The Beginning of the Story

Wang Jingyuan

Male

Twenty-four years old

A native of Chengdu

Straight! Straight! Straight! Straight! A Chengdu native!!!

An utterly ordinary family, an utterly ordinary childhood, an utterly ordinary education.

After graduating from college, he found work at a local trading company. One day after getting off work, before he even had time to order takeout, he turned on his computer, ready to play the game he had just bought.

He had heard that this newly released game had collaborated with quite a few major IPs and was all about hardcore realism. Wang Jingyuan had been looking forward to it for ages.

When he launched the game, the screen began loading. As Wang Jingyuan rubbed his hands together in anticipation, his vision suddenly went black and his body sank, as though he had fallen into a pitch-black hole where he could not see his own hand.

Then something struck the back of his head, and he lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he found that he had arrived in another world—or, more precisely, the world of the game.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the floor of a mansion's living room, surrounded by strangers. Umm, beautiful female strangers.

And a dandily dressed pretty boy.

Names floated above all their heads, something Wang Jingyuan later confirmed.

There were even health bars after their names, something Wang Jingyuan also later confirmed.

"Hmph! Sisters, I told you he was faking it, didn't I?"

"Don't think we'll pity you just because you're pretending to faint!"

Listening to those thoroughly affected words, Wang Jingyuan got to his feet and pieced together some information from their scattered remarks.

These chattering beautiful women were all his sisters—his biological sisters. He was the biological son who had just been brought home. Why had he only just been brought back?

Naturally, because he had been kidnapped and sold away as a child.

To ease their longing for him during all those years of searching, this family had adopted a son.

Although he had been found and brought back a few days ago, because he had been absent for so many years, his family was actually closer to that adopted son than to him, their biological...

Wang Jingyuan shook his head. Well, wasn't this exactly the plot of those brainless short dramas?

It was full of webnovel clichés from over a decade ago—no plot, no logic, just extreme emotional manipulation.

What came next was simple. Since he had confirmed that this was the world of a game, Wang Jingyuan quickly adopted the mindset of a veteran player.

What was the core principle for players in a game?

One word.

Fun!

Games existed to please players in the first place, so naturally, you played however you enjoyed yourself most.

Although the plots of those short dramas were incredibly idiotic, every time Wang Jingyuan came across one, his blood pressure still shot through the roof.

He had no idea how the transmigration had happened, but since he had come to a game world with this kind of plot, that was simply perfect! Wait, something was off!

Wang Jingyuan felt himself over and discovered that this body was exactly the same as his own eighteen-year-old body.

Without even a moment to rejoice over becoming six years younger, Wang Jingyuan immediately rushed to the nearest mirror. When he saw the reflection inside, a wave of disappointment welled up within him.

His eighteen-year-old body was slender and tall, with fair, lean muscles and a handsome, refined face.

Though it had been his old self, twenty-four-year-old Wang Jingyuan felt absolutely no connection to that appearance.

His sturdy, thick, practical yet aesthetically pleasing muscles wrapped in fat were gone!

His broad waist, capable of absorbing impact and stabilizing his center of gravity, was gone!

His intimidating cauliflower ears, which could deter others at a glance, were gone!

Stroking his slender collarbone in the mirror, Wang Jingyuan was overcome with grief. Sigh! Looking like some trendy young idol, how was he supposed to wear armor and practice historical combat?

One of his sisters asked unhappily, "Hey! What the hell are you going crazy for?"

The pretty boy said in an affected, insinuating tone, "Second Sister, stop. I know Brother Jingyuan is only acting this way because I'm in this family, so..."

Already irritated, Wang Jingyuan suddenly whipped his head around toward the pretty boy as the chattering noise rang in his ears.

Well, well. Everyone else had yellow health bars. Why was yours red?

"I'm really pissed off right now, and you, NPC, are just what I need to cool off."

With that, Wang Jingyuan lunged at the pretty boy.

After some testing, Wang Jingyuan learned that his physical condition was exactly the same as when he was eighteen. The NPCs present were also only at the level of ordinary people.

The three female NPCs could be ignored. Due to the physical differences between men and women, untrained individuals of the two sexes had a vast gap in strength.

The remaining male NPC, the adopted son of this family, had physical attributes roughly comparable to Wang Jingyuan's.

However, he had no actual combat experience whatsoever. A barrage of punches and kicks from Wang Jingyuan easily KO'd him.

[Martial Arts Proficiency +1]

When the remaining three female NPCs saw their younger brother being attacked, their faces turned pale as they rushed over to stop him.

But against Wang Jingyuan's superior attributes and extensive combat experience, he did not even need to get up. Using only ground techniques while lying on the floor, he took them down one by one, leaving them unable to rise again.

Wang Jingyuan did not press his advantage. He merely got up, dusted off his backside, found a chair, and sat down to examine his game interface.

It was not as though no one tried to resist during that time, but anyone who attempted to crawl to their feet would be met by Wang Jingyuan rushing over and delivering a barrage of punches and kicks.

Those who cursed were met with a barrage of punches and kicks.

Those who begged for mercy were met with a barrage of punches and kicks.

Eventually, they learned their lesson and lay on the floor, not daring to make a sound.

Wang Jingyuan pondered silently. Defeating red-named targets increased proficiency, but defeating yellow-named ones gave him nothing?

The sound of a door opening came from the entryway. Wang Jingyuan turned and saw a middle-aged couple walk in.

Dressed in the gaudy, ostentatious style of nouveau riche, they were probably his NPC parents.

What Wang Jingyuan had not expected, however, was that the health bars above their heads were green.

The two entered with beaming smiles, carrying large and small bags. When they saw the four people sprawled on the floor, the smiles on their faces instantly froze.

When they saw Wang Jingyuan sitting calmly off to the side, how could they not understand what had happened?

The health bars above his parents' heads flickered, seeming about to change from green to yellow, but in the end they merely wavered before stabilizing at green.

Still, the man who looked like his father wore a furious expression as he glared at Wang Jingyuan. "Well, well! You've only just arrived home, and you're already hitting your own sisters and brother so viciously! I trained in Sanda when I was young. Want to spar with me too?!"

[Wang Guowei has issued you a duel invitation]

[Accept: Yes/No]

Wang Jingyuan glanced at the middle-aged man's head. "So you're Wang Guowei?"

"You unfilial son! You won't even acknowledge your own father?!"

After confirming it was really him, Wang Jingyuan nodded and stood up. He bounced in place a few times, then turned sideways and assumed a bladed stance.

[Yes]

[Martial Arts Proficiency +1]

As Wang Guowei staggered backward clutching his face, he was still completely stunned. He stared in disbelief at the biological son who had just slapped him.

Wang Jingyuan clenched his fist. Defeating his "father" just now had seemed much smoother. So this was the effect of the proficiency he had just gained.

He glanced at Wang Guowei's health bar. It was still green. It seemed that as long as the other party initiated a sparring invitation and he accepted, he could gain proficiency even from friendly units.

Then...

Wang Jingyuan turned to the wealthy-looking woman standing frozen beside them. "Chen Xiumei, I want to duel you."