Vol. 1 Chapter 2 – The World of Destiny

Ye Tian Xie’s home was located in the most luxurious villa district of Jinghua City. Each villa there was something that an ordinary person could never afford, even if they worked for a lifetime. The residents of the area were all among the wealthiest of the wealthy. However, Ye Tian Xie was an anomaly in this place. He never socialised with anyone and had no job. People in the neighbourhood often gossiped about how he could afford such a villa. Perhaps the only explanation was that he had inherited a massive fortune from some relative.

To him, this was just a villa, not a home. It was always empty, only coming to life when he returned.

Lying on his bed, Ye Tian Xie impatiently raised his left hand and pressed his fingers against the centre of the wristband, attempting to mentally issue the command, 『Enter game』.

A scene that had been met with disbelief and even ridicule by many instantly unfolded. Ye Tian Xie’s vision went blank for a moment, and his consciousness flickered for an instant. Then, suddenly, his surroundings opened up, revealing a world filled with swirling, changing colours. In this vibrant world, a crisp and pleasant female voice rang out:

【Ding… Mr. Ye Tian Xie, welcome to the world of Destiny. The game will officially open in two hours and thirty-nine minutes. Please be patient. This is your first time using the game device. Would you like to create your character?】

“Yes.” Ye Tian Xie replied. The experience of entering the game was fundamentally no different from other popular virtual games. What caught his attention was that the system’s voice had no synthetic traces; it sounded like a real person speaking. It seemed the claim of 99% realism was not an exaggeration.

【Ding… In the world of Destiny, you will have a new life, a new destiny. A person’s life begins with only one chance to choose. Once you start, there is no turning back. So, please choose your path carefully. Now, please give yourself a nickname that will follow you for life. Since your game zone is the Huaxia region, the name must be in Huaxia characters, no fewer than one and no more than ten characters.】

The voice made everything perfectly clear. In 《Destiny》, there was no option to start over—essentially, no deleting your character and starting anew. Whether it was your nickname, attributes, or profession, once chosen, they could never be changed. The game’s name, Destiny, reflected that a person’s fate had no multiple-choice options.

Tian Mo Xie! Without hesitation, Ye Tian Xie spoke the name that belonged solely to him.

【Ding… The name you have chosen is already taken. Please choose another name.】The female voice gave him an unexpected response.

“What!?” Ye Tian Xie’s brow furrowed, and his face darkened instantly. A dangerous, flickering light shone in his eyes. With a population of over a billion people in Huaxia and Destiny devices nearly ubiquitous, it wasn’t surprising that names would overlap. However, for the name 『Tian Mo Xie』 to be taken—it wasn’t just a matter of coincidence.

【…Sir, the name you chose has indeed been taken by someone else. Please choose another name.】The system voice seemed to detect the sudden change in Ye Tian Xie’s mood and atmosphere, and it even carried a trace of nervousness. Despite his rage, Ye Tian Xie was secretly impressed by how flawlessly the system conveyed emotions.

『Xie Tian』. After a long silence, Ye Tian Xie finally uttered another name. A cold glint flashed deep in his eyes… Daring to use that name? Is that a challenge? Fine, but the price for challenging me may be more than you can bear!

【『Xie Tian』 has been successfully registered. Would you like to adjust your appearance?】

Ye Tian Xie’s lips curved into a smirk. “Increase it by 100%.”

“…Sir, the maximum adjustment for appearance is 20%. Shall I increase it by 20% for you?” the female voice hesitated for a moment, then asked timidly.

“Alright.”

【Appearance adjustment is successful. The adjustment is meant to protect players’ privacy in the early stages of the game. Once you complete your first class change, the appearance adjustment will automatically disappear. If you wish to continue protecting your privacy, you may purchase a free mask at the general store in the city. Next, please select your pain tolerance rate for the game. The range is from 5% to 100%. This setting will only affect your pain sensation and will not impact any other senses.】

“Of course, 5%” Ye Tian Xie replied without hesitation. Only someone with a twisted mind would choose 100% and subject themselves to torture in a game full of battles and violence. As someone who never let himself suffer the slightest disadvantage, Ye Tian Xie believed that if someone dared to stab him once, he would find a way to slash them ten times in return.

【Pain tolerance setting is successful. Next, please allocate your initial attribute points. Every player has 25 initial attribute points to freely distribute among the four main attributes: Strength, Constitution, Agility, and Spirit. Each attribute must have a minimum of 4 points and a maximum of 10. Additional points can be gained through levelling up in the world of Destiny. Please make your selections.】

A white attribute panel floated before Ye Tian Xie, listing the four attributes side by side, each with detailed descriptions. Strength influences physical attack power. The Constitution affects health and defence. Agility impacts hit rate, dodge rate, and also the attack ability of long-range physical classes. Spirit affects magic attack power and magic energy. The influence of each attribute varies depending on the class chosen.

Staring at the attribute panel, Ye Tian Xie fell into deep thought. The distribution of his attributes would directly influence the class he would select. So, what kind of class should he choose this time? Would he become the swift and deadly Shadow of the Wind, the unbreakable Immovable Wall or perhaps the King of Darkness?

A faint image of a delicate figure flashed through his mind. His hand finally moved, tapping on the Strength attribute, increasing it to the maximum value of 10. Then, he allocated the remaining points to Constitution, raising it to 7. With 10 points in Strength, 7 in Constitution, 4 in Agility, and 4 in Spirit, it was clear that his class would be a melee fighter.

【Attribute allocation is successful. Now, please distribute your fixed attribute points. Each player has 10 fixed attribute points, which can be allocated to Luck, Insight, and Charm. Each attribute must have at least 0 points and a maximum of 10. Fixed attributes can only be increased through equipment bonuses or other special means. The Luck attribute affects your fortune in the world of Destiny, influencing factors such as drop rates, critical hit rates, and the success rate of random events. Insight affects your ability to comprehend skills, including life skills, and for each additional point in Insight, you gain a 0.3% bonus to experience. Charm affects your charisma rating in Destiny, making it easier to gain the favour of residents and animals in the world. Please allocate your points wisely.】