MoboNovels
Chapter 1
Ling Yi died.
Not long ago, she went to the bounty guild as usual, took on a cleanup mission.
A normal contaminated area, a crazed aberrant species, after killing it with a single strike, Ling Yi yawned, thinking this haul was quite profitable, and she could laze around in the base for ten to fifteen days.
Who would have thought, a mysterious black light attacked, and even Ling Yi’s super S-grade physique couldn’t dodge it.
You can’t walk by the river without getting your shoes wet.
Ling Yi died quite calmly, just feeling a bit regretful—such a large bounty, gone.
When she opened her eyes again, Ling Yi found the light blinding, and as she was adjusting, jeers came from around her.
“Yo, why are you standing still?”
“Giving up already?”
“No way, no way, you’re a training camp player, how can you be this bad?”
The booing grew louder, and as Ling Yi adjusted to the bright light, she saw the situation before her.
It was a very spacious area, like a semicircular stadium, with dazzling lights above and the seats filled with variously dressed spectators, who were shouting loudly.
Normally, with so many people talking, it should be hard to hear what they’re saying, but Ling Yi’s hearing had been specially trained, allowing her to roughly make out their words.
A competition?
A bounty?
This thought struck Ling Yi like an electric current.
She still didn’t understand where she was, but it didn’t matter, for a bounty hunter, money is the best friend, and she’s most willing to go through thick and thin for a friend.
“Countdown begins, the second round of PK will start in ten seconds.”
“10, 9, 8…”
Ling Yi focused and saw her opponent in front of her.
It was a nearly two-meter-tall man, very robust, with muscles bulging all over, veins on his neck standing out from exertion, wearing a helmet, only vaguely visible were a pair of crimson eyes.
“6, 5, 4…”
The countdown made him even more excited, his strong muscles bulging, his fists clenched making cracking sounds, he didn’t carry any weapons, his iron-like fists were his weapons.
“3, 2…”
Ling Yi was slightly stunned, she saw two lines above the opponent’s head—
Name: Li Chui.
HP: 1000.
What the hell?
In this moment of distraction, the man named Li Chui charged, throwing a punch at Ling Yi, gasps came from around, and some excitedly shouted.
Li Chui’s punch must have weighed at least eight hundred kilograms, if hit, his opponent’s brain would splatter instantly.
However, Ling Yi sidestepped, easily dodging.
She was momentarily stunned by the two lines above Li Chui’s head, but Li Chui’s punch was too slow for her, in Ling Yi’s rich combat experience, attacks dozens of times faster and stronger were common.
“Oh ho! Dodged!”
“What’s the use of dodging, she’s only got that much HP left, can’t hold on.”
“Stop struggling, hurry up and get eliminated for the next round, such a no-suspense match, wasting everyone’s time.”
“Yeah yeah, Brother Hammer, hurry up, send this little girl home!”
The clamor from the audience, Li Chui couldn’t hear clearly, he was stunned, by the missed punch.
How did she dodge it?
Li Chui looked at this petite woman, he hadn’t taken this straggler seriously, dragging the match until now was just playing with her like a cat with a mouse.
But for some reason, a chill rose in his heart.
It’s still the same person, but something suddenly changed.
In those few minutes of rest, she seemed like a different person.
The timid and uneasy expression faded, the tearful eyes became as sharp as a leopard’s, even her breathing…
Li Chui was surprised to find, he couldn’t hear her breathing!
Not good!
Li Chui’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively making a defensive move, but soon he felt absurd, what’s there to defend against, a waste who’s been in the training camp for four years, hasn’t even awakened a talent…
A dull thud.
Followed by a splatter, Li Chui was pushed back dozens of steps, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The entire venue fell silent, no one saw what exactly happened.
Ling Yi had no habit of holding back, one of her favorite jobs was—finishing off.
A figure as fast as lightning flashed by, Ling Yi’s foot landed, the heel stepping on the man’s chest, with the force of a thousand pounds.
A crack, the sound of ribs breaking, the fallen Li Chui felt intense pain, his mouth wide open, blood mixed with fragments of internal organs spilling out, his face turning pale.
Name: Li Chui.
HP: 0.
Ling Yi didn’t look at these two lines, only when the man completely stopped breathing did she ease the force on her foot.
The large venue, the audience seats were dead silent.
Until the system voice sounded: “Player ‘Passerby01’ defeated player ‘Li Chui’, winning this match.”
A white light descended, Li Chui was teleported out.
Ling Yi heard a voice in her mind: “Congratulations on winning this match, one thousand bounty has been issued, please check.”
A ding, followed by the sound of coins clattering to the ground.
Ling Yi was stunned, didn’t see a thousand dollars appear before her, only saw a line of numbers: Coins +1000.
Ling Yi: “?” Where’s the money.
What the hell are coins.
A panel suddenly appeared before her eyes.
At the top were two words—Inventory.
Below were ten empty slots.
At the bottom was a line of small text—Coins: 1520.
Ling Yi tapped, and a dialog box popped up: “Withdraw?”
Ling Yi: “…”
“Please enter the withdrawal amount.”
Ling Yi entered a string of numbers.
The next moment, a cloth bag-like item appeared in her palm, Ling Yi opened the bag, saw a pile of golden coins,
And the detailed information beside it.
Item: A bag of coins.
Chapter 2
Grade: None.
Details: Contains one thousand gold coins, can be used for transactions.
Ling Yi’s mouth twitched, her mentality somewhat collapsing—
She died, no big deal.
She came back to life, still no big deal.
She inexplicably appeared from the contaminated area onto a stage, even less of a big deal.
But what’s with this intangible one thousand gold coins?
Game currency!
The voice sounded again in her mind: ‘Proceed to the next match?’
Ling Yi: ‘No.’
The voice, as if able to capture her thoughts, asked again: ‘Exit the game?’
Ling Yi: ‘…’
So it really is game currency.
She instantly lost interest in the gold coins in her hand, expressionlessly saying: ‘Exit the game.’
A white light descended, Ling Yi felt a slight dizziness, and a line of text appeared before her eyes—‘Wasteland · Reboot’ awaits your return.
With a whoosh, the text disappeared.
Ling Yi’s vision was plunged into complete darkness.
‘Wasteland’ District Eight, Training Camp.
The audience, as if waking from a dream, erupted in chaos.
Many stood up, shouting in confusion.
‘What the hell!’
‘Who? Who won?’
‘Damn, Li Chui, what’s going on! I bet three hundred stakes on you!’
‘How the hell could he lose?’
‘No, how did she win?’
‘Who is ‘Passerby01’? When did the Training Camp have such a figure, never heard of her!’
‘If she’s so strong, how come she was almost beaten to death by Li Chui earlier?’
The next training match had already started, but the two trainees on stage were ignored by all the spectators.
They stared at each other, unsure whether to start.
Honestly, they hadn’t recovered either, what the hell was that last match?
Li Chui might be a bit weak, but he’s at least a B-grade talent, he shouldn’t have been one-shot by an unawakened underdog.
Ling Yi woke up in a room filled with a sense of technology.
She had traveled, from the dilapidated wasteland of the apocalypse to a brand new high-tech era.
Ling Yi got up from the game pod, looking out through the floor-to-ceiling glass window at the bizarre world outside.
Skyscrapers stood tall, drones zipped by at high speeds, neon lights were dazzling even in daylight, and large screen advertisements fervently promoted a holographic game.
‘Wasteland · Reboot’.
Inviting you to experience a second life.
The advertisement screen switched scenes, displaying the sights within ‘Wasteland · Reboot’—the dark, damp contaminated area, the crazed roars of aberrant species, and the ‘players’ fully armed and engaged in combat.
Below the images were lines of explanatory text, but Ling Yi didn’t need to read them, her mind already conjured up the coordinates of the contaminated area, the numbers of the aberrant species, their attack patterns and weaknesses…
She was all too familiar with these, so familiar it was distressing.
Like a lingering ghost, even after traveling, she still had to see this junk.
Ling Yi had no interest in this game that resembled her world, she just wanted to go out and see.
This was a single apartment, the hallway was spotless, the rooms were close together but soundproofed well, no noise could be heard from inside.
Is everyone playing games?
This future world is also absurd.
Ling Yi followed the safety indicator lights towards the apartment’s exit, the apartment building was larger than she imagined, with all public facilities available, and even a small garden like an aerial pavilion.
At the end of the small garden was the apartment building’s main door, outside parked a row of flying vehicles.
These were similar to the unmanned taxis of the old era, just scan and pay to go anywhere.
The door of the flying vehicle displayed a line of text: ‘Welcome to use Blue Star Flying Vehicle, a product of Song Group, your optimal choice for travel. Would you like to rent?’
Ling Yi: ‘Yes.’
The text on the screen changed: ‘Starting fee 1000 credit points, please pay.’
Ling Yi: ‘…?’
She looked closely, making sure she hadn’t miscounted the zeros.
1000 credit points?
Ling Yi opened her communicator, checking her ‘wallet’—
Balance: 700 credit points.
She was so poor she couldn’t even afford the starting fee for a taxi?
Ling Yi was deep in thought when suddenly, footsteps came from behind, her senses still sharp, she slightly stepped back, turning to look.
Under the dazzling neon lights, a tall, slender figure ran over.
The light shone on him, illuminating his slightly curled short hair, the strands black and shiny, his skin pale, turning his head revealed a beautiful ear, a clean earlobe adorned with a ruby earring, shining brilliantly in the bright sun.
Beautiful.
Ling Yi blinked, she liked beautiful creatures.
The black-haired youth seemed to be hiding from something, he saw Ling Yi at a glance, immediately saying: ‘Help me.’
Ling Yi: ‘…’
To be honest, she was someone who avoided trouble, especially people and things that looked like big trouble, she always steered clear.
The black-haired youth looked at her without blinking, his pitch-black eyes reflecting the colorful neon lights in the distance, as magnificent as the depths of the universe.
Hmm, really beautiful, Ling Yi’s heart softened, she asked him: ‘Got money?’
The black-haired youth immediately said: ‘Yes.’
Ling Yi extended a finger, casually stating a number.
A light ding sounded.
Ling Yi’s light brain made a notification sound: ‘XY has transferred 100,000 credit points to you, would you like to receive?’
Ling Yi promptly clicked receive, a big smile spreading across her face: ‘Hello boss, I’m Agent One, what help do you need?’
The S8 season is about to begin, the total prize for this season’s champion is 10 billion credit points.
Suddenly, a sound of something cutting through the air came.
Ling Yi pulled this Mr. XY over, quickly raising her hand, opening the door of the flying vehicle.
‘Let’s go.’
She opened the door and got in, the series of actions smooth as flowing water, just in time to block the pursuing drone outside.
Ling Yi could drive many types of vehicles, from two-wheeled to four-wheeled, even those large transport trucks with a dozen wheels, she could drive them all with ease, not just on the ground, but also various helicopters, and speedboats… she had driven them all.
When it came to escaping, bounty hunters were professionals.
The flying vehicle before her made Ling Yi pause for a moment, for no other reason than it was too simple.
This future world was indeed different, the flying vehicle was fully automatic, just input the destination, choose a fixed route, and you could arrive, no manual control needed.
Ling Yi looked at Mr. XY: ‘Boss, where are we going?’
The youth was pulled into the flying vehicle, his bangs now disheveled, slightly dazed.
He quickly came to his senses, saying: ‘Don’t input a destination, the flying vehicle’s automatic driving route is fixed, it will be locked…’
Ling Yi nodded: ‘Got it.’
With that, she quickly glanced at the flying vehicle’s screen, found the manual driving button, and pressed it.
The youth’s eyes widened slightly: ‘You’ve driven…’
Before he could finish, the flying vehicle sped off, the massive G-force pushing him back into the seat, forcing him to grip the armrest tightly.
‘Haven’t driven.’ Ling Yi, through the side mirror, glanced at the pursuing drone, calmly said: ‘Don’t worry, I learn fast.’
The youth: ‘…’
He couldn’t say anything, the flying vehicle shot out like a bullet, the speed astonishing, weaving through the chaotic drones without a single collision.
This was the crowded slum area, skyscrapers stood tall, corridors like steel tentacles connected the buildings, providing convenience while also creating an impenetrable steel cage.
With a bang.
The youth suddenly turned back, seeing the drone chasing him, due to the flying vehicle’s tricky path, collided with another drone, both exploding.
He turned back in shock, looking at the girl before him.
She looked to be only seventeen or eighteen, but her eyes held a maturity and calmness not belonging to this age.
Chapter 3
Operating the aircraft was not easy; without special training, it was difficult to master. Yet, after a simple attempt, she instantly understood the principle. Her slender fingers danced over the buttons like playing a piano, and she softly said, “Boss, hold on tight.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she pulled up the steering wheel, and the aircraft stood upright. The black-haired youth had to grip the handrail tightly, almost lying back, as they shot into the sky with the aircraft.
The fuel roared, and the horsepower was pushed to its limit.
The aircraft was extremely fast, like a rocket soaring into the sky.
The sensation of weightlessness hit, and the youth’s legs went weak. But then, the sky, obscured by skyscrapers, came closer, clearer, and more vast.
With a loud bang.
They broke through the forest of high-rises and saw the dazzlingly white sky.
The youth was stunned, staring blankly at the snow-white clouds.
Ling Yi clicked her tongue: “The Song family’s products, they have something.”
She remembered the startup message of the aircraft, which seemed to be produced by a conglomerate named Song.
In her world, such public transportation couldn’t be flown like an airplane, but the aircraft before her, except for not being equipped with weapons, was no less capable than a regular fighter jet.
Hearing the name “Song,” the youth’s eyes darkened slightly, his brows furrowing lightly as he said, “Thank you.”
Ling Yi had shaken off the pursuing drones and also slowed down the aircraft. There was no choice; energy was limited. If they kept going at full speed, they would run out of energy and have to free-fall.
Ling Yi leisurely piloted the aircraft and asked him, “Boss, have you decided where to go?”
The youth said, “My name is… Xue Ying.” He omitted his surname.
“…”
Ling Yi was just casually asking, not expecting an answer. She tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, patiently waiting for him to say where he wanted to go.
She had a rough guess about Xue Ying’s situation.
The black-haired youth looked like he had been pampered. Although this era was affluent enough for everyone to indulge in games, wherever there were people, there were hierarchies. There was still a difference between drinking nutrient solutions every day and having a healthy diet.
For example, in terms of skin tone, her body was pale and bloodless, but Xue Ying was different. His skin was radiant and translucent, like fine warm jade, with a faint warm pink hue.
Then there was the hair quality. Even her flamboyant red hair didn’t have the luster of the youth’s black hair.
Clearly, this was a young master who had run away from home.
Coming across such a “job” was like picking up money for Ling Yi; there was no reason not to take it.
Xue Ying spoke up, “I don’t know.”
Ling Yi wasn’t surprised. She leisurely said, “Then think about it some more.”
Xue Ying looked at her: “You…”
After speaking, he didn’t know what to say. He had never met someone like Ling Yi before, nor could he imagine her identity, but he could feel…
She was strong.
Stronger than he had imagined.
Xue Ying suddenly said, “Can I follow you?”
The fingers tapping on the steering wheel stopped. Ling Yi tilted her head to look at him: “Follow me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“Agent One.”
Ling Yi looked at him, but there was no warmth in her eyes: “Do you know what kind of people use code names?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Xue Ying looked steadily at Ling Yi: “No matter who you are, I want to follow you.”
“Why?”
“You’re strong.”
Ling Yi was amused by him and directly exposed his identity: “Young master, this isn’t a charity…”
Hearing her address him like that, Xue Ying’s back stiffened, but he quickly calmed down and said, “I’ll pay.”
Ling Yi: “…”
Xue Ying: “How much would it cost to follow you for a year?”
After saying that, he looked at Ling Yi without blinking, his eyes burning with passion, his aura imposing.
Xue Ying was very good-looking. Because of his age, his features hadn’t fully matured, making him beautifully androgynous. But now, those black eyes stripped away all beauty, leaving only ambition burning like a fierce fire.
Ambition.
Ling Yi liked that.
She propped her chin on her hand and said, “Six months.”
Xue Ying bit his lower lip and said, “Okay.”
Ling Yi extended a slender finger again and softly uttered a number.
Xue Ying lightly bit his lower lip and whispered, “I don’t have that much money right now.”
Ling Yi had already guessed as much. She said, “It’s fine. After six months, I’ll send you home. The ten million is the ransom.”
Xue Ying: “………………”
Ling Yi never made a loss-making deal.
The black-haired youth’s identity was extraordinary. Taking him in for half a year was a significant trouble. Of course, as long as the money was right, everything was negotiable.
Xue Ying definitely didn’t have ten million on him, but he himself was very valuable.
Xue Ying asked, “If I manage to gather ten million within these six months…”
Ling Yi politely said, “Then we’ll settle our accounts and go our separate ways.”
Xue Ying breathed a sigh of relief and agreed, “Okay.”
Ling Yi smiled at him and added, “So, how about paying a deposit first?”
Xue Ying was taken aback.
Ling Yi glanced at the light brain on his wrist.
Xue Ying immediately understood. He said, “I only have a million right now.”
Ling Yi: “That’s fine.”
Xue Ying didn’t hesitate. He opened his light brain and transferred the money to Ling Yi.
Ling Yi casually asked him, “How long have you been out?”
Xue Ying didn’t hide it: “Two weeks.”
Ling Yi didn’t say anything more. Two weeks meant the light brain wasn’t a problem.
From the name “XY,” she could tell that Xue Ying had prepared for running away from home. The light brain was brand new, and the information inside was temporary. If it could expose his whereabouts, he would have been caught long ago.
Xue Ying kept ten thousand credits for himself. He explained, “I need a game pod. That way, I can pay you the balance.”
Ling Yi caught the implication in his words—with a game pod, could he earn ten million in half a year?
For Ling Yi, who came from a wasteland world, this was incredible. But Xue Ying said it so matter-of-factly that Ling Yi noncommittally responded, “Hmm.”
Sensing the skepticism in her tone, Xue Ying immediately said, “This season, I will definitely…” He stopped again, as if realizing that making bold claims was too childish.
Ling Yi didn’t press further, nor was it necessary. Such information could be easily found out with a little investigation. The immediate priority was: “Let’s go. Everything on you needs to be changed.”
The young master’s temporary light brain was safe, but the fact that drones had been chasing him meant he had been exposed somewhere. This potential risk needed to be eliminated first.
Ling Yi had extensive experience in counter-surveillance and counter-tracking. She took care of everything in just two or three hours and also ordered a new game pod for Xue Ying.
After this round of errands, Ling Yi had a rough understanding of the world before her.
The cost of living in the future world was brutal.
Apart from the nutrient solutions necessary for survival, everything else was outrageously expensive.
The starting fare for the aircraft was exorbitant, but having a hot meal of three dishes and a soup outside cost a whopping two thousand credits, while a nutrient solution only cost one credit.
Two thousand credits versus one credit…
Ordinary people had no choice but to opt for the latter.
Other things were even more expensive. Clothes cost thousands, daily necessities were also pricey, and the most expensive were medical facilities. A simple bottle of painkillers cost ten thousand credits…
In comparison, a game pod costing ten thousand was unbelievably cheap.
Of course, citizens here, as long as they were registered, would receive a game pod, with a usage period of at least five years before needing to purchase a new one.
Overall, living in the game, the cost of living tended towards zero, but living in reality… well, ordinary people really couldn’t afford it.
The aircraft had been replaced with a new one. This time, Ling Yi used autopilot and entered the destination.
Xue Ying saw this and asked, “Are we going back?”
Ling Yi had entered her original home, the apartment building they had escaped from.
Ling Yi said nonchalantly, “The most dangerous place is often the safest.”
Xue Ying thought for a moment and nodded, “Understood.”
The autopiloted aircraft moved gently, blending in among the high-rises.
In the civilian district, few people rode aircraft; it was mostly drones bustling about.
The technology in this world was so advanced that almost everything humans could do was replaced by machines. But people couldn’t be idle, so there were game pods that were almost given away for free.
Ling Yi turned to look out the window and unexpectedly caught sight of the towering airship above.
The airship was still playing the promotional advertisement for “Wasteland · Reboot,” the vivid images enticing people to step into a new world, as if that was the true place to belong.
Suddenly, the screen dimmed, and when it lit up again, a clear female voice spread across the globe, and the advertisement on the airship changed to a simple, straightforward line—