Virtual Reality Cultivator-Chapter 23: The Gathering Storm

Ethan sat at the bus stop, his breathing still unsteady after escaping his pursuer. He glanced around cautiously, scanning the area for any more signs of someone following him. The city lights flickered as people walked by, unaware of the danger that lurked beneath the surface of their everyday lives.

"Zenith is already watching me," he thought. "Adrian was right. If I continue down this path, things will only get more dangerous."

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His fingers tightened around the small card in his pocket—the address of the Investigators' hideout. He had a choice to make. He could walk away, return to his normal life, and pretend none of this ever happened.

But that was a lie.

Ever since he first entered Immortal Cultivation VR, his life had already changed. His body felt different, stronger, faster. He could feel Qi flowing within him, something that shouldn't even be possible in reality.

"No... There's no turning back now."

Ethan stood up, taking a deep breath. If Zenith was monitoring him, they might already know he was heading to the Investigators. But he couldn't afford to hesitate. He had to find out the truth.

The Hidden Base

The journey to the address Adrian had given him took Ethan to the outskirts of the city. The location was a run-down industrial district, filled with abandoned warehouses and flickering streetlights.

He stopped in front of a rusted metal door attached to an old factory building. There was no sign, no security, just a keypad embedded into the wall.

"Looks like I'm expected."

Before he could even knock, a small intercom crackled to life.

"Name?" a distorted voice asked.

Ethan hesitated for a moment before replying. "Ethan Liu. Adrian sent me."

A brief silence followed, then a metallic click echoed as the door unlocked.

"Come in."

He pushed the door open and stepped inside. The interior was dimly lit, with a long concrete hallway leading deeper into the building. The air smelled of metal and dust, but there was an unmistakable presence of technology—small surveillance cameras mounted on the ceiling and motion sensors embedded in the walls.

At the end of the hallway, he entered a large underground chamber. Unlike the decayed exterior, this place was fully equipped—a mix between a hacker's lair and a military command center. Dozens of monitors displayed lines of code, heat maps, and surveillance footage. People in casual but tactical attire moved around, focused on their work.

Adrian stood near the center, speaking with a woman who radiated an air of authority. She had sharp green eyes and dark hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a reinforced jacket that suggested combat experience.

As soon as she noticed Ethan, she turned toward him.

"So, you're the one Adrian has been talking about."

Ethan nodded. "And you are?"

"Claire. I'm one of the leaders of this group." She crossed her arms, studying him. "We usually don't take in outsiders, but considering your... unique situation, we're making an exception."

Adrian smirked. "Told you he was worth bringing in."

Ethan frowned. "Why are you helping me? What do you actually want from me?"

Claire exhaled. "Straight to the point. I like that. Listen, Ethan—you're special, whether you like it or not. You're one of the few players who have successfully transferred the effects of the game into the real world. That alone makes you a high-value target for Zenith."

She motioned toward one of the screens. It showed a list of missing persons, all of whom had disappeared in the past few months. Next to each name was their Immortal Cultivation VR profile.

"These people... they were all players?" Ethan asked, feeling a chill run down his spine.

"Yes," Claire confirmed. "All of them were just like you—people who started noticing changes in their real bodies. And then, they vanished without a trace. Their accounts were wiped, their digital presence erased, as if they never existed."

Ethan's fists clenched. "Zenith is silencing them."

Adrian nodded. "And now that you've reached the same stage as them, it's only a matter of time before you become their next target."

Ethan took a deep breath, his mind racing.

"Then I need to get stronger. If they're coming after me, I need to be ready."

Claire smiled for the first time. "Good answer."

She turned and motioned for him to follow. "Come with me. If you really want to fight back, it's time for your first real test."

Ethan followed, knowing that from this moment forward, there was no going back.

The war between players, cultivators, and the corporate overlords of Zenith had already begun.

And he was right in the middle of it.