Zhou Mingrui woke up with a blinding pain in his temple- he felt like someone had ruthlessly lashed at him with a pole again and again. No, it was more like a sharp object pierced right through his temples followed by a twist!
Ah… he'd need to take a sick day tomorrow at this rate! Why did he have to have a headache randomly in the middle of the night?! Actually… a holiday might now be bad… he will finally have some free time!
Ouch- nope, this headache- still sucked.
Zhou Mingrui woke up and forced his weak and hurting limbs to move and looked around him-
Wait a second-
This wasn't his room!
In front of him was a cheap-looking study desk with some kind of open notebook- he looked around himself and found that the room he was currently in was rather small, made of wood, and had 2 wooden doors on either side with a small bed in one corner.
Between the bed and the left door was a cabinet. Its two doors were swung open and beneath it were five drawers.
To the side of the cabinet, there was the same grayish-white pipe on the wall at the height of a person. However, it was connected to a strange mechanical device with exposed gears and bearings in several spots.
Items resembling coal stoves sat in the right corner of the room near the table, along with soup pots, iron pots, and other kitchen utensils.
Across the right door was a dressing mirror with two cracks. Its bottom was made of wood and the patterns were simple and plain.
Zhou Mingrui's eyes landed on the reflection in the mirror-
He gazed horrified at his current image-
This wasn't him!
Black hair, brown eyes, a linen shirt, thinly built, average-looking features, and a rather deep outline…
This…
His gaze went back to the desk and landed on the shining object there-
It was a gun!
A revolver!
Zhou Mingrui staggered back as he looked out of the window-
Only to see a crimson moon hanging from the sky.
This…
Zhou Mingrui felt inexplicably horrified and his breathing quickened.
Could he have transmigrated?!
But before he could think of anything else, he was once again hit by another wave of headache and clutched at his head strongly due to the pain.
He felt something wet…
He brought his hands down and almost gasped when he saw brain matter all over his hand!
He quickly looked back at his reflection in the mirror and noticed a deep hole in his temple- like someone had shot him there… his gaze went back towards the revolver in front of him, no… it was like he himself had shot himself in the head. At least- the 'him' whose body he was currently occupying and had apparently transmigrated into.
Although Zhou Mingrui had grown up reading web novels of all kinds- and had even read a lot of transmigration and reincarnation novels-
He wasn't ready for himself to get transmigrated!!!
No…
Calm down…
Deep breaths…
Zhou Mingrui felt himself calm down- and then suddenly he was hit with a ton of memories that instantly flooded his mind and eyes!
Klein Moretti, a citizen of the Northern Continent's Loen Kingdom, Awwa County, City of Tingen. He is also a recent graduate from the Department of History at Khoy University…
His father was dead due to some conflict as a soldier and his mother too had died… They stayed in a two-bedroom apartment together…
Their family was not wealthy and its situation could even be described as somewhat wanting. At present, the family was supported solely by the elder brother who worked at an import and export company as a clerk…
He was a history graduate- and all the ancient languages he had learned came back to his mind.
He glanced back down at the notebook in front of him he had first seen when he had awakened and translated the words on it-
'Everyone Will Die Including Me.'
Klein swiftly cleaned up the brain matter and blood and the stray bullet from his room, he knew how to clean up without leaving much traces as he was a keyboard warrior from the earth and knew about things like this from random posts on the internet and criminal movies and documentaries he had watched over his years.
That was when his eyes landed on something shiny in his drawer.
Was that… a ring?
He pulled out the thing and sure enough- it was a ring.
Zhou Mingrui's eyes widened as he stared at the priceless-looking ring in front of him.
The main stone was unlike he had ever seen before- it was like some kind of illusionary grey fog had been trapped inside of it- giving it a beautiful mysterious aura, and it was inlaid with all kinds of precious gems, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds all around the main stone and the band… something like this could buy a small country on his earth!!!
Zhou Mingrui looked back at the memories of Klein Moretti- and this ring was nowhere to be seen in them. Although he did indeed only have a part of those memories- surely something as important and expensive as this ring should have been remembered by him during that memory attack?!
Was this his cheat item? Like the ones the isekai, reincarnated and transmigrated protagonists get at the beginning of their new lives? They had stuff like systems and chest skills and op powers… and he got himself a ring that if he could sell he would not have to worry about working for the rest of his life?
Zhou Mingrui felt himself drool.
This might be the best cheat code ever!
He wouldn't have to go on a journey to fight some demon king to find a way to get back to his world! He would just simply have to sell this and sit back and peacefully find a way back to his world…
"Klein?"
Zhou Mingrui felt his heart almost jump out of his heart as he instantly hid the gun in his drawer and pocketed the ring in his pants.
Melissa was exactly like the younger sister in Klein's memories, the motherly kind even if she was the youngest in the household, she looked smart and had even managed to fix the pocket watch of 'their' dad.
Seeing Melissa really made him feel conflicted- the nature of Klein Moretti and his fragmented memories in his mind made him look at her as her sister…
But Zhou Mingrui had no sister.
He was really getting confused with all of this- he should try to attempt that luck enhancement ritual again as soon as possible and try to go back to his world!
"Ah Klein, can you please buy 8 pounds of bread and some lamb and peas? I'll throw out the old bread and make you some mutton stewed with peas, your interview is soon." Melissa asked as she prepared tea from inferior tea leaves and served it to both of them with rye bread.
The… 'meal' was unappetizing at most- there were no extra additions and it tastes like sawdust and so bland… as a proud citizen of the great foodie nation Zhou Mingrui simply felt depressed and still hungry after his meal.
Melissa once again reminded her to buy the food- as if talking to her retard brother who couldn't remember anything and left with a few books after cleaning up.
He had to now buy staple food… this was his chance to attempt the luck enhancement ritual that brought him here and go back to his friends and wonderful family and good food!
Zhou Mingrui bought the groceries as Melissa had instructed as he walked around amazed through the market.
Although he was embarrassed by the poverty Klein and his siblings lived in- he would definitely find somewhere to sell that ring in his pocket for money if he were to fail to return back to his home with the ritual. After all, he didn't know if the ring was important for him to go back to earth.
That was when he saw a circus- and a voice calling to him.
Some fortune teller wanted to read his fortune for free?
Wait a second…
He suddenly recalled the origins of tarot divination in this world.
It did not originate from the seven orthodox gods nor was it an ancient legacy. Instead, it was created by the Intis Republic's Consul of that era, Roselle Gusta, more than 170 years ago.
This Mr. Roselle invented the steam engine, improved the sailing boat, overthrew the Intis Kingdom's imperial rule, and was recognized by the God of Craftsmanship. He also became the first Consul of the Intis Republic.
Later, he invaded other nations and placed Lenburg and other nations under his protection. He made the Loen Kingdom, Feynapotter, Feysac Empire and other powerful Northern Continent nations bow down to the Intis Republic. Following that, the Republic was then changed to an Empire and he became the self-proclaimed 'Emperor Caesar.'
It was during Roselle's rule that the Church of Craftsmanship received its first public holy revelation since the Fifth Epoch. Ever since the God of Craftsmanship was changed to the God of Steam and Machinery.
Roselle also invented tarot divination. He also established the contemporary system of paper-based cards and their playstyles. There were many familiar styles that Zhou Mingrui was familiar with, such as Upgrade, Fighting the Landlord, Texas Poker, and Quint…
In addition, the marine fleets he sent out discovered a sea route that led to the Southern Continent through the stormy and turbulent seas. This also began the era of colonialism.
Unfortunately, he was betrayed in his old age. In the year 1198 of the Fifth Epoch, he was assassinated by the combined forces of the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, the former Intis royal family—the Sauron family, and other aristocrats. He eventually died in the White Maple Palace.
This… To recall such general knowledge suddenly made him facepalm.
Could this be a transmigration senior?
With that theory in mind- Zhou Mingrui was suddenly intrigued by the tarot cards in this world, and after much interrogation that the free divination was really free and not some sort of scam- he accepted to have his fate read.
Then the lady asked him what he wanted to be asked about and read.
Back when he was wooing his first love, Zhou Mingrui had also done research on tarot cards. He asked unhesitatingly, "Past, present, and future."
She then asked Zhou Mingrui to shuffle the deck again and pointed at the three cards symbolizing the past, the present, and the future, and asked him what he wanted to be read first.
"The Present." Zhou Mingrui replied said after some thought.
The woman nodded and turned the card symbolizing the present-
It was the picture of a colorfully dressed character wearing ragged headgear with a stick over his shoulder. There was a bindle hanging on the end of the stick and a puppy was following behind him.
It was numbered "0."
'The Fool'
The Fool? The "0" card of tarot? A start? A fresh beginning with all kinds of possibilities? Zhou Mingrui knew slightly of the meaning of these cards and thought in his mind.
Just when the woman was about to say something-
"Why are you impersonating me again! It's my job to handle the divination for people!" a woman's voice growled angrily. "Return to your post quickly! You must remember that you're just an animal trainer!"
A-An animal trainer?!
Turns out Zhou Mingrui did ended up getting scammed…
Zhou Mingrui glanced at the two ladies talking about something and turned his gaze back to the two unturned tarot cards in front of himself-
His 'Past' and his 'Future'.
Zhou Mingrui was just a normal average human- who wouldn't like to know their future? Even if they know it's a joke and not true?
He swiftly pulled out his hands and flipped over the card representing his 'Future'.
The card showed the image of a naked woman and a naked man standing beneath an angelic figure, they were standing in a beautiful garden and behind the woman was an apple tree with a snake winding around its trunk, and behind the man was a roaring fire with 12 flames, the man and the woman were looking into each other passionately.
It was marked with the number '6'.
'The Lovers'
Does this mean he'll finally get himself a hot girlfriend in the near future?
Zhou Mingrui chuckled. He hoped so.
Zhou Mingrui was walking back to 'his' home when he was a black crow sitting on one of the trees and staring at him.
At that time the only thing on his mind was-
'Damn that crow is fat,'