Ch.5: The Game's Online!
The hall stood at the city's heart—circular, grand, and solemn—its stone walls lined with banners bearing the crest of Qinglong City.
Rows of children filled the center, each standing in neat lanes, while parents and attendants crowded the outer circle, whispering nervously.
High above them, on the elevated platform, sat the three figures whose presence alone could silence the hall, City Lord Zhou Ming, Lady Li Xueya, and their granddaughter Zhou Yueling.
To the citizens, they weren't just rulers; they were the city's pride, its living legends.
Like idols to Japanese otakus, they were to the citizens of the city.
Today was the first morning of the month, the Day of Awakening, when the next generation's fates would be revealed.
Dozens of parents had brought their children, hoping for a promising martial spirit… and perhaps, a rare chance to see Lady Li, who oversaw every awakening personally despite her busy schedule.
Some said she attended out of duty, others said it was her way of blessing the children.
Whatever the truth, few missed the chance to witness her presence.
Afterall the only one among the city lord's family who was easiest to see was her.
Had the rules of the Eleventh Audience Hall not been so strict, as no outsiders allowed except the children and their guardians, half the city might have crowded in just for a glimpse of her.
But today's event was special.
Even the City Lord and Young Lady Zhou Yueling had joined, turning the usually calm ceremony into a silent storm of anticipation.
The children stood straighter than usual, their eyes full of ambition and fear. No one wanted to look weak under such watchful eyes.
At the center of it all stood a boy, Lu Sheng.
Standing the first in the middlemost row.
Every gaze seemed fixed on him: parents, children, guards, even the trio on the platform.
It made his skin crawl.
He tried to stand tall, but his small fists clenched, his jaw tightened. The faint tremor in his fingers betrayed him. He hated how obvious it felt.
His hair was jet black, fine and straight, gleaming faintly under the morning light.
His eyes were darker still, deep, calm, like polished dark blue blue obsidian glowing with Amethyst-like shine. His face, soft yet finely shaped, carried a balance of childish roundness and faint sharpness that made the older women in the crowd whisper with affection.
If this were a beauty contest among children (something like cutest child ever), he might have won, though he'd still lose to some of the prettier girls, he thought with a wry bitterness.
To most, Lu Sheng was just a "cheap disciple" of the City Lord's daughter, an orphan the family had taken in out of obligation.
He was respected by title, ignored by heart.
Afterall he was just like them a normal village boy had the surrounding 30 villages not have combined under the rule of Qinglong city.
So, most only though he had good appearance and dismissed him.
Afterall, though he had face which will suit being part of the city lord's family, his future was clear to everyone.
But what no one knew was Lu Sheng had a secret.
Something he was guarding since he was had grown to know it.
Lu Sheng was a reincarnator.
At first, he was just another child born in this world, ordinary, fragile, curious.
That was until he lost his parents.
By the time he turned two, both had already left him behind, fully unlocking his god-level "Orphan" Entry.
And that was the start complete with strange dreams and an occasional burst of memories that didn't belong to this life.
By the age of five, he remembered everything. His family, his most favorite anime, comics and novels, even the late-night instant noodle.
With that he had earned right enough to officially earn the title of Reincarnator.
Still, unlike the usual tragic backstories, his new life wasn't terrible.
You could even call it luck that he didn't end up in Holy Spirit Village but in Qinglong Village, a place with an actual orphanage, sponsored and overseen by the city lord himself.
Or call it Luck Pro Max that his late grandfather had once been like an older brother figure to the current city lord back when he was still nobodies.
Because of that, Lu Sheng was taken into the Zhou family after his parents' deaths.
So yes, his early years had been comfortable enough.
All through unexpected coincidences and luck.
But luck doesn't earn affection.
Approval, belonging, and warmth can't be bought with luck or a pretty face, they need social skill.
Something Lu Sheng seriously lacked.
If he'd been better at it, maybe the children around him wouldn't look at him like a stranger.
Maybe the parents and officials wouldn't whisper indifferently.
Maybe the city lord's family, sitting on the raised dais, would see him as more than a token obligation.
Especially Zhou Yueling, his supposed master.
Her sharp, assessing gaze made his stomach twist. It said everything without words: Why are you even here? Are you really worthy? Prove it.
That look was pressure distilled into a single glance.
Part of him wanted to shout, 'Why expect so much from a six-year-old who doesn't even have a martial spirit yet?'
But he stayed silent.
After all, despite the cold treatment, he still lived as her only disciple. He enjoyed privileges others could only dream of. Complaining would just make him sound ungrateful.
Still, the fear lingered—what if he awakened no martial spirit at all? What if he had no soul power?
His thoughts spiraled, looping endlessly through worst-case scenarios until even he got tired of himself.
'Sigh...'
*Slap*
He slapped both cheeks lightly, snapping back to reality.
"Let whatever will happen be, it's fine," he muttered under his breath.
It was the same mantra he used in his last life, 'Expect the worst, so anything that happens will be a good thing.'
With that, he straightened up, eyes calm once more.
'Alright then, Bring it on!'
And the martial spirit awakening ceremony began.
...
Soon, an average-looking middle-aged man stepped forward from the side of the hall, wearing the dark uniform of a senior worker from Qinglong Medicine Group, the logo of a cyan serpentine dragon etched neatly over his left chest.
"Today, there are unexpectedly fewer participants," the man said in a steady voice, "so I, Mo Jun, will be the only one conducting your awakenings."
The children bowed together.
"We greet Master Mo!" they chorused, Lu Sheng following a beat later.
"Alright, without wasting time, let's begin."
Mo Jun moved to the front of the glowing formation and raised his right hand.
"Wood Cauldron, possession!"
A beautiful wooden cauldron shimmered into being above his head, followed by three spirit rings: yellow, yellow, purple, each humming with soft light.
Then he pulled out a sheet of paper with the name of people going through awakening.
Then in a loud clear voice. he called out the first person who needs to be called.
"Lu Sheng"
...
'Wait… what?'
The dark-haired boy froze.
'Why am I the first?'
'Shouldn't I be the last? Even taking into account that they usually call everyone based on alphabetical order of names I still should be last!' He thought not realizing what reason can make the protagonist go first instead of being the last.
He blinked, confused, but still stepped forward when Mo Jun gestured to him.
Then he suddenly turned his head only to see the meaning full gaze of City Lord or rather Grandpa Zhou was directing towards him.
'Well, figures, they really shouldn't have much time to spare.'
He realized the reason for calling him out first.
'Afterall some people are really busy.' He thought unconsciously moving his head to the right, precisely where his supposed master was sitting.
But he soon froze realizing she to was looking straight towards him, quickly averting his gaze and walking forward in a noticeably faster pace.
"... This brat."
He heard, followed by couple of quite giggles clearly coming out from the same direction but he didn't dare look again.
Mo Jun paused, confused, but said nothing. Years of discipline made him immune to distractions. He was, after all, the embodiment of the "work is life" philosophy.
"Don't be nervous," he said. "Stand in the center of the hexagon and close your eyes."
Lu Sheng just followed his words with a nod.
As the formation lit up, he felt spirit power flow into his body—cold and tingling, spreading through his meridians like ink through water.
One second. Two seconds. The energy kept expanding.
Mo Jun's brow rose. "Such wide meridians…" he murmured, half in awe.
Then with a 'click'.
Something inside him unlocked.
His body trembled as a flood of soul power surged through him, filling every corner of his being like rain falling on cracked earth. It was overwhelming, intoxicating.
'That feels… great,' he thought, dazed by the sensation.
As if a part of him he didn't know was incomplete was being complete now.
He waited, one second, two seconds, ten seconds, expecting the appearance of his martial spirit.
Nothing.
He didn't feel any martial spirit like thing in his body, even opening his eyes and looking at his palm there was really...
Still nothing.
The hall was silent.
He looked above expecting to see a disappointed look directed at him from everywhere.
Soon he noticed it—no one was moving.
The entire room was frozen mid-motion, as if time itself had stopped.
Even the flicker of spirit light had stilled in the air.
He tried to move; his body resisted, but he managed to tilt his head slightly.
"What the—"
His voice stopped halfway as a familiar, translucent blue screen blinked into existence before his eyes.
{Welcome back, Lu Sheng.}
{The Game's Online.}