Tang Shaoyang's journey from street thug to system gamer began when he sought shelter in a luxurious mansion and triggered his first mini-game. A territorial creature called Swiffer, a Stage 2 evolved zombie with lightning agility, hunted him through the dim halls. Overwhelmed by the monster's speed and frustrated by his butcher knife bouncing off its armored neck, Tang resorted to desperate tactics, luring the beast into walls and hacking off its limbs one by one. The brutal execution took twenty minutes of smashing its skull with a steel pipe, a psychological battle as much as physical. Victory earned him territory, levels, and a treasure chest containing Destroyer, a massive battle-ax weapon that would become his signature. He emerged not just richer but exponentially more powerful, realizing the game rewarded risk-takers who conquered the unknown. The mansion itself became his first claimed asset, revealing that territorial control was a core mechanic of this new world order.

Tang Shaoyang forged his empire's foundation by claiming the Changshou Hotel complex, a five-star establishment he renamed his Smart Territory. The acquisition triggered another mini-game against five Crawler zombies and two Crusher stage 3 behemoths, forcing him to train his first follower, Lu An, as a battle-tested subordinate. The hotel's conquest activated Origin, a sentient AI that recognized him as Majesty and unlocked evolution floors where subjects could draw talents and choose classes. He spent ten million game coins on the mysterious Spirit Contractor class, sacrificing zombie corpses to summon and contract spirits like Karan the Great Warrior, whose integration granted him colossal strength boosts. The Tang Empire was formally established as a system-recognized faction, with territory management, tax mechanics, and a growing population of survivors drawn to his safety. Rule enforcement became bloody, with challengers brutally executed to establish unshakable authority in a world without law.

Two massive zombie hordes threatened to annihilate the fledgling Tang Empire. The first wave tested Zhang Mengyao's newly established military system, and the inexperienced general's strategy crumbled when stage 2 and 3 zombies ambushed from behind, slaughtering hundreds. Tang Shaoyang's counterattack saved the remnants, but the second, larger horde demanded desperate measures. He summoned his vassal, the Fogged Ape Tribe led by Pride, a mutated Demonic Ape King whose loyalty he won by defeating their previous king in battle. The ape tribe turned the tide, allowing Tang to confront the Dark Lord, a zombie general in a business suit who controlled the horde with zombie lieutenants. In a climactic clash, Tang absorbed a 20 percent attribute boost from War Cry and beheaded the Dark Lord while his people annihilated the leaderless zombies. The victory claimed a million coins, level rewards, and the temporary grief of losing comrades, costing him the innocence of his general.

After the horde war, Tang discovered the true mastermind: Yu Shun, a traumatized high schooler with the Zombie Apostle class who controlled zombie lords and commanded armies. The boy had escaped a hellish bullying ordeal, including a horrific graduation party assault, and his only companion was his rescued teacher love, Luo Lan. Tang's attempt to recruit the young necromancer failed, as Yu Shun refused to bow to any man again, choosing to flee with his lover toward SZ City. Tang was left to clean up the abandoned horde, slaughtering thousands across twelve hours. Yet the encounter planted seeds for future conflict and potential alliance. Separately, a hospital expedition revealed another emerging power group, Flame Castle, and introduced Kang Xue, a doctor whose skills would prove vital. Tang's empire continued expanding, absorbing talent, claiming territory, and eliminating rivals who dared challenge his authority. The doctor also would become another official wife binding military medicine to his throne.