Chapter 2: The Weight of Weakness
The morning sun barely reached the shabby hut where Li Wei had collapsed the night before. His body still trembled, every muscle weak as though he had been drained of all strength. When he opened his eyes, the cracked wooden ceiling greeted him with silence.
"...So, this is the new world," he whispered. His voice was hoarse, powerless.
Li Wei forced himself to sit, but even the smallest movement sent pain shooting through his arms. His hands were thin, bones pressing against skin. Compared to the mighty warriors and magicians he had glimpsed in the village yesterday, he was nothing more than a fragile child.
Outside, the sound of swords clashing echoed faintly. The villagers were training. Heroes were sharpening their blades, preparing to hunt monsters, while he could barely stand.
"Pathetic," he muttered bitterly. "How can someone like me survive here?"
Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed on the wooden door.
"Li Wei! Are you alive in there?" It was Mei Ling, the kind-hearted girl who had given him shelter.
He struggled to his feet, swaying like a reed in the wind, and opened the door. Mei Ling frowned when she saw his pale face.
"You shouldn't push yourself. In this world, the weak are eaten alive. If you truly want to stay, you must find a way to grow stronger."
Her words pierced his heart deeper than any blade. But in her gaze, he also saw a trace of hope—as if she believed he could change.
That night, as darkness swallowed the sky, Li Wei sat alone under the stars. His heart was heavy, but his determination began to burn.
"I was weak in my past life… but this time, I will not remain at the bottom. If the gods themselves stand in my way… I will break them."
At that very moment, a faint glow pulsed from the strange mark on his left hand—the same mark he had brought from Earth. The air trembled, as if the world itself had answered his vow.