that what he was experiencing was real, not a twisted figment of his imagination. There was no denying it—he had miraculously been granted a second chance, back to the days of his high school life when everything had yet to unfold.

The reality hit him like a hammer, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. The pain that coursed through his battered body served as a stark reminder of the authenticity of this bizarre phenomenon.

Liam was no stranger to pain. He had grown accustomed to its touch. What he wasn't accustomed to was... luck! Yes, he had stumbled upon an unimaginable stroke of luck.

A wide grin spread across Liam's face as he slowly rose from the ground, his unsteady body teetering as if it could collapse at any moment. But behind his trembling exterior, his eyes burned with a cold and piercing gaze. There was a darkness swirling within, a darkness that would send shivers down the spines of those who had just beaten him mercilessly.

"I'm back," Liam whispered, slamming his bloody fist against the dilapidated wall nearby. The impact sent a resounding thud through his body, reinvigorating him.

With a slow, determined stride, he then limped out of the alleyway, paying no mind to the school he was supposed to be attending. His home was his destination, just ten blocks away.

Throughout the whole way, despite the excruciating pain, his expression remained fixed in a wide, almost obscene grin. But Liam's smile vanished in an instant as he arrived at the apartment and caught sight of a familiar figure peeking out.

He had been so consumed by his thoughts that he had completely forgotten about her!

"Mei Mei!" His voice caught in his throat as he lunged forward, embracing his little sister tightly.

She's alive! Liam trembled, holding her delicate figure in his arms.

"Brother... What happened? Are you crying? Did they hurt you badly again today?" The little girl lifted her head, her eyes full of pity as she surveyed Liam's swollen and cut-up face.

Seeing her brother's wretched state, tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks.

"Ah... Ummm..." Liam was rendered speechless. Consoling girls had never been his forte, no matter how long he'd known them.

Unsure how to comfort his sister, who was nearly four years younger, he ruffled her hair awkwardly. "Let's go inside and talk."

The two siblings entered their small apartment, and Liam shut the dull, rusty door behind them. It was just the two of them now, alone in their cramped living space.

Their parents had passed away a few years ago in a construction accident, leaving them with no one else to rely on. But Liam, with his wits about him, had fought tooth and nail to ensure they received the settlement money they deserved.

He was like a scrappy mutt, unwilling to let go of his bone. Although ultimately swindled, he managed to secure enough to sustain them for a few years.

With that money, he rented this dingy apartment in a dilapidated building in the slums. It was clear the place needed some serious renovations.

But all of that was inconsequential now. Nothing mattered because, in just a couple of days, everything was about to change completely.

Liam glanced around the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, his eyes brimming with anger and pain as memories of what had transpired—or rather, what was yet to happen—rushed back to him.

Clutching his fist, he collapsed to the ground, releasing a burst of maniacal laughter.

"Brother... Are you really okay?" His little sister blinked, staring at him with a mixture of concern and confusion. Liam's behavior had taken a turn for the bizarre.

"Heh. I'm fine, Mei Mei. Don't worry. Everything will be fine now." Liam rose to his feet and heated up a pail of water, intending to clean his injuries.

His hands moved with practiced swiftness as he swiftly tended to his wounds, carefully bandaging the cuts and broken skin. He popped a couple of painkillers, which dulled his agony and sharpened his focus. First things first, he needed to obtain that item as soon as possible.

Liam checked his injuries once more before slipping into a fresh pair of pants and a shirt.

"Brother, are you going back to school? Won't you be late?" Meilin asked, her worry evident.

"Nah, kiddo. I'm going somewhere else."

Huh? Meilin was taken aback. "The grocery store? But it's not Sunday today?" The siblings had established a routine, so Meilin couldn't help but be surprised by this unexpected change.

Liam tousled his sister's hair, causing her to pout in an adorable manner. "No. I'm heading to the game store. I'll be back soon. Behave yourself."

"Eh? Ehhhhh? Ehhhhhhhh?" Meilin stood at the doorstep, dazed, watching her brother's figure fade into the distance.

"The game store? Since when does my brother play games...?"


next chapter

Chapter 2: Preparations

With his hands in his pant pockets, Liam casually strolled into the Electronic shop at the corner of the street.

"Hello, can you give me a Blood Battle game capsule?"

"Huh?" The store clerk looked up, slightly startled as the customer talking to him didn't look like someone who could afford the high-end gaming capsule.

Such a thing cost a fortune!

In the last decade alone, games and gaming software had developed a lot and gaming capsules were now all the rage.

These allowed users to log in for hours together without ever having to step out except for maybe to eat or drain their bodily fluids.

But to buy Blood Battle…?

The store clerk could tell that the young man in front of him was not that well to do. In fact, he looked like he hadn't eaten anything in a while.

So he took pity on the seemingly naive youngster and advised. "Brother, are you sure that this is the one you want? Blood Battle game is actually not that popular."

"Why don't you go with Violet Garden or Eden's Hold?"

"I think you can earn more money with those games. I also have an account in them and I am also playing part-time to earn more money." The clerk chuckled awkwardly.

He was not that much older than Liam and he was also in the bottom middle class. So he could empathize with him.

Liam patiently listened to the man, but after hearing everything he only shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness. I think I am going to stick with the Blood battle gear for now."

Seeing that he was already set in his decision, the clerk didn't bother anymore. After all, he would also get a nice commission if someone bought that insanely expensive gear.

"Alright. Give me your address. I will set up the delivery. Half the payment now and half the payment on delivery."

Liam calmly smiled and nodded. He took out a card that looked like it had only been used once or twice and swiped it on the machine finishing the payment.

Ding! The machine beeped eating away a big chunk of his settlement money that he had been meticulously saving and protecting.

Gaming capsules were extremely expensive, especially the Blood Battle capsule which was one of the most high-end ones available in the market currently.

Their game might suck but their capsule was top-notch. Why did Liam still buy this one? That's because he knew something that the others still had no idea about.

In about two days, every single VR game would be inexplicably hacked and erased into nothingness. It didn't matter whether it was Blood Battle or Violet Garden or Eden's Hold.

Everything will magically disappear, to be replaced by the one and only game, 'Evolution Online' which could somehow be played with any gaming capsule irrespective of the gaming company that had made the capsule.

Several computer experts, hackers from the darknet across the world would try to rectify the situation and crack the mystery but in the end, they would all only fail.

No one would be able to get even a hint about this mysterious new game, Evolution Online that will inevitably take the world by storm.

However, this was only the beginning. The scary part came after the first major patch when reality suddenly merged with virtual reality.

People who were able to split a rock apart inside the game would surprisingly find themselves being able to do the same in real life as well.

Abilities, superpowers, magic, darkness… everything would spill over from the game to reality. However, despite what one might be inclined to think, this would not be a good thing.

The world would delve into complete and utter chaos and plunge into an apocalyptic blood bath.

Governments would be replaced by Guilds and Kingdoms and corporations would scramble behind them trying to salvage whatever value that their money still had.

It would be the onset of a completely new era!

Liam gripped his bank card tightly as memories of the terrifying future flashed past his mind.

He still had no idea why or how he was able to somehow come back to the past, but now that he had… he was determined to grab every single advantage that he could get.

This was why he had selected the best gear currently available even though it cost him five times what the other capsules cost.

This was worth it because many of the other capsules had malfunctioned, unable to handle the strain. Some even got mentally injured because of this. So he did not want to take any chances.

He could buy one set for his sister too but he did not want her to play the game just yet. There were several dangers lurking within the game and he was not strong enough to protect her just yet. He also did not want to split his focus.

It was best for her to enter the game when he first managed to get a foothold. The delay might set her back a little bit but there were other advantages in doing so.

After giving all the remaining details required and quickly finishing the transaction, Liam stepped out of the shop.

He didn't bother explaining his actions to the store clerk. The man had indeed been kind to him, but he had lost faith in humanity a long time ago.

After dealing with the matter of the game capsule, Liam then walked over to the nearby consumer store and pre-paid a chunk of money for electricity and higher bandwidth internet.

He then headed to the grocery store and purchased a huge bulk of supplies and dry food items that didn't need refrigeration.

After a few hours, he was finally done with all the preliminary preparations and started heading back home.

Liam looked at his card that somehow felt lighter now and a small chuckle escaped his lips.

He was betting everything he had on himself. Some might find it impulsive, but he knew that this was his only chance to survive and change his and his sister's fate!


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