A damp chill clung to Lin Tian's skin. The scent of wet earth filled his nose, mingling with the faint musk of rotting leaves. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called out, its cry sharp against the heavy silence.
Slowly, his senses returned.
The rough texture of the ground pressed against his palms. A faint ache spread through his limbs, though nothing seemed broken. His body felt… strange. Lighter, yet weaker. His fingers twitched, and for the first time, he noticed the calluses on his hands.
That wasn't right.
Lin Tian's eyes snapped open.
A canopy of towering trees loomed overhead, their thick branches tangled together like gnarled fingers. Mist curled around the trunks, softening the morning light that barely filtered through the dense foliage. The sight was unfamiliar.
His breath quickened.
He pushed himself up, his muscles stiff as if they hadn't been used in days. The movement felt unnatural, like wearing clothes that didn't quite fit. Then, as he sat up, his gaze fell to his own hands—rough, scarred hands that weren't his own.
A slow dread crept up his spine.
This… wasn't his body.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears. His memories—the last thing he could remember—flashed before him. The city street. The flashing pedestrian light. The chime of his phone. And then—
The screech of tires. The blinding headlights. The impact.
Lin Tian's breath hitched.
He should be dead.
But he wasn't. And as new memories surfaced, he realized why.
This body… belonged to someone else.
Lin Tian clenched his fists, steadying himself. His head throbbed as two sets of memories overlapped—his own, and those of another Lin Tian. A young man from a rural village, a world apart from anything Lin Tian had ever known. A world where cultivation existed.
Where men could fly, shatter mountains, and wield forces beyond science.
And yet, the original owner of this body had none of that power. No talent. No cultivation. No future. Just a weak mortal, struggling to survive.
Lin Tian exhaled slowly.
No cheat. No system. No divine artifact to guide him.
Just… himself.
His rational mind took over. Panic wouldn't help. He needed to assess his situation.
First, the location. He was in a forest—that much was clear. The ground was damp, suggesting recent rain. The trees were old, their trunks thick with moss. That meant a stable ecosystem, possibly a water source nearby. Good. He'd need water soon.
Second, his condition. His arms and legs were sore, but no broken bones. A faint hunger gnawed at his stomach, but he could endure it for now. His robes were simple, coarse fabric—terrible for insulation but not completely useless.
Third, and most important—was he in danger?
The answer came almost immediately.
"…find him before sunset. The brat couldn't have gone far."
Lin Tian's blood ran cold.
The voices were distant but growing closer. Male, rough. Armed men. The original Lin Tian's memories surfaced—bandits.
He had escaped from them before collapsing here. And now, they were looking for him.
His hands trembled slightly, but he forced himself to stay calm. No cultivation. No weapons. No allies.
That meant no direct confrontation.
He had to hide.
But where?
His eyes scanned the forest. The undergrowth was thick, but not thick enough. Climbing a tree? Too risky. If they had archers, he'd be an easy target. Digging into the ground? Impossible in such a short time.
Lin Tian exhaled slowly.
Think logically. Use the environment.
His gaze landed on a fallen tree nearby, its thick trunk partially hollowed out by decay. Potential hiding spot. He moved cautiously, keeping his footsteps light. His old self had never been particularly athletic, but he remembered something from a documentary about silent movement techniques used by soldiers. Stay low. Roll your foot from heel to toe. Avoid stepping on dry leaves.
The voices grew louder.
Lin Tian slid into the hollow, pressing his body against the damp wood. His breathing slowed. Stillness. Patience.
"…damn brat probably got eaten by a beast."
"Hah! Good. One less mouth to feed."
The footsteps paused just meters away. Lin Tian barely breathed.
Seconds stretched into minutes.
Then—
"…Tch. Let's check the other side."
The footsteps retreated. The voices faded.
Lin Tian remained still for a long time. Only when the forest returned to silence did he let out a slow breath. His body was trembling, but he forced himself to stay calm.
He had survived.
This time.
Lin Tian swallowed hard.
This wasn't a dream. This wasn't a game. He was in a world where strength ruled. Where the weak were prey.
And right now, he was at the bottom of the food chain.
If he wanted to survive, he needed more than just luck. He needed knowledge. He needed to adapt.
Science had always been his weapon in his past life. It had built civilizations, conquered diseases, sent men to the moon. And in this world, it would be his cultivation.
Lin Tian clenched his fists.
No one would notice him. No one would suspect him. He would stay in the shadows, learning, understanding. And when the time came—
He would rise.
Silently.