The world lay in ruins, a stark reminder of humanity's fall ten years after the outbreak. Monsters roamed freely, and humanity fought tooth and nail for survival. Yang Fan, a seventh-level warrior, stood amidst a battlefield, his heart racing as he faced an enormous creature towering over him. The air crackled with tension as the monster swung its sword, clashing against Yang Fan's weapon with a force that sent vibrations through his body.
"Fuck, this isn't a low-tier monster; it's obviously a tier 8 boss!" he shouted, disbelief evident in his voice.
He blocked a vicious swing from the beast's sword, realizing he stood no chance against such a formidable foe. Desperation gripped him as he shouted, "QingXue, run!" Glancing back at his sister, he saw fear flicker in her eyes, her face draining of color as she grasped the gravity of their situation.
"No! I won't leave you!" she cried, determination mingling with terror.
With a swift kick, the monster sent Yang Fan hurtling through the air. "Ah!" he screamed as he crashed to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Struggling to regain his footing, he saw the beast raise its sword, poised to strike.
"Brother!" QingXue screamed, her voice piercing the chaos. In a moment of sheer bravery, she dashed toward him, throwing herself in front of the monster.
The blade sliced through the air, and blood erupted from QingXue's back as she embraced Yang Fan, shielding him with her body. "Qing... QingXue!" Yangfan gasped, shock washing over him. She looked up at him, pain evident in her eyes.
"Yang Fan..." she whispered, her strength fading. "I'm sorry..." He cradled her in his arms, tears streaming down his face. "No! You can't leave me!" he pleaded. "I'll save you! I swear! Just hold on a little longer!"
Rage ignited within him. Gently setting her down, he turned, heart pounding as he faced the monster once more. "Bastard!" he roared, charging forward. With a powerful swing, he brought his sword down, cleaving the monster's head clean off.
As the beast collapsed, a blue, shiny stone fell from its body. Yangfan snatched it up without thinking, then rushed back to his sister. QingXue lay on the ground, her eyes fluttering as life drained from her.
"QingXue! Hold on! I'll find the saint's holy water to save you!" he cried, lifting her onto his back. He sprinted toward Tianlun Base No. 3.
Bursting through the doors, breathless and panicked, he was met with an unexpected scene: Cloud, his girlfriend, and Xiao Wei, the base captain, locked in a passionate kiss. Yangfan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Cloud? Xiao Wei, what are you doing?"
They broke apart, surprise flashing across their faces.
"Yang... Yang Fan?" Cloud stammered, cheeks flushing.
Xiao Wei raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his gaze. "I didn't think you'd survive a tier 8 boss," he remarked casually.
"How did you know it was a tier 8?" Yang Fan shot back, desperation creeping into his voice as he felt QingXue cling to him tighter.
"Ne!" she murmured weakly, a shudder running through her body.
"Qing... QingXue!" Yang Fan cried, panic rising in his chest. "We'll talk about this later! Xiaowei, give me the saint's holy water! I need to save my sister! Now!"
Xiao Wei's laughter echoed mockingly in the room. "What a joke! Saint's holy water costs thousands of blue crystals. Why would I give it to you?"
Yang Fan's heart raced. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden, shiny ring, holding it up like a lifeline. "This ring is a priceless treasure I've always kept. With it, you can become like me. You could sell it for anything!"
Xiao Wei's expression shifted, interest piqued. Didn't realize I could get more out of him; the ring is now mine, he thought. "Not bad," he said slowly, "but if you're dead, we don't need to trade. I can just take it from your dead body. Why waste my saint's holy water on your sister? But it truly is a pity for such a beautiful girl to die."
Yang Fan's fury ignited. "You bastard!" he shouted, gently setting Qing Xue against the wall before drawing his sword. He charged at Xiao Wei, determination fueling his movements. "Die!"
As Yang Fan swung his sword, a flash of golden light erupted. Xiao Wei leaped back, barely avoiding the strike, but a purple energy surged from his hand, hitting Yang Fan squarely in the chest. The impact sent him sprawling backward, blood spilling from his mouth as pain seared through him.
"Are you really going to fight me while heavily injured?" Xiao Wei taunted, his voice dripping with disdain. Yang Fan lay on the floor, gasping for breath.
Xiao Wei advanced, looking down at him with contempt. "Let's see what this ring can really do." He reached for Yang Fan's clenched fist, intent on prying it open.
"In your dreams!" Yang Fan spat defiantly, shaking his arm free. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed the ring in a moment of reckless bravery.
Xiao Wei's expression twisted into a mocking smirk. "Do you think you can stop me by swallowing it?" He seized Yang Fan's sword and, with a swift motion, sliced open Yang Fan's stomach, eyes gleaming with triumph.
The ring, however, began to shine brightly, a blinding light flooding the room. Xiao Wei and Cloud shielded their eyes, shocked. "What is this?" Xiao Wei screamed as the golden glow enveloped them.
Yang Fan felt an unfamiliar energy surge within him, echoing through his mind with two simple words: "Time rewind."
Suddenly, everything went dark.
...
Yang Fan jolted awake, gasping for breath.