Welcome to Rewind World Game

Shadow met many people.

The high-ranking individuals present included a woman wearing glasses named Mu Mengyun, a tall, thin man named Siben, and a red-haired young man named Li Yuxuan.

When introduced to Li Yuxuan, he seemed somewhat absent-minded. "Hello, the first of the Dream Patrol Family, welcome to the City Guardian Department."

"What's wrong, you don't seem to be in a good mood?" Shadow asked.

"Sorry, it's not about you, I just... received some bad news." Li Yuxuan sighed.

"Can you tell me about it?" Shadow asked.

Li Yuxuan hesitated but then spoke, unable to hold back: "I previously mentored an intern in Dao Ya City named Su Wensheng and thought he was a good person. I originally thought he would be a promising talent, but he turned out to be an Exotic Species and escaped from the college entrance examination hall... This upset me for a long time."

Shadow frowned, "Do you look down on Exotic Species?"

Li Yuxuan shook his head, "If they are violent Exotic Species, they must be eliminated. But if they don't harm anyone, there's no need to erase them. Su Wensheng is clearly a harmless Exotic Species. I've heard he did many good things in Dao Ya City. He shouldn't be exiled."

Shadow's eyes darkened slightly.

Then, Mu Mengyun spoke briefly, generally welcoming the first of the Dream Patrol Family to the City Guardian Department.

The group was overly enthusiastic, and when Shadow wanted to rest, people immediately surrounded him, wanting his autograph. Someone even handed him a hotel room number, noting it was a romantic hotel room 8103, which scared him into running away.

Back in his room, Shadow felt slightly more at ease.

He looked down through the window, seeing the entrance to the City Guardian Department surrounded by a crowd. Photographers with cameras, reporters, envoys from major forces, diplomats from various countries and independent cities, and streamers, celebrities, self-media enthusiasts, website editors, and fervent fans gathered below, as dense as bustling ants.

The crowd kept growing, with people and vehicles approaching every second. It seemed the news of "the first of the Dream Patrol Family joining the City Guardian Department" had spread, shaking the world.

The room was on the thirteenth floor of the headquarters building. When Shadow poked his head out the window, the crowd below seemed to have hawk eyes, shouting up to him:

"The first of the Dream Patrol Family! I'm a reporter from Pineapple Television, can you do a TV report?"

"The first of the Dream Patrol Family, you took down the Union Government's execution platform and immediately joined the City Guardian Department—what's the intention behind your actions? Will the City Guardian Department oppose the Union Government for you?"

"The first of the Dream Patrol Family, I'm Time Zone, an entertainment streamer with a million followers. I want to invite you to co-stream and broadcast the Detective and Alice's story!"

"The first of the Dream Patrol Family, I'm an envoy from the Principality of Dedesi. Our country strongly condemns the Union Government's actions against you. Our Princess Aina is willing to take you as Prince Consort. If you come back with us, you could be married immediately, our country would become your strong support..."

"The first of the Dream Patrol Family, this is Catfight Live Platform..."

As soon as Shadow showed his head, they shouted like sharks smelling blood, desperately throwing olive branches his way. Some even tried to fly up the building with talismans but were stopped by the City Guardian Department's guards.

Shadow was drenched in sweat.

—Was the pursuit of the first of the Dream Patrol Family always this intense?

"—The first of the Dream Patrol Family! I love you! I love you! Aaaaah!"

The fanatical voices continued to rise from below.

Shadow closed the window and drew the curtains, completely shutting out the noise.

...

Union Government, Zone 12.

Mizushima Kawa Sora pushed open the window, breathing in the fresh air.

She undid her long hair, combed it, took out the doll in her arms, and carefully managed its fabric braids, as if it were alive.

"Knock knock." There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Mizushima Kawa Sora said.

A tall woman walked in, her black hair styled into elegant pear curls, wearing a white plum blossom qipao with a green base, a smooth white pearl hanging from her earlobe, exuding a gentle temperament, reminiscent of a lady from the Republic of China. But standing out in contrast was the long silver scabbard at her waist.

"Mizushima Kawa Sora, the military has found the first 'relic', containing traces of technology from hundreds of years ago," the qipao woman said.

"This has long been known; it's been all over the world's news. Is there any fresher news?" Mizushima Kawa Sora turned around.

"Yes, there's news from the frontline explorers—they've made a new discovery in the 'relic'," the qipao woman said.

"What is it?" Mizushima Kawa Sora turned back.

"We've discovered a tower in the relic," the qipao woman said. "Someone tried to enter the tower, but a prompt appeared at the door: 'This tower will open on February 8th at 00:00.' So people cannot enter for now, and we suspect there might be a vast space inside the tower."

"Oh, is this another extra instance? Like the Caius Tower?" Mizushima Kawa Sora said. "The World Game's tricks are running out of steam, are they repeating this again?"

The qipao woman shook her head slightly, "Not sure."

Mizushima Kawa Sora pondered, "Let me think... February 8th at 00:00 is tomorrow at dawn, the sixth day of the instance. Which means approximately every five days a tower appears? The instance lasts a total of twenty days, excluding the last day, so there should be three towers in total. I guess entering the tower is how we upgrade our Positional Rank; all our ranks are currently the lowest, F. Only by raising our rank can we stand on equal footing with deities."

The qipao woman nodded in agreement.

Mizushima Kawa Sora said, "Then we'll wait until tomorrow night for the first tower to open. I should have a face-off with Su Ming'an. If it's a competition like the Caius Tower, I'm looking forward to meeting him."

The qipao woman's eyes twitched slightly, her mouth opened.

Mizushima Kawa Sora looked at the qipao woman, "Do you seem to want to tell me not to kill him?"

The qipao woman shook her head, "I don't think he will be killed by you; I just... don't want him to hurt too much."

Mizushima Kawa Sora sneered, "The one who caused him the most pain, made him the way he is now—wasn't it you? You made him fear love, and now you want to love him again?"

Even though she didn't get along well with Su Ming'an, she thought this woman too contradictory, insane, causing harm and then desperately trying to make amends.

The qipao woman bowed her eyes, only softly saying, "I'm sick."

Mizushima Kawa Sora agreed: "Yes, and you are still ill. But I can assure you that the real him will not be killed by me."

The woman in the qipao asked in confusion: "The real him?"

Mizushima Kawa Sora was no longer inclined to answer: "Please leave."

She escorted the woman in the qipao out and closed the door. She wanted to continue combing the doll's hair, having no time to chat with a madwoman.

...

Su Ming'an was browsing forum posts.

During the world broadcast by the Union Government, many major streamers were also broadcasting live, presenting their views on the First Dream Patrol Family. Among them, Su Ming'an noticed a familiar ID [I Won't Sink People in the River]—wasn't this Lu?

Lu remarkably became a major influencer within just four days, with an account boasting a million followers, truly deserving the title of hexagonal warrior.

Now, Noel has gone to the relics on the front line, Lu has become a major influencer on the forum, Lv Shu stays in the small city, Yamada Machiichi was rescued by Agnes and Rimu Sheng, Mo Yan is with Shadow in the City Guardian Department, Boris is founding the Lighthouse Church, Mizushima Kawa Sora is with the Union Government, and Su Rin is in the wilderness.

—Then, what about Yuanyuan? Why hasn't he encountered her?

The Tenth World is really too vast; it's like finding a needle in a haystack to locate a person. He has declared himself as the First Dream Patrol Family, and the internet is full of discussions about the First Dream Patrol Family. If Yuanyuan sees it, she should be able to find him quickly.

He closed his personal terminal and took a slight turn around the room.

At this moment, with the Clue Insight skill, he found a book titled "Old Day Canon" on the bookshelf, a book similar to the Bible. The world's history had long been buried, leaving only the church's canon and mythological stories preserved.

This book had large fonts, mostly illustrations, like a children's storybook.

...

[Humans are born sinful, hence above there is the Heavenly Valley, below is the Nine Serenities. Good people after death will go to the Heavenly Valley to enjoy endless bliss, evil people after death will go to the Nine Serenities where their souls will be tortured endlessly.]

[In ancient times, there was an 'Old God,' but the Old God has disappeared for a millennium; the current deity is known as 'Supreme God.' Some say, it was the Supreme God who killed the Old God and took the Old God's followers—the three Archangels and the two major Followers.]

[The Judgment Angel who descended into the Mortal World is named 'Biluoluo.' The Order Angel who governs the rules is named 'Light.' The Slaughter Angel in charge of punishment is named 'Umbra.' The all-white spirit of the Follower is named 'Bastet.' The all-black spirit of the Follower is named 'Ra.']

[Besides the three Archangels and two major Followers, there was the most ancient angel who once served beside the Old God. The lifespan of the most ancient angel was limited, so it forged a sword from human bones and threw its own pupils into the sea, transforming its powers into seals that fell upon the world, bones and flesh turning into mountains, blood into great rivers, with the soul coexisting with the world, and descendants infused with the angelic breath in hopes of raising fertile lands to the sky...]

...

Su Ming'an read for a while, feeling that this was a very interesting mythological codex, outlining human yearning for deities. Things like the three major angels at one's feet, the most ancient angel creating heaven and earth, and stories akin to Noah's Ark and the Forbidden Fruit of Eden, were very solemn.

The book clearly stated that a significant event happened millennia ago, which led to the world's current state. It also mentioned the struggle between the Old God and the Supreme God, fabricating a vast number of mythological references. It made one feel that this world's history was very profound.

"There was an Old God a thousand years ago." Su Ming'an read aloud from the book: "But the Supreme God took the Old God's Authority and killed the Old God."

He stroked the pages, thoughts racing through his mind.

...It turned out that the current deities were not the perennial gods of this world. The oldest deity was called 'Old God,' and the current deities, known as 'Supreme God,' are merely usurpers.

Su Ming'an flipped a few pages; the book's most eye-catching feature was a multi-page illustration—a snow-white angel with six wings, wearing a Glazed Crown and wielding a Sword of Brilliance, slashing towards a crimson serpent at the edge of Hell. The serpent plummeted into the abyss, with red flames burning incessantly, even staining the sky red. The painting's style was extremely vivid.

Touching the pages, a deep melancholy surged in Su Ming'an's heart. He often experienced such emotions, whether seeing church murals or touching myths—an overwhelming anguish would arise in his heart.

After reading the book, Su Ming'an put on the Dream Patrol Helmet and entered the game.

...

"Detective Lord."

Upon landing, Su Ming'an felt a tightness around him as a figure immediately embraced him. She held on tightly, as if clinging to a lost and found treasure.

"You arrived quite late this year." Alice's voice wasn't loud but conveyed the calmness of gentle waves.

Having had no chance to access the Dream Patrol Helmet all day, first due to college entrance exams and then joining the Old Day Church, Su Ming'an logged into the game well past midnight, missing a semester of training time.

This meant Alice hadn't seen Su Ming'an for a full year.

"It's okay, I'm back." Su Ming'an indicated for her to let go.

Alice looked up, revealing a pair of purple eyes brimming with tears, filled with intense fear.

—She was afraid.

The embrace tightened, Alice's arms wrapped around him, her fingers trembling. Su Ming'an had never seen her so frightened; she wasn't even afraid of freezing to death, yet dreaded he wouldn't return.

"Alice..." Su Ming'an whispered.

"Detective Lord, while waiting for you, I kept pondering, wondering if something happened to you out there, if you went to another Kingdom, if you found a new venture, if you'd... never come back." Alice's pupils slightly trembled:

"You always return every half a year, so I always present my best side to welcome you. But I'd prepared tea and made Spring Heart Cookies, yet you never returned. I never worried about your safety, but this time... these thoughts kept replaying in my mind."

She still held on tightly.

"You have many secrets, so I never asked why you only returned every half a year, I was never curious about where you went. But when I realized you might never set foot here again."

Even her breathing trembled: "I truly... am very scared."

The red tea on the table was still steaming, and the Spring Heart Cookies were warm. Alice must have reheated the tea repeatedly and made the Spring Heart Cookies over and over before finally waiting for him.

Seeing Alice so frightened, Su Ming'an suddenly realized something.

—To him, this was merely a simulation game called "Girl's Dream Project."

—But to Alice, he was her entire world.

They had signed a contract to move forward together, and when he abandoned the game, Alice would continue waiting for him, waiting, until the game's conclusion.