The cold feeling of death still lingered in the depths of Karl Wright's mind as he regained his consciousness bit by bit. His last moments were not too clear, an explosion and a searing pain, then nothing. And as of now, as his senses slowly returned, he realized that he was no longer the towering, respected CEO of one of the largest companies in the world.
He tried to move a little, but his limbs didn't feel alive. He could feel the weight of something he didn't know something new to him, a weakness he had never known before. It wasn't just about the physical frailty, he had been cast into a different life, an entirely different existence. He could hardly remember how he got so weak.
Shutting open his eyes, Karl, or was it Chen Wei now? Glanced up at the simple ceiling above him. Wooden beams and dust particles floated around in the sunlight that filtered in through a small, cracked window. The room was sparse, almost primitive compared to the luxurious penthouse and corporate offices he was used to. His surroundings were foreign, and panic began to creep into his chest.
No… this couldn't be happening. He was Karl Wright, the ruthless CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire. He had clawed his way from nothing, outsmarted rivals, and defeated enemies with nothing but his intellect and sheer willpower. He had been untouchable. And yet, here he was, in a strange body, in a strange place. It didn't make sense.
Sitting up with difficulty, Karl felt the weight of the body he now inhabited. Small. Weak. Too young. He could feel the soft, frail skin of a child no more than ten years old. Gone was his towering stature, his chiseled physique, his sharp features. Instead, he was staring down at a soft, innocent face. His hands were delicate, his fingers too small to ever hold the power he once commanded.
His breathing quickened, panic rising within him. This was impossible. There had to be some mistake. A second chance at life… it sounded like a cruel joke. Was this some twisted dream, a hellish afterlife where he was doomed to suffer the loss of everything he had built?
As the fog cleared from his mind, the fragments of memories started to piece together. The betrayal. The faces of those he had once trusted, the people who had once called him their friend. His most loyal employees, the ones who had stood by him during his rise to the top, were the same people who had orchestrated his downfall. They had planned his death. They had used him, manipulated him, and when the time came to rid themselves of him, they had pulled the trigger literally and figuratively.
The explosion had been a part of their plan. The betrayal had been swift, the final blow to the man who had once ruled the corporate world with an iron fist.
But now, none of that mattered. Chen Wei was no longer that man. In this new life, in this new body, there was no empire to command. No business world to rule. No boardrooms to dominate. He was so powerless, a child in a strange world.
He stood shakily, using the framework of the bed for support, and made his way over to the small mirror on the wall. The reflection that greeted him was not one he recognized. The face was his, but it was a stranger's face at the same time. The eyes were the same, but not sharp and calculating, and the youthful features were innocent, a vulnerability he would never show as a businessman. His hair was messy, unkempt, and rough but there was a certain softness to it, unlike the perfectly styled mane he had once worn. The boy staring back at him seemed fragile and insignificant. The powerful intimidating CEO who had once walked through boardrooms like a king was now trapped in a child's body.
What had happened to him? How had this happened? Was this some twisted form of karma, some punishment for his ruthlessness in his past life? Or was it simply a cruel trick of fate?
His mind raced as he tried to think of it all. He had been betrayed and killed, and now he was here as a young boy named Chen Wei, in a world that felt both unfamiliar and strangely familiar. The memories of his previous life clung to him like a second skin. He could still recall the corporate jargon, the strategies, the mergers and acquisitions that had made him an untouchable titan in his past world. But none of that mattered now. What was he supposed to do here?
His new body was a stark contrast to the sharp, calculated power he once wielded. He needed to survive. He needed to adapt. But where did he even begin?
Taking a deep breath, he glanced around the small room. The bed, the simple wooden desk, and the thin curtains that fluttered in the breeze. The room lacked any signs of luxury or wealth, unlike the one in his former life. This wasn't a high-rise penthouse. It wasn't even an average middle-class home. This was a life of poverty. A life that didn't even begin to compare to the world he had come from.
But something about it brought out a sense of determination within him. He had been brought here for a reason. This wasn't just some random twist of fate. This was his second chance. And he wasn't going to let it slip away.
He looked at the small, delicate hands that had once belonged to a child in this new life. They were his hands now, but that didn't mean he had to be weak. He had once conquered the corporate world using nothing but his intellect and his ability to manipulate others. Surely, that same mind could find a way or path to rise above the limitations of his new life. He had been given another shot, and he would not squander it.
It was time to turn this weakness into strength.
He made his way to the small window and pushed the curtains aside. Outside, the world was quiet. A few scattered buildings, dirt roads, and fields stretched out into the distance. This was not the bustling metropolis he had once known, the city filled with skyscrapers, luxury, and power. No, this was something else a small town, perhaps, somewhere far from the influence he had once wielded. The thought hit him hard. He was alone. There was no boardroom to control, no empire to dictate.
But that didn't matter.
Karl Wright, in this new form, would carve his path in this new world. He had once started with nothing and built an empire. This time, he had even less, but that didn't matter. He had the one thing that could never be taken from him, his mind. And he would use it, as he had before, to shape his destiny.