Li Zhen stood in the dimly lit alley, the cold wind biting at his skin, his mind spiraling into darkness. His world had shattered in an instant. His heart throbbed with pain, a hollow ache gnawing at his insides. The woman he had trusted, the one he thought he would spend his life with, had betrayed him in the most unimaginable way.
"You're not good enough for me anymore," her words echoed in his mind, over and over, each repetition cutting deeper than the last. The betrayal stung worse than any physical wound. His hands trembled as he clutched the letter she had left behind, the final nail in the coffin of his broken heart. The words on the paper were cold, detached, and final.
Li Zhen sank to the ground, his body trembling, his mind numb. He had given everything to herâhis trust, his love, his heart. And in return, she had shattered him without a second thought. He was an orphan, abandoned by his parents at a young age, raised in the streets and foster homes, constantly pushed aside. He had never known true family, never felt what it was like to be loved or cared for. She had been his everything, the one person who had made him believe in the possibility of happiness.
Now, he was nothing.
There was no reason to continue, no purpose to his life. He had no family, no friends, and no future. His body was a shell, existing only to endure the torment that life had thrown at him. The last shred of hope was gone. He had nothing left to live for.
Just as he was about to let the darkness swallow him whole, something strange happened. A sudden chill ran down his spine, as though the very air around him had shifted. His heart raced, and his vision blurred. He reached out instinctively, as though something invisible were calling him. And then, the voice appearedâsoft at first, but growing clearer with each passing second.
[Welcome, host.]
Li Zhen blinked in confusion, his mind reeling. He had heard nothing, seen nothing, yet the voice was unmistakable. It was inside his head, resonating with a power that he couldn't comprehend.
[You have been chosen.]
The words rang through him, and a strange sensation washed over his body, as though something was stirring deep inside him. A new force. An unknown power. The emptiness in his heart began to feel⌠filled. He couldn't explain it, but it was as if something had just awakened within him.
A small, glowing panel appeared before his eyes, flickering into existence with the clarity of an ancient scroll. "Celestial Sign-In System" was etched at the top. Below it was a single, glowing button.
[Sign In]
Li Zhen's breath caught in his throat. His mind screamed at him to ignore it, to turn away, to keep wallowing in his despair. But there was something elseâa deep, insistent pull. Something inside him urged him to take the step, to reach out and claim whatever this was.
He reached forward without hesitation and pressed the button.
A sudden surge of warmth enveloped him, followed by a sharp tingling sensation that ran through his veins. His senses sharpened. His heart calmed. His thoughts cleared. In an instant, the pain, the anger, the betrayalâall of it faded, leaving a calm, unshakable focus.
The system's interface flickered again, and a message appeared:
**"Sign-in successful. Reward: [Appearance Enhancement Potion]."
A small vial materialized in front of him, shimmering with a strange, ethereal light. It seemed to hum with energy, beckoning him to drink it.
Without hesitation, Li Zhen uncorked the vial and drank its contents. Immediately, his body felt light, as though he were being cleansed from the inside out. His skin tightened, his features sharpened, and his entire body seemed to transform before his very eyes. His once gaunt face became more defined, his sharp jawline and clear skin giving him an almost supernatural handsomeness. His dull eyes now gleamed with a newfound intensity.
He stared at his reflection in the nearby window, disbelief written all over his face. The broken, heartache-ridden man was gone. In his place stood someone differentâsomeone better. Stronger. More imposing.
Li Zhen's hand clenched into a fist. A new sense of power surged through him. The weight of his past, the betrayal, the endless disappointmentsâall of it seemed so distant now. He wasn't that man anymore. No, he had a chance now. He had a power beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
The voice spoke again, clearer now:
[Congratulations, Host. This is just the beginning. The world is waiting for you.]
Li Zhen looked up at the night sky, his eyes burning with a new determination. He could feel the stirrings of something greater. His life had just begun, and this time, he wouldn't be weak. He wouldn't be the victim. He would take what was rightfully his.