April 25, 2025.
Earth(PU1144077)
In a small room, a boy sat at his desk, working lazily on his homework. His silver-gray bangs partially obscured his blue eyes. Wearing a casual white sports T-shirt and shorts, he exuded a languid air.
Luo Tianfan finished his homework with a relaxed, nonchalant attitude, then straightened his posture. Spreading his hands, he exclaimed loudly, "That's it? That's all?"
"So this is what they call Level 7 English? I thought it would be much harder."
He stood up, stretched, and turned to glance at the clock.
"It's already evening," Luo Tianfan muttered with a slight sigh as he walked out of the room.
What greeted him was a gloomy and oppressive living space—a shabby wooden table with three mismatched chairs, a dusty floor, a sofa draped with a white sheet, and a dirty kitchen. The state of the room was so pitiful that even a dog would shake its head in disapproval.
Luo Tianfan shook his head and sighed deeply. "Was my predecessor out of his mind when he chose this dump?"
Yes, Luo Tianfan wasn't originally from this world. Before his transmigration, he was a recent graduate full of hope for the future, only to die in a sudden car accident.
When he first arrived in this world, he panicked, screamed, and thought that he had been kidnapped. As memories of his previous life gradually surfaced in his mind, Luo Tianfan began to calm down and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.
From the environment, he realized that his living conditions and family's financial situation were far worse than his previous life.
He sighed inwardly at his bad luck and, with no better options, turned on his phone to gather information. That's when he discovered today's date: April 25, 2025.
A thousand curses flooded his mind. At first, he'd thought he could use his knowledge from his previous life to exploit the information gap and achieve financial freedom.
He smirked bitterly, while swiping open the phone's camera. Looking into the lens, he realized that he had not crossed over in body, but rather that his soul had entered a parallel world, inhabiting an alternate version of himself.
From being a handsome young man to this malnourished, scrawny figure. The stark contrast initially led him to believe that there might be some aftereffects from his sudden transition.
Seeing his frail appearance, Luo Tianfan couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. For a moment, he almost smashed the old phone in his hand but soon, quickly restrained himself.
He is broke after all, breaking his phone would surely leave him crying in the bathroom.
He quietly pulled out a chair, sat down, and stroked his chin, lost in thought: "Having crossed over to an alternate version of myself, with a nightmare beginning—perhaps I'm holding the script of a typical male protagonist in a wish-fulfilling novel?"
The more Luo Tianfan thought about it, the brighter his eyes became. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "System! Yes! A must-have for any wish-fulfilling novel!"
Feeling a dull ache in his leg, he absentmindedly rubbed it while calling out for the system in his mind. As time passed slowly, he was met only with the silence of the space around him.
Unconvinced, Luo Tianfan began making various hand gestures and engaging in reckless behavior to try and activate the system.
After a while, he collapsed onto the floor, staring up at the dilapidated ceiling, gasping for air: "Huh, huh, where in the world is my system?!"
Luo Tianfan felt as if he were on the brink of despair, his gaze dim and lifeless. "What to do, what to do..."
He muttered to himself, searching for various solutions, his voice growing softer until he trembled and whispered, "Am I really going to have to work like a beast of burden? No way!"
With a shiver, Luo Tianfan managed to rise to his feet, trying to sort through the chaos in his mind.
He brushed off the dust from his clothes, took a deep breath, and finally sighed softly: "Well, I guess I'll just take it one step at a time..."
He wore a helpless look, as if he had just suffered a significant loss in a business deal. Luo Tianfan scanned his surroundings again, ultimately fixing his gaze on the textbook resting on the table.
Curiosity got the better of him, he approached the desk and picked up the book: "English Textbook 9? Huh? Me?"
Luo Tianfan was taken aback, pointing at himself in disbelief, clearly embodying the reputation of a notorious underachiever. He silently rubbed his chin, pondering that something felt off.
"Ugh. Wait a minute, I'm still in school?" Gradually, he leaned against his forehead, finally realizing something was amiss. He understood that the biggest problem with his existence was about to surface.
Luo Tianfan slumped into the rickety wooden chair, closed his eyes, and delved into the dark sea of his consciousness. He tried to recall the past memories of his predecessor but came up empty-handed.
He could only scratch his head and mutter, "Forget it, forget it. What's the point of remembering my past? Right now, I just need to confirm whether I am Luo Tianfan."
Luo Tianfan glanced around the room, searching for his bag. He crouched down, peering under the desk, only to shake his head in disappointment.
After a thorough search, his gaze landed on the bed—more precisely, the space beneath it. He leaned down, peering under the bed, and there it was: his bag.
"Who puts their bag under the bed? Seriously?" he grumbled as he retrieved it.
While muttering in complaints, he opened the bag and started rummaging for clues about his identity.
"Exam papers, exam papers... Got it!" His eyes lit up as he saw his name.
Name: Luo Tianfan. Class: 10-B.
"This is enough. This is enough." He exhaled in relief, patting his chest. For a moment, he had worried he had stolen someone else's body. Although technically this was his parallel counterpart, it still felt strange.
But there was nothing he could do about it. After dying, he had unwittingly crossed over into his own alternate self, and it wasn't up to him to dictate the terms.
Returning to the present, while Luo Tianfan had some guesses about his origins, the clues were far too scarce.
He could only plan to continue searching in the future. Looking out the window at the scenery, he sighed in relief and muttered, "At least I didn't transmigrate into some bizarre horror world or a post-apocalyptic wasteland."
To him, surviving in such worlds had about the same probability as pulling a 5-star character in a gacha game. At least this starting point wasn't too bad.
Luo Tianfan walked to the kitchen, pulled open the refrigerator, and took a look at its contents.
"Tch, completely empty. How did this body even survive up till now?" he muttered, scratching his head and shutting the fridge door. Scanning the kitchen, his eyes lit up when they landed on a fishing rod leaning against the cabinet.
"A fishing rod? Could it be that the previous owner of this body was a fisherman?" Luo Tianfan picked up the rod, crouched down to inspect the cabinet, and found a small bottle of bait balls inside.
He picked up the fishing rod and grabbed the jar of bait balls, then turned to lock the door behind him. As Luo Tianfan stepped outside, he curiously surveyed his surroundings. "Hmm, the eerie staircase fits my stereotypical impression of this place."
He hurried down the stairs, fearful that some terrifying creature might be chasing him from behind. Once outside, he looked around and noticed that, although it was night, there were very few people around.
"Hmm, even though it's late, the lack of people is quite unusual," Luo Tianfan muttered to himself.
"Maybe this time-space has its own cultural quirks. After all, in my original world, the streets were lively even at night."
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he opened the map to search for nearby rivers where fishing was permitted.
"About 200 meters away, that river should do."
As he walked down the street, he curiously glanced at the various shops around him. A number of people hurried past, moving quickly as if they were in a rush. Although Luo Tianfan was intrigued by their haste, he didn't dwell on it. After all, perhaps they had urgent matters to attend to, or maybe it was simply their habit to walk quickly.
When he reached the vicinity of the river, he spotted a metal sign. Curiosity got the hang out of Luo Tianfan, he leaned closer to examine what was written on it.
"Fishing rules for Day and Night"
Luo Tianfan muttered to himself, staring in confusion at the metal sign. Why did it contain a list of rules? Were these some kind of strange tales? Although perplexed, he continued to read.
When you encounter an old man wearing a fishing hat in the morning, you must greet him.If you catch trash in the morning, you are not allowed to throw it back into the river!If you meet another fisherman in the morning, do not engage in conversation!If you reel in a dead fish at night, quickly feed it to a nearby black cat!If you see fish jumping out of the river at night, run quickly!If you encounter a "person" at night, do not look at him! Quickly run home and lock the door!If you meet the old man in a fishing hat in the morning or at night, protect him!
Luo Tianfan took a step back after finishing the list, a chill running down his spine. The cold night wind made his skin crawl. He hesitated, debating whether to fish now or wait until morning. Touching his growling stomach, he clenched his teeth.
"Damn it, even if ghosts show up, they won't stop me from catching dinner!"
With a firm gaze, he took a step forward, only to pull back again.
"Maybe... I should come back tomorrow.. Hunger is bad, but taking unnecessary risks is worse."
Nodding at his own wisdom, a spark of cleverness in Luo Tianfan's eyes, reminiscent of the wise expression that might be displayed by Theresa from Honkai Impact 3rd. (◎—◎ゞ
Just as he was about to head back, he unexpectedly bumped into an invisible wall. Clutching his nose, he cursed, "What the hell did I just hit?!"
Rubbing his nose, he reached out and touched what felt like an unseen barrier. Luo Tianfan's expression froze.
"Huh? I haven't even gotten to the river yet. Why am I already stuck in these cursed rules?!"
He stormed back to the metal sign, glaring at it as if it had betrayed him. (ಠ益ಠ) Circling the area, he found another hidden line of text.
Once you've read the rules, you must either catch a fish or kill the rule enforcer to leave.
"This is such bullsh—!" Luo Tianfan's mind went blank.
"And killing the rule enforcer? I don't even know what they are, but they're probably the creatures that created these cursed rules!"
He frustratedly scratched his head and paced back and forth before reluctantly heading toward the river. Wearing an helpless expression. (´д`)
Arriving at the riverbank, he surveyed his surroundings and noticed he was all alone. While it was just him, he didn't mind; after all, fewer people meant fewer troubles.
He sat on a rock by the river, fishing rod in hand, and cast his line into the water. Time passed slowly as Luo Tianfan anxiously scanned his surroundings, fearing that some creature might launch a surprise attack. When he felt a tug on the line, he excitedly rubbed his hands together.
"Hehe, finally! I can't wait any longer!" He grasped the fishing rod with both hands and pulled back. Only to reel in... an old, waterlogged boot.
He expressionlessly re-baited the hook, cast the line again, and continued waiting. As time drifted by, the surrounding environment gradually grew quiet, the chirping of crickets ceasing at some point. Luo Tianfan sensed something was off, but could only wait helplessly.
As he waited silently, he began to chant quietly. The eerie atmosphere made his hair stand on end, and whenever fear gripped him, he found solace in this habitual recitation.
"Amitabha, may Guanyin Bodhisattva protect me, Amitabha." He pressed his palms together, chanting as he widened his eyes to survey the surroundings. (¤﹏¤)
Hehehe.
A chilling, eerie laughter echoed beside Luo Tianfan's ears, causing his face to turn pale.
(＠益＠;)
He quickly turned his head from side to side, with his palms pressed together in prayer as he continued to chant.
Suddenly, The fishing rod gave a tug. Luo Tianfan looked around in sheer panic. He gulped, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Taking a deep breath, he gripped the rod tightly and pulled with all his might.
The moment he saw what had been reeled in, the world seemed to darken, and he nearly passed out from fright. ((유益유|||))
"An eyeball? What the hell?! How did I even catch that?!" Luo Tianfan froze, his body rigid as though the abyss itself was devouring him. Џ(ºДºџ)
His heart raced wildly as he tried to quell his rising anxiety. Taking deep breaths, he shielded his eyes with one hand (つ﹏<.) and hurriedly pried the eyeball off the hook, shoving it into the old wading shoe from earlier.
Luo Tianfan gasped for air again, trembling as he cast his line once more. Soon enough, the eerie laughter returned. The mist began to creep in along the riverbank, sending chills down his spine. He stood up abruptly, grasping a wooden stick from the ground.
Swallowing nervously, he scanned his surroundings, sweat soaking the back of his T-shirt. ゞ◎Д◎ヾ
Hehehe.
Luo Tianfan froze in place, petrified. The sinister, bone-chilling laughter was so close now.
Slowly, he turned toward the source, his movements stiff and mechanical. Through the mist, he spotted a shadowy figure waving at him in a disturbingly strange manner.
Luo Tianfan: (:.;゜;益;゜;)
On the verge of tears, he raised the wooden stick in trembling hands and pointed it toward the shadow. "Stay back! Stay back! STAY BACK!" he shouted, stomping his foot for emphasis.
The shadow continued waving, its eerie laughter reverberating through the mist. As though it's laughing at Luo Tianfan's performance.
Then the fishing rod jerked again. Luo Tianfan found himself caught in a dilemma—he had to keep an eye on the ominous shadow, fearing it might attack, while also retrieving his catch, which might hold the key to escaping this nightmarish situation.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Tianfan glared at the shadow and growled, "Damn it! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"
He raised his middle finger at the shadow (凸艹益艹), then firmly grabbed the rod with both hands and pulled with all his strength.
"Huh?" Whatever was hooked this time wasn't coming up as easily as before. Unlike the previous two attempts, it fought back. Luo Tianfan's eyes lit up in excitement. This time, he finally had something!
Keeping his gaze locked on the shadow (ಠ皿ಠ), Luo Tianfan struggled against the resistance, his face turning red with effort. He couldn't afford to let his guard down. The moment the shadow moved, he needed to react immediately and grab the wooden stick.
At last, he hauled his catch closer. He didn't know what it was yet—maybe it wasn't even a fish—but he needed to confirm it first. There was no way he would take his eyes off the shadow. He was certain that the instant he looked away, it would strike.
Carefully, he tugged the line closer while maintaining a death stare at the shadow. When his fingers brushed against something slick and cold, his heart leapt. "Finally! The slimy fish scales, the icy, firm texture—"
'Wait. Why did my hand sting slightly?'
Something felt off. Luo Tianfan instinctively glanced at his hand. He after all was not a ruthless man by nature; anyone with a bit of courage would fix their gaze on the shadow, no matter how much it hurt.
Raising his hand, he saw a fish clamped tightly onto his thumb, its sharp teeth digging into his flesh. "So you've turned the tables, huh?"
He glared fiercely at the fish (▀̿益▀̿ ̿), grabbed the bait bottle, and brought it down with a heavy smash.
The fish was as tenacious as it was vicious. Its eyes twitched, and it struggled fiercely, biting down even harder. Luo Tianfan panicked, hammering at the fish with increasing intensity. Until, Finally, the fish couldn't hold on any longer and rolled over, its eyes going blank.
"What a tenacious little bastard," he muttered angrily. Blood dripped from his thumb, but he paid it no mind. Time was of the essence.
He quickly stuffed the fish and bait jar into his bag, then he picked up the fishing rod. As he was about to pick up the wooden stick, Luo Tianfan's body stiffened.
The moonlight illuminated the smooth ripples in the river, casting an utterly terrifying smile upon the water—a grin so twisted it seemed to stretch all the way to the ears.
As this "person" opened its mouth, revealing rows upon rows of jagged fangs, ready to bite, down.
Luo Tianfan's pupils constricted slightly. At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of terror.
Adrenaline surged through his body as he gritted his teeth, mustered all his strength in his legs, and forcefully rolled his scrawny frame out of harm's way.
Having narrowly dodged the attack, Luo Tianfan gasped for air, panting heavily. Though the mud clinging to his body made him uncomfortable, his gaze remained fixed on the "person" in front of him.
This "person" was indistinguishable from an ordinary human—except for its grotesque, twisted grin, which made it clear to Luo Tianfan that this creature could not possibly be human!