Online Game: Lord Of The Wheel Of Destiny

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Night Descends.

In the night sky beside the waning moon, a faint, perfectly circular arc of a dark line seemed to flicker in and out of view. The arc was so vast it almost split the sky in two.

A cloud drifted past, and in the blink of an eye, the arc disappeared again, as if it had been an illusion all along.

To conserve energy, Jiangzhong City ceased providing citywide illumination after 8 PM.

The city's main district was already enveloped in pitch-black darkness. Yet, in a labyrinth of alleys in the old district on the city's western corner, faint firelight still flickered.

At the entrance to one such alley stood two young men.

One of them, nearly two meters tall, had a broad, muscular back shaped like an inverted triangle. His arms were thicker than most people's thighs.

Eyes wide with excitement, he turned to his companion and said, "Jiang Kai, this is the West District's Dark Alley."

The West District's Dark Alley, one of Jiangzhong City's four major black markets, was, as its name implied, a place hidden from the light.

Jiang Kai, the other young man, appeared small in comparison, standing at around 178 cm, with a lean, well-proportioned build.

Unlike his companion's excitement, Jiang Kai seemed much calmer. He simply observed the bustling crowd before them.

"Jiang Kai, why did we have to come to the West District's Dark Alley? I heard the East District's underground market is even bigger," the burly youth asked.

Jiang Kai's expression turned serious. In a low voice, he said, "What we need is most likely to appear here. Let's go, Zhuzi."

The alley was narrow, only wide enough for five or six people to walk abreast. Dim lanterns flickered on and off along its length.

The narrow passageway was crowded with a chaotic flow of people.

On their right, a few individuals leaned casually against the mottled walls at intervals, a small piece of black cloth spread before them with strange items displayed on top.

There were cards, wrinkled newspapers, empty syringes, white paper, and, on some stalls manned by foreigners, even stones.

These sellers didn't actively solicit buyers. They appeared indifferent, but their eyes were as sharp as hawks, scrutinizing every passerby.

Jiang Kai scanned the strange items, matching them to the information he had researched beforehand. In his mind, he connected the clutter to the goods they represented.

Cards symbolized equipment from Destiny's Calling. Newspapers carried various pieces of information. Syringes represented class transition materials, white paper stood for trial qualification certificates, and stones represented nuclear soil, a strictly regulated resource.

The Dark Alley had its own rules. Sellers didn't display actual goods or list prices. Once a deal was made, it was final—no refunds or regrets.

Because of this, anyone unfamiliar with market prices dared not make a move lightly.

The two walked slowly, Jiang Kai silently observing each vendor who conducted business, studying their expressions, movements, and gazes.

After over two hours of exploration, Jiang Kai and Zhuzi finally grasped the situation.

The alleys appeared narrow, yet the sheer number of people made the place feel alive. The maze of dilapidated passageways connected in a network, forming a small, self-contained world.

"No wonder they say the trade volume in the four major black markets might surpass that of official trading hubs. So many people come here to trade," Jiang Kai marveled.

"Huh? There's another path up ahead?" Zhuzi pointed to a spot about a dozen meters away. After all their wandering, they hadn't noticed this route before.

The alley ahead was shrouded in darkness, with no firelight illuminating it.

It bore no markings, and its destination was unknown.

As they approached, two figures suddenly emerged from the shadows, blocking their way.

Both men were about 1.9 meters tall with sturdy builds. While not as imposing as Zhuzi, they were far from ordinary.

"Turn back if you value your lives!" One of the burly men barked, his tone harsh, as he revealed a weapon tucked at his waist.

Zhuzi glanced at Jiang Kai, his expression uneasy. Jiang Kai remained calm and silently turned around, tugging Zhuzi along.

They weren't here to cause trouble. Whatever secrets the Dark Alley held, Jiang Kai wasn't interested for now.

After leaving the fork, Jiang Kai noticed Zhuzi had grown unusually quiet, trailing behind him without a word.

Jiang Kai had noticed Zhuzi's unease earlier but waited until they were near the entrance to ask, "What's wrong, Zhuzi?"

Zhuzi's voice trembled as he whispered, "I saw that guy… He had a gun."

For two teenagers who had just graduated high school a few days ago, the sight of a firearm was undoubtedly chilling.

Jiang Kai nodded. "Don't worry. They were just warning us. As long as we follow the rules here, it's usually safe. Otherwise, this place wouldn't attract so many buyers."

Though Zhuzi didn't argue, his lingering fear made him restless. "We've almost covered the whole place. Shouldn't we ask a seller directly?"

Jiang Kai frowned and pondered for a moment before replying, "We can't rush this. We only have one shot at this, so we can't afford to overlook any detail. Let's take another round."

Just then, frantic shouting echoed from ahead.

"Move! Move!"

A man dashed toward them in panic, shoving people aside like a madman.

When he collided with Zhuzi, instead of breaking through, he was sent stumbling several steps backward.

Dazed, the man looked up at Zhuzi. Seeing the towering figure standing like a wall, he trembled.

"S-Sorry…" The man stammered an apology and fled toward the exit, his movements erratic.

Jiang Kai noticed several fresh bloodstains on the man's back as he ran away.

Moments later, a group of seven or eight black-clad men wielding iron rods emerged in pursuit.

The leader, a man with a scarred eyebrow, approached Jiang Kai, yelling, "Move—"

Before he could finish, he spotted the towering Zhuzi.

The leader swallowed the rest of his words, his gaze darting nervously to Zhuzi's imposing figure. The sight of Zhuzi's sheer size and intimidating aura made him falter.

He gulped and softened his tone. "Step aside."

Without a word, Jiang Kai gestured for Zhuzi to make way.

Once the group disappeared, Zhuzi inched closer to Jiang Kai, whispering, "Maybe we should leave. I'm scared…"

Looking at Zhuzi's pleading expression, which starkly contrasted with his massive frame, Jiang Kai sighed.

"Tomorrow, we'll log into Destiny's Calling and join the rookie trial. Everyone only gets one free trial in their lifetime. Let's get what we need and go."

Despite his hesitation, Zhuzi pulled Jiang Kai to the alley's edge.

"Jiang Kai, I... I think... we should sell the qualification certificate…" Yuan Zhu squatted in a corner, his head lowered, his voice barely audible.

Jiang Kai was a little angry, his tone rising unconsciously. "Zhuzi, didn't we agree to go to Destiny together? Why are you backing out now?!"

"It's not that I want to back out! Everyone knows Destiny can change your fate, but everyone also knows how hard it is! Do you know the pass rate for the Newcomer Trial?" Yuan Zhu muttered. "For people like us, it's probably not even one percent!"

"One qualification certificate can sell for 25,000 Alliance Coins—that's enough to cover my family's expenses for two years!"

"You know how much I eat. My appetite is enough for four or five people. My mom already struggles just to feed me. I… I want to start making money quickly!"

Zhuzi, still squatting, looked up at Jiang Kai and continued, "Your family is even worse off than mine. Your brother is working three jobs, your sister is in her first year of high school, and you said you and Brother Lan are going to support Yingzi through college. That's another huge expense. You need the money even more than I do!"

Ever since Jiang Kai's family arrived in Jiangzhong City, he had known Zhuzi. Their families were well-acquainted, and what Zhuzi said was all true.

Zhuzi's words were like a bucket of cold water, pulling Jiang Kai back to reality.

Destiny wasn't just an ordinary virtual reality game. It was a game that could change the fate of ordinary people!

Monsters in Destiny dropped a rare resource called "nuclear soil." By completing the minimum-level initial career transfer, players could withdraw 10 grams of nuclear soil each time they logged out.

In the current era of energy scarcity, nuclear soil was the most crucial resource, with nations competing to acquire it.

Password: 563743675

Ten grams of nuclear soil could sell for as much as 50,000 Alliance Coins!

If the career was "Smuggler," they could even carry an extra 5 grams each time!

In short, becoming an official Destiny player could change the fate of an entire family!

However, becoming an official Destiny player wasn't easy. The first challenge, the Newcomer Trial, eliminated countless players.

It was a hunt—but the players weren't the hunters.

The so-called Newcomer Trial was actually dominated by "veterans" who had participated multiple times.

Wealthy individuals could purchase qualification certificates from others, allowing them to participate in the trial repeatedly until they passed.

In addition to having more experience, these veterans often bought career transfer materials in advance, enabling them to complete their first transfer as soon as they entered Destiny, gaining attribute boosts and career talents—huge advantages over pure newcomers.

Even with the veterans included, the pass rate for the Newcomer Trial was still less than 10%.

For genuine newcomers with no backing, the chance of passing was nearly zero.

QQ: 563743675

After the Beast God Era, humanity barely survived. Simply staying alive was difficult.

Except for a small number of wealthy individuals, most people preferred to sell their qualification certificates rather than gamble on such an improbable chance.

Jiang Kai squatted beside Zhuzi, placing a hand on his shoulder.

After a long silence, Jiang Kai sighed softly. He understood Zhuzi's family situation and didn't want to force his friend.

"Zhuzi, if you want to sell the qualification certificate, go to the official exchange. The price might be a bit lower, but it's safe. List it tomorrow morning, and someone will grab it immediately. You don't need to worry about it not selling in time."

"And what about you?" Zhuzi looked up at Jiang Kai.

Without hesitation, Jiang Kai replied, "I'm still going to buy that item."

Zhuzi exclaimed anxiously, "Do you know how unreliable that thing is?! Jiang Kai, listen to me. Let's just forget it. Being poor is fine; at least we'll survive!"

Jiang Kai stood up, looking toward the dark alley—shadowy, unknown, dangerous.

"Zhuzi, there are things you don't understand. In short, what I want is more than just survival!"

"Even if it costs me everything, I'm betting on this one shot!"

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