Darkness.
Endless, suffocating darkness.
I couldn't see anything.
I couldn't feel anything.
…Was this death?
"Aqua… Ruby… Kai…?"
No response.
I tried to speak again—
Nothing came out.
"…Am I alone?"
Then suddenly—
I felt it.
Falling.
"Wait—what—?!"
The darkness shifted.
I was falling into something… something deep and endless.
Faster.
Faster—
Then—
Light.
Blinding light.
"Ah—!"
My body jerked violently.
Everything became… real.
Bumpy.
Why is it so bumpy?
"…What the hell…"
"Ai?"
A voice echoed in my mind.
Relief hit instantly.
"Ruby?!"
"I'm here!"
"Finally," another calm voice said. "You're awake."
"Aqua…"
"Hey, hey—don't forget me!" Kai jumped in. "I'm here too!"
I exhaled slowly.
"…Good. We're all here."
"Yeah, but…" Ruby's voice lowered, "…something feels weird."
"No kidding," Kai said. "I feel like I got run over by a truck."
"…We did," Aqua replied flatly.
"…Right."
I opened my eyes slowly.
At first, everything was blurry.
Shapes.
Colors.
Movement.
Then—
A figure came into view.
A girl.
Long hair.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
And—
"…We're on a horse?" I muttered.
"No way," Kai said. "We actually got isekai'd?"
"Focus," Aqua said. "Check surroundings first."
"Yeah, yeah…"
But before I could think further—
Pain struck my head.
"—Ah!"
Memories.
Not mine.
They flooded in like a broken dam.
"…Lin Xuan…"
"Who?" Ruby asked.
"…That's… this body's name."
More memories surfaced.
"Handsome… Pure Yang Body…"
Kai whistled.
"Yo, we got a good start."
"…But that's it," I said quietly.
"Huh?"
"He's just a normal guy. A country bumpkin. No cultivation. No background."
"Bruh…" Kai groaned.
Ruby suddenly asked,
"Then why are we here?"
I swallowed.
"…Because of her."
"Her?" Aqua asked.
I focused on the girl in front of me.
"…Lou Yan."
"A cultivator. From something called the Crimson Desire Sect."
Kai immediately reacted,
"Wait—sect? As in cultivation sect?"
"…Yeah."
Ruby frowned.
"And this Lin Xuan just… ended up with her?"
I hesitated.
"…He fell for her."
"…Of course he did," Aqua said.
"She's beautiful. Way out of his league. He thought he found the love of his life."
Kai snorted.
"Let me guess—he agreed to everything?"
"…He agreed to marry her."
Silence.
"…No way," Kai said.
"And followed her back to her sect," I finished.
"…Okay yeah," Kai said, "we're dead."
"Not yet," Aqua corrected calmly. "But likely soon."
Ruby snapped,
"Can you not say that so casually?!"
Aqua replied,
"I'm being realistic."
Kai added,
"Yeah, this screams trap."
Ruby huffed.
"…Still. We got transmigrated. Shouldn't we at least be a little excited?"
Aqua answered immediately,
"Why question a blessing?"
"…You're so annoying," Ruby muttered.
"Focus," Aqua continued. "What does the original know about cultivation?"
I sighed.
"…Almost nothing."
"…Seriously?" Kai said.
"He just knows cultivators are stronger than mortals."
"…That's it?" Ruby asked.
"…That's it."
Kai groaned.
"Bro, that's worse than nothing."
Aqua was silent for a moment.
Then—
"I'm about 95% sure we're being used."
"…Used?" Ruby asked.
"ass a honey pot."
Silence.
"…Explain," Kai said.
"Beautiful cultivator. Marries a mortal. Brings him to her sect."
"…Yeah," Kai said slowly. "That sounds bad."
"Very bad," Aqua confirmed.
I frowned.
"…Wait."
"What?" Ruby asked.
"…I can feel something."
"What do you mean?" Kai said.
"My fingers… I can move them."
"…Hold up," Kai said. "Only you should control the body, right?"
Aqua spoke calmly,
"Try relaxing. Let go of control."
"…What?"
"Think of it like sleeping. Let someone else take over."
"…Alright…"
I relaxed.
Let go.
And then—
"WOAH!"
Ruby's voice exploded with excitement.
"I CAN MOVE!"
"…Wait, seriously?" Kai said.
"This is insane!" Ruby laughed. "So this is first-person perspective?!"
"…Interesting," Aqua murmured.
Just then—
A soft voice came from outside.
"You're awake, honey?"
Lou Yan.
Ruby froze for a split second.
"…Mn."
The response came out naturally.
Too naturally.
I felt my heart skip.
"…Did you hear that?" I whispered.
"Yeah," Kai said. "That sounded smooth."
Aqua added,
"Her tone matches Lin Xuan's personality."
Ruby blinked.
"…Wait. Really?"
"Yes," Aqua said. "Your behavior synced with the body."
"…Oh," Ruby said. "That's kinda cool."
Lou Yan smiled faintly.
"We're about some time away from the sect. Let's stop at a tea house and eat something."
"…Mn," Ruby replied again.
She didn't even hesitate.
Inside, I was stunned.
"…This might actually work."
"What?" Kai asked.
"If Ruby acts… we won't get exposed."
Aqua agreed,
"She's the best choice for now."
Ruby puffed her chest.
"Of course I am."
"…Don't mess it up," Kai said.
"Hey!"
Then Kai suddenly asked,
"Oh right—how did the original die?"
Silence fell again.
"…I don't know," I said slowly.
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.
"We're on a horse. He was leaning on Lou Yan… asleep…"
"…That's normal," Kai said.
"Too normal," Aqua added.
Kai thought for a moment.
"Heart attack? Cardiac arrest?"
"…Po
ssible," Aqua said. "He was just a mortal."
"…Still," I muttered.
Something felt off.
Too sudden.
Too clean.
Too convenient.
"…Yeah," Kai said quietly.
"This is definitely not a normal situation."
Ruby said.
"…You think… she knows?"
Aqua didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…We should assume she does."
Silence.
The horse continued forward.
The road stretched ahead.