---
At the prestigious university, every student who enrolled was either a child of obscene wealth or someone with powerful connections. A rare few had clawed their way in by sheer genius—acing the entrance exams with flying colors—or by earning government scholarships funded by the taxes of everyday citizens.
The campus itself looked like something out of a glossy magazine. The main building gleamed with a rich coat of dark blue paint, its emblem perched at the top like a mighty eagle overlooking its territory. Each classroom radiated luxury—ice-cold air-conditioning, 15-inch televisions mounted on every wall, and polished metal chairs engraved with the school crest, shining as if buffed daily.
This morning, the classroom was already alive with chatter. The girls wore neat white polos and skirts that fell just below their thighs, while the boys sported black slacks, crisp polos, and polished black shoes. Their wrists sparkled with expensive jewelry—Rolex watches for the boys, designer bracelets for the girls. You'd think every student here was rich—and you'd be right. Well, mostly.
There was one boy who stood out—not because he was flashy, but because he had nothing flashy at all.
Brown eyes, pale skin, and long, midnight-blue hair that looked black until it caught the light—this was none other than our protagonist.
His name was Karl Krafft Walls. Yes, that Karl Krafft—named after Karl Ernst Krafft, the famed astrologer and graphologist. His parents had been so obsessed with Krafft's story that they named their son after him.
But enough trivia—back to the scene. Karl was at his desk, completely unbothered by the room's buzzing atmosphere. It wasn't that his rich classmates disliked him—quite the opposite. They accepted him, even treated him like a friend. But Karl had his priorities. And right now, those priorities involved the most sacred ritual known to modern man: gacha pulls.
On his phone screen glowed the interface of Honkai: Star Rail, the hottest game of the year. His eyes were laser-focused as his fingers danced across the screen. If you peeked over his shoulder, you'd see the portrait he kept tapping—a girl with soft brown hair, fox-like amber eyes lined with crimson, dressed in a black-and-crimson kimono-style dress embroidered with golden flowers. The off-shoulder sleeves were trimmed with pink frills, a charm-laden obi cinched her waist, and her layered skirt trailed behind her like a graceful fox tail.
"Come on, come on, come on—eight pulls down already! Come home, my beautiful, flexible Tingyun!" Karl hissed, shaking his phone like a priest performing a ritual dance.
"Alright—PULL!" He slammed his thumb down dramatically. A golden ticket appeared. His pupils dilated.
"W-WOAH! GOLD?! GOLD!!! YES! YES! YES! YES!" He nearly leapt from his seat as the train animation played, golden light bursting from the screen like a holy blessing.
"COME ON, BABY! THIS IS IT!" He tapped slowly, savoring each reveal. Three-star light cones appeared, one by one. Then, the five-star glow. His heart was ready to explode—until the hunt-pathway appeared, and Yanqing's smug little face slid into view.
"WHYYYYYYYY?!" Karl collapsed forward, face flat on his desk as his soul left his body.
He sat up dramatically, clutching his head. "Just why... DAMMIT, why YANQING?!"
But just as he hit the skip button in defeat, he froze. His eyes widened to saucers.
"T-T-THREE TINGYUN?!" he screamed, standing up so fast his chair fell over. Tears streamed down his face.
"HELL YEAH!!!" Karl shouted, pumping his fist so hard it startled the student next to him, who nearly dropped his own phone.
"DUDE! WHAT?! HOW?!" his seatmate yelled, staring at Karl like he'd just witnessed a miracle.
"I DON'T KNOW!" Karl cried, clasping his hands together and looking to the heavens.
"Dear Lord, from this day forth, I shall not pull anything that might bring suffering—or hunger—to my classmates!" His voice was so solemn it sounded like a vow from an anime protagonist about to go Super Saiyan.
His seatmate, green with jealousy, just grumbled and turned off his phone. "Yeah, yeah. You may have luck, but money still wins in the end."
Karl didn't care. He was already back on his screen, admiring Tingyun's character art like a man in love. After all, she was in every team he built—whether as attacker, tank, or support.
You could say he took her existence very seriously—without ever disrespecting her charm. His grin widened, his brown eyes glinting like a man who had just achieved enlightenment.
"Hehehehehe... Finally! With this five-star Tingyun, I can turn her into the ultimate Weakness Break DPS! The possibilities are infinite!"
He immediately began leveling her up with single-minded determination, equipping her with a placeholder light cone until he could summon her proper one.
Minutes later, he finished maxing her out—just in time for a notification to pop up.
"Hm? Oh right... school exists." He glanced at the time.
"8:40? Wait—she's never late." He opened the group chat and skimmed the message:
[Class, I will not be able to attend today due to a sudden emergency involving my husband. You may go home, or stay and hang out with your friends. If you plan to leave campus, please inform your parents.
P.S. We will be having a long moving quiz next time. I will send the lesson with all possible questions.]
Karl read the message once. Then, in one smooth motion, he grabbed his bag, stood up, and bolted out of the room.
"FREEDOM!!!" he roared, his voice echoing down the hallway as his classmates burst into laughter at his dramatic escape.
---
After escaping the "prison" known as school, John walked along the highway, a broad smile never leaving his face.
"Hm~ hm~ hm~, la~, la~, la~…" he hummed cheerfully, his footsteps light. After a few minutes, he stopped at a crosswalk as the traffic light turned green. His attention was glued to his phone screen, farming Stellar Jades for Tingyun's Fugue light cone, completely immersed in his grind.
Just then, a disheveled figure appeared beside him—a homeless man, his outstretched hand breaking John out of his gaming trance.
"Uhh… what?" John said, blinking as he turned to face him.
"Do you have some spare change, sir?" the man asked politely. Though clearly decades older, his tone carried a quiet respect.
"Uh… sorry, sir. I've only got five bucks on me right now…" John hesitated, then shook his head. "Never mind—here, you can have it."
He pulled out his last bill and placed it in the man's hand. The stranger's face lit up with gratitude, eyes glistening as though that single note had changed his entire day.
"Ohh! Thank you, sir! May God bless you!" the man said before hurrying off, clutching the bill tightly. John's gaze followed him as he entered the nearest burger stand, ordering from the "Buy-One-Get-One" menu—two burgers for a single dollar.
The man ate with fervor, tears glinting in his eyes between bites. Watching him, John felt a soft warmth bloom in his chest, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.
"A simple act of kindness, huh…" he muttered under his breath, almost proud of himself.
He stepped forward as the traffic light turned red, granting him safe passage across the road. But just as he was about to reach the opposite side, a sudden force slammed into him.
There was a sickening impact, and in an instant, everything went dark—his consciousness slipping away like water through his fingers.
---
???????????
At a distant place, a massive boat floated in the emptiness of space. If one needed a comparison, the boat was so large it could have been mistaken for a small planet.
Inside this colossal vessel lay a settlement—or was it even right to call it a settlement? Its area was about the size of the Japanese islands, a sprawling patchwork of buildings and streets.
Somewhere within this strange floating world, a young teenager jolted awake, gasping for air. Sweat trickled down his forehead and slid to his chin. Panicked, he fumbled for his phone, looking for it but alas, there is no phone. Slowly, he got up and patted himself down, his eyes scanning his surroundings.
He was in… cargo? No—more like a parking lot, but for boats that floated midair. His mind went blank as his gaze locked onto one such vessel drifting serenely before him. The sight broke every law of physics he'd ever learned.
The boy's name was none other than Karl Krafft Walls.
"Dammit… where am I? The last thing I remember was something hard hitting me—and my phone too! Shucks! I haven't even finished her new gameplay yet! Why, God, why?!" His anguished scream echoed through the quiet expanse.
With a sigh, he started walking, letting his feet take him wherever they pleased.
As he wandered, some of the objects around him seemed oddly familiar, but he dismissed the thought and kept going. Eventually, he came across what looked like a wooden elevator.
"Huh… where have I seen this before? This is bad. My memory's fuzzy…"
Still, his legs moved on instinct. He stepped into the elevator and examined its structure. He wasn't exactly a mechanical genius, but thanks to TikTok, he knew just enough to guess how it worked… well, not that he really understood it anyway.
With a few random presses and pulls, the elevator groaned to life.
"Nice!" he muttered, smiling to himself. "If I can find someone up there, maybe I can finally ask where I am."
He waited patiently, staring at the horizon as the elevator slowly rose—until something caught his eye.
"What…?" His eyes widened. He blinked, then blinked again.
"What the hell… Isn't this Xianzhou Loufu?!"
His voice echoed as the scenery came fully into view. The towering architecture, the intricate golden bridges, the floating mechanical cranes, the fox-eared people—all of it screamed the impossible.
His outburst startled a pair of guards stationed nearby. They rushed over, one of them stopping right in front of him. The guard's face was hidden behind a helmet, his voice stern.
"Sir, do you know you're trespassing in a restricted cargo area? Do you have a license or a permission slip?"
Karl froze. "Uhhh… would you believe me if I said… I just woke up here?"
The guard's grip tightened on his weapon. "Why do you sound so unsure? And…" His tone turned suspicious. "You smell like trouble. I'm placing you under arrest."
"Wait, what—?!" Karl barely had time to react before the guard hoisted him up like a sack of potatoes.
"Umm… Sir… is this really necessary?" Karl asked, squirming, but the grip on him was far too strong—inhumanly so.
"No arguments. You're coming with me to the Central Starskiff Haven. Madam Yukong will decide how to deal with you."
Hearing that name, Karl went pale. "Madam Yukong? Oh no… oh no no no…"
But what could he do? Nothing. He was already caught. At least, he could try to explain that he'd somehow ended up here from another planet—but that sounded insane even to him.
"Sigh… just my luck…" Karl muttered under his breath.
"You'll get used to it," the guard replied casually, as if this was a normal Tuesday.
---
The guard and Karl—still being treated like a sack of potatoes—entered a colossal building that screamed politics from every wall. Towering pillars, gleaming floors, and grand banners gave the place a sense of authority that almost crushed Karl's spirit on the spot.
Finally, the guard stopped in front of an ornate door, setting Karl down.
"Listen," the guard said, tone softer now. "Beyond this door lies your future. Choose your words carefully, alright? I heard Madam Yukong has zero tolerance for lies and vague answers. I'll be waiting here, so… good luck, dude."
Karl gave the guard a pleading look, but it was no use. With a defeated sigh, he pushed open the door.
A breathtaking sight greeted him. The room was a marvel of technology: holograms hovered mid-air, the architecture gleamed with elegance, and beyond the massive windows stretched a view so beautiful Karl almost forgot he was about to be interrogated.
Almost.
Swallowing hard, he forced his legs forward. Each step up the grand stairs felt like dragging lumps of clay.
At the top, workers moved about, dressed in traditional Chinese-style clothes—some human, some with fox-like ears twitching occasionally. Karl's gaze finally fell upon the woman waiting for him.
She had short teal hair, elegant fox ears, and an outfit of blue, white, and gold that struck a perfect balance between grace and authority. The open-front dress showed her legs, its flowing panels swaying with her movements, while her dark gloves and heels gave her a commanding presence.
Madam Yukong.
Karl gulped loudly.
Before he could speak, Yukong's piercing eyes locked onto him like a predator sizing up prey.
"So," she said, voice sharp, "who are you? What is your purpose here? No ID, no certificate, no history—and you certainly don't belong to here."
Her words cut off any chance for small talk.
"Actually… I don't know either," Karl said, trying to sound calm while choosing his words carefully. "I just woke up in a cargo area full of flying boats. Beyond that, I don't have a clue."
Yukong's tail flicked, unimpressed. "Even a child wouldn't buy such a half-baked excuse. Answer me truthfully before I have you thrown in shackles."
Karl's panic shot through the roof. He waved his hands frantically. He thought to himself, "if I don't reveal it, it will doom me forever!" And with that he said nervously,
"It's the truth! I swear! I seriously have no idea why I'm here! Look—back on my planet, I was just a normal high school student! I don't even know how I got here!"
Desperation pushed him to blurt out, "If you won't believe me, I'll tell you straight—my home planet is Earth!"
Yukong's eyes narrowed slightly before she turned toward one of the Foxians standing nearby.
"Scan our databanks for a planet called 'Earth.'"
The Foxian nodded and began tapping away at the holographic console.
"For now," Yukong said, "I'll take your words into consideration—but I will not believe you until it is confirmed."
A moment later, the Foxian reported, "Madam Yukong, there is no planet named 'Earth' in our databanks. It may be a distant world we have yet to chart."
Yukong massaged her temple. "Fine. Where is this 'Earth' located?"
"In the Milky Way Galaxy," Karl replied quickly, "near the Andromeda Galaxy. It's in the Solar System—seven planets, one star, and Earth's the third one!"
Yukong frowned. "Milky Way… Solar System… tch. Our scouts haven't explored that region yet." Her sharp gaze snapped back to Karl. "Very well. I'll believe you—for now. But if you lied to me and endanger Xianzhou Loufu, I will personally butcher you."
Karl froze, sweat running down his neck. He could only nod stiffly.
Just as he was about to respond, the sound of heels echoed against the polished floor. The door opened, and a woman entered the room.
She had long brown hair tied into a ponytail, large fox ears, and wore a striking red-and-white dress with gold ornaments and tassels. Flowing red panels trailed elegantly behind her, and her jade bangles glimmered with every step.
Karl's heart skipped a beat.
"Madam Yukong~," the newcomer said cheerfully, "I'm back. The transaction went smoothly, and by tomorrow morning, a ship will be arriving."
Her voice was melodic, sweet yet somehow dangerous—like a beautiful poison Karl couldn't resist. For a moment, he completely forgot the situation he was in.
Ba-dump!
She's perfect.
We'll get married, obviously. White dress, perfect ceremony, everyone crying. Then we'll have two kids, no—three! We'll live in a little house on the Loufu, I'll run a cool intergalactic business, she'll greet me at the door every day, smiling—
Yukong and the woman—Tingyun—exchanged words about the transaction, but Karl didn't hear a thing. His eyes stayed glued to her, until Tingyun finally noticed him.
"Oh? Did I interrupt something?" Tingyun asked, her golden eyes turning toward him.
"No," Yukong said, shaking her head. "Actually, Tingyun, you came at the right time. Show this guest to a hotel and guide him around Loufu. He's new here, and since you're available, I'm leaving him in your care."
"Hmm~, understood," Tingyun replied with a soft smile. She turned toward Karl. "Hello, mister. Who might you be?"
Karl's brain short-circuited.
"Ah-I—me—I am Karl Krafft Walls! Born in U.S.A.! I just turned seventeen on May twenty-fourth! I'm single! And my home planet is Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy near Andromeda! N-nice to meet you!"
He blurted everything out in one breath.
Tingyun chuckled, covering her mouth with fan to hide her smile. "Hehehe~ nice to meet you too, Mister Karl. I am Tingyun, Amicassador of the Whistling Flames Merchant Guild. Well then, let's go. I'll show you around Xianzhou Loufu and all the delicacies we have to offer~."
She turned gracefully and began walking toward the exit. Karl followed, grinning from ear to ear, as though fate itself had just smiled on him.
Maybe this was destiny after all.