Chapter One: Brothers Reunited, Discovering "Divine Ruin"

When Ye Yu stepped out of the student affairs office, he looked up at the radiant sun, and a gentle, sunlit smile quietly surfaced on his pale face.

"It's all sorted out. My dormitory building is Block D, Room 12 on the twelfth floor," he said, then paused in thought for a moment, sighing softly, "I just hope my roommates won't make things difficult for me. One day, I'll be grateful to them for sparing me."

With that, he strolled toward the student housing area, following the signs for Qingcheng University. His black eyes were as clear as mountain streams, reflecting the breathtaking beauty around him.

He had finally made it into this school—not for any other reason but to experience firsthand the university reputed to have the highest concentration of gaming prodigies. He was curious to see what it was really like.

Meanwhile, inside the student affairs office, a few teachers who handled student admissions were discussing as they gazed out the window at Ye Yu's departing figure, their eyes wide with shock.

"This year, quite a few students like him have been admitted to Qingcheng University."

"Indeed, it's rather odd. There are more students than ever vying for these rare spots."

"But they've earned their places through their own merit. Besides, this year, the 'Divinity's Fall' scholarship is something else. It might need to be raised."

Ye Yu meandered through the campus, his gaze lingering on the surrounding buildings. He even saw several structures with a distinct classical style. Some of the gardens and groves were trimmed and planted in a way that exuded an ancient charm.

Soon, he arrived at the student residential area. The dormitories at Qingcheng University were truly luxurious—among the top ten in the nation in terms of environment and amenities, even compared with other elite universities.

Backed by a powerful consortium, the university offered impeccable living conditions. The campus was equipped with fiber-optic internet, and every dorm room was designed for six students—spacious, clean, and equipped with air conditioning, washing machines, and televisions. The ground floor of every dormitory building featured an activity and recreation center.

After a brief chat with the dorm supervisor, Ye Yu headed to the twelfth floor. His room was number twelve—fitting, since his birthday was December 12th.

He stepped into the elevator, and just as the doors were about to close, his pupils contracted.

A young man in a duckbill cap, black sunglasses, a form-fitting black tank top, relaxed beach shorts, and Birkenstock sandals walked into the supervisor's office.

Could it be him?

No, he must be seeing things. That guy couldn't possibly have come to this university.

When Ye Yu reached Room 12 on the twelfth floor, he pulled out the electronic door card the supervisor had given him and held it over the sensor.

Beep, beep, beep.

"Welcome, Ye Yu, to Qingcheng University. May the next four years only grow brighter. Today, take pride in Qingcheng; tomorrow, Qingcheng will take pride in you."

Seriously? Even a voice message?

Ye Yu's face was streaked with exasperation. He squinted at the door lock and shook his head with a wry smile before pushing the door open.

A spacious room unfolded before him, resembling a small home. By his estimate, it was at least eighty square meters.

Qingcheng University truly lived up to its reputation as one of the nation's top ten most luxurious student accommodations. The dorm room was as well-equipped as any ordinary household—everything was brand new except for a few prohibited electronics, so new students hardly needed to buy anything.

There were six beds, three on each side, each with a desk underneath.

"Seems like there's nothing left for me to buy," Ye Yu mused, scratching his head as he surveyed the room.

Just then, the dorm door chimed again—beep, beep, beep—and when the electronic voice spoke, Ye Yu's expression froze, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

"Welcome, Luo Feng, to Qingcheng University. May the next four years only grow brighter. Today, take pride in Qingcheng; tomorrow, Qingcheng will take pride in you."

As the door opened, the person Ye Yu had glimpsed in the elevator appeared before him. Both young men froze, then Ye Yu raised his left hand, pointing his forefinger at the youth whom the electronic voice had called Luo Feng.

Luo Feng, meanwhile, whipped off his sunglasses with his right hand. His skin was pale as snow, his face delicate and handsome, though now touched by shock.

Simultaneously, both boys blurted out:

"Why is it you?!"

"Why is it you?!"

"Luo Feng, didn't you swear you'd never set foot in Qingcheng University, not even if it killed you?"

Ye Yu's eyes glinted coldly. He felt an urge to rush over and pummel Luo Feng—only a thorough beating could ease his frustrations.

"Ye Yu, you didn't know I was joking? We've been friends for over a decade and you still don't get me? My heart is broken," Luo Feng replied with a mischievous grin, arms crossed.

Ye Yu's expression darkened, his slender fingers slowly curling into fists, a storm of anger rising in his eyes.

"If you don't give me a proper explanation, we might have to settle this with our fists," he threatened.

Naturally, Luo Feng explained. He hadn't expected to be admitted to Qingcheng University. Though he and Ye Yu had known each other since childhood—attending the same primary, middle, and high schools—Luo Feng's college entrance exam results in senior year were less than stellar. He'd barely met the university's admission line and wasn't sure he'd get in.

But fate favored the sincere, and Luo Feng was admitted in the end. The reason, unsurprisingly, was the same as for many other students at Qingcheng: gaming.

"Who'd have thought we'd meet again, together at the same university?" Ye Yu said, after arranging his belongings and sitting down at the dining table in the center of the room.

"This time, we can finally chase our dreams," Luo Feng replied, joining him.

"Yes, the dream of becoming professional gamers."

Both Ye Yu and Luo Feng harbored ambitions of becoming pro players, but to gain admission to Qingcheng University, they'd devoted themselves to study—a gamble that had paid off. Now, they stood at the gates of their dream school.

Undoubtedly, in this era, only one game offered a true path to professional gaming success worldwide.

That game was "Divinity's Fall."

After chatting for a while, Ye Yu and Luo Feng noticed it was already two in the afternoon, and both were hungry—Ye Yu's stomach even growled audibly.

"You bottomless pit, Ye. Come on, let's eat and talk," Luo Feng laughed, doffing his cap as they left the dorm.

Both stood at six foot tall. Thanks to three years of passion for fitness in high school, they were in excellent shape. Luo Feng's fair complexion drew plenty of attention as they walked out of the dorm building.

"It's a hassle walking next to you—all these eyes on us," Ye Yu muttered awkwardly.

Luo Feng just shrugged and spread his hands nonchalantly. "Nothing I can do. It's just how I look—baby face, ageless charm."

Ye Yu shook his head, pressing his hand to his face, wondering how Luo Feng could still be so vain—especially at Qingcheng University.

But to be fair, Luo Feng truly had a baby face. Looking at his childhood photos, nothing much had changed except his height and even better skin. In high school, many girls were jealous of Luo Feng's complexion.

"By the way, Ye Yu, how much do you know about 'Divinity's Fall' these days? You know, the game went through a major overhaul recently—the graphics and gameplay are way more advanced. Now that we're about to dive in, aren't you a bit—"

"Excited?" Ye Yu replied instantly, then continued, "Even with the new era, 'Divinity's Fall' ensures new players never share servers with veterans. It's a direct blow to the old guard and a way to encourage new blood. The development team is incredibly responsible. After ten years, there's never been a single cheating program. The China Huaxia Technology Network Company must have recruited top-notch security experts; maintenance happens every morning for three hours straight, completely blocking any hacks."

Ye Yu had even spent several days gathering every bit of official information about the new era of "Divinity's Fall." He learned that the new servers for novices had a special cloud-based monitoring system. If a player showed the potential to advance to the veteran servers early, they'd receive a popup message.

Moreover, the servers for newcomers weren't for closed or internal testing—they went straight to open beta.

As they walked, Ye Yu explained all this to Luo Feng, scrolling through the official website, forums, and curated guides on his phone, reading everything from the game's backstory to detailed introductions.

The game's beginner guides were exceptionally well-crafted; even the greenest of new players could get started easily. The official site even had a dedicated page for newcomers, with detailed maps of the starter village and comprehensive explanations of all standard quests and common monsters.