2 Chapter 1

'...Agent?... What agent?'

Still smiling at Zuyuan, the man twirled the handle of his umbrella and said, "Well, well, let's say… I'm the [agent] of death."

'You… can you hear me?'

"Oh yes, I definitely can." Tilting his head to the side a little, he continued, "In fact, not only can I hear you, but you're the reason I'm here." 

The moment the man spoke those words, somehow, the little spark of hope Zuyuan had been clutching onto loosened, 'I see… so he has come here to guide me to the forgetful river…'

Smiling, the man said, "Now now, who said I would take you to the forgetful river for the reincarnation? What makes you so sure that it's the reincarnation that awaits you and not hell?"

Stunned by what he said, Zuyuan could only respond by silence, 'No matter where it is, it doesn't matter to me… I have already died, and it won't change the fact that I won't be alive again..'

"I won't be so sure if I were you." Suddenly, the man spoke, while his smile widened ever so slightly, "You see, the [Agents] have been tasked to search for [Missionary], people willing to go to new heights, the likes of which have never been seen before.

'What… do... you mean?' 

"Oho, running out of time, aren't we?" The man lowered his umbrella, to let Zuyuan see his face clearly while letting himself get wet due to the seemingly never-ending downpour. As the shade of the umbrella shifted, Zuyuan caught a glimpse of an old man's face, full of wrinkles with eyes full of youth, not matching the rest of his appearance, "Now, let's make this conversation quick before your conscious returns to oblivion. Do you want to live?" 

'Is there… anyone… who… doesn't?'

Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "I have seen a lot of suicidal ones, others who have accepted their death and do not want to be bothered with the world anymore. And you, do you want to live or would you just disappear, leaving behind everything?" 

'I… I do not know... maybe… it is better for me to-'

"Well, well." Out of nowhere, the old man's eyes began to glow the colour of blood, as he stared down at him, his voice changing into one full of temptation and warmth, "Don't you think it will be a pity? You will lose everything, every memory of your master, and everything you ever held dear." 

'But… I… actually... never liked-'

"I know, I know, but think for a moment. 'Do not give up' isn't that what your master had always taught you?" 

'Master...'

"Yes... yes! Your master!" the old man's voice suddenly rising in excitement as he said, "He will be disappointed if you were to give it all up. Didn't you do all this, went against everything, against the world itself, just so you can uphold his teachings? Can you really bear the thought of disappointing him, at the very last step?" 

'...do you...think...he will be...proud?'

With a smile full of confidence, he said, "of course." 

'..I...do...not want..to die.. I...want to live…' 

Nodding in understanding, the old man let go of his umbrella, and snapped his fingers, "And so it shall be." 

A strong sucking force suddenly came out of thin air, drawing Zuyuan in before he could react, and the last thing Zuyuan ever heard was the old man's voice that said, "Hope you finish the trial with a good grade… and survive."

And then… Darkness… 

Zuyuan couldn't see anything.. Hear anything.. Feel anything... He was just... Floating in a very dark place, with only empty blackness surrounding him. 

"You…!" 

A woman's voice could be heard, as a scene from the past formed in front of Zuyuan. A young man and a middle-aged woman were standing facing each other in a room. The middle-aged woman threw her wine glass at the young man's head, making his head bleed from the impact as she howled at him, with an expression full of rage, "You useless piece of sh*t! I shouldn't have birthed you! You should be put down like the animal you are!" 

Another scene surfaced, this time the same young man was standing with a blonde girl. Both of them staring at the moonlight, with the girl hugging him from behind. The young man could feel the softness of her chest pressed into his back and the heat radiating from her body warming his very soul. The girl's hug tightened around his waist as she asked, "What would you do... If you lost everything?" 

In a single beat, the man said in a voice full of conviction, "Then I will die." 

The girl raised her head, her lips now inches away from his left ear. She whispered to him as her breath brushed his ear, "Then… what would happen if you lost me?" 

"I would die as well." The young man said, this time with a grim look on his face.

With her face hidden behind him, the girl smiled. Her lips moved as she kissed the tip of his ear and she said, "Then... I will never leave you." 

'Lies…..'

And then the kiss turned into a gentle bite, as she continued, enjoying how the young man was conscious of her every move, as he blushed to a deeper shade of red, "I will always guard your back." 

'LIES!!' 

The girl started to nibble her way down his neck, as the young man's breath started to become heavier, "I will never let you go~" 

'LIAARRR!!!'

Screaming loudly, Zuyuan found himself raising his body and opening his eyes, with both of his fists clenched tightly. Realizing that he was no longer imprisoned in his own body and could move freely, he looked around and saw he was sitting on a cold metal bed, in a room foreign to him, even the design was a very different style from what he had ever seen. Looking forward, he saw some text inside a transparent, bluish square floating right in front of him. 

[Welcome to the trial, Missionary.]

[You have been selected by one of our [agents] to become our ambassador, the bringer of death and destruction.] 

[We will assess you to see how you will fare in the missions, challenges, and against any hostile beings that hate us.] 

[And the most important thing.] 

[You must survive.]