Chapter 1: Small Workshops Really Go All Out

[In this era, cancer is no longer a 100% fatal disease. With our advanced technology and mature medical teams, as long as you have insurance, a supportive family, or even just yourself…]

Chen Huai’an switched off the TV and let out a bitter laugh. “But I have none of those.”

The critical illness notice had come two days ago. His girlfriend left him yesterday. And today, he completely broke down.

He was just a freshman in college. His parents, both forest rangers, had died in a wildfire years ago, leaving nothing behind but some modest compensation.

Over time, Chen Huai’an had moved on from their deaths, choosing to face life head-on. Thanks to their compensation, combined with living frugally and taking odd jobs, he managed to afford college.

His grades were decent, good enough to get into a first-tier university. Graduation even came with guaranteed job placement. Although the salary might not have been high, it would have been enough to scrape by. But then, two days ago, a hospital visit for his persistent ankle pain revealed a mid-stage cancer diagnosis.

Knowing he couldn’t afford treatment, Chen Huai’an left school and rented a small place near the city’s wetland park for a year, planning to spend the rest of his days there. And after the rent expired with no money left?

He chuckled bitterly. He doubted he’d live that long.

He opened his banking app to check his balance—just over 30,000 yuan.

“Food costs at most five to six hundred a month. With other expenses, let’s say a thousand. After a year, I’d still have at least twenty thousand left,” he calculated while staring at the balance. These past years had been too hard. While other students traveled, he worked odd jobs. When others gamed, he worked. And when others dated… his girlfriend was cheating on him.

For whatever time he had left, Chen Huai’an decided to live for himself.

Play some games. Watch all those dramas he’d saved up. If his body allowed, maybe visit the ocean.

[Installation complete.]

[Claim your virtual girlfriend now!]

Usually, Chen Huai’an would immediately dismiss such pop-up ads. But today, his finger hesitated.

A new app icon had appeared on his home screen. It featured a chibi-style, ancient-costumed girl carrying a sword.

“A game that installs itself? This better not be a virus…”

Normally, he’d delete it immediately and run a scan. But today, he felt like indulging his curiosity about what these so-called malware apps were all about.

At this point, he had nothing to lose. Stricken with terminal cancer, with no hope or attachments left, what did he care? Besides, he’d never played games before, too busy juggling work and school.

He tapped the app. The screen went black, then a prompt appeared:

[This game is for players aged 18 and above. Starting the game will bind your identity. Accounts cannot be deleted or transferred. By starting, you agree to these draconian terms.]

“Wow, you even admit it’s a draconian contract?”

With a wry smile, Chen Huai’an pressed “Start Game.”

He was now sure it was a virus app.

What would it do? Steal his personal information? His chat logs? If they realized he was a penniless, terminal cancer patient, would the developers delete the app themselves?

[Choose your virtual girlfriend!]

Surprisingly, the game’s graphics were impressive. Though the icon suggested a chibi aesthetic, the actual game looked incredibly lifelike.

The screen displayed a selection of “virtual girlfriends,” each with detailed stats. For example:

[Neon Mafia Princess: Kiriko Kirishima]

[Age: 22 | Height: 158cm | Measurements: 89, 55, 86]

The live 2D model was stunning, with exaggerated curves and a sweet face. She wore a kimono that barely concealed her figure. A big-breasted lolita with a yakuza twist—a clear favorite for many men.

But blonde hair and a Japanese backstory weren’t Chen Huai’an’s type.

He browsed a few more profiles and found that the characters came from different eras, and some weren’t even from Earth. The creativity was wild—there was even a Transformer-themed girlfriend!

Eventually, he landed on a profile that caught his eye:

[Disciple of the Qingyun Sect: Li Qingran]

[Age: 19 | Height: 169cm | Measurements: 90, 60, 91]

This Li Qingran matched the app’s icon but looked much more vivid. Pale skin, delicate features, long raven-black hair cascading down her back, and a simple green robe with a sword strapped behind her. She wore no makeup yet exuded the elegance of a painting.

What struck Chen Huai’an most was her eyes—cold, wooden, with a hint of despair and emptiness that seemed to pierce through the screen.

“Damn… does a small indie studio go this hard?”

He started doubting whether this was a virus. How could anyone put this much effort into a scam? Were they preparing for a master’s thesis or a Ph.D. project?

“You’ll do.”

[Confirm Li Qingran as your virtual girlfriend?]

[Warning: This choice is irreversible!]

[If your virtual girlfriend dies, she cannot be revived. She will disappear permanently!]

“Such serious stakes?” Chen Huai’an frowned. He realized the developers were likely using emotional manipulation to get players invested.

Normally, he’d back out. But today, he hit “Confirm.”

[You have 132 days left to live.]

The screen flashed with this chilling message before the game began.

Chen Huai’an expected the typical low-budget mobile game—clunky graphics, a newbie village in some cultivation world, mindless fetch quests, grinding for gear, mounts, and endless autoplay.

But what unfolded was entirely different.

The scene opened in a drafty thatched hut. The only “bed,” a straw mat, was soaked with rainwater.

A frail, ragged girl curled in the corner, hugging her knees. Her tangled hair obscured her face, but her pale arms and legs bore bruises and cuts. A gash resembling a centipede stood out vividly against her white skin.

“Is this… Li Qingran?”

Chen Huai’an stared in disbelief. Near the mat lay a broken sword—the same one Li Qingran had held in her profile.

[Li Qingran is cold and hungry. Her body grows weaker.]

[Li Qingran suffers from fire poison and is in unbearable pain.]

[Li Qingran has half an hour left to live.]

As these messages popped up, the girl groaned in pain. She slowly raised her head, revealing her hollow eyes and pale lips.

Even with only half her face visible, Chen Huai’an knew this was the character he’d chosen.

“What do I do?”

A surge of urgency filled his chest.

The character’s expressions and voice were so lifelike, even the jagged wounds seemed real. If he didn’t act, when the timer hit zero, this girl would truly…

A new prompt appeared:

[Ding! First-time recharge of 6 yuan unlocks the “Home Improvement Bundle” to give your virtual girlfriend a cozy house!]