Darkness. Then, the familiar sensation of consciousness returning. Eyelids fluttering open. The first sliver of dawn light filtering through the gap in his curtains. The digital clock on the bedside table read: 6:00 AM.
Beneath it, the date: April 13th, 2025.
A wave of profound disorientation washed over Chen Mu, stronger than simple morning grogginess. It felt like stepping off a moving walkway onto solid ground – a jarring cessation of momentum. He sat bolt upright, his heart hammering against his ribs. It wasn't April 20th. It was April 13th. Again.
He frantically searched his memory, the carefully stored test phrase leaping to the forefront of his mind: Zoning adjustment Z-25-048, Fengwei District Industrial Park Expansion, comment period open April 14th.
It was there. Clear. Undiminished. The memory hadn't reset. But time had.
He wasn't hallucinating. It wasn't stress. The impossible was real. The Infinite Time Loop Simulation System was active, and he was trapped – or perhaps empowered – within its cycle.
A strange mix of emotions churned within him. Vertigo warred with a nascent thrill. The predictable path of his life had just fractured into infinite possibilities. The control he meticulously cultivated was both shattered and potentially magnified beyond comprehension.
He swung his legs out of bed, the cool floorboards feeling both intimately familiar and strangely alien. This exact sensation, this exact moment... I experienced it seven days ago. The déjà vu was potent, almost nauseating.
Before even thinking about his routine, he focused his intent, calling up the system interface. The familiar blue text shimmered into existence.
[Host Status]
Name: Chen Mu
Age: 18
Physique: 1.1
Mentality: 1.4
Skills: [...] (Expand for details)
System Points: 0
Current Status: Loop Cycle 2 Initiated
[Time Loop Configuration]
Current Setting: 7 Days
Cycle Start: April 13th, 2025, 00:00:00
Cycle End: April 19th, 2025, 23:59:59
Time Remaining in Current Cycle: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes, XX Seconds
[System Log]
> Loop Cycle 1 Completed.
> Evaluation: Minimal Deviation, Observation Focus.
> Host Memory Retention: Confirmed.
> System Data Retention: Confirmed.
> Reward Calculation: Baseline (Observation/Verification). Reward Pending Active Achievement.
So, the system tracked the loops. It acknowledged his cautious approach in the first cycle. And crucially, it hinted that rewards required active achievement, not just passive existence.
Knowing the loop was real changed everything. This wasn't just a week to be endured; it was a resource. Seven days, repeatable, with retained knowledge. The implications were staggering.
His disciplined mind immediately shifted from verification to optimization. What was the most pressing, concrete goal in his 'original' timeline? The Gaokao. The national college entrance exam was the single biggest hurdle determining his future academic and career path. Normally, he'd have months of intense, linear study. Now... he had potentially infinite cycles of seven days.
A new resolve solidified within him. Goal for Loop Cycle 2: Maximize Gaokao subject study efficiency.
He knew exactly what topics would be covered in class this week. He knew the homework assignments, the surprise quizzes, the points where his understanding had been weakest the 'first' time through. He could pre-emptively address those weaknesses, solidify strong points, and even attempt advanced material.
The clock ticked past 6:05 AM. His usual run time. He suppressed the urge to immediately dive into textbooks. Routine had its place, maintaining a semblance of normalcy and physical conditioning was still important. But the intent behind the routine had shifted. It wasn't just about discipline anymore; it was about maintaining the vessel for the mind navigating this temporal anomaly.
He went for his run, the familiar streets of Haizhou feeling subtly different under the weight of his foreknowledge. He passed neighbors walking dogs, commuters heading to early shifts – all unaware they were actors in his repeating play.
Back home, after his standard breakfast, he sat at his desk. Instead of passively reviewing yesterday's math, he opened his textbook to the chapter scheduled for discussion tomorrow. He worked through the examples, tackled the exercises, cross-referenced with his Physics syllabus where concepts overlapped. When he encountered a tricky concept – one he recalled struggling with briefly in Loop 1 – he didn't just push through; he stopped, consulted supplementary materials he normally wouldn't have time for, and ensured he grasped it fully before moving on.
School felt like watching a rerun, but with the ability to see the director's notes. When the Math teacher introduced the new topic, Chen Mu wasn't just following along; he was actively analysing the explanation, comparing it to his pre-study, identifying nuances he'd missed. He answered questions with speed and precision that drew a surprised but pleased glance from the teacher. Homework that had taken him an hour in Loop 1 was completed flawlessly in thirty minutes.
He dedicated the saved time to pushing further ahead, not just mastering the week's curriculum, but delving into the next. The feeling was intoxicating – knowledge accumulating at an accelerated rate, mental connections forming faster.
He monitored his [Host Status] panel periodically. By Day 3 of Loop 2, after sustained, intense focus, he noticed a change:
Mentality: 1.41
A minuscule increase, but proof. Directed mental effort within the loop yielded tangible results tracked by the system. By Day 5, his [Mathematics (Advanced High School)] skill notation flickered, adding a sub-descriptor: [+Calculus Concepts Solidified].
The week passed in a blur of focused study, optimized effort, and the background hum of repeating external events. He ate the same meals, had the same brief conversations with his parents (who remained blissfully unaware), attended the same classes. But internally, he was forging ahead.
As midnight approached on April 19th for the second time, Chen Mu felt a sense of accomplishment rather than apprehension. He had taken his first deliberate step in utilizing the system. He had turned the loop from a source of confusion into a tool for advancement.
Sitting on his bed, watching the final seconds tick away, he felt a faint chime resonate within his mind, accompanied by new text on the system interface.
[Loop Cycle 2 Completed.]
> Evaluation: Focused Effort (Academic Optimization). Significant Knowledge Consolidation Detected.
> Host Memory Retention: Confirmed.
> System Data Retention: Confirmed.
> Reward Calculation: Positive.
[Reward Issued: +5 System Points]
[Reward Issued: Passive Buff Acquired - [Learning Efficiency (Minor)] - Effect active during focused study periods.]
Five System Points. A tangible currency within this strange reality. And a passive buff – subtle, but directly related to his efforts. It wasn't world-changing, but it was a start. It was proof that achievement within the simulation yielded concrete benefits.
The familiar disorientation began to wash over him as the clock hit midnight. Darkness. Then, the first sliver of dawn light.
April 13th, 2025. 6:00 AM.
Loop Cycle 3 had begun. And Chen Mu had a plan.