Absolute Domain

The year 3010. Earth, once a cradle of humanity, is now a battlefield of gods, demons, and beasts. The spiritual energy stolen by so-called "divine beings" centuries ago has returned, flooding the planet after the devastating Fifth World War. For most, this was an opportunity to ascend to power. For Zhang Yong, it was the beginning of a nightmare.

The slums of Yanjing were a desolate ruin. Broken structures and burning trash fires illuminated the cold, unforgiving night. Zhang Yong crouched in an alley, his thin, malnourished frame barely hidden behind a pile of rusted machinery. His dark eyes gleamed with desperation as he gnawed on a half-burnt piece of bread. Around him, the sounds of the strong crushing the weak echoed like a haunting melody.

"Did you think you could escape me, worm?" a guttural voice snarled. A towering man with glowing red tattoos etched across his body emerged from the shadows, his aura crackling with spiritual energy. He was a Qi Refinement cultivator—a realm Zhang Yong couldn't even dream of touching.

"Please," Zhang Yong muttered, clutching his bread. "It's all I have left."

The cultivator laughed, a cruel, guttural sound. "The last pure human, begging for scraps? Pathetic. Maybe I should put you out of your misery."

Zhang Yong felt his heart pounding in his chest, but something inside him refused to yield. "If you're going to kill me, at least do it quickly. Or are you so insecure that you need to bully someone who can't fight back?"

The insult worked. The cultivator's face twisted in rage, and he raised his hand, gathering a fiery ball of energy.

As the flame hurtled toward Zhang Yong, a metallic voice echoed in his mind:

"System initializing… Bound to host: Zhang Yong. Activating survival protocol."

Time seemed to freeze. A translucent interface appeared before his eyes, displaying:

[Host: Zhang Yong]

Status: Mortal (Weakest of the Weak)

Potential: ???

Objective: Survive. Dominate. Ascend.

When time resumed, Zhang Yong instinctively threw himself to the side. The fireball grazed his shoulder, searing his flesh, but he was alive. For the first time in his miserable existence, a flicker of hope sparked within him.

"What the—?" The cultivator snarled, shocked that his prey had dodged. "You're just delaying the inevitable!"

Zhang Yong's mind raced. The system's interface expanded, revealing a new function:

[Mission: Kill the attacker to unlock Beginner Rewards.]

[Hint: Use your surroundings to your advantage.]

He glanced around. The rusted machinery, the piles of debris they weren't just junk anymore. They were weapons.

As the cultivator charged, Zhang Yong grabbed a jagged metal pipe and thrust it upward. The makeshift weapon pierced the attacker's thigh, eliciting a howl of pain. The cultivator staggered, giving Zhang Yong the opening he needed.

"Critical strike detected. Bonus points awarded."

The voice fueled his adrenaline. Zhang Yong swung the pipe again, this time aiming for the cultivator's temple. The man collapsed, his aura flickering out like a dying flame.

Panting, Zhang Yong stared at the lifeless body, his hands trembling. The system chimed:

**[Mission Complete. Rewards:

Beginner Cultivation Manual

100 System Points

Basic Healing Pill]**

A small vial and a glowing jade scroll materialized in front of him. He grabbed them, his mind reeling. The jade scroll hummed with energy as he absorbed its contents. Knowledge of Qi Refinement techniques flooded his mind.

For the first time in his life, Zhang Yong wasn't at the mercy of others.

He looked down at his hands, now steady. "So this is how it begins," he murmured. His eyes burned with a newfound determination. "If this world wants to crush me, I'll make it regret the day it tried."

Somewhere in the distance, a roar echoed—a beast or an invader, drawn by the sudden surge of spiritual energy. Zhang Yong clenched his fists, his resolve hardening.

The weakest of the weak had taken his first step toward domination.