[Divine Descent System - Godslayer]
Host: Kael Voss (Real Name) | In-Game ID: Zhu Shen (Unactivated)Status: GCV Stability 100% (Uninfected) | Physical Condition: Extreme exhaustion + DehydrationCore Background: Amnesiac wanderer | Objective: Survive + Protect Lila EliasKey Foreshadowing: Forgotten past identity | Trigger Event: Encounter with Lila Elias
Noon, outskirts of Velo Town, Aeria Federation.It was an ordinary street in a working-class neighborhood. The scorching summer sun baked the earth and the few passersby—occasionally, people would complain or curse the unbearable weather. It wasn't desolate, but neither was it as bustling and prosperous as Starfall City, the capital.
At the edge of the street, a figure lay motionless on the ground. The sun blazed fiercely, yet he wore a full black outfit—by now, the dark fabric must have been scalding hot, and the ground itself was so hot that no one dared to touch it. Just imagining the feeling of that black clothing and burning ground against skin was terrifying—and this man, Kael Voss, had been lying there for a full day and night.
"Why is that guy still there?""Probably dead already."
Passersby's glances lingered on him only briefly before they hurried away. Most people living here struggled at the bottom of society, rushing about to make ends meet. In this indifferent era, kindness was the cheapest thing to them. More importantly, one must never help someone lying by the road—it had long become a cold consensus.
"Mommy, look! There's a person over there! Is he sick?" a little boy held by his mother's hand pointed at the man on the ground.
"Don't you dare get close to him!" The mother rushed over in alarm, snatching the boy and pulling him back in panic, her voice trembling with fear. "Did you forget what Mommy told you? Many people lying by the road are abandoned because they're infected with 'GCV Degradation'—getting close will make you catch it! Come on, let's get far away."
"Ah!" The little boy let out a scream, his face turning to terror. He actively pulled his mother's hand and ran farther, not daring to glance back.
Even a six or seven-year-old child knew how terrifying GCV Degradation was.
GCV Degradation was a fatal disease that gradually drained the human body's immunity and vitality until nothing remained. The only way to contract it was through infection with the "GCV Virus." Similar in nature to the "AIDS" of the 20th and 21st centuries, it was far more horrific—globally, the longest anyone had survived after infection was only five years.
Entering the 30th century, humanity suffered the wrath of nature. To compete for increasingly scarce resources, terrible wars broke out frequently, spreading smoke and fire across the world. The nuclear contamination and magnetic pollution left by these wars gave birth to the GCV Virus. People with inherently weak immunity, when exposed to severe pollution for a long time, were prone to developing the virus—and the appearance of the GCV Virus meant that life was drawing to an end.
Even more terrifying was its transmissibility: it could spread through any bodily fluid (blood, saliva, even sweat). Therefore, when someone was infected with the GCV Virus, their family usually had no choice but to abandon them cruelly—no amount of money or effort could save them, and keeping them would only put more people at risk.
GCV Degradation was like a terrifying devil, making people flee in terror. It was also called heaven's punishment for humanity's brutal wars—without the pollution left by war, the GCV Virus would never have existed. Amid global condemnation and appeals, countries signed the well-known Century of Peace Treaty. Under the treaty, the battlefield for international disputes was officially moved to humanity's deeply relied-upon second world—the virtual game world.
Resolving disputes through the outcome of virtual wars was an approach endorsed by the vast majority of humanity. After the signing of the Century of Peace Treaty, the virtual game world reached an unprecedented peak of development, and countries invested massive financial and material resources in cultivating top-tier players.
As nuclear and magnetic pollution gradually diminished, fewer and fewer people contracted GCV Degradation, but the shadow of fear it left on humanity was destined to linger.
Thus, Kael Voss, the man in black lying by the road, was naturally mistaken for a poor soul abandoned due to GCV infection—no one dared to approach him.
Until...
"Big brother! Big brother, wake up! You'll burn if you lie there like this! Big brother..."
A little girl in a pale yellow dress appeared in front of him. She was Lila Elias, about ten years old, with eyes as beautiful as stars and a delicate, doll-like face—anyone who saw her would involuntarily stop and marvel, wondering if they had encountered an elf who had strayed into the mortal world.
Lila held a half-finished cold drink in one hand and dropped her parasol with the other, gently shaking the motionless Kael. Her starry eyes were filled with anxiety and worry, and she called out in a soft, childish voice.
Perhaps Kael wasn't in a deep coma, or perhaps he had never truly fainted—at Lila's not-too-loud call, his body moved slightly, then slowly, with immense difficulty, he lifted his head, revealing a pale young face. He looked no more than sixteen or seventeen, with messy hair, chapped lips, and an alarmingly pale complexion. He opened his eyes slightly, and his blurred gaze met Lila's extremely clear and pure eyes.
What beautiful... eyes...
"Great! You're finally awake!" Lila let out a sigh of relief and smiled happily. Through his hazy vision, Kael stared at her pure, flawless smile, momentarily dumbfounded. Before today, he had endured too many cold glances and indifference, and had long grown accustomed to it—he had never imagined that such pure and clear eyes could exist in this world.
"Big brother, are you sick? Can you stand up? It's so hot lying on the ground..." Lila propped up her parasol to shield his upper body, comforting him in a sweet, gentle voice. "It's okay, my parents will be here soon, and they'll help you! Oh, and my dad is a doctor—he'll definitely make you better!"
Kael moved his chapped lips; his throat felt as if it were on fire. He struggled for a long time, only managing to utter one word: "...Water..."
"Water?" Lila blinked, then quickly held the half-finished cold drink to his lips. "I don't have water... Is this okay? It's cold and sweet."
Carefully, Lila placed the straw in his mouth. Kael summoned all his strength and took a long sip—cool liquid filled his mouth like a clear spring, sliding slowly down his throat and seeping into his seemingly lifeless body. In that moment, he finally felt his body again, and his vision cleared a little. He clamped down on the straw that had pulled him back from the brink of death, his eyes fixed on Lila, refusing to look away.
"Tasty? If you like it, drink it all! If you want more, I'll ask my parents to buy another one later!" Seeing him struggling to sip, Lila's slender eyebrows curved into crescent moons, revealing an extremely cute smile—this scene was deeply etched into Kael's heart. He knew that he would never forget this moment, nor this girl, for the rest of his life.
Steady footsteps approached from behind. Lila immediately turned around and waved: "Mommy, Daddy, over here! This big brother fainted!"
A couple who hadn't yet reached middle age walked over. They were Dr. Elias and Clara Elias, Lila's parents, their plain clothes indicating that their family was not wealthy. When they saw Lila and the man lying on the ground beside her, both looked shocked.
"Lila! Get away from him quickly!" Clara rushed over in panic, snatching Lila and pulling her aside—the cold drink cup in Lila's hand slipped, spilling its cool contents all over the ground.
"Wah... Mommy, why did you pull me away? Big brother is thirsty and wants water so badly..." Lila struggled gently in her mother's arms, her gaze towards Kael still filled with worry. "Mommy, Daddy, can you save him? Daddy, you're a great doctor—you can definitely save him, right?"
"Don't worry, he doesn't have GCV Degradation."
Dr. Elias was a doctor who dealt with many GCV patients regularly. He glanced at Kael a few times and immediately knew he wasn't infected. Hearing this, Clara finally relaxed. She knelt down and gave Kael an apologetic smile: "Kid, I'm sorry—I was just so worried about Lila... What's your name? Why are you here?"
Kael's lips moved. After a long while, he finally managed to speak with difficulty: "I... am..."
What is my name now?
I don't know.
Because I've decided to forget my old name... I wish I could forget it forever.