"So boring," Alex muttered with a sigh of disappointment. He had just finished reading a new web novel—not that it was terrible, but he'd already read every type there was. Cultivation, academies, reincarnation, transmigration, even Harems But these days, even the best of ordinary novels couldn't hold his interest.
knock knock
"Brother"
knock knock
"Open the door"
"I know you are awake"
"I already told Mom that you stay up until three in the morning, lost in your web novels."
"BROTHER"
"Ok, if you don't open the door I will tell dad"
Alex swung the door open with a sigh.
"Nia, why are you making such a big deal out of this? It's not even worth bringing up to Dad. Just say what you want already—my three hours of free reading time are about to vanish."
Nia crossed her arms and pouted.
"What else? Give me some pocket money. Mom won't give me any."
"Okey… okey"
I pulled out my wallet and handed her some cash. But even after taking a good amount, she kept staring at me. It was only then that I realized—she wanted more. After a brief moment of hesitation, I handed over my entire wallet.
"Thank you, brother. You're the best brother in the world!" she said, then turned and bolted like a rocket, disappearing before I could say another word.
"What a day," Alex muttered before collapsing into bed. He was already exhausted from binge-reading web novels and drifted off to sleep almost instantly. He just wanted some peace and quiet. So, to get his sister off his back, he came up with an excuse—three hours of "free reading time."
.....
"CRING" "CRING"
The alarm blared loudly, jolting Alex awake. He shot up in bed—only to realize it was already noon. His heart sank. Today was the birthday of his boss's daughter, and every employee had been invited. Missing it could very well cost him his job. Without wasting a second, he sprang out of bed, rushed through a quick shower, and dressed like a proper gentleman. Then, without even grabbing any food, he dashed out the door.
Alex quickly came out of his room.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw that it was raining.
So, he took out an umbrella from his bag and started walking along the side of the road using it.
"Ha….Today is really my unlucky day. I am already late and now this."
(After some moment)
Alex had been walking in the rain for about five minutes. The road was quiet, and water splashed under his shoes as he moved forward.
But while walking on the road he saw something really out of this world. He blinked in disbelief—was that a kid casually strolling across the road while a truck came charging in like it was aiming for a kill?
"Is this one of those classic scenes where the protagonist saves a child and ends up reincarnated in another world?"
The child, wearing a raincoat, didn't see the truck approaching from the side.
He hesitated, not sure what to do. There was no one else around. Should he save the child or not?
But at the very last moment, his humanity won.
"Hey, kid, watch out!" he shouted, his voice laced with panic.
Without hesitation, he threw himself in front of the oncoming truck to save the child.
With a desperate push, he managed to knock the child out of harm's way—but there wasn't enough time to save himself.
The truck showed no mercy. It crushed over Alex like a tomato, and he dropped dead on the spot."
In the end, he saved a life—but never made it to his boss's party.
_______________________
Alex pov
I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by pure white. I couldn't even tell if I was in a room—everything around me was just... Endless white.
"I died… Damn it."
I still couldn't believe it. Just like that, I was gone. My family... my friends... they must be sad.
"Stupid kid…"
I had no idea who that child was, but if I ever saw him again, I'd give him a proper spanking.
"Where were his parents, anyway?"
The whole thing was strange. But I suppose none of it matters anymore.
After all… I'm already dead.
"Is this Afterlife?Where is King Yama or the King of Underworld? Where…. am I? "
I've lost all sense of time—how long have I been trapped here? Endless white stretched in every direction. Then, after what felt like an eternity, a small black dot appeared in the distance. Slowly, it grew larger and larger, until it transformed into a gaping, ominous black hole.
Panic surged through me. Heart pounding, I sprinted desperately through the endless white
"What the hell is that thing? It's freaking terrifying!" I shouted, my heart pounding as I ran for my life. But no matter how fast I run, I couldn't outrun the black hole's relentless expansion. In the end, I was swallowed whole by a massive, sun-like black hole.
I opened my eyes again, but this time, I wasn't in my body. Instead, I found myself engulfed in pure white smoke. Shock surged through me.
What is this? What's happening to me today…?
"Hey man, why did you stop?"
A voice called out from behind me. I turned around and realized I was standing on an ancient, weathered bridge, shrouded in a ghostly mist. The one who had spoken was a figure made entirely of blue smoke, his body flickering like a living flame.
Then I noticed them—countless others, all made of fire, drifting along the bridge like a solemn procession. Are they... souls?
A chill ran through me as realization dawned. Am I in the Underworld?
Pale, ghostly flames flickered along the bridge's edges.
"Come on, man. Walk faster," the blue flame guy urged. "I know you're down about being dead, but we've all got to reincarnate quickly."
Hearing that, I picked up my pace. As we crossed the bridge, I tried to sneak a look over the edge, just out of curiosity. But right before I could see anything, the blue soul suddenly shouted, "Don't look down! Your soul power will get devoured. Those things under the bridge are evil spirits—really dangerous."
I froze on the spot, startled. "Thanks, Brother," I said.
"No problem. You're just a mortal—you wouldn't know this stuff," he replied. "I figured I'd do a good deed or two before reincarnating. Might help my next life."
Mortal?
"Wait… Brother, aren't you a mortal too?" I asked.
He chuckled. "Me? No way. I was a martial artist before I died. I was a transcended level Martial artist. Definitely not a regular person. They used to call me the 'Ascendant Fist.' Ever heard of me?"
"No brother," I said with a Despondent voice.
"Oh? You must be from another planet," the blue soul mused. "What was your world like?"
"It was an ordinary place, brother. There were martial artists... but none too powerful," I answered.
"Ah, a cultivation planet then," the blue soul said knowingly. "They tend to stay hidden. It's not your fault—they always believe they're superior. Still, I hope you choose the Martial World. You know, the current Emperor of Heaven came from there."
"'Emperor of Heaven?'" I tilted my head, confused. I had no idea what that even meant.
The blue soul let out a sigh. "Oh, brother, you really don't know anything, do you? Come on, let's cross this bridge together—I'll fill you in on the basics."
He floated beside me as he spoke. "There are countless planets out there, and just as many universes. Each one has its own power systems. There are knights, cultivators, magicians, summoners, martial artists—you name it. All of them grow stronger in different ways.
"Don't think one system is better than another. A Sword Emperor can go toe-to-toe with a Body Integration Realm cultivator. There's no such thing as a weak path—only weak people who walk it.
"But here's the scary part: right now, the demons are on the rise. They're gaining power across every world. You've got to be careful.
"And one more thing—if the reincarnation system ever offers you the chance to transmigrate, don't take it. Transmigrators are like premium meals to demonic cultivators and demonic humans. They'll turn your body into a pill and devour your soul without a second thought. It is a great medicine for them.
"So remember this, brother—if you ever become a transmigrator, do yourself a favor and die right after. That way, at least you might get another shot at reincarnation."
The blue soul's voice was solemn, deadly serious.