Blue Screens of Death

The System Apocalypse Short Stories #6

by Tao Wong

Morning in Whitehorse, and everything is the normal. All too normal. A girlfriend who loves him, an evening at the farmer’s market in Shipyard’s Park. Idyllic, relaxing, peaceful. What more could a man want?

John Lee isn’t sure, but stray thoughts intrude, and memories of a different time, a different place, a different world keep intruding. Angst-ridden, exhausting memories of a world of pain and struggle. Nothing like the paradise he lives in.

Now, if only John wasn’t so attracted to them.

This short story is set between Books 9 and 10. Minor spoilers included within.

16 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2021

About the author

Tao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. His work has been released in audio, paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats, and translated into German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and several other languages. He was shortlisted for the UK Kindle Storyteller Award in 2021 for A Thousand Li: The Second Sect. In 2026, the first three books in the A Thousand Li series will be republished in hardcover by Ace Books.

When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.

Reviews

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

LitRPG isn’t one of my top subgenres to grab but the short glimpses of this series that I’ve had have been really fun. I definitely want to read the main books eventually and I’m looking forward to the other short stories I already own.