From Demon Slayer to the Multiverse: The Ultimate Exploiter

Guo Dengyuan leaned against the wall of his room, his face ashen as he stared blankly at the screen. The bold message "Live Stream Signal Lost" was displayed across it.

The bullet comments scrolling across the screen had noticeably slowed.

Earlier, many had argued over whether "Exploiter" had truly perished, but now the chatroom was eerily quiet. Occasionally, someone would post:

"RIP."

"A moment of silence."

"Sigh, rest in peace, Exploiter."

Why had everyone concluded that he must be dead?

At first, Guo Dengyuan angrily argued with those people, defending him. But gradually, a sense of bleakness overwhelmed him.

He understood deep down: when the signal was lost like this, it almost always meant death. But somehow, he clung to hope, telling himself that the Exploiter wasn't like everyone else.

"He's an S-rank, after all."

His vision blurred, and he couldn't reconcile himself with reality. Just when he'd started to feel like life had hope, everything suddenly seemed bleak and meaningless.

---

Elsewhere in the city, Liu Zhao sat motionless at his desk, halfway through editing a video titled "The Other Side of the Exploiter". He found it hard to believe that such an extraordinary man could fall so quickly.

The AI speaker on his desk continued broadcasting the news.

"Breaking news from the Beijing Times: Dongxia's newly ascended S-rank Awakener is suspected to have fallen in the [Gantz World]. Reports suggest..."

Liu Zhao turned sharply, his disbelief mounting. How could the media publish such news without confirmation? The twelve-hour mark hadn't even passed yet—there was still a chance!

Online, the atmosphere was turbulent. The Destiny Forum, which had been abuzz with enthusiasm over the S-rank debut yesterday, was now filled with despair.

The overwhelming number of users who had tuned into the Exploiter's live stream all witnessed his encounter with an unimaginably powerful enemy, followed by the sudden loss of signal. It was an undeniable fact.

Fans of the Exploiter, unable to accept the truth, started posting in search of reassurance:

"Signal loss just means the equipment malfunctioned!"

"He'll definitely come back!"

However, many others countered with cold statistics: over 95% of live stream signal losses corresponded to the player's death.

Some detractors even took the opportunity to mock him:

"The overconfident S-rank fell at lightning speed."

"The Exploiter was all talk and no action."

The result was a barrage of heated arguments.

---

Yang Yuanping's face was ashen as he worked tirelessly, reprimanding the Beijing Times while ordering his team to suppress reports about the Exploiter to minimize the public's panic.

Meanwhile, Gong Li, visibly distraught, seemed to be moving through his tasks with little energy. Yang glanced at him and, half in jest and half in earnest, asked:

"What's this? Already giving up?"

Gong Li didn't understand what his team leader meant. His eyes were red, and his fists were clenched tightly, his knuckles pale.

"We've already lost, haven't we? The person we chose… is gone..."

Yang abruptly covered Gong's mouth, shaking his head firmly.

"He's not someone who dies so easily."

"This is the man who told the world those bold words..."

---

"Uncle Li, take me to the teleportation gate."

Uncle Li's eyes were red, filled with regret for not having his daughter fall asleep during this cycle. Looking at his fragile, glass-like daughter, he shook his head, trying to change the topic.

"The air in Changhong Bay is terrible. You can't go."

Instinctively, he wanted to steer the conversation away from anything related to the teleportation gates or the Game of Fate.

But Li Rui suddenly looked up. For the first time, Uncle Li noticed that his daughter's face was dry—there wasn't a single tear. Instead, her eyes gleamed with anticipation as she said:

"Isn't it almost twelve hours now?"

"Ah Gu is coming back!"

Uncle Li froze. He wanted to explain the harsh statistics to her, but the pure, hopeful light in her eyes stopped him.

Suddenly, her expression brightened, and she pointed to the screen behind Uncle Li. A radiant smile blossomed on her face.

---

Li Mei stood alone near the teleportation gate at Changhong Bay, unsure why she had come. Some inexplicable emotion had driven her here.

She pulled her hood low, observing the people around her. She saw some leave disappointed after failing to reunite with loved ones, while others embraced joyfully.

Although the crowd wasn't large, the Game of Fate had still brought about countless reunions and separations.

Leaning against a wall covered in climbing ivy, she waited silently.

"Are you waiting for someone too?"

A raspy voice broke her reverie.

Li Mei looked up to see an old man, his hair completely gone, wearing a tattered hood as he stood before her.

She nodded at first, then shook her head.

The old man, seeing her low spirits, didn't press further. Instead, he sat down beside her.

After a while, she asked, "Are you waiting for someone?"

The old man also nodded before shaking his head, laughing softly at himself.

"I only have a few hours left until my time is up..."

Li Mei felt a pang of sympathy. She understood that "time up" meant he would soon be forced into the Game of Fate. Those who missed the voluntary entry window would face random assignments, often to worlds far beyond their abilities.

Seeing the pity in her eyes, the old man shook his head and continued, "I said my goodbyes to my wife yesterday, but…"

"This morning, I met someone. A dazzling young man."

Li Mei's heart stirred, but she hesitated to tell him what had happened next.

The old man's gaze turned distant, as though still reliving that moment. Staring at the moonlit sky, he murmured, "He told me to watch him walk into destiny."

"What a carefree spirit. I've been waiting here since, hoping…"

"To see that young man again."

Li Mei covered her mouth as tears blurred her vision. She couldn't stop herself from sobbing.

"He… he's already…"

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the plaza. The crowd wasn't large, but the startled cries were deafening. Through her tears, Li Mei saw a golden glow lighting up the area.

The old man sprang to his feet, exclaiming in disbelief, "It's golden!"

A thought flashed in Li Mei's mind. Wiping her tears, she rushed toward the teleportation gate.

A tall figure emerged, clad in a tea-colored trench coat, a slender sword strapped to his back.

It was really him!

"You… you came back…"

"Waaaah!"

Tong Gu stepped forward, surprised by the sobbing girl in front of him. Her clear, tear-streaked face gazed up at him.

Recalling how his glasses had been destroyed in his last battle, Tong Gu quickly pieced together what had happened.

He stepped closer, gently steadying her with his hand. Smiling warmly, he asked:

"Do you have a phone?"

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