Oh, right. It was only after I was rescued and awakened that I learned Olivia Johnson was one of the heirs of the The Johnson Family family in the capital city of Shangjing. Because of the inheritance issues within The Johnson Family, she sought refuge with Mr. Foster, who was essentially a retired butler of the The Johnson Family. After I woke up, Emily Johnson, who had gained influence in The Johnson Family, gave a large sum of money to William Smith. With that money, he made his fortune, and in the following twenty years, he managed to do quite well for himself. Although he couldn’t be called the richest man around, he was certainly a wealthy man of some standing.

However, I never gave up my love for gaming over these twenty years. During this time, “Sky Vault” (“《苍穹》”) increasingly revealed its charm as a groundbreaking online game. Not long after its launch, the opening of real and virtual currency channels drew all the major powers of the Alliance into “Sky Vault,” establishing a second battlefield in the virtual world. “Sky Vault” truly became synonymous with the Third World.

Heh, how did I end up thinking about all this? A few days ago, I bought a copy of “Focus Technique” (“《凝神决》”) from a bankrupt merchant. It’s said to be highly effective for increasing mental power. After practicing it for a few days, I do feel my mind has become much more focused. I’ll get up in a bit and go test my mental power at the testing device. If it really works, I’ll soon be able to enter “Sky Vault” and finally fulfill the dream I’ve had for twenty years.

Sunlight quietly crept up to the head of the bed, and dust motes floated in the air, barely visible.

A clear, high-skied morning...

William Smith opened his eyes, blinking away the sleep as he looked around. The familiar sight of the 15-square-meter government relief apartment came into view.

Hmm, the government’s recovery measures are really fast! They restored the burned house to its original state so quickly...

Hmm! Government relief apartment!

William Smith’s eyes suddenly widened, and with a stiff neck, he looked around again. He sat there in a daze for a long time, the faint pain in his back reminding him this was not a dream.

He raised his hands, and what he saw were a pair of long, fair, powerful young hands—completely different from the middle-aged hands he remembered, with bulging veins and four diamond rings.

William Smith turned to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table. The time was frozen at February 28, 2208. The launch of “Sky Vault” was set for midnight tonight.

In the mirror at the foot of the bed, a vibrant face was reflected—a plain, youthful face just like he remembered at twenty. The only difference was the eyes: gone was the former innocence and calm, replaced by a depth like a tranquil lake—mysterious and wise.

With a swish, William Smith jumped out of bed, grabbed the mental power tester from the corner of the room, and, hands trembling, turned it on. After the indicator light flickered for a while, the LCD screen settled on the number 55.

In that instant, William Smith felt an overwhelming happiness wash over him...

Sometimes, fate is just like this: it mischievously nudges the wheel of time forward by two tiny notches, yet that’s enough to drive a person to wild excitement and endless exclamations...

Chapter 3: Dawn! The Launch of “Sky Vault”

William Smith couldn’t describe his feelings at this moment. It was as if a master swordsman had suddenly obtained a legendary weapon, or as if SUPERMAN, who could only use his superpowers for three minutes, was suddenly told he could use them without limit.

Thus, all the visible and invisible shackles spanning space, time, and sky were, in this moment, ruthlessly severed by an unparalleled power.

Past and present, twenty years of time converged at this moment. Sunlight streamed in through the spotless window, bathing the young man’s face in endless vitality and confidence.

“Uncle Foster, it sounds like there’s movement in the bedroom. Has Big Brother Smith woken up?” A clear voice rang out from outside the bedroom; William Smith recognized it as Emily Johnson.

“Mm, I’m telling you, miss, you really should thank Will this time!” Mr. Foster’s aged voice followed, his halting words making William Smith feel quite uncomfortable.

After all, in the heart of the old man who raised him to adulthood, he was always an outsider compared to Emily Johnson. Back then, when he was picked up from a garbage heap, it was just an act of kindness. In the end, in Mr. Foster’s heart, he could never compare to the weight of the The Johnson Family in Shangjing.

Memories surged up like a tide. William Smith vaguely remembered that after the fire, once he received a large sum of money from Emily Johnson, he never saw the old man who raised him again. It wasn’t until many years later that he learned, after much searching, that the old man had become the butler of the The Johnson Family once Emily Johnson gained power.

The gentle opening of the bedroom door interrupted William Smith’s thoughts.

“You’re really awake, Big Brother Smith.” At the bedroom door, Emily Johnson looked at William Smith sitting on the bed with delight.

She wore a white, fitted dress, the hem just above her fair knees. Black leather boots hugged her calves, leaving only a small section of jade-like skin exposed to the air—enough to make the heart of any male creature tremble violently.