Chapter 1: Clearing the Game

Yancheng.

Tian’s Barbecue Restaurant.

Tang Song patted his flushed cheeks and exhaled a breathy sigh laced with the scent of alcohol.

He turned on the faucet, cupped the icy tap water in his hands, and splashed it over his face.

He pulled out his phone to check the time.

[22:02]

This department team-building event, which had lasted the entire day, was finally coming to an end.

He returned to the private room.

He pretended to quickly integrate himself back into his colleagues' conversation.

Tang Song wore a harmless smile on his face, chiming in with an occasional nod or agreement.

The atmosphere was lively and harmonious.

Director Chen Yunteng raised his glass, spoke a few polished, crowd-pleasing words with a glowing face, and casually painted a "big picture" of the future, bringing a perfect conclusion to the day's team-building.

They walked out the front door of the barbecue restaurant.

A chilly night breeze hit them, and the colleagues bid each other farewell.

"See you Monday, bye~"

"Remember to message the group when you get home."

"Take care on the way, Director Chen, bye."

"Let's go together, Tang Song, we're heading the same way!"

…

Inside a black Nissan Teana.

Two female colleagues were chatting animatedly in the back seat.

Tang Song leaned against the back of the passenger seat, his eyes half-closed, his expression blank.

Having joined Jinxiu Trading for over four months, he had poured all his energy into the development of the company's new SCM (Supply Chain Management) system.

System refactoring, feature development, information integration, ERP interfacing, business process automation…

After the system went live, it significantly improved work efficiency and effectively reduced procurement costs, earning high praise from the company's top leadership.

This filled Tang Song, a new employee, with a sense of accomplishment, and he found himself daydreaming about the promotion and raise the leadership had promised.

However, reality dealt him a heavy blow.

The success of the SCM system ultimately became the credit of the department's Director Chen; it seemed to have nothing to do with him at all.

The project's maintenance work was also transferred to Du Shaokai, a colleague with connections.

Tang Song was assigned to the development of a new project, continuing to "shine and heat" for the company.

A series of unfair treatments made him feel terrible, and he began to entertain the thought of packing up and quitting.

Perhaps sensing his mindset, Director Chen had privately indicated during the team-building event today that he would apply for a 10% salary increase for him next month.

He told him to work steadily and that he would definitely not be mistreated in the future.

After struggling with the decision for a long while, Tang Song decided to stay for now.

He would "ride a donkey to find a horse," only resigning if he received a job offer worth jumping ship for.

Two days ago, his mother had called to say that a new real estate development had opened in their hometown and asked him to find time to go back and take a look.

If he was considering buying a house within the next six months, he couldn't afford to stop paying into his housing provident fund.

While he was lost in thought, Zhao Yue in the back seat suddenly tapped his shoulder. "Brother Song! You look so listless today; don't tell me you're heartbroken?"

Tang Song reined in his emotions and said self-deprecatingly, "First of all, I’d need to have a partner for that."

Zhao Yue covered her mouth and giggled. "Brother Song, you're actually quite excellent—capable, handsome, and tall. It’s just that your weight is a bit over the limit. Hurry up and lose some weight and build some muscle; the young girls in our company would definitely be lining up to chase you!"

Tang Song touched the thick layer of fat on his stomach and said helplessly, "I'll try my best."

"Go for it!" Zhao Yue made a cute gesture with her fist.

Hu Mingli, sitting next to her, blinked and teased, "Xiao Yue, Tang Song is such a good potential stock, why haven't you snatched him up yet?"

"Sister Mingli, I suspect you're testing me. Don't tell me you have ideas about Brother Song!?"

"Haha, how about we compete fairly?"

"Then I have to admit defeat; after all, you've got bigger assets!"

The two slightly tipsy female colleagues pushed and teased each other, though neither took it seriously.

Tang Song was indeed a good person—enthusiastic, sincere, and motivated. His work ability was beyond reproach, having previously worked at a large internet company in the capital.

However, his family background was poor; he was just an ordinary rural youth, and buying a house in Yancheng was a distant dream.

There was nothing particularly striking about his appearance either—his dress was casual, his hairstyle was messy, and he was a bit chubby.

As a colleague or a friend, he was absolutely fine.

As for developing something deeper? Better forget it.

……

Qingxin Garden Residential Complex.

Tang Song tossed his backpack aside and collapsed onto his bed.

The alcohol began to rise, and exhaustion, disappointment, and helplessness instantly swallowed him.

After a long while, he turned on his side, opened WeChat, and typed "I'm home" in the department group.

Then, he clicked on the "lucky money" red packet sent by Director Chen, claimed three yuan and twenty cents, and sent a "Thank you, boss" sticker.

He opened his Moments and scrolled aimlessly.

Like an outsider, he silently browsed the updates of his "friends"—some familiar, some strangers.

Some showed off their daily lives, some showed off their partners; some lived peaceful lives, others were striving for success.

It seemed that everyone except him was living happily.

Without realizing it, a familiar photo caught his eye.

[Deng Yazi: "Accidentally dug up my high school graduation photo. Old classmates, how are you all doing?"]

His scrolling finger stopped involuntarily.

Tang Song quickly found himself in the photo, his gaze drifting slightly.

Back then, he was about to enter university—full of youth, optimistic, and cheerful. He had his "white moonlight" by his side, and he felt that life was full of hope.

And now? Single, overweight, no car, no house, and his work and life were a complete mess.

It seemed that ever since his senior year, when his family suffered a tragedy, his life had veered off its intended track, step by step becoming what it was today.

He casually "liked" the post, put his phone down, sat at his computer desk, put on his headphones, and prepared to play some games to relax.

Every stage of life has things that can only be understood at that stage.

In the three years since graduation, he had recognized reality and had his edges smoothed down by life.

To put it more nicely, he had matured.

He still liked the things he liked, but he no longer forced them, which was why he left the capital and said goodbye to his "white moonlight."

He still hated the things he hated, but he could endure them, which was why he integrated into the group and accepted unfairness.

……

The game "Male God Growth Plan" had suddenly appeared on Tang Song's computer during his senior year.

He might have accidentally downloaded it while browsing study materials.

Because the icon was large and white, Tang Song clicked on it with a critical attitude, wanting to see what it was all about.

He didn't expect to play it for three years; it was also a major factor in his weight gain.

This was a male god cultivation game with simulation management at its core.

The art style was beautiful, the sound effects were top-tier, the settings were complete, the gameplay was extremely unique, and it didn't require spending money.

The game's plot was set against the backdrop of the real world.

Everything, including the map, events, financial markets, enterprises, policies, and the environment, was consistent with the real world.

More importantly, the timeline in the game started in 2016.

Living in 2020, Tang Song, holding a search engine, possessed the "golden finger" of foresight in the game.

He knew the trends of stocks and futures, he knew the upcoming industry hotspots, he knew which companies would become unicorns, and he knew which future movies, songs, and artists would become huge hits…

Moreover, every character in the game had their own storyline, and players could see their growth, lives, joys, and sorrows.

The immersion was off the charts!

In the game, Tang Song fulfilled his "male god" dream and thoroughly enjoyed the pleasures of being a billionaire, surrounded by beauties, and standing at the pinnacle of power.

But a game is, after all, just a game.

In reality, he was just a miserable wage slave with no house, no car, and no girlfriend. His life was a mess, and his work was not going well.

Tang Song shook his head, stopping his wild thoughts.

He entered the game, checked unread notifications, claimed task rewards, and bought new items…

After a series of skilled operations, he returned to the main interface.

Tang Song's mouse paused, his gaze fixed on the timeline in the game.

[April 1, 2023]

And the current network time was 23:50 on April 1, 2023.

Due to the difference in the flow of time, the timelines of the game and reality were about to overlap.

As a game set against the backdrop of the real world, Tang Song was very curious about how the plot would develop next.

He licked his dry lips.

He casually picked up a bottle of "fat-boy happy water" (cola).

He called his beloved Secretary Jin over to report on work.

While "gulping down" the happy water, he admired the silk-stockinged legs, slim waist, and curvy hips on the screen.

All his worries dissipated, and his mood instantly brightened.

Although everything in the game was fake, the joy it brought him was real.

…

As time crossed midnight, the rhythmic BGM in his headphones suddenly stopped.

The date in the game changed accordingly.

[April 2, 2023]

Immediately after, the screen began to automatically play a beautiful game animation.

Starting from the story in 2016, one game character after another appeared, one wonderful plot segment after another played out, and the achievements, titles, badges, and items he had earned flashed by.

After reviewing the entire game journey.

The screen gradually fell silent, with only the sound of "tap, tap, tap" footsteps approaching from afar.

The player "Tang Song" walked slowly from off-camera.

He was dressed in a crisp suit, his posture elegant and upright, his gait confident and calm.

He stood still in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the skyscraper, overlooking the brilliant city nightscape beneath his feet, carrying an indescribable charm.

The camera panned from top to bottom, and the image finally settled on his back.

A line of striking text appeared in the middle of the screen.

[The story seems to have ended here. You have awakened from a long dream and embraced the real world once again. Congratulations, player!]

"What the f*ck! Did I just beat the game? It's over just like that!?"

Tang Song was shocked, his body leaning forward. He grabbed the mouse and clicked frantically, then hammered the keyboard heavily.

The game screen didn't change at all.

Tang Song felt a chill in his heart.

He had invested deep feelings into this game.

The realistic background and unique sense of immersion made him feel as if he were truly cultivating elites, developing enterprises, gathering wealth, and improving himself.

And from now on, the ups and downs of the story in the game had come to an abrupt end, and each vivid character had disconnected from him.

A strong sense of loss and fragmentation surged over him.

Tang Song's breathing became heavy.

"Ding—" A crisp notification sound suddenly rang out.

The game on the computer screen disappeared directly, and the interface turned into the Windows desktop.

Tang Song's vision blurred for a moment.

*Whoosh!* A light screen filled with sci-fi colors unfolded before him.

[Player confirmed]

[System resources loading... 1%... 50%... 100%]

[Completed]

(End of this chapter)