When one stands on the brink of death, the adrenaline surging into their brain makes time seem to slow down.
For him, perhaps because his senses had been trained to their very limits through countless races, time seemed to have frozen in this moment.
Right now, he couldn't feel anything except the weightless sensation enveloping his entire body, and the violent gusts of sea wind battering against him.
He lowered his gaze, within his sight, there was only a vast, deep, and chilling expanse of blue ocean.
And yet, in the depths of his eyes, there was not a trace of fear, only an uncanny calm.
A moment ago, he could have easily turned the handlebars and avoided the crash. But for an instant, it was as if he simply did not want to stop.
He hesitated, and by the time he realized it, his body was already falling through the air, just moments away from the water surface.
Since nothing could be changed anymore, he let go, calmly accepting everything.
At times like this, other people would think of their parents, their loved ones, or the happy moments in their lives.
But for him, such things did not exist.
From as far back as he could remember, he had been abandoned at an orphanage by his parents, now he couldn't even recall their faces.
From that moment on, he had to struggle simply to survive each day.
The other children at the orphanage were no different, fighting over food just to keep living, with no time left to make friends.
Even after leaving the orphanage, his life remained nothing but a bleak stretch of suffering.
Day after day went by, until he discovered motorcycle racing.
Perhaps, the rare moments when he truly felt happiness were those exhilarating instants on the track, the days he rode alongside street racers and took part in underground races.
It had been fun, but somehow, at some unknown point, things began to change.
Maybe it was when he entered the professional scene. Racing stopped being fun, and the racetrack, once thrilling, turned into something filthy and cold.
Now, standing at the peak of his career, surrounded by luxury and wealth, all he could feel on that track was emptiness.
His love for racing was gone. Even those once-burning moments on the track had faded from his memory.
The only thing that had ever brought him happiness in this world now had no longer existed.
So what reason was there to keep living?
That thought ended, then he closed his eyes.
He threw himself into the deep ocean, ending a miserable life.
Splash—!
***
Sanctuary of Genesis, dawn.
In a secluded corner of the city, within a rundown apartment, a small room lay swallowed in thick darkness.
Inside, a lone figure sat curled up on the bed, breathing hard, cold sweat soaking through the thin shirt clinging to his back.
His eyes were empty, staring blankly like someone whose soul had drifted away.
After a brief daze, his gaze slowly regained focus, and his emotions gradually steadied.
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since Jawed last dreamed about his previous life, a life he had no desire to remember.
Even though it was only a dream, the chill and suffocating terror in those final moments still felt horrifyingly real.
"Phew...."
He let out a long breath, brushing aside the strands of sweat-drenched hair sticking to his forehead.
His eyes drifted toward the window, where the first light of dawn slowly crept in, reflecting off the clutter of high-rise buildings and casting pale rays across the damp, mold-stained walls.
He was in the Quadrant Realm, a world entirely different from Earth.
At the very least, that past life now was just distant memories, no longer having anything to do with him.....
DING DONG!
Suddenly, the shrill doorbell shattered the silence, yanking Jawed out of his wandering thoughts.
Still not fully awake, he dragged himself toward the old, creaking door.
The moment it swung open, the drowsiness instantly vanished from his face.
Standing outside was a lumbering, middle-aged man, his wrist gleaming with an ostentatious, gaudy gold watch. His hair was patchy and graying white, with a bald spot right at the crown of his head, while his eye sockets were dark and sunken, wrinkled like those of a Dark Souls gamer.
The most striking feature, undoubtedly, was his protruding belly, jutting out as if he were pregnant with an entire pig.
Right now, his face was scowling, as if the entire world were his enemy.
Facing him, Jawed frowned slightly, forcing out an awkward smile:
"Mr. Trunks, what brings you here so early in the morning?"
The old man snorted, his voice grating and hoarse, like an eighty-year-old's:
"What else could it be, Jawed? Today is the deadline for your rent this month, and you still haven't even finished paying last month's! Do you think I'm some kind of charity, letting you live here for free?!"
Hearing that, Jawed could only sigh and reply hesitantly: "Sigh, at least.... give me until the end of the week. I'll definitely get the money together."
"Hmph. You said the exact same thing last month. If you don't pay up this time, pack your things and get out! My place doesn't take in poor wretches like you!", the man tone grew even more annoyed, his cold eyes casting Jawed a contemptuous glance.
With that, he spun around, slamming the door shut. Even as he walked away, his grumbling curses echoed down the hallway.
Jawed stood there, the forced smile fading, replaced by an emotionless expression, as though the annoying man's words meant nothing to him.
He turned his gaze toward the clock, spoke calmly:
"I guess, it's time to go to work."
***
Leaving his apartment, Jawed walked along the bustling streets.
Waiting at a bus stop, he absentmindedly observed the surrounding neighborhood.
On the road, vehicles of all kinds, modified with modern high-tech, sped past. What stood out was that except for public transport, everything else was motorcycle.
On both sides of the street, shops stood tightly packed together. In front of each storefront, holographic billboards projected vivid 3D images, flooding the street with light.
Before such dazzling sights, he simply closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. Even now, he still felt somewhat unfamiliar with this place.
Even though, it had already been two months since he was transmigrated here.
This world was one where technology had advanced far beyond imagination.
When he first arrived, seeing inventions that seemed ripped straight out of science-fiction films had nearly scared him out of his wits. And the most shocking among them was—
"Bus number XXX has arrived. Please line up, board in order, and maintain public order. Thank you."
A lifeless mechanical voice echoed from the speakers.
In front of him stood a sleek double-door bus, equipped with futuristic technology.
Wearing a calm expression, Jawed stepped aboard.
It just that, he completely didn't notice, the moment he stepped onto the bus, the door at the rear suddenly opened.
A drooping silhouette of a girl, her eyes weighed down with heaviness, quietly stepped out.
The two figures passed by, crossing paths at that very moment.
.....