Lu Xiangyang felt as if he had just experienced a very long, dark, and hopeless dream.
In the dream, his past flashed by like a white horse galloping past a crack in time—swift and fleeting.
It finally ended at the moment he fell to the ground, filled with frustration and unwillingness.
Suddenly, Lu Xiangyang awoke.
Before him was a scene both familiar and strange.
He remembered clearly, this was the youth training camp for the e-sports academy.
It was here that he had first met the coach of Ella, and later, as a professional player, had competed against the youth trainees.
But… wasn't he just at the hotel?
Why had he suddenly appeared here?
…Could it be that he hadn't died?
Suppressing his inner confusion, Lu Xiangyang carefully looked around. His brow furrowed. Something was off… the setup of the training camp didn't match what he remembered from his previous visit.
Just as he was puzzling over this, someone shouted, "Lu Xiangyang! Shen Kuangye! Come to the hall, the club manager is here."
Before he could make sense of the situation, a very familiar voice called out, "Coming!"
Lu Xiangyang's body shuddered violently and froze in place.
He turned slightly toward the source of the voice. His pupils contracted sharply, and he momentarily lost his voice.
It was… himself.
To be precise, it was him when he was younger.
Bright, lively, full of passion for everything.
"Shen Kuangye, why did you sleep so long today? I just played a few ranked games, and when I turned around, you were asleep! No matter how I called, you didn't wake up."
Hearing his younger self speak, Lu Xiangyang suppressed the shock in his eyes and gave a low hum in acknowledgment.
The voice sounded unfamiliar.
He wanted to say something more, but suddenly received a phone call and hurriedly walked away.
After he left, Lu Xiangyang stepped toward a nearby restroom.
When he saw the reflection in the mirror, he momentarily forgot to breathe.
It was an utterly unfamiliar face.
A tall, fair-skinned youth with features so perfect they seemed sculpted by a divine hand. His eyes were black and bright, carrying a trace of intensity.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his thin lips pressed lightly together, staring at the mirror.
At that moment, Lu Xiangyang fully realized—he had been reborn.
Reborn at eighteen, the year he joined the youth training camp.
But somehow, he had replaced another person's soul.
…Could such an absurd thing really happen to him?
Once he understood the situation, he let out a soft, bitter smile.
It seemed the heavens had given him a chance to start over.
The person he had just seen, and even himself, had called him Shen Kuangye…
So, the owner of this body was named Shen Kuangye?
But in his memory, there had been no such person in the youth camp at that time.
Lu Xiangyang had a good memory and was well-acquainted with everyone in the camp, even those quiet and unobtrusive, he remembered.
And this person's extraordinary looks made him even more unforgettable.
But none of that mattered now.
What mattered was…
He slowly raised his eyes and met his reflection in the mirror.
He was now Shen Kuangye.
In this life, he would never step foot in Ella again. He would make sure this team could never win the championship.
Shen Kuangye's mind briefly flashed back to the smiling face of Lu Xiangyang he had just seen. He thought lightly:
This time, I won't let that fool repeat the same mistakes.
——
Shen Kuangye washed his hands slowly, then reached into the pocket of the original body for a phone. He saw the date and time:
June 25, 3021, 3:00 PM.
The very day he learned his mother was ill. The timing seemed almost identical.
And Lu Xiangyang had just received a phone call…
Shen Kuangye's expression grew cold as he strode out.
He roughly remembered the layout here. He had received a call on the second-floor balcony of the youth camp before.
He walked quickly, arriving slightly out of breath.
There he saw Lu Xiangyang alone, red-eyed and dazed, leaning against the wall. Beside him stood someone Shen Kuangye would never forget.
That person's face held a hypocritical smile. Gently, he patted Lu Xiangyang on the shoulder: "If you—"
Before he could finish, the balcony door was pulled open.
Shen Kuangye's expression was icy: "Lu Xiangyang, come here."
Lu Xiangyang froze for a moment, then wiped his tears quickly, straightened, and spoke in a voice pretending to be lighthearted, though the quiver betrayed him: "What's wrong?"
Shen Kuangye pressed his lips together, his black, sharp eyes fixed on him: "I need to speak with you."
"Oh, I also have something to ask you."
Ella's manager smiled at him: "You're Shen Kuangye, right? I've seen your training matches—they were impressive. Interested in joining our club? I guarantee our salaries are above other clubs, and our benefits are the best among all teams."
Shen Kuangye glanced coldly at him: "No need."
His gaze was so sharp that the manager's heart skipped a beat.
This youth's eyes are too fierce, he thought. It's as if he sees me as an enemy.
He felt a tinge of regret.
Everyone knew two top-tier talents had come for this youth camp. If both joined Ella, the Abyss Championship was all but guaranteed.
Ella's ranking was high but unstable, especially regarding the Overseer position. They urgently needed a top-tier Overseer.
And Lu Xiangyang fit the requirement perfectly.
Shen Kuangye glanced at him: "Let's go."
Lu Xiangyang, still confused, obediently followed Shen Kuangye.
As they left, the manager called behind them: "Xiaoyang, I'm waiting for your reply."
Xiaoyang.
Shen Kuangye felt disgusted at the nickname. If he didn't know the person behind the hypocritical mask, he might have believed it.
Shen Kuangye didn't take Lu Xiangyang to the hall. Instead, he led him to an empty training room.
Lu Xiangyang had kept his head down the whole time, silent.
Shen Kuangye said nothing, only: "No one is here."
Lu Xiangyang looked up reluctantly and forced a small smile: "What's wrong? I'm fine."
Shen Kuangye saw his reddened eyes and didn't call him out. He only said: "Don't force yourself. I heard everything."
The smile on Lu Xiangyang's lips gradually disappeared. He lowered his gaze, lightly laughing: "How did you eavesdrop…"
Before he could finish, tears fell.
He bit his lips hard and wiped his eyes roughly with his arm.
Finally, he crouched down, hugging his legs, and cried quietly.
After all, he was just a newly adult child. Confronted with this situation, he felt helpless.
He cried silently, so much that one might think he was merely tired and resting.
Perhaps because this body was taller than Lu Xiangyang's original, Shen Kuangye noticed how thin his eighteen-year-old self was. Huddled together, his clothes hung loose.
Shen Kuangye said nothing, quietly waiting for Lu Xiangyang to vent.
After more than ten minutes, Lu Xiangyang lifted his head.
Tears still streaked his fair, handsome face. His peach-blossom-shaped eyes were red, eyelashes damp.
He awkwardly wiped his face: "Sorry… for letting you see me like this."
Shen Kuangye crouched down and, unable to resist, wiped his tear-streaked eyes with his fingertip. Coldly, he said: "Everyone has moments of sadness. You don't have to bear it alone."
Lu Xiangyang lowered his eyes, filled with confusion: "But… I don't know what to do about this."
He had just graduated high school, with no qualifications or resources, unable to produce so much money.
He soon laughed lightly: "It's okay. The manager said as long as I join Ella, I'll have the money."
Realizing how self-deprecating this sounded, he added: "Sixty thousand for my mom's life… not bad, right?"
Shen Kuangye knew how painful this was for him.
"Stop laughing," he said. "It's ugly."
Lu Xiangyang's smile faded. He lowered his gaze, changing the topic: "Why are you suddenly talking to me today?"
Shen Kuangye said nothing. He knew nothing of the original body's past. Although he was in this body, he had no memory of the original owner.
But he knew Lu Xiangyang hated silence. To avoid it, he filled in the story himself.
"You never talk to anyone, always cold, don't smile or get angry. I thought you were a robot," Lu Xiangyang said.
There was more he didn't dare to say—that the person felt like a soulless shell.
Even in the game, he had no expression. Once, during training, they had worn heart rate monitors for fun. Shen Kuangye's heart rate stayed at 41 the whole time, hardly moving.
Shen Kuangye thought for a moment, then, with a cold face, said: "Helpful."
Lu Xiangyang: "..."
Although slightly doubtful, he secretly thought, Shen Kuangye seems cold, but he's actually a good person.
Lu Xiangyang stood, legs a little numb from crouching too long. He lost balance slightly, leaning on Shen Kuangye.
Shen Kuangye caught his wrist steadily: "Careful."
Lu Xiangyang shook his other leg, smiled at him: "Thanks, I'll go first."
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed Shen Kuangye's grip hadn't loosened.
Shen Kuangye looked at him with a deep gaze: "Don't sign that contract."
Lu Xiangyang blinked, voice rising slightly: "Why?"
He suddenly recalled what he had said earlier, thinking Shen Kuangye misunderstood, and added: "It's not a buyout. The club's benefits are good. I won't lose out, don't worry."
Shen Kuangye still didn't let go.
Lu Xiangyang grew anxious: "Can you let go? I have to sign it. My mom is still in surgery!"
Although the doctor said the surgery fees could be advanced, he didn't like owing anyone. With a stable salary as a pro player, he could pay off the fees.
Shen Kuangye still held on: "They're lying to you."
"Lying? Don't joke. How could Ella lie? If I want to go, I can just talk to the manager myself."
Lu Xiangyang tugged on his hand, but it didn't budge. Angrily: "Can you let go?"
Shen Kuangye finally released him: "Then I'll go with you."
Lu Xiangyang opened his mouth, but before he could refuse, Shen Kuangye, with the same youthful face as him, spoke in a surprisingly mature tone: "With me here, you won't be tricked."
Lu Xiangyang: "…?"