“The Cannon Fodder Who Dies at the Start is Actually a Max-Level Retired Big Shot”

Chu Xihen is a man who discovers that his reality is a novel and he is merely cannon fodder destined to die early. He has spent two years in a relationship with Lou Su, a man who is actually one of the novel's male protagonists. When the Infinite Game merges with the real world, causing an apocalypse filled with mutated creatures called Variants, Chu Xihen realizes his impending doom. Lou Su, accompanied by his subordinates Wan Ming and Han Chong, rescues Chu Xihen from their home and brings him to an airport waiting room where survivors are gathering. The world is in chaos, with green-haired wolves falling from cracks in the sky and infected humans roaming the streets.

At the airport, a survivor named Hao Ren explains the situation: the Infinite Game selected one hundred and twenty-one people two years ago to clear levels, and their victory bought humanity two years to awaken abilities before the apocalypse. Ability users can kill Variants to obtain skill and weapon cards, which allow them to grow stronger. Lou Su is an ability user, but Chu Xihen appears to be an ordinary person with no powers. Despite this, Lou Su insists on keeping Chu Xihen close, refusing to abandon him even when his subordinates complain that Chu Xihen is a burden. Before leaving to help Hao Ren fight, Lou Su shares a farewell kiss with Chu Xihen, unaware that this may be their last moment together.

While Lou Su is away, Chu Xihen remains in a lounge at the airport. He recalls the original plot where he is killed by a green-haired wolf, but when the creature attacks, he unexpectedly punches it to death with superhuman strength. Confused but relieved, he leaves the lounge and encounters a group of ordinary people who have decided to venture out to kill Variants for themselves. Among them are Zhuang Shi, a fitness instructor; his girlfriend Xiao Xi; and university students Gao Lin, Zhou Quan, and Su Yan. They flee the airport but encounter a giant rabbit fighting Variants, which leads to a chaotic escape. They find a car and drive away, only to be chased by green-haired wolves and then ambushed by a herd of mutated cows that breathe fire.

Just as the group faces certain death, Lou Su intervenes, using his ability to dismember the cows and save them. However, the exertion causes Lou Su to collapse and fall into a coma as his ability begins to upgrade. The group is taken to a temporary camp by Hao Ren. There, they meet Bai Jinli, the novel's other male protagonist, who is gentle and refined. Wan Ming, hostile toward Chu Xihen, claims that Lou Su wants to break up with him and tries to drive a wedge between them. Chu Xihen remains indifferent, believing that Lou Su will soon be with Bai Jinli as the plot dictates. He plans to wait for Lou Su to wake up and say a proper goodbye before leaving.

Tensions rise at the camp as food becomes scarce. The group discovers that mutated animal meat is edible and does not rot, a fact that Chu Xihen initially points out but which Zhuang Shi claims as his own to curry favor with Hao Ren. During a barbecue, Wan Ming confronts Chu Xihen again, demanding his seasonings. Later, Wan Ming lures Chu Xihen to a riverbank, intending to sacrifice him to a mutated fish by bleeding into the water. As the fish approaches, Wan Ming tries to push Chu Xihen into the river, but Chu Xihen reveals he is not the weak person Wan Ming perceives him to be. The story ends with Wan Ming realizing too late that he has underestimated Chu Xihen, who now holds the power to survive in this new world.