hapter 2: The Mysterious Interrealm

  Darkness. Blinding light. A sense of falling.

  Xu Sanbao felt like he had been thrown into an endless tunnel. His limbs were paralyzed, only the howling of wind echoed in his ears. His consciousness shattered like broken gss, drifting in scattered pieces.

  He saw fractured streets and upside-down skyscrapers. Countless eyes peered at him from the dark, then blinked shut all at once. He saw floating cities, golden vines entangled in the sky, and red sand bnketing the earth… Each scene was dreamlike—yet vividly real.

  Just as he was about to lose himself entirely, a gentle light enveloped him. The visions vanished instantly. He nded hard on a solid surface.

  "Where... am I?" he coughed, looking up, only to be met with a halo of shimmering light.

  He was in a cavern seemingly sculpted from pure crystal. Its walls were formed by massive, transparent facets, like giant pieces of amber. Within them swirled warped images—cityscapes, forests, battlefields, ruins—slowly shifting, as if fragments of countless worlds were being recorded.

  Struggling to his feet, he was greeted by a kind voice.

  "You’re awake."

  Particles of light converged before him, forming a vague humanoid figure whose face remained indistinct. It stood at the center of the crystalline cavern, as if it was part of the very space.

  "You're talking to me? Who are you? Where is this?" Sanbao blurted out his questions.

  The being didn’t answer directly.

  "Welcome to the Interrealm, mortal. This is a dimensional existence separate from your previous world—a higher pne. You may think of it as the space between countless dimensions. You have been chosen by me. I am the master of this realm."

  "…You mean I’m no longer in my world? I’m… dead?"

  "In your original world, yes, you did die. But in truth, you did not perish—you were simply removed from that realm and brought here by me."

  Sanbao stood frozen, overwhelmed by shock. Moments ter, the weight of the truth sank in, and grief surged forward.

  "Then what about my Sanhua Bao? If it lost me… how will it live on its own?"

  "As the chosen one, you will soon enter another world and be given a new life to live." The higher-dimensional being sounded like an NPC reciting dialogue in a game, unaffected by Sanbao’s distress. "You will abandon your current body and be reborn in the new world. There, you will grow anew. Before that, you may select three initial abilities to aid your survival."

  "My cat! Can you bring Sanhua Bao with me? Please!” Sanbao pleaded, his panic pin.

  The being paused for a moment before replying, “Focus on selecting your skills and prepare for the world ahead. As for your cat—you will see it again.”

  That sudden statement carried immense weight.

  Sanbao stood silently for a long while, then muttered, “…Fine.”

  A glowing interface emerged in the void, strings of data flowing across it like a skill-selection panel in a game.

  **[Skill Selection Unlocked]** **[Each interdimensional traveler may choose 3 skills. Choose wisely.]** **[Trial access granted—skills may be tested before final confirmation.]**

  "You may begin," the figure said—and vanished.

  Scratching his head, heart filled with emotions, Xu Sanbao tapped on the first skill—**[Fme Control]**.

  A crimson fme burst to life in his palm, its heat intense. He opened his mouth in amazement as the fme twisted into a fire serpent, coiling midair like a movie effect.

  "This is insane!" He couldn’t help but make the fire serpent dance again and again, delighted like a child.

  "It’s amazing… but maybe there’s something even better."

  He tried **[Precognition]** next. A phrase appeared: *You will see them.*

  "Them?" he frowned—and in the next moment, the voice in the vision repeated it exactly.

  "Cool… but that’s way too short. Just a few seconds? Feels pretty limited."

  Then came **[Absolute Charm]**. As he touched the crystal walls, they responded—vibrating faintly, emitting a strange resonance.

  "This is… creepy." He shivered, canceling that choice immediately.

  Time passed. After testing a long list of options, Sanbao finally made his decisions.

  First: **[Rapid Regeneration]** *"As long as I’m not dead, I can recover quickly. Survival comes first."*

  Second: **[Accelerated Learning]** *"If I can learn fast, I’ll rise above in any world."*

  The third was the hardest. Many tempting options remained, but none felt right.

  Until he thought of Sanhua Bao.

  That clingy little cat who meowed at him every night… that small, warm figure who comforted him through many lonely evenings…

  He quietly selected **[Animal Affinity]**.

  *"If that being was right… if I really will meet Sanhua Bao again, then this might help me find it faster."*

  The interface flickered.

  **[Confirmed Skills: Rapid Regeneration, Accelerated Learning, Animal Affinity]** **[World Transfer Protocol Initiated]**

  The crystal cavern began to tremble violently. The world around him blurred.

  "Your journey has only just begun," the being’s voice echoed in his ears. "And this will not be our st meeting."

  The floor colpsed. Light swirled and surged, pulling Xu Sanbao into a radiant portal.

  He didn’t resist. He simply took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

  *"This time, I’ll live brilliantly."*