"Tsk. Who even authorized this in the game design?" Liu Hong tutted, his fingers working fast against the keyboard and the mouse. "Why even create something like this? The only thing that seems even remotely worth it is the sealed mystical power stat." He spoke to himself, disbelieving that such an unbalanced character would ever make it off the game designer's worksheet.

His friend spoke into his headset, the worn headphones making the noise crackle as it was sent. "Gonna chicken out, Hong-hong?"

"Hell nah. 300 yuan is 300 yuan," Liu Hong denied, but hesitated. "It's just... has anyone even played this guy?" The screen stared back, bright and glaring at him. His mouse swiped across the screen to bring the 3d model of the character facing front. "And such an unusual design... It's a xianxia game, isn't it? Why doesn't he look even remotely Chinese? More like an elf in those fantasy games."

Long locks of golden hair spilled down his back. Blue eyes flashed. With a tall nose and a grecian profile, the character was the farthest thing from East Asian. 

"LOLOL, it's strange right? And basically nobody knows anything about this character's background in the forum. There's not an intro or anything." 

"Yeah," Liu Hong answered, "Really strange." He whispered under his breath. "I'd prefer maining another one. I don't know, like Lin Hui? Maybe Yi Meirong, even." 

"Pfft! No chance. I know you've mained everyone but this character. You've been playing for 10 years, avoiding him like the plague. It's time to take the rite of passage. Not a newbie anymore." 

Liu Hong exhaled. "Yeah, alright."

He clicked on the "Start Your Life" button. 

8 hours later...

The phone rang. Good Daoist Friend, it read, and Liu Hong groaned. 

Drunkenly, he picked up the phone. "What iz it??" Liu Hong asked, slurring his words together. His fifth shot of fireball loosened in his hand as he set the crystalline glass on the counter. The bartender looked disapprovingly at him, but he was far too buzzed to notice.

"Dude, are you drunk? Have you even finished the bet yet?" His friend asked, and Liu Hong's head spun.

"Yeah-.. Yeah I guess you can say that-" Liu Hong answered, "Couldn't not be. I'm a veteran. Veteran player. I've played our game for 10 years, Zhou. And I died on level 3. 3!! By Lin Hui's cousin!" He exclaimed, his voice rising as slammed the shot glass down on the table in frustration. The bartender asked him to be quiet, but he couldn't hear him. His voice was so distant. Liu Hong pinched his nose, groaning. "Didn't even save the file before going to get drunk." 

"I'm trash. I've just realized, I put my whole life into this game, but I'm not good. What's even the point anymore?" Liu Hong muttered into the phone. Silence. A crackle through the speaker.

"Do you need me to pick you up?" His friend finally asked, and Liu Hong nodded, even though he knew his friend couldn't see it.

"Yeah. Yes, I think so." Liu Hong answered. "Thanks. I'm at Ling's, I think." 

"Alright, I'm on my way." 

Liu Hong nodded, before paying the bartender and stumbling outside. He had trouble walking straight. The world seemed to melt around him, and things were closer than they appeared. 

Which is probably the reason he got hit by a sports car and died upon impact. 

Looking back, Liu Hong scratched his head in irritation. "What a pointless life. What a stupid way to die." He said to himself. He spoke into the white space, hoping that someone would answer. "So that's it? What happens next?" 

Someone spoke back, a disembodied voice that echoed even though the seemingly endless space didn't have walls. "Liu Hong, you didn't try to be good and your karmic debt is mediocre. If you are reborn, you will either be an animal or an asura." 

"Animal or an asura, huh?" Liu Hong muttered to himself. "What kind of animal?" 

"Krill." 

"Aish, no way!" Liu Hong exclaimed. "I'll be an asura. I don't want mercy, I want to have fun."

"...So be it." Liu Hong could practically feel the disappointment in the voice's tone before the ground collapsed in a vortex underneath him. 

He woke up drenched in water. Confused, he felt the stickiness of the clothes on his skin, and felt his face. "Human clothes? I'm supposed to be an asura, though?" Liu Hong asked to himself. He brought his two arms up. "I recall that asuras had multiple limbs. Strange."

Liu Hong looked around curiously, taking in his surroundings.

It was clearly an Eastern style interior from the embroidered folding screens and window frame patterns. The familiar designs made Liu Hong ache with nostalgia. The room lacked cleanliness and was quite rundown from the multiple holes in the paper windows, making sunlight leak out from it, bouncing off the dust particles in the room. The floor was dusty and cracked with age. And the bed Liu Hong sat on was rickety and old. 

His thoughts were interrupted by a cold voice. Liu Hong's eyes widened as the screen door opened, and the boy walked in with a stride denoting the highest arrogance that could only belong to nobility. As an avid player of "Age of the Bashan", he would recognize that cold face and black hair anywhere.

"So you have been living here. Serves you right, freak." The figure scoffed, his voice radiating loftiness. 

Lin Tian!