C6 CHAPTER6

"What... what did I do to deserve this from you?" Olivia's voice broke as she cried, yet Devon remained stoic, her tears failing to move him.

"Olivia, you haven't done anything wrong... it's just that we can't make it work between us anymore," Devon explained.

"But why? We were set to be married! What's changed? Your talk with my father went well, didn't it? So what's the issue?" Olivia's voice was laced with anguish.

"I went through with those discussions because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But what's the point of doing the 'right thing' if it robs me of my happiness? Olivia, we both know there's no real affection between us. We're trying to satisfy our fathers, and deep down, you're aware that things aren't right with us. I can't keep up this charade. I can't marry you, Olivia," Devon said firmly, his eyes locked on hers.

With a huff, Olivia's face flushed a deep red, her anger palpable. She spun on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Devon let out a sigh of relief once she was gone and sank onto his bed. He was confident he'd made the correct decision, but the thought of actually avoiding marriage to Olivia seemed daunting. With no one in his corner, the challenge loomed large.

What now?

Almost as if in response, the same voice that had announced a game starting in four hours filled the room again, declaring the game's imminent commencement. Devon was puzzled at how quickly time had slipped by.

"System activated, mission activated, game begins in three minutes. Mission reward: One summoning talisman."

Suddenly, Devon found himself transported to a different room. Before him was an active computer, its screen displaying a silent, ghastly zombie face. Then, text scrolled across the screen:

"Zombies arise from the resentment of heaven and earth. They are undying and indestructible, forsaken by the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, cast out from the Six Paths of all beings. Yet, in the face of such entities, there are forces of good that stand in opposition. Among them are the Exorcist Dragon Clan and the Fiery Clan, as well as the long-haired zombies of the southern lands, known as Ventura."

The world was teetering on the brink of chaos, and war loomed on the horizon. The Master of Red Creek Village had awakened Eric, the King of Zombies, from a century-long slumber.

The narrative halted, replaced by a familiar green interface, an advertisement slogan, and a button that beckoned players to start the game with a single press.

Devon rolled his eyes in contempt. "What a piece of junk! I've managed to break free from the internet. My soul's gone, and I've vowed to never touch electronics again! I'm not playing this ridiculous game!" he bellowed.

As his gaze narrowed on the table, he was taken aback by what he saw. The table was cluttered with icons, ones his own computer lacked, and even the bottom toolbox was devoid of them.

Devon was baffled. What was happening? Why didn't his computer display all these enticing icons? And to make matters worse, the icons on his screen were a dull gray. He attempted to click on them, only to be met with a notification:

[System Notification: Insufficient internet fees. Locked.]

That was the last straw for Devon. "What the hell kind of system is this? Why does it need to be unlocked with internet fees?" he growled in frustration. "I can't believe this," he muttered sarcastically, reverting to the previous page.

"Time and the world are in chaos..."

"The world is in chaos..." The words flashed on the screen, and the loop continued.

"Damn it!" Fuming, Devon decided to call it quits.

He retreated to his bedroom and flopped onto his bed, pondering the bizarre events. Almost instantly, a talisman materialized in his hand—a summoning talisman.

"How can this be?" he whispered, both astonished and confused by the sudden appearance of the talisman.

Out of the blue, the electronic voice returned.

[Initial mission completed. A net fee of $10 has been obtained.]

Devon snickered, wondering if the golden talisman in his grasp was truly worth a mere ten dollars. He imagined a celebrity trading such a prized amulet for such a paltry sum.

The voice spoke again, informing him that he must wait twenty-four hours before he could utilize the talisman in his possession.

"You don't get to tell me what to do!" Devon shouted defiantly at the voice.

Ignoring the distraction, the voice chimed in once more.

[Initial mission accomplished, system activated; beginner's gift pack ready for phase one. Host, please remain vigilant to receive the Gift Pack at any moment.]

Memories flickered through Devon's mind, and he grasped the recent turn of events.

He had just acquired a system.

Based on his observations over the past hour and a half, he deduced that this system was likely web-based, and its activation was remarkably straightforward—he simply needed to play the game! Devon was confident that excelling in the game would bring him substantial rewards.

"Damn, have web developers really become so advanced that their reach extends from Earth to this realm? And what if I choose not to engage with this game?" he mused.

Shaking off the thought, Devon examined the talisman in his grasp and waved it with a gentle flick of his wrist. To his astonishment, it emitted a brilliant glow, illuminating the room. He was stunned, doubting the reality before his eyes.

As the glow subsided, a disheveled man clad in ancient armor materialized before him, dropping to one knee in a gesture of fealty.

"Master! The Zombie King, Hector, humbly greets you!" the man proclaimed, his voice booming as he kept his head lowered.

Devon's mind raced. 'Zombie King'? Had he truly summoned a Zombie King? As the third prince of the Devil Clan, he chose to accept the homage.

"You may raise your head," he instructed.

The moment Devon locked eyes with Hector, he faltered, "B...Blake?" He was baffled—this Zombie bore an uncanny resemblance to Blake.

But how could it be that he had summoned Blake himself?