Wen Ran took his ti cleaning up the scene, carefully arranging it to look like an accident. Just as he turned to leave, hurried footsteps echoed from behind the door. The sound was soft and quick, imdiately making Wen Ran doubt it was another man.
The old wooden door creaked open once again, but this ti, Wen Ran felt no malicious intent emanating from the other side. Instead, the aura was completely different—calm yet anxious.
A young woman, appearing to be around his age, rushed in. Her golden eyes, filled with deep worry and panic, imdiately locked onto Wen Ran. Tears welled up and spilled over as she froze, her gaze fixed on him. Her golden hair shimred in the dim light, and her pale, delicate face made her look like a jade doll—crafted from the most precious material in the world.
"Wen Ran!" she cried, her voice trembling as tears stread down her cheeks. "I-I thought you'd die… I'm so happy you're alive!"
Before he could respond, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him, her embrace filled with raw emotion. Wen Ran stood frozen, utterly speechless.
But he was no fool. An old fox like him quickly pieced together the situation. She must be the mistress the previous owner of this body had a secret romance with.
However, he had no interest in such youthful entanglents. Children's gas were beneath him, and all he wanted now was to escape this situation as quickly as possible.
"Yeah... but forgive , miss. I have no idea who you are. Honestly, I'm not even sure who I am," Wen Ran said calmly, attempting to gently push the girl away.
Her golden eyes stared blankly at him, wide with disbelief, as though her entire world had just shattered.
"Wen Ran... you're joking, right? Tell this is a bad joke..." Her arms dropped limply to her sides, her voice trembling with desperation. But then her gaze fell on the blood trickling from a wound on his forehead—sothing even he hadn't noticed yet.
Without hesitation, she stepped closer, her soft fingers lightly brushing against the wound as she examined it with care.
"My poor Wen Ran... why… why would the world treat you like this?" she murmured, her voice filled with tender concern.
It seed she had accepted the idea that he had lost his mory. What a strange girl, Wen Ran thought, his expression unreadable. I worry she won't survive long in this world if she's so trusting.
The girl continued inspecting Wen Ran, but the mont her gaze shifted, she froze. Her eyes locked onto the corpse sprawled on the ground, laying in its own pool of blood. The chair's shattered leg protruded grotesquely from the man's throat. A small squeal escaped her lips as she stumbled back in fright.
"W-What happened to Uncle Fang Jinhai1? What… what happened here, Wen Ran?" she stamred, her voice trembling. Her expression made it clear she couldn't believe he was responsible. Her thoughts were visibly racing, trying to piece together an explanation—one that didn't involve him. He must have tripped and fallen, her wide eyes seed to plead, grasping for anything but the truth.
Wen Ran's fox-like gaze sharpened as he watched her. Naive, he thought. Too naive for a world like this. He could see through her easily, her innocence almost palpable.
"He… he tried to attack ," Wen Ran stamred, feigning shock. "And I dodged, and… and Uncle… he…" He let the words hang, his voice trailing off just enough to sell his act.
The lack of blood on his clothes worked in his favor, lending credibility to his words. He looked like a victim, shaken and helpless.
"No, it's okay. I'll send soone to clean up later. Co with —you can't stay here any longer. From today, you're my personal servant. You'll no longer have to suffer as a slave," she said firmly, her voice carrying a mixture of kindness and authority.
Slave… right, Wen Ran thought, his expression unreadable. The owner of this body truly was a pitiful being. Even if he hadn't died today, he'd have spent the rest of his life shackled to this family… to this girl. And when she stayed young and beautiful, he'd grow old and useless—until she discarded him.
His eyes betrayed none of his displeasure, but his heart bristled with disdain.
The girl tugged him forward, and soon the two of them left the dingy room, ascending a narrow stone staircase. The upper floor was no better—just as worn and decrepit as the one below. The wooden cabin looked ready to collapse at any mont, the roof sagging ominously. The floor was littered with stale crumbs and bits of bread.
So, this was where he lived for fourteen years, Wen Ran mused, his gaze cold and detached.
A mont later, the girl grabbed his hand and led him outside. As Wen Ran stepped into the sunlight, its warmth washed over him for the first ti in what felt like eons. His heart stirred, and he nearly shed a tear—not from sorrow, but from the sheer relief of seeing the light again.
Before him stretched an endless bamboo forest, its erald canopy swaying gently in the breeze. The air here was thick with spirit energy, so dense it felt almost tangible. Wen Ran's sharp gaze scanned the area, his mind racing. This place… it's perfect. If I can sneak out here to cultivate in secret, I'll make rapid progress.
Well, this is good for now, he thought, his expression calm but his thoughts anything but. If I can trick her into providing with resources, my cultivation will skyrocket. I need to push this body to the next stage as soon as possible.
Soon, the two of them left the bamboo forest and approached a small town. A weathered wooden board above the city gate bore a single character: Fang.
The town had an air of modesty, with narrow, winding streets lined by simple wooden houses. But what caught Wen Ran's attention most were the people bustling about. Their clothing was far simpler than what he was accustod to in his previous life.
This is where my new life begins. He took in a deep breath, his eyes burning with determination as he resolved to forge his future in this world.
But just as he stepped forward, the air seed to shift, and a distant voice carried on the wind, chilling him to his core.
[New quest received:]
[Raze the town to the ground]
[Reward: Spirit Ascension Pill]
[Failure will result in death]
[Ti limit: 14 days]
Wen Ran's breath hitched, his sharp gaze locking onto the peaceful town ahead. His heart pounded as the system's command burned vividly before his eyes.
方金海
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