The interface for the Constellation Stream flickered to life, the familiar loading icon spinning for a brief second before the feed stabilized.

His face was fully visible to the thousands of viewers who had been waiting for this exact moment.

His sharp features and calm, almost indifferent expression were now the face of Singularity.

The view count climbed exploded.

Within three seconds, the "Live" indicator hit five figures and continued to soar.

Kang Min looked directly into the camera, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips.

"Did you guys miss me?"

The chat window became a blurred vertical line of white text, moving so fast it was nearly impossible for a human eye to track.

-HE ACTUALLY DID IT. FACE REVEAL! -

-IS THIS REAL LIFE? SINGULARITY IS A TOP-TIER VISUAL? -

-I KNEW HE’D BE HANDSOME. LOOK AT THAT JAWLINE. -

-Wait, so the rumors were true. Kang Min is Singularity. -

-BRO, THE MASK WAS HOLDING YOU BACK. -

-Legend. Pure legend. -

-Finally, the face of the man who crawled out of a Demon King. -

-Are you really going to stream without it from now on? -

-KING. -

-I’m literally shaking right now. -

-Where is the blue cat-tiger? Show us the beast! -

-Is the tiger currently eating a high orc? -

-Will you keep the name Singularity or change it to Kang Min? -

-Promote the company! We want to hear about Kangpany! -

-Is it true you have a daughter? Who is the mother?? -

-How did you get to Floor 14 so fast?? You were just at Floor 10! - 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

-HE BETRAYED US. CLIMBING IN SECRET? -

-Show us your stats! -

-Kangpany stocks are going to the moon today. -

-Welcome back, Singularity. The Tower was boring without you. -

Kang Min leaned back, his eyes scanning the chaos.

"To answer the most common questions: Yes, I’m keeping the name Singularity. It’s a brand now.

As for the tiger, he’s resting.

He’s a bit of a glutton, so I have to keep him contained unless there’s something worth killing."

He ignored a string of intrusive questions regarding his family and his daughter, his expression not changing in the slightest.

Instead, he shifted the topic toward his business interests.

"Regarding Kangpany..."

Kang Min said, his voice taking on a professional tone.

"It officially launched its integrated player marketplace.

If you’ve found an item in the Tower that you don’t need, or if you’re looking for a specific catalyst to finish a build, Kangpany is the place.

We offer secure trades, escrow services, and a verified auction house.

Don’t risk getting scammed in the back alleys of the residential floors. Use the marketplace."

He paused, glancing at the "Floor 14" indicator at the top of his stream.

"I see a lot of you are complaining that I’m already on the fourteenth floor and saying it’s a betrayal because the last live broadcast was on the tenth."

He chuckled, a low, teasing sound.

"If you keep talking like that, the next time I turn this stream on, you’ll be looking at me from the fiftieth floor.

Don’t tempt me."

The chat erupted.

-DON’T YOU DARE. -

-HE’S THREATENING US WITH PROGRESS. -

-PLEASE NO, I NEED TO SEE THE MID-FLOOR BOSSES. -

-Imagine him just skipping forty floors in a week. Actually, he probably could. -

-Stop teasing us and start the trial! -

The stream shifted as Kang Min stood up.

He was standing on a raised circular stone podium in the center of a rustic, peaceful-looking village.

The sky was a deep, bruised purple, suggesting a permanent state of twilight.

Around him, about thirty other climbers were scattered across the podium, having just arrived at the start of the scenario.

The moment Kang Min appeared, the air among the players changed.

It went from quiet anticipation to a thick, heavy tension.

"That’s him."

A swordsman whispered to his teammate, pointing discreetly.

"Singularity. The one who bought out the 11th floor rewards."

"Don’t stare idiot!"

A mage replied, her voice hushed.

"Do you see that aura? Even when he’s just standing there, it feels like the air is pressing down on us.

I thought about asking him for a party invite, but I think I’d just freeze up."

A group of vanguards stood a few meters away, looking at Kang Min with a mixture of awe and genuine fear.

They didn’t approach.

They stayed in their own circles, talking in low tones, treating the space around Kang Min as a restricted zone.

Kang Min looked away from them, his gaze drifting over the village.

’These fable floors will start incorporating a lot of teamwork.’

’The system wants to force players to rely on each other to survive the narrative.

But if you’re as strong as I am, these forced cooperation mechanics are just suggestions.

You can clear them alone if you know the rhythm of the story.

For example... floor 15 is a breeze compared to what’s coming, even if it is a story type.’

Suddenly, a massive, translucent holographic screen flickered into existence above the village square, visible to every player and the millions watching the stream.

「Main Scenario: The Fable of the Shepherd’s Deceit」

『 The Boy Who Cried Wolf 』

「Objective: Defend the village.」

「Clear Condition: Survive until dawn.」

The text pulsed with a dull, ominous red light.

"Defend the village?"

One of the players muttered, drawing his shield.

"That sounds simple enough. Probably just a wave defense against some wolves."

Kang Min’s eyes narrowed.

He knew the Wolf’s Wrath was the primary threat on the surface, but the Tower never gave such a simple prompt without a catch.

The silence of the twilight was suddenly shattered.

"WOLF! THE WOLF IS HERE! IT’S COMING FROM THE WOODS!"

A young boy, no older than twelve, came sprinting around the corner of a thatched-roof house.

He was screaming at the top of his lungs, his face pale with terror.

He pointed toward the dark, looming forest that surrounded the village.

"HELP! IT’S GOING TO EAT US ALL!"

The villagers, NPCs who had been standing idly by their stalls or walking through the streets, didn’t even look up.

They continued their chores with a mechanical, eerie indifference.

*THUD.* *THUD.* *THUD.*

The heavy sound of wooden doors slamming shut echoed through the village.

Every house, every shop, and every barn was suddenly sealed.

The windows were shuttered tight.

The streets, which had been occupied by a dozen villagers a moment ago, were now empty, leaving only the thirty climbers and the screaming boy in the open square.

The boy stood in the middle of the street, clutching his head and howling in fear.

"THEY WON’T LISTEN! WHY WON’T THEY LISTEN?"

Kang Min gripped the hilt of his weapon, his eyes scanning the tree line where the shadows were beginning to shift and grow.

The howl of a wolf echoed from the forest.

"Get ready."

Kang Min said to his stream, his voice cold.

"The show is starting."