[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game":3,"chapter-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-280":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1218772,1604,"Chapter 280: Trial","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-280",280,"\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Веер! Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blaring horns of cars jolted my senses, filling the air with a cacophony of city life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, what should we get today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? We need to get them ready then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom? Yeah, I'll be home late tonight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! Stop the bus!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere I turned, voices of people busily going about their lives filled the atmosphere. Lively chatter echoed from all corners of the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was... a busy street?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The traffic lights flickered between green and red, dictating the flow of pedestrians and vehicles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People crossed the road in waves, a constant ebb and flow of movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight was almost overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes squinted as a strange sense of disorientation washed over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-PUCK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something small and solid struck the side of my left leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, I'm sorry, mister!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked down to see a young boy, holding a ball in his hands, bowing in apology. His friend stood beside him, mirroring the gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, I told you not to throw it too hard, right?\" his friend scolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could respond, they darted off toward a nearby park, their laughter fading into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Bark! Bark!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar sound reached my ears, pulling me further out of my daze. I turned toward the source, my heart skipping a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below me stood a young German Shepherd, wagging its tail excitedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bear?\" I whispered, my voice trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Bark!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog barked again, confirming my suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my head, scanning my surroundings in growing confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What greeted me was a forest of towering skyscrapers stretching toward a bright, cloudless sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glass windows glinted in the sunlight, reflecting the bustling energy of the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'My previous world?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As always, thank you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, it's fine. Walking Bear was fun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoho, you really are a kind young man,\" the elderly woman chuckled warmly, her wrinkled face glowing with gratitude. \"Why don't you join us for dinner? My husband is quite the cook, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched the back of my head, smiling politely. \"No, no, it's fine. I actually have some other plans, you see...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? That's too bad...\" Her smile faltered briefly, but she quickly masked her disappointment. She leaned down to pet Bear, \"Let's get inside now, shall we, Bear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Bark! Bark!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog wagged its tail and barked enthusiastically, clearly ready to follow her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved goodbye as they disappeared into their modest home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My gaze lingered for a moment before turning toward my own destination-the door to my apartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't much to look at, a place that could only be described as \"functional.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Situated on the fourth floor of an aging apartment complex, the exterior bore the scars of time-peeling paint and rusted railings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The view from up here wasn't what anyone would call breathtaking, but it served its purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city stretched out below me, a maze of bustling streets and neon lights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distant hum of life carried through the cool evening air, punctuated by the occasional laughter or honking horn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above, the stars peeked through a thin veil of clouds, their faint glow competing with the artificial lights of the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was dark now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People were retreating into their homes, ending their day as the night began to settle in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This really was my old world...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything I'd seen today confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiar streets, the faces of my neighbors, even the mundane daily routines-it was all exactly as I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking through this city during the day had stirred a strange mix of nostalgia and unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I stood here, staring at the faint glow of my apartment's window, a nagging question weighed heavily on my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why am I here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"System...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Other Me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No answers, huh? I sighed, shaking my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it wasn't like I expected much to begin with, but it wouldn't kill them to at least inform\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>me what the hell I was supposed to be doing here, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little heads-up would've been nice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting out another sigh, I headed to the fridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, I found the usual-a few cans of energy drinks, a carton of fresh milk, and some\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>leftovers from the last meal I apparently cooked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at the food, a wave of self-reproach washing over me as I remembered just how\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>terrible I was at cooking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of what I made was edible-barely-but the presentation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A disaster every single time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chicken curry sitting in its container didn't smell bad, but... well, let's just say it looked\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>like something that shouldn't be served to humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Grumble-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I had any room to complain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My stomach didn't care about appearances, and I wasn't exactly in the mood to whip up\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>something new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed the container and tossed it into my almost-dying microwave, setting the timer with\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a resigned sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This might take a while...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the microwave buzzed faintly, I made my way to the small couch in the center of the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was worn down, with a suspicious stain on one of the armrests, but it was mine. Grabbing\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the remote, I turned on the TV, hoping to kill some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh my, oh my! Kevin just won-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The city of 1-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Would you look at this-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Luminous stars discovered near-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For today's trending news: King Dumen of Mars has now publicly announced his ruling heir\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned the damn thing off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always, nothing but convoluted nonsense spewed from that screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Politics, celebrity drama, sensationalist headlines-it was all noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kind of noise that made you feel more tired than entertained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning back into the couch, I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts drifting. This mundane scene\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-this life-felt so... disconnected. Like I was here, but not really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let's set the facts straight for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was clear-this was a trial. The initial system notification was proof enough of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the exact mission remained unclear, the very nature of a trial meant there was an objective, something to achieve in order to proceed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game, trials like this were structured as challenges presented by legendary figures or\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>beings from the world's past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each challenge served as a test of your abilities, a gauntlet to be overcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winning meant reaching the end of the road-a path that symbolized not only your\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>perseverance but your worthiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the end of that road?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wish granted by the goddess herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, in the game's lore, these so-called \"wishes\" were more of a narrative device, with\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the actual rewards implemented as predetermined options within the gameplay. Players could choose from over a hundred potential rewards, ranging from legendary\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>weapons to massive stat boosts, or even unlocking cheat-like abilities that perfectly complemented your build.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For anyone playing, it was a guaranteed way to power up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the rewards varied, the road ahead always resulted in some kind of significant improvement-whether it was a critical item, an ability, or a stat upgrade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why I had chosen to cross the road that led to the [Tempest Sword].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cheat-like item, the Tempest Sword was a no-brainer for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It guaranteed a solid stat boost without compromising my current build and, more importantly, was a weapon capable of dealing damage to most of the epilogue bosses. Given its utility and power, it was the best option available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I was expecting to face the trial of the world's first ascended being right off the bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But... looking around now, that clearly wasn't the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were nothing like what I had envisioned for the Tempest Sword's trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No ominous arena, no overwhelming divine presence—just an eerie, misplaced normalcy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also becoming more obvious that the other Riley might have something to do with this\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>divergence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cryptic remarks and the system's silence only confirmed that theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I doubted I'd get a clear answer from him, even if I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tendency to withhold information was becoming a frustrating habit. Which meant one thing: I'd have to figure this out on my own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That said, there was still the possibility that the goddess herself was involved in all this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she had briefly made contact with me before, and considering the peculiarities of my\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>situation, it wasn't out of the question that she had a hand in this deviation from the expected trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haaah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting out an exasperated sigh, I scratched the back of my head as the microwave dinged in the background, signaling that my \"dinner\" was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking over, I retrieved the somewhat edible dish I'd heated up. It wasn't gourmet cuisine by any stretch of the imagination, but right now, I'd take what I could get.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, as I absentmindedly glanced around, my gaze fell upon my reflection in the broken,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>large mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jagged web of cracks ran across its surface, remnants of a punch that had left its mark long\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shattered glass distorted the room around me, scattering fragments of my tiny\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>apartment in chaotic patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite the cracks, my face was reflected with unnerving clarity-almost as if the mirror\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was mocking me by preserving just that part intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood there, wearing the same black jacket I always wore, with a plain white shirt\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>underneath and black pants to complete the look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes widened in surprise as I really looked at myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered softly, the sound barely leaving my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lived in the other world for more than ten years now, I'd completely forgotten about\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man staring back at me had long, black hair cascading down to the nape of his neck, disheveled but somehow neatly framing a face that told a thousand stories of exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His blue eyes were dull, lifeless-devoid of the spark of ambition or hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark circles beneath them stood out, bruised and heavy, each one a silent testament to the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>stress and depression that had long since claimed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the original me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who looked like he was on the brink of collapse-desperate to die, yet still somehow\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>clinging to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was once again reminded of who I really was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exhaled shakily, staring into the reflection of a life I thought I'd left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strange, almost surreal, seeing this version of myself after so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Han...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name escaped my lips like a forgotten relic of another time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The original me.\u003C\u002Fp>",1756,"2026-06-03T14:40:38.925Z",1,"novelbin.me","fb815d356d4b2e57a0690724029276f719a58e62eb511d91fd6644ed505de28c","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-281","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-279",727,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-cover.jpg"]