“Where did this soul come from, and why did it die here, of all places?
“Unexpected incidents are becoming more frequent; at this rate, I’m truly going to die from exhaustion.”
Sun Youde awoke with a jolt, his gaze sweeping across an ancient hall.
At the far end of the grand chamber, a girl sat upon a throne, a scythe in hand, flipping through a large black book as if engrossed in some profound inquiry.
Deep shadows underscored the girl’s eyes, and a weary, troubled expression subtly marred her beautiful features, yet overall, these imperfections did little to diminish her striking appearance.
Catching sight of Sun Youde awakening from the corner of her eye, she swiftly closed the book, straightened her posture, and cleared her throat before speaking:
“Ahem… Poor soul, as the God of Death for the Siden Plane, it is with regret that I must inform you.”
“You are dead.”
‘Dead?’
‘My life… it’s just over, like this?’
Recalling the final moments before he lost consciousness, Sun Youde’s eyes slowly widened.
‘Could I have died suddenly from overwork?’
In an instant, a torrent of emotions surged through him: pain, confusion, fear, and above all… a profound unwillingness to accept his fate.
He simply could not accept it.
He was only twenty-three, with so much time stretching before him, so many things he longed to do but hadn’t yet accomplished.
Was his life truly ending like this?
“Hey, don’t just dive into despair! Will you let me finish speaking?”
Seeing Sun Youde’s pained expression, the girl who called herself the God of Death pressed a hand to her forehead, rubbing her slightly puffy eyelids.
“You don’t belong to this plane of existence.
This is a situation I’ve never encountered before, so at present, I’m unsure how to process an external soul like yours.”
“Huh?”
Sun Youde momentarily pulled himself from his negative emotions.
From what the God of Death was implying, not only had he died, but he had also transmigrated?
‘So, according to the usual script, I should be reincarnated into another world next, right?’
‘Well, since I’m already dead, I might as well try to win the ‘resurrection match.’
If I can truly live another life, that would be a huge gain.’
Thus, Sun Youde carefully inquired, “Then, may I ask if I can be reborn in this world?”
The God of Death’s eyes darted slyly, but instead of answering Sun Youde’s question, she offered a cunning smile.
Descending from her throne, she leaned close to Sun Youde’s ear, her voice laced with a seductive allure:
“Young man, do you crave power?
“Do you wish to see the death countdown above others’ heads?
“Do you wish to see those you despise meet their end through various accidents?
“Do you desire eternal life?
“Rebirth is but a trifle.
All you have to do is work for me… ah, no, as long as you become my chosen divine, all of this can be yours!
What do you say? Doesn’t that stir your heart?”
To be honest, Sun Youde’s heart had indeed pounded with excitement upon hearing the first half of her proposal.
A death countdown, killing invisibly – these were abilities typically reserved for novel protagonists.
Mastering even one could utterly transform a person’s life.
‘But… ‘work’?’
‘She just said the word ‘work,’ didn’t she?’
In that instant, unpleasant memories flooded his mind, particularly the recollection of dying from overwork during overtime.
His eager anticipation immediately cooled.
“’Work’? What exactly does that mean?”
Gazing at the God of Death’s face, which seemed on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, Sun Youde’s ominous premonition grew stronger.
“Ahahaha, don’t pay attention to such trivial details…”
The God of Death’s eyes shifted evasively, her face betraying a clear sense of guilt.
“This is crucial! What does ‘working for you’ entail? I won’t end up dying from overwork again, will I?”
“No, no, no! Once you become my chosen divine, you’ll be immortal.
How could you possibly die from overwork?
Don’t underestimate my power as the God of Death!”
The God of Death waved her hands dismissively, attempting to reassure Sun Youde.
However, Sun Youde’s expression turned to one of horror, and he stumbled back several steps, feeling anything but reassured:
“So, after becoming a chosen divine, I’ll have to work for you for all eternity, unable to die even if I’m exhausted to the point of wishing for death?”
“What kind of bizarre interpretation is that…?”
A vein throbbed on the God of Death’s forehead, and she added, “Countless people beg to become my chosen divine, and I still turn them away.”
“Fine, fine.
Let me show you the benefits of becoming a chosen divine.
I’m sure you’ll change your mind then.”
Ignoring Sun Youde’s anxious protests entirely, the God of Death snapped her fingers.
Snap!
Sun Youde felt his vision plunge into darkness.
The darkness didn’t last long.
As his vision returned, he found himself standing on a bustling street, teeming with people.
The gas lamps lining the street had not yet been lit, and the surrounding buildings displayed a unique blend of classical and modern styles.
In the distance, towering chimneys stood like giants, periodically spewing forth plumes of thick smoke.
At the street corner, a patrol squad dressed as priests was lining up.
They held metallic, gleaming cross staves, while their leader carried a weapon resembling a blunderbuss.
Nearby, on a building under construction, workers were hoisting a sign that read, “The Landon Grand Hotel.”
‘Landon… London? Where on earth has she sent me?’
Sun Youde murmured to himself, his gaze lost in thought as he stared at the sign.
The next moment, without any warning, the rope holding the sign snapped abruptly.
The several-meter-long iron plaque plummeted straight down, directly above a young girl who stood obliviously beneath it, completely unaware that ‘death’ was descending from above.
“Danger! Get away from there!”
Sun Youde instinctively rushed forward, intent on pulling the girl to safety.
Startled, the girl, who had been lost in thought, involuntarily recoiled a few steps, her face etched with surprise as she looked at Sun Youde.
Passersby also turned their astonished gazes towards them.
One second passed, then two, then five…
Nothing happened.
Looking up, the sign remained perfectly suspended in the air.
“Huh? But I clearly saw…”
Sun Youde stared blankly at ‘The Landon Grand Hotel’ sign above, beginning to doubt his own eyes.
“Sir, are you alright? What happened?”
The girl, having collected herself, asked Sun Youde with concern.
“Uh…”
Sun Youde was momentarily speechless, unsure how to explain.
‘Should I tell her I saw her almost get crushed to death?
The credibility would be far too low.
People would either think he was trying to pick her up or that he had escaped from Saint Elizabeth’s (TL Note: Likely a mental asylum, similar to Bedlam in London).’
In the end, Sun Youde could only stand there awkwardly, his hand, which had been poised to pull the girl away, frozen in mid-air.
The onlookers’ expressions shifted from astonishment to curiosity, and some even wore amused, mocking grins.
After all, who wouldn’t want to witness some unexpected entertainment?
For a moment, Sun Youde felt profoundly uncomfortable under their collective gaze, like a clown being watched.
He instantly regretted his earlier rashness.
“CRASH!”
Just as Sun Youde was pondering an explanation, the sign slammed heavily onto the exact spot where the girl had been standing moments before.
The paving stones instantly cracked and shattered into several pieces; had anyone been there, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
The crowd erupted in screams, their mood for entertainment vanishing instantly as they scattered away from the construction site.
The once-crowded street quickly emptied, leaving only the remarkably composed Sun Youde and the terrified, paralyzed girl behind.
“Not bad at all.
To have mastered the ‘Death Omen’ ability so quickly, you truly are worthy of being the chosen divine I selected.”
The ethereal, illusory voice resonated in his mind once more.
It was that unreasonable God of Death.
Sun Youde immediately realized who was speaking in his mind and quickly pressed for answers:
“Death Omen? Was that the illusion I just saw?”
“Precisely.
That was a Death Omen, the most fundamental ability of a God of Death’s chosen divine – the power to perceive impending death.”
Upon hearing the God of Death’s explanation, Sun Youde’s mind buzzed with possibilities.
The ability to foresee death, while not directly enhancing combat power, offered absolutely unparalleled practicality.
‘With this ability, he could save wealthy individuals, become a personal bodyguard, or even rescue damsels in distress.
Wealth, career, love – they would all be within effortless reach.
Wasn’t this precisely the script for a novel’s protagonist?’
Receiving such a useful ability and even being reborn with a single gesture, Sun Youde suddenly found the God of Death not quite as unreasonable as he had initially thought.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Look at your pathetic excitement.
The most basic of divine authorities has you salivating like this, and there’s far greater power to come.”
“So, what do you say?
Will you be my chosen divine?
Remember, accepting my boon means you’ll be working for me.”
The God of Death seemed perpetually fixated on the word ‘work.’
Sun Youde surveyed his surroundings.
He saw chimneys belching thick smoke, gaunt, coughing elderly people, and workers with blue gums and pale faces.
Estimating the world’s level of development, he quickly arrived at a conclusion: to survive in this world, he would either have to work for capitalists or work for the God of Death.
The choice, it seemed, was glaringly obvious.
“Yes, yes, absolutely! I am more than willing!
I swear you are my supreme faith for this life!
Praise my Lord! Praise the God of Death!”
His sudden ‘power slide’ into devotion momentarily stunned the God of Death, though it was clear she found his words quite gratifying.
“Oh?
Such a rapid change in attitude?
Well, I don’t dislike it.
After all, a wise person knows how to adapt to circumstances.”
“Let me remind you once more: while becoming a chosen divine brings great benefits, you must also bear the responsibilities that come with it.”
The God of Death’s voice suddenly paused, and then she muttered to herself with a hint of annoyance, “How did another accident happen?”
“Hm?”
Sun Youde recognized her displeasure and decided not to rashly ask what had occurred.
“I have new work to attend to, so I’ll end our conversation here.
I’ll come find you again tonight to officially make you my chosen divine.”
“Understood, boss.
Take your time.”
The illusory voice vanished, and Sun Youde’s consciousness returned to the real world.
Despite their long conversation, only a few seconds seemed to have passed in reality; people had not yet recovered from their fright.
The girl, who had narrowly escaped death, was pale and tried several times without success to stand up.
Finally, with Sun Youde’s help, she managed to regain her footing.
Still shaken, she gazed at the spot where she had been standing moments before:
“This, this is unbelievable.
You saved me.
How can I ever repay you?”
Having saved a life, feeling immense spiritual satisfaction, and successfully acquiring the ‘Death Omen’ golden finger, Sun Youde was in high spirits.
Thus, a smile played on his lips, and he decided to put on a show:
“No, I seek no reward.
Your continued well-being is the greatest repayment I could ask for.”
However, this statement triggered an unexpected reaction.
Upon hearing his words, the girl looked as if struck by lightning, her pupils trembling slightly, and tears welled in her eyes, as if she might burst into sobs at any moment.
Just as Sun Youde grew bewildered, wondering if he had said something wrong, the illusion surfaced before his eyes once more.
A chill ran down his spine.
In the illusion, the girl before him stood atop a tall building, then leaped.
Her fragile body struck the hard pavement below, and blood slowly spread out from beneath her corpse.
Simultaneously, in reality, the girl could no longer hold back.
Tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.
She stepped forward, gripping Sun Youde’s hand tightly, as if he were a lifeline:
“You, what did you say?”
Sun Youde saw his own reflection in the girl’s blue eyes.
She was waiting for an answer.
And his answer might directly determine her fate.
“Every person’s life is unique, and for a beautiful girl like you, living happily is in itself something that brings me immense joy.
You simply need to live well, and spend each day happily and cheerfully; that would be the best repayment for me.”
Large teardrops splattered onto the ground.
Although the girl covered her mouth with her hand, she could not suppress her sobs.
As her emotions fully unleashed, and she cried out in anguish, the illusion that had just appeared quietly shattered, dissipating into the air.
Sun Youde watched the tearful girl, realizing he had seemingly saved her life once more.