Absolute Death Game

The contents of the file were somewhat scattered, but the two people were highly intelligent. After reading all the material, a clear thread emerged in their minds.

The earliest clue recorded in these documents began with a very famous historical event. Had Xiao Buli not seen these documents, he would never have imagined there was a connection between the two incidents.

On the morning of June 30, 1908, as Siberians in the Tunguska region of Russia were still deep in slumber, a violent wind arose, bringing with it an enormous noise. After the wind ceased, a moment of silence ensued, followed by a strange sound from the distance. People were awakened by this unusual sound. At 7:43 am, an explosion resounded. A burning monster with a long fiery tail streaked across the sky from south to north, disappearing beyond the horizon, leaving a massive ball of fire rising above. More than a minute later, people heard a clear rumbling sound from afar; the earth began to shake... After that, people experienced three powerful explosions. For several days following the explosion, the sky within a 9,000-mile radius over the Tunguska region was cloaked in a gloomy orange hue. The phenomenon of white nights occurred in vast areas.

Later, researchers from the Irkutsk seismographic station determined that the strange explosion equated to the energy of 10 to 15 million tons of TNT, which is 1,000 times the energy of the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima more than 30 years later.

This bizarre explosion came to be known as the Tunguska Event. The file listed numerous photos from the time and included interview records with people who had personally experienced the explosion.
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Over the ensuing years, different scientists and military experts offered various speculations about the Tunguska Event. The first to propose an explanation was Soviet scientist Leonid Kulik, who was the first to visit the Tunguska site. He believed that the 1908 Tunguska explosion was caused by a meteorite falling to earth. Later, American scientists simulated the effects of a meteorite's high-speed impact in a laboratory using computers, which well explained the dust thrown up by the shockwave reaching the outer atmosphere and reflected sunlight causing the surrounding areas of Tunguska to be as bright as day. This seems to be the most plausible and rational explanation based on the analysis; unfortunately, despite extensive field investigations for a long time, no meteorite remains were found.

However, according to the records in this file, right after the explosion, the Tsarist Russian Royal Academy of Sciences immediately organized a manpower search of the explosion area. After several months of exhaustive searches, they finally made a discovery. In the massive crater left by the explosion, people found three giant metallic spheres. As these were thought to be extraterrestrial metal objects, the spheres were promptly sent to the underground storeroom of the Royal Academy of Sciences for preservation and study. It appears from the documents that the situation described was recounted by a scientist involved in the search many years later, as aside from an interview translated into Chinese, there were no specific photographs of the spheres being found in the materials. It seemed at the time that no power in China, amidst the tumultuous situation, had the luxury to engage in scientific exploration.

After the metallic spheres were transported to the Academy, a group of scientists from various disciplines, including chemistry, physics, astronomy, and history, was organized to study the spheres for several years. Constrained by the scientific and technological capabilities of the time and lacking a specific research direction, the project made no breakthroughs, and the government eventually terminated it. The metal spheres then remained dusty and forgotten in the Academy's underground storeroom. In the following years, World War I and the October Revolution broke out, and with the international situation being unstable, even less attention was paid to these unidentified heavenly visitors.

Besides, a biologist who had been part of the sphere research team, who, throughout the scientific research process, found himself largely unneeded after an initial sample collection and cultivation on the sphere's surface yielded no organic life, remained idle. However, he always felt a peculiar sensation towards the three strange spheres. According to the documents, he once told others that he could feel a mysterious "Summoning" power calling to him from within the spheres.

Thus, when he fled the Red Soviet Union, he expended considerable effort and resources to smuggle two of the spheres out. Due to financial reasons, in Old Shanghai, he sold one of them as a "Death Star" to a Shanghai tycoon to serve as a protective talisman for the home, using the proceeds for travel expenses. With the other sphere, he fled to the United States seeking refuge.

At this moment, Xiao Buli and Qin Shimoon finally got a clear view of the sphere. In the black and white photocopy, Xiao Buli saw a metal sphere that didn't look particularly eye-catching. The greyscale of the photo made it impossible to discern the exact color or even the type of metal of the sphere, nor did it exude any sense of mystery. It seemed more like one of those everyday transfer spheres commonly seen in buildings. Based on the scale of objects around it, the diameter was estimated to be about one meter, which, although not huge, was still impressive for a meteorite or a meteoric iron. The surface of the metal object was uneven with a line of irregular scratches in the middle. These scratches were deep black and very noticeable. It also seemed to lack any attention-grabbing luster. If it weren't a meteorite, even scrap metal buyers would probably turn their noses up at it. This diminished Xiao Buli's sense of mystery about the object, and he couldn't help but wonder why the tycoon would spend so much money on such an iron lump to display in his home. The second photo was a close-up of the sphere; the ugly scratch, which wasn't clear from a distance, turned out to be a row of strange patterns—though not an archaeology expert, Mr. Zhan could tell they were some sort of hieroglyphs. It was unknown if the Soviet scientists at the time were able to figure out their meaning. If they were indeed writing, then these items should not be simply written off as meteoric iron; they might have been man-made, or possibly even made by aliens. Unable to reach a definitive conclusion for the moment, Xiao Buli set the photo aside and continued to look through the remaining documents.

For decades, the sphere had been displayed in the tycoon's grand hall. It was uncertain what changes his family had undergone during that time, but the meteoric iron remained there, weathered by time.

After the founding of the New China, people's attention was once again drawn to this strange metal ball during the campaign to destroy the "Four Olds" (old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits). The strange hieroglyphs on the sphere made it seem full of burdensome old thoughts, and given its location, it was undoubtedly deemed a sinful product of the exploiting classes, which needed to be eliminated according to the directives of the time.

The Young Red Guards, without any need for verification, promptly exerted the effort of several people to transport it away. What happened to it afterward, whether it was smelted down or smashed, was not specified—only a few brief notes in the archives indicated that the Red Guards had used their means to secretly expose the sphere, contributing to the advancement of scientific endeavors. Meanwhile, the court issued Directive No. 53, tasking the establishment of a research team called "Death Star," headed by Huo Guangxiong.

Although there wasn't much introduction, by this point, Xiao Buli was already clear on the origins of the game—it was evidently one of the three giant metal spheres.

However, what exactly had been discovered within the sphere and how the secret had been uncovered was not detailed in the archives, but Xiao Buli speculated that it might have something to do with the metal disc he had found.

At this juncture, a bold idea emerged in Xiao Buli's mind. If there had been three spheres initially, could the other two still be slumbering somewhere to this day? The two great powers, the Soviet Union and the United States, certainly wouldn't have let such remarkable objects fade into history. If other countries were also developing its functionalities, then how many individuals with "Special Abilities" like his existed worldwide? He already felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness just facing the Ancestral Dragon, let alone if there were even more formidable entities. Good heavens, Xiao Buli didn't want to ponder any further; focusing on the present seemed key.

"If this game descended from outer space, then why does the content revolve around ancient Chinese scenes? Moreover, much of it is closely related to traditional Chinese culture—whether it's the ethnicity, language, clothing, or various settings, why does it all resemble China's ancient past so closely? And look at these glyphs on the sphere," Xiao Buli said as he pulled out the photo with the inscription and showed it to Qin Shimoon. "I may not understand their meaning, but I feel they share uncanny similarities with the ancient characters found on Chinese pottery throughout history." The sheer shock and multitude of questions naturally led Xiao Buli to discuss his confusion with Qin Shimoon, who was by his side.

"Hmm, that's also puzzling me. Although each ancient civilization has its hieroglyphs, each one's script has distinct characteristics. These characters, though, seem very Chinese. If we could decipher their meaning, I think it would greatly help us in understanding the true nature of things." Qin Shimoon was visibly shaken by the revelations and, for once, engaged in a sincere conversation with Xiao Buli, who she had been cold to throughout the journey.

Strictly speaking, Qin Shimoon did have a sense of fondness for Xiao Buli—after all, it was he who had saved her at a critical moment. But every time she recalled his attempt to control her with a Soul Contract, she couldn't help but feel a surge of Rage brimming within her. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote for it at Qidian—your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)