VOLUME I: Chapter Two

VOLUME I

Chapter Two

After thirty minutes spent in walking aimlessly on the wide meadow, Ritian was thoroughly convinced that this is not the city. He thought the guy played a prank on him when they entered a seemingly endless labyrinth of trees.  He observed the silent man while he trod along the track. The man kept his silence amidst his storm of questions. It took a long moment before Ritian was able to rest assured.

A series of thatched houses came to Ritian's sight later on. His shoulders slumped in disappointment. The cold wind blowing past his crotch sent a nasty tingle in his spine. He's still wearing his thin piece of underwear. And it's not comfortable.

Throwing a confused expression on Wenren, he fixed the carpet on himself. The guy told him that it is a cape worn by heroes. Ritian refused to believe him just to spite the man. Instead of being offended, the guy looked at him as if wondering what classification of idiot does he belong.

He had no choice but to use the cloak. There's no way that he'd let the innocent children of this village to gawk at his manly bits.

Ritian doesn't want to hate the man. The guy looks awesome. If he can't have him as a date, at least they could be friends. A handsome guy surely has a handsome friend. Maybe Ritian can covet one of them.

Ritian let out a forlorn exhale of breath. It was bad growing up as a dehydrated, impatient flower.

Vast mountains and the refreshing view of thousand trees scared Ritian momentarily. It's a nightmare for a city guy to be thrown aside to a place where it doesn't even have a television.

Right now he had accepted the fact that he'd been reincarnated.

He believe those stuff and even follows the superstitions of his late grandmother. He entered the cycle of life wherein his soul is bound to live another life.

What confuses him is his physical constitution. His face. His height. They were all the same with his past life! Even his memories were not changed or erased! He should be born as a baby with no consciousness by now yet here he is, kicking and nearly got killed again by drowning!

'Transmigration' is the only option left.

It could be that he wasn't really reincarnated but his soul was transfered here. His consciousness leaped to the past. Centuries before history were written. 

'Or', Ritian's lashes lowered, 'it could be that I am inside an alternate universe.'

Martial heroes. People who cares about the fish more than a drowning person. Of course, science couldn't explain this. This place couldn't be earth anymore.

He hurried his steps and decided to leave Wenren a few meters behind. His name is Wenren. That's what he told him. Apparently, the guy is well-known in the village. It's because he's a new resident here, and he's a martial hero.

The small village wasn't used to visitors and were cautious about strangers entering their territory. But towards Wenren, they were all courteous. They even nodded their heads and smile with genuine appreciatiom.

Ritian didn't get any of the warm welcome.

There are no curious glances. It was like the villagers doesn't even want to spare him a passing eye. He can't help but squint. Do these people have an aversion to him?

'Good.' Ritian was full of incredulity. 'In my past life, I was a cactus in everyone's path! Now I became a wallflower! Lovely progression! Totally comprehensible!'

At the front, a large fence of two meters  tall made of hard wood protected the village. A huge welcome sign surprised Ritian's eyes with the name 'Han Village' in it. The words were carved onto the wood then painted with a bright gold color.

The village is packed with houses. Not exceeding ten meters between each othet. Each shack got small fences dividing their places.

A huge shop in the center of the small community is the main highlight of the place. It's the convenient store for everyone here. Basic needs and some tools can be found in the market. Each with affordable prices. With just a sweep of Ritian's judgemental eyes, he knew that the quality of each items is mediocre.

"Does your feet hurts?" Wenren caught up to him. Ritian gave him the stinkeye. "No…"

He considered it for a second before giving up. Rolling his eyeballs, Ritian inched closer to the man. "So, what's the deal with them? I did something so hideous in the past and they hate for it?"

Wenren gazed at him with his curious eyes. The man pursed his lips. "You should stop chasing after the head villager's only son. Let him be with the woman he love. After that, those bored women won't pester you again."

Ritian halted his steps. His expression grew gloomy. He still don't understand it fully but this accusation irritates him. The chill bites his gonads uncomfortably. Ritian pitied the two desolated but agreeably unknowing balls.

Wenren stood still and shrugged at him expectantly. Ritian rolled his eyes again. He walked with a frown firmly kept in place. He held the cape above his head. "I… don't understand. Would you care enough to explain it to me? I think… my brain got washed and the dirty parts were gone now. I won't do that again, really. Just tell me about it!" Ritian blinked fervently. He rubbed his hands together with both still clasping the cloth. "I can't even remember the guy's face anymore!"

This myriad of suspicions in his brain threatens to bustle at any second.

Wenren's lips twitched. He held the big basket full of rabbit's meat on the left hand before patting his shoulder with the other. "That's okay. You can't forget your first love easily. Keep on trying. I will help you avoid the rumors in the future."

"Why won't you tell me?"

Wenren laughed. A flash of discomfort shone in his eyes. "Don't ask about it. It will pass. I never believed them in the first place. Now that I came to know you more, I'm certain that you didn't do it."

Ritian's complex impression of Wenren reached another level. He raised a brow and shook his head knowingly. He wasn't over the fact that Wenren came to stop him from disturbing the fishes and not to save his sorry ass from the lake.

Ritian has been eager to live a new life. He didn't expect that the original soul of this body already have a bad record. Could it be the reason why he jumped in the lake?

He thought at first that the original soul slipped and fell down the lake but now that he came to stumble on this issue, he couldn't help but incite a guess. Could it be that the original soul wanted to commit suicide?

Base on what Wenren had said, the original soul is gay. 'He could be bisexual too.' Ritian held his chin and pondered. He needed to know the original soul's past and family.

Ritian blanched. How do he face the family of this body? He doesn't even remember their names! Once they found an abnormality, they will shuck him off for an exorcism!

'I'm sure as chicks does that I'm not a ghost!' Ritian lamented, 'I only got here— why do I have these problems?'

'Should I pretend to become mute because of the trauma?' Ritian closed his eyes. He can't do that. It is awful.

"You beast! Ritian, you're a whore!" A woman whose face is red from furry charged in his way. Ritian's jaw slacked. 'What in the chicken feet did I do now? I don't even know you!' She cried, "You did everything to have Cheel, right? You sold yourself to the devil, Ritian! I can't believe you are this low! You'd spread your legs for anyone! I was so stupid to not notice this before but you, Ritian, even if you're a man, you don't act like one! You're still a slut like your cheap mother!"

Wenren hid Ritian on his back. The woman threw random punches on his chest before shrieking, "Wenren, you want to protect that bitch? That useless whore! Does he satisfy you like he did with his old men?"

Ritian gasped. He lifted a finger and pointed angrily to the woman. "This gay doesn't eat old grass, auntie! You're slandering me! I haven't even had sex before!"

A laugh echoed among the audience. Ritian's ears reddened in shame. He tried to stabilize his breath but to no avail, he can only see red.

Wenren reached his hand to lower it. His sympathetic eyes pleaded him 'no' before taking the woman's shoulder. "Cheel doesn't have an affair with Ritian. I can assure you that."

"Wenren!" A maiden stepped forward, and with a vicious eyes she scolded him, "You're trying to clean his name in exchange for a quick roll in the sheets? It was as though you never heard how poor his family became! After his family left him to die here, where do you think he got his supplies? Obviously from sleeping with different men! A whore is a whore! Hey, Ritian! Let me give you a penny! But you have to be a beggar first!"

Ritian clutched his chest. He almost spat blood in anger. He had never received such words before. Ritian refused to stomach this!

Ritian let the cape fall from his shoulders. He was about to throw himself at the woman and be done with it when Wenren caught him in midair. "Wenren, let me go! Let me tear this woman a fourth mouth since she loves to talk so much! You talk as if you know my ancestors, huh? Come fight me, you witch!"

The commotion caused people to crowd over. The maiden didn't expect his reaction. His fiery eyes caused a few person to stop and wonder for a moment.

It was clear for Ritian that the old soul's temperament has always been quiet and mild. Now that he countered a ruckus with force, people were stunned.

The Ritian that they knew has reached his boiling point.

"You want to harm me? Eat your precious Cheel's prick because this gentleman doesn't need it!" Ritian struggled against Wenren's tight grip. "Shove it in your mouth! Shove it in your ears too! You, young maiden, you're too young to have that brazen mouth. Where did you learn that, huh? Did your uncouth mother taught you dad? Calling my mom a whore, then are you a saint? No! You, you and your family were all cockroaches! Chicken feet, Wenren, that hurts! Let me go!"

Wenren sighed and opted for covering his mouth. Ritian's body warmed because of the anger he felt. "I've just transfered here and you make me eat shit this early? I'm not loving this place either! You go gaga because of a prick? Kneel before me because I, Ritian, never had a taste of it! May God struck me with lightning if I'm dishonest!"

"Shut up! We saw you following Cheel up the mountain! You wanted to have him? Dream on, Ritian! Your smelly ass can never have him!"

"Show me the bastard, then! Show me that man and I'll fight him one versus one! Come on!" Ritian was thrown over Wenren's shoulder. His world turned for a moment before recovering. All of his blood rushed down in his head. He swayed. "Mother of hens, Wenren! Put me down! I won't back down from this! Let me ace this punch! Just once!"

"You can't even throw one properly." Wenren snorted. He faced the women in front of them. "He wasn't following Cheel that day, miss. Ritian wasn't after him. As to who is he interested with, I'll leave it up to you to find out."

"Wenre—" Ritian's mouth promptly shut. Intense nausea clamped his stomach. "Wen…" His mind decided to pull a blank page. A few seconds later,  Ritian fainted.

Wenren paused and decided to send Ritian first. He chose to walk the downhill slope and whistled cheerfully.