Awesome! Is this the so-called transmigration like those novels!?
A young teen of 16 years old found himself in an accident, ran over by the Truck Emperor when he was walking back from school. After everything went to dark he found himself in a state of nothingness. As if he was just floating mindlessly without direction, without thoughts. Then he saw a small light. He reached out to the light, and he felt himself floating and tumbling in the void for an unknown amount of time. As soon as he felt his world finally came to a stop, the 5 senses slowly returned to his body. From the feeling of his breathing, his lungs and diaphragm moving up and down, the feeling of warmth wrapping his skin, his heartbeats, and finally his sight, even if it was dark.
He was bewildered at first - but slowly he came to understand where he was after moving his arms and feet around, he was in the womb. He let out a sigh of relief seeing he was safe. Strangely he felt a different kind of warmth and energy from the umbilical cord, constantly giving him some sort of lighthearted easy feeling. He wasn't sure what to make of it.
With nothing to do, he could only play around with the umbilical cord and poke at the walls around him out of boredom and the need for some sort of senses.
The days inside the womb let him process his life bit by bit. To be honest, he did miss his old family. He could not remember their names somehow, or even their faces, but their voices and the feeling of being easy and safe with his family were still there. He wondered if they were sad of his passing, and what his new life would bring to him.
The day arrived as he felt himself being pushed. As soon as he popped out, he felt a vast amount of energy circulating around him, entering through his breath, and enriching deep into his vessels, tissues and skin. Imperceptibly he felt his body already excited and became stronger.
He moved his legs and hands energetically, opening his eyes to see his current world. As he opened his eyes, he was dumbfounded seeing old men and aunties surrounding him and behind them were dazzling displays of lights blinding his eyes. The room was so bright, as if there was a disco party going on. He heard roars of dragons and chirps of phoenixes, chants of buddha and roars of demons. He felt so dizzy, and he couldn't help but close his eyes again from the blinding lights and phantoms in the sky.
He was just confused and couldn't understand what was happening. It was noisy, too bright, and the old men and aunties were chattering too much.
The overloaded sensory stimulation lasted only for a few breaths before a golden shield covered the hall, covering him from those noises. He opened his eyes again, now seeing the old men and aunties looking at him so intently, as if they wanted to peek through all his layers of skins.
He felt a little anxious being gawked at like this. He looked at them nervously, wondering what was all this about. He stretched his neck a little to look up, to see his mother. But he only saw a middle aged man holding him, having a very wide smile on his face.
"My child. The Star of Destiny of our family! Hanxing, your name will be Gu Hanxing!" The man raised him high above, as if he was showing him off to the world.
Seeing his fawning face, Hanxing couldn't help but smile too, understanding this man was his father. With the high vantage he had for a moment he turned his eyes around, and saw his mother actually lying on the quilt, her eyes closed, as if she already passed out. But no one, not even his father seemed to notice or care. Hanxing already felt something was a little wrong, how could they let mother be.
"So many supreme bones!"
"Those pupils, they carried a trace of Time. It's possible they were the Timeless Eyes that appeared a million years ago."
"The celestial phenomena he evoked reached throughout all Heavens and Earths. The Gu family will truly become the true ruler of all realms!"
The old uncles and aunties chattered, their voices filled with both awe and excitement.
Hanxing looked around. He could understand those words, and he faintly grasped that he was born extraordinary. And from the supernatural energy he felt in the air and surrounding him, he guessed this was a world with supernatural power, perhaps, like in those cultivation worlds.
His thoughts cannot keep up with change, however. Gu Moxuan heard a voice transmission in his head, asking him to present Gu Hanxing to his grandfather, Gu Tianlong, the 2nd Ancestor of the Gu clan.
Gu Moxuan did not linger for too long before stepping into the void to cross right into the Ancestral Hall.
And what happened to Hanxing afterwards left a deep scar deep into the transmigrator's soul. The pain kept him awake throughout the process, pain so much he wished he rather died. The hell only lasted only 10 breaths, but a part of him, mentally and spiritually, already died in the process. There was nothing but pain, just pain, in his cognition, as if his very being was being torn inside out piece by piece, as if thousands ants were tearing at his flesh bit by bit reaching the deepest corner of his bones. And when it was over only deep fear was left inside of his heart.
His world fell into darkness after losing his eyes. His body shook and trembled even without meaning to. He was scared. He never had experienced such pain his entire life. And even now, his body felt like there was an ache that he couldn't ease.
He felt so weak, so tired, that he couldn't even move even if he wanted to.
Please… let me die.
That was his thoughts, even days afterwards. Even when some milk or food was put into lips, the respite was only temporary. He knew the person holding him now was not harming him, and yet that fear never disappeared. He could hear faint voices sometimes, but he didn't want to come out. Tears fell from his tears glands at times, hoping his suffering would end. Praying to God that it would just end.
"Child, you are safe here. Uncle will give you more delicious food alright?"
He was guarded, his hands trembling from being touched afraid of pain and danger.
Rattle, rattle~ "I made this from the Charming Rattle Demon Snake. It sounds nice right?"
Hanxing heard the sound that soothed his restless heart. For once, he relaxed a little. But still, he refused to come out of his shell.
"This blanket is made from Moon Hare fur, they say it helps with sleep. Child, is it alright? Is it comfortable?"
Han Yang cared for him day after day, not giving up on the child despite the shell the infant had become. The weeks passed slowly. One day, Han Yang returned with a spirit fruit like grapes he found outside. He placed the fruits on his lap and picked Han Xing up.
"Child, Uncle found a wild fruit outside. Give it a try." With his thoughts, a round fruit was plucked and turned into juice. He let the juice linger on the child's nose and lips.
Han Xing opened his lips slightly after seconds of hesitation. The juice fell on the edge of his tongue, spreading sweetness and slight sourness in his mouth.
Han Yang rocked him back and forth gently, trying to soothe him. He knew how much the child suffered. In his eyes, the child's soul was always showing caution and fear. That was more the reason he wanted to give the child a moment of peace.
For once, Han Xing turned his head slightly. His eyelids closed, and yet, it was as if he was looking at Han Yang for the first time.
Han Yang gasped slightly, his heart swelled with emotions feeling the 'gaze' from him. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes. The weeks that passed, caring for him day after day already made him feel like Han Xing was his own child. For the first time Han Xing was looking at him, really looking at him.
Han Yang pulled him closer, his breath shuddered as he rubbed his back, trying to tell him how much he was cared for.
Han Xing's world had been dark for days. But for once he dared to look out. Even with his eyes missing, he could sense and see this uncle through sixth sense. As if he could see his colour, warm, genuine.
"Uncle is here." Han Yang looked at him with a heart filled with care and hope.
"Mm…" Han Xing replied with an mm. It was short, but the acknowledgement turned Han Yang's eyes red.
"Good." Han Yang let out his breath that who knew how long he had held. He felt glad that the child finally saw him, and gained that little bit of acknowledgement of trust.
Another few weeks passed. With constant care, Han Xing felt safe enough to look out, to see his world. Through his closed eyelids, the world was in a monochromatic haze. He could figure out shapes at least, and could make sense of distance and objects.
Every day, he would listen to the sounds coming from outside. The birds chirping, the breeze coming in, the sound of wind chimes hanging in the house, rattling from the wind. When the uncle started working with the woods, the scent of sweetness and musk lingered and reached him.
He would listen silently, hearing the scraping and carving sound. The scent and the sound became therapeutic for him.
Han Yang would stop his work and check on him every hour, as if worried he was not comfortable or was feeling ache. Each time his lungs felt like collapsing, Han Yang would know and quickly came to soothe him through some mysterious power. Each time Han Xing grunted from an ache that appeared deep inside his body, the uncle would always know and came quickly.
Han Xing gradually learnt to trust him, and came to accept him.
But it was only today that Han Xing truly called out to him after Han Yang presented him with something that touched Han Xing's heart.
Han Yang came into the house in a hastened steps, his excitement could be felt from Han Xing's sixth senses. The old man plopped down in front of the quilt, pieces of little objects in his hands. Han Xing felt a little taken aback as he started to unpack the blanket covering himself. He felt exposed. The air hit his exposed body, making Han Xing frowned in a little discomfort at being seen like this.
Han Yang brought a piece of the object close, and with a gentle press, Han Xing felt the object connected to his shoulder. A strange feeling crept up from his shoulder down the object now connected to him as if it was a strange new arm.
His eyebrows frowning in confusion as he felt it. A sense of weight and pressure where it should not have been. He tried to move it, and surprisingly, he could. It was difficult, and it barely moved up and down an inch. Han Yang was patient, urging him to keep trying. After a few minutes of trying, he finally got the hang of it. Though shaky, he moved his arm, reaching out to touch the uncle's head, where Han Xing assumed his cheek would be.
He tried to clench his fingers and finally did.
"Ouch! Child, you are grabbing my beard!" Han Yang felt like bursting into tears, his smile never left his face. His eyes were teary not because it was painful, but because the child could move his new prosthetic and he managed to do it. He had a hard time creating it to be suitable for a mortal body but he succeeded.
"Sowwy…" Han Xing tried to release it, prying his new fingers slowly. Han Yang froze hearing the single baby-ish word muttered from the lips of the child. Did he just hear him speak?
Hanxing moved his gaze to his arm, made of exquisite mysterious wood, then back to the uncle. It dawned on him that this uncle made this arm for him. He felt touched, and for once he really felt he was cared for.
"Thank you… uncle." Han Xing muttered. Tears sliding down the side of his cheeks unconsciously. Han Yang's eyes turned red seeing the tears, the trust the child had in him. He held himself back from crying.
"T-Try the others too. Tell me if you feel uncomfortable…" Han Yang's voice was shaky. Carefully he placed the other prosthetics in place.
Han Xing had stuffiness in his heart, swelling with so much emotion, feeling he could move his feet and arms. There was no warmth, there was no sense of touch. But it had some weight and pressure to it. For him, this was more than enough.
"Thank you, uncle. It feels, okay." Han Xing said shakily.
"Don't thank me, child. Come on, let's practice. You can try standing. Come on." Han Yang picked him up, supporting him so he could stand on his two prosthetic feet. Han Xing struggled to keep his balance.
"Don't worry. I will catch you if you fall. Just try."
Hanxing looked up to uncle Yang, nodding.
After falling multiple times, Han Xing finally took his first step. And then, his second step. He wobbled for a second, but stabilised himself. A soft sense of relief, appreciation, and trust filled Han Xing's heart. He looked up to see his uncle again, as if trying to see how he looked in his senses.
"Good, good, good! You did it Xing'er!" Han Yang couldn't help but jump in happiness himself. He reached out to pat the child's head.
"Son… can I call you son?" Han Yang asked nervously. He never thought he would come to care for this broken child. In the beginning, he never wanted to get attached to temporary worldly things. But, the past month changed his heart slowly.
Han Xing was a little stunned, but without hesitation this time, he nodded.
"Father…" Han Xing called out.
Han Yang's eyes turned red again. "Don't call me father. Too formal. Call me dad."
"Dad." Han Xing muttered with some tinge of uncertainty. Han Yang felt his heart wept with joy hearing the title. He took Han Xing up to his shoulder, carrying him around. He didn't know what to say. For thousands of years he had never known what it meant to have someone he could call son. It was such a joyous feeling.
"Come on, let's practice walking again."
He put him down and held his hand, watching his son take little steps one by one. As he watched, a pang of sadness rose in his chest for a second. He knew at the back of his mind Han Xing would not have too long to live. He planned to care for him the short years he had, and move on as if it was just a passing whim.
But his heart already grew too attached. Han Yang's expression turned from sadness, to contemplation, then stopped at a determination. He would try his best, he thought.
There were still years to come, and Han Xing's life was far from ending.