Chu Yi lay motionless on the ground, staring up at the sky. This place was completely different from the world he was familiar with. The air was incredibly fresh, sometimes tinged with a faint, sweet fragrance. The sky was a pure, flawless blue, and the grass beneath him was soft and comfortable, like it had come from a fairyland. He tried to move his body, and aside from a faint pain in his back, he felt no major injuries. Looking around, he saw a lush green forest stretching around him, with mountains in the distance. The air carried a soothing, peaceful vibe, making him feel inexplicably calm, but soon after, a wave of confusion swept over him. "Where... is this?" he asked softly to himself.
He quickly checked his body and discovered that he was wearing an ancient-style robe. Questions piled up in his mind. As he stood up, he noticed that the grass beneath his feet was as soft as a massive blanket. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Countless possible explanations flashed through his mind—Did I die?
Thinking back to that morning... The sunlight filtered through thick curtains, faintly shining into the room. Chu Yi had grown accustomed to this kind of life. He opened his eyes, and the time on his phone read exactly 6:30 a.m. As expected, the harsh alarm clock rang on time. He reflexively reached out to slap the alarm off and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Another day of 996..." he muttered softly.
As a programming technician, his life had no real ups or downs. Every day felt like a prearranged script—work, overtime, home, sleep, and more overtime. He couldn't even remember the last time he took a day off. Time seemed disconnected from him. Even meals were rushed; he'd grab a piece of bread on his way to work. While eating cheap instant noodles, he stared at the long lines of code on his computer screen. The only "pleasure" in his life was writing code. Though it was monotonous, the smooth logic of it still gave him a small sense of comfort.
By the afternoon, it was the annual cleaning day, a day when everyone cleaned out the company's storage area. Chu Yi, reluctantly wearing protective gear and a heavy mask, entered the "dump" of discarded items. The air was pungent, a mix of decay and industrial waste, making him nauseous. He thought to himself that after every year's cleaning day, he couldn't even finish his meal properly. The more he thought about it, the more disgusted he became. But to keep his job, he had no choice. He carefully stepped over mountains of cluttered files, preparing to deal with a pile of old electronic equipment. Suddenly, the cardboard box beneath his feet shifted, and he lost his balance, falling backward. A sharp pain shot through his back, as if a mountain of junk had crashed down on top of him. He tried to struggle, but he was pinned beneath the debris, nearly immobilized. His vision blurred, and the sounds around him faded, slowly drifting into silence as he felt himself losing consciousness. His breathing became labored, and his chest felt as though it was being crushed by a heavy weight. He thought, I... don't want to die yet...
In the instant that he lost consciousness, it felt as though Chu Yi entered an endless void of darkness. Everything around him was pitch black, not even the smallest sound could be heard. Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation. The darkness around him gradually faded, replaced by a soft glow. The light flickered and took the shape of a door. On the other side of the door was a strange new world. He felt his body being drawn into the door, and the sensation of weightlessness made his head spin. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on unfamiliar grass, the sunlight bright and the air fresh. Birds chirped, and insects buzzed in the distance.
He stood up, confused, and began walking along a small path. After walking for a while, the landscape in front of him opened up, revealing a small village. The houses were built from wood and stone, presenting a rustic, medieval style. Some tents made from cloth or straw could be seen around the edges. "This doesn't seem like hell, nor heaven, and certainly not like the city I lived in..." Chu Yi smiled bitterly to himself. The architectural style was nothing like what he had known. He sighed softly, still struggling to accept this reality. After walking for about half an hour, he finally arrived at the village. In the village, a few farmers were busy working, oxen pulling wooden carts slowly along the road, while women washed clothes by the well.
Chu Yi approached, hoping to find some clues, but the villagers seemed unconcerned with his presence, though they were not particularly warm either. An old man walked past him, nodding slightly and offering a kind smile, saying, "Young man, keep going!" Chu Yi smiled politely in return, but in his mind, he was confused. What does this old man mean? Why is he cheering me on?
Just as he was about to ask about the situation, a loud noise suddenly came from the distance.
Boom! The deafening explosion shattered Chu Yi's thoughts and sense of ease. He instinctively turned his head and saw a figure, looking like a middle schooler, with fiery red light rising from behind, like burning flames. "What is this?" Chu Yi widened his eyes in disbelief. As a technician, he had never seen such a "supernatural" phenomenon, nor had he ever imagined witnessing such exaggerated magic or sorcery. The scene looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it was all too real. As he got closer, he overheard the crowd discussing excitedly.
"Unbelievable! The moment they awakened their spiritual power, they broke through to a first-level spirit master! Our village is going to be famous!" Chu Yi overheard the murmurs.
Spiritual power? Chu Yi guessed, stepping closer.
"Next! You, come up!" A burly man called out, pointing at Chu Yi.
Me? Chu Yi was startled and confused, not understanding what was happening. Where am I? Who am I? Several questions flashed through his mind. But before he could react, he was half-pushed onto the stage by the villagers. In front of him stood a massive crystal stone. "Start awakening. Place your hands on the spirit stone," the man instructed. Chu Yi instinctively placed his hands on the stone.
"My hands are so small?" Chu Yi thought in confusion. Just as he was zoning out, a villager from the crowd suddenly shouted, "Garbage! Garbage!"
"Two points of spiritual power. Next!" The man announced.
After leaving the noisy crowd, Chu Yi found a quieter spot and began to contemplate what was happening. Glancing down at a small puddle nearby, he was startled to see that he appeared to be in a completely unfamiliar form, looking like a boy only around thirteen or fourteen years old. Did I... cross over? Did I possess this child's body? Chu Yi began trying to convert everything he saw into a form his mind could accept. After thinking for a while, his emotions began to settle. He thought to himself that if spiritual power was the foundation of this world, then surviving here would be a great challenge for him. He had to find a path suitable for himself, or in this world of power, he would have nothing.
Chu Yi made an effort to calm himself. He tried to reason with his brain, using all the logical explanations he could accept. He forced himself to believe that crossing over to this world was not a coincidence. Perhaps it was a second chance given to him by the heavens, or maybe there were more mysteries waiting to be solved. He reasoned that this world's "spiritual power" might have its own rules, just like the code in programming. He made a firm decision: no matter how unfamiliar this world was, he would find his own way out. The future was filled with uncertainties, but a flicker of hope ignited within him.