Not Making Stars, but Gods

Humanity rises among the stars.

Everyone looked anxiously at the card in their hands.

A prophecy descended, and each card bore the words: "The gods descend. Welcome the gods."

When they received those cards, humanity's appearance changed. Countless gods and godlike beings descended into the bodies of people on the verge of death.

He Wu had been pulled into the game and had her soul taken five hundred years after attaining the Dao. She returned to the Continent of the Gods' Descent and took over the player's body.

"The big shot from District Three is back. He became a world-famous star in that idol world, and I heard he got a golden finger: the Idol Star-Making System."

"So-and-so from District 101 is back too. No idea where they reincarnated, but I heard they used to be an emperor and got the Imperial Jade Seal."

"District Eight's even more impressive. They fought their way through a horror world, leaving rivers of blood, and got the Thorn Crown."

"And..."

This was another world, and it seemed no one remembered He Wu.

He Wu vaguely recalled that she'd cleaved the so-called game port in two with her sword. Later, a watch appeared in her storage bag. She froze everyone's memories in place and pulled herself out of them.

"I feel like I still remember someone incredibly powerful, but I can't remember who."

"I think I've forgotten someone too. I must be ill."

On humanity's stage, all the godlike beings presented the "gifts" they had received from the game worlds and registered their ranks at the Blue Star Envoy Office.

"Thorn Crown, B-plus rank."

"Imperial Jade Seal, A rank."

"Idol System, C rank."

"Hellblade, B-plus rank."

"Eye of Vengeance, C rank."

The items that seemed impossibly distant to the public were read out by the office's envoy with an expressionless face, then recorded one by one by the registration clerk.

The Blue Star Envoy watched these "gifts." Though he rarely showed any expression, even his occasional changes in mood made all the "players" realize which ranks were higher and lower.

A, B, C. The ranking was obvious.

A player wearing a black T-shirt, mask, and cap came before the Blue Star Envoy.

"Name?"

"He Wu."

"Please present your gift."

He Wu: "I don't have one."

Blue Star Envoy: "Everyone who descends gets a gift. How can you not have one? When you woke up, did you get anything, like an item?"

He Wu thought for a moment, then, under the envoy's increasingly impatient gaze, took a black watch with a missing corner from her pocket.

The Blue Star Envoy scanned it with an auxiliary device.

A few words slowly appeared on the screen: Descent Operation System, rank: -. Unrankable.

The envoy's eyes widened.

"How did you get this?"

His voice was trembling.

The unidentified player replied calmly, "I beat it down."

[The blurb has been saved and posted on Weibo. Do not plagiarize. Dated August 29, 2023.]

Theme: Growth