The Dead Man’s Simulator

Shen Li tied Red Hare to a low-hanging branch, letting the warhorse graze quietly in the shade.

Just ahead, nearly twenty men knelt on the dirt—skinny, ragged, and wrapped in patched-up robes. Most had bones showing through their clothes. A few still clutched rusted weapons, their arms trembling.

Shen Li stood tall, looking down on them with a tired expression.

"So… which direction leads to Lixin?"

The bandits exchanged nervous glances. One of them—a broad-jawed man with wild eyes and tiger-like features—quickly pointed to the left.

"T-That way, sir. Head toward the lakeside. There's a small plaque by the old willow—you'll see the path to the city from there."

Shen Li nodded, glancing around at the group.

"Hmm. So what's the situation here? You get many visitors?"

A few of the men looked like they might cry.

"No, sir," the tiger-faced man answered bitterly. "This is our third time trying to block this road. We're not even real bandits… just hungry peasants. Can't afford to beg in the city."

Shen Li's eyes shifted back to the speaker, sizing him up. Despite the man's claims, his posture was steady, and his aura—though faint—revealed a proper 2nd-grade martial cultivation.

"A 'peasant,' huh? This guy's got more backbone than half the sect disciples I've seen."

Shen Li tilted his head.

"What's your name?"

The man hesitated, then scratched his head with a grin.

"You can call me Crippled Zao."

Shen Li looked him up and down—his legs were strong, arms muscular, spine straight.

"Crippled? You look perfectly healthy to me."

Zao's face turned red. He muttered something under his breath, avoiding eye contact.

Shen Li narrowed his eyes.

"Well?"

Zao mumbled, pointing downward.

"When I was little… a dog bit it off."

Shen Li blinked.

Then, after a long silence, he gave a quiet nod—face unreadable.

"...I see. That's tragic."

Then a smirk.

"Good. I've always needed a eunuch with martial talent. You'll follow me from now on."

Crippled Zao's face turned a shade darker, veins popping on his forehead.

"Sir, I'm not a eunuch! I didn't choose this life!"

Shen Li waved a hand dismissively, already walking back toward his horse.

"Intentions don't matter. Outcome does. Come on, Eunuch Zao, we have work to do."

The rest of the "bandits" looked confused, half-horrified, half-amused.

Zao stood, hesitated, then followed with a grumble and a twitch in his eye.

"...It's going to be a long road."

Shen Li mounted Red Hare with a smooth motion, the warhorse snorting beneath him. He glanced down at Crippled Zao, who was brushing dust off his ragged tunic.

"Don't worry," Shen Li said casually. "I just need a guide to Lixin. After that, I'll release you."

Crippled Zao looked up, visibly relieved.

"Thank you, sir."

As they began to walk—Shen Li on horseback, Zao trailing just beside—Shen Li studied the man's body more closely. Beneath the layered rags, he could see numerous scars, some faint and healed, others fresh and deep. Old blade wounds across his ribs, puncture marks on his back, and long faded rope burns on the wrists.

Shen Li's eyes narrowed slightly.

"So tell me," he said. "Was it really a dog that bit your... thing off?""Or was it chopped off during torture?"

Zao froze mid-step.

He didn't answer right away.

Shen Li didn't press. His tone had already softened, almost bored.

"Whatever," he added after a moment, eyes scanning the forest. "Everyone has their own secrets."

They said nothing more for a while.

Just the sound of hooves, footsteps, and the rustling forest canopy above them.

By noon, the trees began to thin, and the road opened into a shimmering expanse of blue—the lake.

Still and wide, its surface reflected the midday sun like polished glass. Dragonflies darted above the reeds, and birds fluttered overhead, unbothered by the silence of the human world.

Shen Li tugged on Red Hare's reins, bringing the horse to a slow stop.

"We're close now," Zao said, shielding his eyes as he scanned the lake's edge. "Once we reach the far bank, you'll see the stone marker for Lixin's outer route."

Shen Li said nothing.

He was staring into the lake, silent, thoughtful.

As they walked along the quiet lake path, Shen Li remained silent, lost in thought.

He had never been to Lixin City in person—but thanks to the simulation, he knew the general structure. Still, simulations weren't reality. Variables changed. People died. Power shifted.

And if he had learned anything by now, it was this:

"Trust knowledge—but verify everything."

From what he remembered, the Dai Family had a 300-year foundation in this land. But it was the last century that solidified their rule.

Through strategy, patience, and merciless consolidation, the Dai rose to become the undisputed hegemony of Lixin. No other top-tier families remained. The weak had been devoured. The stubborn, crushed.

It was a city that bowed to one name.

Shen Li turned to Crippled Zao, who had been silently following beside him, eyes flicking to every branch and shadow.

"Speak," Shen Li ordered. "Tell me about the county. And the Dai family."

Zao flinched slightly at the tone, but obeyed.

As they made their way around the curve of the lake, Crippled Zao suddenly spoke again, his tone more reserved.

"Well… I can't tell you much. But after the in-fight five years ago, things have been quiet. Too quiet, actually. The Dai have been doing surprisingly well since then."

Shen Li raised an eyebrow.

"In-fight?" he echoed. "That wasn't in my records. According to my information, the Dai family has seven first-grade martial artists."

Zao nodded, his expression unreadable.

"That's correct—seven, publicly. But five years ago… there were ten."

That stopped Shen Li for a moment.

His gaze sharpened.

"What happened?"

Zao looked out over the lake. The surface was still, but his eyes seemed to be watching something below it.

"A change in succession. There was a sudden decision to replace the heir."

Shen Li blinked slowly.

"And that alone led to the deaths of three first-grade martial artists?"

"It wasn't that simple," Zao said, voice quieter. "From what I know, others joined in—some took sides, some saw an opportunity. It was short and brutal. And when it was over… three were gone."

He paused, face darkening.

"No one outside the core knows exactly how it started. Even the minor families were kept in the dark."

Shen Li glanced sideways at him.

"Your surname... wouldn't happen to be Dai, would it?"

Zao gave a bitter smile.

"Not anymore."

Shen Li looked ahead, frowning.

"Damn…" he thought. "What kind of hatred makes a clan castrate one of their own and exile him like that?"

He tried not to speak it aloud, but curiosity got the better of him.

"So do you even have the right to enter the county?"

Zao's smile twisted, his expression somewhere between shame and mockery.

"Don't worry. I wasn't anyone important. Just one of the unlucky ones standing on the losing side."

He continued walking, his eyes now fixed on the path ahead.

For the first time, Shen Li felt a flicker of doubt.

"Maybe I made a mistake bringing this man along."

While Shen Li was deep in thought, the quiet rhythm of hooves slowed.

A sudden shift in light caught his eye—a deep, rippling shadow beneath the lake's surface.

He pulled the reins gently.

"Whoa…"

His horse came to a halt near the edge. Shen Li's gaze narrowed.

Below the shimmering water, barely visible in the sun's reflection, was something massive. As the ripples calmed, it became clearer:

A stone pillar, ancient and cracked, rose from the lakebed.

But it wasn't the pillar that made his eyes widen—it was what wrapped around it.

A colossal centipede, carved from stone, its many legs clinging to the column in a slow, eternal crawl. Though unmoving, the craftsmanship was so vivid it looked alive, as if at any moment it might peel off the stone and burst forth.

Shen Li's face showed rare awe.

"What is this…?"

Zao followed his gaze and let out a dry breath.

"That's one of the old statues—left from the Mo Dynasty, long before our time."

Shen Li turned sharply.

"The previous dynasty? I've never seen records of this."

Zao shrugged.

Zao gave a casual wave of his hand toward the lake.

"You don't need to know too much. Their time passed over two thousand years ago. Even if you learned everything about the Mo Dynasty, what benefit would it bring? Unless you were born next to one of their massive arts like this…" —he nodded toward the colossal centipede— "…you'd probably never hear a word of them."

Shen Li narrowed his eyes.

"Why is it in the lake? Did it fall in?"

Zao shook his head.

"Folk say it was built in the lake. Mo architects were strange—they liked to fuse heaven, earth, and water. But after the dynasty fell, you know the usual thing… purge the old. Clean history. Wipe out everything that came before."

As they continued their journey, the road became flatter, the smell of tilled earth stronger. Eventually, the landscape opened.

Ahead of them stretched rolling fields, golden under the afternoon sun, dotted with farmers and distant storage barns.

Zao raised a hand toward the horizon.

"Welcome to Lixin."

Shen Li blinked. For the first time in a long while, he looked genuinely surprised.

There were no walls. No gates. No towering pavilions or fortified outposts.

Just farmlands—sprawling, open, and unguarded.

It was a striking contrast to every county he'd seen. Up until now, even minor counties had high stone walls with guards and checkpoints.

As Shen Li gazed upon the farmlands stretching openly before him, the absence of walls told him all he needed to know.

"This place doesn't need defense. Because the predator is already inside."

He took a quiet breath, then nudged his horse forward. Step by step, he passed through the unguarded road that marked the city's edge. It was subtle, yet it felt like crossing into deeper waters.

Eventually, he slowed his horse and turned to Zao.

"Any inn you'd recommend?"

Zao didn't hesitate.

"Head to the city center. They're pricier, but you won't wake up with your belongings—or your life—missing. Trust me."

As they neared a fork in the road, Zao pulled up his hood and tugged it low over his face.

"This is where I leave. My job's dangerous enough as it is, and I shouldn't be seen here."

Shen Li gave a small nod.

"Yeah, like I said… that's it. You're free to go."

He didn't mention it aloud, but a thought gnawed at the back of his mind:

"Was this guy really just a bandit? Or did I just escort one of the Dai family's discarded heirs back into the lion's den?"

There were some threads best left untouched.

As Zao pulled up his hood and prepared to leave, he hesitated. Then, turning back to Shen Li, he spoke with a rare seriousness in his voice.

"One last thing you should know."

Shen Li tilted his head slightly. "Go on."

Zao's tone dropped low—neither fearful nor dramatic, just measured.

"In this generation, the Dai family gave birth to a daughter… different from the rest. They say she was born with the ability to glimpse fragments of the future and track down anything—or anyone—that disturbs it."

He paused, scanning the horizon.

"But her ability isn't limitless. It only works within Lixin County, and only if the event in question somehow affects her future path. Still… that's more than enough. If you stir trouble that ripples even slightly toward her fate…"

He didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.

"She doesn't need soldiers or scouts. She just knows."

Then Zao gave a shallow nod and turned away.

"So if you do anything... be sure it's forgettable."

And with that, he vanished into the road behind.

Shen Li cursed silently under his breath, but his face remained calm and indifferent.

"Don't worry," he replied with a faint smile.

He didn't linger. After a short stay in the city, he quietly slipped out through a different gate. No farewells, no unnecessary attention.

"She knows I'm here. A hundred percent," he muttered, tightening his cloak as he disappeared into the forest's embrace."There's no way I can take that Yang Stone without turning this city into a massacre…"

He sank deeper into the wilds, hidden beneath the thick canopy of ancient trees.

Meanwhile…

Far away, deep beneath Lixin in a secluded bronze chamber, ancient symbols pulsed faintly along the walls. Four tall mirrors faced inward toward the center of the room, reflecting the image of a woman kneeling alone in silence.

She looked to be in her early thirties—breathtakingly beautiful, with long, silver-white hair that shimmered like moonlight. Her robes clung to her like mist, and from her temples, a single bead of sweat rolled down her cheek, vanishing onto the cold floor.

Her eyes remained closed—until they snapped open.

Pale and clouded like a seer's, they stared blankly in the direction Shen Li had fled.

"It's beginning…" she whispered."The end of the Dai family… is coming."

The room seemed to tremble.

In the next moment—CRACK!

All four mirrors shattered into dust, and the bronze chamber fell into a cold silence.