Rebirth after Death

"Why am I feeling so exhausted?" Yuan whispered, his voice barely audible in the quiet room. Despite doing nothing, he suddenly felt an overwhelming fatigue wash over him. 

At just 18 years old, Yuan's slender figure betrayed the fragility of his health. His emaciated frame, however, held a countenance that was remarkably captivating and heartwarming.

In the midst of a pandemic, Yuan received the devastating diagnosis of leukemia in its terminal phase. He was already in the blast phase, leaving him with a mere four years to live if immediate treatment was not administered. 

Initially, he was plunged into the depths of despair, struggling to accept the stark reality of his fleeting existence.

But eventually, Yuan came to terms with the idea that his time was limited. He resolved to seize the day, even though he was a destitute orphan who worked tirelessly to make ends meet, earning a modest sum of $45,000—a fortune in his eyes. 

Despite his valiant efforts to make the most of his remaining years, his health continued to deteriorate, confining him to his apartment for days on end.

Nevertheless, Yuan remained resolute, determined to make every moment count and savor every precious memory that life had to offer. He sighed deeply, his weary eyes reflecting the weight of his circumstances. 

"I need to get some sleep," he said to himself, mustering the last reserves of his strength. He walked up to the bed and sat down, muttering as he thought about her. A tear escaped Yuan's eye as he murmured, "It seems like I won't be able to honor my word, Lulu... I hope you will forgive." 

Lulu, a girl from the same orphanage as Yuan, had been his companion as they grew up together. When they were 10 years old, a wealthy man visited the orphanage and adopted Lulu, separating them. They cherished the time spent together, and Yuan often wondered if Lulu still remembered him.

In reality, he hadn't tried to find her. The past eight years had been a relentless struggle as he juggled a part-time job and school to make ends meet. He had promised himself that he would search for her in the future, but he was unable to keep that promise. The diagnosis of his advanced leukemia had shattered any hope of fulfilling that desire.

A few days ago, an old album, hidden away for years, revealed a treasure trove of memories from their childhood in the orphanage. 

Yuan's fingers trembled as he opened it, and there, among the faded photographs, he found a snapshot of him and Lulu. They stood side by side, their smiles radiating pure joy.

As Yuan gazed at the photo, a sharp pain pierced his heart, and tears cascaded down his cheeks, drenching the pillow in sorrow. 

"I-I wish I could see her one last time before I pass away," he whispered, his sentence left unfinished. The weight of his illness overwhelmed him, and as he reached for the album, his strength waned.

Darkness enveloped Yuan as his final breath faded into the abyss. The unfinished yearning for his lost love, Lulu, hung in the air, forever unanswered.

—

Yuan's body felt weightless, as if he were a feather dancing in the wind. When he opened his eyes, darkness enveloped him, and he found himself suspended in mid-air. 

The surreal experience left him stunned, as he had never encountered anything like it before. It felt like he had been transported to another world, defying all logic and reason.

An unknown fear began to rise in his chest, but he made every effort to maintain his composure and avoid losing himself to panic. As he pondered the unknown, a chilling thought entered his mind. 

He had read that in death, souls were sent to the afterlife, forced to start anew with erased memories. Was this his fate? Would he lose all he had ever known and become someone entirely new?

Lost in the darkness, he questioned his mortality and exclaimed, "Am I dead?"

But unlike the tales he had read, there was no bright light or heavenly choir. Instead, an eerie unknown loomed, so thick he couldn't see his own hands. 

"Yes, indeed! You're dead now, and I find it pitiful and shameful. Such a tragic end for one so full of life!" 

Suddenly, an unknown voice pierced through the darkness, carrying an awe-inspiring presence. The voice had a divine aura that sent a chill down his spine and left him spellbound.

In the midst of darkness, Yuan's ears were captivated by the godly voice, feeling strangely familiar as if he had heard it every day of his life. He tried to identify where the voice came from, but it seemed to echo from all directions, intensifying his fear.

"Who are you? Why don't you introduce yourself?" Yuan demanded, his heart pounding. He quivered in fear, aware that one false move could mean his demise.

As the darkness enveloped him, a strange presence lurked nearby. And then, as if by magic, a pair of magnificent golden eyes appeared before him, piercing through the darkness with their intense glow. 

He couldn't look away from the mesmerizing sight, for it felt as if those eyes could see right through his very being, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Indeed, nothing could hide from the watchful gaze of those giant, otherworldly eyes.

"Tsk. How heartbreaking it is to meet one's end in the grasp of a mortal illness, an utter tragedy indeed! Alas, it is such a pity that despite possessing the power to shape one's own destiny, you were unable to do so, and instead surrendered to your fate like a hapless chicken awaiting slaughter!" the unknown voice exclaimed.

Yuan's eyes widened as he listened, his mind filled with a mix of awe and fear. The voice continued, revealing a hint of disappointment. "Sigh! What a disappointment! It can't be helped now! It's a pity that you died so embarrassingly, but we can't let it be the end for you now. I will give you a little helping hand out of my pity for you."

As the divine voice spoke, a radiant golden light materialized, piercing through the abyss and permeating Yuan's being. He felt a surge of ethereal power coursing through him, filling him with a sense of strength and purpose.

"With great anticipation, I look forward to our next encounter, which will undoubtedly transpire in the future. As for the present moment, it grieves me to inform you that my departure draws near. Before we part ways, I implore you to exert every effort to enhance your physical and mental fortitude... Hahahah!" The divine entity's laughter reverberated through the emptiness.

Yuan's voice trembled as he questioned, "What do you mean by destiny?"

His soul seemed to be at the mercy of the blinding light that engulfed him, leaving him with more questions than answers. Despite his fervent search, the elusive truth of destiny remained beyond his grasp.

— 

Yuan stirred from his slumber, his senses immediately heightened as he inhaled the crisp, untainted air that filled his lungs. A stark contrast from the polluted atmosphere of his former home, Earth. 

As he slowly opened his eyes, a sense of familiarity washed over him, despite finding himself in an unfamiliar location. The room enveloped him with a warmth that felt all too familiar, like a comforting embrace from "Mother."

As he turned to the right, his eyes fell upon a sight that left him breathless. A stunningly gorgeous girl, with a radiance that outshone the sun, stood before him. Her youthful grace and delicate features were a marvel to behold; he knew he had never before laid eyes on such unparalleled beauty. 

Her stunning allure surpassed even that of the most acclaimed supermodels and celebrities. Truly, she was a vision of loveliness that left him spellbound.

Thump! Thump! As his eyes fixated on the alluring woman before him, his heart began to race, beating like a wild drum. Despite his nerves, a curious smile crept upon his lips, for her mere presence calmed him like a tranquil sea amidst a stormy night.

As their eyes met, time seemed to stand still, and a million unspoken words passed between them. Yuan found himself lost in her gaze, but suddenly, he snapped out of his trance as he noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks. 

Without a moment's hesitation, she covered her lips with her hand, and the raw emotion in her eyes tore at his heartstrings. As if guided by some unseen force, she launched herself into his arms, seeking solace in his embrace.

"Oh, my dear little brother! Thank the heavens above that you're finally awake! My heart and my mother's were heavy with worry, fearing we had lost you forever. We thought you were gone, vanished into the abyss, but you've come back to us!" 

"Promise me, you'll be more careful from now on. If I hadn't arrived just in time, they would have snuffed out your precious life, and I can't bear the thought of losing you. Please, promise me you'll stay safe!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mixture of relief and fear.

Yuan held her tightly, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions and the weight of her words. He felt a strange connection with her, as if their souls were intertwined, yet he couldn't comprehend the reasons behind it. 

The body he currently possessed seemed to be harboring some deep-seated animosity towards some unknown entity, and her sobs echoed in the room, leaving him to wonder about the secrets hidden within the body he now occupied.

"Brother? What is she saying? What is this scenario I'm in, and more importantly, where am I? Why is she calling me little brother when she is so gorgeous?" Yuan's mind raced with confusion and doubt as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"Aghhh!" Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through his brain, causing him to wince. In that moment, a whirlwind of foreign memories collided with his own, leaving him in a daze. 

Amidst the chaos, he stumbled upon a long-lost truth: he was no longer an orphan. His heart leaped with joy as he realized he had a family of three, including himself, and that his name remained unchanged.

"The 'Yuan' of this world... Anna Grace Blank... Mother?" he whispered, his voice tinged with both disbelief and hope.

Yet, behind his dear mother's tender exterior, Yuan sensed a mysterious side, as if a shadow lingered within her. He could never quite put his finger on it, and unfortunately, fate had other plans. 

Soon after his suspicions arose, his beloved mother fell gravely ill with an enigmatic disease, confining her to her bed for over a decade. Despite her condition, Anna remained fiercely protective of her son, becoming his greatest ally and friend.

However, as her health deteriorated, her ability to communicate waned, leaving Yuan to wonder about the truth of her other self. The secrets hidden within his mother's past haunted him, urging him to uncover the mysteries that shrouded her existence.

As he gazed upon the figure before him, Yuan couldn't help but feel grateful for the new addition to his family. Her name was Lily, a breathtaking older sister whose luscious locks cascaded down her back like a waterfall of dark chocolate. Though they shared only a slight resemblance to their mother in personality, her gentle presence filled him with a sense of warmth and belonging.

"Yuan, it's so good to see you awake," Lily said softly, a smile playing at her lips. "Mother was worried sick about you. She's resting now, but I know she'll be thrilled to know you're finally conscious."

"Thank you, Lily. I can't express how grateful I am for your care. And... for being a part of our family."

Lily's smile widened, and she reached out to gently squeeze his hand. "We're family, Yuan. We'll always be there for each other."

Yuan's father had left this world when he was just a two-month-old bud, and his memories remained veiled in mystery. Yuan had refrained from prying his mother for details, leaving his father's essence unexplored. 

In a world teeming with magic, every child yearned for the day of their awakening. At the age of 15, they would venture to the hallowed halls of the church, their hearts brimming with hope and excitement. 

For with the awakening came the power of mana, a mystical force that flowed through their veins, granting the gift of spellcasting to those deemed worthy.

But for Yuan, fate had other plans. Despite his prodigious talents and enviable skills, his awakening ceremony ended in bitter disappointment. Overnight, the world turned against him, and Yuan's once-charmed life plunged into a dark abyss of misery and scorn.

The city was ruled by a powerful lord, whose son Jim and his two vicious lieutenants, Tony and Paul, had been terrorizing the innocent Yuan for three agonizing years. In a heinous act of violence, the trio snuffed out the life of the original Yuan, leaving behind a trail of devastation and heartbreak.

"Just you three wait, I'll definitely get back at you!" Yuan vowed, a devilish grin spreading across his face as he nursed his burning desire for revenge.

"Please calm your concerns, Sister Lily," Yuan reassured her, cherishing the touch of her hair. "As you can see, I am still alive and well, brimming with energy. There is no reason to be concerned about my health. I appreciate your concern, my dear sister."

Lily's worry-filled eyes locked with Yuan's unwavering gaze as she spoke sternly, "Listen up, you reckless fool! I want you to make me a promise that you will never again act so irresponsibly. Your life is precious, and I won't bear losing you."

Yuan's solemn promise pierced the air, his voice filled with determination, "I promise you, sister Lily, that I'll never gamble with my life by indulging in reckless behavior. I will fight smart and protect myself."

Her cheeks blushed like blooming roses as Yuan's words reached her heart. Feeling his intense gaze upon her, she quickly embraced him in a tender hug, concealing her shyness. The innocent gesture bewitched Yuan, stirring his heart with an enchanting spell.

He chided his eager little brother from under his trouser, 'Calm down, little brother! What are you thinking? She's your sister, damn it!'

Lily's face blushed like a rose as she whispered to Yuan, her voice trembling with unease, "Y-Yuan, something hard seems to be poking at my stomach." Her eyes couldn't meet his gaze, reflecting the embarrassment that enveloped her, leaving her spellbound in the moment.

With a sly grin and a mischievous glint in his eye, Yuan couldn't resist the urge to playfully prod her after catching a glimpse of her blushing visage.

Yuan's mischievous grin was a clear indication of his thoughts as he uttered, "Do you realize, my dear, that every man would respond in kind to a hug from a woman as stunning as you?" His words dripped with admiration and a hint of playful mischief, leaving her heart racing and her cheeks flushed with a mix of surprise and delight.

A wave of shame washed over Lily's ears like an unexpected gust of wind, staining her cheeks with a rosy hue. But instead of wallowing in her embarrassment, she channeled her emotions into a tender yet playful assault on her brother's chest, the rhythmic beats echoing the love that flowed through her heart.

"My, oh my, rising from slumber has surely turned you into quite the impish rascal, hasn't it, little Yuan?" Lily's delicate fingers caressed the velvety ears of her mischievous little brother as she spoke, her eyes glinting playfully. 

"What are you saying, big sister? Can't you see? I'm just stating the obvious!" Yuan retorted, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he mockingly teased her.

Without warning, a glimmering, blue screen materialized right in front of his eyes, accompanied by a sudden and distinctive "ding" sound.

"..."

[Ding! System reboot has been successful!] 

[Ding! System activated!]