NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1 **The Black Mist Tower**
A month ago, a black tower suddenly rose from the heart of New York City. Simultaneously, a black fog enveloped the entire metropolis.
No one could enter, and no one was seen leaving.
Nearly ten million people were trapped within the impenetrable mist. Communications were severed, and no news reached the outside world.
The internet exploded with speculation.
[This is all part of Amelia's scheme! They're using an entire city's population for biochemical experiments!]
[This must be the work of aliens. The New York incident was the first contact between humans and extraterrestrial beings, and it is worthy of commemoration.]
But Lu Ming was different.
"This is a sign of the apocalypse! It must be!"
It wasn't that Lu Ming had insider knowledge. His conviction stemmed from two main reasons.
Firstly, it was his personality.
Lu Ming was a pessimistic apocalypticist. The moment he learned of the mysterious Black Mist Tower, his mind immediately jumped to a looming apocalypse.
Secondly, it was the attribute panel that had awakened in his mind a day ago.
Upon waking up that morning, Lu Ming discovered a mysterious attribute system displayed on his retina.
Name: Lu Ming
Age: 25 years old
Strength: 5.1
Physique: 5.5
Agility: 5.3
[Note: The average three-dimensional attribute value for adult males is 5].
Lu Ming hadn’t yet figured out the purpose of this strange system. But one thing was clear: both the attribute panel and the Black Mist Tower were beyond explanation—mysterious and defying all logic or science.
One mysterious event might be written off as a coincidence. But two happening simultaneously? That was far too significant to ignore.
"Even if it’s not the end of the world," Lu Ming thought, "it must be some kind of massive catastrophe."
Strangely, this realization didn’t frighten him. Instead, it brought a sense of calm.
"At least I’m prepared."
He stood up from his chair and began reviewing his supplies.
When his parents passed away a decade ago, they had left him a substantial inheritance, which he had carefully invested—almost 99% of it—into preparing for the worst, long before the New York incident.
The house, an ancestral property in a city village, had been meticulously modified. Lu Ming had reinforced its entire structure, adding a spacious basement and fortifying every door and window.
The second floor, spanning 100 square meters, was stocked with essentials: large freezers packed with medicines, rice, noodles, cooking oil, vegetables, fresh meat, and canned goods. He had also set up a basic fitness area and a quiet reading nook.
The ground floor, also 100 square meters, housed his living quarters—a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and a converted garage. The garage contained a budget-modified off-road vehicle, an electric scooter, a bicycle, and the necessary accessories to maintain them.
However, the basement was his ultimate refuge.
It held a diesel generator, a generous supply of fuel, and enough compressed biscuits, canned food, and water to sustain him for over three years. He’d also installed independent systems for sewage, water, electricity, and ventilation. These systems alone had eaten up 70% of his savings, but they were essential for long-term survival.
On the second floor, a table in the reading area held a stack of maps and Lu Ming's arsenal of weapons:
- Bow (10 arrows missing)
- Crossbow (30 bolts)
- Slingshot (with stones and metal scraps)
- Fire axe
- Metal bat
- Dagger
The weapons were a last resort for Lu Ming, and he genuinely hoped he would never have to use them. They represented something far more dangerous—conflict. And once a fight started, no matter how well-prepared he was, the risk of injury or death became all too real.
Even with all his careful planning, a mere 1% chance of injury could spell disaster.
"I'll never leave the city unless I have no other choice," he resolved.
The city was a resource-rich environment, and Lu Ming knew it well. In a crisis, staying in familiar territory was far safer than wandering into the unknown.
He pulled out his meticulously drawn map of the city and its surrounding areas, reviewing his plan for survival.
"Supplies are plentiful for now," he thought, "but I’ll need a contingency plan." He marked several resource points on the map. "There are three small supermarkets and one large one nearby. These will be my fallback when things get worse. I have to map out the best routes in advance."
He continued planning in his mind, thinking through each critical step. "There's a dumpster here for cover if I need to hide. And there’s a hidden door in this alleyway."
These thoughts ran through his head in a daily ritual of preparation and mental rehearsal.
After about ten minutes of visualizing different scenarios, Lu Ming carefully folded the map and stowed it away, uttering a single word: "Attributes."
In his retina, the light screen materialized:
Name: Lu Ming♂
Age: 25 years old
Strength: 5.1
Physique: 5.5
Agility: 5.3
Lu Ming's attributes were slightly above average. As a pessimistic apocalypticist and a loner, maintaining his physical condition was paramount.
"With the supplies mostly sorted," he decided, "the next step is to figure out this attribute panel."
"How do I use this thing?"
He stood in thought for a while, an idea gradually taking shape.
"Attributes are a digitization of one's physical state," Lu Ming hypothesized. "Perhaps exercising can trigger a reaction in the attribute panel."
Before the attribute panel's awakening, Lu Ming had a habit of exercising. However, since its appearance, he hadn't worked out.
With this realization, Lu Ming quickly changed into his sportswear and began his routine.
Lu Ming's training methods were relatively rudimentary. Due to his solitary nature, he had never frequented a gym. While he possessed some basic fitness knowledge, his approach lacked structure. Moreover, he wasn't concerned with muscle size or aesthetics, so exercise hadn't been a priority.
"Push-ups, 20 reps per set, three sets," he planned. "Squats, 20 reps per set, three sets. Then a one-hour jog."
This was Lu Ming's standard workout.
"Let's begin!"
Lu Ming, clad in sportswear, dropped to the floor and began his push-ups.
Twenty push-ups were a breeze for Lu Ming, completed in a swift half-minute. He stood up and took a 20-second breather, during which he opened his attribute panel.
-
Strength: 5.1 (5.2) ↑
Lu Ming was puzzled. "What does that mean?"
The 5.2 in parentheses and the upward arrow were a mystery to him. After ten seconds of scrutiny, the panel remained unchanged. Lu Ming shrugged off the confusion and continued his workout.
Three sets of push-ups later:
-
Strength: 5.1 (5.4) ↑
Next came squats.
Three sets of squats completed:
-
Physique: 5.5 (5.8) ↑
Finally, Lu Ming stepped onto the treadmill, setting the speed to 8.
Time to run.
An hour later, his agility attributes also changed.
-
Agility: 5.3 (5.5) ↑
"Jogging for half an hour increases agility by 0.1," Lu Ming noted.
However, he didn't feel any physical improvement.
He wiped his sweat and pondered.
Suddenly, a wave of intense hunger washed over him.
"Strange, I'm getting hungry quickly today," he thought. "And I'm a little more tired than usual."
Exhaustion left Lu Ming with no energy to prepare a proper meal. He settled for a canned meal to quickly satiate his hunger, but a wave of drowsiness instantly overwhelmed him.
In a daze, he stumbled downstairs and crawled into bed, quickly succumbing to sleep.
End of Chapter 1