From Demon Slayer to the Multiverse: The Ultimate Exploiter

Tong Gu kept his head low as he returned to his apartment building. On his way in, he passed a few people, their expressions somber.

Another loss, he thought. Whom have they lost this time?

He took the elevator to the top floor and found several men in black uniforms carrying something out of the apartment next door.

A body bag.

A body bag? But that household only had a grandmother in her fifties and a little girl under ten. Could it be…

"The old lady was forcibly transported into the Game of Fate two days ago after failing to voluntarily log in for over a month. It's been confirmed she didn't make it back."

A middle-aged man in the same black uniform, bearing a sword insignia on his chest, approached Tong Gu and explained in a low voice. Seeing Tong Gu glance at the body bag, the man added, "And the girl inside the bag—she lost her only remaining relative. Last night, she left a suicide note online and… slit her wrists."

Tong Gu stared at the small body bag. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out.

He remembered when he first moved in. The elderly couple had helped him so much, always bringing over homemade food. After the old man died in the Game of Fate, their family fell apart, and contact gradually ceased.

The little girl, though, would sometimes visit him while her grandmother was in the game, her chirping voice still echoing faintly in his mind.

Even a child like her… had succumbed to despair.

Tong Gu stiffly opened the door to his own apartment. For a brief moment, guilt crept into his heart. But he knew that feeling was just a peculiar arrogance—thinking himself a transmigrator, believing he stood above everyone else, capable of saving them all.

Closing his eyes, he let out a soft sigh.

I'm no hero.

I just want to survive.

Tong Gu shut the door behind him, but not entirely. His foot caught it as he sensed faint vibrations in the ground—an instinct honed in the Game of Fate. Someone had entered his apartment.

Turning with a frown, he spotted the middle-aged man from earlier, now accompanied by a younger man.

Tong Gu's hand drifted toward the sunblade strapped to his back, but the middle-aged man spoke calmly.

"We're here to see you, Mr. Tong Gu. Or should I say… Mr. Exploiter?"

Tong Gu's pupils constricted, and his breath grew slow and deliberate.

The younger man, anxious to avoid conflict, quickly produced an ID and politely shut the door. "Mr. Tong Gu, we are members of the Mountain City Abnormal Affairs Bureau, a branch under East Dongxia's Abnormal Affairs Processing Center. This is my supervisor, Yang Yuanping."

Tong Gu had heard of this organization on the forums, though he had placed some trust in Destiny Forum's guarantees of user privacy. It hadn't crossed his mind they might track him down.

Yang Yuanping, observing Tong Gu's slight surprise, smiled faintly. "There's no such thing as a perfect wall without cracks. Even if the forum doesn't share your information, did you think we couldn't find you through the money you've spent? The genetic serums, the contraband gear… none of it comes cheap."

Tong Gu returned the younger man's ID, then casually removed his cloak and sat down on the sofa, unimpressed.

"So, what do you want from me?"

Yang Yuanping hesitated, momentarily caught off guard by Tong Gu's composure. For someone who had just completed an S-Rank trial, he carried himself with unsettling calm.

Yang leaned forward, his demeanor shifting to seriousness. "Mr. Tong Gu, you achieved an S-Rank evaluation in your recent trial."

Tong Gu nodded indifferently.

Yang Yuanping continued, his tone slightly excited. "Do you know how many people in East Dongxia's 200-year history of surviving the final trial have received an S-Rank?"

Tong Gu shook his head. He had no interest in national statistics. Besides, the deliberate broadcasting of high-ranking survivors was a recent development. In earlier times, such individuals were often concealed as strategic assets. Only in the last few decades, as the Game of Fate devastation grew indiscriminate, had nations begun publicly celebrating their achievements.

Yang Yuanping leaned closer and whispered, "Only a dozen or so."

Tong Gu didn't respond. He already understood what Yang was getting at, but he had no intention of becoming the symbol they wanted.

"I'm not a hero…"

Before Yang could speak, the younger man, Gong Li, interrupted, his voice urgent.

"Mr. Tong Gu, then become an idol!"

The two spoke almost simultaneously, and for the first time, Tong Gu's composed expression faltered.

Looking at the flushed, earnest young man, Tong Gu couldn't help but question his sanity.

Yang Yuanping's lips curved slightly in amusement. Taking over, he explained, "Before the Game of Fate, other than a few legendary figures like Jiang Gu, who had the qualifications or strength to save others? Most of us are just ordinary people struggling to survive."

Yang's words resonated with Tong Gu, though the earlier suggestion of becoming an idol still baffled him. "So… what exactly are you asking me to do?"

Yang met Tong Gu's gaze evenly and repeated with conviction, "Become an idol, Mr. Tong Gu."

"Let everyone see your brilliance, your glory. Inspire them to live with courage!"

Yang handed Tong Gu a phone displaying a video from a player named White Brow Hero. The man had developed an ability to grow excessive body hair, which he dyed white to match his exaggeratedly long eyebrows. The video was nothing but his antics—goofing around with animals, pulling pranks—simple humor.

"He's weak," Yang explained, "far weaker than you are now. But his videos bring joy to countless children every week. Just by seeing him happy, they find reasons to laugh."

Yang nodded toward the apartment next door. "She was one of them. She looked forward to his videos every week."

Tong Gu sighed, piecing together the story.

"But White Brow Hero died last Sunday during his mission," Yang continued. "Since then, three children, including that little girl, have chosen to end their lives."

Yang and Gong Li gripped Tong Gu's arms tightly, their voices heavy with urgency and hope.

"Tong Gu, stand up. Become their light."

"Let humanity believe… we will not perish."

********************************************

Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my Patreon.

patreon(.)com/GodDragcell