I Am Not the Mastermind [Infinite]

[Mastermind protagonist + secret identities + unconventional infinite survival + mythology + dungeons with a Western fantasy, Chinese horror, and a touch of cosmic horror influence] Please support the official version. Thank you all~ OvO

Life has been too busy, and I haven’t been in a good headspace. I can’t write the bonus side stories for now. I may continue when I have more free time or inspiration, and I apologize. No need to wait for updates every day.

I.

This is an endless horror game started by the gods, known as the “Gods’ Playground.”

Yi Fengchu, a fan of the supernatural, had a miraculous phone that connected him to the Gods’ Playground. In exchange for hearing all kinds of terrifying tales, he helped one group of players after another survive desperate situations, witnessing countless big shots rise to prominence.

But he never imagined that, while engrossed in the players’ stories as a mere onlooker, a legend about “Them” would begin circulating in the Playground

They say that some lucky people find a phone left behind by a mysterious being in a dungeon. If they trade stories of horrors they’ve experienced firsthand, they can gain a chance to survive when all seems lost.

They are called the “Narrator,” a being beyond cause and effect who speaks casually of the fates of life and death.

They are fate, and eternity.

They are the tail-chaser lurking at the edge of the world, the colossal serpent of the mortal realm, the king of the silver serpents.

“This must be an infiltration of the Gods’ Playground, and They’ve clearly succeeded. Most of the big shots have received Their help and now follow Their instructions.”

Yi Fengchu: “...I haven’t.”

“Perhaps They’re the mastermind behind these nightmares, an observer and witness from beyond the dimensions.”

Yi Fengchu: “...Who are you talking about?”

II.

A mysterious organization appeared in the Gods’ Playground. It was said to be made up of powerful ability users from various fields, who claimed they were hiding from the “plague of fate.”

Among its members,

there was a mysterious prophet from an ancient civilization, whose golden-red eyes, like the last light of sunset, reflected the intricate threads of fate;

there was a powerful witch whose face was hidden in shadow, fingers stroking a smooth silver mirror that could draw all things into the labyrinth within its depths;

there was a wandering bard who measured worlds with his own feet, clad in a tattered gray robe, plucking the strings of a lyre to sing of buried histories…

Whenever these powerful ability users appeared, they caused an uproar on the Playground’s forums, inspiring curiosity, reverence, and wariness…

Recently, Yi Fengchu’s friends had all been worried about him.

They had thought he was the only ordinary person around who hadn’t been tormented by the Gods’ Playground. They hadn’t expected him to stay quiet until he made a splash

Not only was he under the watch of the deity called the “Narrator,” who was suspected of being the mastermind behind it all, but the mysterious organization “Ten Days’ Tales” also seemed to be operating around him, revealing the edge of a conspiracy.

“Fengchu, none of those powerful occultists have a conscience. Don’t let their little favors turn you into their pawn…”

Yi Fengchu was at a loss for words.

Those are really just my secret identities!

[Character cards used with permission from the wonderful reader Wu Yi Wu. Praise her!]

*Content warnings:

1. [Not a typical infinite survival novel! At heart, it’s a power fantasy!]

The protagonist is invincible from the start, and is fundamentally nonhuman. His thoughts, diet, and appearance may be unusual (see chapters 10–13 to judge whether you’re comfortable with this).

There will be plenty of real-world scenes after each dungeon.

2. [Many supporting-character viewpoints], but the protagonist always gets the spotlight. There are lots of supporting characters misinterpreting and imagining things about the protagonist.

3. Some supporting characters mistake the relationship between the protagonist and his secret identities for that of a god and a follower, father and son, friends, or sworn enemies. Please don’t read if this bothers you. There are forum discussions, which will be marked in the chapter titles or subtitles.

4. There are female secret identities!! Their identities will be explained later.

5. Civil discussion and not derailing are cyber virtues. I’ll delete off-topic comments when I see them. If I miss any, please report them. Don’t bring up unrelated works, make baseless claims of similarities, or accuse anyone of plagiarism or copying without evidence and a full comparison. “It feels similar” is not evidence, please keep that in mind. I won’t accept unsolicited criticism on these matters.

If other comments are deleted, it should be the bots. I’ll also request that comments be restored.

Please check out my upcoming novel, "Cultivation Clan Simulator"!

[Includes secret identities, a simulator, characters being misinterpreted, genius protagonists, clan-building, and lots of original cultivation-world details.]

[Thank you for choosing “Cultivation Simulator,” the latest mobile game from Heavenly Path Group!]

[Here, you can simulate different lives and unlock different talent stats:

A life with the talents of “music, chess, calligraphy, and painting,” entering the Way through painting and calligraphy, using a brush to paint a green elixir and a life of floating dreams;

A life with the talent of “insight,” watching snow beneath a pavilion for decades, then laughing as you brush the snow away one day and overcome the tribulation to ascend as an Earth Immortal;

A life with the talent of “charm,” meeting many steadfast companions, traveling together as youths, and perhaps growing into the righteous leader everyone hopes for;

A life with the talent of “cultivation,” gathering chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, reclaiming a thousand miles of fertile land, and cultivating countless rare flowers, herbs, and spiritual plants…]

[What will you choose?]

Player Ye Zhao answered without hesitation: “As a player, I want them all!”

“Give me ten characters to simulate first. That’ll be faster.”

System: [?]

The player muttered to himself, “Hm? If the characters are related by blood or teacher-student ties, they can inherit each other’s property? Then let’s make them all members of the same clan!”

The System fell silent: “...Y-yes, of course.”

[We have received feedback from our esteemed beta tester. The game will now be renamed “Cultivation Clan Simulator.” Please name your clan!]

Ye Zhao casually rearranged the characters in his name and typed in two characters: [Zhaoye].

At that moment, no one knew that a mysterious clan with immense power and a world-renowned reputation had just been born. Through the legends of countless geniuses, the Zhaoye surname would leave a remarkably vivid mark on the history of the cultivation world.

When people in later generations described the illustrious Zhaoye Clan, many would choose words like inhuman perseverance and legacy.

It was a clan that seemed to have been chosen by Heaven’s will.

Legend had it that every Zhaoye received a divine calling the moment they were born, along with a unique mission that drove them to pursue an ideal all their lives and practice the Great Way in their hearts to the utmost;

The Zhaoye could persist at the same task day after day, refining a skill or ability to perfection. Their resolve and determination surpassed anything ordinary people could imagine, and they raised great powers who pursued different principles;

Of course, the Zhaoye also valued loyalty and friendship. Once they made a promise to someone, their descendants would do everything they could to fulfill the intentions of their ancestors and keep their word, even if it took three generations of effort…

Across the three thousand Great Ways and both the Immortal and Demon realms, the Zhaoye Clan could be found.

It was an insurmountable mountain in the history of the cultivation world, a sun and moon no one could outshine. Just as their surname suggested, they illuminated the darkness before dawn.

Of course, to Ye Zhao, “It’s just a game!”

Create new characters, unlock new talent points, choose their training paths, repeat tasks to grind stats, complete all sorts of quests and hunt monsters, compete against other clans and sects, raise the clan’s reputation, and occasionally meet an NPC they hit it off with, give them gifts, chat, and build affection…

The player smiled at the screen like a contented farmer:

Another industrious and fulfilling day!

The clan is thriving again today!

[Reader’s Guide]

1. The protagonist’s golden finger is ridiculously powerful. This is practically an invincible power fantasy, with a laid-back cultivation life.

2. The protagonist isn’t a chaotic player who kills and burns everything. He’s more neutral and orderly, though there will also be demonic cultivation and demon clan storylines.

3. Simulated characters are [completely controlled by the protagonist]. They won’t become anything else and have no real independent consciousness. They are all the protagonist’s secret identities.

4. There’s some construction and farming, but they aren’t the main focus. The simulator and progression are the biggest parts. Also, the author is very lowbrow and loves the thrill of others thinking the clan is unfathomably powerful.

5. Some surnames in the novel are made up, so there’s no need to read too much into them.

Theme: Always cherish life and the world.