Chapter 1: New Beginning

The city had been in ruins, and dead bodies were everywhere. Most armies don’t like urban warfare because it takes time and a lot of manpower to win.

Even after the city had been bombarded by the tanks, the remaining terrorists hide inside the building, causing the armies to stop advancing.

Inside the army camp outside the city, a middle-aged man spoke. “Send the special force to wipe out anyone inside the building.”

The special force is the elite soldier that has been trained by the military. Their success rate in completing a mission is high compared to that of normal soldiers.

"Sir, there might be a civilian in the building.” Warn the soldier.

“Execute the order.” The middle-aged man ignored the soldier's warning. Even if there are civilian casualties, there is nothing they can do; this is war.

Inside a military truck, a black-haired man with full military gear, after receiving the order, came out with his team.

“We had received an order of total annihilation; leave no survivor.” Zou Jie ordered He is a captain of special forces.

“Yes, sir.”

Like a ghost, the special force infiltrated the building and killed anyone that they saw. The terrorist doesn’t even have time to prepare a counterattack.

“Captain, there is movement in other buildings.”

“Since we are already here, wipe them out.”

They infiltrate the building, and once the door bursts open, the terrorist attack

Barrages of bullets fly through the air and kill the enemy.

After entering the room, there are only corpses.

“Is there anyone injured?”

“None.”

“Proceed!”

In each room, the special force wipes out the terrorists without any survivors. Even when they surrender.

“This is the last room.”

Once his squad kicks the door, Zou Jie's eyes widen because he can see a group of children and women hugging each other in fear.

“Stop!” Zou Jie shouted.

However, it was too late; one of his men had already thrown a grenade inside the room.

“BOOM!”

After the dust settled, Zou Jie entered the room and saw the mutilated corpses. There was no survivor.

“Captain, I.” The man who threw the grenade is pale, and his hand is shaking. Although he is an elite soldier, he is still a human.

“Proceed with the mission.” Zou Jie doesn’t show any reaction and continues to kill the terrorist. As soldiers, this is something they need to face.

A few months later, military buildings

Inside a room, a middle-aged man wearing a military uniform sitting on the sofa is observing the man sitting in front of him. On the table, there is an envelope.

“Zou Jie, are you sure?” The middle-aged don’t look at the envelope and ask. Zou Jie is one of the best elite soldiers in the army. It would be a waste if he retired early.

“Yes.” Zou Jie is determined.

The middle-aged man sighs. “Fine, what is your plan after this?”

“I am going to become a doctor.” Zou Jie smiles.

-

Several years later, inside a small clinic,

“Make sure you eat your medicine.” Said Zou Jie.

“Don’t worry, doctor, I will.” An elderly woman spoke while slowly walking out of the door.

“Doctor Zou, that is the last patient for today.” Said the nurse.

“You can go home.”

“Goodbye, doctor.”

Zou Jie opened a small clinic in the countryside and lived a peaceful life. Since he is an orphan, he doesn’t have a family. For getting married, he is already old.

After returning home, he had dinner, read a novel, and went to sleep. This is the life he always dreamed of, and although he misses the adrenaline, seeing so many deaths has made his heart numb.

However, he never thought his peaceful life would come to an end.

-

On the large Zhong continent, three empires have been fighting for supremacy for centuries. However, the Min, Han, and Qin empires were equal in military strength. Because of that, they conquered the kingdoms near their border to expand the empire's territory.

The weaker kingdoms had no choice but to submit or be destroyed by the empire's army.

Deep in the Huangshan mountain range bordering the three kingdoms, a young man carrying a bamboo basket on his back is climbing a cliff to take an herb. However, he makes a mistake and falls from the cliff.

A villager, by coincidence, found the young man and recognized him. The villager quickly carries the young man to the village and finds someone to help.

Inside a wooden and dried mud house room.

“How is physician Zou injured?” One of the villagers asked.

A middle-aged man wipes his sweat and smiles after treating physician Zou's injury. "Fortunately, he is still breathing; without him, our remote village will no longer have a physician.”

The villagers agreed since physician Zou's master had died. He is the only physician in the area.

In the past, there were several physicians in the area. However, because of war, money, and a lack of prospects, they all left.

“I caught a large fish in the river today; once he wakes up, I will cook him the fish.”

The other villagers also showed the same sentiment.

“Don’t make noise; we need to let physician Zou rest.”

Soon, the people go out of the room, leaving Zou Jie alone.

Zou Jie had a dream about a little boy who had been abandoned in the alley, and an elderly man walked toward him.

“Boy, what is your name?” The elderly man asked

“Zou Jie.” Said the malnourished boy.

“From today onward, you will be my apprentice.” The elderly man smiles.

The elderly man takes care of him and teaches him about the medical arts.

Time passed, and the elderly man died of old age. Zou Jie remembers a lot of things, especially when he falls from the cliff.

Gradually, Zou Jie opened his eyes in a daze and tried to recall who he was.

“Which one is the real me?” Zou Jie had a memory of two different lives.

Although Zou Jie is confused, he begins to reorganize his memory and try to remember where he is now.

He is right now in the Bai Kingdom. Although it was a neutral kingdom, thanks to their policies, however, there was always a dispute at the border between the empires.

The civilians who live near the border are always in constant fear of the empires. Because of that, they are not fully controlled by the Bai kingdom.

“This place is not safe.” Zou Jie begins to recollect and then realizes this world is similar to ancient China. The country is ruled by royalty and nobility.

This world also had martial artists who could kill hundreds with one swing of the sword, according to their deceased master.

In a place without strict and proper laws, human life is cheap. That means without power and influence, he can die anything and without a reason.

After contemplating, he decided it was safer to stay in the countryside.

While lying on the bed, he suddenly hears a monotone voice.

[Karma system activated]

[Doing good or bad deeds will get karma points.]

[You can use the karma point to purchase knowledge, manuals, and skills.]

[Doing bad deeds can get you more karma points; however, there will be punishment once you reach a certain limit.]

[Warning: whole body will be in pain once the bad karma punishment starts]

After that, a visual panel appears in front of Zou Jie.

[Karma system]

[Karma point: 0]

[Bad Karma Punishment: (0/5)]

-

[Medical skill:]

[Herbalist knowledge: 100]

[Poison knowledge: 100]

[Imperial physician knowledge: 200]

-

[Occupation Skill:]

[Hunter knowledge: 100]

[Chef knowledge: 100]

[Seamstress knowledge: 100]

[Carpenter knowledge: 100]

[Farmer knowledge: 100]

[Blacksmith knowledge: 100]

-

[Martial artist:]

[Third-class martial arts manual: 100]

-

[Military:]

[Military strategy knowledge: 100]

[Mortal array formation knowledge: 500]

-

Zou Jie gazes the visual panel. He never thought he would get a system like in the novel. At least he doesn’t get a system that will force him to do a mission or die if he fails.

He understands the good deeds needed to get karma points. The problem now is: how about the bad deeds? Is killing animals for food considered a bad deed?

“It looks like I need to test it later.” Zou Jie closed his eyes; now he needed to recover. The most important thing is to survive.

-

A group of people riding horses is heading to the forest. Their clothes are stained with blood. They all look like escorts agency; actually, they are soldiers.

"Colonel, where are we going? The young master is having a fever." One of the soldiers asked while looking at the sickly young boy riding a horse with a soldier.

The colonel frowns, but it’s dangerous if they stop. “Let’s find a village.”

“But we might expose the young master's location.”

“We will kill all the villagers before we leave.”

“Yes, colonel.” The soldier responded without any surprise. This is not the first time he has killed an innocent. Their job as soldiers is to follow orders. Punishment in the army for disobeying an order is death.

Soon they enter the woods.

“Send the scout to check the village.”

After giving an order, a soldier on horseback sprints forward, leaving the group behind.