Chapter 1, Death and Rebirth

Before Wu Ming could catch his breath, he suddenly felt a tickle in his throat and vomited a mouthful of foul blood.

This card album appeared out of nowhere, floating in the air and emanating a hazy glow. The cover of the album is clearly made of genuine leather, with visible stitching patterns, and in addition, there are some extremely mysterious runes that represent some inexplicable power

Li Xia wrinkled her nose, yet she knew that this must be due to someone working overtime through the night. In today's society, with competition being so fierce, working late into the night has become exceedingly common

Li Xia smiled faintly, seemingly quite familiar with that person. She raised her hand to check the watch on her wrist; it was nearly 8 o'clock. After some thought, she decided not to wake the other person, but instead began to tidy up the table

Huatian Technology Company, where Li Xia, responsible for the front desk reception, arrived early in her petite high heels. Upon pushing open the door, she noticed that a desk lamp in the R&D department was still lit, and the lingering smell of smoke remained in the room

At present, this type of weapon is completely useless. The level 2 weapon card cannot even break through the shell of the Blade Spider. Severely injured, Wu Ming now needs a "healing card." Although the price of this item is exorbitantly high in the camp, Wu Ming managed to obtain one a few days ago, fearing that he might encounter a situation of severe injury and need to heal himself

What does that count for? Last night, there were reports of meteorites falling in more than ten countries. In our own country, two cities were also struck by meteorites. What do you think, could this be a sign of the apocalypse? Another person clearly discovered more news.

The wound was inflicted by a blade spider. Although Wu Ming was wearing armor made from mutated rhinoceros skin, it was evidently insufficient to withstand the blade spider's sharp limbs, which were capable of piercing tank armor.

At that moment, Wu Ming was stunned; wasn't this seven days before the disaster occurred

Unconsciously swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Wu Ming wondered what was going on with the book

Seeing Wu Ming in a daze, Li Xia beside him spoke again, which finally brought Wu Ming back to his senses

The Primary Healing Card can activate a mysterious power to heal ordinary injuries, and it is currently Wu Ming's only hope

Could it be that I have returned to three years ago

Wu Minggen had no time to think of anything else; he suddenly collapsed to the ground, feeling the toxins eroding his body. He had no time left for fear, as scenes from his past flashed through his mind

How could this happen? Wu Ming was overwhelmed with shock and disbelief

Cards, mysterious items that have emerged in the New World, are objects whose powers remain unknown to all. In any case, cards have become one of the most important entities in the New World

No, I am unwilling, I do not want to die like this! Although I am shouting in my heart, it is evidently of no use. The spider venom is highly toxic and has already begun to destroy Wu Ming's internal organs through his bloodstream. In just a moment, Wu Ming felt his body becoming lighter and his consciousness increasingly blurred.

... ...

Blood is dripping

The familiar office, the familiar furnishings, and the old computer in front of me, which hides the 'island action' movies in some unknown folder, all attest to this fact

Gradually, the dizziness in his head diminished significantly, and Wu Ming also regained his ability to think. Immediately, he recalled that he had died, hadn't he

Li Xia looked up at that seat and found that the other person was still asleep. She intended to wake him up, knowing that Manager Xiang from the company's technical department was known for his harshness. If he discovered an employee sleeping during work hours, he would surely fly into a rage, even if it was due to overtime.

At that moment, Wu Ming noticed the calendar in the lower right corner of the computer screen, which clearly displayed the date, September 3, 2014

"Sword of Armor Breaking", Level 2 Weapon Card, Quality: Excellent (Green), can be materialized, possesses the ability of "Armor Breaking Sword Qi" from https://www.hetushu.com, with considerable attack power

The food card, needless to say, can only provide basic food supplies, which is of no help in the current perilous situation. However, the weapon card is a rather extraordinary item, and it is something that Wu Ming has managed to obtain with great difficulty

Gradually, colleagues in the company arrived one after another, greeting each other, some clocking in while others turned on their computers

At this moment, Wu Ming was staring at the computer, opening one webpage after another to check the news. The more he looked, the worse his expression became.

What exactly is happening before our eyes, and is the new world three years from now real, or is it merely a nightmare

In response to this commonplace occurrence, Li Xia clearly showed no surprise. He walked over to take a look and saw a person sprawled on the desk, soundly asleep, occasionally emitting snoring sounds.

A single misstep has led to a complete loss

Isn't this the company where you once held a position?

Upon hearing this, Wu Ming suddenly recalled a detail. He first smiled apologetically at Li Xia, then sat down and opened a webpage to search for news. Seeing Wu Ming return to normal, Li Xia also stuck out her tongue and went back to her own tasks.

The card transformed into a faint glow and then flowed into the injured area. Wu Ming immediately felt that the wound seemed to hurt less, as if warm water was flowing over it. Clearly, the card had taken effect

Wu Ming could feel that this time the wound on his abdomen was indeed too deep, almost penetrating through, having already injured his internal organs. No matter how he pressed on it, blood was seeping through his fingers. Even as an awakened one, with a body that had been enhanced, he would still die from such an injury.

I hope it will be useful, Wu Ming thought to himself

Listening to this sound and looking at the familiar scene before him, Wu Ming's mind immediately buzzed, and he finally recalled.

As a modern metropolis, Yucheng is already bustling before dawn. Office workers rise early, dressed neatly, and head towards the upscale office buildings. Although the work in these office buildings may seem prestigious on the surface, the hardships involved are known only to them.

At that moment, the person who had been lying down finally stirred his shoulder and slowly woke up. Li Xia also stepped forward and said, "Wu Ming, did you work overtime again last night? When Manager Xiang arrives, you should ask him for a leave; otherwise, if you don't rest well, your body won't be able to hold up."

Memories slowly surfaced in his mind, and Wu Ming finally recalled that he had indeed worked at this company three years ago, until the disaster occurred

It seemed familiar, but within a short period, Wu Ming could not react at all

"This is bad, the attack of the blade spider is actually poisonous!" This completely caught Wu Ming off guard. The primary healing card cannot cure poison, especially not the toxin from a level three creature. Being poisoned by a level three creature is essentially a death sentence. Previously, due to the excruciating pain, Wu Ming had not even realized that he had been poisoned.

Li Xia, you are Li Xia! Wu Ming looked at Li Xia; she was a colleague of his before the New World, and they had a relatively good relationship in the company. However, after the disaster occurred, he lost contact with her. For Wu Ming, who had been an orphan since childhood, without parents, Li Xia was one of the few friends he had in Yucheng

After moving his limbs a bit, Wu Ming felt an overwhelming fatigue and heaviness in his body, as if he had not awakened from his previous physical condition. Looking around, Wu Ming was taken aback.

Sensing the power gradually fading, Wu Ming snapped his fingers, and immediately before him appeared an extremely ancient card album

A small pool of crimson blood gradually formed on the ground. Wu Ming leaned against the corner of the cement wall, making a concerted effort to control his breathing to avoid making any other sounds. His left hand pressed firmly against the wound in his abdomen, and his three years of survival experience in the New World made it abundantly clear to him that the only way to stop the bleeding was to apply pressure to the wound.

It can even be said to be a necessity for survival

However, Wu Ming soon realized that it was certainly not a dream

Listening to the sounds around him, Wu Ming felt completely disoriented, as if his head were about to explode. He felt dizzy and groggy, akin to the sensation of having not slept for several days, only to wake up after sleeping for over ten hours.

At this moment, Li Xia's voice came through again: "Hey, I said Wu Ming, didn't you hear me talking? Working late and burning the midnight oil is a form of slow suicide. When Manager Xiang arrives, you should ask him for a leave to go back and rest. Work is important, but it's not worth damaging your health."

The weather in September, although the heat has slightly dissipated, has not completely retreated; it remains somewhat sultry. However, the coolness in the early morning and evening brings a refreshing sense of ease.

The Blade Spider, classified as a Level 3 creature by the New World authorities, exceeds three meters in size and weighs over one ton. Its strength is sufficient to tear apart tanks, and it possesses two pairs of sharp forelimbs of varying lengths. It is extremely dangerous. Within the Awakener Guild, there are tasks related to the Blade Spider, offering substantial rewards, yet few dare to accept them. Given Wu Ming's current strength, it is evident that he is not a match for such a creature. At this moment, this terrifying monster is prowling the street outside this room, and it may soon discover this location. Within the Awakener Guild, there are tasks related to the Blade Spider, offering substantial rewards, yet few dare to accept them. Given Wu Ming's current strength, it is evident that he is not a match for such a creature. At this moment, this terrifying monster is prowling the street outside this room, and it may soon discover this location

What place is this

Wu Ming stared at Li Xia for at least three minutes, until a flush appeared on her face, wondering what was wrong with Wu Ming today

In his final moments, Wu Ming seemed to see a beam of light descending, and then he was completely engulfed in darkness

This is a "Card Collection Album," a highly common item in the New World, almost everyone possesses one. It can appear or disappear at the will of the Awakened. Wu Ming's album is merely of average quality, with only twelve slots reserved for cards. This means that even when filled, it can only hold twelve cards and illustrations. In reality, at this moment, Wu Ming's album does not even contain twelve cards.

The blood continued to flow, swiftly draining Wu Ming's strength. Wu Ming knew he could not delay any longer, so he immediately took out the precious 'Basic Healing Card' and chose to use it.

This is truly somewhat incomprehensible, Wu Ming reached out and pinched his own face, secretly thinking that this is definitely not a dream

The scenes before the fainting are still vivid in my mind, as I entered the ruins to search for supplies to exchange for necessities of life. Unfortunately, I encountered a Level 3 biological creature, the Blade Spider, and was struck in the abdomen. Although I did not die on the spot, I was poisoned by the spider's venom.

Since the terrible disaster occurred, the once peaceful and harmonious life has been completely shattered. People are surviving in this cruel 'new world,' facing death almost every day. Wu Ming had witnessed death more than once and had certainly contemplated the possibility of his own demise one day, but he never expected it would be today

Everyone, come quickly and see this breaking news! Last night, a meteorite fell in a city in the United States, piercing through a building. It is reported that dozens of people were injured or killed. This is indeed major news!" a colleague exclaimed

The types of cards are also diverse, including 'Food Cards' that provide the energy required by the human body, 'Enhancement Cards' that can strengthen the body, as well as 'Vitality Cards', 'Weapon Cards', 'Creature Cards', and others. It can be said that the emergence of these cards has played an indispensable role in enabling humanity to survive in this new world, which is as cruel as hell, following the great disaster.

Logically speaking, I should indeed be dead by now, but why am I still alive

Unfortunately, even among the awakened individuals in the New World, Wu Ming is an exceedingly ordinary presence, lacking the opportunity to obtain those precious cards. Currently, his card album contains only two "Food Cards" sufficient for a normal person for three days, one "Weapon Card," one "Elemental Card," and one extremely valuable "Basic Healing Card"