In the Mobile City of Lungmen
District 7 Highway, on an abandoned bridge separating the slums from the central city
A figure dressed in civil official attire stood in the middle of the road, writing a ticket. In front of him was a long trail of wrecked cars, stacked one after another in a chain collision. At first glance, it might have looked like a simple traffic accident, but a closer inspection revealed bullet marks riddling the vehicles—and a group of people groaning on the ground, bodies covered in bruises from rubber bullets.
And the culprit behind this mess? A red-haired woman in handcuffs who was grinning innocently at him.
"Moody~ Come on, let me go! You saw it—it was totally an accident! Look, I'm an innocent victim here!"
The young man with dark blue hair and an unnaturally handsome face looked at her with amused disbelief.
"A victim who injured nearly fifty people with rubber bullets and caused public property damage with twenty-three grenades? You're really calling yourself a victim, Miss Exusiai?"
"Y-You're mistaken! Most of the grenades were theirs! I was just defending myself!"
"So you admit you're not a victim?"
"Ack—You tricked me into saying that, Moody!! You cheat!!" The woman puffed up in anger and pretended to lunge at him, fists flailing, but the man calmly backed away and stopped her with one hand on her forehead.
Naturally, he was physically weaker than the woman in front of him. But the fact that he could hold her back at all meant that she wasn't actually trying to hurt him. After all, they'd known each other for months now—they understood each other well.
"Miss Exusiai, how many times do I have to tell you? My name isn't Moody. It's Chen Wangfei. Please remember that."
Exusiai flinched a little at his serious tone. She stopped messing around and looked at him, guilt flickering in her eyes.
"S-Sorry... You just look so much like him... I couldn't help it. But... you're really not Moody? We were childhood friends, you know. Don't you remember me at all?"
She tried to smile, but it was forced—and her face gradually darkened with sadness. Wangfei could only sigh.
"Miss Exusiai... If you're talking about Merbill, Mostima's younger brother—he died three years ago. You know I've lived in Lungmen my whole life. I may look like him, but he was a Sankta. I'm a Dragon."
He pointed at the small orange horns atop his head.
And Exusiai clearly knew that. She was just lying to herself.
"...I know."
Seeing the sorrow in her expression, Wangfei felt his resolve waver—as it always did.
"Alright. I'll pretend I didn't see any of this. After all, the guys back there were rivals to your company... and they've got criminal records anyway. If Captain Chen asks, I'll say I took care of them myself."
"Really?! Yay! I love you the most, Moody!!"
"Stop hugging me out of nowhere... And again—I'm not Moody!" Wangfei pushed her face away with a grimace. He was a little surprised that Texas wasn't with her today. Normally, the two were practically glued together. But perhaps that was for the better—he always felt weird under Texas's gaze. It was the same look Mostima and Exusiai gave him.
It wasn't that he didn't like it... he just didn't understand why they looked at him like that. And whenever he tried to ask, Texas would dodge the question and act cold, making it impossible to get a proper answer.
"But there's a condition," Wangfei continued. "First, you have to get me Sora-chan and Emperor's autographs. Then I'll consider this whole thing forgotten. Deal?"
Wangfei was a big fan of Sora, the famous idol of Lungmen, and Emperor, one of the three major corporate powers and a rap legend. It wasn't surprising he wanted their signatures. He already had several from past albums thanks to coworkers—but the newly released album hadn't made it into his collection yet, and he hadn't had time to attend their signing events.
"Boo! Inspector Moody, are you really accepting a bribe?! Even if Vice-Captain Hoshiguma isn't with you today, aren't you afraid your sister will come after you?"
"Shh—it's not a bribe, Miss Exusiai. This is called 'business negotiation.' Besides, no one's around... So let's keep this just between us."
He cleared his throat and corrected her with a smug smirk, winking playfully.
"..."
Exusiai paused, caught off guard by his expression. Then she laughed—and looked at him with a mixture of emotions.
"You really are just like him..."
Wangfei noticed the air around her shift and frowned slightly.
"You seem really... attached to him."
"Well, he was my first love," Exusiai said.
Wangfei blinked, completely unprepared for the confession. He looked uncomfortable.
"Uh... So you don't feel that way about me, right—?"
"Haha, don't worry. Even if you look like Moody, act like Moody, you're still not him."
"...No one can replace that guy in my heart. That's one thing I'm sure of."
She gently placed a hand on her chest. Seeing that sad, faraway look in her eyes, Wangfei said nothing. He let the silence carry on, waiting for her to have her moment.
But just then, from the corner of his eye, Wangfei spotted someone crawling out from under a car—wounded and bleeding, but still moving. The man raised a gun, aiming straight at Exusiai's back.
"Die, you damn Sankta!"
Bang!!
"Look out!!"
Instinct kicked in. Wangfei shoved Exusiai away and drew a knife to deflect the incoming bullet. But unlike his sister, his body wasn't reinforced. His reflexes were only human. He couldn't fully dodge the shot—it missed his head by a hair, grazing right through his right eyebrow.
Agonizing pain exploded across his face, like a swarm of insects burrowing into his wound. Enraged, Wangfei hurled the knife at the attacker. Whether it was luck or skill, the blade struck the man square in the chest, knocking him to the ground instantly.
"Wangfei... Wangfei!! No!! Wangfei!!!"
Exusiai stared in horror, screaming his name over and over as she ran to him.
"I'm... I'm fine..."
If it were any other time, Wangfei might've joked that she finally got his name right.
He collapsed against his patrol car, slumping to the ground. He tried to hold the bleeding wound, but his limbs were growing numb, and his vision started to fade.
"This is all my fault... If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't—"
"No... no... Call an ambu—"
Before he could finish, everything went black.
The last thing Wangfei heard... was Exusiai's voice, crying out his name:
"WANGFEI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Initiating Virtual World Simulation...)
Within the calm darkness, Wang Fei—currently in a state of suspended animation—was awakened by a mysterious, non-human voice. As he opened his eyes, a long string of text appeared before him:
(Location: Simulated World – Kazimierz, Year XXXX)
(Identity: Ray Neer, Race: Kuranta (Wild Horse), Level: Normal)
(Due to the low performance of your simulated avatar, you may select only 3 abilities for this simulation)
(Selection constraints: 1 Elite ability, 2 Rare, or 3 Normal)
Ambition (Rare) – Your greedy soul drives you to climb higher. Whether this ambition becomes poison or candy is up to you.
Swordsmanship (Normal) – You learn sword techniques faster than others.
Eldest Sibling (Normal) – Your familial bonds will significantly strengthen.
Voracious Appetite (Normal) – Your metabolism is higher than normal.
Great Knight (Elite) – As long as your heart remains unyielding, you and your blade will never disappoint those who believe in you.
Lord of Flames (Elite) – You are attuned to fire as if it were your battle companion. However, your life force will burn ten times faster, shortening your lifespan. Recommended races: Draco, Sarkaz. Not recommended: Salak, Catus, Sargta, Aegir.
Braveheart (Rare) – No matter the situation, your heart will never waver. Even magic or mind control spells cannot sway your will.
Instigator (Rare) – Your words can deeply disrupt the minds of others.
"This... don't tell me these are the abilities of a reincarnator?"
Wang Fei muttered in disbelief at what he was seeing.
Indeed, he was someone who had reincarnated into this world—Terra. The story of how that came to be is long, but let's summarize:
He was born the youngest son of a noble family in the Yan Kingdom. Due to his frail body, he was unable to learn the family's martial arts. Eventually, he was almost sold to a lab in Columbia, which was interested in studying the physiology of his kind—a dragon—so that his family could gain travel privileges in Columbia.
Fortunately, Wang Fei had overheard the plan. Upon learning of it, he fled the estate immediately. Initially, he planned to hide somewhere in Yan as a beggar, but due to his family's influence, even that wasn't safe. Thus, he chose to escape the kingdom entirely.
He wandered the wastelands for two weeks, surviving just barely, until a mobile city passed nearby. That city was none other than Lungmen.
When the city's guards spotted him in the distance, they rushed to rescue him without hesitation, not even caring whether he was infected or not. Their kindness left a deep impression on him.
Afterward, he was sent to a hospital in the capital, where he happened to meet Lady Fumisuki, the wife of Lungmen's governor, who was visiting patients by chance.
Lady Fumisuki and Wang Fei talked and got to know each other over time. Initially, he was cautious of her intentions and didn't share much about his past. But her persistent, probing questions—as though she already knew everything—left him no choice but to reveal the truth.
Hearing his story, Fumisuki shed tears and embraced him, promising to take care of him from then on.
Long story short, he eventually became Fumisuki's adopted son. Later, he learned that she had a beloved granddaughter named Chen Hui-Jia.
At first, Hui-Jia was cold toward him—often ignoring or even getting mad at him. When he asked his adoptive mother why, he was told Hui-Jia once had a dearly loved older sister who passed away due to a tragic event. Since then, Hui-Jia's personality had changed drastically.
With the mind of an adult in a child's body, Wang Fei understood. He made every effort to bond with Hui-Jia. Though she initially ignored and even physically attacked him, time and persistence paid off. As the saying goes, "Even water can wear down stone with enough time."
Eventually, he grew close not only to Hui-Jia, but also to her two friends: the wealthy, drill-haired Beatrix, and the adorable, pink-haired Yuxia. The four of them became a tight-knit group.
Years passed, and the group began to drift apart. Hui-Jia and Beatrix went to study abroad in Victoria. Yuxia was angry, especially at Beatrix, who had promised they'd all attend Lungmen University together. Beatrix was ultimately forced to leave due to her parents' wishes, while Hui-Jia chose Victoria's Royal Guard Academy for its superior education.
Hui-Jia initially asked Wang Fei to come with her. Although he was two years younger, he was highly intelligent (thanks to his reincarnation), and they were in the same class.
But Wang Fei declined, citing his lack of talent. This led to a falling-out between them, and they didn't speak for years. Two years ago, Hui-Jia returned after graduating—and Wang Fei had already become a police officer.
To his surprise, Hui-Jia joined the Royal Guard Division right away and quickly rose through the ranks, earning the title of Deputy Commissioner within six months—breaking historical records.
She now stands as the most likely candidate to become the next Chief Commissioner.
Beatrix—who prefers to be called by her first name—also joined the Guard upon returning. Though not as fast, she too quickly rose to become a Chief Superintendent within two years.
In contrast, Wang Fei, despite serving for nearly four years (starting at 17), remains a Senior Inspector. His frailty—despite being a dragon—makes him the subject of gossip and scorn.
Fortunately, his optimism and the support of colleagues like Hoshiguma, Yuxia, and Beatrix keep him going.
He had long since given up on becoming stronger through training, knowing his body couldn't keep up—no matter how hard he tried.
But now... someone was offering him supernatural power? A chance to become strong?
Would you believe that?
"This can't be a hallucination, right?" Wang Fei muttered, still skeptical. Perhaps he was imagining this after being shot in the head.
But as if the system had read his thoughts, a reply came:
(This simulation system is not an illusion. It is a real opportunity available to you.)
(The better your performance, the greater the rewards. Conversely, poor results will yield fewer rewards and may incur penalties.)
(You may claim rewards up to 3 times per week. You can enter one simulation per day. The system resets at midnight daily. Special events may occur under specific conditions, separate from regular rewards.)
(End of explanation... Are you ready to enter the simulation world? Please select 3 abilities before proceeding.)
Wang Fei went silent. He still didn't trust this system.
"...Let me ask you something. Does entering this simulation mean I'll actually live in that world? If I die there, will I die here too?"
(No. The avatar is purely hypothetical and has no effect on your real body. Time spent in the simulation does not affect the real world. If you die in the simulation, it simply ends, and the system will evaluate your performance.)
"What if I choose not to participate?"
(...You may remain here until your real body recovers. Estimated time: 183 days due to coma status. However, completing a simulation with at least a B-grade result will significantly accelerate your recovery and restore your body.)
"In other words, if I don't enter, I'll be stuck in here for half a year... great." Wang Fei replied sarcastically. The voice remained emotionless.
(The choice is always yours. The system exists only to assist.)
"..."
He wasn't sure whether to believe all this, but there weren't many options. Staying in darkness wasn't exactly appealing. If this place was some kind of afterlife, he might as well risk "dying" a little sooner.
"...Fine. Send me into the simulation."
After much contemplation, Wang Fei agreed—and chose the following three abilities:
Great Knight (Elite) – As long as your heart does not falter, you and your blade will never fail those who believe in you.
Braveheart (Rare) – Your heart is immune to fear and control, even magical or mental influence.
Eldest Sibling (Normal) – Your familial bonds will grow much stronger.
To be honest, the abilities "Lord of Flames" and "Swordsmanship" had definitely caught his eye. However, the downside of Lord of Flames—the drastic reduction of lifespan—was too severe. He had no desire to die young, so it ultimately failed his evaluation and was disqualified.
Even though Kurantas weren't exactly a short-lived race, they still fell under the average category: about 120 years. If he were to pick Lord of Flames, and it really consumed his life force at ten times the normal rate... wouldn't that mean he'd only live to around 12 years old?
That was unacceptable. So, he chose the other elite-tier ability instead—Great Knight.
As for Swordsmanship, it had genuinely piqued his interest. He'd once trained in sword techniques with his sister, Hui-Jia. But due to his frail body, even a few swings would leave him breathless and on the verge of collapse.
Eventually, he had no choice but to switch to a more manageable weapon—short daggers. Despite Hui-Jia wanting him to continue with the sword, he had to give up. His fragile body simply wouldn't allow it.
Then there was Eldest Sibling—an ability that might sound laughable at first... but to Wang Fei, it wasn't a joke. He had firsthand experience with the darker sides of family. He feared that whatever "family" he would be born into in this simulation might turn out to be just as toxic and twisted as the one he came from.
So, he picked that ability as a precaution.
As for Braveheart, he didn't have much to say about it. But among the Rare-tier skills available, it looked like the most solid choice. Maybe a part of him—the part that still looked up to his brave, dependable sister—simply wanted to be courageous like her.
And so, he picked it.
The moment the selection was completed, the system began transmitting him into the simulated world.
(Simulated world initialized. Starting location: The Nearl Estate.)
(Background: You are an orphan taken in by the prestigious Nearl family. Your parents were knights, close friends of the then-head of the household. They sacrificed their lives to delay the advance of the Ursus army and never returned from the battlefield.)
(Family: You were adopted by Schwarz Nearl, the current patriarch of the Nearl family. Your adoptive older sister, Margaret Nearl, dearly loves and worries about you. Your younger adoptive sister, Maria Nearl, constantly sticks to you. You also have a stern uncle who serves as your instructor, Minor, a mischievous aunt only a year older than you who loves to surprise-hug you, Sophia, and a kind grandfather who always spoils you. Each of them loves you and treats you as a true member of the family.)