What Just Happened?

"Clang... clang... clang..."

A deep bell tolled. Fang Zheng opened his eyes and looked up at the sky before him.

"This is..."

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Fang Zheng quickly discovered in surprise that his voice had become hoarse and gloomy. Not only that, he even felt that his body was somehow strange. It was not the body he knew, but more like an unfamiliar shell.

What was going on?

Fang Zheng shook his head and slowly rose to his feet. Only then did he realize that he was in a cemetery. He wore heavy armor, with a longsword and shield at his side. Judging only by appearances, "Fang Zheng" was probably a Knight who had been placed in a coffin and buried.

I see. Only my consciousness entered this world? No wonder I can leave whenever I want...

After moving his body around, Fang Zheng finally understood the concept of the Free World. It seemed that he was not using his own body here, but a body that already existed in this world. He was more like a soul possessing someone, and in Fang Zheng's eyes, this counted as another "rebirth." However, unlike rebirth in the Main World, this world's rebirth did not seem to give him any benefits. The original owner of this body had left behind no memories, nor were there any items nearby that could prove his identity. The only useful things were the shield and longsword at his side.

Was this another Game World? Don't tell me it was Diablo again?

Looking at the overcast sky above, just like the one in the Dark World, Fang Zheng could not help frowning. Fortunately, although this body had provided no memories about its former owner, it had still given Fang Zheng some combat skills. Yet Fang Zheng gloomily discovered... they really were nothing but combat skills!

Forget about flashy Sword Skills like those in the Main World; it did not even have skills from the Dark World. The memories within this body contained only simple techniques for fighting with weapons: thrusting, slashing, rolling, blocking... all things Fang Zheng had learned from Stone before. If there was any difference, it was an additional technique called "parry." It was a technique that knocked aside an enemy's attack at the instant it struck, then seized the opening to kill them in one blow.

There were no flashy skills, no unique moves—only the most ordinary techniques.

This was not the Dark World. Where exactly was this place?

Fang Zheng curiously looked around, then stepped out of the coffin and followed the path ahead.

"Uuugh..."

At that moment, a gaunt, skin-and-bones figure slowly crawled up from the ground and blocked Fang Zheng's path.

An enemy? A zombie? Or an Undead?

Fang Zheng's expression grew solemn as he looked at the monster before him. He gripped his longsword tightly in his right hand and, before the creature could stand up, rushed over and slashed down with a swift strike.

What surprised Fang Zheng, however, was that the monsters in this world did not seem as tough as those in the Dark World. One slash sent it straight to the ground. Whatever this thing was, it was at least as weak as it looked.

It did not seem dangerous. What combat skills could a world like this possibly train?

Whoosh!!

Just as Fang Zheng was puzzled, the sound of wind suddenly reached his ears. Instinctively and without hesitation, he rolled forward. A burning arrow grazed past him, and when Fang Zheng looked up, he saw another skin-and-bones creature in the distance loading a hand crossbow.

Holy crap! These things could use weapons?

Seeing this, Fang Zheng was slightly startled. He had thought the monsters here were like zombies, capable only of instinctive attacks. Yet they could actually use weapons?

That would not do.

With that thought, Fang Zheng hurried forward. The longsword in his hand swung down once more, sending the creature back to its maker.

What a strange place...

Looking at the corpse on the ground, Fang Zheng frowned. Not only was the sky dark and gloomy, but even the cold wind blowing over him was icy. As far as the eye could see, everything was shrouded in darkness. The whole world felt like ashes after a fire had burned out, leaving a terrible impression.

In any case, he should first investigate this world.

After that, Fang Zheng followed the mountain path out of the cemetery, cutting down several more "Undead" along the way before arriving at a bonfire. Looking at it, Fang Zheng felt as if he remembered something. He reached his hand toward the fire, and soon felt a mysterious force quietly leave his body. Then, with a whoosh, the bonfire ignited.

"..."

Looking at the orange-red flames, Fang Zheng breathed a sigh of relief. The monsters in this world did not seem particularly powerful, but the ruins around him and the endless dark clouds in the distance gave him a bad feeling. This world did not seem as simple as it looked.

Keep moving.

After sitting blankly by the bonfire for several minutes, Fang Zheng decided to continue exploring this world. So far, he had not encountered a single living person besides himself, and that made him feel uneasy. Could this be some kind of wasteland world? Was everyone dead except him? It could not be as screwed-up as I Am Legend, could it?

Besides, Fang Zheng did not think those slow-moving creatures posed any threat to him. The Undead in the Dark World were slow as well, but their strength and defense were terrifying. The monsters here, however, had no real defense, and they were slow as hell. Several times, Fang Zheng had rushed right up to them, only to find that they had not even managed to get up yet. They moved no differently from ordinary people.

Could a world like this really train his combat skills?

After circling along the mountain road and taking down a monster guarding a gate, Fang Zheng arrived at a plaza. It was completely empty, save for a massive Knight in armor, two or three meters tall, crouching in the center. A battle axe lay beside him, and Fang Zheng could see a black Spiral Sword piercing straight through the Knight's chest. No matter how he looked at it, the Knight was already dead.

However, Fang Zheng did not approach him. Based on his experience, something like this appearing in such a bizarre place had to be trouble. Either it was a trap, or it was a BOSS. In any case, caution was the right choice. So he went around the Knight and continued exploring inward. His efforts paid off, and behind the Knight, Fang Zheng found a building. To his frustration, however, something seemed to have sealed the entrance. No matter how hard he pushed, the wooden door would not open.

Did he really have to take down that Knight?

With no other choice, Fang Zheng returned to the Knight and cautiously approached him. But to Fang Zheng's surprise, the Knight did not suddenly leap up as expected, nor did any monsters jump out to surround him. He simply crouched there quietly, saying nothing, dutifully playing the part of a dead man.

Did he need to pull the sword from the Knight's chest?

After hesitating for a moment, Fang Zheng decided to pull it out. His instincts told him that doing so would likely trigger a "BOSS battle," but after fighting those previous monsters, Fang Zheng felt they posed no threat at all and could not help him train his Sword Skills. At least this was a BOSS. It should not disappoint him, right?

With that thought, Fang Zheng reached out without hesitation, gripped the Spiral Sword embedded in the Knight's chest, and pulled it free.

"Gurgle..."

The instant Fang Zheng pulled out the Spiral Sword, he saw dark gelatinous matter churning from the wound in the Knight's chest as though it were alive, before flowing back into the Knight's body. The sudden sight startled Fang Zheng, but then the Knight stood up, grabbed the battle axe at his side, and swung it hard at him!

Holy crap! We're fighting already? I'm your lifesaver, damn it!

Facing the sudden attack, Fang Zheng was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly rolled across the ground, dodging the Knight's battle axe. Yet before he could get back to his feet, the enormous figure charged at him and rammed him head-on, sending Fang Zheng flying. Then the Knight raised his battle axe again and savagely chopped down at him.

This is bad!!

Seeing the battle axe gleaming with cold light, Fang Zheng was horrified. He hurriedly raised his shield and, at the very last moment, barely blocked the incoming strike.

Clang!!

A tremendous force slammed into him, making Fang Zheng's legs buckle as he nearly dropped to his knees. But the Knight clearly had no intention of stopping. After his first blow was blocked, he immediately swung the axe down again. This time, Fang Zheng could no longer hold on and was struck directly to the ground. Then he saw the Knight leap high into the air before crashing down from above, body and axe together.

Squelch!!

The next moment, Fang Zheng felt the blade mercilessly cleave into his body. His vision abruptly went black, and darkness swallowed everything around him.

Then Fang Zheng felt as if he were a drifting balloon, pulled upward before slowly descending. When he opened his eyes again, all he saw was the burning bonfire and the battered longsword planted within it.

"..."

Fang Zheng stared blankly at the bonfire, completely dumbfounded. His mind was a mess, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

What just happened?

Where was he?

How the hell had he died?!