"Alert! Alert! A secondary Hollow disaster has occurred near Twelve Street. Relevant personnel have been dispatched to handle the situation. Residents in the surrounding blocks are urged to evacuate immediately!"
"I repeat, all residents in the vicinity must evacuate at once!"
...
New Eridu, Twelve Street.
Sam Li's head was spinning. He rubbed his temples hard before finally opening his eyes.
"What's going on? Why am I here?"
Just moments ago, he had been studying for his final exams. He had only dozed off for a second—yet when he opened his eyes again, everything around him had changed.
His T-shirt had turned into the uniform of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—the same one Zhongli wore...
The ballpoint pen in his hand had become a heavy spear. It was so unwieldy that he failed to grip it properly, and it crashed to the ground, carving a long trench into the pavement...
The familiar classroom had vanished, replaced by a bustling, unfamiliar street. Something must have happened—people were running and shouting in every direction...
Before Sam Li could even process the situation, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
[Ding! System scan complete. Current character role: Geo Archon – Morax (Zhongli)!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have acquired the spear technique – "Rock Rain"!]
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have obtained 1x Epic Treasure Chest! Would you like to open it now?]
"A system? I've actually transmigrated?!"
Sam Li was startled by the voice in his head. He had read plenty of fanfiction where protagonists would awaken an overpowered system after crossing worlds.
He always thought it was just something authors made up—he never imagined it could be real.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stay calm. Looking at the unfamiliar cityscape around him and hearing the system's voice in his head, he had no choice but to accept the truth: he had really transmigrated.
"System, open the treasure chest!"
[Ding! System notification: Treasure chest successfully opened! You have obtained 1x Celestial Star Experience Card. Acting progress +10%.]
[Ding! Acting progress has reached 10%. You have gained partial knowledge of Zhongli's spear techniques and combat experience.]
The moment the voice faded, a surge of immense power flooded into Sam Li's body.
Countless Geo elements coursed through him, fusing with every part of his being. His arms, hands, legs—wherever the energy flowed, faint dragon-scale patterns flickered across his skin.
Sam Li bent down and grasped the spear. What had felt unbearably heavy just moments ago now lifted effortlessly in his hands.
"So this is Zhongli's power? Incredible!"
Going from an ordinary student to the might of the Geo Archon—it was a surreal feeling.
As Sam Li marveled at the newfound strength surging within him, a detailed status panel appeared in his mind:
[Host]: Sam Li
[System]: Ultimate Role-Playing System
[System Points]: 0
[Current World]: Zenless Zone Zero
[Current Role]: Geo Archon – Morax (Zhongli)
[Acting Progress]: 10%
[Abilities]: Spear Technique – "Rock Rain"
[Weapon]: Vortex Vanquisher (Five-Star)
[Items]: 1x Celestial Star Experience Card
[Shop]: Statues of The Seven, Jade Chamber, Azhdaha (Bangboo), Realm Within…
...
"Alert! Alert! A secondary Hollow disaster has occurred near Twelve Street. Relevant personnel have been dispatched to handle the situation. Residents in nearby areas must evacuate immediately! I repeat, all residents must evacuate at once!"
"Hey! You there! Didn't you hear the announcement? Get moving!"
"The Public Security Bureau has taken control of this district! All unauthorized personnel must leave immediately!"
"The Hollow is right in your face, and you're just standing there posing? Do you have a death wish?!"
The first responders from the Public Security Bureau arrived at the scene and spotted Sam Li standing in the middle of the street. Assuming he was paralyzed with fear, they shouted at him to evacuate.
His thoughts were abruptly cut off.
Sam Li turned his head and looked behind him. Sure enough, a massive black sphere loomed in the distance, expanding at an alarming rate.
He had no idea what that enormous void was, but with the power he had just gained, he could instinctively sense the immense danger it radiated.
"This world… doesn't seem safe at all."
Sam Li was just about to leave when the system's voice chimed in again, halting his steps:
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! The surrounding environment meets the activation criteria. Mission system is now online.]
[Mission 1: Retrieve the Lost Birdcage.]
[During the transmigration process, you lost the Birdcage—an essential role-playing prop. The system has pinpointed its location. Retrieve it as soon as possible.]
[Time Limit: 1 hour.]
[Accept the mission to earn 1,000 system points and a 5% acting progress increase.]
[Decline the mission and leave, losing 5% acting progress.]
[Host has 10 seconds to decide. 10, 9, 8, 7…]
At the same time...
In Sam Li's mind, a hazy map and general coordinates appeared, pinpointing the birdcage's location.
It wasn't far.
It was inside the massive black sphere across from him.
"I choose to accept the mission!"
"What did you just say? The Hollow is right in front of your face, and you still want to post about it before leaving?!" one of the Security Bureau officers shouted, urging him again.
Sam Li turned his head. "Tell me, how do I enter that black sphere?"
"The black sphere? You mean the Hollow?" The officer was stunned. "Kid, do you have a death wish? Newly formed Hollows are the most dangerous. The concentration of Aether inside is unknown, the number of Corrupted is unknown—anyone other than trained professionals going in is basically signing their own death warrant! Get as far away as you can. Once that thing swallows you, you won't even have a chance to run!"
Seeing that Sam Li remained unfazed, the security officers exchanged glances, silently agreeing to use force to remove him from Twelve Street.
Just as they were about to act, Sam Li casually turned and flicked his hand, effortlessly breaking free from their grip.
"I appreciate your concern. However, as reason dictates, danger is imminent—you should evacuate as soon as possible."
The officers were dumbfounded.
This was completely backward—after years of working in the Security Bureau, they were being told to evacuate by a civilian.
"Hey! We're the security force here!"
"Stop! Don't take another step! You don't have Aether adaptability—if you go in, you'll turn into one of the Corrupted!"
"He's lost it. This guy is insane! If you want to throw your life away, do it somewhere else! Don't make our job harder—stop him!"
"It's too late! Aether leakage detected—the Hollow is expanding even faster!"
"Dammit, forget him!"
"Evacuate now! Notify headquarters immediately! The Aether levels are off the charts—this Hollow disaster might not be a secondary event, but a high-level one..."
After quickly gathering data on the Hollow, the officers shot one last glance at the spot where Sam Li had been swallowed before hastily packing up and leaving Twelve Street.
As expected, the Hollow engulfed the entire district before finally slowing its expansion.
...
Outside the Hollow, the Security Bureau transmitted their initial data back to headquarters. With a brief moment to breathe, they began discussing the strange event they had just witnessed.
"Did you guys see that guy earlier? His clothes didn't look normal at all, and that golden spear in his hands—it was clearly no ordinary weapon. He didn't seem like some clueless idiot. You think he might be a professional from the Anti-Hollow Division?"
"Not a chance. I've been to Section Six before. They don't have anyone like that."
"Probably just some movie geek who thinks dressing in ancient garb makes him a master fighter."
"This Hollow disaster is serious—shouldn't Section Six have sent someone by now? We'll know once we see the famous Section Chief Hoshimi Miyabi. We can ask her then."
...
As the officers continued their discussion, they failed to notice two figures approaching from behind.
A girl with fluffy fox ears, neatly cut black bangs, and a long sword hanging at her waist had already reached them.
Behind her was another girl, even smaller in stature, with snow-white hair and vibrant blue skin.
"What interesting conversation are you having? Mind sharing with me?" the blue-skinned girl, who had small horns on her head, asked curiously.
The officers had been so engrossed in their talk about Sam Li that they hadn't paid attention to their surroundings.
The sudden voice startled them.
Whipping around, they saw the two girls and immediately relaxed, their expressions shifting to relief and excitement.
"Section Chief Miyabi! Miss Soukaku! You're finally here… Here's the first set of data we collected on the Hollow."
One of the officers handed the report to Hoshimi Miyabi before hesitantly asking, "Chief Miyabi, is there anyone in Section Six who uses an old-era spear?"
Hoshimi Miyabi tilted her head slightly, her delicate brows knitting together. "An old-era spear?"
The officer quickly explained, "Here's what happened. When the Hollow expanded rapidly just now, a guy wielding an old-era spear went in voluntarily. We couldn't stop him. There are rumors that he's one of your people from Section Six..."
After listening, Hoshimi Miyabi shook her head. "You're mistaken. He has no connection to Section Six."
She then turned her gaze toward the Hollow, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.
Someone using an old-era spear...
Which department could he be from?
...