"Louise! Are you even human?!"
David's eyes snapped open!
Veins bulged on his forehead, his eyes filled with shock, rage, and disappointment...
Pain, such excruciating pain!
He never dreamed that his beloved wife would do such a thing to him.
"I thought you were just infatuated with idols, rebellious. But this..."
Recalling what had just happened, David felt utterly cold inside!
No one knew he was a transmigrator.
Thirty years ago, when his consciousness awakened, he found himself a month-old baby abandoned at an orphanage gate. Fortunately, he was soon adopted by a couple who were friends of his father.
His adoptive father, Mr. Smith, was a successful businessman, and his adoptive mother, Ms. Maria, was a gentle housewife. They gave this child, who shared no blood relation with them, the most sincere love.
When he was five years old, the couple had a daughter, whom they named Louise.
Fortunately, his parents didn't favor their biological daughter but treated both children equally. David also cared for this adorable little sister extraordinarily, considering her the most important person in the world.
Time passed, and David, leveraging his transmigrator's memory advantages, excelled academically and was accepted into Harvard University at eighteen. After graduation, using his advanced business concepts, he became a successful millionaire at a young age.
Meanwhile, Louise had grown into a beautiful and charming young woman.
Seeing this, his adoptive parents had an idea. They hoped David would marry Louise, so he could take care of her for life—the best arrangement for this kind child.
Although David knew they weren't blood-related, he had always regarded Louise as a sister. However, seeing his adoptive parents' hopeful expressions, and considering that Louise was indeed beautiful and gentle, he eventually agreed to the marriage.
The catastrophe occurred in their second year of marriage.
The [Dark Path] game descended!
It was a virtual reality game that drove the entire world mad. People could enter the game, gain lifespan by killing monsters, and even consume lifespan to extract supernatural abilities from the game into the real world!
Those strong in the game were equally powerful in reality. Tearing apart planes and tanks bare-handed, withstanding nuclear bombs with their physical bodies—these were no longer dreams, but reality!
From then on, the world changed drastically, disasters spreading everywhere!
Various monsters from the game began invading reality, order collapsed, and civilization regressed. Countless people lost their lives in this catastrophe, leaving the remaining humans barely surviving.
When countless others struggled just to survive, David, leveraging his transmigrator's memory advantages and his protective heart for his wife, led Louise through thorns and brambles, carving out a bloody path in this cruel new world!
He chose the [Barbarian] class in the game, excelling in strength and defense. Through countless life-and-death battles, he gradually grew and, by chance, obtained the legendary Barbarian Ancestor's Heart!
After equipping this divine artifact, David's power surged, making him one of the world's top hundred experts, and among the top three Barbarian class powerhouses!
With the Barbarian Ancestor's Heart, David knew he only needed to refine it ten more times to fully master its power and gain the qualification to climb among Earth's top ten peak experts!
During those years, David constantly protected his wife. This apocalypse was too dangerous, filled with mutant monsters and malicious humans everywhere. He forbade Louise from going to chaotic places like bars, prohibited her drinking and drug abuse, and never allowed her to attend strangers' parties.
"David, you're being too controlling," Louise had complained countless times.
"This world is too dangerous. I can't lose you," David always replied.
He thought his wife would understand—after all, this world was indeed full of dangers. But he never expected that in his wife's heart, this protection had become a form of bondage.
Later, David even obtained a mysterious equipment during an exploration—a strangely-shaped hand artifact from the Barbarian Ancestor Ruins!
The hand was pitch black, covered with ancient runes, emanating a mysterious and unfathomable aura. Though he didn't know its specific origins, David could sense the powerful force contained within...
Never did he imagine that just when he thought he could reach the pinnacle of life with his wife, Louise would turn against him!
David had never been on guard against his wife.
She had mixed 'Sleep Water'—a special game item that could put people into a semi-conscious state—into his daily nutrient solution.
After drinking it, David completely lost his ability to move, but his consciousness remained relatively clear, able to perceive everything happening around him, yet powerless to intervene...
Then Louise stood before David, her once gentle and beautiful face now showing only coldness and determination:
"Since we got married, you've done nothing but control me, manage me."
"This isn't allowed, that isn't permitted."
"I feel suffocated every day! I suffer from this arranged life!"
"I know you hate Jackson. His concerts, his meet-and-greets—you never let me go... Because of you, how much have I missed?"
"But do you know? Jackson contacted me personally today..."
"It turns out he's always known of my existence."
"But because of your presence, he knew there was no possibility between us. Only now have I finally gotten this chance..."
"Once I get your Barbarian Ancestor's Heart, Jackson's power will surpass yours!"
"Then you won't be able to stop us from being together!"
David listened to his wife's words, endless confusion and pain surging in his heart.
Jackson!
This man was an idol star from the Eagle Federation. From when he was still a trainee, Louise had already been following him, and like many fans, she was extremely fanatical.
David had therefore always controlled her, not letting her do dangerous things.
But hearing Louise's words, David was filled with bewilderment:
"Not letting you go to bars, not letting you drink, not letting you abuse drugs, not letting you attend strangers' parties."
"In the Dark Path game era, I didn't let you act alone. For safety, I protected you from beginning to end..."
"This made you feel suffocated?"
"You think this caused you pain?"
Louise looked at the unconscious David, her eyes showing not a trace of pity, only excitement and anticipation.
She slowly reached out her hand, preparing to dig out the Barbarian Ancestor's Heart from David's chest...
However, she didn't know that Jackson had already added deadly poison to the 'Sleep Water' he gave her!
This so-called idol star never intended to let Louise live from the beginning. All he wanted was the Barbarian Ancestor's Heart—as for Louise, this tool would be discarded once used.
As Louise's hand penetrated deep into David's chest, the Barbarian Ancestor's Heart was forcibly extracted.
David died instantly!
Before dying, countless scenes flashed through his mind:
When Louise was sick as a child, he stayed by her bedside all night;
When Louise was upset about work, he gently comforted her;
When the apocalypse came, he risked his life to protect Louise from harm;
Every time there was danger, he always rushed to the front...
Yet all of this, in his wife's eyes, had become "control" and "bondage."
"Was I wrong...?"
This was David's final thought.
...
When David opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a familiar bed.
This was a luxurious master bedroom, about fifty square meters, exquisitely decorated. Golden curtains by the floor-to-ceiling windows swayed gently in the breeze, warm sunlight filtering through the glass and falling on the high-quality silk bedding...
This place was...
David bolted upright, looking out the window.
The familiar cityscape, the familiar wealthy district, and that familiar private swimming pool...
This was his villa!
"Have I returned to... nine years ago?"
"Have I been reborn?"
David sat up in bed, his expression somewhat dazed.
He looked at the digital clock on the nightstand—June 15th, 2015.
There was still a full year until the [Dark Path] game would descend!
Recalling everything from his previous life, David's expression gradually turned cold.
"Jackson..."
"And you, Louise."
"Since heaven has given me a chance to start over, in this life, I will never make the same mistakes again!"
David clenched his fists, a flash of resolute determination crossing his eyes.
In his previous life, he had trusted their marriage too much, believed too strongly that his way of protection was right.
In this life, he would use different methods...
No, perhaps he shouldn't protect someone who would betray him at all!
"Knock knock knock—"
A knocking sound came from the door.
"Darling, get up for breakfast!"
Louise's sweet voice came from outside, completely different from the cold woman at the moment of his death in the previous life.
David looked toward the door, his gaze complex.
In this life, everything would be different.