Chapter One: A Special Gift

"Mirror in the Dust" global premiere! Two hundred and sixty-six hours of effort, revealing the only true ending, "The Return to Truth of the Six Dusts"!"

Gu Fangchen pressed the Enter key, waiting for the video to upload, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"Mirror in the Dust" was a completely epoch-making Xianxia-themed single-player game released six months ago. It boasted an almost endless sandbox map and highly intelligent, interactive NPCs. Beyond the main storyline, it featured thousands of branching subplots, making it a game one could truly play for a lifetime without ever growing tired of it.

As a top-tier gaming guide creator, Gu Fangchen naturally wouldn't miss out on this surge of popularity. The main storyline ending videos with the highest view counts were all produced by him.

The difficulty of completing the main storyline in "Mirror in the Dust" was incredibly high. A vast number of subplots in the game appeared completely unrelated, yet they were intricately connected—tugging one strand would set the whole body in motion. Sometimes, after finishing a storyline, one wouldn't even know where things had gone wrong. He had to tear everything down and start over time and time again, observing every detail that could possibly influence the branching endings.

If he had encountered such a troublesome walkthrough process in the past, Gu Fangchen certainly wouldn't have used such a clumsy method; he would have just hacked into the game's underlying code. However, "Honglu," the production company behind "Mirror in the Dust," was extremely mysterious. The entire game's code was heavily encrypted, and to this day, no one had been able to crack it.

Therefore, Gu Fangchen had spent a full six months, burning the midnight oil. Using the most laborious methods, trying things bit by bit, and with a bit of luck, he had finally cracked this final ending! It could even be said that, aside from the game developers, no one understood the world of "Mirror in the Dust" better than Gu Fangchen.

"But I still feel like this 'Return to Truth' ending is... missing something."

Gu Fangchen rubbed his throbbing temples and closed his bloodshot eyes. Clearly, the protagonist had sacrificed himself to defeat the final boss, toppled the rule of a corrupt and vast dynasty, and ushered in a brand-new era. There was even a post-credits scene where one of the heroines awaited the protagonist's reincarnation on the other side of the Yellow Springs... yet the countless interwoven plot lines of the game still haunted his mind.

"Forget it, time to get some rest."

Gu Fangchen shook his head and took a sip of hot water.

"Beep!"

An email suddenly popped up on his screen. Gu Fangchen paused, then clicked it open.

"Mr. Gu, congratulations on being the first player to achieve 100% completion of the sixth ending of 'Mirror in the Dust.' Our company would like to present you with a special gift..."

"BOOM!"

...

"What the—"

Gu Fangchen snapped his eyes open, looking utterly bewildered. What the hell? He was on the third floor—how could a semi-trailer truck crash in through a floor-to-ceiling window?!

Is this really a way to die?

Gu Fangchen was stunned. No, wait—if he was already dead, then what was going on right now?

He shook off the daze and immediately felt that something was wrong with his body and his surroundings. Gu Fangchen was currently collapsed on the floor, his hands dripping blood, staining the shattered porcelain shards beneath him. The room was dimly lit by candlelight, with torn bead curtains and gauze veils swaying, casting flickering shadows. A bronze beast incense burner had been knocked over, and a faint scent, like orchids and musk, drifted through the air. The doors and windows of the room were locked tight. From outside, there came the vague sound of chaotic shouting.

"Hiss—"

Gu Fangchen tentatively prodded the wound on his hand, immediately wincing in pain. But then, his pupils constricted; he saw that on the palm of his raised left hand, a messy crimson pattern had emerged. These lines formed a somewhat familiar demonic flower design.

Gu Fangchen's gaze sharpened, and he immediately pulled down his sleeve. Sure enough, he saw a vertical vein-like pattern extending from his palm all the way up his fair arm.

No way...

His heart sank. He frantically tore open his chest clothing and saw the vein spreading from his right arm toward his heart. However, just before reaching his heart, it was suppressed by a golden handprint shaped like a flower-pinching gesture. The two were locked in a stalemate, unable to advance another inch.

"Heart-Planting Poison? The Flower-Pinching Seal?"

His mind roared. Gu Fangchen felt an instant, splitting headache, as if his head were about to explode.

"I transmigrated into that background-character cannon fodder, the fake heir of the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion, from 'Mirror in the Dust'?!"

In the game, the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion was definitely a major power, but this incredibly unlucky fake heir didn't even have a name. Because at the start of the plot, he had already been brutally killed due to his identity being exposed! From the player's perspective, there were only a few lines of text about him. Rumors in the streets claimed he was "lecherous and evil, his crimes too numerous to record." The head of the largest intelligence agency once commented that he was "living a muddled life, dying a pathetic death, and serving as a rag to wipe someone else's filth while feeling smug about it." The real heir, Gu Yuandao, once mentioned offhandedly, "Actually, I never held a grudge against him. I would have been content to let him stay in the mansion and do some chores to atone for his sins, but who would have thought he'd take it so hard and hang himself in the stables on New Year's Day."

Of course, this real heir was still known as Zhang Yuandao, the top scholar of this year's imperial examinations—the one who had achieved the rare feat of winning the top rank in all three levels of the exams, basking in infinite glory. Not only had he been taken as a personal disciple by the Sage of Yaoshan, gaining a mouthful of righteous energy, but he was also about to be officially recognized by the Prince of Zhenbei before all the civil and military officials, staging a heartwarming scene of father and son reunited.

"No..."

"They've already been reunited!"

Gu Fangchen propped himself up with his elbows and wobbled to his feet, looking at the chaos in the room. He immediately understood his current situation. The news of the real father and son reuniting had reached the mansion, and the original owner had gone insane, locking himself in his room and smashing everything he could see. Not only was he consumed by impotent rage, but he had also cut his own hand while throwing a porcelain vase.

Gu Fangchen cursed internally; this original body had truly been raised into a complete waste! Because the Prince's heir was targeted by various parties, he had at least three incurable poisons coursing through his body, his dantian was destroyed, and he couldn't even cultivate. For years, he only cared about eating, drinking, and having fun, and he only knew how to do two things: cause trouble and call for his father. Now that his father was gone, the sky had fallen.

Gu Fangchen took a deep breath, walked quickly to the door, and pushed. It didn't budge. His heart sank, and he squinted, noticing a flash of spiritual ripples on the door. The room had been sealed with a restriction! His hunch was correct; the mansion's retainers and shadow guards must have already received the news and decided to take the opportunity to imprison him in his own room. This Gu Fangchen used to bully men and women every day; even a passing dog would get a kick from him. He was hated by everyone in the mansion, and now they were naturally seizing the chance to kick him while he was down!

Once the Prince of Zhenbei and the real heir returned, it would be the end for Gu Fangchen, the fake heir who had occupied the magpie's nest.

"Damn you, Honglu! Is this really the 'special gift' your company gives to the player who gets the first 100% completion of the true ending?"

Gu Fangchen felt as if his vision was going dark; his expression was ghastly. Forget giving him a perfect start—couldn't they at least give him a normal beginner's village start? What kind of hellish opening was this, comparable to A-Fei's misfortune?!

"Where's my cheat? Where's my one-hit-kill hack?"

Gu Fangchen raised his middle finger to the sky: "You didn't even give me a hack, your mother—"

He suddenly froze. Floating right above his head were two gleaming golden characters:

[Emperor]

Gu Fangchen’s raised finger happened to forcefully insert itself into the gap between the two characters, expanding the detailed information.

[Profession: Emperor (1 Day)]

[Skill 1: Mandate of Heaven (Passive)]

[Skill 2: Life and Death at Will (Active)]

"...your mother is in good health and may everything go as you wish."