Michael had always been invincible. For years, his name spread fear across continents, whispered in the dark corners of the underworld. He had killed more than a thousand evil men—criminals, warlords, drug lords, assassins, and kidnappers alike. At just 25, he was a master of his craft, unparalleled in skill, speed, and precision. His methods were cold, ruthless, and efficient. His code was simple: the world was better without certain people, and he was the one to make that happen.
Tonight had been no different. Michael wiped the blood from his blade after dealing with a group of human traffickers. His AMT Hardballer with its suppressor still felt warm in his hands as he returned to his apartment, locking the door behind him. The adrenaline from the night's work still hummed through his veins. But the moment he lay on his bed, exhaustion washed over him.
Just as he began drifting into sleep, a searing pain struck his chest. His hand instinctively shot to his heart. His pulse slowed dramatically as his breath became shallow.
"What the hell...?" Michael thought. Panic was not a sensation he was familiar with. He had faced death many times, but never his own.
He tried to rise from the bed, but his limbs were paralyzed, frozen in place. As the pain intensified, the world around him darkened, his vision narrowing until he could only see black. His heartbeat, once so strong and steady, began to fade.
"Is this... the end?"
The thought lingered as his vision turned to nothing, and with one last, shallow breath, Michael's world went silent. He felt himself slipping away, drifting into the unknown.
But then… something strange happened.
He opened his eyes.
The smell of fresh earth and the sound of birdsong greeted him. Michael blinked several times, disoriented. Above him, the branches of a massive tree swayed gently in the wind, leaves dancing in the sunlight. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and he could hear the rustling of animals moving through the underbrush. He sat up abruptly, his assassin instincts immediately kicking in.
"Where the hell am I?"
He scanned his surroundings. He was lying in the middle of a forest, unlike anything he had ever seen. The air was clean and fresh. The trees were towering, their trunks as thick as cars, and the flora around him looked vibrant, almost glowing. It was beautiful—too beautiful.
"Is this Heaven? It sure as hell doesn't look like Hell."
Before he could make sense of it, a strange, translucent screen popped up in front of him. It was as if some invisible device had projected it, and for the first time in his life, Michael felt truly startled.
"What the—"
His assassin training quickly kicked in, and he calmed himself. After all, he'd seen stranger things in his life. But still… a virtual screen? In the middle of nowhere?
A voice suddenly spoke from the screen, smooth and neutral. "Host, welcome to Earth 69."
"Earth 69? What the hell kind of name is that?" Michael thought, his brows furrowing. His sharp eyes scanned the details on the screen as the voice continued.
"Host, you have died on Earth and have been given another chance to live in a new world due to your good deeds, despite the path you walked."
"Good deeds?" Michael smirked. That was a stretch. Sure, he killed criminals and murderers, but calling them "good deeds"? He wasn't exactly an angel. Still, he wasn't going to argue with a second chance.
The voice continued, unfazed by his skepticism. "In this world, you are once again free to live as you see fit. You are not bound by anyone's command. You are a freelancer, and I, the System, will assist you in this new life."
"System?" Michael muttered aloud. "Great, now I'm talking to a computer program. What is this, a video game?"
The screen flickered, showing a detailed map of the area. Michael ignored it for a moment. "Hey, System," he said, feeling a bit ridiculous, "who exactly are you? And why am I here?"
"You may refer to me as 'System.' My purpose is to guide and assist you. As for why you are here, that is for you to discover."
"Cryptic much?" Michael thought but kept his mouth shut. He'd figure it out sooner or later. He had always been a man of action, not words.
The System's voice chimed again. "Before you begin your journey, I have provided you with items from your previous life. They will aid you in this world."
In front of him, a shimmering light appeared, and all of his weapons and tools materialized. His trusted AMT Hardballer, with its suppressor gleaming in the sunlight, rested atop a pile of his other assassination gear. Beside it was his prized knife, the Obsidian Blade, infused with diamond particles—sharp enough to cut through steel like butter.
Then there was something new. A small, silver ring.
"This is a Storage Ring," the System explained. "You can store items within it by placing a drop of your blood on it."
Michael arched an eyebrow. "A magic ring, huh? Why not? This whole place feels like something out of a fantasy novel anyway."
He bit his finger, letting a small drop of blood fall onto the ring. It absorbed the blood instantly and gave a faint shimmer. Michael slipped it onto his middle finger, feeling a slight hum of power from it.
He tested it out by placing his AMT Hardballer inside. The gun vanished, stored within the ring. "Not bad," he thought. "This could be useful."
With his weapons secured, Michael stood and found a set of black robes lying next to his gear. They resembled the clothes worn by martial artists or, as he guessed, cultivators from the ancient Eastern legends. He changed into them, tying a red belt around his waist, and stored his Earth clothes in the ring.
"System," Michael called out, "where the hell am I supposed to go from here?"
The screen flickered again, this time showing more detailed information. A mission screen. His first task.
"Your first mission is to kill a man named Lin Yu. He is corrupt and has chosen the Demonic path. He is the lord of Xianwu Province, and he rules with fear."
A picture of Lin Yu appeared on the screen. Michael studied it, committing the face to memory.
"Finally, a familiar job," Michael said, cracking a rare smile. "I get to kill someone."
He tapped the screen, closing it, and looked toward the East where the System had marked Xianwu Province. Without another word, he took off, running through the forest with an agility he hadn't expected.
"Must be the perks of this new world."
As he moved, he realized he could feel the flow of energy—Qi—through his body, guiding his movements like he had trained in martial arts for years.
"Alright, Lin Yu, let's see if you're ready to meet your end."
The hunt had begun.
To be Continued...