Late at night, the night was dark, and the wind was strong.
A faint light flickered in the dark, boundless field, revealing a small thatched hut upon closer inspection.
A handsome young man lay lazily on a wooden board in the shed, holding a thick book in his hand. He was reading with interest in the dim light. When he reached particularly captivating parts, he felt a surge of excitement but, finding no one to share his feelings with, quickly lost interest.
"Oh, I really yearn for the worlds in these books! Even if they're grand but short-lived, they're still a thousand times better than this repetitive, boring life!"
The boy's name was Ye Yun. He was an orphan in the village. Having lost his parents when he was young, he'd grown up safely with the help of various households until he was 18.
Ye Yun had recently graduated from high school, just barely passing the college entrance exams. After careful consideration, he decided against further study and chose to remain in the village.
The village where Ye Yun lived had vast tracts of fertile farmland. It was summer now, and the fields were full of watermelons. With nothing else to do, Ye Yun took up a night job watching over the melons, introduced to him by the villagers.
From childhood to now, Ye Yun's only passion had been reading online novels. The leisurely nature of his night job provided ample time to indulge in his hobby.
As a seasoned reader with over a decade of experience, Ye Yun had read at least eight hundred novels, if not a thousand. Some of them were close to his heart.
Ye Yun picked up the book in his hand again, eyeing the bold title Devouring the Starry Sky on the cover. A wave of emotions surged within him.
This book had fulfilled all of Ye Yun's fantasies about the universe. He'd not only read it multiple times but even bought a physical copy. It could be said he knew its contents by heart.
Holding the book in one hand, Ye Yun gazed up at the bright moon and let his thoughts drift.
The moon cast its radiant light, accompanied by twinkling stars.
"Strange, why does it feel like this star is getting brighter?"
As Ye Yun watched, the light in the sky intensified. Before he could react, it turned into a golden beam and shot straight into his eyes.
"Damn, did I just get hit by a meteor?! What bad luck!"
Before he lost consciousness, this was Ye Yun's last, helpless thought.
"Ayun, Ayun! Wake up!"
In a daze, Ye Yun heard urgent voices calling out to him. They sounded oddly muted, as if suppressed.
Ye Yun struggled to open his eyes and, blinking groggily, realized he was lying on a desk. He looked around, seeing a small classroom with neatly arranged desks and chairs, rows of curious faces, and a middle-aged man glaring sternly at him.
The sight quickly helped Ye Yun understand his situation: he was in a class and had fallen asleep!
The boy calling him was seated in front and to the left. Once the teacher noticed, the boy stopped. Ye Yun felt that the boy looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place him.
Suddenly, a flood of memories surged into Ye Yun's mind. Unable to process it all at once, he felt an intense pain. Giving in, Ye Yun fainted again and slumped to the floor.
The teacher, initially furious, was stunned by the sudden turn of events. He quickly commanded, "Take him to the infirmary! Luo Feng, Wei Wen, help carry him, and be careful!"
The teacher's calm and swift action settled the panicked students. Luo Feng and Wei Wen stepped forward, carefully lifting Ye Yun and carrying him to the infirmary.
"Teacher, is Ayun okay?"
The boy who had initially alerted Ye Yun asked anxiously.
The infirmary teacher, after a brief examination, reassured him, "Don't worry. He just fainted from excitement; he'll be fine after some rest."
"Luo Feng, Ayun's a strong kid! Although he's not as fit as you, he's still an 'intermediate student' of the martial arts school. His physical condition is excellent, so don't worry too much."
The other boy tried to console Luo Feng, who nodded, though he still looked worried. Ye Yun and Wei Wen were Luo Feng's closest friends in Third High School, so Ye Yun's collapse naturally concerned him.
Lying quietly on the infirmary bed, Ye Yun processed the flood of new memories from his current body. As the memories merged, his own thoughts gradually resurfaced. Although the process wasn't over, it didn't hinder Ye Yun's thinking.
Through the merged memories, Ye Yun realized that he'd been struck by a golden light and transported to the world of Devouring the Stars, a world he'd always longed for.
The person he now inhabited was also named Ye Yun, a close friend of Luo Feng. However, this Ye Yun had no direct counterpart in the original book.
Recalling the earlier classroom scene, Ye Yun inferred that the plot hadn't yet started, and Luo Feng had yet to reveal his potential.
After about half an hour, Ye Yun finally absorbed the last fragments of his host's memories and opened his eyes.
Luo Feng, who'd been observing him, immediately noticed. He stepped forward, helping Ye Yun up with a concerned look. "Ayun, are you okay?"
Looking at the young boy before him, Ye Yun couldn't quite reconcile this fragile figure with the future "Lord of the Galaxy." He smiled and replied, "Luo Feng, I'm fine. Sorry for making you worry!"
By the time school ended in the afternoon, Ye Yun and Luo Feng had thanked the infirmary teacher and left the campus with Wei Wen.
As they walked home together, chatting about school, Luo Feng glanced at Ye Yun and spoke softly. "Ayun, I hope you don't mind, but I need to say this.
In a few months, we have the college entrance exams! You know how crucial it is for families like ours.
If you can get into the First Military Academy, you'll have a great future in the army!
You're doing well, Ayun. If you work hard now, you still have a shot. Just don't slack off!"
Ye Yun understood Luo Feng's meaning. Luo Feng must have seen him dozing in class and thought Ye Yun was slacking off before the exams.
Ye Yun, Luo Feng, and Wei Wen had been close friends since childhood, all from modest backgrounds.
Among them, Luo Feng was undoubtedly the most talented, excelling academically and physically. His fitness level was at the "advanced student" stage, a level reached by only three out of over 5,000 students at their school. The other two came from wealthy backgrounds, emphasizing Luo Feng's exceptional talent.
Compared to Luo Feng, Ye Yun lagged but was still considered above average, between Luo Feng and Wei Wen in both academics and fitness.
For the former Ye Yun, preparing for the college entrance exam and aiming for military academy was the most realistic path.
However, Ye Yun now understood that Luo Feng didn't yet realize the true state of Earth or that martial prowess would be essential for survival.
Since Luo Feng hadn't experienced the college entrance setback yet, Ye Yun refrained from explaining too much. Instead, he wrapped an arm around his friends' shoulders and joked, "Don't worry about me, Luo Feng! The college entrance exam isn't the only path. Who knows? Maybe I'll become a 'warrior' before then!"
Wei Wen rolled his eyes and laughed, "Come on, with just over 500 kg in punching strength, becoming a 'warrior' is a bit of a stretch! Luo Feng might make it, but you?"
Luo Feng, however, sensed a new confidence in Ye Yun's words. Something about him seemed different after the incident.
Indeed, Ye Yun wasn't joking. He now had a chance to pursue greatness with a mysterious talent granted by the golden light that had brought him here.
In the infirmary, after merging with his memories, Ye Yun had sensed the power of this golden light. Not only had it transported him, but it had also endowed him with a unique talent.
Humans, inherently, had no natural secret skills. But this gift made Ye Yun believe that with his newfound ability, he too could secure a place in the universe.