Wang Feng woke up with a wave of sharp pain. Although he had been trained since childhood to hide his emotions and remain calm, he could not help but curse inwardly. Damn it. It felt as if his organs were being torn apart, as if his nerves were being cut one by one. Now he finally understood what it meant to be close to death.
But what was happening?
He remembered that not long ago he had been in his company, looking at a positive financial report. Everything was going well this year, and he had even thought about rewarding his hardworking staff.
He had simply gone to the bathroom, opened a door, and suddenly fainted.
Now he woke up in terrible pain.
"Xue Yuan, let my brother go. The White Scarf Rebels are about to take the border of Calendula City, and you are still playing with my brother. You are sick. Let him go. I will fight you myself. Do not bring him to your palace and treat him like a toy. Do you hear me?"
A voice full of despair and anger shouted near him. Xue Yuan's head began to hurt again, as if something sharp were piercing his brain.
Through the pain, Xue Yuan slowly opened his eyes and realized he was in a place he did not recognize.
The room was spacious and elegant, decorated in an ancient style, shining with gold and jewels.
As the only heir of his grandparents' company, Wang Feng had seen many rare treasures in his life, so he knew that everything in this room was real.
What shocked him the most were the men and women lying on the ground, covered in wounds. Their bodies were marked by fresh lashes, and some injuries were still bleeding. It was obvious they had just been punished.
The person closest to him, and the most badly injured, was especially beautiful. She lay unconscious in pain, her face twisted in suffering, yet still strikingly delicate. Her body was covered in deep wounds, some so severe that blood had gathered beneath her, forming a dark pool on the floor.
Xue Yuan raised his eyebrows. Even though he was used to staying calm, he was deeply shocked.
What was going on? Had he been kidnapped? Had he been brought to some kind of torture chamber?
"Xue Yuan, let my brother go. You will never break him. I would rather die than serve a pervert like you. He is General Qi of the Qi family. If you continue like this, there will be no one left to protect the borders of Claris. Even the capital will fall."
The girl continued to shout in fury, but suddenly a loud sound interrupted her. A man appeared behind her and forced her to the ground.
Xue Yuan turned his head and saw a teenage girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old. She was kneeling, her arms twisted behind her by a man dressed in black.
Even on her knees, her eyes were filled with hatred as she stared at Xue Yuan, as if she wanted to tear him apart.
His head began to hurt again.
What was happening?
"Ding. Hello, Host. Welcome to the Ancient Fragmented Era."
"Ding. Vital signs are weak. Severe internal damage detected. Pain reduction system is activating. Estimated lifespan: thirty days."
"Ding. To protect your life, you must stabilize the Kingdom of Claris and restore it to power."
As Xue Yuan tried to understand his surroundings, a cold voice echoed inside his mind.
He closed his eyes. After the second message, the terrible pain quickly faded, but his body still felt extremely weak, as if he might die at any moment.
A massive amount of information flooded into his mind.
He raised his hand and touched his forehead, forcing himself to accept it.
Fortunately, after years of training as the head of his grandparents' company, he was used to handling complex information and making quick decisions.
So even though this strange world felt like madness, he forced himself to calm down and organize his thoughts. He had to understand the situation he was in.
The girl who had been forced to the ground was still struggling and glaring at him with hatred. The man in black who was holding her turned toward Xue Yuan and knelt.
"Your Highness, should I cut out her tongue?"
His voice was cold and indifferent. It was obvious that the original owner of this body had given similar orders before.
Xue Yuan looked away from the furious girl and focused on the man speaking to him. He was handsome, but terrifying, like a bloodstained blade hidden in the darkness.
Now that he had received the memories, Xue Yuan finally understood what was happening.
As hard as it was to believe, everything he saw was real.
He was still Wang Feng from the twenty-first century, but he had somehow transmigrated into the body of the Second Prince, Xue Yuan.
He was now in a different time and world, a place called the Ancient Fragmented Era. Here, he was the only true royal prince of a weak third-rate nation known as the Kingdom of Claris.
He was the elder brother of the reigning emperor, Xue Yan, and his only family.
In short, he had become a powerful and twisted figure from history.
The original owner of this body was known for being savage and cruel, using his authority to control and abuse others. Xue Yan spoiled him and gave him everything he wanted.
He was an even worse ruler, wasting money and harming the people. The palace had become a place of madness.
The most beautiful men and women of the Kingdom of Claris, no matter who they were, had been brought to the palace, personally selected, and handed over to Xue Yuan, who treated them however he pleased.
Xue Yan had also destroyed the remaining military forces of Claris.
The country was filled with rebels, chaos, and corruption, and it was on the verge of collapse.
Now that Xue Yuan knew everything, only one thought remained in his mind.
This kingdom is finished.
He did not know why he had ended up in this world, but one thing was clear.
He did not want to die as a failed, perverted, and cynical prince in this worthless, ruined kingdom.