The Wrong World

Squeezing...

Pain...

After who knew how long, Zhou Xu finally saw the light again.

A baby's piercing cry split the air.

That kind of crying came from a newborn's lungs taking in air for the first time.

Zhou Xu would absolutely never admit that he had cried out because the squeezing during his birth had hurt so badly!

Before Zhou Xu could recover his senses, the midwife skillfully wrapped him in a blanket and handed him toward the young man nearby. A huge face immediately leaned over.

Because a newborn's visual nerves had not yet fully developed, Zhou Xu could only vaguely make out the man's dazed expression once that large face came close enough.

Deep eyes and pale skin. Through his dim, blurry vision, Zhou Xu could barely tell that the man's features were fairly handsome.

Is this my father in this life?

Even magnified this much, there aren't any obvious flaws in his skin. Looks like I won't be too ugly in this life either.

Zhou Xu steadied himself, forced out a smile, and stretched both hands toward the large face before him.

I'll be living under his roof in this life, so I'd better ingratiate myself with him.

Before Zhou Xu's hands could touch him, the face before him suddenly frowned. The man turned to the beautiful woman lying in bed and said with obvious distaste, "Nicole, why is our child so ugly? His whole face is wrinkled up like a little old man."

Hey, hey, hey!

What kind of expression is that?

Are you looking down on me?

I may not understand what you're saying, but that tone just now was definitely full of disgust!

You're finished. I'm telling you, you're finished. You've offended me!

Doctor: Your father just has a cold...

Zhou Xu: No need.

Doctor: No injection needed...

Zhou Xu: Burn him.

Doctor: He should take some medicine...

Zhou Xu: Mm, scatter his ashes.

Nicole's brown hair was damp with sweat and curled against her forehead. Her pale face had lost what little color it had, and she slumped on the bed, looking utterly exhausted. Yet she still forced herself to respond.

"David, bring him over. Let me have a look too."

After taking the baby and glancing at him, Nicole showed surprise.

"Oh my heavens, how could he be this ugly?"

"Right? Right? I knew you'd agree with me. Why don't we just throw him away and have another one?"

Malicious intent!

There was intense malicious intent coming from that man!

Nicole picked up the baby, awkwardly yet gently patting his back as she laughed softly.

"What are you talking about? Our child may be ugly, but don't you think he's ugly in an adorable way?"

David muttered, "Is he? Why don't I feel that way? I think he might even bear ill will toward me."

"Madam Nicole!"

The older Maid waiting nearby hurriedly interrupted them. She did not dare keep listening. Even having such a conversation enter her ears made her feel strangely ashamed.

"Newborns who have been soaked in amniotic fluid for too long will have somewhat wrinkled skin. As long as he is cared for properly for a few days, it will smooth out."

"Mr. David, the same goes for you. Please don't keep calling him 'he.' This is your son. Please give him a name, and don't hold any prejudice against him!"

"Fine, fine, Fana, don't get worked up. I was just joking with Nicole. You're as boring as ever. Don't worry, I'd already prepared a name. From now on, he'll be called Arro. Arro Garner."

Zhou Xu... or rather, Arro now, did not know what happened afterward. Once his mother held him against her chest, he heard that familiar heartbeat and fell into a sweet sleep.

At any time, childbirth was a dangerous matter that took a heavy toll on a woman's body. And that was not only true for the mother, but for Arro, the newborn, as well.

When he had been born, Arro felt as if his entire body had been kneaded into a ball. Even his brain had been flattened. Along with it, his intangible consciousness seemed to have been squeezed into countless fragments. Right now, he needed plenty of sleep to recover.

For that reason, Arro did nothing but eat and sleep every day, behaving little differently from an ordinary baby.

Those days continued for nearly six months, until his vision gradually developed enough for him to roughly see his surroundings...

Wait, why are the hair colors of everyone around me so strange?

And isn't the house I'm living in a Castle?

Arro looked at the first Main Mission that appeared in his vision and could not help sinking into thought.

Initial Main Mission—Become a Martial Arts Rising Star

Can someone tell me whether this place even has martial arts?

Looking up at the Maids and guards walking around him, with their deep-set eyes, pale skin, and hair in every imaginable color, they all had foreign-looking faces!

System, don't tell me you reincarnated me thousands of miles away and expect me to walk all that way to find the martial world once I grow up?

There's something wrong with you!

I was just born, and you've already assigned me a Journey to the East?

Arro felt rather dejected, as though his future were utterly bleak.

What made him even more despairing was the boredom.

Every day, all he did was eat and sleep. Forget walking—even turning over was difficult. This life was more painful than prison!

Especially his father, who would bring over interesting toys, play with them by himself, then bring them to tease Arro after breaking them.

Can you act like a human being?

No wonder newborns love to cry. Even I want to cry!

After letting go of his reservations and raising a ruckus for several days, Arro finally reached some sort of understanding with his father.

Every day during the daytime, David had to carry him to the window to look at the scenery. Otherwise, Arro would cry and fuss at night! In any case, when he had nothing to do, there was nothing for him besides sleeping and crying.

This was not something that could be entrusted to the Maids.

After all, no one could guarantee that a Maid would not suddenly "slip" and let him fall out the window.

The Maids did not dare take that risk either.

Faced with Little Arro's terrifying cries day and night, David ultimately had no choice but to surrender.

"This is truly idiotic. I actually have to stand by the window every day holding him like a scarecrow."

"I honestly can't think of anything more idiotic than this."

Whenever his father carried him to the window, Arro immediately turned his attention outside. He had noticed long ago that there was a Small Town surrounding this Small Castle. He had already grown tired of the dense forest in the distance. Only that small town, where fresh things constantly happened, could continue to hold his attention.

From the looks of it, my family in this life seems to be the lord of this Small Town.

Then should I vigorously develop this Small Town in the future?

If I take the martial arts route, I can use my cheat to teach them martial arts and turn this place into a holy land of martial arts. When I need to complete the Main Mission in the future, I'll have plenty of helpers.

If I take the technological route, I'll have to spread the technological knowledge from my previous life and strengthen the Small Town according to the direction technology developed in my previous life. But developing in that direction doesn't seem very helpful for completing the Main Mission.

Which direction should I take?

Perhaps I should think about it differently. Which path would help me the most while posing the least possible danger to me?

Mm... from that perspective, I should still keep something in reserve.

I'll develop martial arts openly, gather some utterly loyal followers, and secretly have them research technological products for me.

While Arro was making plans for his future, time quietly passed.

One day, two days...

After several consecutive days, Arro suddenly discovered that on the days he was brought outside for air, quite a few people in the town were actually watching the window. Their expressions were tense and reverent as they hid in various corners, pretending to be cautious while secretly peeking over.

But they did not know that all their expressions and movements were plainly visible to Arro.

So this is what it feels like to be a teacher?

You think you're being extremely careful and that no one will notice, but what you think is just what you think.

Arro did not mind it. At the very least, watching those people's ridiculous behavior was much more interesting than staring at the ceiling.

His father, David, found those looks much harder to accept.

"Nicole, can I carry Little Arro back inside? I've had enough of those stupid looks from the townspeople!"

In the spacious Castle, Nicole's voice came from somewhere unknown.

"Sorry, David, I can't help you right now. You may have to discuss it with Little Arro."

"Discuss it with him? I'd rather discuss it with a dog. At least I know a dog couldn't possibly understand me," Father David complained.

"Please endure it a little longer. Once I finish digesting the Dispelling Potion, I'll come help you as soon as possible."

Mother Nicole's voice gradually faded away, while Father David's gaze began to wander, as though he had thought of some solution.

After looking around, David's lips curled slightly. His body suddenly faded and gradually became transparent.

Leaving Little Arro floating alone in midair.

After watching for a long time, Little Arro began to feel tired and was about to turn his head when he suddenly froze.

What's going on?

Where's my dad?

How did such a big person just Disappear?

Why am I floating by the window right now?

Am I going to fall to my death?

"Waaah!"

"Arro!"

The moment Little Arro cried out, the anxious voice of the head Maid immediately came from below.

Whoosh!

As soon as Little Arro looked down, he saw a flash of white light from the jewelry worn by the head Maid, Fana. Air Current gathered behind her, quickly forming a pair of Air Wings.

"Don't panic! Ms. Fana, don't panic! I'm still here!"

Father David's figure appeared once more, without having moved at all. Arro had been floating because the invisible David was holding him in his arms.

But...

My father's invisibility, and those wings of air behind that old Maid... that doesn't seem much like martial arts?

Could this be a High Martial World?

Arro Pondered in confusion.