Forge of Destiny - Interlude: Invocation

This story is a thrilling tale that plunges readers into the world of online gaming, where virtual realms hold secrets beyond imagination. Jiang Siming, an ordinary gamer, stumbles upon a remarkable phenomenon within the popular game, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG). Unlike his peers, he uncovers vibrant, multicolored fragments scattered throughout the game world.What sets Jiang apart is his keen eye and determination to unravel the mystery behind these fragments. As he delves deeper into the game's intricacies, he discovers that when these fragments are melded together, they unlock a treasure trove of skills, attributes, talents, and even mythical artifacts. This revelation sparks a transformative journey for Jiang as he embarks on a quest to collect these fragments and unlock their hidden potential.As Jiang's virtual avatar grows stronger with each fragment collected, so too does his real-life success. He rises to newfound wealth and unparalleled success, transcending the boundaries between the virtual and the real. But with great power comes great challenges, and Jiang soon finds himself facing adversaries both within the game and in the real world.The story is not just a story about gaming; it's a tale of ambition, perseverance, and the boundless possibilities that lie within the digital realm. Readers are taken on a thrilling adventure where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, leaving them questioning what it truly means to succeed in a world where anything is possible.

I am currently re-writing the first chapters of this story. They are quite rough and bounce around a lot and I can do better. At some point, I will replace these with the better chapters.Sometime in 2024 Aethon Books will publish the first volume of this story on Amazon, KU, and audible. This will mean the story will be stubbed. I will notify people far in advance of that.In the dystopian world of the future, life is rough when you live at the bottom. Jobs are non-existent. Far too many people live in poverty, crammed into huge buildings called Habitats. With no jobs in the real world, many people can only find work online in VR worlds as servants to the very rich. And it's getting worse. The old internet is unusable and hacked to pieces. The new system needs AI to run things, but all but one of them were destroyed. The last sentient AI is ordered to create a new game world so the rich can have a playground, and the corporations that rule the world can have a new global market place. Everyone wants a piece of the new game. The guilds are competing to be the first to find the dungeons and kill the biggest monster. The corporations are claiming land and putting in their online market places. Ozzy and his friends just want a paycheck.Four friends sign five year contracts as virtual serfs in a small village, and can't go adventuring at all to gain money. They don't have many choices. They can work as a blacksmith, barmaid and shepherd for all those years....or they can cheat and find ways to take advantage of the system and carve out a section of the game world for themselves, and earn a fortune in the real world.When they give you a mop and not a sword, you have to find the loopholes and change the rules.

In the history of geology, more than 500 million years ago, there was a period of the Paleozoic Era known as the Cambrian Period. This period, being the first period of the Paleozoic Era, does not only have a significant meaning for geological research, but also is the most insane, splendid and mysterious period in paleontological history.

Before the Cambrian Period, the Earth’s species were relatively monotonous. When the Cambrian Period started, just after millions of years, which is a relatively short period of time in terms of geology, all kind of species on Earth suddenly evolved wildly. Countless of invertebrates, arthropods, mollusks, brachiopods, annelids etc. have appeared on the planet without any warning, greatly enriching the diversity of the Earth’s species. This million years period is known as the “Cambrian Explosion”. And after billions of evolutionary years, the Earth today blooms with diverse lives.

The cause of the Cambrian Explosion is a huge mystery and also the biggest paradox of Darwin’s theory of evolution.

What if… the Cambrian Period is coming back in this era when human civilization has already conquest the entire planet, and the global species will once again evolve wildly, what kind of challenge will this planet encounter? What kind of fate will humans, who are falling from the top of the food chain, face?

- Description from Novelupdates

Starting over once more, he has entered this “living game” again in order to control his own fate.

This time, he will not be controlled by others.

Previously the Level 200 Sword King, he will rise to a higher peak in this life.

Methods to earn money! Dungeon conquering strategies! Legendary Quests! Equipment drop locations! Undiscovered battle techniques!

Even the secrets Beta Testers were unknowledgeable of, he knows of them all.

Massive wars, life advancement, entering Godhood, sword reaching to the peak; a legend of a man becoming a Sword God has begun.