The Crimson Dynasty

The neon glow of Neo-Shanghai flickered across Lin Feng's face as he tinkered with a salvaged quantum entanglement device. He was a 'recycler', a scavenger of discarded tech in the sprawling underbelly of the megacity. His fingers, calloused yet nimble, danced across the intricate circuitry. A surge of energy pulsed through the device, far exceeding its design parameters. The lab filled with blinding light, followed by an ear-splitting crack. Then, darkness.

Lin Feng awoke to the smell of mildew and old parchment. Gone was the sterile hum of Neo-Shanghai. He lay on a silk-covered bed, the room lit by flickering candlelight. Ornate, archaic furniture filled the space. He sat up, disoriented. This wasn't his cramped apartment. Panic began to set in.

A man in livery entered. "Young Master, you are awake. Your fever has broken."

"Young Master?" Lin Feng echoed, confused.

"Indeed. You are Lin Hao, the sole heir of Baron Zheng," the servant replied, bowing. "The Baron awaits you."

Lin Hao? Baron Zheng? This was insane. He followed the servant, his mind reeling. The world outside the room was a bizarre mix of the familiar and the alien. Buildings of stone and timber were illuminated by glowing orbs. Carriages, drawn by creatures resembling giant, feathered wolves, traversed cobbled streets. People wore clothing that looked medieval, yet he saw flashes of what looked like advanced technology woven into the fabric.

He was ushered into a grand hall. A stern-faced man with a neatly trimmed beard sat on a raised dais. This was Baron Zheng. "Lin Hao," he said, his voice gruff. "Your recent illness has been… concerning. Your tutors report a marked decline in your studies."

Lin Feng, now Lin Hao, felt a surge of unease. He knew nothing of this world, this "Lin Hao," or his supposed studies. "Father," he stammered, using the title instinctively, "I… I feel much better now."

The Baron raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. You seem… different."

Different was an understatement. Lin Feng was no longer just Lin Feng. He was Lin Hao, and something else. As he focused, a translucent blue panel shimmered into existence before his eyes.

[Lin Hao]

[Level: 1 - Mortal Vessel]

[Gene: Cosmic Spark (Latent)]

[Skills: None]

[Cultivation Technique: None]

[Golden Finger: System Interface (Inactive)]

A system interface? This was straight out of those web novels he used to read! He cautiously probed the interface with his mind. The "Cosmic Spark" gene… that must be the mutation everyone talked about. And "Latent" meant it was dormant. He needed to activate it. The "System Interface (Inactive)"… that was his cheat. He just needed to figure out how to turn it on.

The Baron continued, oblivious to Lin Hao's internal turmoil. "Your coming-of-age ceremony is in a week. It is expected that you will demonstrate some aptitude for cultivation."

Cultivation? This world wasn't just medieval; it was cultivation medieval! He had stumbled into a world of magic, martial arts, and mutated genes. And he, Lin Hao, was supposed to be a prodigy. Except he wasn't. He was a recycler from Neo-Shanghai with a dormant gene and a mysterious system interface.

That night, alone in his room, Lin Hao tried to activate his Golden Finger. He focused his intent, picturing the words "Activate System Interface." Nothing. He tried yelling at it, pleading with it, even trying to hack it like a computer program. Finally, in frustration, he pricked his finger with a decorative dagger. A drop of blood landed on the interface.

[System Interface Activated]

[Cosmic Spark Gene Awakening: 1%]

[Acquired Basic Gene Art: Breath of the Cosmos]

[Experience Points Awarded: 10]

The interface sprang to life. He had activated it! And it had even started to awaken his gene! He quickly checked the newly acquired "Breath of the Cosmos" skill. It was a basic breathing technique that was supposed to enhance gene activation and cultivate cosmic energy.

Lin Hao smiled. He might be in a strange, dangerous world, but he had a cheat, a powerful gene, and a burning desire to survive and thrive. He was no longer just a recycler. He was Lin Hao, heir to a Baron, and soon, he would become something far greater. The Crimson Dynasty was his for the taking.

[To be continued…]