When the apocalypse arrives, a million people around the world are pulled from their sleep into a competition called the Land of Divine Silence.
A higher civilization announces that Earth has become a live-streamed reality-show arena for the entire universe. Survive and become the ultimate “Wasteland Superstar,” and humanity will win back the right to exist.
While everyone else struggles to survive amid hordes of zombies, Jiang Buyu holds a recruitment fair in the ruins.
A former project manager at a major corporation, she knows every trick in the workplace playbook. On the first day of the apocalypse, she picks up Xie Yanlü, a refined scoundrel who insists on being her secretary; recruits Qiao Shuang, a socially anxious martial arts champion who can kill a bull with one punch; takes in Su Wan, a shy little healer who turns godlike the moment she starts treating someone; and finds Lin Bei, an intelligence prodigy who delivers food with his mutant corgi.
Five people and a dog, a makeshift crew, officially make their debut.
While everyone else plays it safe and quietly builds strength, Jiang Buyu starts a company in the ruins, develops infrastructure, and opens dungeons. Her weapon is an abacus, and her professional skill is haggling. She can even “trade” with monsters for random items while fighting them. Her battle strategy is unique: “If you can’t beat them, run. If you can’t outrun them, ambush them. If you can’t ambush them, call for backup. If no one comes, start cursing. Cursing gives you a buff.”
Later, the live-chat comments become her intelligence network, and livestream donations become her arsenal.
Then she discovers that something is wrong with the “producers” of this apocalyptic reality show.
Abacus in hand, Jiang Buyu stands before the universe’s live-streaming cameras and delivers the most explosive line in the whole book:
“Your show has been canceled.”
