Feng Zhaoyunn was twenty years old, stood a lofty one meter eighty, and possessed an absurdly beautiful face—so striking that both men and women were drawn to him alike. Sometimes, Feng Zhaoyun felt that he could've easily opened a harem of three thousand beauties without trouble if he hadn't been born in an age governed by monogamy and the rule of law.
While others struggled with ailments and minor illnesses, Feng Zhaoyun had been healthy from childhood to adulthood. If he ever fell sick, he'd recover by the next day, often without needing medicine. It was to the point where—even during a thunderstorm—if Feng Zhaoyun stepped outside, the storm would part to let through a sunbeam just for him. Rain wasn't worth mentioning; it was compelled to stop when Feng Zhaoyun walked out the door.
Coming of age and running out of money? No financial support? Feng Zhaoyun bought a lottery ticket—and immediately won the jackpot. He even took the opportunity to rebuild the orphanage where he had once lived. He sometimes thought, I'd probably win again if I bought another ticket. He never tested that theory, but the intuition lingered. That was simply the kind of life he led—blessed with a fortune so outrageous it stirred envy in others.
His life flowed smoother than a gentle stream. By age twenty, while agonizing over finding an internship, he happened to assist an older man on the roadside suffering from low blood pressure. The next day, the chairman of the country's largest conglomerate personally showed up at his door to thank him and offered him an offer to become the chairman's assistant. If he showed promise, he might even become a director someday.
Feng Zhaoyun was utterly stunned, screaming internally. Why on earth would the head of a mega-corporation randomly pass out on the street—and why did it have to be me who found him?! Couldn't life throw me a curveball for just two days in a row?!
Of course, complaints were just that—complaints. Feng Zhaoyun still appreciated his good fortune. He was grateful for it. It was just… a bit boring. Too boring. His emotions were beginning to grow numb from all the smooth sailing.
But today… it seemed his luck had finally run out.
Feng Zhaoyun stared at his corpse being pulled to shore. The young man lay still in the water, skin pale from the cold, and his flawless face inspired pity from anyone who looked upon it. Feng Zhaoyun even saw a few people quietly wipe away their tears—though clearly, none of them had ever known him personally.
Only minutes ago, Feng Zhaoyun had jumped into the river to save a drowning child, only to be swept away by the current and drowned.
"Tch… I knew I could never like rainy days," Feng Zhaoyun clicked his tongue as he looked up at the gloomy sky and the heavy raindrops falling from above.
He didn't know why things had turned out this way. By all rights, he was dead—yet his soul still drifted through the air, and he was witnessing his own body being recovered.
Why hadn't the underworld guardian come to collect him? Did all the dead become wandering spirits like this? Feng Zhaoyun began to wonder—was there a whole spirit society in this world?
Crackle! Rumble! Just then, a thunderous sound suddenly rang out like countless bolts of lightning splitting through the sky. Feng Zhaoyun felt a gust of wind rush past his soul, blowing his hair into disarray, and it felt as though something was pulling his whole being backward.
He couldn't help but turn around—only to see behind him… a crack.
Yes, a rift—glowing with a fiery reddish-orange hue, arcing with streaks of lightning. And within that crack shimmered a dazzling, mysterious light.
As if entranced, Feng Zhaoyun unconsciously reached out his hand. His long fingers touched the rift—and in that instant, his entire soul was dragged toward it. The crack seemed as though it wanted to devour him whole!
His eyes widened. His expression flickered with panic, tinged with a trace of fear—yet within his gaze burned an unmistakable excitement. He didn't resist at all. He let himself be pulled into the unknown!
"Crackle! Crackle!"
Streaks of lightning overlapped and burst in the sky, producing a bone-chilling roar—then vanished without a trace. No one in the world knew what had occurred save for the heavy, brooding sky that silently bore witness… to a soul departing this realm.
The overwhelming brilliance of the light made Feng Zhaoyun furrow his brows involuntarily. It took a long moment before he was able to open his eyes.
But even then, all he could see was blinding whiteness. He tried to raise his hand, realizing he couldn't move. He had nobody. At this moment, he was nothing more than a drifting strand of consciousness, floating aimlessly in this strange place. He thought he had opened his eyes, but he could do no such thing.
The sensation was far from pleasant. It was the kind that could easily push someone into panic… or rage.
Feng Zhaoyun couldn't help but feel a little irritated.
Where is this place? The thought surfaced instinctively.
[This is the boundary between two worlds.]
A cold, emotionless voice—so devoid of human warmth that it didn't even sound like it belonged to a person—suddenly echoed through the void, startling Feng Zhaoyun.
[Do not question. Do not search. There is no need for you to know who I am. All you need to know is this: I can grant you another chance to live. Complete the scenario, and you will be reborn in a new world—with a new body.] The voice continued, mechanical and distant.
Feng Zhaoyun raised an eyebrow—only to remember, belatedly, that he didn't have a body. He tried replying with just his mind:
[Alright then!] His tone even carried a hint of enthusiasm, light and carefree.
The cold, mechanical voice seemed slightly taken aback by his swift agreement. He hadn't shown the slightest hesitation or fear of being deceived.
As if sensing the voice's thoughts, Feng Zhaoyun chuckled:
[If you wanted to trick me, I could do nothing about it anyway. I'm already dead. You might as well have a bit of fun with it. Live a few more days if I can—what's the harm?]
The voice responded, slightly colder than before:
[This task is not a game.]
What a stiff personality, Feng Zhaoyun thought, resisting the urge to roll non-existent eyes.
Just then, information poured directly into Feng Zhaoyun's mind. It was so sudden he was caught off guard—but he quickly gathered himself and began reviewing the details.
The scenario was short—barely five lines long—but it gave him enough idea of what the task required.
[Simple enough. I have to go and die, right? Let's do it!] His tone was excited, like someone eager to rush off and meet their doom.
The cold voice seemed… momentarily speechless. It repeated itself with a frosty tone:
[Take the mission seriously. Otherwise, die for real.]
So fierce, Feng Zhaoyun grinned to himself, entirely unfazed.
A burst of light engulfed him again, so intense it seemed to swallow him whole. Feng Zhaoyun knew—that a brand-new future had opened before him.
And honestly, it was exciting.
.
Pain. Excruciating pain.
A wave of agony crashed over Feng Zhaoyun, so intense that someone who'd never experienced even the slightest pain in twenty years nearly blacked out on the spot.
Someone was beating him—punches and kicks rained down as his body curled instinctively on the ground. Blood gushed from his mouth, and his body was covered in open wounds. Feng Zhaoyun could even tell—he'd broken several bones.
His vision blurred from the pain. He couldn't see anything. He could only wrap his arms tightly around his head, trying to protect it from further damage.
"Alright, that's enough. If we keep going, he'll die—and we still need him alive to vent on next time."
A voice rang out, young and lazy. Judging by the tone, the speaker was probably no older than sixteen or seventeen.
"Big bro! I haven't had enough yet!" another voice piped up, this one even younger—immature, arrogant, and brimming with petty malice.
But Feng Zhaoyun had no mental bandwidth to care about any of that. The pain was deafening, ringing in his ears until his whole mind spun.
Please wait a minute, he thought dazedly. Didn't the summary make this character sound cool? So why am I getting beaten like a pig the moment I arrive?!