Wee-woo, wee-woo, wee-woo…
I didn't want to hear this sound, not one bit. It brought both physical and mental anguish… Someone… Please… Please press the button… Turn down the volume.
The ambulance siren faded, perhaps the last sound he would ever hear in this world.
“Tiểu Thất! Tiểu Thất!… Are you awake?”
A blurry scene appeared before his eyes. A slightly plump man came into view, his face both strange and familiar. Who was he? Before he could even process what was happening, a sharp, searing pain shot from the back of his head, forcing a cry from him.
“You’re still alive, that’s… so lucky!”
The stout man sighed, as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
“Who are you?... Where is this place?... Why... am I lying here?”
“Don’t you remember what happened?... Have you even forgotten my name?”
…
Tiểu Thất nodded slightly. The stout man looked away, a thoughtful expression on his face.
“I can’t blame you. To still be alive after taking a kick from Ling Tian is already incredibly lucky. Even our Young Master wouldn’t dare to go head-to-head with him, let alone us mere subordinates…”
Then he began to recount the past events. His name was Tiểu Ngũ. The two of them were originally refugees from another place, taken in by the Black Tiger Gang to serve as servants. This place was the vast White City. Business was thriving, so besides the City Lord of White City, there were also several other powers sharing the territory. The Black Tiger Gang was one of them. A few days ago, due to a business dispute, the Ling Family and the Black Tiger Gang had a small skirmish. “When buffaloes fight, flies die” – during the clash between masters from both sides, several low-level subordinates around them lost their lives. Luckily, you had a strong fate and only fell into a coma for three days. But are you stupid or something, to rush headfirst into that fight? You know Ling Tian’s cultivation isn’t ordinary. His cultivation was either first or second among the young generation in White City. Furthermore, the Ling Family’s status was also higher than our Black Tiger Gang.
Hearing the story, Tiểu Thất couldn't make sense of any of it – White City, Ling Family, Black Tiger Gang, what was all this? He was originally an ordinary person, unsuccessful in his work, and his studies hadn't amounted to much. After being suspended from school, he had aimlessly wandered the streets. While crossing the road, he hadn't been paying attention and was hit by a car. If he were still alive, he should be in a hospital. Why was he lying in such a strange place? This searing pain definitely meant he was alive. Could it be transmigration, like in those novels? After a long silence, he concluded this was the only possibility. Could it be that fate had given him another chance at life?
“It’s good that you’re awake. Get some rest. I’m going out to work now, but I’ll drop by to visit you another time.”
After Tiểu Ngũ left, he was alone in the room. Gazing at the simply furnished surroundings, it seemed his status wasn't as high as those in novels. But if he had been given another chance at life, then in this life, he must do what he liked, not be bound by relationships as before, and no longer live for others. In this life, he would roam the four seas, travel everywhere on this continent. In this life, he would live only for himself.
After a moment of reflection, Tiểu Thất determined the path he would take in this life. As he sifted through Tiểu Thất's memories of this world, he found none that were particularly striking. Only a few memories of writing and a fire. It seemed the previous Tiểu Thất had lived a secluded life, not interacting much with outsiders, somewhat like his own former self.
"Since you didn't hesitate to give your life for the Hắc Hổ Bang, consider it repayment for their patronage over the past few years. From now on, there will be no more rushing headlong into trouble and putting my life in such danger. If this body has been lent to me, I'll make sure it doesn't lose a single kilogram. If I can't win a fight, I'll run. As long as I live one more day, I'll have a chance to get one day further away. In such a strange place, if I'm not good to myself, who else will be? I won't have to care what others think anymore. But this will be difficult; I'll have to take it slow."