"Haha, you guys shouldn't have done all this."

  I want to die. I want to die.

  Liang Wei smiled as he picked up his chair. I want to die.

  "Wow, you even got Uncle to wear a party hat," he said, sitting upright. "You know, when you told me Lin Xue would be calling, I thought she got bullied at school with all the pocket money she's been asking for and you wanted me to deal with them."

  He rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and flexed his nonexistent muscles.

  "Pfft," Lin Xue chuckled. "Who'd want help from you? If I was being bullied and I called you, we'd just become a family pack."

  "What are you talking about? I could easily take on a couple of eighteen-year-olds and some underclassmen."

  She stared at the laptop on her side. "What if I'm bullied by their older sisters? What if they went to the same college as you?"

  "Then I guess you’re on your own."

  He covered his arm again and lowered his head.

  Lin Xue watched him shield his forehead in mock shame. "Hmph, I knew you wouldn't protect me. That's why I already texted my bullies' sisters to rough you up."

  He looked up, his face amused.

  "I'll just never leave my dorm then," he answered teasingly. "But seriously, if anyone ever hurt my precious cousin, nothing would stop me from filing a detailed police report."

  "But if they're under fifteen, you're on your own."

  "Meanie!" she stuck out her tongue. "You know I can't take anyone by myself. Let's just take them down together. That way it'll be fifty-fifty."

  "Don't be silly, you two. You're both grown," Aunt Lu said, ruffling her daughter's hair. "You shouldn't be scheming about attacking little girls and should both be looking into your future careers."

  "Especially you, missy. You can't be asking your cousin for pocket money behind my back."

  "It was all for a good cause!" Lin Xue protested quickly. Then she lifted the cake closer to the camera. "See?"

  "The cake looks so amazing. You're making me feel like I'm missing out from this side of the screen," Liang Wei chuckled.

  "Not for long," she said with a grin. "Another cake should already be on its way to your dorm."

  "It seems you really are good for something after all," Lin Guowei said.

  "It's good to see you can plan ahead if you feel like it."

  Before Liang Wei could reply, a knock sounded at his dorm door.

  Knock. Knock.

  He blinked, glancing toward the sound.

  "…Wait."

  Another knock followed, louder this time.

  "Delivery!" a muffled voice called from outside.

  Lin Xue's grin widened instantly.

  "Go open it," she urged, barely containing her excitement.

  Liang Wei pushed his chair back and stood, dragging his feet toward the door. When he opened it, a delivery worker stood there holding a small box tied with ribbon.

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  "Liang Wei?" the man asked.

  "Yeah."

  "Cake delivery. Sign here."

  Liang Wei scribbled his name absentmindedly and took the box. The faint warmth of fresh frosting seeped through the cardboard as he closed the door behind him.

  He returned to his desk and set the cake down, carefully lifting the lid.

  Inside was a small chocolate cake, decorated simply but neatly. A pair of candles shaped like the number 20 rested in the center.

  For a brief moment, he just stared at it.

  "…You really did this," he muttered.

  Lin Xue beamed through the screen.

  "Told you."

  "Alright, alright," Aunt Lu said warmly. "Put the candles in. We'll light ours too."

  Liang Wei fumbled with the tiny plastic holders, pressing the candles into place. On the screen, Lin Xue and her parents mirrored him, adjusting their own cake.

  "Ready?" Lin Xue asked.

  He nodded, striking a lighter and shielding the flame with his palm as the candles flickered to life. Across the screen, their candles lit as well.

  For a second, the two spaces—dorm room and living room—felt strangely connected.

  Then Lin Xue started singing.

  "Happy birthday to you~"

  Her parents joined in, their voices soft but sincere. After a hesitant beat, Liang Wei chuckled and quietly sang along, the awkwardness fading under the warmth of the moment.

  "Happy birthday dear Liang Wei~

  Happy birthday to you~"

  "Make a wish!" Lin Xue said quickly.

  Liang Wei stared at the candles.

  I want every player part of that mercenary group… to slip off a cliff.

  The thought came instinctively.

  But instead, he closed his eyes for a brief second and blew.

  The flames went out in unison on both sides of the screen.

  "Alright, cut!" Lin Xue declared.

  Liang Wei grabbed a plastic knife from the box while Lin Xue mirrored him with her own. They both sliced into their cakes at the same time, laughter spilling through the call at the small, synchronized gesture.

  He took a bite.

  Sweet. Soft. Simple.

  "…It's good," he admitted.

  "Of course it is," Lin Xue replied proudly, mouth already full.

  The conversation lingered for a few more minutes—small jokes, Aunt Lu asking about his studies, Lin Guowei reminding him to sleep earlier. Nothing dramatic. Nothing heavy.

  Just family.

  "Blow out the candles, Wei'er."

  The scene in front of him was replaced by a fond memory. His mother and father were smiling, urging him to blow out the candles on his cake.

  He smiled. Days like that had felt as though they would never end…

  But time was a cruel thing.

  He stopped reminiscing and looked at the family photos on his desk.

  Can you guys see me? Mom… Dad…

  He asked softly, lifting the fallen photo frame and setting it upright again.

  Eventually, Liang Wei leaned back in his chair, a quiet fatigue settling into his shoulders.

  "I'm getting sleepy," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks… for all this."

  Lin Xue smiled softly.

  "You better not forget this birthday, okay?"

  "Yeah," he murmured. "I won't."

  "Good night, Wei'er," Aunt Lu said gently.

  "Rest well," Lin Guowei added.

  "Night, cousin," Lin Xue waved.

  Liang Wei gave a small wave back before reaching forward and clicking the keyboard, ending the call before looking at the game that was still playing in the background.

  The sound of wheels echoed.

  You have been incarcerated by the Linquxe Provincial Guards.

  [Imprisoned — Destination: Hollow Wood Prison, 1h 12m away.]

  [Criminal Status: Outlaw] (Prison Time: 47h 50m)

  "Fuck, I'm in a cart," Liang Wei cursed, frowning. "I've been marked as a Tier 3 convict." His avatar was bound in chains, wearing rags and placed in the back of a prison carriage.

  In Dao's Rising, there are three main crime tiers:

  Tier 1 — Misguided

  Tier 2 — Rogue

  Tier 3 — Outlaw

  Each has three sub-tiers referred to as titles and can be advanced through repeatedly getting caught or gaining high infamy before arrest.

  Each adds a different amount of time to your sentence.

  From Tier 1:

  ? Troublemaker (Prison Time: 10m)

  To

  Tier 3:

  ? Outlaw (Prison Time: 47h 50m)

  If he went to prison now, he would have to wait 47 hours.

  Liang Wei leaned away from his computer and picked up his mouse, checking if it still worked.

  "They looted my gear and storage bag."

  He clicked his tongue, seeing he had lost almost all his equipment except his Dao Brush and Fiend Mask.

  They were both earned by advancing his skill tree and were bound to him.

  "I don't even have lockpicks." He scrolled down to his hidden slot — an extra slot that looked empty, but if you had an appraisal skill, you could see its center color held a faint outline darker than the slot box.

  He triple-clicked the bottom-left corner, click; once on the top-right, click click; and twice in the center. This revealed a potion bottle glowing with an ominous scarlet light.

  [Unrefined Dao Ink: Moon Beetle, Green Mantis, Human Mix.]

  Liang Wei clicked on the potion.

  The item zoomed into a larger square, showing its description, ingredients, and time needed.

  But more importantly, he saw two bloody cleavers and saw blades somehow floating inside.

  He scrolled down and canceled the refinement process, freeing the cleaver and saw into an open slot before clicking his other two hidden slots:

  [Crimson-Black Silk Sect Robe]

  [Silver Lion-Head Cauldron]

  It was time for his character to make its move. He equipped the saw first.

  His avatar flipped the blade's hilt into its palm, and Liang Wei began sawing at the shackles around his wrists.

  It didn't take long to cut through the bindings.

  The moment his arms were free, the guard next to him was alerted.

  "Blades of Sin, hear my call — Hard Wall!"

  He wielded his cleaver, dual-wielding it with the other knife. His voice command activated the blades.

  ?????????????

  Blood Qi: 36/57

  -12 Spirit Residue (Earth Type)

  -1 Blood Memory Fragment (Defensive Skill Trait: Hard Wall)

  A red visage of a earth-main player emerged from his back in agony.

  The ground beneath the cart rumbled, shooting a slanted structure of rock through the carriage. Liang Wei ran up the rising stone.

  "Crimson Harvest."

  Kick!

  He launched off the rock and swung a giant flaming saber.

  He smiled — he was a free man once more — so without giving himself a chance to be locked into battle, he exited the game and switched off the monitor.

  "It seems I'm back at square one," he whispered, stretching his arm.

  The screen went dark.

  Silence filled the dorm room.

  He sat there for a moment longer, staring at his faint reflection in the blank monitor. Then he exhaled, stood up, and changed into sleepwear.

  The leftover cake sat quietly on his desk.

  Liang Wei slid into bed, pulling the blanket over himself as the room dimmed. His eyes lingered on the ceiling for a moment before slowly closing.

  The night swallowed his thoughts.

  And soon enough —

  Sleep took him.

  Outside, lightning flashed, briefly lighting his real face as he slept.

  The storm's hum filled the room again.

  This time it didn't leave quietly — a notification sounded. His monitor lit up, reopening Dao's Rising.

  [Global Announcement — World Ascension Online]

  Congratulations to all World-Ranked Players!

  You have been selected for access to the upcoming "Immersion Integration Test."

  Exclusive content will unlock in 10 minutes. Prepare accordingly.

  [Countdown: 09:59]