The night was incredibly lively. The city buzzed with activity as countless young individuals flooded into bars, eager to unwind from the workweek and immerse themselves in the nightlife.
The traffic was very busy. The streets were filled with activity consisting of the chatter of pedestrians and the honks of impatient drivers. Laughter and jokes left no room for silence as young people celebrated the arrival of the weekend.
At a bus stop on the sidewalk, Feng Ye was waiting for his bus home, his attention glued to his phone. Another grueling Friday shift had come to an end. His company operated under a strict 996 work schedule - 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week - leaving little room for anything beyond work and exhaustion.
As he scrolled through his social media feeds, he saw the bus he had been waiting for making its final turn to his stop.
Feng Ye was a software engineer working for a Fortune 500 company. He wore a light gray hoodie, black sweatpants, and Adidas running shoes.
His life was entwined with struggles and misfortune.
After graduating, both his parents perished in a high-rise fire, leaving behind only a small sum of wealth for him and his younger sister. With no relatives willing to help, Feng Ye took on the responsibility of providing for her, forcing himself into a toxic and relentless cycle of work.
Yet, despite everything, he endured. Feng Ye exhaled as he continued browsing his messages.
Ding.
He just got a notification in the company's announcement channel that they are shipping swag boxes to all employees prompting them to fill out a form.
As Feng Ye moved his finger to tap on the link, a gunshot ran out.
BANG.
The loud thunderclap of gunfire was heard down the street.
The entire street turned into chaos as people began to scream and scatter in all directions.
Feng Ye and others around him bolted away from the direction of the gunfire sound. In the confusion, countless individuals fell, were shoved, or were crushed by the crowd.
Feng Ye instinctively turned his head.
Panic spread like wildfire. People shoved and trampled over each other as everyone's flight instincts were triggered. Sirens wailed as police continuously arrived at the scene.
Feng Ye knew he had to get to a less populated area as soon as possible and avoid the crowd. A chaotic crowd can lead to stampedes as many people struggle to get away from danger without care for anyone in their surroundings. Stampedes were as deadly as the gunfire itself.
"I have to get back to my sister."
He took a deep breath and pivoted, ready to sprint toward a side street.
But before he could move, a violent shove sent him backward. His foot slipped off the curb. His body was shoved into traffic. A split second later, headlights filled his vision.
"%!@#$!" Feng Ye thought to himself as he looked at the fast-approaching Lamborghini Aventador in front of him.
BANG.
The impact of the collision sent Feng Ye flying backward. His body collided against the pavement with a thud and with momentum causing his back to scrape against the pavement.
Sharp pain shot throughout his entire body. Beneath his body, blood started to pool. Feng Ye lay on the cold concrete in the middle of the road. The traffic around him stopped. Time seemed to have slowed down. Bleeding from all orifices he had only one last thought, "Am I going to die?"
Confusion and chaos continue to spread throughout the busy street and to nearby blocks as police cars and ambulances continue to arrive at the scene.
Feng Ye stared blankly at the sky as his vision blurred and darkened. The city around him and the world he had fought so hard to survive in began to fade away.
And then, amidst the haze of pain and darkness, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
"[Candidate 15864457, you are eligible for the Reincarnation Protocol.]"
A dark crimson countdown timer materialized in his fading consciousness.
[00:59]
[00:58]
[00:57]
Beneath the countdown, glowing text hovered in his mind:
Do you accept? [Y/N]
Feng Ye's barely functioning brain struggled to comprehend the situation.
45s… 44s… 43s…
The mechanical voice spoke again, emotionless and cold.
""[Candidate 15864457, please confirm your decision. Failure to respond within 30 seconds will result in complete termination.]"
Feng Ye had no time to negotiate. He forced his consciousness to will the answer forward.
[Y]
After replying, he faints and his last remaining consciousness slips into the darkness.
He doesn't hear or see the next prompts.
"[Candidate 15864457 contract accepted.]"
"[Candidate 15864457 in body transmission....]"
"[Candidate 15864457 in body recovery....]"
"[Candidate 15864457 consciousness awakening....]"
"[Candidate 15864457 successfully transmitted to lower order World 2580233]"
--
Meanwhile, back on Earth, Feng Ye's physical body was proclaimed dead by the first responders on the scene. His body was covered with a dark blue tarp by the first responders, concealing the remains of the horrified onlookers. The coroner arrived shortly and conducted a preliminary examination. After a quick assessment, the results confirmed that Feng Ye had no pulse, and no breathing, and his pupils were fixed and dilated. He was dead.
The coroner's team efficiently transferred the body onto a gurney and wheeled it towards a waiting transport vehicle. Police officers on-site gathered statements, and filled their reports, while bystanders continued to watch, their phones capturing every moment. The luxury car's driver was restrained and surrounded by officers. He loudly protested and loudly declared the accident wasn't his fault.
The transport vehicle departed for the city morgue. Upon arrival at the hospital's entrance, the two paramedics wheeled the gurney through the dimly lit corridors, Their conversation drifted towards weekend plans.
When they arrived at the cold storage room, the paramedics unlocked a numbered storage compartment while the other prepared to transfer the body from the gurney.
That was when they noticed it.
The tarp covering the corpse looked strange.
Frowning, one of the paramedics reached down, pulling back the heavy fabric.
Silence.
The gurney was empty.
There was nobody. No blood. No sign that anyone had ever been there.
"..."
"..."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
"…Are you messing with me?"
"No," the other whispered, his voice suddenly dry.
Both turned toward the locked door. It had remained closed since they arrived. The security cameras above blinked their usual red, recording every moment.
Yet, Feng Ye's body was gone.
No one could explain it. As Feng Ye was just of ordinary status, no investigation would be launched and the coroner's report would list an 'unresolved anomaly' where Feng Ye's name would slip into the files of unexplained cases - never truly solved.
And in another world, beneath an unfamiliar sky, a new consciousness stirred.
---
Feng Ye awakened.
He found himself inside a small, tattered thatched cottage. The walls were of poor quality, broken furniture were scattered around, and cobwebs stretched thickly decorated all corners of the room. The air felt thick and very different.
The cottage is around twelve square meters in size. It was very messy and seemed as though it was looted in the past.
He slowly sat up, his hands pressing against the rough wooden floor.
"Is this … reincarnation in legend?"
He recalls the final moments of his death, and he clenched his fists.
His little sister. His old life. His world.
It was all gone.
"%!@#$!" he cursed as he struck the wooden floor with his fist. He got pushed into traffic by the crowd. At the very least, at least his sister can claim the life insurance benefits that he had.
Feng Ye sat down and took a moment to vent and control his emotions. Being killed then offered a contract and thrown into a different world is a rollercoaster of emotions and a challenge to his worldview.
Feng Ye looked around and surveyed the broken cottage, glowing text appeared before his eyes, hovering in his vision like a VR display. Even as he moves his head at different angles, the text follows.
A sharp ding rang in his ears.
--
[Welcome Candidate 15864457]
[Reincarnation and Transmission Successful.]
[Enters World: World 2580233]
[Difficulty: Lower Order World - Level 3.]
[Main Objective: Trial by Fire Initiation Task.]
[Survive and become the last otherworlder standing. Eliminate all other otherworlders.]
[Side Objective: Obtain 20 monster cores. (Current Progress: 0/20)]
[Side Objective2: Obtain world fragment. (Current Progress: 0/1)]
Note: Failure results in forced execution. Mention of this system to related lifeforms will also result in forced execution. Due to unfamiliarity with the world language, the candidate will be able to understand the native language due to system adjustments.
--
"FORCED EXECUTION? WTF. What is this?! System, do you have any explanation?!" Feng Ye shouted, his voice echoing in the small, tattered cottage.
Feng Ye was from a modern society. He lived in peaceful times in a sheltered world.
His eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. He could feel his blood pumping as adrenaline flooded his veins. His fight-or-flight response kicked in and forced his mind to sharpen quickly.
A mechanical voice could be heard in his mind.
"[Candidate 15864457 - Welcome to the Trial by Fire initiation task. This trial determines whether you are fit to become a contractor.]
[Upon accepting a contract with the
"[To be officially converted into a contractor of the
"[As a candidate, you have limited access to the system. Only your inventory and candidate profile are available. All other system functions are restricted.]"
Feng Ye's blood ran cold. This wasn't just a test. It was a battlefield. His fists clenched.
"I get a forced execution while other reincarnated protagonists get golden fingers or cheats? What kind of scam is this?" he muttered bitterly. He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to think.
"Besides the limited information I received, how can I tell who is an otherworlder or survive with this trash physique?" Feng Ye mutters to himself as he is quite familiar with this type of situation based on the numerous web novels he had read in his downtime.
No cheats. No guaranteed survival. No information on his competitors. He wasn't just at a disadvantage, he was completely blind.
The system's emotionless voice continued:
"[Prompt:
"[Warning: Natives of this world are hostile toward otherworlders.]"
"[Prompt: Survival of the fittest ensures only competent individuals serve the World Administrator. Candidates unfit for the role will be terminated.]"
Feng Ye grimaced. A survival task with only one winner.
Feng Ye forced himself to calm down. He recalled his gaming experiences and web novel knowledge - a player profile should be available. He focused his mind. A translucent blue interface appeared before his eyes.
--
Candidate 15864457 Information.
Name: Feng Ye (Candidate)
Rank: 1
Mana: 25
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Stamina: 6
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 4
Note: An average human (non-candidate and non-contractor) has standard attributes of 4-5. After accepting the contract and becoming a candidate, the
Talent: None.
--
Feng Ye exhaled slowly.
His stats weren't great, but they were terrible either. A slight boost compared to a normal human, but nothing game-breaking.
He frowned. "How can I locate other otherworlders?"
"[Jurisdiction insufficient.]"
"[Please make efforts to promote to contractor as soon as possible.]"
"That's it?"
Feng Ye listens to the system's response and is speechless. He won't be able to rely on this system for any more information.
He shifted his attention to his physique. Even without a mirror, he could feel the difference. Toned muscles, sharper reflexes. He had always been active, using his company's subsidized gym and taking advantage of catered meals, but his build now felt... refined. More efficient.
This body was a great starting point but wouldn't guarantee survival.
"I guess this is all I have to work with. I'll need to adapt quickly and get more information. The system mentioned I have access to the system inventory and that I'll have to strengthen myself as soon as possible for a possibility of survival."
Feng Ye tightened his fists, steeling his resolve.
"Argh, I'll have to do my best to survive if I ever want to see my little sister again. If the other otherworlders are like him, maybe he has a chance especially since it seems like no one got any so-called golden fingers….or do they.."
From his previous world and readings, Feng Ye recalls that a golden finger is a cheat that gives a protagonist (usually a transmigrator) an edge or advantage. Unfortunately, it seems that he doesn't have one.
"I need to adapt fast. The system mentioned an inventory. If I have supplies, I can at least make it through the first night. This is my new reality. I've died once, might as well make the best of it."
He carefully examined his attributes again.
Intelligence was his highest stat which was probably thanks to the endless Leetcode problems and machine learning models he had worked on back in his old world.
His Rank was 1, the lowest possible in a Level 3 world. That meant the world's danger level wasn't at its peak, but the main objective was clear: eliminate the other otherworlders.
Feng Ye frowned. Based on his attribute distribution, if magic existed in this world, he might have an affinity for it. That could be his advantage if he could figure out how to use it.
He shifted his focus to the system inventory. A translucent panel appeared in his vision, similar to his profile screen.
Feng Ye let out a small breath of relief.
Surprisingly, it wasn't empty. There were some bread rations and water.
With a firm expression, he pushed open the broken cottage door and stepped outside. The sight before him was breathtaking. Towering bamboo trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves swaying gently in the evening breeze. Below, a small lake glimmered, reflecting the fading hues of the sunset. The golden orange light made it seem as though he was in a painting.
"I wonder what kind of world this is." Feng Ye muttered as he looked at the sunset across the lake and felt the evening breeze.
The air felt… different. There was a thickness to it, like standing near an electromagnetic field. It wasn't just fresh but felt alive.
"Little sister, I'll be back."
With that final vow, he stepped forward into the unknown.