Chapter 1: The Midnight Gift!

The digital numbers on my smartwatch glowed a harsh, mocking blue: 11:30 PM.

I leaned back against the cool brick wall of the Quick-Mart, pulling my worn hoodie tighter against the ocean breeze. In exactly thirty minutes, the clock would strike midnight. I would turn eighteen. In the eyes of the Eurasian government, I would finally be an adult. No more legal guardians. No more being a burden.

To celebrate, I was going to buy my very first legal beer. If my older sister, Mary, found out, she would absolutely skin me alive. So, keep that between us.

Mary has been my legal guardian since I was fourteen, but she’s been my rock for much longer. Our parents were killed three years ago, taken hostage during a bank robbery that went sideways. It still hurts to think about. My dad and my stepmother were incredible parents.

My biological mother died when I was born, leaving my dad to raise a newborn completely on his own. Luckily, our neighbor—a kind woman with a six-year-old daughter named Mary—stepped in to help look after me while my dad worked his grueling shifts as a police officer.

Her own life was a nightmare back then. Her husband was a gambling addict who dragged the family into massive debt with a local crime syndicate.

Eventually, he couldn't pay, and the syndicate made sure he went "swimming with the fishes." In their world, debt belongs to the family. Mary's mother was left with a crushing financial burden and only one real option to pay it off: the lowest, most degrading work available.

When my dad found out, he didn't hesitate. He emptied his entire life savings to clear her debt. She tried to refuse, but Dad was a stubborn, convincing man. He told her the only payment he ever wanted was for her to keep helping him raise me. Touched by his selflessness, she agreed. Over time, they fell deeply in love, got married, and we became a real family.

Then, the bank robbery took them both away from us.

To keep food on our table, Mary skipped university entirely. At eighteen, she threw herself into the Star City Police Academy, fueled by a desire to take care of me and bring justice to a broken city. She was brilliant. In just a few short years, she became the youngest female detective in the history of the SCPD. I am incredibly proud of her, even if it terrifies me. She is currently working an overnight stakeout, which is the only reason I’m out this late.

Mary wants me to join the force if my other plans fail, but I can't do it. I don't want to live a life looking over my shoulder, only to meet a violent end like our father.

My real dream is Star University, the most prestigious college on the West Coast. But Star City—the massive, booming economic capital of the Azure State—is a place ruled by power and pedigree. The Azure State answers to the dragon, just as the Crimson State to the north answers to the phoenix, the Eastern White State to the tiger, and the Southern Black State to the turtle. It is a strange world, a massive melting pot where old Western structures clash with ancient Eastern traditions.

Without coming from one of the Four Great Noble Families, a commoner like me needs a flawless entrance exam score to get a scholarship. If I fail, it’s community college or online courses for me. Depressing, to say the least.

A deep, powerful rumble broke the midnight quiet, shattering my thoughts.

A long, polished black limousine pulled up right in front of the Quick-Mart. The doors flew open, and two massive bodyguards stepped out. I couldn't help but scoff internally—the guys were wearing sunglasses at night.

Then, the passenger door opened, and my stomach instantly dropped.

Scott Tang.

He was the second young master of the powerful Tang Family, and the absolute bane of my high school existence. I shrank back into the shadows of the alley across the street, praying his eyes wouldn't wander my way.

Three girls stepped out of the limo behind him, all dressed in elegant, expensive prom dresses. I recognized them instantly.

The first was Linda Lang, a noble lady from the prestigious Lang Family. She wore a flawless white dress that contrasted beautifully with her shiny, midnight-black hair and mesmerizing grey eyes. Back in my freshman year, before my parents died, I hadn't realized who she was and casually struck up a conversation with her. Scott saw it, and he has made my life a living hell ever since. For four years, he’s been courting Linda, planning to make her his first wife.

The other two girls were Nadia and Nicole Ning, identical twins with sharp blue eyes and matching silver dresses. They were already officially set to become Scott’s second and third wives. They were stunning, sure, but they were also cruel. They routinely helped Scott torment me just for their own amusement.

Scott, looking sharp in a black tuxedo, scanned the street. His gaze locked right onto me. A nasty, cruel smirk curled his lips.

"Well, look who it is," Scott called out over the roof of the limo, his voice dripping with malice. "What's up, little-dick Rick? Enjoying prom night all by yourself? Find any prostitutes out here?"

My fists clenched in my pockets. Back in middle school, before my growth spurt, Scott had pantsed me in front of the entire student body on a freezing cold day. I had grown a lot since then—I was actually taller than him now, and perfectly healthy—but how was I supposed to prove that to the world without humiliating myself and my sister?

I chose silence. I looked away, ignoring him and his entourage.

Scott whispered something to his two towering bodyguards, laughed, and escorted the girls into the store. But the two gorillas didn't follow him. They turned and started walking straight toward my alley, wearing matching, wicked grins.

Time to run.

I turned to bolt, but I wasn't fast enough. A heavy hand grabbed the collar of my hoodie, slamming me hard against the brick wall. The second guard didn't say a word. He just drove a heavy, brutal fist straight into my ribs.

The air exploded from my lungs.

This was their routine. Every couple of months, Scott would have them give me a "lesson." They were careful never to break my bones—nothing Mary could easily use to launch a police investigation—but they always left me a bruised, breathless mess.

This time, though, they went too far. A heavy fist caught me square in the eye, and then another hit my jaw. The world spun. My legs turned to jelly, and the dark alley rushed up to meet me. As my eyes fluttered shut, I saw the guards walking back to the limo. Through the hazy darkness, I saw Linda Lang look toward the empty space where I had been sitting, a frown crossing her beautiful face before Scott nudged her into the car.

Then, everything went black.

I woke up, but not in the alley.

I was floating in a vast, endless void of stars. Strange, blurry memories flashed before my eyes like a movie playing on fast-forward. I saw another world, also called Earth, but it was entirely different. I saw a reflection of myself in a mirror—eighteen years old, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I saw a family whose faces were warm but fuzzy, completely out of focus.

In the final memory, I was sitting in front of a glowing computer screen, playing a brand-new video game. The screen asked me to select skills for a new character, followed by a strange prompt: Do you wish to load and reincarnate?

I couldn't remember what happened next. The memories shattered, leaving me in total darkness. Then, glowing, neon-blue words began to materialize in the air right in front of me.

[Welcome to your new life. Enjoy your second chance, and do not waste it like the last time. Your selection has been confirmed and transferred to your active memory. Good luck, Host. I have served my purpose. No refunds...]

Before I could even process the words, a violent surge of information slammed into my brain. It felt like three lifetimes of memories, muscle movements, and academic knowledge were being forcibly shoved into my skull all at once. I screamed into the void, convinced I was going insane.

Then, just as quickly as it started, the storm stopped. The chaos in my mind settled into neat, perfectly organized files. In my deep sleep, my mind began to read the floating text, translating what had just happened to me.

[Skill Level Matrix]

Amateur (Level 0): Basic attempts. Anyone can try.

Basic (Level 1): High school equivalent. Enough knowledge to work in the field without making amateur mistakes.

Advanced (Level 3): College graduate equivalent. A true professional capable of handling complex tasks.

Master (Level 7): PhD equivalent. Peak of the field, recognized nationally as a prodigy.

Grandmaster (Level 15): Top tier globally. Fewer than ten people in the world match this level.

[50/50 Skill Points Allocated] (+1 Free Point Applied)

[General Education: Basic] (0 Points):* Combined knowledge of both lives. Freebie unlocked!

[Acting: Basic] (1 Point): Perfect poker face. Can lie flawlessly, act in commercials, or convince a teacher the dog ate your homework.

[Auto-Mechanics: Basic] (1 Point): Can change oil, spark plugs, paint, and perform bodywork. Qualified to work at a dealership.

[Cooking: Basic] (1 Point): Master of everyday ethnic cuisine. Able to cook quick, delicious meals or work in a restaurant chain.

[Stealth: Basic] (1 Point): Move without a sound. Can tail targets and completely avoid standard security cameras.

[Thief: Basic] (1 Point): Pick locks, crack safes, pickpocket, and disarm basic security traps.

[Business Management: Advanced] (3 Points): Can run a major company, manage employees, handle complex corporate taxes, and trade stocks.

[Driving: Advanced] (3 Points): Professional racing and drifting skills. Can handle any ground vehicle, from sports cars to semi-trucks.

[Medicine: Advanced] (3 Points): Equivalent to a practicing doctor. Can diagnose illnesses and expertly patch up traumatic wounds.

[Acrobatics: Master] (7 Points): Flawless parkour, tightrope walking, and falling from extreme heights without fear or injury.

[Computer Use: Master] (7 Points): High-level hacking and coding. Can breach secure government networks and navigate the dark web undetected.

[Firearms: Master] (7 Points): Special Forces elite precision. Expert handling, accuracy, and maintenance of all handheld ranged weapons.

[Kung-Fu: Grandmaster] (15 Points): Mastery of all ancient and modern martial arts. One of the deadliest hand-to-hand fighters on the planet. (Note: Current physical body requires conditioning to utilize full potential).

[Hidden Skill Synergy Unlocked!]

Firearms: Master + Kung-Fu: Grandmaster = [Gun-Fu: Master] (The world's premier close-quarters firearm specialist).

Stealth: Basic + Thief: Basic + Acrobatics: Master = [Cat Burglar: Basic] (Expert parkour, escape artistry, and infiltration).

Business Management: Advanced + Computer Use: Master = [Virtual Business Management: Advanced] (Capable of building the next global online empire from a laptop).

My eyes snapped open.

The starry void vanished, replaced by the sterile smell of antiseptic and the steady, rhythmic beep... beep... beep of a heart monitor. The blinding white lights of a hospital ceiling forced me to squint.

My chest throbbed with a dull ache, and my face felt swollen. But beneath the pain, a strange, electric current was pulsing through my veins. Every muscle in my body felt alive, twitching with a muscle memory I had never trained for. Complex mathematical formulas, lines of code, and combat stances swirled in my head, as clear as the alphabet.

A store clerk had found me in the alley at midnight and called an ambulance. I was alive. I was eighteen.

And my system had just quit, leaving me with the tools to change my life forever.