Two young men must survive a deadly supernatural game in this action-packed danmei/Boys’ Love series!
Architecture student Lin Jue never expected his Friday night to end in bloodshed. After receiving a “lucky egg,” he’s dragged into a deadly game where survival isn’t a goal—it’s the only rule. And when the brilliant but unreadable medical student Song Hanzhang saves his life, Lin Jue forms an ironclad bond with this man who reveals nothing and misses nothing.
The two must rely on each other to survive the brutal trials of the Devil’s Hunting Ground, from ravenous creatures to equally desperate players. But in this ruthless game, trust may be the most dangerous gamble of all. As alliances fracture and morality slips away, the true questions come to light: Who is actually pulling the strings—and when the last dawn rises, will Song Hanzhang still be standing at Lin Jue’s side?
This was somewhat entertaining, though I am still unsure about my overall feelings toward this danmei.
The plot aligns quite well with my personal horror preferences; it involves a scenario where people are thrown into a death game that requires them to survive an entire night. The first game featured zombies, while the second centers on insects. However, there are unexpected twists, mainly because the danger isn't just from the game itself; threats also come from other players.
The author demonstrates impressive skill in creating terrifying scenes, with vivid descriptions of gore that are disturbing enough to haunt my nightmares for days. The atmosphere is perfect, intensifying the sense of danger, fear, and anticipation, with the author elevating these elements to a high level.
Regarding the zombie game, I found it easier to handle than the insect game, primarily because I have a deep-seated disgust for insects. The detailed, graphic descriptions only heightened my revulsion, making even thinking about them nauseating.
What I appreciated most about this story is its exploration of morality, especially how far a person can be pushed before their sense of right and wrong becomes irrelevant. It raises questions about how the human mind can cling to morality when survival is at stake. Although it feels repetitive at times, I appreciated how the author gradually unravels the characters' moral complexities, particularly Lin Jue, who harbors a very dark side.
The plot itself wasn't the problem; it was the characters that caused issues.
The supporting characters were somewhat unlikable, though they did have moments where they shined. They were flat, and I didn't really care much for any of them.
The couple:
The protagonist, Lin Jue, is portrayed as an average guy, completely ordinary in every way. He doesn't have the charisma of typical protagonists, nor does he stay unnaturally calm in dangerous situations; instead, he's your everyday person, like someone you'd see on the street. Still, he has moments where his instincts kick in, and he becomes surprisingly effective in combat. His personality shifts between being cool-headed and clueless. He’s also very gullible, and I wanted to shake him many times. I liked him, but I don't feel a strong attachment.
The love interest, Song Hanzhang, is a complex, enigmatic character. He’s hard to understand because he often seems deceptive, making me wonder if anything he says in this first volume is true or a lie. He’s aloof, rarely showing emotions, and when he does, it’s so subtle that you barely notice unless you're paying close attention. Sometimes, I just wanted to slap him.
Their relationship is complicated and deeply intriguing. They’ve only known each other for a few days, which isn't long, but since Song Hanzhang saved Lin Jue during the first game, Lin Jue imprints on him, following him like a baby chick. For Lin Jue, Song Hanzhang is the person who pulled him out of a hellish situation, making him intensely loyal and protective. His feelings are very strong, almost exaggerated.
On the other hand, Song Hanzhang sees Lin Jue as a potential tool for manipulation because of his compliance and improving fighting skills. He keeps him around because Lin Jue proves to be a capable fighter, making him a perfect weapon. Whether Song Hanzhang begins to see him as more than just a tool over the course of this volume is uncertain; his true feelings and thoughts are so hidden it's hard to tell. So far, their relationship is like that of a master and servant, with one subtly manipulating and shaping the other.
One of my biggest frustrations was how women are portrayed, which I found stereotypical and misogynistic. This nearly made me DNF.
In conclusion, this first volume is a solid start to this unlimited flow danmei. Given how this volume ends, I definitely plan to read the second one.
“Humans are born sinful, I’m no exception. So I just wanted to do a little good, that’s all.”
I honestly don’t know how I feel about this series yet. There are parts that I really enjoyed, and then there are parts where I’m just sitting there wondering if I’m actually enjoying what I’m reading. I initially thought this was going to be a zombie series, but the more I read, the more it seemed like there’s something else going on. I like that the characters aren’t just dealing with zombies because the story keeps throwing different kinds of threats at them. The whole survival game situation is interesting, especially when there are rules that make you question whether you can even trust the people around you. But I do think Lin Jue’s transformation was a little too fast. He’s just an ordinary college student who has never even killed a chicken, and suddenly he’s smashing zombie skulls with a steel pipe. I get that being in a life or death situation can change a person, but I wish his transition felt a little more natural. Also, Song Hanzhang reminds me so much of Zhong Chengshuo from “Evil as Humans”. I kept thinking about him whenever Song Hanzhang appeared, and I can’t even explain how much they remind me of each other. Maybe it’s the way they think and approach situations, but I just can’t unsee it now.
The relationship between Lin Jue and Song Hanzhang is probably what I’m most interested in so far. They’re so different, but I like how they gradually learn to rely on each other while trying to survive. Song Hanzhang is more analytical and calculating, while Lin Jue seems to rely more on his instincts, and I enjoy seeing how they work together. I’m curious to see how their relationship develops in the next volumes because I feel like there’s still a lot I need to learn about them. Now, can we talk about the word “upperclassman”? PLEASE! This title gives me such a headache every time I read it. They never should’ve translated this. I’m sorry, but I just can’t get used to it. Another thing that caught me off guard was the mention of “The Truman Show”. My boyfie and I recently re-watched that movie, so seeing it mentioned here was such a coincidence. And now I’m sitting here feeling like I’m on The Truman Show myself. What do you mean everything might be part of a game? What if someone is watching me right now? Why am I making myself paranoid?
And WHY DO I KEEP PICTURING LU REN AS OKKOTSU YUTA FROM JJK?!! They’re absolutely poles apart, so I genuinely don’t understand why my brain keeps making that connection. Is it the sword? Is that it? Because I have no other explanation! Lu Ren is such a bizarre character, though. The way he treats these deadly situations like he’s just playing a video game is both funny and unsettling, and I never quite know what he’s going to do next. I also like that surviving isn’t always about being the strongest person in the room. Sometimes, the characters have to figure out the rules and play mind games, which makes things more interesting. My problem is that I’m still not completely invested in the bigger story. I have questions, but I’m not at the point where I’m desperately looking for answers yet. Maybe that’ll change as I read more, but right now, I’m somewhere in the middle when it comes to how I feel about this series. I like some things, I’m not too fond of others, and I’m still trying to figure out where I stand with it. I’m curious enough to continue, though, so let’s see how I feel after the next volume.
The language is a little choppy, but I like the story so far. Then again, I'm always a little biased towards unlimited flow danmei, especially horror ones.
I'm not feeling much from the dynamic of the main pairing yet, which I'm hoping resolves later. At the moment, Song Hanzhang is a little too cold, and Lin Jue is a little too trusting.
Song Hanzhang looked at him and continued, “So you must live. As long as you live longer than I do, I’ll remember you forever.”
4.5 ⭐️ but i’ve given it the bump to 5 to hype it up
picked up this book because it had three things that I absolutely love, horror, zombies and bugs. I’ve never actually read an unlimited flow danmei before this, despite owning one already (KoD sorry you keep getting pushed down my tbr 😭) so I was really looking forward to this being published ever since 7s announced it.
I read it the day after it came out and finished the entire thing within two days, so it definitely did a good job of keeping me reading pretty much nonstop in my limited free time between work and sleep.
I really liked both of the main characters, Lin Jue and Song Hanzhang, and especially how they got along with each other. I loved the trust that developed between them and I really liked that the potential romance is quite subtle so far. It feels like a very natural build up rather than being pushed straight away, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where that goes. I loved Lin Jue’s arc of realizing he’s not as nice as he thought he was and is in fact more morally grey and will kill to protect those he cares about, and the first night definitely taught him not to hesitate on that again.
I enjoyed this authors writing style and it was easy to read, and I’m looking forward to book 2 & to their other series set in the same universe that 7s announced last week.
Yay my first danmei!! This was super interesting and I loved the art inside. While it took me a while to get used to the characters and names, I’m a sucker for death games so I was interested from the start. Song Hanzhang is such an interesting character. He’s cold and calculating but he seems to care for Lin Jue in a weird way. I have a feeling he’s protecting himself by being mean to everyone and denying Lin Jue’s offers to let him in. I also think he’s been in a game before. He’s so calm about everything and seems to know a lot. He’s also keeping secrets. Also, Lin Jue randomly being ok with killing after like an hour is weird. I think they both were in games before and they forgot and are in a loop. Would explain why the next volume is called “death loop”.
I see in the next volume there will be another game so that’s fun. I believe that Lin Jue entered a mirror world and that’s why everything is different and he saw himself in the mirror before he was brought back. It was super sad there at the end, but I’m hopeful everyone will be brought back im the next volume. I have to wait till the end of November, but I’m invested in this story and in Song Hanzhang& Lin Jue. They both had moments where attraction was there, but I think Song Hanzhang is afraid because of something he’s keeping secret. But this had enough violence and gore to keep my attention, so I’m excited to continue!!
My second Unlimited Flow novel, Kaleidoscope of death was my first. It's interesting how they compare. Lucky is much darker with more of a focus on the psychological damage of a death game. Lots of commentary on morality and how you want to live your life but also conflicted feelings. Kaleidoscope kept a more humourous thread throughout the story and I never really felt scared. With Lucky I was honestly freaked out at times. Trigger warning for Spiders and bugs in general. Super slow burn on the romance and mystery. With Kaleidoscope, it felt like there was a point to all of it, but Lucky has more of the senseless death game vibe. I'm interested to see where it goes and if it can stick the landing.
While walking back to his dorm room one night, college student Lin Jue is transported to an alternate plane that looks exactly like his school…except everyone’s turned into zombies. Caught off guard, he’s saved by Song Hanzhang, a cold and expressionless medical student. The two quickly piece together the source of this nightmare: Earlier, both had accepted a “lucky egg” from a random girl handing them out, which means they’re not the only players.
But thus game is deadly, due to both the environment and the players themselves. Lin Jue quickly pledges his loyalty to Song Hanzhang, but as the night progresses, the stakes become crueler, and people begin to turn on one another. If they can last until dawn, they’ll survive, but who will endure until the end gradually comes down to who can be the most vicious.
I didn’t know this was a horror novel, but even me, a scaredy cat, didn’t find it scary. Exceptionally gory and gross? Yes, especially with some of the author’s descriptions of the environmental enemies and player deaths. But it was still an enjoyable read. The pace is fast, the tension never lets up, and although the players themselves quickly show their true colors in their fight to survive, Lin Jue’s naive sense of loyalty and Song Hanzhang’s calculating calmness provided a nice counterbalance that prevented me from disliking everyone.
The book doesn’t shy away from themes of morality and the fragility of civility. In fact, it rips those concepts apart and imagines just how depraved people can become when backed into a corner. Not even Lin Jue is free of the ethical strip down. But as he and Song Hanzhang fight to survive the game, they also strive to retain their humanity, and that provides the glimmer of hope that keeps this book from falling into complete despair over the human condition. The moral examination doesn’t get as large of a role as the action, so I’d like to see more of it in the next two volumes. But the “fighting for survival” aspect was well drawn (or should I say, described) and kept me highly invested.
Two warnings to note besides the heavy gore: First, part two of volume one is all about bugs. I’m terrified of bugs, so I had to skip some scenes and images, and my skin crawled a lot, but I made it through, just as a point of reference; and second, there’s zero romance in this first volume. There’s basically no chance for it with Song Hanzhang and Lin Jue trying not to die every other minute. Towards the end, the seed that Lin Jue’s faithfulness planted sprouts its first root, but that’s it, so don’t expect anything grandiose. For this type of trilogy, I prefer the romance to take a backseat, so I was happy with the gradual relationship development. I look forward to reading what happens next!
I really enjoyed The Lucky Egg Game. It has that perfect combination of creepy situations, interesting game mechanics, and the kind of mystery that makes you want to keep reading just to find out what’s actually going on. The atmosphere is especially good, and I really liked watching the characters figure out how to survive each new situation.
My one small complaint is something I’ve noticed in a lot of danmei survival/game novels: I’m getting a little tired of the male leads being thrown into absolutely horrifying situations and then reacting like they’re mildly inconvenienced. 😂 I know they’re supposed to be capable and level-headed, but sometimes I just want someone to completely lose it for a minute! If I were trapped in some of these situations, I would absolutely be screaming, crying, and questioning every life decision that brought me there.
That said, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. I liked the characters, the plot kept me interested, and there were plenty of moments that had me genuinely curious about what would happen next. If you enjoy survival games, supernatural mysteries, and danmei with a good dose of tension, this is definitely worth checking out.
a very interesting start to a story. after receiving lucky eggs for a mysterious girl named "lilith" college students lin jue and song hanzhang find themselves, and fellow students, stuck in a deadly horror game. the first round? survive till dawn while being attacked by the entire faculty-turned-zombies.
It's gruesome and gory and surprisingly tragic. lin jue is a normal person, and we seem him have to reckon with what it means to survive when survival is dependent on killing. and how that can change you and what it says about you when you can so easily kill things that were once human. there's surprisingly a lot of self-reflection and introspection in this book.
he and song hanzhang have to rely on each other to survive this game. but song hanzhang is an even greater mystery than whatever nightmare find themselves in.
some of the side characters are very forgettable, probably on purpose, considering how many die. others are more present and vexing.
that ending was both something I saw coming and something that has me hooked for the next instalment.
A very enjoyable, hard to put down read! While the pacing at the very start felt rushed, and I would have appreciated a slower build up to the action, once you get over that hiccup the story is intense and very well written/translated.
I wasn't sold on Song at first, he felt a little too clairvoyant--and that rolls back around to my complaint about the pacing in the first chapter. However, just the same, when things get going Song really becomes an intriguing character. The dynamic between him and Lin grows and evolves through the course of the story.
If you like unlimited flow with more horror element, it sure does deliver those. I was a bit surprised how much people talked about it being a weaker and boring UF danmei? imo it’s like any other UF, but a said more horror elements. Although, it’s a bit more ”repetitive” with the survival games since the two we got to read in this volume is based on their university campus. Can’t say that it was something negative.
Overall did enjoy it quite a lot and am looking forward to read vol 2!!
Me at the beginning of the book: “I like this Lu Ren guy, he kinda looks like Naoya Zen’in” Me 2/3rds of the way thru the book: “holy shit Lu Ren IS Naoya Zen’in”