Xu Ran sat hunched over his desk in the dim light of his office. The fluorescent bulbs buzzed overhead, flickering slightly, as if protesting the unnatural hour. His fingers moved mechanically over the keyboard, his eyes strained from hours of staring at the glowing screen. He had just finished reviewing a report due in two hours, but the deadline felt like the least of his problems.
His colleagues, scattered throughout the office like soldiers on a battlefield, were already preparing to leave. But not Xu Ran. There was no end in sight for him. The heavy weight of deadlines, demands, and expectations pressed on him like an unyielding mountain. Every email, every task, every request felt like another chain in an unbreakable cycle.
A glance at his watch told him it was nearly 2 AM. He hadn't been home in over a week, and his last proper meal had been two days ago. His body, a thin shell of exhaustion, felt distant from his mind. A cup of cold coffee sat beside him, untouched. The sharp smell of burnt beans only added to the bitterness in his chest. But there was no time to rest. Not now. Not ever.
"You're running late again, Xu Ran," he muttered to himself as he glanced at the clock. The looming deadline was always just an inch away, but it never arrived. It always pushed further, and he always pushed himself further to meet it.
What's the point of all this? he thought bitterly. I'm just one cog in an endless machine. But I can't stop. I can't afford to.
His mind, fatigued and stretched thin, wandered back to his childhood dreams. Once, he had hoped to be someone great, someone who could change the world. But now, he had become another faceless worker in a corporate jungle. There was no space for dreams here—just endless tasks, meetings, and the constant grind of numbers.
The beeping of his phone snapped him back to reality. Another email. Another task. Xu Ran sighed heavily and opened it. His fingers moved mechanically, answering with a sense of urgency that felt foreign to him.
As the night deepened, so did his exhaustion. Every minute felt like a weight he could no longer carry. The thought of a break seemed distant, a luxury for others. A part of him longed for rest, but his brain felt sluggish, unable to summon the will to sleep. It was as though he was chained to the work he couldn't escape.
His head began to spin. A sharp pain bloomed behind his eyes, a pulsing ache that didn't relent. His breathing became erratic, his chest tightening with each breath. No, not now. I just need to finish this last task, he thought.
But the task never came. His vision blurred. The pressure in his chest became unbearable. He collapsed forward onto the desk. His last thought before everything went dark was the overwhelming weight of his life—work, obligations, and the endless cycle of unending tasks.
Xu Ran's consciousness swirled in the void. The sensation was strange, unfamiliar, and profoundly disorienting. His body—no, his very existence—seemed suspended between two worlds. One moment, he was drowning in an endless sea of deadlines, the next, floating aimlessly, detached from his old self.
Time lost all meaning. Seconds stretched into infinity, but there was no pain, no fear. Only a growing curiosity about where he was and what was happening to him. His mind seemed to peel away from his past life, layer by layer, until he was left with nothing but the raw essence of his existence.
The emptiness felt infinite, but slowly, the void began to shift. Images flickered before him—glimpses of a life he didn't recognize. A new world. Towering landscapes. Creatures that defied comprehension. The world was ancient, primal, yet full of untapped potential. It called to him, as though it had always been meant for him.
In the moments before he lost consciousness, one thought rang clear in his mind: This is not the end. This is just the beginning.
Xu Ran's body jerked awake. His eyes flew open, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. His chest heaved as he gasped for air, feeling the cool, crisp wind against his skin. His heart pounded, and for a moment, he thought he might pass out again. But there was no pain. No ache from overwork. Only calm.
He sat up, struggling to process his new reality. The sky above was a strange, vibrant hue, unlike anything he had seen on Earth. The air was thick with the scent of fresh grass and unfamiliar herbs. It was a peaceful world—one that demanded nothing from him.
What is this place? Xu Ran wondered.
He slowly rose to his feet, brushing the dirt off his simple, rustic clothes. His body felt different—stronger. His muscles flexed easily as he stretched, something he hadn't done in years on Earth. The transformation was subtle but profound. He could feel raw power coursing through him, a strength he had never possessed in his past life.
Looking around, he noticed the people nearby—large, imposing figures, their bodies honed from years of labor or combat. But despite their immense strength, there was something lacking in their movements. Their raw power was unrefined, their stances awkward and unpracticed. It was clear they were strong, but they lacked the discipline of true combat.
What kind of world is this? Xu Ran thought, his mind spinning. It was a world where physical prowess ruled, but it seemed the people had forgotten how to fight. Despite their strength, they were helpless, their power raw and untapped.
Is that why I'm here?
Before he could ponder further, a large figure approached. The man was tall and broad, built like a mountain, with a weathered face that spoke of years of hard labor.
"Hey, you," the man called out, his voice gruff but curious. "You new around here?"
Xu Ran nodded, a bit startled by the man's directness. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
The man grinned. "You don't look like you've been around long. You'll do fine here if you can defend yourself. People here are strong, but they don't know how to fight."
Xu Ran studied him, noticing the raw strength in the man's build, but also the awkwardness in his stance. Despite his size, he was no fighter.
"Thanks for the advice," Xu Ran replied, his voice thoughtful. "But I think there's more to this world than just raw strength."
The man's eyes narrowed, but Xu Ran could see the flicker of curiosity in his gaze.