Virus King - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: This is the Apocalypse! The Time Hourglass Recognizes Its Master!

TL: Yang

[Cosmic Will: The Cosmic Will descends! The Blue Star Trial Ground officially begins!]

[Cosmic Will: This is a brutal evolution game. Here, if you have the ability, you can become a legendary god or devil. Power, wealth, strength—everything you desire can be fulfilled here! All the old rules will be reshuffled!]

[Cosmic Will: Every surviving human will transform into an Evolver, growing through levels, talents, and more!]

[Cosmic Will: Virus entities, animals, and other races mutated by heaven and earth will also compete in this evolution trial! Secret realms, world rifts, and Blue Star itself will undergo changes!]

[Cosmic Will: All living beings of Blue Star, use all your strength and unleash your full potential—kill, evolve, grow, and advance!]

A cold voice.

It was so calm, like an electronic synthesis, devoid of any trace of emotion.

Yet at this very moment, this voice echoed in the minds of all humans.

Whether in the East, where people lay immersed in the night’s slumber,

Or in the West, basking in the midday sun across the ocean,

Regardless of the country, regardless of the person,

Everyone could hear this voice—like the pitiless decree of the heavens.

“Oh my God! Did you hear that?! What was that voice just now?”

“Oh heavens, zombies! How can there be so many zombies?!”

“Talent!? My talent—let me see! I’m going to become a god!”

“What is the Blue Star Trial Grounds?! And what is the Cosmic Will?!”

“This is insane…”

Clearly, at this moment, the Western hemisphere, bathed in daylight, was even more chaotic.

Countless people, those with genetic defects, transformed on the streets within minutes into bloodthirsty zombies!

This was entirely different from the previous infections that required transmission to spread.

Chaos, in this instant, had already engulfed all of Blue Star!

Meanwhile, in the East, especially in the Dragon Nation, the situation was even more severe.

Some people, in the depths of their drowsy sleep, turned into zombies.

Others, still half-asleep, were bitten to death by their loved ones who had become zombies beside them, succumbing to infection and transforming as well!

Among them, a portion of people who hadn’t fallen asleep heard the voice of the Cosmic Will in their minds with utmost clarity.

Yet, they were all stunned!

These individuals were the ones who had seen that peculiar forum online before!

For example, Zhang He!

“Cosmic Will?”

“Evolver?”

“Talent!?”

Listening to the voice in his mind and watching the special dialogue box slowly form in front of him, as if on a screen of water, Zhang He was utterly dumbfounded.

He sprang out of bed, opened his computer, and, with trembling fingers, navigated with his mouse into that forum!

‘Cosmic Will Pioneer Evolution Forum!’

It was still the same familiar name!

And at the top, those same few posts still appeared clearly, unchanged!

They mocked and jeered at the bored people online.

At the slightest rumor, they’d create sensationalist topics like this.

Previously, Zhang He had been one of them. But now, those posts were still ridiculing—only the object of ridicule had reversed!

These ignorant fools would never know the true nature of the world!

Even now, even at this very moment, Zhang He still didn’t understand what “Pioneer” really meant.

But he instinctively refreshed the webpage!

Then, on the forum’s page, new posts started appearing one after another!

In just an instant, this previously obscure forum was entirely flooded, overwhelmed, and filled to the brim with dense, new posts upon every refresh.

And the content of those posts was simple!

What is the Cosmic Will, and what is an Evolver!?

This question lingered in Zhang He’s mind as well. However, he reacted quickly; in almost an instant, he thought of something and hastily clicked on another post!

“Evolvers can search for Group Chat No. 001 and join it! For those interested in the coming transformations and the tide of the new era, this group will serve as a platform for mutual assistance and equal communication among Evolution Pioneers!”

That was the content of the post!

It was also the same content that Zhang He had mocked and ridiculed before!

But now, Zhang He finally understood where this so-called group really was and what it truly was!

Without thinking, he focused his entire consciousness into his own attribute interface, channeling all his awareness to a small group function icon on the side of his attribute panel.

[Please enter the group number you wish to join!]

[001]

Zhang He’s fingers trembled, but he still typed those three digits.

And in the next moment, the Cosmic Will’s prompt made him finally understand!

[“Group Chat No. 001” has been set by the administrator to prohibit entry via search! You may apply to join other group chats by searching their numbers, or spend 1 gold coin to create a new group chat!]

It was real!

And it cost exactly one gold coin!

Everything matched up.

However, what was once a joke to Zhang He—a so-called “Group Chat No. 001″—had now become a pinnacle group, unreachable and inhabited by those who knew the world’s deepest truths!

At that moment, Zhang He slumped back into his computer chair.

But suddenly, a blood-curdling scream came from outside the door!

Zhang He’s face instantly turned deathly pale!

…

The tea had grown a bit cold,

But it was still enough to moisten Chen Bai’s slightly parched lips.

Around him, the night seemed untouched by anything other than that voice in his mind.

Neither Song Ziqiong nor Song Ge, nor anyone else moved an inch; they seemed frozen in place, as if in a daze.

Chen Bai understood. These first-time Evolvers were looking at their attribute lists and talent abilities with fresh wonder.

Chen Bai wasn’t in a rush, nor did he need to be.

He closed his eyes and shifted his attention to Group Chat No. 001.

He glanced at the group, which had already exploded into activity!

[Your Han King: I heard it, guys, I heard it! The Cosmic Will has descended!]

[Overlord: It really happened!]

[Shui Chuan: Everyone, be prepared. Remember every rule in the ‘Apocalypse Code.’ Even as Pioneers, we’re not invincible. In the apocalypse, caution is the key to survival!]

[True False Illusion: 1]

[Yezi: 1]

[Crow: 1]

[…]

The previously noisy group chat grew silent.

Now that the apocalypse had truly arrived, idle chatter was replaced with discussions of exploring the changing world outside.

And the curiosity about the countless new features that had appeared on their personal lists.

At this moment, everyone was as thrilled as if they were finally logging into a game they’d been awaiting for ages—a public beta, now live.

And so, the group chat fell quiet, as everyone turned their focus outward.

At this point, it was only natural. Once everyone grew more accustomed, Group Chat No. 001 would inevitably return to its previous state.

Chen Bai allowed a faint smile to appear, then refocused his consciousness on himself.

He instinctively reached for his neck.

The Time Hourglass.

Ever since he’d returned to ten days before the apocalypse, Chen Bai had been waiting for this day to arrive.

And now, that day had finally come!

He could only wonder, though, if this Time Hourglass really had the power he suspected—whether his rebirth, his return to the past, was truly due to this artifact’s abilities.

Or if it was merely some chaotic coincidence of space and time.

Chen Bai’s heart pounded rapidly in his chest.

In the ten days he’d spent since returning to this pre-apocalypse period, only on the day he’d injected himself with the zombie virus had he felt such intense excitement.

As his fingers touched the Time Hourglass, he instinctively pulled his hand back!

An indescribable sensation seemed to wrap around his body.

The hourglass was still there, but now it felt scalding hot!

Chen Bai didn’t know what this meant, but removing the Time Hourglass was obviously out of the question.

All he could do was wait!

A sharp scream pierced the silence of the night!

It shattered the shock and awe that had held Chen Bai and everyone present in a spellbound silence.

Song Ziqiong’s pupils shifted, turning a deep purple at this moment. Even she seemed stunned, still unable to fully grasp what was happening.

The scream made her look at Chen Bai, who had a faint smile on his face.

Whether her shock was from the personal attribute panel now displayed in front of her or from the piercing scream that had set the entire East Mountain Villa District on edge, she didn’t know.

More screams echoed through the air, as if heralding the arrival of an inevitable apocalypse.

One by one, lights that had been extinguished were switched back on.

Listening to the commotion, the blood-curdling shrieks, the desperate howls, Song Ziqiong murmured in a daze: “So… this is the apocalypse?!”

“This is the apocalypse,” Chen Bai replied to her question, his hand gently grasping the Time Hourglass around his neck.

He could feel the temperature of the hourglass rapidly rising,

Increasing at a rate that was almost unimaginable.

But, already mentally prepared, Chen Bai clutched it tightly, as if he were imprinting it onto his very soul.

The pain in his palm and the strange sensation made Chen Bai break into a light sweat on his forehead. He quickly opened Group Chat No. 001 again, trying to distract himself.

But as he looked, he was slightly taken aback!

[Your Han King: What should I do?!]

[Your Han King: Guys, does anyone have a way to turn zombies back into humans? Can you lend it to me through the group’s trade function? I’ll repay you tenfold, a hundredfold in the future!]

[Overlord: Xiao Han, the Apocalypse Code already states it—once someone turns into a zombie, they’re completely dead. There’s no turning back. What happened?!]

Silence followed, but it only made the next outburst even more terrifying.

[Your Han King: Damn this apocalypse! Damn the Cosmic Will!]

It was clear that by now, many people had returned to the group from exploring the new features.

Han Xiao had always been an active presence in the group chat, and because of his lively personality, he was even considered the group’s mascot.

Now, seeing him like this was completely unprecedented!

[Liu Huai: Xiao Han, what happened!?]

[Your Han King: Wuu… wuu… my dad… he’s turned into a zombie! What should I do!? He’s right outside my bedroom door, scratching at the door, trying to get in, trying to eat my flesh, drink my blood! What do I do?!]

This time, Han Xiao’s message wasn’t just text; it was clearly converted from a voice recording.

As long as he wanted, this message could be played as audio for everyone to hear.

At that moment, everyone who had initially wanted to ask questions or make jokes was struck silent.

For a time, the entire group chat felt as if it had fallen into a frozen silence, leaving only Han Xiao’s voice, talking to himself.

[Your Han King: My dad was in poor health and always coughed a lot, but I thought… I’m a Pioneer, a Talent Awakener, so I figured he’d be fine too!]

[Your Han King: My mom passed away early, and my dad raised me all by himself. But now, he’s right outside my bedroom door, scratching at it, wanting to come in, wanting to eat me! What am I supposed to do?!]

Not a single person in the group chat could give Han Xiao an answer in this moment.

Even though they knew there was a standard response to his question, that answer would be far too cruel for Han Xiao.

And this cruelty—perhaps others in the group were experiencing it too, just in silence.

Chen Bai observed all of this.

The arrival of the apocalypse wasn’t the leveling-up game of Earth Online that these Evolvers and Talent Pioneers had imagined.

It wasn’t a guaranteed path to glory for these chosen ones, marked for greatness.

It was a true apocalypse.

In a world like this, the first thing you needed to adjust was always your own mindset.

Han Xiao had been the first person Chen Bai connected with.

The very first member of Group Chat No. 001.

A Talent Pioneer with ID No. 007.

But even so, in his previous life, Chen Bai hadn’t heard of him.

In fact, Chen Bai had left Jiangcheng in the early days of the apocalypse and gone to Magic City.

Han Xiao was from Magic City.

Yet Chen Bai had still never heard of him, which likely meant that Han Xiao had never managed to overcome this psychological barrier.

He’d probably died at home.

Maybe being an orphan, with no ties, was a blessing?

It allowed Chen Bai to adapt to this survival game of the apocalypse as quickly as possible.

Rarely did Chen Bai feel such a moment of reflection, and even the pain in his palm seemed to lessen slightly.

But for this reason, Chen Bai sighed. Having lived one life already, if he could make some small changes, he was willing to try.

So, in the group, he sent out his first message since his awakening, now that the group had grown to such a large number.

[Bai: This is the apocalypse!]

Just as he had responded to Song Ziqiong moments before.

After typing, he didn’t wait for Han Xiao’s response and decisively closed the group chat.

And at that instant, a clear sound of shattering rang in Chen Bai’s ears!

Chen Bai instinctively looked down at the Time Hourglass in his hand!

The hourglass had vanished completely.

And before he could react, a cold voice echoed in his ears:

[The Time Hourglass has completed its recognition of its master!]

…

In Chinese slang text, “1” in chat is to signal “ok” or “yep”, expressing general agreement.