Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Awakening from the Abyss

“Hey, Chen Yuxuan. What if I gave you a chance to live your life over again? How would you choose?”

The night was as cool as water.

Even the distant lights seemed to flow with moonlight.

On the rooftop of some building, a man sat alone in the wind, perched on the edge of the railing, talking on his phone.

A deep, magnetic male voice came from the other end.

“Why ask this all of a sudden?”

I looked down, and below me, the endless abyss loomed, strangely captivating at that moment.

“Come on, just a game. Tell me quickly.”

The voice on the other end was eager, and I rolled my eyes, taking a big gulp of wild spirits from the bottle in my hand.

“What do you mean? Without any context… Even if it’s just a red or blue button, at least put the options out there.”

“Hmm… That’s true. Let me think. Most reincarnation novels go like this… Cultivation world? Modern fantasy? Or maybe a world of swords and magic? I don’t read much, so that’s about it. How would you choose?”

“I’d choose the world of chibi girls.”

“… Is such a world even real?”

“Ah, then what’s the point of reincarnation—”

I sighed lightly.

“Hey, I’m being serious here. Don’t be so dismissive.”

“Alright, alright. Then let’s go with the world of swords and magic… It’s all boring anyway, I’m tired of it.”

“Swords and magic… In such a world, there are usually a demon king and a hero, right? So between these two roles, which one would you pick? To be the demon king or the hero?”

“Of course, the demon king,” I said indifferently.

The cold wind grew sharper, causing my coat to flutter violently.

“Why?”

“Because only an idiot would be a hero, right? They’re always burdened with some troublesome mission, like defeating the demon king and saving the world, but they’re just pawns in someone else’s hands. The people on top use lofty ideals to make you fight. If they succeed, they reap the benefits; if you die, they find another fool. I won’t be that fool.”

“… So being a demon king is more comfortable, huh?” The voice on the other end sounded somewhat contemplative. “Okay, then the demon king. Last question, do you want to stay a man or try being a woman for once?”

“Of course, a man… Wait a minute.”

My brow furrowed. This wasn’t simple.

If I became a demon king… That would be a target for everyone to hunt down. Even with immense power, someday a stronger fool would come along, wielding a holy sword, shouting “RUA! RUA! RUA!” before ending my life.

Reflecting on many novels and anime, those demon kings without a protagonist’s aura were often pitiful, doomed to die as soon as they appeared.

So what kind of demon king could survive?

Those who could act cute, cry, and beg for mercy.

Preferably a chibi girl, a busty chibi girl, an elf chibi girl, or even a beast ear chibi girl.

Add silver hair and crimson eyes.

End every sentence with a “meow.”

Then I could live freely, without worrying about flags.

Tell me she’ll die, and I’ll bring her head.

After all, when you can’t win, you can still act cute and cling to their legs!

“Please let me be a woman!!!”

“Eh—I didn’t expect you to be like this.”

“After all, being a demon king is tough.”

“Even if you bleed profusely every month, you’d still do it?”

“Uh…”

This question stumped me.

After a moment’s hesitation, I sighed again.

“What are we even talking about…”

“Just idle chatter.”

“Then let me ask you something.” I shifted forward, getting into a more comfortable position.

I shook the nearly empty bottle, drinking it all in one breath.

The warmth in my stomach did nothing to thaw my frozen heart.

“To be honest, how does it feel losing your sister?”

There was a brief silence on the other end.

“… Are you trying to provoke me? How do you feel losing your fiancée?”

Yes, my fiancée, also his sister, had passed away a week ago due to illness.

That’s why we were having this meaningless call on a lonely night.

“I don’t feel anything,” I said.

“… What?”

His voice showed surprise.

“Don’t misunderstand, brother-in-law. What I mean is, I have no real sense of it. Deep down, I can’t believe it. Because I keep thinking she might suddenly appear in front of me, scaring me like before.”

“Don’t overthink it. There are still many people counting on you at work. Why don’t we talk about tomorrow’s problems instead?”

I didn’t respond, even though he spoke the truth.

Three years ago, I chose the path of entrepreneurship, foolishly attempting to change my fate. Knowing I couldn’t match those supported by their parents, I spent more time, relying on my own tenacity, keeping the company afloat for three years without making a profit.

I regretted this path.

Regretted not treating my fiancée better when she was alive because of my busy work schedule.

Looking back, I felt I made mistakes every step of the way, never doing anything right.

I truly felt exhausted.

“What do you think the world after death is like…”

A girl named Xiaoxi, who asked me this question, has already gone to that world.

“How should one answer such a question… Xiaoxi may be gone, but we must continue living. After all, you still have your parents… Have you told them?”

“Not yet.”

As for why…

Some elders can’t understand your feelings. Sometimes, they’re less clear-headed than children who know nothing but hope for a better life.

“To live is mostly a long, tedious battle. That’s my favorite quote.”

“Hey, Yuxuan…”

“Thanks, buddy. Goodnight.”

I hung up the phone.

Tossed the phone away, leaped off the railing.

The wind roared past my ears.

I recalled the criticisms my parents had hurled at me during dinner, all the words converging into

A single sentence.

“Why don’t you just go die!”

But if death was not an option.

Then let me soar instead.

…

I had a dream.

In the dream, I sat at a table filled with delicious dishes. My mother came out of the kitchen, untied her apron, and smiled at me as she said, “Eat up. Business is like war; failure is common. Don’t be sad; you’re still young, and there are plenty of opportunities to start over. Take some time to rest at home first. Your father and I will always be your strong support.”

My father sitting on the sofa put down his phone, walked over, patted my shoulder, and nodded at me.

Touched by the warmth in my heart, I forced back my sorrowful emotions and gave them a smile, though my eyes were already blurred with tears.

Dad, Mom, do you know that Xiao Xi is gone… I can never see her again…

The figures of my parents gradually faded away. I turned my head, and there stood a girl in a white dress.

“Don’t be sad,” she said. “I’ll always be with you.”

She walked towards me, extended her fair hand, and wiped away my tears with her fingers.

“Xiao Xi, I’m tired…” I stared at her face, where a smile that haunted my dreams lingered.

“It’s not time to rest yet~” she said, then cupped my tear-streaked face and kissed my eyes. “Wake up. I’ll always be with you.”

“Wake up, I’ll always be with you…” she repeated.

“Wake up…”

“Wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up…”

That voice was no longer the sweet one Xiao Xi always had; it had become thick and grating, like the whisper of a demon.

“[Abyssal Language] Wake up, Sylvie Rabis Hemus.”

…

I woke up suddenly!

My consciousness was still hazy, and for a moment, I couldn’t figure out what was happening. It took a long while for my mind to reconnect with the world.

I found myself seemingly immersed in some cold, viscous liquid. Everything around was pitch-black, and I couldn’t see anything.

What… What’s going on?!

I remember… I think I jumped off the rooftop.

From the 24th floor, it should have been freezing, right?

Then why am I still conscious?

Am I not dead? How could that be possible?

So this means… I’ve been reborn?

What a joke, did I really get reborn?

I carefully felt the viscous liquid enveloping me, which was slowly moving. The sensation was smooth and cold, almost comfortable. Strangely, my consciousness could clearly sense that the temperature of the liquid should be very low, but my body seemed to adapt to it, a feeling hard to describe.

I began to carefully assess my physical condition.

Lowering my head, raising it, shaking it, lifting my hand, making a fist, kicking my leg.

Hmm… It feels strange, as if it’s different from before.

First, my hand. When I made a fist, I noticed the proportions were off. My arm and fingers seemed longer.

I started to feel the changes in muscle movements and discovered not only my arm but other parts had subtle differences. These differences made me uncomfortable, as if I wasn’t controlling my own body.

Various noises kept ringing in my ears, including voices. Someone was talking in a language I couldn’t understand, as if they were far away, perhaps kilometers away.

Thinking carefully, could normal people really hear voices from such a distance?

Huh? How did I determine it was kilometers away…

Although I couldn’t see, it felt like my senses had become more acute. Gradually, I heard the clear writhing sounds of the viscous liquid around me, distant noisy voices sounding like explosions near my ears, interspersed with loud shouts and the roars of beasts. Further away, birds flapped their wings, creating piercing gusts of wind; the rustling of the wind through the grass and the clashing of armor mingled with the synchronized steps of marching soldiers, rapidly expanding in my ears…

Complex information flooded my consciousness, causing my head to ache, my brain shutting down instantly.

Next, something slowly seeped into my body from the liquid surrounding me.

Black mucus instantly boiled up.

It wrapped around my body, flowing rapidly, and a force surged from below, making me feel my body rising.

The voices in the distance seemed even more chaotic. Although I didn’t understand what they were saying, I could sense the anxious and heavy atmosphere. Intermittent loud shouts carried a sense of determination, reflecting the impending disaster and their resolve.

What’s going on? What happened?

The force propelling me suddenly accelerated again, throwing me upward. I panicked, waving my hands to grab onto something, but could only stir the liquid, finding no point of resistance.

I was forced upward without any resistance, the entire process taking only an instant. Suddenly, I felt lighter, and the glaring light made me involuntarily close my eyes.

I’m out! This was my first impression.

Warm, exhilarating, the oppressive feeling of the liquid disappeared immediately. I took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrant scent of grass and wood, the air quality seeming high. This was my second impression.

Then I suddenly remembered, when I was inside, I didn’t seem to breathe at all?

Thoughts raced through my mind, but time had only passed a second or two. I heard a powerful shout from afar, followed by something whistling through the air. I quickly opened my eyes, and after a brief flash of white light, I saw fireballs coming at me from all directions.

Damn!

There was no time to be surprised; instinctively, I closed my eyes again and raised my right hand to shield myself.

Boom boom boom boom boom—

Ah—! So painful!

Explosions echoed in my ears, a burning pain immediately engulfed my body, forcing me to raise my head and roar.

“Roar—” But the sound that came out was a melodious and lingering roar, like an ancient melody played under the moonlight, surprisingly pleasant, though obviously not a human sound.

No time to think deeply, at this moment, I was overwhelmed by the panic of being burned alive, desperately opening my eyes, only to see something unexpected. I sighed in relief, thankfully it wasn’t as bad as imagined.

Although I avoided being burned alive, the scene before me did not bring me comfort. Instead of flames, a dark smoke, as ominous as hell, enveloped my body. The black smoke leaped like a raging fire, carrying an ominous aura, occasionally revealing blue-green objects.

—That was my arm.