Chapter 1
Back in the space, Li Ming grieves for indefinite time. However, as he is only a soul, there are no tears or real heart ache. But the absence of his beloved brings forth emptiness to his bleak existence. As time passes, Li Ming feels his emotions stabilize.
"Xiao Hong, come out," calls a calm Li Ming. A red appears out of nowhere and bounces to his side. [Master, how are you feeling?]
"All is good," replies Li Ming. "What happened to that world after I left?"
[Master, Xu Jun and He Zan buries you alongside Wei Xiaolong in that island. Every year, they come and offer incense to your grave. From then on, all descendant of Wei are to be buried there.]
"The line didn't stop with Xu Jun?"
[Since Wei Xiaolong bestowed him the surname Wei after inheriting Z Tech Industry, he and He Zan make use of surrogacy and have two kids with surname He and Wei.]
Li Ming briefly smiles. He might have wanted to see his human's kids. "What happened to the protagonist by the way?"
Xiao Hong trembles before answering. [Wang Juan arrives at the summit of entertainment industry after you depart. However, she is already pass her prime, so she and her boyfriend who is almost two decades younger than her can only hide their relationship. There is no surprise proposal in the red carpet nor grand wedding.]
Li Ming's eyes brighten in delight. Well karma is a bitch. "Xiao Hong, I'm ready for the second mission."
The system hesitates. He feels like something is not right with his host. When he first met him in the void, his master has always adapted a cool demeanor. The Li Ming now still exudes the same air, however, Xiao Hong has this distinct feeling that his master may have changed somehow.
[Master, before we proceed to the second world, I have to inform you that you have accumulated 100,000 points for your first mission. You can now trade them for any kind of elixir, cultivation manuals, medicinal pills, magic items, teleportation talismans, and many more. Do you wish to open the store and check the available items?]
Curious, Li Ming nods. He witnesses with his own eyes a pop up screen appearing out of nowhere. Listed on the transparent screen are items with their names and corresponding amount of points. Below them are brief description.
Food and drink potions - 1,000 points
Can be be consumed max 3 sets per day.
Ironskin potion - 3,000 points
Help user absorb only 20% of enemy attack. Time limit: 10 minutes
Healing potion - 5,000 points
Help user heal external wounds.
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When Li Ming reaches the bottom of the list for all third-tier potions, his right eye twitches in disbelief.
Regeneration potion - 100,000,000 points
Can regenerate user's body to a perfect condition as long as fed within 30 minutes
This is highway robbery! Li Ming turns to the weapon inventory. One look and he promptly switches to another. Too many zeros! One magical dagger for 100,000 points? No thanks.
The skill inventory is... weird. Li Ming grabs the red orb floating beside him and proceeds to knead it while checking the list.
Cooking - 15,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of cooking any type of cuisine. Need 20,000 to upgrade
Traditional Dancing - 30,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of any taditional dance. Need 50,000 to upgrade
Modern Dancing - 35,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of any modern dance. Need 60,000 to upgrade
Singing - 50,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery in singing. Need 100,000 to upgrade
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Archery - 150,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of hitting any unmoving target within 3 km radius and moving target within 1 km radius. Need 400,000 to upgrade
Blacksmithing - 200,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of forging any weapon. Need 500,000 to upgrade
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Dao - 500,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of wielding any long weapon like sword, spears, and battle axes. Need 1,000,000 to upgrade
Martial Arts - 500,000 points
Beginner level. Help user achieve beginner mastery of any martial practice. Additional 100,000 points for every meridian user wishes to open. Upgrade to the next level is optional and contains high risk.
Li Ming vibrates in excitement especially when his bright eyes spot the words "Martial Arts". "Xiao Hong, do you take credit?"
Xiao Hong, if he has a face, might have sported a shock expression. He only trembles in Li Ming's hands and, in a timid voice, answers. [No, master.]
"Is that so?" Li Ming blandly replies. "I remember you saying that I get to receive a bonus for that blunder you caused me last time."
[Master, you can only unlock the bonus reward after transmigrating to the second world.]
Li Ming kneads the red ball of light harder. "Then let's start. I don't plan to spend any points at the moment."
Xiao Hong starts informing his master about their second mission. [Master, the body prepared for you has the identity of the first young master of the Yu Family. The Yu family is one of the most loyal vessel since the founding of the Yan Dynasty. They are a family of scholar officials and most of the members and branches of the family have high positions in the government. As the legitimate heir of Yu household, Yu Shuren excels in the four arts and this strengthens his position and favorability among the elders in the family. However, this blatant favoritism leads to the displeasure and discontent of the Yu father's concubine and son. They know that Yu Shuren adores his unfavored and mute younger brother. They scheme for the younger brother to leave the residence and have him abducted. Yu Shuren is devastated and he urges his parents to search for his younger brother but they only turn a blind eye to the situation. One day, he receives an anonymous letter saying that they have seen his brother in the red light district. However, they can't be too sure as they don't have the means to enter the brothel. He urges Yu Shuren to meet him at some place, alone, so they can check the place together. A place and time is indicated in the letter. Yu Shuren isn't stupid so he doesn't go by himself. He tells his most trusted personal bodyguard to follow him covertly. However, the bodygurard is in cahoots with the concubine and son. When they enter a secluded alley, he knocks out the first young master and delivers him to a nondescript low-class brothel. When Yu Shuren comes to, his mind is heavily clouded with lust and he feels overheated despite the thin robes covering his body. They drug him with a heavy dose of aphrodisiac and Yu Shuren welcomes his first customer with open arms. He is used by countless perverted men and every time he comes back to his senses, he makes a ruckus and the servants in the brothel can only drug him more. When he finally turns sober, he hazily remembers about his family and younger brother. He can't face them in this state. He can't bear the shame and he suicides by biting his tongue.]
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Are you fucking kidding me? Li Ming is floored. The guy's end is too pitiable. "What's my mission this time?"
[Master, your mission is to avoid falling for their scheme and live a fulfilling life. As this is your second mission, you may receive sub-tasks. You have the right to accept or reject them.]
Li Ming hums in assent. "A quick question, the concubine and son, and that bodyguard, not one of them is the protagonist, right?" He wants to clarify. There is no way he is letting those scum continue living.
Xiao Hong pauses and cautiously answers no.
Li Ming closes his eyes and commands the system to begin the transfer.
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Li Ming opens his eyes in darkness. He tries blinking but this doesn't help. His body is uncomfortable all over.
"Madam, it's a boy!" He vaguely hears a woman's excited voice. Li Ming has an ominous feeling about this.
"Xiao Hong! Come out, you unreliable piece of junk." He yells in his head.
[Master...] Xiao Hong prepares his coffin.
"What the hell is going on? Why can't I see anything? You didn't inform me Yu Shuren is blind! This is cheating! I want to talk to your manager!" Li Ming rants in one breath.
Xiao Hong starts writing his last will and testament. [Master, you are not in Yu Shuren's body.] The red system quietly speaks. [Your soul is transmigrated into the younger brother.]
"The younger brother? The one that got abducted?" Li Ming doesn't recall what happens with him after the abduction so he asks the system.
[He is sold to an official with perverted and unspeakable hobbies. They cut his tongue and severe his tendons. For a decade, he is used and abused until the official has gotten bored of him and has gifted him to one of his guards. The guard doesn't have such depraved hobbies but he whips the disabled body every time he is stressed. The younger brother dies from internal injury and blood loss.]
Li Ming opens his mouth to run curses at the damn system. He belatedly realizes that this body is mute. Returning to reality, he can feel somebody carrying him, washing him, and clothing him in something itchy. A door opens and closes. He is delivered to another pair of arms. The baby wants to complain. Being jostled like this isn't comfortable at all, ah!
"This litle fella sure is quiet," a man chuckles. Who? "Hey little one, welcome to the Yu family. Your mother is sleeping now so don't cry, alright?" The baby remains quiet, big pitch black eyes unfocusedly stare at the man. "Good boy. From now on you are called Yu Huan." The baby blinks as if thanking the man for giving him a good name. He chuckles some more, deeply happy that his second son is safely born from his wife. He orders the servants to take Yu Huan to the next room and to provide for what the newborn needs.
He leaves the main residence to report to the elders. On the way he is intercepted by his excited five-year-old son, Yu Shuren. "Father, Father. How is beloved mother doing? What about the baby? Is it a girl or a boy? Father, Father, I want to see the baby."
Yu Xieren laughs heartily at his son's antics. He picks him up and they walk towards the ancestral mansion located in the further north. "Shuren-er, you have a baby brother. You have to be good to him, alright?"
The cute child vigorously nods his head full of brown hair which he inherits from his father. When they get to ancestral hall, the father and son duo kowtow to the various elders before informing them of Yu Huan's birth. Yu Xieren takes out something bundled in white cloth and hands it to a matron. The matron walks towards the front where the names and plaques of the past generations are recorded. She chants some words, burns a stick of incense, and takes out a small mahogany box where he stores the thing she receives from Yu Xieren. With the ceremony over, the Yu family disperses to their own courtyards after congratulating the happy man.
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However, Yu Xieren's happiness is shortlived. The baby is mute and is deemed to bring ill luck to the family. As the head of the Yu household, he holds the highest power within the compound. However, he still has to respect the previous generation. So when the elders suggest that the child be handed over to a distant relative in the countryside, Yu Xieren has to listen them. However, his wife begs him not to throw away their son. He is only a baby, barely a month old. Yu Xieren, on the next meeting, tells the elders that he is banishing Yu Huan to the furthest courtyard in the Eastern Wing. The elders agree with great reluctance and dissatisfaction.
Li Ming is transferred to a delapitated courtyard. The furnishing is bad. The small garden is bad. The clothes are bad. Everything is bad! The baby stomps his chubby arms on the pathetic excuse of a bed he's currently lying on.
Li Ming thinks back to the time when he is Baby. He may have been a cat but at least he has led a comfortable and luxurious life. The baby tears up before crying silently.
A boy dressed in purple robes enters the simple bedchamber. He peeks in to check if his younger brother is alright. However, the baby is crying all by himself. The nanny is nowhere in sight. Yu Shuren panics. How do you comfort a little bun? Maybe the little bun is hungry? But he doesn't have any food or milk with him! The five-year old kid paces back and forth before deciding to pick up the baby.
"Hush, hush. Brother is here." Yu Shuren coaxes while awkwardly holding the baby.
Li Ming, in the first month of his birth, can finally recognize faces in close distance. Seeing the anxious look on his big brother's face, he stops crying and tightly clings to Yu Shuren's robes, wanting to be comforted. I'm a baby anyway.
Yu Shuren is overwhelmed with different feelings - triumph for successfully stopping his brother's tears; protectiveness for wanting his brother to cry no more; and love for his brother who is too adorable. Yu Shuren hugs Yu Huan tighter. Don't worry, brother will always be here for you.
However, reality is cruel. Yu Shuren can't stay with his brother all the time. When the tutor lets him take a few minutes break, he hastily runs towards the eastern courtyard. He feeds the baby with milk which is supposed to be part of his meals but decides to save for Yu Huan. Even as a child, he realizes that a baby shouldn't be treated this way. So at times he meets his parents, he tries to convince them to provide a better living for his younger brother. His request, nonetheless, falls to deaf ears.
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Li Ming is often neglected by the servant responsible for taking care of his daily necessities. Good thing that he can purchase the food and drinks potions from the system. If not, he would have starved to death already. He once finds a time machine in the store but the number of points required to purchase it almost makes Li Ming cough blood.
"Xiao Hong, I remember you saying that I can unlock the bonus reward once I cross to second world. Quick, take it out!" orders an annoyed Li Ming. This feeling of powerlessness is suffocating!
[Master, your bonus reward can be beauty enhancement, agility, night vision, or sensitivity to smell.]
FML.
Li Ming once again feels his mood swing comes into full motion. Crystal tears drop from his big black eyes and his chubby cheeks are stained with redness. What a useless bonus!
In the end, he chooses agility.
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A year passes by and Yu Huan learns how to walk on unsteady legs. He rolls on the flat bed and crawls so fast like a dog. Yu Shuren urges his brother to get up and walk to him. Yu Huan gets up on his two feet, swaying back and forth, left then right, like an adorable drunk. One chubby leg after another take a step towards his direction, a pair of arms outstretched and ready to grab hold of him.
Li Ming finally reaches his brother's side. He can't believe that learning how to walk can be this hard and exhausting. He clings tightly to his brother's dark purple robes and uses his eyes to earn pity from the six-year-old kid.
Yu Shuren softens his expression and scoops the little bun. His brother is the cutest! He nuzzles the baby's white face, breathing in his milky scent. For a year, he has tried to convince his parents and elders to relent their banishment on Yu Huan. But all of them are stubborn and cold-hearted.
"Huan-er, brother is taking you to a better place. Let's elope, ok?" Yu Shuren fondly whispers.
Author's Note:
(*￣Ｏ￣)ノ
Just want to give everyone a big hug. Reading your comments made me really happy and all pumped up to write more. I have made an outline up to the fifth chapter for this arc so expect another update in 3-4 days.
Oh I am open to suggestions by the way. If you have one, go ahead and tell me.
Bye!