Welcome to the New World [Infinite Flow]

Ding Yi, a twenty-six-year-old illustrator, finds her birthday celebration abruptly interrupted when a thick fog engulfs her after she blows out the candles on her cake. A dispassionate electronic voice announces her arrival in the New World, a mysterious dimension where wishers are trapped. Upon regaining her senses, Ding Yi discovers two spiral star chains wound around her arms, marking her as a participant in this deadly game. The star chains indicate the price paid for her wish, though she has no memory of making one. She is immediately approached by Qin Yuan, a tall, cold, and physically imposing man who seems indifferent to the bizarre circumstances. Despite his initial hostility, he allows Ding Yi to follow him to a local inn, which serves as a safe haven for the wishers.

At the inn, Ding Yi learns from a young wisher named Yan Ming that the New World, also called the Star World, operates on a system of instances. Wishers must complete tasks in these instances to earn stars, which are necessary to fulfill their original wishes. Instances are categorized by difficulty: Red A, Yellow B, and Green C. A-level instances are the most lethal, with high mortality rates, while C-level instances are safer. Ding Yi is shocked to learn that her first instance is A-level, titled "Oiled Paper Umbrella." The task requires them to find the most precious thing in the ancient town of Qingping, identify its material, and return it to its original owner. The group is led by a tour guide who exhibits unsettling behavior, hinting at the dangers that lie ahead.

Upon entering Qingping Town, the group visits an oiled paper umbrella shop run by an old man. The old man offers to stamp lotus flowers on their skin for protection, claiming it wards off evil. However, Ding Yi suspects deception and observes that the stamping process is linked to the instance's death conditions. When the tour guide mutates violently after being stamped, Ding Yi realizes the lotus stamp is a trap. She deduces that a complete, clear stamp triggers death, while covering it with ink paste renders it harmless. She forces the guide to stamp his own forehead, causing him to self-destruct, and helps the other wishers cover their stamps to survive the night.

That night, a skinless monster attacks the inn, targeting Ding Yi. Qin Yuan protects her, revealing his strength and combat prowess. The next day, the group explores the Li Clan Ancestral Hall, where they discover numerous memorial tablets of young women who died under suspicious circumstances. While searching for clues, Ding Yi and Qin Yuan find a hidden book behind the tablets. This discovery triggers an attack by skinless monsters, forcing Ding Yi to fight her way out using a piece of wood. She escapes with the book, while Qin Yuan handles the remaining threats with ease.

After the attack, Ding Yi confronts the old man from the umbrella shop, demanding information about the town's history and the precious object. She physically intimidates him, breaking his hand and threatening to stamp him again. The old man reveals that the Li clan is dead and hints at a curse related to the town's past. Ding Yi and Qin Yuan continue to investigate, uncovering secrets about ghost marriages and the tragic fate of the town's women. As they delve deeper, they realize that the instance is far more complex than a simple search task, involving historical grievances and supernatural curses that threaten their lives.

The story follows Ding Yi's adaptation to the New World's brutal rules. She relies on her observational skills and quick thinking to survive, often clashing with other wishers who are driven to madness by fear. Qin Yuan remains a mysterious ally, his motives unclear but his assistance crucial. Together, they navigate the dangers of Qingping Town, facing monsters and deceptive NPCs. The narrative highlights the psychological toll of the instances and the moral ambiguities of survival in a world where death is constant. Ding Yi's journey from a confused newcomer to a capable survivor sets the stage for further challenges in the New World.