Chapter 1

【Ding!】

【Dream simulation device activated, starting verification!】

Ling Xiao looked at the virtual screen in front of him, feeling a bit panicked....

An hour ago.

Examination, doctor's instructions, picking up medicine.

A familiar routine passed by.

He walked out of the hospital with a blank expression.

Since learning about his remaining time, Ling Xiao had been controlling his emotions.

He lifted his head.

The summer sun was mercilessly scorching.

Ling Xiao glanced at the convenience store next to the hospital.

Before this, the doctor had advised him to pay attention to his diet.

But he still walked in.

After all, he only had a year left.

It was just a matter of a few days more or less.

As soon as he entered the store, a sharp voice came from behind.

"Senior!!"

Ling Xiao looked up and saw his junior from college standing in the convenience store.

Although he wasn't in the mood to socialize, he still managed to force a smile and said, "Chen Ting, what are you doing here?"

"I have a cold, so I came to the hospital to get some medicine. I didn't expect to run into you here!~" Chen Ting immediately walked up to Ling Xiao, excitedly.

Ling Xiao looked at Chen Ting in front of him.

He noticed that she had become even more fashionable.

Short hair, a cute face, paired with jeans, her fair ankles were slightly exposed.

Very adorable.

"Senior, don't I look much better than when I was a freshman?!"

"Uh-huh, yes, but you looked good back then too." Ling Xiao put aside his gloomy thoughts and politely replied.

"Ah~ Senior is praising me! Hehe, I think I look better than before too." Chen Ting said, happily giving a thumbs up.

At this moment, Ling Xiao glanced at the girl standing next to Chen Ting.

He didn't recognize her.

But he was a bit surprised.

Her beauty even surpassed Chen Ting's.

Long flowing hair, a well-proportioned figure, fair long legs paired with a light white dress, she was a refreshing presence in the summer.

Her beautiful face, with a mole barely visible behind her eyelashes, gave off a cold and alluring vibe.

Seeing Ling Xiao looking at the girl next to her, Chen Ting explained, "This is my best friend, Yang Linlin~"

Then she introduced Ling Xiao to Yang Linlin, "Linlin, this is our class senior, Ling Xiao. See, he's a big handsome guy, right?"

Ling Xiao nodded and said to Yang Linlin, "Hello."

Yang Linlin didn't speak, just shyly smiled and nodded, then turned her gaze to the side.

Chen Ting then said, "We're off, see you later, Senior!"

"Okay."

Ling Xiao watched Chen Ting and Yang Linlin leave, both in the prime of their youth.

He looked at the iced red tea in his hand.

Then he turned it into mineral water.

He ultimately chose to follow the doctor's advice.

Even though he was in the late stages of stomach cancer and had only a year left.

Even with chemotherapy, he could live at most four to five more years.

Moreover, he couldn't afford the over 300,000 yuan needed for treatment.

Some people are born with a silver spoon, and even their crude language can be called "national husband."

Some people lose their parents and, despite their efforts, end up with a terminal illness.

There is no fairness in this world.

Not long after, he returned home with the medicine bag.

Just as he was about to take out his keys, the door next to him opened.

Lin Dong, his fat college roommate, didn't care about his appearance and, wearing only a pair of shorts, asked, "Brother Xiao, how did it go? Is everything okay?"

Ling Xiao looked at the fat man in front of him, and his desolate heart felt a bit comforted.

Lin Dong was his college roommate, and they both joined the same company after graduation.

When they were looking for a place to live, they found a pair of adjacent apartments.

Ling Xiao forced a smile and said, "It's fine, just a bit of stomach discomfort. The doctor said it's gastritis."

Lin Dong immediately said, "You can't take gastritis lightly! You must take your medicine! Otherwise, it could turn into stomach cancer."

Ling Xiao: ....

He nodded and said, "I know, have you eaten?"

"Haha, not yet, I was waiting for you to come back." Lin Dong rubbed his stomach, awkwardly saying, "My stomach is almost empty."

"Come in."

Ling Xiao opened the door.

Lin Dong didn't hesitate, lying down on the sofa as soon as he entered.

"Watch some TV, I'll make dinner."

"Okay! Brother Xiao, I'll go buy some drinks later."

"No need, drinking is bad for your health."

"Alright."

Ling Xiao walked into the kitchen and took out vegetables from the fridge to wash them.

The sound of water in the kitchen seemed out of place with the laughter from the living room.

He knew that people's joys and sorrows are not the same.

At this moment, a clear voice sounded.

【Ding!】

【Dream simulation device activated, starting verification!】

Suddenly, Ling Xiao was startled.

"What is this sound?!"

Confused, he still heard a voice in his head: 【Verification successful, welcome to the dream simulation device. This device allows you to experience a 100% realistic dream and simulate various life scenarios.】

Ling Xiao looked at Lin Dong, who was still watching TV in the living room, knowing that the voice couldn't be coming from him.

At this moment, a virtual screen appeared in front of him.

"Is this a system?"

Ling Xiao looked at the virtual screen, feeling a bit incredulous.

He quickly started to figure out this sudden high-tech device.

It was a dream simulation system that could simulate realistic dream scenarios and allow him to experience different life modes.

In simple terms, it was a VR game in a dream.

Ling Xiao was a bit excited.

But the next second, he regained his composure.

Although this system might bring some fun to his mundane life,

It was based on the premise of his health.

Now he only had a year to live.

Why play a dream simulation?

So he chose to close the icon on the virtual screen.

But the next second, the voice of the system device sounded again.

【Detected player has only 343 days of life. To provide a better simulation experience, if the player completes the dream simulation scenario tasks, the device will extend the player's life. Completing different scenario tasks will grant corresponding life time and rewards.】

"Clang!"

The knife in his hand fell.

Lin Dong, hearing the noise in the living room, immediately shouted, "Brother Xiao, what's wrong?"

Ling Xiao was excited, swallowed his saliva, and said, "I'm fine! Just a slip of the hand!"

Lin Dong, coming from the sofa, saw that Ling Xiao was unharmed and said, "Brother Xiao, be careful, don't cut yourself."

"Okay, let's clean up the table and get ready to eat." Ling Xiao changed the subject.

"Okay!"

Lin Dong didn't think much of it and hurriedly went to clean up.

Ling Xiao, having calmed down, opened the icon on the virtual screen again.

After clicking in, there was only one game scenario called "War Game."

Other scenarios were not unlocked yet.

This meant that if he wanted to play the dream simulation game, he could only play this level.

"Can playing this dream game really extend my life?"

Ling Xiao was a bit skeptical, but with only a year left, he decided to give it a try.

Moreover, during his research of the system device, he noticed that in the selection options, he could arbitrarily copy a real-life character into the dream.

"Does this mean I can bring others into the dream and team up?"

Ling Xiao, lying on the bed, looked at Lin Dong in the living room.

He aimed the scanning page at his roommate.

Three seconds later, the system issued a prompt.

【Lock failed! To promote the three-child policy and establish a correct view of love, please select an appropriate opposite-sex character.】

Ling Xiao: ???