Kai groaned as his head throbbed like it had been struck too hard when the truck had hit him.
He fluttered open eyes, but his vision blurred into a watercolor mess. He blinked once, twice, until he saw a canopy of black silk above him.
The air was thick with a scent Kai was familiar with since he had always been particular about scents. A sweet jasmine scent made him close his eyes yet again and inhale deeply.
His eyes fluttered open once more as realization dawned on him. This place wasn't supposed to smell like jasmine.
It was supposed to smell like a sterile hospital.
Was he dead? His eyes widened in shock as he raised his hands and touched the bed beneath him. It was firm, unlike anything he had ever slept on before.
"Am I in heaven?" he muttered, then gasped when his voice came out soft and melodic, unlike his usual deep, cracked voice.
Kai sat up, wincing as dizziness hit him. He groaned, rubbed his forehead gently, and remembered what had happened.
"I got hit by a car. Shouldn't I be a wreck or on life support?" he questioned as his eyes roamed around the room, blinking hard until everything came into focus: wooden walls, a wooden floor, a table piled high with jars.
He looked to his left and frowned at the lattice-screened window. "Does heaven have these kinds of windows?" he yawned, and the scent of jasmine enveloped him again, making his skin tingle. "Alright, this is certainly not heaven, so where am I?"
"Young master Ling Yue," a voice called. His attention snapped toward the entrance of the strange room, where three people, dressed in muted blue and green robes, walked in.
The one in front, a wiry woman with gray-streaked hair and jade-like eyes, carried a tray of combs and a vial.
Her companions — a girl with golden hair tied in a tight bun and a boy with ember-colored eyes — held silk ribbons and a robe embroidered with simple lotuses.
They entered the room with their heads bowed, and when they looked up to meet Kai's gaze, they gasped. "Young master, you are just waking up."
Young master? Kai thought he had misheard them, or maybe he was imagining things, because the last time he checked, he was no young master.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "Where the hell am I? Heaven? And what kind of heaven has jasmine scents everywhere?"
They exchanged uncertain looks before turning back to him. "Young master, this is Cangyun Realm, and this is the home of Master Su — your father."
Kai pointed to himself. "My father's name is Su?"
The servants nodded.
"Su?" He scratched his head, trying to recall where he had heard the names Su and Cangyun Realm before, but he knew surely that his surname, Hamilton, wouldn't change overnight — unless he really was in heaven.
"Young master Ling Yue, we must prepare you for the Celestial Envoys. They will be arriving shortly," the wiry woman announced.
His eyes shot up, confusion deepening. "Ling Yue? My name is Kai. You've got the wrong guy. And what are these envoys for?"
"You don't remember?" the girl asked.
Kai shook his head. If he did, he wouldn't be asking.
"You have been picked for the Heaven's Emperor Concubine Selection. The Celestial Envoys will soon take you to the Xianjiu Realm's Immortal Home."
Xianjiu, Cangyun Realm — he had heard those names before. They were familiar, but Kai was too stunned to figure out where.
What concerned him most was the concubine selection.
"I think you're mistaking me for someone else." His brows shot up as he met the woman's eyes. "I'm not meant for a harem."
He paused, scratching his head. "I mean, I've read so many BLs, but that doesn't mean I want to become a concubine for an emperor!" he scoffed.
The servants stared at him in confusion until the boy spoke up. "BL? What is that?"
Kai sighed and shook his head. "If I explain, you might not get it, because I don't even understand where I am. By the way, who is this emperor?" he asked, but Kai's eyes caught on a polished bronze mirror before the servant could answer.
He stood up and strode over, staring at the reflection of a handsome and unreal man who looked like a danmei fever dream.
His skin was pale as moonlight on a lotus pond, and his eyes were the biggest blue eyes Kai had ever seen, fringed with lashes so long they cast shadows on his high cheekbones.
His hair was long and dark as a raven's wing, cascading down his shoulders in glossy waves.
He had a sharp jawline and full, tinted lips that were too perfect for anyone. Just like the male leads of the BLs he usually reads.
"Holy damn, who is this?" His melodic voice oozed drama and sass as he leaned in, smirking like he'd just won a bet. You're looking gorgeous."
Kai struck a pose, one hand on his hip and the other flipping his hair. "I've always loved men whose beauty is out of this world — and you, my friend, are my type of guy."
He leaned closer to the mirror, his breath fogging the bronze, and winked. "Wanna—" He stopped as he raised his hand, and the beautiful man mirrored the action.
Kai's smile faded. His eyes widened as realization hit him like a thunderbolt.
"No way," his voice cracked as he stumbled back from the mirror. He turned to see the servants staring at him with bewildered expressions.
The wiry woman stepped forward. "Are you alright, young master Ling Yue?"
Ling Yue. The name sounded even more familiar now. Kai moved closer, gripping her arm — not tightly. "You said something about a concubine. What does that mean? Who is this emperor?"
"The Heaven's Alpha, Emperor Xuan Han."
Kai's eyes went wide, his breath catching in his throat. "Emperor Xuan Han?"
Recognition struck him hard. "No way, I'm in the sequel?" He couldn't believe it. He started pacing around, panicked. "Ling Yue? Isn't that the reincarnation of Feng Lan? So I'm him?" he gasped and rushed back to the mirror to stare at himself.
"This is Ling Yue?" He touched his face and looked up, shouting, "Author-nim, you absolute hack! You dragged me into your garbage story!" He grabbed a fistful of his hair and groaned.
"How could I enter this story as an omega? Why didn't you bring me to the original story where I could be a sect leader? A warlord? But no, you made me an omega to that shitty emperor!" he screamed, stomping his foot before glaring at the servants, who all looked confused.
His eyes darted to the door, and he hurried toward it, pushing past the servant girl.
"There is no way I'm staying in this trashy story as an omega!" he said.
The servants cried out as the boy rushed to grab his hand. "Young master, you can't run! We have to get you ready! Madam Su will be mad and—"
Kai yanked his hand free and shoved the boy aside. "Screw that! There's no way I'm staying here. There has to be a way to get back to my world," he muttered under his breath, storming out of the room into a courtyard.
Before he could take another step, something flew toward him and slammed into his head with a sickening crack.
Pain exploded behind his eyes. He groaned, staggered, and collapsed to the ground as his world went black.