"Hayysst… this is madness. Totally madness."
Lili stood up and looked around the forest.
He watched the trees sway with the wind, their leaves whispering softly. He saw how the sunlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating the forest in gentle gold. He watched the river flow, rippling calmly as if the world itself had no worries.
He could clearly see the difference between his old world and this one.
But… that was it.
What was so great about it?
He had been given a second chance at life.
He had been reincarnated.
He had been handed power—power that anyone else would gladly die for.
Yet to him, it felt like receiving a score of 95 in every subject and still asking himself whether he had actually done anything to deserve it. Or whether it even mattered at all.
And in the end… it didn't.
He didn't give a fuck.
To Lili, life was simple. Either he died tomorrow, or he lived. That was it. That was what life—and his past experiences—had taught him.
So if someone asked why he wasn't excited about being reincarnated into a world filled with monsters, power, and beautiful women?
That answer was simple too.
This was just who he was.
No hero shit.
No world domination plans.
No saving bitches in distress.
He wouldn't even care if this world ended tomorrow.
He just didn't feel like caring.
He was too detached.
That was the kind of person Lili was.
But all of that… was just a façade.
Lili watched the river again, the flowing water reflecting the light like broken mirrors. He took a deep breath, then shook his head slightly, as if clearing his thoughts.
In a calm, low tone, he spoke.
"…Flow."
He paused, then added quietly, "Yeah. Better just flow with it."
Slowly, he lifted his head and let the sunlight wash over his pale face. He closed his eyes.
Ten minutes passed in silence.
Then he opened them.
Without hesitation, he slowly turned toward the forest.
He was going to go anyway—so why bother making some long, dramatic shit out of it?
With that thought, he started walking.
Slowly.
Like a sloth trapped in a human body.
Yep. That was him.
Lili stepped into the forest. Thick vines hung from tree branches, dark green and tangled, adding a sense of creeping unease to the surroundings. The sounds of insects and distant animals echoed around him, filling the air with life.
Yet Lili didn't belong here.
A person like him stood out too much—like a fairy casually walking through a place it didn't belong. Every strand of his purple hair swayed with the wind, catching faint traces of light. His expression remained unchanged, his dark purple eyes completely uninterested, detached from the world around him.
He looked like a corpse slowly descending the mountain.
Too pale.
Too still.
Too unreal.
But in the world of Douluo Dalu—where all kinds of strange shit existed—seeing a dead-looking person walking around was probably normal.
…Right?
Yeah. Probably.
♤
Down the mountain, Old Jack was doing his early patrol.
As always, he was counting the sheep, pigs, chickens, cows, and the rest of the village livestock. He needed to make sure their numbers were correct—everything had to be in order. After all, he was the village chief.
He walked slowly, a cane in his right hand, his left hand resting behind his back. His steps were steady but heavy with age.
"Hmmm… so today will be the day Tang San and his sister go chase their dreams," Old Jack muttered while staring at the village below.
Well… do we need some throwback shit here? Nope. Pass.
Anyway.
After finishing his inspection of the village, Old Jack headed toward the clear-water river. It was something he did regularly—there was something there he needed to check. He had noticed it before.
Three days ago, when he went there to fetch water for cooking—since the water was crystal clear and undoubtedly good—he saw a strange flower near the riverbank. A purple-black flower.
Back then, it had been about two feet tall.
Yesterday, when he checked again, it had already grown to five feet.
Far too big for a flower.
That was exactly why Old Jack had prohibited the villagers from going up the mountain for now. People were unpredictable. If they saw something they didn't understand, who knew how they would react?
Some would be scared and start rumors about it being a monster-eating flower.
Some would be amazed, dig it up, and bring it home.
Others might destroy it just for fun.
Different minds. Different reactions.
So Old Jack made an excuse. He told everyone the fish in the river were about to mate, and disturbing the area would reduce their population. If that happened, the village would lose an important food source.
And surprisingly… they listened.
Even though the reasoning sounded suspicious and not very convincing, this was still a Chinese world. Status, hierarchy, power, wealth, and elders were respected here. That was the culture.
If you read enough Chinese works, you'd notice how main characters always demand others to call them "grandfather" or "ancestor" after face-slapping their enemies in front of everyone.
It wasn't just arrogance.
It was respect for elders—or fear of backing.
If you didn't have something to support your words, then don't talk. Simple as that.
Well, moving on.
Old Jack was heading to check the flower again. But on his way to the spot where he had seen it…
He noticed something.
Someone.
Someone who shouldn't be here.