Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: The Rise of Civilization

On a summer friday evening, the fading glow of the sunset spilled over the narrow streets.

Luo Ji, who had just finished his summer part-time job, dragged his exhausted body back home.

Today marked his last day of work, in just over a week, school would start again.

After a tiring summer, he planned to savor what little remained of his final high school vacation.

He peeled off his sweat-soaked t-shirt, took a cold shower, and hastily ate dinner.

Out of habit, he brewed himself a cup of coffee and cranked up the rickety fan in his room to its highest setting.

With all his preparations complete, he turned on his computer, clicked the game icon on his desktop, and launched his favorite game ‘Civilization VI.’

As the opening cinematic played, the weariness on Luo Ji’s face faded slightly, his expression brightening.

With a few clicks of his mouse, he selected the highest difficulty level and started a new game.

The moment the game began, his exhaustion seemed to melt away.

His sluggish mind sharpened, his focus intensifying.

Expanding territory, negotiating, trading, building armies, forming alliances, everything fell into place with seamless precision.

He was in his expertise, after all, he was a seasoned veteran in this game.

Just as he was about to click ‘Next Turn,’ a message popped up in the lower-left corner of his screen.

“Wanna play?”

The sender was one of his gaming friends, someone he’d met through Civilization VI.

They rarely chatted, but this guy frequently invited him to multiplayer matches, always with the same two-word opener.

Though an exceptionally skilled and tenacious opponent who made every match a marathon, Luo Ji didn’t dislike this eccentric online acquaintance.

Over time, he’d even grown accustomed to their interactions.

After an intense battle, Luo Ji took a sip of his now-empty coffee cup, a faint smirk curling his lips as victory flashed across the screen.

Though he usually won more than he lost against this opponent, each triumph was hard-fought, making every win deeply satisfying.

Normally, the other player would log off immediately after a match ended.

But this time, he unexpectedly sent another message.

“Want to try a more interesting strategy game?”

“??”

Luo Ji replied with two question marks.

“Establish city-states. Develop civilizations. Command armies. The real deal.”

Luo Ji’s first instinct was suspicion, this has to be a scam.

But on second thought, the idea of experiencing something like that was undeniably thrilling.

Family hardships had forced him to mature early, he was still a student at heart, with a spark of impulsiveness.

Plus, the monotony of his days had left him restless.

“If it’s real, I’d love to try,”

He replied.

The moment he sent that response, a voice echoed in his mind—

[System Alert: Qualified host detected. Proceed with the installation of ‘Rise of Civilization’?]

“Huh? That voice…”

Luo Ji instinctively glanced around.

“Did that just come from inside my head?”

The suddenness of it caught him off guard.

While he wasn’t the type to panic, his calm, handsome face still flickered with surprise.

Then, another message popped up in the chat window.

“Accept.”

That one word made Luo Ji realize that he was in for something far bigger than he’d imagined.

His heartbeat quickened, a mix of tension and excitement surging through him.

Part of him wanted to dive in headfirst, but reason whispered that refusing was the safer choice.

He exhaled slowly. But then again, he’d always been stubborn.

And with no family tying him down… what did he have to lose?

Without hesitation, he chose to accept.

[System Alert: ‘Rise of Civilization’ installation in progress. Host must remain conscious…]

[System Alert: Installation complete!]

The moment the notification sounded, Luo Ji’s vision plunged into darkness.

Before he could even open his eyes again, an icy chill stabbed through his body, making him shudder violently.

“What the—? It’s so cold…”

When his sight returned, the first thing he saw was a crackling campfire.

Instinctively, he edged closer, craving its warmth. But then—

[System Alert: Friend request received from Player ‘Gao Su.’ Accept?]

“Player? Gao Su?”

Whether it was the cold or the sheer absurdity of the situation, Luo Ji’s usually sharp mind short-circuited for a few seconds.

After a dazed pause, reality finally crashed down on him.

“Wait… did I just get pulled into the game?!”

As his thoughts cleared, his brain finally started to work. This “Gao Su” has to be his online friend.

Without hesitation, he accepted the request.

Almost instantly, a flurry of messages poured in.

“Sending messages consumes ‘Civilization Points,’ the most crucial currency in this game. New players struggle to earn them, so don’t reply. I’ll outline key points. Pay attention.”

One message after another followed in rapid succession.

“You’ve entered a primitive civilization world. This is a fully real world. Don’t limit yourself to Civ VI mechanics. As a newbie, you’re under six months of protection so other players can’t invade during this time. Use it to develop your tribe.”

“But don’t underestimate the natives. Early game tribes are tough. Be cautious, but explore aggressively as you might find surprises. Also, check your stats first and play to your strengths.”

“Lastly, don’t log out carelessly. Both exiting and re-entering cost Civil Points. New players are always short, so stay as long as possible. Finally I wish you good luck.”

After that, Gao Su went silent. Luo Ji tried sending a message, only to confirm the warning that each message cost 10 Civil Points, with strict word limits.

And right now, his balance was a big, fat zero…