Twenty years of study. Thousands of hours wasted on academics. And for what? Nothing. No job. Total failure.
It wasn't that Laizer had been born to fail. No… he had chosen this path in his own way. He wasn't like other people—he was different. What did it even mean to struggle endlessly? Why memorize thousands of pages, learn endless formulas, just to become someone's dog, earning a meager salary in a meaningless life?
To live even a simple life, one had to become a dog to other dogs who held power.
Laizer would rather choose death over sacrificing his pride. It was all useless. No matter how much you tried, no matter how rich you became, eventually you died. And it was over. All the hard work and effort you put into building your life vanished after death. So why struggle so much if everyone's end was the same—rich or poor, strong or weak? What was the point of joining this rat race?
He muttered under his breath as he walked through the city's abandoned streets. He had left home because he knew the harsh truth of this world: you either lived to fulfill your parents' expectations, or you fought to keep your pride and beliefs alive. And in the end… he had always chosen pride. He didn't want to follow the world's rules and lose his value in his own eyes. If the outcome were still the same, he would rather die with his pride and his own rules intact.
To Laizer, lying for personal gain was the lowest act. Only cowards did that. To stand out in society, one had to grovel, flatter, and obey. He would rather die than do that. That was why he was alone, hopeless—the pure definition of a loser.
He lifted his eyes. There it was—a massive building towering into the night. His first thought: suicide.
"This is it," he whispered. "What's the point of living? What's the point of existing in a world where nothing goes your way? Where life feels like hell? I'm too tired… let me sleep peacefully."
Laizer walked toward the building. At the top, he paused. Lights stretched in every direction—dazzling, mesmerizing. He smiled.
"Beautiful…"
And then he jumped.
As he fell, thoughts raced through his mind. I wish I had been born in a world where hard work truly matters, where survival doesn't ruin your life. Where life isn't limited to forty or fifty miserable years. A world where anything could be achieved with effort.
The ground rushed toward him, and in milliseconds, it hit.
People gathered immediately.
"Hey! Someone tried to jump! Call the police!"
"Who is he? Where did he come from?"
"Oh my God, why did he do this?"
They commented, but no one touched him.
And then… Laizer opened his eyes.
Nothing.
"Huh? Where am I?" he muttered. "Didn't I just die? I remember the impact… the pain… the silence… haha. Even in death, there's no peace."
"Young man, you're quite amusing."
A voice—old and calm—spoke out of nowhere. Laizer looked around.
"Who… who are you?" he asked shakily.
"You opened the doors of heaven," the voice said. "Or rather, your strong desires opened it. Tell me—what was your wish before death, and why did you attempt suicide?"
Laizer hesitated, then sighed.
"I didn't wish for anything," he said respectfully. "Leave me alone. If I'm still alive, please grant me a painless death. That is my final wish."
"Hmmm… I cannot do that," the voice replied.
"What?!" Laizer shouted. "Who are you? If not, then stop annoying me—you old man, go away!"
Hahaha. Suddenly, darkness exploded into blinding light. He could barely open his eyes.
"Little brat, you are not yet on the level to see this. Just bear it," said the unknown entity.
Even though Laizer couldn't see, he could feel the presence of someone omnipotent.
"What… what do you want?" he asked, voice shaking.
"I want to know why you gave up on life, and what wish you had that was strong enough to open the doors of heaven," the entity said.
Laizer grew serious. "I hate this world. No one cares for anyone. People backstab you for their own gain and flatter you if it benefits them. In my life… nothing was good. I cannot live up to my parents' expectations—they are just like everyone else. I chose death over sacrificing my pride and humanity. I will never abandon my rules and principles."
The entity smirked. "And your wish?"
"I wished… to be born in a world where effort truly matters. Where i can live by my beliefs? Where people are genuine. But I know it's impossible. You only get one chance in life."
"Ha! I can fulfill your wish."
Laizer blinked. "You… you can?"
"Yes, but you must pay a price. Do you accept?"
His heart raced. He didn't know if this was true or not, or what this situation was, but his instincts screamed: no matter what, don't lose this opportunity. This is a moment you don't get even in a million lives.
"Tell me the price. I will pay anything!" he said. "If you can grant me my wish."
"The world you will enter is brutal. If you are weak, you are a sinner. If strong, your sins become blessings for others. This is a world of martial arts. Face hardships, and you will reap the rewards of your effort. Fail, and you die."
A surge of excitement rushed through Laizer. His blood started boiling with anticipation.
Hoho… interesting, the entity thought in surprise. This young man is emitting the aura of a master martial artist, even though he has never learned any art! And his aura is denser and darker than a normal master's.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Laizer laughed wildly. "I am ready," he said with a devilish smile. "I will do anything—if you really can grant my wish."
"Okay. Sign this contract. Its text is special, so as a normal being, you can't read it yet, but after arriving in that world, you will find out eventually. And here—this is a small gift for you. I don't know what it is, but maybe it can help you in some way," the entity said in a mysterious tone.
The entity handed Laizer a small gift. "Remember: this is your second chance. Live wisely."
"A quick question," the entity added with curiosity. "Now you've got a second chance, and this world meets some of your requirements. What will you do in this world?"
"Hehehe… old man, I'm going to dominate this whole world. I will reach the top of the food chain," Laizer said with a terrifying face and desire-filled expression.
Hohoho… young man, you're going to be disappointed again, the entity thought. This world is far more brutal and unfair than the one you came from. I hope you can just live a simple life.
A flash of white light enveloped Laizer. When he opened his eyes, he saw long, dense trees stretching endlessly before him. he was lying on the peak of a mountain; his surroundings were filled with dense and beautiful jungle.