No Longer Alone

After painfully handing over his entire wallet to the innkeeper, Sui Ming rushed straight to the nearest jewelry store.

“I mean… why are you still following me?”

“Shouldn’t you be off doing your thieving thing? Looking for your precious gems or whatever? Why are you tagging along with a broke guy like me?”

Bai Ling tilted her head in confusion. “Because you feed me?”

That single line nearly shattered Sui Ming’s mental defenses.

His entire goal in this world was to save up for retirement and live peacefully. But now with a walking food processor clinging to him? His dream of a quiet retirement was starting to look unrealistic.

“And you’re kind. You don’t mind who I am.”
For some reason, Bai Ling’s voice dipped a little—tinged with melancholy, like she’d gone through something painful.

Being a dragon living among humans meant she’d lost the right to connect with others. She constantly had to watch her back, wary of malicious eyes all around her—living in fear and isolation. It was exhausting.

And Sui Ming could read that expression on her face all too clearly.

That was loneliness. Pure, crushing loneliness.

When the world rejects you, the only one left to save you… is yourself.

Physical pain is one thing. But loneliness—that’s the ultimate punishment in this world.

Sui Ming understood that feeling all too well.

As an orphan with no one to rely on, he learned early that there was no one to trust but himself. No gods. No saviors. Just him.

He grew up in loneliness. Matured in despair. Faced death in helplessness. And even though that suffering shaped him into the greatest assassin in the world, if you asked him if it was worth it…

He’d say—hell no.

“…Alright. You can stay with me. For now.”

Because those who’ve been beaten down by the storm are the ones most willing to hold an umbrella for others.

“I’ll feed you. You’ll protect me. Let’s call it a work contract, alright?”

“Mhm!” Bai Ling nodded vigorously.

Could it be… I no longer have to live that wandering, lonely life?

No more nights of hunger. No more days running from hunters. Could it really be… over?

Am I… finally not alone anymore?

After countless lonely nights, the light of hope had finally arrived in front of her.

In a world where everyone had turned their backs on her, only this boy had offered her kindness. Instead of drawing his weapon the moment he saw her, he brought her to a restaurant when she looked desperate.

This debt… she had no idea how to repay.

“Waaahh—Mr. Sui Ming!”

Suddenly, Bai Ling dove toward him, her small arms wrapping tightly around his waist.

It should’ve been a touching moment. The only problem was…

“Hey—hey! I can’t breathe! I’m gonna die!”

Sui Ming smacked her back a few times in panic, begging her to let go.

“Ah! I’m sorry!” Bai Ling let go immediately, her golden eyes brimming with moisture like a guilty puppy.

Granted, this puppy could probably snap your spine and chew on your ribs.

Cough… cough!

Having narrowly escaped death, Sui Ming looked at the innocent-faced girl with a helpless sigh.

Just now, he’d almost gone to meet his long-lost parents. His soul, that is.

After mourning for his soon-to-die wallet, Sui Ming stepped into the jewelry store.

“Boss, do you buy this kind of stuff?”

The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses, inspected the item carefully, and then finally said, “Kid, I’ll be honest. This piece… isn’t ordinary.”

“No problem. I don’t care.”

“I’ll offer you 10,000 Fal. Deal?”

Sui Ming cracked his knuckles under the counter and said, “Boss… do I look like some clueless newbie to you?”

“Or do you just think I’m easy to scam?”

The man bit the inside of his cheek—clearly, he’d run into someone who knew what he was doing.

“30,000. That’s my final offer.”

Sui Ming calmly raised five fingers. The meaning was crystal clear.

Bang! “Deal!”

The man gave a victorious grin and happily handed over a pitch-black card.

“Here you go, customer~ This is 50,000 Fal. Come again soon~”

Strolling down the street, Sui Ming held the black card up to the sunlight with one hand while clutching Bai Ling’s with the other—afraid she’d cause trouble again.

“Gude Bank? There are banks in this world? Don’t tell me some transmigrator set this up?”

Maybe the shopkeeper had cheated him a little, but hey—he still scored a huge chunk of cash.

This meant he could finally put his crazy ideas into motion. Like landmines… modern firearms… even rocket launchers…

Soon, the natives of this world would witness the true power of 21st-century high-tech warfare! Wahahahaha!

Bai Ling glanced at him with a blank expression as the corners of Sui Ming’s mouth curled unnaturally wide, like some kind of cursed ghost.

Is my new boss… insane?

“By the way, Bai Ling, how long have you been here?”

The girl blinked, unsure why he was asking, but still answered, “About three years… I think?”

“Then have you heard of the young master of the Xi family?”

That question had been bothering Sui Ming for days.

From the moment he arrived in this world, he realized something strange:
The Xi family was a massive, powerful household—yet no one recognized him. Suspicious, wasn’t it?

Sure, people might not know him personally, but to not even recognize his face?

Could it be… the previous version of me was a vegetable? That can’t be right.

Just then, Bai Ling responded, “Huh? Isn’t the Xi family’s young master super famous across the entire Mingxi Empire? Mr. Sui Ming, don’t tell me you don’t even know that?”

“Even in the far north—like Cangqiong Sacred City in the Dragon territory—people have heard of him.”

“They say he was the youngest [True Manifestation] powerhouse in all of Tanggrelia. His name is even more famous than some [Immortal]-level monsters.”

“Apparently, he had bright golden hair and eyes like burning flames…”

“Oh! And rumor has it, he had a forbidden romance with the First Princess of the Empire. Totally legendary.”

“By the way, you even have the same name! What a coincidence!”

“Because I am him.”

In that instant, the entire world seemed to freeze.