Chapter 1

In the pure white void, I felt the searing pain of Eric's knife piercing my chest gradually fade away.

"Viktor, we were wrong! I shouldn't have gotten involved with your wife!" Those were the last words I heard before dying.

The memories played back like a film reel with perfect clarity—my business partner Eric, the brother who had built Viktor Corporation from nothing with me, was now holding hands with my fiancée Sera, both bloodied and terrified as they begged for my mercy.

Meanwhile, I lay on the villa's living room floor, a knife in my chest, using a lighter to ignite the leaking gas as I watched the explosion consume everything.

You were wrong?

You didn't know you were wrong—you knew you were about to die.

Thinking about how I'd taken that pair of adulterous scum down with me filled me with savage satisfaction.

But wait, how do I still have consciousness?

"Welcome to the 《Doomsday Judgment Protocol》."

A mechanical female voice echoed through the void.

I opened my eyes to find myself standing in an endless white space.

Around me stood 299 other figures, their faces etched with confusion and terror.

Then I heard that voice.

"Where is this? I should be dead..."

My blood instantly froze.

That voice—I would never forget it. Eric Smith.

I looked in the direction of the sound and spotted that face in the crowd twenty meters away.

Still those handsome features, still those deceitful blue eyes.

He was looking around, confusion written all over his face.

Then I heard another familiar voice:

"Eric? Eric!"

Sera Roland. My former fiancée. She wore the same white dress from before the explosion, pushing through the crowd toward Eric.

"Sera!" Eric's face lit up with wild joy. "You're here too! We didn't die?"

The two embraced in the crowd like reunited lovers.

Just like three hours ago, in my villa.

I didn't speak, just watched them coldly.

"You are all the dead from reality," the high-dimensional AI's voice carried no warmth. "Now you will be placed into a virtual world populated by NPCs. After a one-year preparation period, the apocalypse will begin. The sole survivor can be reborn."

The dead, reborn.

Eric and Sera exchanged a glance, excitement flashing in their eyes.

A chance at rebirth was like a divine gift for these two betrayers.

"Each person will awaken an ability. Abilities are randomly assigned and cannot be changed. Now, receive your gifts."

Just then, Eric's gaze swept across the crowd and suddenly locked onto my face.

His pupils instantly contracted, his face turning deathly pale.

"Vi... Viktor?!"

Sera followed his gaze and let out a scream: "Impossible! You should be dead! We saw you get stabbed!"

The surrounding players turned to watch this dramatic reunion with curiosity.

I slowly walked toward them, each step heavy and deliberate.

Eric instinctively backed away, unable to hide his terror.

"What's wrong?" I stopped in front of them, my voice terrifyingly calm. "Not happy to see an old friend? Eric, my dear brother."

"You... how can you be here?" Eric stammered. "The gas explosion, the whole villa blew up..."

"Seems we're all very lucky." My gaze was sharp as a blade. "Three people died together, three people reborn together. Isn't that romantic? Sera?"

Sera gripped Eric's arm tightly, her voice trembling: "Viktor, let me explain, it's not what you think..."

"Not what I think?" I laughed coldly. "You conspired to seize my shares, transfer my assets, then killed me when I discovered the truth. Which part isn't what I think?"

Suddenly, a strange power surged into the depths of my consciousness.

At the same time, glowing text appeared above everyone's head, displaying their respective abilities.

【Eric Smith: S-Rank Ability - Neural Infiltration】

【Sera Roland: A-Rank Ability - Pheromone Charm】

【Viktor Kahn: Black Gold Unlimited Access Card】

After seeing his ability, Eric's terror instantly transformed into wild joy: "S-Rank 【Neural Infiltration】! I can control any creature's consciousness, even hack into and control machines!"

He stared directly into my eyes, smiling maliciously: "Viktor, the situation has changed! In this game, I make the rules!"

Sera also regained her arrogance: "【Pheromone Charm】! I can make any man go crazy for me! Viktor, this is what you get for trying to stop our true love!"

The surrounding players examined each other's abilities as various powerful ability names flickered in the air:

"【Lightning Dominion】! Amazing!"

"【Steel Body】, I'm invincible!"

"【Instant Teleportation】, now I'm safe!"

Then all eyes gradually focused on the text above my head.

【Black Gold Unlimited Access Card】

After a brief silence, the entire space erupted in laughter.

"Hahaha! Viktor, look what you got!" Eric laughed until tears came out, all his fear transforming into mockery. "A black card? Infinite wealth? This is an apocalyptic survival game! Abilities are king! Money is worthless!"

"Exactly!" Sera clutched her stomach, laughing hysterically. "When the apocalypse comes, cash won't even be good enough to wipe your ass! You really are a miser—even the system knows you don't deserve anything but money!"

Other players joined in the mockery:

"This guy must be cursed, awakening the most useless ability."

"Businessmen will be businessmen, nothing in their heads but money."

"Haha, I almost feel sorry for him."

"Get ready to be trampled by ability users, capitalist!"

Eric walked up to me, looking down with a cold sneer: "Viktor, your wealth empire couldn't protect you in reality, and it won't work in this broken game either. I'll crush you like a bug in the apocalypse, make you pay for trying to stop us from being together!"

"That's right." Sera added venomously. "You waste who only knows how to hide in your office counting money, what use is a broken card? I could charm a hundred men right now to tear you apart!"

I listened to their mockery in silence, my heart utterly calm.

One year preparation period.

Modern world order, entirely NPC-constructed virtual environment, unlimited wealth access.

Anyone who had built a business empire from scratch understood—in a modern civilization system, capital is always the strongest weapon. One year was enough for me to mobilize infinite wealth and build whatever I wanted.

Nuclear bombs, orbital weapons, private armies, space fortresses.

The firepower that money could buy far exceeded the limits of any physical ability.

I deeply imprinted the black card's information in my mind, a barely perceptible cold smile tugging at my lips.

These fools hadn't yet realized they were about to face not an ability showdown, but the complete crushing of primitive power by industrial civilization.

"Viktor, remember my words." Eric declared arrogantly, purple light flickering in his eyes. "When the apocalypse comes, I'll show you what real power means! Just like in reality, you'll never defeat us!"

I raised my head, calmly gazing at this pair of dogs.

But deep inside, I had already sentenced them to death.

Tungsten orbital weapons, EMP pulses, biochemical toxins, nuclear warheads—I would show them what dimensional suppression truly meant.

"Teleportation beginning." The system countdown began. "3...2...1..."

White light flashed, and everyone's figures began to dissolve.

I took one last look at that smug pair of betrayers, sneering inwardly:

Fighting against me, Viktor? Do you have what it takes?

The next second, I stood atop a skyscraper in a bustling metropolis.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was a scene of traffic and crowds, completely indistinguishable from the real world.

I pulled out the newly materialized black card and dialed the dark web number of the virtual world's top military contractor.

"I want to build a sky city in the stratosphere. Budget unlimited."

A respectful response came through the phone: "Mr. Viktor, how long do you need for completion?"

I gazed at the setting sun outside the window, my voice cold as ice:

"Within one year, I want everything completed. For every day you finish early, I'll add ten million to your fee!"