Chapter One: Entering the Game

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[Welcome, players, to the Highway Survival Game.]

[To survive and claim rich rewards, please remember the following game rules.]

[First, the game will begin in three hours. While waiting, please proceed to the ruined city behind you to select a vehicle. One person per car; if you ride together, you do so at your own risk.]

[Second, once you set out, there is no turning back. Turning back means death—both in the game and in reality. Special note: refusing to depart also results in death.]

[Third, along the way, there will be treasure chests containing various supplies for players to use. Remember: with resources comes danger. The journey to obtain these supplies is not safe.]

[Fourth, at night, remain vigilant. Do not leave your vehicle; beware of monsters that may appear. Special warning: your name is important—never reveal it, especially at night, as answering another’s call will likely lead to your demise.]

[Fifth, additional game rules will be released during gameplay. Please stay alert and follow updates.]

[Finally, may you survive to the end and win a cash prize of one hundred million.]

…

“What kind of lousy game is this? I want to go home.”

“I’ll give you a hundred million if you just send me back.”

“Is it really possible to win a hundred million? I want to join! I want in!”

…

As the mechanical voice faded, the clamor of human discussion erupted from all directions.

Liang Yi, who had originally been unconscious, was awakened by the noise, her mind foggy and unsure of what had happened.

She looked around, discovering an endless stretch of asphalt road ahead, illuminated by bright streetlights, yet not a single shadow touched the ground.

The highway was about ten meters wide, and beyond it was nothing but darkness—so deep it seemed a bottomless abyss, capable of swallowing a person whole.

Behind her lay a ruined city.

Beside her, streams of people moved ceaselessly.

In her ears, she could faintly make out talk about highway survival.

Highway survival? What did that mean?

Liang Yi shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

She distinctly remembered that, before she lost consciousness, her family was celebrating her brother’s successful admission to Qingbei University, her sister’s triumph in the civil service exam, and their move into a new home.

Fortune had smiled on them, and they’d made a grand meal, drinking to their happiness.

How had it come to this—waking up to a survival game on the highway?

[Greetings, Liang Yi. I am the game assistant for the large-scale survival game “Edge of Existence.” With the new “Highway Survival” module launching, we are currently in the public beta phase.]

[You are fortunate to have been chosen as the sole experience officer. During your time in the game, we will monitor your statistics to detect issues and improve the game’s quality.]

[Meanwhile, you may select one reward from the following options to assist us.]

[First, a brand-new off-road vehicle equipped with solar panels, ensuring you won’t encounter car trouble along the way.]

[Second, …]

Liang Yi didn’t listen to the rest of the rewards, only catching the part about a game assistant.

A game assistant—did that mean it knew why she was here?

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Could it also know what had happened to her family?

Liang Yi ceased listening to the assistant and instead observed the other players.

Most, following instructions, had entered the ruins behind to search for vehicles.

A handful muttered about whether this was a prank, seeking ways to escape.

Pushed and jostled by others, Liang Yi realized this was no place for conversation, hesitated briefly, then hurried into the ruins herself.

Meanwhile, the game assistant rambled on, only to find Liang Yi ignoring it.

[Liang Yi? Liang Yi?]

The assistant sounded confused, suspecting a malfunction had prevented Liang Yi from hearing its voice.

“Stop calling—I heard you.”

Liang Yi glanced around, ensuring nobody was nearby, then interrupted.

Along the way, she saw numerous vehicles: off-roaders, sedans, motorcycles, bicycles—even a pale blue ride-on toy car for children.

Though her main goal was to find a concealed hiding spot, she also noted most vehicles lacked keys.

Their windows and doors were smashed, and some people were inside, banging around—likely trying to start them.

Cars with keys were either already driven away or being fought over.

Liang Yi, a sophomore law student, couldn’t start a car and certainly couldn’t win a fight, so she dismissed these options.

After more than ten minutes of searching, she still hadn’t found a suitable place to stop and converse with the assistant.

She quickened her pace, sweat soaking her clothes.

At last, she found a perfect hiding spot.

In the distance stood a brand-new tricycle, unlike ordinary ones for its extra cargo compartment at the back.

The compartment was made of metal, well-sealed—once inside, she’d be hidden from view.

She looked around, decided this was ideal, swiftly took the key, opened the compartment, and crawled in.

She left the door slightly ajar, letting in light from outside.

The compartment was about a meter high and one and a half meters long, reasonably clean.

“We’ll talk about the experience officer matter later. I want to know how my parents, sister, and brother are doing.”

Liang Yi sat inside, asking concisely.

She desperately wanted to know if her family was safe in their original world, and whether her sudden disappearance had caused them pain.

[Your parents, sister, and brother are in other games.]

“How are they now?” Liang Yi pressed.

Her hand on her lap clenched tightly. The game was called “Edge of Existence”—danger surely lurked everywhere.

The assistant didn’t answer directly.

[Sorry, we cannot disclose player information at will.]

Liang Yi’s urge to curse was strong upon hearing this.

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“You won’t disclose information, yet you can drag me here by force, bind my data, and monitor my every move?”

Thinking of the assistant’s claim—this was the first launch of highway survival, and her selection was to record anomalies—Liang Yi quickly formed a plan.

“If you refuse to answer, I refuse to be monitored.”

“You said earlier turning back means death, staying here means death?”

“If you won’t answer, I’d rather die than let you watch me.”

Of course, Liang Yi had no intention of dying; she merely wanted to strike a bargain.

To see whether threats had any effect.

[Please don’t be anxious, Liang Yi. I will relay your wishes to headquarters.]

[I’ll inform you immediately once there’s a response.]

The threat worked—the assistant promptly offered a solution.

Liang Yi nodded. While waiting for feedback, she questioned the assistant about the game.

In short, the creators of “Edge of Existence” were a species more advanced than humans, capable of selecting participants without their knowledge.

There were many game modules—apocalypse, interstellar, beast world, farming, famine, and more.

None of the participants entered voluntarily; they were randomly chosen by these higher beings.

Predictably, Liang Yi’s entire family had been selected.

Anyone who survived to the end would receive one hundred million in cash. Those who died would vanish.

In the real world, they would disappear as well.

Liang Yi clenched her fists, struggling to suppress her sorrow.

At the same time, she despised the so-called “higher beings” behind the game.

Half an hour later, the assistant received feedback from headquarters, granting permission to disclose her family’s current situation.

Joy flashed in Liang Yi’s eyes.

Without delay, a pale blue transparent screen appeared before her, playing a series of images.

Her parents appeared first, the screen labeled “Apocalyptic Disaster.”

She saw them waist-deep in floodwaters. Her mother was swept away, unable to stand amidst the raging current.

Fortunately, she clung tightly to a banner nearby.

Her father gripped the other end of the banner.

But disaster loomed—the banner’s strength faltered, splitting in half, threatening to sweep them away at any moment.

“Dad, Mom!” Watching her parents, both in their fifties, teeter on the brink, Liang Yi’s eyes brimmed with tears.

She wished she could dive through the screen and help them survive.