Feast of the Abyss

Humanity has long abandoned the physical frontier, retreating instead into a vast, thought-shaped virtual -- no, Real Equipped Universe where imagination defines reality and danger is only a game. For Yu and his friends, this world is home. They build worlds, play high-risk RPG scenarios, and treat simulated death as little more than a reset button. Yet beneath the surface of this perfect digital paradise, something feels wrong. A chance encounter during a routine lecture leads Yu to a mystery that refuses to fade—a presence that hides itself too well, asks the wrong questions, and seems disturbingly interested in the deepest foundations of the system itself. As playful adventures give way to unease, the line between game, reality, and intention begins to blur. What was designed as a harmless playground may be standing atop an abyss far older—and far more dangerous—than anyone imagined. In a universe where anything can be created by thought alone, the greatest threat may be something that should never have been imagined at all.What begins as a lighthearted story of friendship and virtual adventures spirals into a mystery that threatens not only the REU, but the very meaning of humanity and the soul. Approximately 25,000 words, 10 chapters + epilogue, will be posted daily.