Vik: "I'm creating a new identity for you. You're no longer Lu Xiaoran; you are now Lu Sheng. I've crafted a story for you. Lu Sheng was once Lu Xiaoran, but after being betrayed by enemies, he fell into Azure Mountain and lost his memory. People from Green Wood Village rescued you, and you lived there for a while. Once you learned of the village's problems, you decided to go to the city to help. As a result, you clashed with the authorities and saved the villagers' land, becoming a hero."
Lu Xiaoran nodded at this. However, Roman raised his hand and asked, "But master, how will we identify if someone is a chosen one? How does being a hero help us get revenge on Lin Chen?"
Vik: "That's a great question, and I'll explain it now. First, recognizing a protagonist can be both easy and tough. A protagonist or chosen one often appears to be a normal human, although they might belong to another race. Their defining trait isn't their appearance but their life experiences. For instance, a chosen one tends to have extraordinary luck. If you enter a lottery with a million-to-one chance, they'll win it, not just once, but many times. Their luck is remarkable."
Vik: "Certain backgrounds are also common among chosen ones:
1. A person with a surname like Xiao, Lin, Gu, Dragonheart, Lionheart, Chen, or Xi.
2. Someone who was a prodigy in childhood but later regressed in cultivation. They may have had a childhood engagement, but their fiancée recently canceled it, humiliating them. After this, they suddenly received rare opportunities, skyrocketing in cultivation and gaining a remnant soul of a high-level cultivator from a ring they wear.
3. Someone whose parents have been missing all their life but recently discovered opportunities that made them proficient in cultivation. This could also apply to a young master from a big family who has been a fool but suddenly becomes serious, mastering skills like alchemy without any formal training.
These are typical traits of protagonists."
Vik: "Regarding Lin Chen, we won't confront him directly; he will come to us. I know you have doubts, but listen carefully. You are a minor villain in Lin Chen's story, meant to die at his hands. However, you survived, creating a flaw in his narrative. Now, fate will ensure he confronts you again, but this time, the outcome will be fatal for you. Yet, we will confuse fate, preventing it from distinguishing between protagonist and villain. Don't worry, disciples; we will beat fate at its own game."
After hearing this, both nodded, and I asked, "Do you understand, disciples?"
Roman: "Yes, master."
Lu Xiaoran: "Yes, master. I understand well."
Pushpa: "Meow!"
Now that I had explained the concept of Chosen Ones, I shifted back to discussing Lu Xiaoran's new identity.
Vik: "Okay disciples, let's talk about Lu Xiaoran's new identity. From now on, Lu Xiaoran, you will introduce yourself as Lu Sheng. If anyone recognizes you, politely correct them and say you are Lu Sheng. You will help the villagers reclaim their land. First, you must defeat anyone who seeks to harm these people or act unjustly. You will become a hero of justice, standing up for the weak and the poor."
Vik: "Your past and future are changing, Lu Xiaoran. You are no longer Lu Xiaoran; you are Lu Sheng, a protagonist. This Lu Sheng isn't just an ordinary person; he is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior who fought to protect this world from foreign invasions. You died and have now been reborn, but you still have a heart to assist the weak and impoverished."
Lu Xiaoran: "Master, am I really a reincarnated person?"
Vik: "No, disciple. I'm just creating a protagonist template for you. Now that I've explained all this, rest for now because it's late, and I'm tired from explaining everything."
Hearing my words, both lay down on the bunk beds. Roman took the upper bunk, while Lu Xiaoran took the lower. I chose a bunk on the other side of the room. I attempted to hold Pushpa, but she still refused, making sounds like she might be nauseous. I thought taking a bath might help. I entered the small bathroom equipped with just a shower, a tap, and a bucket. I opened the shower and quickly washed without soap or shampoo. Afterward, I returned to the room, and this time Pushpa accepted being in my arms, so I lay down with her and cuddled.
As I lay in bed, I noticed Roman was already asleep, while Lu Xiaoran appeared to be deep in thought. I asked him, "Lu Xiaoran, what are you thinking about?"
Lu Xiaoran: "I don't know, master, but when I heard the name Lu Sheng from you, it felt familiar, like something I should remember, but I can't."
Vik: "Don't dwell on it, disciple. It's just a story I created. There's no connection between you and the name Lu Sheng. Now sleep."
With that, I turned off the room lights using my telepathic powers, and soon, we all fell asleep.
POV: Third Person
Meanwhile, far from the city where Vik and the disciples were, in a place located in the southern region of the North Continent, there exists a land surrounded by high mountains and valleys. This area might have seemed beautiful if not for the deathly aura that surrounded it. The mountains lack vegetation and are devoid of life, with only occasional patrols of human soldiers. A short distance away stands a giant wall made of steel and concrete, approximately 300 meters high.
Anyone possessing general knowledge would recognize this wall as the Northern Boundary Wall, one of the earliest structures built by humanity to resist foreign invasions. Beyond this wall lies land conquered by foreign races, and this area is constantly at war as these races attempt to breach the wall periodically. A similar but more majestic wall made of dark metal stands on the opposite side, erected by foreign races. The space between these two walls is a no-man's land, and a meeting is currently taking place between the two parties.
An old man and his entourage are discussing something with a horned figure who has red skin and tattoos covering his body. The meeting ends quickly, with both parties returning to their camps. The horned man wears a stern expression while the old human shows signs of tension.
Once inside his camp beyond the wall, the horned man meets an elder resembling him, likely of the same race. The younger horned figure says, "Chief, the negotiations failed again; the humans rejected our proposal."
The chief responds, "That's expected. Human greed knows no limits. Prepare for battle. We Narraka giants are descendants of great Asuras; we never back down from war." The younger one nods and adds, "Chief, I think we should have attacked earlier. I don't understand why you and the elders refused to make the first move; we are clearly stronger than them."
The chief sighs, "You're young, which is why you don't know. Long ago, there was only one wall here, built by the humans. When our race first arrived, we were so dominant that we didn't need to invade humans actively; we focused on other races like the sea clans and dragons. But then, one fierce human emerged who forced us to build a wall on our side to defend ourselves. This was the first time in history we were defeated by another race."
The chief continues, "But that human wasn't like the others with vicious hearts. He wanted peace for all races. He even saved young warriors from our clan from plots by other races. After that, our ancestors promised him we would not actively attack humans unless they started the war. From then on, this area saw peace, with only minor conflicts along the border."
The young man inquires, "Was that man one of the twelve heroes of humankind?"
The chief replies, "No. Those weaklings couldn't even resist us for a day. Those heroes lack strength; they excel in surviving battles and spreading propaganda. I remember thousands of years ago when humanity was in its darkest age, that man emerged without a sword or spear, wearing no armor or artifacts—just holding a sickle and hoe as if the battlefield were a farm to him."
The young man asks, "Chief, what was that man's name?"
The chief says, "He has no name. People have forgotten about him. That's the harsh truth about humanity: when they see a profit, they'll strike you in the back first. That man fought bravely for others, sacrificing everything, even his name. After his efforts, people forgot about him because no one told his story. They only remembered the heroes who survived battles by abandoning them. I only recall he was called Farmer Sheng."