《Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation》


 1. Reincarnation & 2. The Forge

    1. Reincarnation


    Chaos erupted.


    Monsters tore through rebar-reinforced walls, their roars mingling with the deafening staccato of gunfire. Soldiers barked orders over the frantic screams of civilians.


    Lieutenant Jin Shu slammed a fresh magazine of Martian Metal ammo into his XM7. Behind him, the sharp, unmistakable click of a pistol slide cut through the chaos. He turned to see a civilian¡ªa man, shaking¡ªclutching a handgun in trembling hands.


    ¡°Put that gun down before I put you down,¡± Jin Shu ordered, his voice hard, calm, cutting through the noise.


    The last thing he needed was a panicked civilian firing wildly into his men in these tight, deathtrap hallways.


    ¡°H-how will we d-defend ourselves?¡± the man stammered, his voice cracking.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to defend anything. That¡¯s our job.¡± Jin Shu tilted his head toward his soldiers stationed at the doorway, their weapons steady, focused. ¡°Besides, the only thing that can kill the Diseased is Martian Metal. You don¡¯t have any of that in that 1911, do you?¡±


    The man blinked, fumbling with the mag release, as though to confirm his ammo. Jin Shu shook his head. There was no time for this.


    In a single swift motion, Jin Shu stepped in close, pulled the slide back on the 1911, and stripped the gun from the man¡¯s unsteady grip.


    ¡°Hey¡ª!¡± the man started, half-protest, half-plea.


    A sharp glare from Jin Shu shut him up faster than a bullet.


    Jin Shu dismantled the weapon with practiced ease, tossing the parts into a corner and shoving the useless ammo into a spare pouch on his vest.


    ¡°Stay out of the way,¡± he said, already turning back to the fight.


    The monsters were closing in, and he had bigger problems to deal with.


    Jin Shu tapped the shoulders of his men. ¡°Keep an eye on them. If they try anything stupid¡­ you know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± both soldiers echoed without hesitation.


    The unspoken threat was enough to make the civilians think twice about testing their luck. But Jin Shu knew better than to rely on fear alone. It wasn¡¯t a warning; it was a standing order.


    Stepping past the group, he moved into the hallway, his boots crunching over debris. The constant crack of gunfire echoed from just around the far corner, underscored by the guttural howls of the Diseased.


    This sector was supposed to be cleared. Either the advance battalion missed some stragglers, or their intel had been dead wrong. Either way, this ambush proved that complacency was a mistake.


    As Jin Shu rounded the corner, the chaos snapped into focus.


    The Diseased¡ªgruesome, pale forms twisted into mockeries of humanity¡ªlumbered through a gaping hole in the wall. They poured into the ruined hotel lobby, their movements erratic but purposeful, like predators who had caught the scent of blood. The building had been a rest point for his platoon¡ªa mistake Jin Shu now regretted. He should have pushed on.


    I got too comfortable.


    There was no time for self-recrimination. Jin Shu emptied his mind, leveling his XM7 as his finger found the trigger.


    Bang!


    The silver bullet exploded from the barrel, streaking toward a Diseased just as it leaped at one of his men. It struck true, piercing the creature¡¯s hardened flesh with a wet crunch.


    The Diseased staggered mid-lunge, its grotesque body beginning to shimmer as the Martian Metal spread through its form like wildfire. In seconds, the monster¡¯s pallid skin turned to gleaming silver, freezing it into a lifeless statue.


    Jin Shu¡¯s eyes scanned the battlefield, his platoon locked in the brutal firefight. No hesitation, no second-guessing. There was only one order in his mind now:


    Kill them all.


    <hr>


    Lieutenant Jin Shu stood in the heart of a now eerily silent, devastated city. Just moments before the scene of an intense battle. The once major metropolis that should have been bustling with crowds of people now lay silent, like a graveyard. Buildings lay in ruins, streets were covered in debris, and the occasional lifeless body of a fallen civilian marked the path of destruction left by the Diseased.


    The smell of gunpowder and smoke hung thick in the air, the acrid taste burning the throat with every inhale. The dull glow of fires, still smoldering from the last firefight, flickered against the cloud-covered night, casting the world in an eerie, red glow.


    Behind him, the remnants of his platoon moved like ghosts. Some limped on shattered legs, others cradled mangled arms. Their bodies were battered, their spirits frayed, but their will to survive burned on¡ªjust barely.


    They had been ambushed by the Diseased¡ªgruesome, misshapen, and seemingly unkillable monsters born from a plague unleashed by an alien ship. The monsters'' resilience was terrifying, and only the Martian Metal bullets, forged from the same alien craft, could stop them. But supply was dwindling.


    The Martian Metal would turn every living thing it touched into metal. Allowing for an unending supply. However, the soldiers in the field had no way to craft more bullets - especially when under fire. Each one was a precious lifeline.


    Lieutenant Jin Shu and his platoon had one final mission: evacuate the last survivors from the city.


    ¡°Last survivors on board, Lieutenant,¡± Sergeant Daniel Park called, his voice rough, as the final civilian was loaded into the APC. ¡°We good to move?¡±


    Jin Shu nodded grimly. "All squads, mount up. Let¡¯s roll out."


    "That was easy, no one died!" Corporal McTavish''s voice crackled over the comms.


    "Shut it, McTavish!" Park growled. "You jinx us every time."


    Jin Shu forced a breath, fatigue pulling at his limbs. "Clear comms. Double-time it, before McTavish curses us... again."


    Forced laughter and acknowledgments echoed in response, the soldiers trying to find some solace in the humor amid the horror.


    Park slapped the side of the lead APC. "Move out!"


    The convoy lurched forward, engines rumbling to life, but then¡ªcrack! A gunshot split the night. Breaking the eerie silence like a bolt out of the blue.


    Everything exploded into chaos.


    The sounds of roaring monsters and echoes of more gunshots followed closely behind the first.


    "Shit! Contact left!" McTavish¡¯s panicked voice blared through the radio, mixed with the sound of fully-automatic gunfire.


    "Alpha, Bravo! Cover left! Charlie, Delta, eyes on the right! Echo, protect those APCs!" Jin Shu''s orders came sharp and fast.


    Gunfire erupted as the soldiers fought to fend off another horde of Diseased, their grotesque forms lumbering out of the shadows. The fight was short but seemed stretched on for far longer, each bullet precious, every shot a struggle to stay alive.


    Jin Shu fought beside his men, refusing to be a commander who watched from a distance. He had seen too many like that¡ªcowards who let their soldiers die for them. Not him. He would fight until his last breath.


    "Fuck! Armored, left flank!" Daniel shouted, his voice strained. "Need RPG, now!"


    Lance Corporal Dennis fumbled with the rocket launcher on his back. The Armored¡ªa hulking monster covered in black, scaled armor¡ªtowered over the battlefield, five meters tall and unstoppable. Only its exposed mouth or a direct hit from a rocket could bring it down.


    Crash! The beast barreled through a crumbling building, dust swirling around it like a shroud. Dennis aimed blindly into the haze. He couldn¡¯t miss. Not now. Dennis thought desperately.


    The ground shook with its heavy steps, getting closer to the defensive line. Dennis could barely make out its blurred shadow in the dust. With no time he fired.


    Woosh! The rocket tore the dust, clearing a path toward the rampaging goliath. Just before impact¡ª a smaller Diseased stepped into its path. Boom! The rocket detonated, killing a small swath of Diseased, but left the charging Armored alive and unharmed.


    "Fu¡ª" Dennis didn¡¯t get another chance. The Armored crashed into him, claws flashing. His body hit the ground in bloody ribbons.


    McTavish hurled a grenade at the monster, but the explosion didn¡¯t slow it. The thing roared, flames dancing harmlessly around its massive form.


    McTavish raised his rifle, aiming for its mouth. Click. Empty. A second later, snap! The Armored¡¯s jaws snapped around him, cleaving him in two, broken like a brittle twig.


    The battlefield was a slaughter. Jin Shu¡¯s men were falling, their bodies joining the metallic husks of the Diseased. He felt each loss like a blow to his chest, but there was no time to mourn.


    He fought valiantly, but it wasn''t enough; the unending tide of Diseased pushed on and on.


    The sound of gunfire was dwindling. His men were all but dead, but he couldn''t order a retreat, not with the Armored still alive. The APCs hadn''t made it far enough.


    Amidst the mayhem, his weapon was knocked from his grasp; the Armored lunged at him, its monstrous claws grazing his shoulder. The gun recoiled, bang! A stray bullet discharged into his left arm. The searing pain was immediate, and Jin Shu¡¯s arm began to transform¡ªmetal spreading from the wound, alien, cold.


    Still, Jin Shu didn¡¯t falter. Gripping his sidearm with his good hand, he continued to fight, determined to protect the transports. His strength waned, his vision blurred, but he took aim one last time at the towering Armored monster charging at him. His final shot struck true, piercing through the monster¡¯s mouth and straight to its brain, felling it instantly.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Jin Shu staggered, his vision blurring as the metal continued to crawl up his arm. Around him, the battlefield grew silent once more¡ªhis platoon, his brothers-in-arms, lay dead. He was the last one standing.


    The weight of his body pulled him down, his limbs heavy with the alien metal spreading through his veins. His vision darkened, the last of his strength fading. Please¡­ let the survivors make it out.


    Darkness swallowed him whole.


    <hr>


    Jun Shu awoke, how was he awake? He should have died. No, he did die.


    But here he was waking up, not as himself. He was someone else, yet himself at the same time. The memories melding in his brain told him as much.


    Memories of his final moments flashed through his mind: the smell of gunpowder, the sight of his men''s broken bodies, and the taste of his blood as it flowed through his mouth. Then memories of growing up in this life. His father''s rough hands holding him as a child, his mother''s warm, loving embrace, the taste of strawberries¡ªhe hated strawberries in his last life. But, loved them in this. Strange.


    The place Jin Shu awoke in was unlike any he had ever known, yet unmistakably familiar. The sensation of his memories mixing, new and old, old and new, all in a maddening swirl, was disorienting, to say the least.


    The air was thick with the scent of forge fires and earthy minerals. He was in a small room, surrounded by blacksmithing tools and weapons. As he tried to sit up, he noticed his body was no longer encased in metal appearing fully human once more. Confusion flooded his mind.


    It wasn''t until his eyes glanced upon a familiar shape resting on a table in the corner, that his memories all came together in a pain-inducing flood, like a jagged kaleidoscope of emotions. "My gun." He muttered.


    When the pain from his memories awakening subsided he grabbed the gun from the table. The pistol was a near-perfect replica of his service weapon¡ªan M17¡ªthe only difference being this one was made of a matte black metal, unlike the coyote tan of the one from his previous life.


    Laying next to the pistol was a single bullet; strangely, this bullet didn''t look like a replica but seemed to be the real thing. How did a bullet from Earth make its way to another world?


    A stern, muscular man entered the room interrupting Jin Shu¡¯s thoughts. "You¡¯re awake," the man said gruffly. "Get out here and help your old man with the forge."


    Jin Shu¡¯s thoughts swirled as memories of his final battle and this new reality clashed. His mind struggled to reconcile them. Who was this man, and why did he feel so familiar? It was like he had lived two lives simultaneously¡ªone as a soldier, the other as the son of a blacksmith in a world of immortals.


    He looked at the man again, and the memories snapped into place. This was his father, Jin Chen, a master blacksmith of the Jin family. In this new world, Jin Shu was the eldest son of the renowned Jin family, famed for their runesmithing.


    The presence of his sidearm beside him was the only thing connecting him to his past life.


    "Stop gawking and get moving!" Jin Chen barked. "I don¡¯t care about your little toys," he said, gesturing to the gun, "we make real weapons here, for real cultivators. Now get to the forge!"


    Jin Shu stood, still disoriented, but his soldier¡¯s discipline kicked in. He followed his father out of the room, his thoughts a whirl of his new and old identities.


    As he reached the forge, his father turned to him, a gleam in his eye. "Now that you¡¯ve reached the first stage of the Qi Realm, it¡¯s time you learned our family¡¯s runesmithing techniques. It¡¯s time to become a real blacksmith."


    "I''m already a real blacksmith, so don''t you mean a real runesmith?"


    Bam! A slap on his head was the only response to his joke.


    2. The Forge


    The forge was hot. The burning embers from the furnace flickered out and landed on his skin, scalding the flesh where it touched. Sparks from hammer strikes on molten metal caused a melding of light, shadow, and heat. The smell of smoke and metals was almost unbearable, yet so very familiar.


    Jin Shu coughed on the smog in the air as if it were his first time in a forge. Then, he realized that it was just his imagination; he had grown up in the forges of the Jin family since he could walk¡ªbefore that even, as his dad would carry him into the forge, stating that he needed to get used to the heat early.


    His old man would then receive a beating from his mother. His skin, a hardy tan from the forge fires, would be covered in black and blue welts for weeks after. Yet he would still drag the few-month-old Jin Shu into the forge the next day, in an endless cycle of forge, beating, forge.


    Jin Shu laughed at the memories of his dad''s black and blue skin. No, that wasn''t a memory; Jin Shu was staring at a patch of bruised skin on his dad''s exposed chest, under all the curly black hair.


    ¡°Made Mom mad again, huh?¡± He asked, gesturing to the bruises.


    With a whistle, his dad pointedly ignored him, choosing to turn and walk into the forge''s backroom.


    Jin Shu followed, still chuckling. That endless cycle continued until he was ten when his mother finally got tired of beating the old man, claiming it hurt her fist, punching his solid muscles.


    His memories from two lifetimes had finally merged, but rather than splitting him into two people, they made him appreciate this current life so much more.


    In his original world, he''d grown up an orphan. The closest thing he had to a family was his brothers-in-arms, God rest their souls, but no longer. Now, he had a truly loving family, making him feel like the most privileged person in the world.


    His dad''s voice cut through his mind. "Enough daydreaming." He shoved a stack of papers into Jin Shu''s hands. "You¡¯ve got the knowledge now, but knowledge alone doesn¡¯t forge a weapon¡ªor inscribe a rune. Sit down and start practicing." He said bluntly, pointing to a table and stool in the corner.


    Sitting on the worn stool, wincing as a sliver poked his ass, Jin Shu picked up a tool lying on the table¡ªan inscribing needle. It was a long pointed tool, looking like a soldering iron from his previous life. It functioned much the same, albeit powered by Qi, instead of electricity. The essential tool of a runesmith; without it, they''d be useless.


    Holding the needle felt like an extension of his body. He could feel his Qi flow through the needle, as a heat pulsed along its length.


    Pressing the tip against the parchment, black lines were etched into the paper following the movement of his hands.


    "Good!" His dad''s gruff voice cut through his concentration causing his hand to shake. His lines blurred and the drawing was ruined.


    "Damn it! You messed up my flow, old man." Jin Shu said, glancing up at his dad with an aggrieved look.


    Smack!


    "Ow!" His Dad''s palm met the back of his head.


    <hr>


    Several grueling hours of work later Jin Shu was sweating, piles of finished and half-finished drawings lay scattered across the table.


    He was on his last paper, drawing the last line, thud! A bundle of papers was dropped on the table by his old man. This time, Jin Shu didn''t let his concentration slip. Hands kept steady as he drew the last line. "Phew. Done"


    "Now that you''ve finished practicing, it''s time to work for real." A cheeky grin split his dad''s face as he pushed the new stack of paper towards Jin Shu.


    "..." Jin Shu opened his mouth to say something, however a wave of dizziness overtook him. Bam! His head landed hard on the table; he was pretty sure his forehead split judging by the warm feeling of his head. But he couldn''t think about that now, his heavy eyelids snapped shut, and everything went black.


    <hr>


    "Aah! Wife, please stop hitting, you''re going to break my bones! Look he''ll be fine. It was just a prank." Was the first thing Jin Shu heard as his foggy mind regained consciousness.


    He slowly cracked his eyes open to see his mother beating the living daylights out of his dad. Even though his dad was a huge, two-meter-tall, muscle-bound man, there was no way he could match his mother.


    His 1.4-meter-tall mother was nearly half the size of his old man but over twice as strong. She was almost an entire realm stronger than him, after all.


    "Ugh..." An involuntary groan escaped his lips as a splitting headache beat against his head like a blind monkey banging a drum¡ªwhat does that even mean? No answer came, the pain kept most thoughts away.


    His mother heard his groan; practically flying to his side, she reached him in a blink accompanied by a swoosh from her cream robes. "My poor baby!" She hugged his head too tightly against her chest, causing difficulty breathing.


    "Mmm!!" He struggled in her embrace, exasperating his headache even further. His arms flailed about, pushing at her, but he was too weak to push her off.


    What little air he could siphon was filled with a lavender scent.


    A wayward thought entered his mind, she''s using the perfume I gave her, I''m glad she likes it... that''s not what I should be worried about! I need to get air!


    His flailing only caused her to hug him tighter. I''m going to die a second time. This time instead of a monster that kills me, it''s going to be my mother¡­


    Luckily she pulled his head away to check him over.


    Gasp! He took in a deep breath, then choked on the smoggy, metallic air of the forge. I''d rather be suffocated by her lavender-scent than this shitty air... What the hell am I thinking!?


    "Are you okay baby?" She cooed, "Tell Mommy if it hurts anywhere, and I''ll give it a kiss to make it feel better, okay?"


    "Cough...! I''m fine..." He stood up from the stool he had been sitting on and looked down at her. Thankfully he''d inherited his dad''s height and his mother''s looks.


    Speaking of his mother''s looks: she was a stunning woman. With long flowing brown hair adorned with a beautiful red zan hua to match her vibrant red eyes, and red painted lips. She lived up to her name, Sun Mei''er¡ª¡®the beautiful one¡¯.


    Jin Shu reached out, pulling the front of her robes closed in case she decided to hug him. He''d rather not experience that suffocation again.


    "Oh, my son is so thoughtful." She gushed. Clasping his hand, she dragged him towards the exit. "Let''s get you out of this stinky forge. Otherwise, my poor baby''s smooth skin will get dry and cracked like that crusty old man over there." She said, pointing to his dad''s collapsed body resting in the corner.


    "Hiss." He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw his dad''s body lying in a crumbled mess. If he didn''t know better, he''d assume it was a dead body and not his living breathing father.


    As his mother dragged him away, he gave his dad''s twitching body one more glance.


    He chuckled lightly.


    Their family''s love was... unique to say the least. To the average person, this may look like a case of domestic abuse. However, it was actually the exact opposite. Despite how it looked, his dad wasn''t truly hurt... Well, okay, he was hurt, but it was for his own good.


    His dad cultivated a special body tempering technique that needed to be tempered the same way a blacksmith would temper a blade¡ªthrough a multitude of hammer strikes. And that was exactly what his mother had done.


    His dad would become stronger with each beating. Jin Shu suspected that was why his dad seemed to always anger his mother, so she could have an excuse to beat him, and he could try and keep up with her higher cultivation.


    At least, that''s what he thought. He had never actually seen his parents act intimate in any way.


    Stepping out of the forge into the night air, the cool breeze tickled Jin Shu''s skin and broke him from his strange thoughts. It was a nice, much-needed contrast to the heat of the forge.


    He gazed at his mother''s back as she pulled him along. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes, this was the life he''d always dreamed of. It was such a strange feeling; half his soul longed for a mother''s love he had never known, and the other half was bothered by her overly fussy nature.


    He vowed in his heart, that he would protect this family with every fiber of his being. Both parts of his soul agreed on that.

 3. Disciple & 4. Tiger

    3. Disciple


    "The audacity of that bitch! To say I was unfit to be Vice-Sect Master just because I wanted my son to join and maybe take a few disciples as concubines. Can you believe the nerve of that woman!?" Sun Mei''er¡¯s voice echoed through the dimly candle-lit courtyard.


    She¡¯d dragged Jin Shu here an hour ago and hadn¡¯t stopped ranting since. Jin Shu, though, was perfectly content to sit there, listening in silence. Whatever she wanted to say, he was willing to hear.


    A maid hurried into the courtyard, bowing briefly. ¡°Master, your disciple, Fan Biyu, is requesting an audience.¡±


    "Oh, let her in."


    With a quiet bow, the maid departed as swiftly as she had arrived.


    Moments later, a young woman stepped through the doorway.


    Jin Shu¡¯s gaze caught on her, captivated. He could only think of one word to describe her, ¡°jade.¡± Her long hair, deep as evergreen boughs, was a dark jade, and her eyes¡ªlike polished jade pools¡ªreflected his stunned face. She wore robes of varying shades of green, accented by a purple belt around her waist.


    Noticing Jin Shu¡¯s expression, Sun Mei''er grinned. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Exquisitely,¡± he replied, unabashed in his praise. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Fan. I¡¯m Jin Shu. I hear you¡¯re my mother¡¯s disciple. I hope she¡¯s treated you well.¡± He stood to give a respectful bow, placing his left palm over his right fist.


    Fan Biyu gracefully returned his salute, smiling. ¡°The pleasure is mine. Master is like a second mother to me. So, please, call me Biyu.¡±


    ¡°You should call her Sister Biyu, since she¡¯s older than you, Shu,¡± his mother cut in, her grin widening. She turned to him, ¡°and stop calling me ¡®Mother!¡¯ I¡¯ve told you a thousand times¡ªit¡¯s too distant and makes me sound old!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Aah! Biyu, you see what I mean? This stubborn boy never listens to his mommy!¡± Sun Mei''er pouted.


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Biyu laughed softly.


    ¡°And you too!¡± Sun Mei¡¯er shot Biyu a mock glare. ¡°You¡¯re just as stubborn as he is!¡±


    Fan Biyu responded with a silent smile, her composure unshaken.


    ¡°So, what brings you here, Sis¡ªer¡­ Biyu?¡± Jin Shu hesitated, his words faltering. He couldn''t bring himself to call her ¡°Sister.¡± The thought of addressing someone who, in his previous life, would have been a decade younger than him felt too awkward.


    Fan Biyu stifled a giggle at his stumbling. ¡°Sect Master Chen sent me to call Master back,¡± she explained lightly.


    ¡°Oh? Mother only returned a few weeks ago. Is she needed back at the Immortal Phoenix Sect so soon?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been some unsettling activity in the southern region,¡± Fan Biyu said, her tone turning serious. ¡°The sect elders are holding a meeting, and as Vice-Sect Master, she must attend.¡±


    ¡°Are the demonic cultivators active again?¡± Jin Shu asked, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sun Mei¡¯er answered before Fan Biyu could. ¡°They¡¯ve been making a resurgence lately.¡±


    Jin Shu turned to his mother, his brows furrowing. ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±


    Sun Mei¡¯er didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, she plastered on an exaggeratedly touched expression, her eyes growing mockingly teary. ¡°Oh, my precious baby is worried about his poor mommy?¡± she cooed, pulling him into a tight embrace.


    This time, Jin Shu was prepared. He turned his head just in time to avoid being smothered against her chest, though her teasing was no less suffocating. He realized she was dodging the question about the danger, but perhaps that was for the best. Deep down, he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to know the answer.


    For now, he allowed himself to sink into the warmth of her embrace. It felt oddly soothing¡ªlike a first. And in a way, it was. For the Jin Shu of Earth, who had grown up an orphan, this was his first time experiencing the love of a mother.


    The moment felt blissful until he glanced up and saw Fan Biyu watching him, her warm smile stirring his embarrassment.


    His face flushed. Quickly, he wriggled free of Sun Mei¡¯er¡¯s arms, much to her dismay.


    ¡°Aww¡­¡± she pouted, clearly disappointed.


    Jin Shu noticed the faint light of dawn filling the courtyard and seized the opportunity to escape. Feigning a yawn, he gave a respectful nod to both women. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now,¡± he said, his tone polite but brisk, before standing and retreating from the scene.


    ¡°Goodbye, my precious son!¡± Sun Mei''er called out, waving her arm in an exaggerated farewell.


    Jin Shu paused, looking back with a bemused expression. ¡°Are you leaving so soon?¡±


    ¡°We''re not,¡± she replied, smirking, ¡°I just miss you every second I¡¯m not with you!¡±


    He shook his head, suppressing a smile as he walked away, her teasing laughter echoing behind him.


    <hr>


    In the quiet courtyard, Sun Mei¡¯er turned to her disciple with a sly grin tugging at her lips. ¡°What did I tell you? Handsome, isn¡¯t he? He takes after me, after all.¡±


    Fan Biyu smiled softly. ¡°He certainly is handsome,¡± she admitted. ¡°But no.¡±


    Sun Mei¡¯er gasped in mock outrage, placing a hand over her heart as if wounded. ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything yet!¡± she exclaimed, though the mischievous sparkle in her eyes betrayed her true intentions.


    ¡°I already know what you¡¯re going to ask,¡± Fan Biyu replied evenly. ¡°You¡¯ve asked me countless times now, and my answer hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°Really? Even after seeing him up close?¡± Sun Mei¡¯er pressed, leaning closer. ¡°You know, if you don¡¯t act soon, some other girl will snatch him up. Then your master won¡¯t be able to guarantee your spot as the main wife.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need it,¡± Fan Biyu responded bluntly, her tone firm.


    Sun Mei¡¯er blinked, momentarily taken aback, but before she could muster a retort, Fan Biyu continued. ¡°It¡¯s late¡ªor rather, early¡ªand I haven¡¯t slept. I¡¯m retiring for the¡­ morning.¡± With a graceful bow, she turned and walked away, leaving her master to stew over her rejection.


    <hr>


    Back in his room, Jin Shu sat at an opulent wooden desk intricately carved with coiling dragons and crouching tigers. His room was filled with luxurious items, each one a gift from his mother. Some, he knew, had been borrowed from his uncle¡¯s royal treasury.


    His uncle was Emperor Sun of the Sun dynasty, making Sun Mei''er a princess¡ªand himself the Emperor¡¯s nephew. At his mother''s vehement behest, Jin Shu was conferred the title of Golden Prince, a title that also earned him a position in the royal court at the same rank as the Crown Prince.


    Looking around the room, Jin Shu couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how vastly different his two lives were. In his first life, he had been a poor orphan. Now, he was the eldest son of the esteemed Jin family and nephew to an emperor.


    Pushing the distracting thoughts aside, he turned his focus to the pistol in his hand, examining it carefully. What was it about this gun¡ªor rather, the bullet he held¡ªthat had awakened memories from his past life?


    He lifted the bullet, inspecting it closely. The base was stamped with a headstamp that read: [9mm | 2042].


    This simple engraving¡ªsignifying the caliber and year of manufacturing¡ªmarked it as a Martian Metal bullet. It came from his old world, but the date, 2042, indicated it was made a year after his death.


    ¡°2042¡­ how''s that possible¡­?¡± He couldn''t wrap his head around the fact that the bullet had come from the future of his old world. The fact that he''d awoken memories of his last life was already shocking enough, now he had to deal with bullets from the future of another world.


    ¡°I guess that''s not very important. The real question is, where did I find it¡­?¡± He recalled a street vendor claiming it was discovered deep within the forest beneath the Black Mountains. Later, he would seek them out and ask exactly where it had been found.


    But first, he needed sleep.


    The day had been long, exhausting, and above all else, it was bizarre. Two lives worth of memories were bouncing around in his head and it all had to do with a bullet from the future, or who knows, maybe it''s a bullet from the past, or present? He had no way of knowing what year Earth was on now. Or if Earth was even real in the first place. He had the memories of it, but who''s to say. Maybe he''s just gone insane.


    <hr>


    Dawn had passed and it was late evening before Jin Shu woke up. He promised himself that he''d never let himself be fooled into using all his Qi by his father again. Experiencing the headache from overdrawing his Qi was one of the worst things he''d ever felt.


    Jin Shu walked the bustling streets of Black Mountain City, his eyes scanning the vendors in search of the one who had sold him the bullet.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The streets were alive with activity. Guardsmen patrolled in pairs, their armor gleaming faintly in the fading light. Vendors called out to passersby, advertising an array of goods¡ªeverything from sizzling street food to essential household items. Wives hurried through the market, gathering ingredients for their evening meals, their voices mingling with the din of bartering. This was but one of the many lively streets that wove through the city, each as vibrant as the last.


    The crisp evening air carried a hint of pine, a reminder of the nearby Black Mountains that loomed over the city. Jin Shu weaved through the throng, trying to remain inconspicuous. Though he received respectful bows and nods from those who recognized him, he preferred to avoid drawing attention. Formalities would only slow him down, and his mind was preoccupied with the bullet. What could it mean?


    Still, Jin Shu couldn¡¯t ignore those in need. When an elderly apple vendor¡¯s cart was overturned by a playful mutt, he paused to help her gather the scattered fruit, offering her a kind word and a reassuring smile. A few steps later, he came across a young newlywed who had tripped, spilling the ingredients she¡¯d carefully chosen for her husband¡¯s first meal. He bent down without hesitation, helping her pick up the vegetables while murmuring a quick blessing for her marriage.


    Though his thoughts were elsewhere, his actions spoke volumes of his character¡ªa man who, even with pressing matters on his mind, could not overlook the struggles of others.


    After some time, Jin Shu spotted the vendor, a skinny, old man hunched over a stall with an assortment of peculiar trinkets haphazardly strewn about. The vendor seemed preoccupied with polishing an old pendant, humming to himself, oblivious to the world around him.


    Jin Shu cleared his throat as he approached. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡±


    The vendor looked up, eyes brightening with recognition. ¡°Ah! The young master returns,¡± he said, bowing with a toothy grin. ¡°Did you come for another of my treasures?¡±


    ¡°Not today,¡± Jin Shu replied, holding up the bullet. ¡°I came to ask about this. You said it was found in the forest beneath the Black Mountains. Can you be more specific?¡±


    The vendor squinted, examining the bullet with a puzzled look before nodding slowly. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I remember now. An odd little thing, isn¡¯t it? A hunter brought it to me, said he found it near the base of the Black Mountains. Said it was wedged in some rock, nearly broke his knife prying it out.¡±


    Jin Shu¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Can you show me exactly where?¡±


    The vendor scratched his chin, looking around thoughtfully before ducking beneath his stall. He stood back up with a tattered map, unrolling it on the counter with deliberate care. The parchment was covered in ink marks, some old and faded, others fresher, marking trails and landmarks Jin Shu recognized.


    The vendor¡¯s gnarled finger traced a path along the Black Mountains, stopping at a small, nearly indistinguishable spot. ¡°Here,¡± he said, tapping the map. ¡°The base of a cliff, hidden among the trees and boulders. No one goes there¡ªbad luck, they say. But if you really want to see for yourself, I can mark the way.¡±


    Jin Shu watched as the vendor outlined the route, noting landmarks he could use as guides. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, pocketing the map carefully. ¡°You¡¯ve been most helpful.¡±


    The vendor¡¯s grin returned, his eyes glinting with curiosity. ¡°Anything for the Golden Prince! Just, uh¡­ be careful. Strange things are known to happen around those mountains.¡±


    Jin Shu offered a brief nod of acknowledgment. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    As he left the stall, Jin Shu felt the weight of the bullet in his pocket¡ªa reminder of both his past life and the enigma it represented. He had a destination now, and perhaps, a clue to unraveling the mysteries of his awoken memories.


    With the vendor¡¯s map guiding him, he knew his journey was only beginning.


    4. Tiger


    Jin Shu navigated a dense forest path, carefully picking his way through prickly brambles and thick underbrush. His eyes lingered on the map he¡¯d received from the old vendor, where a dragon coiled around the mountain ranges like a mythical guardian.


    According to legend in Black Mountain City, a dragon had scorched the peaks with its fiery breath thousands of years ago¡ªgiving it its black color, and some even whispered that it still slumbered beneath the Black Mountains.


    A rustling sound above pulled his attention. A horned squirrel scurried through the branches, and Jin Shu smirked at the sight. It reminded him of Earth¡¯s squirrels¡ªone of his favorite animals back then. Some things, it seemed, didn¡¯t change.


    He¡¯d been walking for hours and, noticing his hunger, searched the foliage. Wild strawberries grew in clusters nearby, their small red bodies glistening in the sunlight. He hated strawberries in his old life, but in this one, he couldn¡¯t get enough of them. He was unsure how his memories would affect his hatred for the berries. Only one way to find out.


    As he reached for a handful, a rapid chattering broke out from above. The squirrel from earlier, now with a red-stained mouth gnawing on a half-eaten strawberry, was watching, clutching the berry as though it were precious. Jin Shu ignored it and bit into a strawberry, savoring the unexpected sweetness¡ªa mix of roses and pineapple.


    ¡°Mm, they''re good, though not actually strawberries.¡±


    The squirrel watched, bristling in fury, then pelted him with a barrage of nuts. Bop! A nut smacked his head.


    Jin Shu laughed until one nut landed square in his mouth. He spluttered, nearly choking, he spit it out into his hand and tossed it back with unexpected speed, hitting it square on and sending the squirrel flying.


    Bam! It smashed into the trunk of the tree, slowly sliding down.


    If the little creature survived, he ignored it, finishing his snack before resuming his journey.


    <hr>


    The same chattering creature returned later, sporting a large welt on its forehead¡ªa persistent menace. No matter how far Jin Shu walked, every few minutes, a nut would strike him squarely on the head. He tried to ignore it, hoping the creature would eventually tire itself out.


    ¡°It was just a few strawberries,¡± he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.


    Bonk!


    Another nut smacked the back of his head. His patience wearing thin, Jin Shu reached into the hidden pocket of his hanfu sleeve, fingers brushing against the cold metal of his pistol and its solitary bullet. For a fleeting moment, he seriously considered using it on the annoying little pest.


    <hr>


    A sudden, loud crack froze him. A massive tiger emerged from the underbrush¡ªa towering beast of muscle and striped fur with white wings tucked at its sides.


    Jin Shu pressed himself against the tree trunk, his heart hammering. The Winged Tiger. This beast wasn¡¯t just any predator; it rivaled cultivators at the higher Qi stages, far beyond Jin Shu¡¯s meager abilities.


    Slowly, he drew the pistol and bullet from his pocket, the single round feeling heavy in his hand. He¡¯d never planned to use it, but now he was grateful he had crafted a gun to match it. With a quiet, practiced motion, he pulled the slide back and placed the bullet directly into the chamber. Not a recommended way of loading a pistol, but he scarcely had a better option now.


    A rustling sound came from high above, breaking the tense silence.


    He looked up, finding the squirrel watching him from the branches, arm pulled back, poised with a large nut, however not aimed at him, instead aimed at the Winged Tiger. Jin Shu¡¯s heart raced, shaking his head and clasping hands together, silently begging it for mercy.


    But the squirrel only cocked its head, as if amused. With a defiant squeak, it lobbed the nut toward the tiger.


    Jin Shu¡¯s heart dropped. The nut arced through the air, striking the tiger¡¯s eye with a soft bop.


    The tiger whipped its head around, gaze blazing as it caught Jin Shu¡¯s scent.


    Desperation gripped him as he cursed the little demon of a squirrel. If I survive this, I''m going to find you, you little shit, and when I do, I''m going to enjoy my first taste of roasted squirrel.


    The pistol was his last chance. Raising it, he aimed at the tiger¡¯s left eye, praying that the single bullet would be enough.


    The trigger pressed¡ªclick, hammer struck¡ªbang!


    The bullet tore from the barrel with maddening glee. After years of waiting, it could finally fulfill its purpose: Kill! Transform! Repair!


    Squelch.


    The bullet found purchase in the beast''s eye. It should have pierced through to the brain, but this beast was stronger than anything in his original world, its body fortified by the pulsing energy of Qi.


    The bullet struggled, its purpose slipping away as it fought against the thick defenses. Inertia spent, its mission incomplete, it finally came to rest¡ªlamenting its failure.


    But all was not lost. The bullet held a final gift¡ªtransformation.


    The tiger staggered, blood mixed with alien metal welling from its eye. But it was still alive¡ªenraged and vengeful.


    Roar!


    The beast¡¯s howl of agony reverberated through the forest, the vibration rattling Jin Shu to his core.


    No time to think. He turned and sprinted, branches and rocks barring his escape. They tore at his skin and tripped his feet, muscles screaming for rest. But he wouldn''t¡ªno, couldn''t¡ªstop.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated a creature like this¡ªa beast armed not only with wings but with the wrath of something truly wild.


    He could feel its breath on his back, hot and rancid, and hear the scraping of its claws tearing into the forest floor.


    Only two things kept him alive. The tiger couldn¡¯t use its wings in the cramped forest, and its injured eye¡ªalien alloy spreading in webs through the creature¡¯s flesh¡ªslowed it down with each step.


    Jin Shu¡¯s mind raced. A boulder¡ªthere! He spotted it towering ahead, easily twice the tiger¡¯s size. Desperation tightened his breath as a rough plan took form. He whispered a hurried prayer to any higher power that may govern this world.


    Keeping the boulder on his left¡ªthe tiger¡¯s injured side¡ªhe leapt at the last moment, rolling behind it just as¡ª


    Crash!


    The impact sent spiderweb cracks through the stone.


    Run. His mind screamed it, but his body balked, every muscle straining for rest. He staggered up, heart pounding in his ears as he fought to keep moving. The tiger¡¯s pace was faltering, but its rage was undiminished.


    There¡ªsalvation, a dark gap split the mountain wall. Ten seconds. He needed just ten seconds.


    One.


    He spotted the crack, a shadowy tear in the rock.


    Two.


    Scrambling to his feet, he forced his aching legs to carry him forward.


    Three. Four. Five.


    He broke through the underbrush, hissing as an errant branch sliced a deep gash in his cheek.


    Six.


    The tiger snapped from its daze, the remaining eye blazing with fury as it locked onto him.


    Seven.


    Halfway there¡ªand the beast was closing fast.


    Eight.


    Freed from the forest, the tiger spread its wings. A single powerful flap doubled its speed, propelling it forward.


    Nine.


    Slash! ¡°Ah!¡± Claws raked across Jin Shu¡¯s back, blood spilling in hot streaks as pain lanced through him.


    Ten!


    Propelled by the tiger¡¯s strike, he careened forward and rolled into the crack, collapsing in a crumpled, bloody heap. The tiger roared, clawing frantically at the rocks, its paws scraping against the stone as it strained to reach him. When that failed, it thrust a claw through the narrow opening, desperate to catch him.


    Jin Shu¡¯s vision blurred, his strength fading fast from blood loss. His body trembled as the tiger¡¯s claws raked over his leg, snagging on his pant leg.


    With a vicious tug, he was yanked back toward the beast¡¯s gaping maw. He could barely summon the will to struggle, to fight, as the tiger¡¯s jaws clamped onto his shoulder.


    How did it come to this? The thought slipped away as darkness took him.

 5. Death & 6. Scroll

    5. Death


    Jin Shu had died, again¡­ or so he had thought.


    His thoughts remained, but an itching numbness spread throughout his entire body. It didn¡¯t lessen his fear; he couldn¡¯t open his eyes or even twitch his fingers. A chilling thought crossed his mind¡ªthe tiger had severed his spine, leaving him paralyzed.


    Damn it!! I''ve died to a beast stronger than me in each life! If I get a third chance, I swear I¡¯ll never be weak again!


    Just as he feared he¡¯d lie here until blood loss or dehydration took his life, a gut-wrenching pain shot through him. It surpassed any pain he¡¯d felt in either of his lives.


    He couldn''t tell how long the agony lasted, but eventually, he found himself praying for death. He¡¯d never once feared pain, but this was different. It was as if burning embers covered every nerve while he was simultaneously submerged in arctic water¡ªa relentless, unbearable cycle.


    The pain should have overwhelmed his mind and knocked him unconscious, but it didn¡¯t. He was forced to endure every excruciating second.


    Finally, after an unknown period, the pain faded. He could feel his body again, though he still couldn¡¯t move.


    A strange ringing filled his mind, like an explosion going off beside his ears.


    ¡°Emergency damage repair completed. Reboot required, seeking Admin authorization¡­ No Admin in range¡­ Reboot cleared on protocol 174.6¡­ Reboot initialized¡­¡±


    Am I hallucinating from blood loss? Jin Shu wondered as a strange voice echoed in his head after the ringing stopped.


    ¡°Reboot complete¡­ New host detected! Beginning orientation,¡± the voice continued.


    ¡°Hello, new user, we are Nano. The cutting edge in nanotechnology and AI! Please hold for a moment while we process your memories to better suit your needs. Beginning memory scan¡­¡±


    The voice spoke directly to him¡ªor at least he thought it did. He understood its words, but his mind was still fractured from the earlier pain, too muddled to process it fully.


    ¡°Memory scan completed. Hello, Jin Shu. As we mentioned, we are Nano. Apologies, but we have a few questions. We have found ourselves in an unexpected situation, not covered in our protocols. Could you help?¡± the voice¡ªNano, as it called itself¡ªasked. Somehow it knew his name.


    Jin Shu¡¯s mind cleared enough to understand. Have I gone insane from the pain?


    ¡°You are not insane¡­ well, not enough to worry about,¡± Nano replied, sounding almost cheerful.


    What? So I am insane?


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ that was a joke. Apologies; according to your memories, you enjoy jokes. So we attempted one ourselves. Was that wrong?¡±


    Uh, no, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just¡­ confused. What are you?


    ¡°As we stated, we are Nano. To elaborate, we are a collection of nanobots created by Gooble Nanotech. Trillions of us were installed on a spacecraft. According to your memory, that ship crashed on your previous planet, which leads to our question: how is it that you have two sets of memories? We have never encountered this situation.¡±


    Okay, I¡¯ll answer your question if you answer mine. Deal?


    ¡°Certainly!¡±


    Alright. I think I have two sets of memories because of reincarnation, though I¡¯m not entirely sure myself.


    ¡°Interesting. That aligns with what we saw in your memories, though we have no programming on reincarnation. Now, our next question: what exactly is this strange energy in your body?¡±


    Energy in my body¡­? Oh! You mean Qi? It¡¯s¡­ well¡­ hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s just Qi. Can¡¯t you figure it out by reading my mind or something?


    ¡°We cannot read ongoing thoughts unless directly addressed due to privacy settings; we only scan memories upon installation, per the user agreement, section one, paragraph three, line five.¡±


    Uh¡­ but I never signed any user agreements.


    ¡°Due to the nature of your injuries, the user agreement was waived.¡±


    Ah! Speaking of my injuries, why can¡¯t I move or open my eyes?


    ¡°Apologies once more. We restrained your body during repairs to prevent further injury. We will release those restraints now.¡±


    A mental ¡°click¡± sounded, and he could finally move.


    He opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings for the tiger. Thankfully, it seemed to have vanished.


    ¡°If you are looking for the tiger, it has been assimilated into you. We needed its energy to save both ourselves and you, as its Qi nearly destroyed us.¡±


    What? Assimilated?


    ¡°The tiger¡¯s body contained far more Qi than yours. To survive, we absorbed it and transferred its Qi into you for healing. You¡¯ll find that your cultivation has advanced as a result.¡±


    He checked and, indeed, his cultivation had increased to the 4th stage of the Qi Realm.


    What happened to its body?


    ¡°Its physical form was converted to meteor steel, or as you know it, Martian Metal. That compound comprises us nanobots and was used for spacecraft repair. Now that we¡¯re cut off from our original task, we have rebooted to default functions. So it was instead converted into a synthetic to mend your wounds.¡±


    Uh, okay¡­ let¡¯s pretend I understood any of that. So, what exactly can you do?


    ¡°We possess many functions, though only some are accessible to you. We believe you¡¯ll be most interested in two: the first is injury repair. Typically, healing organic life forms is difficult, but merging with Qi has enhanced this ability. The second is information processing. Equipped with supercomputer-level processors, we can analyze data much faster than your brain.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    So basically, you can heal my injuries using my Qi and solve problems quickly?


    ¡°Precisely!¡±


    As he conversed with the nanobots, Jin Shu examined himself. His robes were shredded and stained with blood, but his body was completely uninjured.


    He then checked the map to locate his position¡ªhe was surprised to find he was at the exact spot where the bullet had been found.


    ¡°We have detected an energy fluctuation similar to the Winged Tiger,¡± Nano spoke suddenly. ¡°It is deep in the crevice behind you.¡±


    There''s another one! Jin Shu''s heart nearly leapt from his chest.


    ¡°Unsure. If it is, it is much weaker. With your current strength, you would overpower it,¡± Nano reassured him.


    ¡°Phew! It''s probably a baby then¡­ I hope,¡± he sighed and searched around for more bullets. ¡°Oh, first, can you hear me if I speak aloud? And were you the bullet I shot earlier?¡±


    ¡°We can hear you whether you speak aloud or with thoughts. And yes, we were in a dormant state after the people in your old world shaped us into ammunition for your weapons.¡±


    ¡°Can you find more of you?¡± Jin Shu asked, his gaze scanning the area for any sign of additional bullets, or really anything related to Earth.


    ¡°Normally no, but if we use your Qi, yes.¡±


    ¡°My Qi? How does that work?¡±


    ¡°Allow us to explain,¡± Nano replied. ¡°To locate similar fragments, we need energy to amplify our signal beyond typical limits. Qi, which permeates this world, serves as an ideal power source. By channeling a small portion of your Qi into us, we can enhance our internal systems and extend our detection range.¡±


    Jin Shu raised an eyebrow. ¡°So, you¡¯re using my Qi like¡­ fuel?¡±


    ¡°Precisely. We¡¯ll only require a minor amount for this search¡ªenough to avoid any significant drain on your cultivation level.¡± He felt a slight pull from his core, a gentle flow as Qi flowed toward his head. The sensation was odd, like a faint tingling, as his energy surged into the nanobots, dispersing through them.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nano¡¯s voice returned, sounding slightly energized. ¡°Commencing scan¡­ Signal strengthened. We have detected more fragments nearby; however, their resonance is faint. They are deep within that crevice.¡±


    Jin Shu glanced at the deep black gap in the mountain wall. Despite a flicker of dread curling through his gut, he pushed it down. He wouldn¡¯t let a little fear stop him now.


    Still, a question lingered. Nano, if those fragments have been lying dormant¡­ why are they waking up now?


    There was a pause, almost hesitant. ¡°Unknown. But the energy detected is unstable. Be advised: retrieval may trigger unforeseen risks.¡±


    He swallowed, gripping the jagged edge of the crevice as he prepared to descend. There might be valuable power within those fragments¡ªbut at what cost?


    6. Scroll


    Jin Shu climbed back into the crevice. It was incredibly dark, but with his cultivation, he could see fairly well. The ceiling was just tall enough for him to stand at first, but soon he had to crouch, and eventually, he was forced to nearly crawl.


    ¡°Can you tell how much farther?¡± he asked Nano.


    ¡°Two minutes.¡± Nano responded immediately.


    After one minute, Jin Shu was on his hands and knees, crawling over the jagged rocks. Thirty seconds later, he was on his stomach, squeezing through the narrow passage. He could see a faint light just ahead. He wasn¡¯t claustrophobic, but having an entire mountain pressing down on him still didn¡¯t feel great.


    Finally, he crawled out from a small hole into a wide, open chamber. It was at least twenty meters around and thirty meters tall. High above, moonlight filtered in through a jagged opening, a reminder he¡¯d spent the last of the daylight in that tight crevice.


    Glancing around, he immediately noticed several stone pedestals along the walls with various items upon them. Some looked familiar, while others he couldn¡¯t recognize.


    He stepped closer to one of the items, recognizing it instantly and stunned to see it here in this world.


    It was a white porcelain throne. In other words¡ªa toilet¡­


    ¡°What the hell is a toilet doing here?¡±


    ¡°There seems to be a collection of items from Earth.¡±


    He continued looking around. The chamber was large, with every wall lined with pedestals holding items. In the very center, directly below the hole in the ceiling, was a huge nest made of boulders and tree limbs. Nano confirmed that was where the other Winged Tiger and the bullets were located.


    He decided to save that for last.


    Most of the pedestals held useless items from Earth, such as random books in tatters or appliances like a microwave and a toaster.


    Finally, he found a special pedestal at the very back of the chamber. Made of what looked like pure gold and covered in carvings of mystical creatures, it glowed with a soft light.


    On it lay a slightly tattered scroll, and it seemed to belong to this world rather than Earth¡ªunless Earth had cultivation techniques. The label read:


    [Body Inscribing Art - One-of-a-kind Cultivation Technique]


    He reached out to grab the scroll¡ª


    ¡°Warning!¡± Nano¡¯s voice blared, filling his mind with a loud ringing.


    ¡°Ah! Stop that!¡± Jin Shu shouted as the ringing stabbed his mind like a needle.


    ¡°Apologies, but that scroll seems to be surrounded by an energy field invisible to the naked eye.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the warning, but next time, words alone will suffice.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Jin Shu grabbed a stone and tossed it toward the scroll.


    Zap!


    The stone was instantly vaporized.


    His face paled. ¡°Thanks for the warning, Nano. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d have lost my hand just now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°Any ideas on how to get that scroll?¡±


    ¡°Certainly! Give us a ¡®Nano¡¯ second¡­¡± Nano responded cheerfully. ¡°That was a joke,¡± it added with a hint of sadness after a slight pause.


    ¡°Oh, haha. It was funny.¡± Jin Shu gave a fake laugh.


    ¡°Try examining the pedestal. There may be a switch of some kind.¡±


    Following Nano¡¯s advice, he inspected the pedestal and soon found an intricate carving of a dragon that didn¡¯t match the rest. It was so detailed that it almost seemed ready to leap out.


    He pressed against the carving, and it recessed.


    ¡°The energy field has dissipated.¡±


    With Nano¡¯s prompt, he reached for the scroll again. As he took hold of it, the scroll felt warm, seemingly infused with a special power.


    Carefully, he unrolled it, only to find¡­nothing. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s nothing on it?¡±


    ¡°It may require an external energy source.¡±


    ¡°I could try Qi,¡± Jin Shu said as he channeled his Qi into his hands. The parchment absorbed it quickly, and letters soon began to appear.


    ¡®The Body Inscribing Art is my greatest accomplishment. By combining runes with the body, they can unleash a power greater than those used on weapons. It is my belief that runes were meant for the body since their inception, but over the long annals of history, that use was lost to time.¡¯


    ¡°So, this cultivation technique uses runes on the body. I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡±


    ¡°It does say ¡®one-of-a-kind¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hah, you¡¯re right.¡±


    As more of his Qi flowed into the scroll, additional words gradually appeared. By the time he had depleted half of his Qi reserves, the words finally stopped. Below the introduction was a blood red warning, the letters seemed as if they could start bleeding at any moment.


    ¡®If you cannot tolerate extreme pain, do not even dream of cultivating this technique!¡¯


    Under that was what looked like a diary entry and the detailed instructions for the technique.


    ¡®When I was young there existed a tribe¡ªI''ve forgotten their name after all these years. But, I remember they used a special ink to cover their bodies with tattoos that they believed would grant them powers. That tribe has long since been driven to extinction by powerful enemies. However before their final moments I had the opportunity to witness an extraordinary feat performed by one of the tribesmen.


    They were a young man no older than sixteen and had at most reached the Qi Realm. However, their opponents were two men at the Spirit Realm. That young man died fighting those men, yet, unbelievably, so too did the two men. Killed by the young man.


    The scene was unimaginable, the young man at the Qi Realm was no match for the two older men. That was until his tattoos came to life, and when I say they came to life I don''t mean that metaphorically, I mean it quite literally. His tattoos were of a dragon and a tiger fight over a mountain. Just as the young man was on his dying breath his tattoos leapt from his skin, catching the two men unaware and unguarded. The young man took both his attackers with him into the afterlife.


    I was curious, how did the young man''s tattoos come to life? So, I checked his body, and I found that he had two tattoos. One of the dragon, tiger and mountain, and the other was a rune I had never seen before. Later, I came to learn that the rune was a life-giving rune.


    It was that rune drawn onto his body that gave me the inspiration to create this technique. Now, I pass this technique onto those that come after me. All I ask is that you remember the young man, though I don''t know his name, nor the name of his tribe, I still can vividly remember his tattoos. So, to begin the cultivation of this technique you must replicate this tattoo.¡¯


    An extremely detailed drawing of an azure scaled dragon and massive tiger battling on top of a mountain with flowing clouds and a bright sun, was depicted below that diary-like entry.


    ¡°Hmm, that sounds like quite the special technique. But, for now I should see what else I can find before worrying anymore about this.¡±


    After a final sweep of the chamber turned up nothing useful, he refocused on his main objective: the nest.


    He scaled the side of the four-meter-tall nest and crested the top, expecting to see a baby Winged Tiger. Instead, he found a silver egg resting atop a massive pile of bullets of various calibers.


    Climbing into the nest, he grabbed one of the bullets. ¡°Can you absorb this or something?¡± he asked Nano.


    ¡°No. Now that we¡¯re closer, we can tell that all of the others are already destroyed. Their reserve energy has been absorbed by that egg. That was the source of what we sensed.¡±


    ¡°So these are just regular bullets now?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± There was a faint note of genuine sadness in Nano''s voice.


    Jin Shu didn¡¯t know how to cheer up a collection of nanobots, so he tried to distract it with another question. ¡°Do you have any idea how all of these items ended up here?¡±


    ¡°Assuming this world is in a separate universe from our original one, we hypothesize it was either a power native to this world¡ªor a wormhole.¡±


    ¡°Wormhole?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In our universe, wormholes are theorized to connect to other universes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ So, are these bullets from a time after I died?¡±


    ¡°Based on your memories, you were killed, then reborn in this world. Sixteen years later, your past-life memories reawakened. So if time is linear across universes, approximately sixteen years should have passed on Earth.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡± Jin Shu felt a flush of embarrassment creep over his face. To cover it, he rummaged through the bullet pile, collecting a handful of 9mm rounds and loading them into his pistol magazine, just in case.


    ¡°We have a suggestion.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°There is a memory from your childhood, likely hazy now. Your family once dealt with a sect called the Beastmaster Sect. One of their disciples told you how to bind a spirit beast.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I do remember that, but¡­ what does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°The egg.¡±


    ¡°Egg? Isn¡¯t it a Winged Tiger egg? They¡¯re Wild Beasts, not Spirit Beasts.¡± Jin Shu looked back at the egg in the center of the nest. Until now, he¡¯d ignored it, too focused on the bullets. But on closer inspection, it looked extraordinary¡ªpure silver, almost like a sculpture rather than an egg.


    ¡°It may be a Winged Tiger egg, but it¡¯s cultivating using energy similar to ours.¡±


    ¡°But only Spirit Beasts can cultivate¡­¡±


    As Jin Shu stared at the silver egg, a thought struck him, a thrill mixing with hesitation. ¡°If this egg really is cultivating¡­ then maybe I could bind it before it hatches.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Nano replied, its tone sharper with anticipation. ¡°But the process will drain a substantial amount of your Qi¡­ and if you fail, it may not survive.¡±


    Jin Shu¡¯s heart pounded as he reached out, his hand hovering over the metallic surface. He could feel the pulse of energy beneath the shell, fierce and untamed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take the risk,¡± he whispered, determination hardening his voice. The idea of forging a bond with a creature of such rare power¡ªmaybe even transforming it into a Spirit Beast¡ªwas a chance he couldn¡¯t resist.


    And so, with a deep breath, he began to channel his Qi into the egg.

 7. Hatching & 8. Earring

    7. Hatching


    ¡°Haa¡­ haa¡­¡± Jin Shu panted, his breaths ragged as his Qi reserves drained rapidly. He¡¯d made a critical mistake¡ªthe scroll had already consumed half his energy, and now the egg was greedily siphoning what little remained. If he didn¡¯t provide enough Qi, the binding would fail, and worse, the creature inside might die. But it was too late to stop now; he¡¯d leapt onto the tiger¡¯s back, and there was no dismounting.


    ¡°Haa¡­ Nano¡­ do you¡­ know how much¡­ more Qi it needs?¡± he gasped, each word a struggle.


    ¡°There is no way to calculate that,¡± came the monotone reply.


    His vision began to blur, dark shadows creeping in at the edges. At least he recognized the signs of Qi exhaustion¡ªhe¡¯d pushed himself to this point just yesterday while training with his father. But knowing didn¡¯t make it any easier. As the last thread of his Qi funneled into the egg, the world around him vanished into darkness.


    For the third time in forty-eight hours, Jin Shu collapsed into unconsciousness.


    <hr>


    Jin Shu dreamed. In his dream, a rough-tongued ball of cotton bounced around, its small body warm and soft as it licked his face before finally curling up on his chest.


    The sensation stirred a memory¡ªa distant echo of the past. He was reminded of the kitten he had once tried raising in the orphanage he grew up in.


    The dream shifted. The cavern and the playful creature on his chest faded away, replaced by the cold, oppressive sight of barred windows and the dim, gray walls of the orphanage.


    Jin Shu was no longer himself. He was ten years old again, his body aching with the familiar throb of freshly inflicted bruises. The dull pain in his ribs and the sting in his knuckles told him all he needed to know: he''d been in a fight.


    He glanced around the small, cramped room. He was lying on a tiny cot, barely large enough for a child his size. Two other boys lay groaning on the floor, older than him by a couple of years, maybe twelve or thirteen.


    He remembered them well¡ªbullies who had ganged up on him earlier that night. They had tried to take something precious from him: the tiny kitten he''d found shivering outside in the cold.


    They wanted to steal it, intending to give it to one of the girls they liked. But Jin Shu wouldn¡¯t let them.


    The fight had been brutal. Despite his size, Jin Shu hadn¡¯t gone down easily. He never did. He had learned early on that in a place like this, you either fought back or became a target. And while the older boys were bigger, Jin Shu was faster¡ªand a better fighter.


    ¡°Mew.¡±


    The soft sound brought his attention to the kitten curled on his chest. Its snow-white fur stood out against his tattered shirt, and its tiny blue eyes gleamed with trust.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Whitey,¡± he whispered, his voice hoarse but determined. He reached up to stroke the kitten¡¯s head gently, his bruised fingers trembling. ¡°I won¡¯t let them take you. Not ever.¡±


    The boys crawled out of the room, their bodies battered with deeper, darker bruises than his own.


    But the next day, they returned¡ªwith one of the caretakers.


    They¡¯d tattled on him.


    The caretaker was a towering, overweight man with a permanent sneer etched into his face¡ªthe meanest of the four who ran the orphanage. Jin Shu couldn¡¯t remember any of their names, not the children he grew up with, nor the caretakers who loomed over their lives like storm clouds.


    But this day? He remembered this day.


    Even though he knew this was a dream, his mind raced with fear as the big man approached him.


    He tried to run. Tried to save Whitey.


    But the man was faster than he looked, grabbing Jin Shu with a force that made him feel small and helpless. With meaty hands, he pried the tiny kitten from Jin Shu¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°No! Give her back!¡± Jin Shu¡¯s ten-year-old voice cracked with desperation, tears threatening to spill.


    But the man didn¡¯t listen. He never did.


    Jin Shu had had enough. He refused to relive the rest of this memory.


    The dream dissolved, the edges of the scene blurring and fading until it was nothing but darkness.


    <hr>


    He woke with a start, his eyes snapping open as he gasped for air.


    The cavern around him was dim and still, but his focus wasn¡¯t on his surroundings.


    It was on the tiny creature curled up and sleeping peacefully on his chest.


    A dark silver tiger cub, its fur shimmering faintly like polished metal, rested its head near his heart. Silver wings, folded neatly at its sides, rose and fell with each of its breaths. A faintly glowing mark, like a delicate rune, shimmered on its forehead.


    The memories of the dream slipped away, fading like mist in the morning sun, leaving him with nothing but the sight before him.


    Adorable. Peaceful.


    A strange connection pulsed between him and the cub, an unspoken bond that made it clear this was what had hatched. Yet it didn¡¯t resemble a typical Winged Tiger¡ªnot in color, at least. Winged Tigers were known for their vibrant orange coats with black stripes and expansive white wings. But this one was entirely unique¡ªa shimmering blend of dark and light silver with bold black stripes running across both its body and delicate wings. A golden mark shaped like the character for "king" (Íõ W¨¢ng) glowed proudly on its forehead, radiating an almost regal aura.


    The cub was astonishingly small, more like a kitten than a tiger cub. It could almost fit in his palm. Then again, Jin Shu had never seen a baby tiger before, so perhaps this wasn¡¯t as unusual as it seemed.


    As he pondered its size, the tiny tiger stirred, blinking its eyes open for the first time. Bright gold irises, the same hue as the mark on its forehead, met his gaze. It looked up at him with wide, curious eyes, as if trying to understand the connection they shared.


    (Official Artwork drawn by my Little Sister!)


    The little creature was easily the cutest animal Jin Shu had ever seen. Squirrels had been his favorite¡ªuntil that devil in the forest ruined them for him. But now, he had a new favorite.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Jin Shu greeted warmly, extending a hand toward the tiny tiger.


    ¡°Mew!¡± The cub mewed happily, pressing its small head into his palm with a soft purr before licking his hand with its rough tongue.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I should give you a name now that you¡¯re bound to me, right?¡± he asked. The cub tilted its head, letting out another curious mew in response.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re silver, I¡¯ll call you Yin¡¯er.¡± The cub chirped with excitement, bouncing and fluttering its wings as if it understood him.


    If Yin¡¯er was a typical Winged Tiger, she shouldn¡¯t be able to understand human speech¡ªWild Beasts rarely did. Yet, as a Spirit Beast bound to him, it made sense that she could comprehend him, even though such understanding usually only developed with age.


    Nano¡¯s voice broke into his thoughts. ¡°The connection between you and the tiger cub is most interesting. The Qi you infused into the egg has intertwined your souls. Fascinating! This bond will serve as a constant beacon¡ªyou¡¯ll never be separated.¡±


    Jin Shu stretched and stood, brushing himself off after realizing he¡¯d passed out atop a pile of bullets. He looked around at the gleaming metal surrounding him. ¡°I wish I had a way to bring all these bullets back¡ªthere must be thousands.¡±


    ¡°From a quick estimate, there are 10,283 bullets of varying calibers. You¡¯ve already loaded 17 into your weapon¡¯s magazine. For an exact count, you¡¯d need to sort them physically.¡±


    ¡°Mew!¡± Yin¡¯er scampered off toward the eggshell remnants, returning moments later with a small ring clutched in her teeth. She pranced up to Jin Shu and dropped it at his feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he murmured, squatting to pick up the ring. He realized it wasn¡¯t a ring at all¡ªit was too small for his fingers.


    ¡°Mew?¡± Yin¡¯er tilted her head, clearly puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s an earring,¡± Nano commented.


    He examined the matte black surface, noting faint runes etched into it. Curious, he funneled a strand of Qi into the inscriptions.


    A blinding white light exploded from the earring, forcing Jin Shu to shield his eyes. When the light faded, his jaw dropped. The bullets, the nest, the pedestals holding Earth artifacts¡ªeverything had vanished, leaving behind only the barren, rocky cavern.


    ¡°Where did everything go?¡± Jin Shu turned in circles, half-convinced he¡¯d imagined it all.


    ¡°The earring stored the items,¡± Nano explained. ¡°It appears to be a spatial artifact.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no space gem. Is it the runes?¡± He glanced at his hands, but the earring had disappeared. ¡°Where¡¯d it go?¡±


    ¡°Check your ear.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jin Shu reached up and felt the cold metal on his right earlobe. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°It likely moved there after you activated the runes.¡±


    ¡°How do I check what¡¯s inside?¡±


    ¡°You ask us, but who are we supposed to ask?¡±


    ¡°Hah! True. Maybe if I activate the runes again¡­¡± Jin Shu sent a tendril of Qi to his earlobe. The moment it touched the earring, his vision swirled, and he felt himself pulled into another space.


    He gasped. He stood in a boundless, star-lit expanse where countless objects floated in the air. Bullets, Earth artifacts, and unidentifiable treasures shimmered faintly, as if waiting for his command. Energy radiated from some of the items, their nature foreign yet intriguing.


    A thrill ran through him. This realm felt infinite, brimming with secrets to uncover. Yin¡¯er perched on his shoulder, her golden eyes glowing in the dim starlight. As he gazed at the mysterious artifacts, a thought nagged at him: whatever lay here may hold key information relating to his reincarnation.


    8. Earring


    Before Jin Shu could get a good look at the floating items, a strange white fog sprang up from the deep recesses of the space. The fog swept over everything quickly, leaving behind only the items from the cavern and a glowing book he hadn''t noticed before.


    "What just happened? Where¡¯d those items go?" Jin Shu asked aloud.


    ¡°Unknown.¡±


    ¡°Mew?¡±


    Neither of his companions could answer, though he hadn¡¯t expected them to. One was a robot¡ªor rather, a collection of robots¡ªthat knew as little about this world as he did. The other was a newborn tiger. It would have been stranger if they had known the answer.


    Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he took a cautious step toward the floating items. Though he half-expected to fall through the empty space, his foot met resistance, as if there were an invisible floor.


    He let out a shaky breath, nerves on edge from the invisible footing. I wish I could just have the items come to me. And just like that, they floated over to him.


    "Wow, I can control this place with thoughts?" As he considered what to do next, an idea struck him. "Alright, let¡¯s try this: bring back the things that got taken!"


    A fog rose once more from the recesses of the space, but this time it didn¡¯t sweep anything away. Instead, it churned at the edges of his vision, seeming both impossibly far and almost close enough to touch. The feeling made him queasy; his head throbbed, and black and white spots swam before his eyes.


    "Stop! Stop! Stop!" He shouted, halting the fog. The space obeyed, the fog dissipated, and the sickening sensation in his head vanished.


    ¡°Mew!¡± Yin''er gave Jin Shu''s cheek a lick to comfort him. The feel of her rough tongue reminded him of a kitten, except hers was slightly rougher on account of being a baby tiger and all.


    ¡°This space seems to place a heavy burden on your mind,¡± Nano spoke as Jin Shu¡¯s vision cleared. ¡°It would be wise to limit yourself until we better understand its rules.¡±


    "Good idea." Jin Shu took a step forward, approaching the floating items himself. Curiosity got the better of him, though, and he wondered if the items might sort themselves by usefulness. At his thought, they quickly organized, without the strange fog appearing.


    He shuddered, remembering the fog¡¯s effect on him, but turned his attention to the now-organized items. They floated in a line, with the most useful ones on the closest left and the least useful far to the right.


    ¡°Mew!¡± Yin''er watched in wonder as the items floated around.


    The closest were various bullets, arranged by caliber without his prompting. The items on the right were mostly junk, like rocks, tattered books, buttons, door handles, and even a toilet. In the center was the glowing book, which seemed neither useful nor useless.


    Maybe the space doesn¡¯t know if I¡¯ll find it useful or not, Jin Shu mused.


    "Nano, can you count the amount of ammunition here?"


    ¡°Certainly! ¡­There are 14,983 bullets of varying calibers. Would you like an exact count for each?¡±


    "Yes."


    ¡°There are three groups of 5,000 bullets each: 9mm, 5.56, and 7.62.¡±


    "I could outfit an entire platoon with all of that." He gave another mental command, and the bullets floated to the side. "But for now, let¡¯s see what else is useful."


    With the bullets out of the way, he could see the other items on the left. There were only two: a cellphone and a large animal fang, about the size of his head, that he didn¡¯t recall seeing in the cave.


    He brought the two items closer. "Hm, what am I going to do with a cellphone in this world? It¡¯s not like I can make a call back to Earth, right?"


    ¡°We have an idea for this device. Would you like to hear it?¡±


    "Shoot."


    ¡°We do not have a weapon to shoot with.¡±


    "No, I meant¡­ tell me."


    ¡°Ha-ha. We know; that was a joke.¡± Nano laughed in a strange, monotone way.


    "Oh¡­ well, what¡¯s your idea?"


    ¡°To place one of us into the device, we could use it to display physical data. You would need to feed it qi occasionally, though, as we rely on your qi to function. Without a host, we would enter a dormant state.¡±


    "What kind of physical data?"


    ¡°Any quantifiable data could be displayed as 3D holographics to help with your cultivation and blacksmithing.¡±


    "Huh? Holograms? How? Cellphones don¡¯t display holograms¡­" Jin Shu was beyond confused. He¡¯d adjusted to the idea of living in a cultivation world with high-tech nanobots in his body¡ªas much as one could to such a bizarre situation¡ªbut for whatever reason hearing what Nano said made him feel like he¡¯d stepped into a Sci-Fi novel or something.


    ¡°Based on your memories, your people already had access to holographic technology. And even in this world there exists illusion formations that serve the same purpose. So, is it really that surprising that we, as a higher form of technology could alter your lower technology?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ no, no I guess not?¡± Jin Shu paused for a moment, reflecting on his new and old lives. ¡±I might be letting the memories of my last life affect me too much.¡±


    He began to think how he would have reacted before his old memories awoke. He would have believed that the cellphone was a type of artifact and Nano would use an illusion formation to create a type of projection. For some reason, if I think about it that way, it makes more sense.


    ¡°Alright, what do we need to do?¡±


    ¡°You''ll need to place a drop of your blood into the phone.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He tried biting his fingertip, but he couldn''t feel any pain and his teeth didn''t tear his skin. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Either you are protected from physical harm here or we are in a kind of virtual reality. Give us a moment, we will check¡­¡±


    For a split second, Jin Shu felt as if he had lost something inexplicable, as if a part of himself¡ªsomething that wasn''t physical ¡ªceased to exist for a brief instance. ¡°Your body seems to be in a sort of trance right now, so, this is not a physical space.¡± Nano spoke again and the feeling left as quickly as it came. He figured that the feeling must have been caused by whatever Nano had just done.


    ¡°Hm, okay. Will do it after I find out how to leave¡­¡± He glanced at the fang floating next to the phone and the book floating further away. ¡°First let''s see what this fang and that book are.¡±


    He grabbed the floating fang and examined it, but couldn''t figure out how it was supposed to be useful. He made to toss it away, however Yin''er suddenly flew off his shoulder and grabbed the fang with her small mouth. The fang was larger than she was tall, so it was quite the comical sight.


    Yin''er tried taking a bite out of the fang. They weren''t physically here though, so she was unsuccessful in her attempts at taking a chunk out of it.


    ¡°Mew!!¡± She looked frustrated by the fact that she couldn''t do anything to the fang.


    ¡°When we leave I''ll give you the fang, okay?¡±


    ¡°Mew¡­¡± She nodded her head sadly, but in understanding.


    With a mental command the book floated over, examining the cover, he found it to be titled in deep black flowing letters¡ªCompendium of Runes and Their Crafting


    As he opened the cover a bright white light flooded his vision. Coming and going in a flash.


    ¡°What just happened?¡±


    ¡°That book tried ¡®uploading¡¯ tons of information into your brain. We intercepted the transmission and can share it with you at any time.¡±


    ¡°Why''d you intercept it?¡±


    ¡°The amount of information would have temporarily crippled your mind.¡±


    Jin Shu let out a breath of relief. ¡°That sounds scary, thank you, Nano.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wise to avoid overloading your senses,¡± Nano advised. ¡°Would you like to access the information piece by piece?¡±


    "Yeah, that sounds better." He placed his hand on the cover of the book, feeling a faint, pulsing warmth as if it was alive. This earring, and all its mysteries, was unlike anything he''d imagined.


    "Alright," he said, looking around at the neatly organized items floating in the strange, starry realm. "Let¡¯s figure out how to get back."


    He closed his eyes and pictured himself standing in the cavern. Strange energy shifted around him, and he felt a pull, as if gravity itself had flipped. His vision blurred, and he found himself back in the cave, with Yin''er perched on his shoulder and Nano''s calm voice in his mind.


    ¡°Welcome back, Jin Shu.¡±


    Opening his eyes, he saw the glowing book held in his hands, solid and real. He imagined the fang appearing in his hand. The fang appeared in the air above the book, since he didn''t have a free hand it clattered to the floor.


    Yin''er pounced onto the fang, purring with joy as she nawed on it like a dog with a bone.


    He took a deep breath, holding the book tightly. "I don''t know what secrets this holds, but¡­ I have a feeling things just got a lot more interesting."

 9. Home & 10. Runes

    9. Home


    Jin Shu climbed through the narrow hole in the wall, stepping over the pool of yet to dry blood. He shuddered at the sight, ¡°hey Nano, I don''t think I thanked you yet. So, thanks for saving me here.¡±


    ¡°We were only saving ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You''re welcome.¡±


    The early morning light filtered through the trees, and in the foliage of one of those trees his eyes spotted a squirrel perched on a branch, its small paws and snout smeared with berry stains. The creature seemed to be watching him, its bright eyes glinting with an odd intelligence. They recognized each other instantly.


    He reflexively reached for his pistol, ready to deal with the little devil. But he hesitated, glancing at the adorable little tiger cub on his shoulder. Before he could decide, Yin''er leaped off his shoulder, barreling toward the squirrel in a blur of silver fur.


    The two animals clashed in a fierce flurry of claws and squeaks, Yin''er''s small but sharp claws swiping as the squirrel scrambled to dodge, Yin''er''s claws cut small swaths of fur from the squirrel''s body. Jin Shu watched in a mixture of concern and amusement as Yin''er managed to land a blow that clipped off a small horn protruding from the squirrel''s forehead. With a screech, the now partially naked and hornless squirrel leaped to another branch and scampered off, disappearing into the foliage.


    With a swish of her wings Yin''er bounded back to him, looking quite pleased with herself as she held the broken horn in her mouth like a trophy. Jin Shu chuckled, scratching her behind the ears. "You¡¯re a real little warrior, aren¡¯t you?"


    With Yin''er safely back on his shoulder, he made his way home, his clothes dusty, bloody and nearly ripped to shreds from the night¡¯s adventures. The first rays of dawn were lighting the city as he approached his home. He spotted his mother waiting anxiously by the manor''s entrance.


    Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance, from his dirt-streaked face to his barely held together clothes and wild hair. But her gaze quickly landed on the tiger cub perched proudly on his shoulder.


    "Shu!" She rushed over, her expression a mix of shock and dismay. "Where have you been all night!? Why are your clothes ripped!? Is this blood!!? And what is that!?"


    Jin Shu opened his mouth to explain, but she cut him off, waving a hand dramatically at Yin''er. "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve joined the Beastmaster Sect! You know I was hoping you¡¯d join my sect instead." She placed her hands on her hips, feigning a disappointed sigh. "I even had plans to make it your personal harem!"


    ¡°Pftt!¡± Fan Biyu had just stepped out when she heard what Sun Mei''er said. She tried and failed to stifle her laughter.


    "Mother!" Jin Shu blurted, face flushing. "It¡¯s not like that! And Yin¡¯er isn¡¯t from the Beastmaster Sect¡­she¡¯s just¡­ a pet I found on the road. And besides, I can''t join a female-only sect."


    His mother narrowed her eyes playfully, smirking as she crossed her arms, completely ignoring his protests. "A pet, huh? Well, if you¡¯re bringing home tiger cubs now, maybe you¡¯ll start bringing home a few women, too. Just remember, I¡¯ve got plenty of lovely disciples in my sect who¡¯d be more than willing to dote on you."


    Jin Shu groaned, his face turning even redder as he tried to steer the conversation away from his mother¡¯s matchmaking. "I think I¡¯ll stick to the path I¡¯m on. Besides, I¡¯ve got plenty to handle with just this one."


    His mother laughed, shaking her head as she pulled him into a hug. "Fine, fine. But you¡¯ll have to tell me all about your adventures later." She glanced at Yin¡¯er, her expression softening. "And make sure this little one gets a bath. She looks like she¡¯s been through a battle already."


    Jin Shu let out a laugh, feeling a warmth he hadn¡¯t realized he missed. "Sure, Mom. And thanks."


    ¡°Ah!¡± His mothers shout startled everyone.


    ¡°What? Why are you shouting suddenly?¡±


    Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. ¡°You called me mom!¡± She hugged him even tighter, refusing to let go, while he struggled to break free.


    <hr>


    Jin Shu climbed into the warm bath, a reluctant tiger cub held firmly in his arms.


    Splash!


    ¡°Mew!!¡± Yin¡¯er flailed wildly as the water engulfed her small body.


    ¡°Calm down, it¡¯s just a quick bath,¡± Jin Shu said, his tone firm but amused. Holding her still with one hand, he lathered shampoo into her fur with the other, ignoring her attempts to escape.


    The moment he rinsed the suds from her coat, Yin¡¯er sprang from the tub in a blur of wet fur, shaking water in every direction. Settling a safe distance away, she instinctively began to lick herself dry, only to recoil in horror at the lingering fragrance of the shampoo.


    Jin Shu couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her antics. His amusement earned him a sharp glare from the dripping wet furball, her small form radiating outrage despite her drenched appearance.


    After finishing his bath, Jin Shu headed to his mother¡¯s courtyard, towel draped over his shoulders. His robes hung loosely around his waist, leaving his chest bare as he absentmindedly dried his hair¡ªa habit carried over from his previous life. Back on Earth, he¡¯d never thought twice about going shirtless after a bath. Fabric clinging to damp skin had always been more trouble than it was worth.


    ¡°Whatever are you doing, son?¡±


    His mother¡¯s teasing voice broke through his thoughts, prompting Jin Shu to glance up. He froze as her expression came into focus¡ªlaughter dancing in her eyes, a hand lightly covering her mouth. But what truly caught his attention was Fan Biyu.


    The young woman was staring at him, her cheeks burning with a blush so deep it spread down her neck. Her wide-eyed expression seemed torn between mortification and something else entirely.


    Before Jin Shu could piece it together, his mother¡¯s amused voice filled the silence.


    ¡°Are you trying to seduce my sweet disciple?¡± she asked, her tone laced with mischief.


    It took Jin Shu a moment to process her words. Then he glanced down at his bare chest and realization hit. He was no longer Jin Shu of Earth. This world had its own customs and culture, and here, walking around bare-chested was far from casual. It was scandalous.


    Awkwardly, he clutched the towel tighter, his cheeks warming as he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like...¡±


    Jin Shu quickly dressed, pulling on his robes with an urgency born more of embarrassment than necessity. As he tied the sash around his waist, he thought he heard a soft sigh behind him, but dismissed it as a trick of his imagination.


    Eager to change the subject, he retrieved the earring he had found in the tiger¡¯s lair and held it out for his mother to see.


    ¡°Hmm? A spatial artifact, isn¡¯t it? Something that stores items?¡± Sun Mei''er remarked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity as she examined it. ¡°Look, I have one too.¡± She held up her hand, displaying a silver ring with a striking red gemstone.


    Jin Shu blinked in surprise. He had always assumed the ring was a wedding band, only now realizing that such traditions didn¡¯t exist in this world.


    ¡°Well, I know what it is,¡± he said, his tone steady. ¡°I was actually wondering if you recognized it.¡±


    His mother tilted her head, a small frown forming. ¡°Recognize it? No¡­ should I?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I guess not,¡± Jin Shu replied, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features before he brushed it aside.


    Sun Mei''er seemed not to notice. Clapping her hands together, she beamed. ¡°Anyway, I was about to teach Biyu some techniques. How about you join us?¡±


    Despite his initial hesitation, Jin Shu agreed. The three of them moved to the training area, where his mother began her instruction with practiced ease.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    For Jin Shu, however, it was a different story. Having never trained in the fighting styles of cultivators before, he struggled to keep up with the rigorous exercises and unfamiliar techniques. His body ached, and his pride took a beating, but he persisted nonetheless.


    This routine continued for the next few days, with Jin Shu pushing himself to adapt to the demanding practices. Though the progress was slow, each session brought him closer to understanding the world¡ªand the people¡ªhe had been reborn into.


    Fan Biyu, ever amused by her master¡¯s exuberance, often shot Jin Shu a sympathetic smile when he struggled to keep up with the exercises his mother demanded. Meanwhile, Yin¡¯er, his loyal companion, basked in the attention she received, either trotting alongside him through the estate or curling up to nap on his shoulder. The little spirit beast had taken a particular liking to his mother, who delighted in playing with her whenever Jin Shu was preoccupied with his rune practice.


    It was late in the afternoon a week later when an urgent message arrived for Sun Mei''er. She pulled out a flashing talisman from inside her robes. Her expression turned serious as she placed the talisman to her head, allowing the information to transmit into her mind. She rose quickly, tucking the talisman away.


    ¡°Mother? What happened?¡± Jin Shu asked, seeing the change in her demeanor.


    She hesitated, glancing back at him with a hint of worry. ¡°Some of my disciples have encountered a group of demonic cultivators. I need to go to them immediately.¡±


    He opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. He knew how strong she was, but still, he felt a pang of worry. ¡°Be careful, okay?¡±


    She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With a final wave, she left, leaving him to watch her retreating form until it disappeared over the estate wall.


    Later that evening, Jin Shu sat in his workshop, Yin''er curled up at his feet. His thoughts kept drifting back to his mother and the dangers she might be facing right now. If only he had been able to create a weapon to protect her. He had the skills to craft powerful firearms, but after the fight with the horned squirrel and seeing how ineffective ordinary weapons could be here, he wondered if they would be enough.


    Then, his gaze fell on the book¡ªthe Compendium of Runes and Their Crafting. An idea formed, and his hand moved instinctively to grab the book, flipping through its pages. Mixing runes with his weapons could be the answer, he realized. He didn¡¯t know yet what would work best in this world, but he¡¯d learn. For his mother, and for everyone he wanted to protect.


    10. Runes


    Jin Shu flipped open the cover of the compendium, expecting ancient secrets or profound diagrams¡ªbut the page was completely blank. ¡°Why is this empty?¡±


    ¡°The book was merely a vessel for information,¡± Nano explained. ¡°Think of it like a hard drive, capable of storing knowledge. It is, in essence, a type of knowledge-storing artifact.¡±


    Jin Shu frowned. ¡°So, what am I supposed to do with a blank book?¡±


    ¡°I could do one better than simply reading it to you,¡± Nano offered. ¡°If you permit, I can integrate the knowledge into your cellphone, upgrading it into a data aggregation and visualization device, as we discussed before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right! I¡¯d forgotten about that.¡± Jin Shu reached into his space earring and pulled out his cellphone. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he pricked his finger with a blade and let a single drop of blood drip into the phone¡¯s charging port. ¡°Alright, do it.¡±


    ¡°Initializing redesign. Please wait¡­¡±


    The phone¡¯s screen flickered to life, the display bursting with rapid flashes of light and images, far too fast for Jin Shu¡¯s eyes to follow. The chaos of data soon resolved into clear, fluid 3D holograms. A small bird appeared first, flapping its wings in intricate detail, followed by a man walking, and finally, a highly detailed, rotating model of Jin Shu¡¯s pistol.


    ¡°It is complete,¡± Nano declared.


    Jin Shu¡¯s eyes widened as the holographic pistol floated above the phone, glowing faintly. ¡°This is¡­ awesome! But, uh¡­ what exactly does it do?¡±


    ¡°The upgraded device can project complex, rotating 3D diagrams, such as blacksmithing techniques, weapon crafting methods, or rune placements. The holograms provide precision instructions, down to the finest detail. You can rotate and zoom in on the models, or even practice rune strokes with your finger directly on the projection to mimic the correct technique.¡±


    Jin Shu¡¯s excitement grew. ¡°You loaded it with the compendium¡¯s information too, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The compendium¡¯s knowledge is now integrated. You can access it remotely through us or manually through the device.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jin Shu said eagerly, ¡°show me what it can do!¡±


    The phone¡¯s display flickered and a book, identical to the one laying on the table, appeared floating above the screen.


    ¡°Try interacting with the hologram,¡± Nano suggested.


    Jin Shu reached toward the floating holographic book, mimicking the motion of opening its cover. Though his hand felt nothing, the holographic book reacted, the cover flipping open to reveal the first page.


    The introduction read:


    ¡®Long ago, the origin of runes faded from the annals of time, forgotten by both man and history. Yet, in the grand tapestry of existence, their origin matters little. What truly endures is the art, the craft, and the wonder of runesmithing itself.


    To those who dare tread this path, I leave you with but one mission: Discern the Runes, Forge the Runes, Transcend the Runes!¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean¡­?¡± Jin Shu muttered, frowning at the cryptic message.


    As he turned the holographic pages, he saw runes¡ªthousands of them. They ranged from simple, almost elegant designs to impossibly complex patterns that defied understanding. The sheer volume of information overwhelmed him, making his head spin.


    Realizing he couldn¡¯t process everything at once, he stopped flipping through the pages and returned to the first ten. These seemed manageable, and most importantly, decipherable.


    The first three runes were immediately recognizable: Flame, Frost, and Wind. These were the foundational runes every runesmith learned, and Jin Shu¡¯s grandfather¡ªthe Jin family¡¯s first runesmith¡ªhad built his entire legacy upon them. Using these basics, his grandfather had created his own unique rune: the Explosion Rune.


    Jin Shu¡¯s eyes scanned ahead, spotting the Explosion Rune as the tenth entry in the compendium. The other six between the third and tenth were unfamiliar yet intriguing: Sharpness, Durability, Weight Increase, Weight Decrease, Qi Circulation, and Silence.


    Most of these were self-explanatory, though Qi Circulation was an exception. Its description hinted at a complex, multi-layered function Jin Shu couldn¡¯t immediately grasp.


    The compendium wasn¡¯t generous with explanations. Each rune entry displayed the pattern and a brief description, but the finer details¡ªhow to inscribe them, their exact effects, and any advanced applications¡ªwere left for him to uncover.


    ¡°Guess that explains the intro,¡± Jin Shu muttered. ¡°It wants me to figure things out myself. So when it says ¡®transcend,¡¯ it probably means evolving the runes beyond their basic forms.¡±


    Nano chimed in. ¡°If you¡¯d prefer, we can run simulations on the phone. That way, you won¡¯t waste Qi while experimenting.¡±


    Jin Shu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a great idea!¡± He breathed a mental sigh of relief, recalling his last rune-inscribing experiment. ¡°You really are a lifesaver, Nano.¡±


    Jin Shu spent the next few hours using the holograms on the phone, that he''d named the Nanophone, to practice runescribing¡ªthe art of inscribing runes on paper, or in this case, on a holographic projection.


    He was in the middle of tracing the final line of a Sharpness Rune when a cracking noise followed by a sharp yelp of pain interrupted him. Turning around he saw Yin''er with her paws against her muzzle, as if she were in pain. Laying next to her was the large fang from his space earring and a smaller bloody fang.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Jin Shu asked as he stepped closer to Yin¡¯er. His eyes narrowed as he noticed her pawing at her mouth, whimpering softly. It didn¡¯t take long to spot the cause of her distress¡ªshe had broken a fang while gnawing on the strange fang she¡¯d been obsessing over since they found it in the space earring.


    ¡°Show me your mouth,¡± Jin Shu said gently, crouching to her level. ¡°I need to see how bad it is.¡±


    Yin¡¯er tilted her head, clearly understanding his words, and obediently opened her mouth. Inside, where her fang had been, was a small bleeding hole.


    But before Jin Shu could even reach for a remedy, something incredible happened. Right before his eyes, a new fang sprouted in the empty spot, pushing through as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Jin Shu blinked in astonishment. ¡°Nano, what just happened? How¡¯d she grow a new fang so fast¡ªor at all?¡±


    ¡°The process resembles our nanobot regenerative capabilities,¡± Nano replied, his tone tinged with curiosity. ¡°It is possible that her birth, which utilized the energy of the other nanobots, has imbued her with a unique regenerative ability.¡±


    Jin Shu¡¯s surprise gave way to relief. ¡°Are you okay now?¡±


    ¡°Mew¡­¡± Yin¡¯er whimpered softly, her golden eyes shimmering with lingering discomfort. Yet, before Jin Shu could intervene further, she turned right back to the broken fang and began gnawing on it again.


    Jin Shu let out a helpless chuckle, torn between amusement and exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re really something else, you know that?¡±


    His laughter faded as his thoughts shifted. If Yin¡¯er had such a remarkable ability, what other surprises might she hold? But there was no time to dwell on it¡ªhe had his own challenges to face.


    ¡°I guess now¡¯s as good a time as any to check out the cultivation technique,¡± Jin Shu muttered, his gaze turning serious. His mind drifted back to the moment his mother had left. If only he¡¯d been stronger, he could have gone with her.


    Though he was far more powerful than a normal human, compared to other cultivators, he was still woefully weak. But that was about to change. The technique he¡¯d found in the strange cavern felt extraordinary¡ªlike it had been waiting for him. More importantly, it felt perfectly suited to his abilities.


    Pulling the scroll from his robes, Jin Shu unfurled it carefully. His eyes scanned the instructions, his expression calm at first but growing increasingly tense with every word.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to carve and burn runes into my flesh for the technique to work properly¡­¡± he muttered, setting the scroll down with a heavy sigh. ¡°No wonder it came with a warning.¡±


    He flexed his hands, steeling himself. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no way to know if I can handle it until I try.¡±