'...From what I said-'
Lei's mind suddenly went into overdrive, before shutting down.
'It's dark. All around me... Can't see anything. Why?'
He tried to move but,
'My body... I can't feel it. Is this...? I can't... Feel anything.'
He immediately started feeling anxious.
It only took him a couple of seconds before,
'I can't move. I can't see. I can't feel...'
The realization dawned on him.
'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, wait, wait, wait, wait!'
He cursed internally.
'FUCKKK! SHE LIED TO ME!? NO WAY... THERE'S NO FREAKING WAYYY!'
The conclusion he arrived at was,
'A FUCKING SEA CUCUMBER? REALLY? WHYYY?? HOW CAN MY KARMA BE THAT BAD??'
It felt like it after all.
'I KNOW I WASN'T THE BEST PERSON BUT... Come one! I never hurt anyone. I was a bad son, I'll be the first to admit that but... Really? Does that really warrant-'
Lei realized all of a sudden.
'Wait...'
Snif-
'Wait...?'
Snif-
'I can breathe.'
His thoughts started racing.
'FUUUUUCK!! WHY DOES BREATHING UNDERWATER FEEL THE SAME?? THAT'S NOT ANY BETTER! THAT B-'
Out of nowhere, it resonated resonated.
Ding-
'Are you fucking kidding me? I said no technology. Urchin technology? What the hell is-'
"Oh, shut up, will you?"
'Who-'
"It's me. Forgot my voice already?"
'You...'
"Yeah, me-"
'YOU MINX! WHY WOULD YOU LIE-'
The sound of her fingers snapping resonated.
The next second, Lei could see.
"The fuck did you just call me, mortal?" The Goddess asked as a light flame illuminated the area just enough for her face to be visible.
A face filled with wrath. It wouldn't have surprised her if he had pissed himself.
After all, Lei had just angered a Goddess.
And yet, the only thing he could think about was,
'Wait... I can see? I have eyes then. Great. THAT'S GREAT! Wait... Do Sea Urchins have eyes? What is-'
"Oh shut up, will you? You're no Sea Urchin. You're Human, just like you wanted to be."
Following those words, Lei's brain itself seemed to freeze.
It was only a dozen seconds later that,
'FUCK YEAAAAHH!!!' He exclaimed internally.
"Will you shut up for a second?"
'Okay, okay. Sure. Wait... Am I thinking or talking? I can't tell. Which one is it? Her hair looks incredible under that light. Wait, why did the scenery change all of a sudden? Wish I could see her whole body like earlier. If I'm Human, then how come-'
The Goddess' eyebrow twitched a couple of times.
"Will you calm your thoughts for a bit?"
Lei's brain immediately froze.
All thoughts seized.
"You've been Reborn in a World of my choosing. In this world, you will play the part of a Villain. You will be a Villain."
'Villain? What does that-'
"Holy fucking shit. I swear, if you don't shut your mouth for the next minute, I will turn you into a freaking Sea Star."
'...'
"Alright. I'm about to explain some things about the World you are in. Make sure you listen carefully. Don't say a thing though. I have to tell you a couple of things to make it fair. Don't ask why, it's God stuff. Anyways, the World you were Reborn is one that focuses on Martial Arts, and Martial Mastery. Strength determines one's Rank in society. Strength is everything here. In a way, you could say that one is always right, in this World, if they're strong enough. Got it? Mm... You can answer."
'Got it.'
"In a World where strength is everything, you'll be taking Zhao Laohu's body. The guy is... Well, it's of no concern to you. You'll be taking his body. Got it?"
'Zao Lao?'
"You dumbfuck."
'Alright, damn. No need to-'
"You'll live as Zhao Laohu and die as Zhao Laohu. Got it?"
'Okay, sure.'
"Good. He's the Young Master of the Ravenous One-Eyed Tiger Sect. Make sure you remember that, cause that's your identity from now on. You're not Lei, you're not a goddamn incel, you're not a hikikomori or a shut-in. Got it?"
'Fucking hell, you got no chill. I was none of those, so there's no need to-'
"I see your speech has changed drastically between last time and now. For the worse, sadly. Still, that means you're pretty good at changing the way you talk. That'll help you."
'Okay?'
"Well, don't expect more. That's it really. You'll have to figure out the rest yourself."
'Are you sure you're not forgetting something?'
Lei, or rather, Zhao didn't mean anything in particular by that.
It was just something he had picked up.
A trick, one might call it.
Whenever someone explained something, he would ask that question.
A simple and, one might say, dumb habit.
Most times, it didn't help.
But this time,
"Oh. Right. Forgot about the Villain part. Although..."
Internally, Lei sighed heavily.
"You're a Villain. That's all there is to it. You shouldn't need more information than that."
'A Villain? I don't see how I wouldn't need more information than that.'
"Well, in every World, there are good guys and bad guys. You're one of the bad guys."
'Why the fuck is that? I wasn't a bad guy in my past life. I was... Average at best. Below average even. Nothing to boast about, but nothing to... I don't know... Reprimand? Scold? I was as basic as basic gets. Why would I-'
"Yeah, well... Tough luck."
'You talked about fairness. And this doesn't sound fair, I have to admit.'
"So? What are you doing to do? Call for the Manager? Pfahahah!" The Goddess chuckled. "You don't get a choice, Zhao Laohu. You were dealt a couple of cards. Now, accept them like a man and play them."
'How about: I don't want to play?'
The Goddess scratched her cheek.
"Sucks to be you, I guess."
'Seriously?'
"That's life for you, privileged little shit."
'Privileged how?'
"You expect more than being a Sea Cucumber. That makes you a privileged, undeserving, and entitled little shit."
'...'
"Anyways, you're lying in a dark cave right now. Starved and dehydrated. Your body is barely alive."
'What-'
Lei couldn't believe those words.
'Seriously?'
"Yes."
'You mean it's so starved and dehydrated that I can't move? It's not just that I can't move, I can't even feel-'
"Goddamn. Will you stop complaining about-"
'About the cards I was dealt?' Zhao interrupted.
"Yes. Precisely-"
'I have enough experience with gambling to call a shit draw when I see one. Draw again.'
"Bfahahaha!"
Lei's eyes narrowed.
Are, at least, he tried narrowing them.
"It's funny how you think that you have any influence over how this goes."
'I don't I could. It just...'
"Mm?"
'It doesn't hurt to try.'