Dawn broke swiftly. At the Moonlight Empire's camp, the general's command tent brimmed with royalty, commanders, and great scholars from the five empires: Moonlight Empire, Land of the Ancestors, Tian Tzu Empire, The Domain of Chromatica, and Great Prosperian Dominion.
Aurelius Brightblade, commander, sat at the head.
"Everyone knows the phenomenon's scale. The immortal sects have sent agents here, the demon clans have sneaked in monsters, and Central Continent eyes us greedily. This is an internal matter for our five empires. I want no external interference. Your thoughts?"
"Land of the Ancestors fully agrees."
"Tian Tzu Empire concurs."
"Great Prosperian Dominion and The Domain of Chromatica agree. But if we detect outside interference, this alliance ends."
Aurelius Brightblade nodded, standing.
"A word is worth a thousand gold. Let's divide tasks and ensure no foreign elements intervene."
After consensus, Aurelius Brightblade produced the flag.
"As you know, a massive fog envelops a twenty-mile radius around Strong Bull Mountain. No one can penetrate beyond five miles. Reports describe dense mist, disorienting directions, and impassable paths. Forcing through only loops you back out, as if a boundary separates inside from out. This flag, taken from the phenomenon's epicenter last night, can guide someone from the center outward—and likely inward too. Scholars can't divine its secrets; the heavenly will is too obscure. This may be the most dangerous place yet. Prepare yourselves."
Silence fell.
A Moonlight Empire royal spoke.
"We've agreed to send royal princes and princesses to search, up to fifty people. Moonlight Empire claims fourteen slots. Any objections?"
A scholar interjected.
"May I examine the flag?"
…
The sun rose to its zenith.
At Three-Tiger Manor, specifically in the rear courtyard, a young man lay on a bed, hugging a pillow, sleeping soundly.
Understandable—the room was chilly, the bedding warm, and last night's late hours and exertion had taken their toll.
A gentle breeze carried fresh air, birdsong, blooming flowers' scents, and the exhilarating openness of high altitudes amid a sea of white clouds. Sunshine, sounds, everything outside screamed perfection, urging not to miss it.
"Oh, feels so good… What time is it? Sunday, right?"
Noah felt warm, cozy. Squirming in bed, he thought.
House is so quiet today… What time is it? Probably early…
By habit, Noah reached for the bedside table to grab his phone. Groped endlessly—no table.
"Where's the table? It's not that far… Phone… phone…"
Opened his eyes.
"Where am I?"
Lay on the bed.
Strange ceiling, strange bed. The only familiar thing was the clothes on his body.
Last night… Looked around. No one.
"System?"
A soft, playful, energetic feminine voice, neither near nor far, answered his idle question.
"Omnipotent Support System activated. Please select a function."
Stared at the stat summary panel. So, yesterday wasn't a dream. I really transmigrated—body and all. And got a system with a Windows-like interface.
Closed eyes, tried recalling everything.
What a nightmare…
"System, where is this?"
"Host hasn't unlocked this function. Level up to access. Current permissions limit queries to manor-related issues."
"Your voice changed from yesterday… Hmm, open notifications."
"Initialization Progress 3/5: Friendly Interface unlocked. Interface customized to host's preferences. Complete.
Initialization Progress 4/5: Multilingual Setup successful. Host can now understand local languages.
Initialization Progress 5/5: Manor Control Functions unlocked. Host can set manor rules."
Curious, Noah stepped to the door. Outside, warm sunlight, a clear blue sky, and a sea of white clouds below.
A vast, boundless view.
Stunning…
"I'm on a mountain. A really high one."
"The manor's changed… Where are the bodies?"
The System's feminine voice chimed.
"Damaged and outdated items were discarded behind the mountain, per the manor's old regulations."
The tone and content made Noah's heart twitch.
"Thrown behind the mountain? All of them? Is that okay? Dumping stuff like that into the environment?"
The System's tone shifted—still feminine but slower, more serious, reliable.
"Rest assured, host. This process has been standard for centuries, and all is well. Those items will decompose in a few years, merging with nature, returning to Mother Earth."
Noah, speechless, felt his worldview warp.
"What kind of disposal method is that…?"
The feminine voice, now firm and confident, replied.
"The System followed the manor's customs precisely, with no errors."
This world felt too brutal, too primitive. Shook his head.
"This realm's too savage…"
Mentioning the realm sparked a critical thought.
"What about my original world? My parents? I want to go home…"