When Yohan tried to stand from his worn-out bed—nothing more than patched cloth stuffed with kapok—
The small child who'd been standing beside him quickly backed away, as if frightened.
Yohan still didn't understand why he was here, or what was wrong with the boy's face. There were so many bruises on it. Who had beaten him?
When Yohan reached out to touch the boy's face, he only then noticed something different about his skin.
Yohan immediately checked his entire body, running his hands through his hair repeatedly, rubbing his face, even playing with his fingers like a madman.
"This... what happened to me? Why is my body like this?" Yohan grew more confused.
His hand lifted—and he flinched. This wasn't his hand. This hand was bigger, thinner, with bones jutting out clearly. The skin was pale, covered in wounds and bruises.
"What's happening?!"
As far as he remembered, he'd just taken a hard blow from Jenie, then he'd fallen to the floor, and probably died.
But if he really died, did that mean he was in the afterlife? Was the afterlife not as terrifying as the old man next door used to talk about?
Some time passed, but Yohan still hadn't reacted.
He remained sitting on the bed, trying to find something that might answer the many questions in his mind.
And staring at the translucent screen still floating before him.
[Memory transfer will begin in 3... 2... 1]
Whoosh!
Until finally, once again, Yohan felt his head throb with pain. The pain grew unbearable as random memories surfaced in his mind.
Whose memories?
He'd never had a wife, let alone a child, but the system made his brain feel like it was carrying his soul to the past, depicting a series of tragedies experienced by the body's owner.
The more chaotic the memories, the worse his head hurt. He winced, nearly screaming out loud, then collapsed to the floor with his hands clutching his head.
"Am I inside someone else's body?" Yohan muttered, starting to piece together his tangled thoughts.
Yohan—yes, this body was also named Yohan, a twenty-year-old man. Once a respected young War General, but now... nothing more than trash.
His Mana Core had been stolen. His power was gone. And who stole it? Ayu, his own mistress.
After losing his strength, the original Yohan became brutal.
He started drinking, gambling, beating his wife and child, and spending what little fortune remained.
Until finally, he got into a fight with thugs and was beaten nearly to death.
And now... the soul of Yohan from the modern world occupied this body.
[Memory transfer... complete!]
"Hah... hah..." The new Yohan regulated his breathing. His head still throbbed, trying to process all this information.
[OnShop System has been activated]
[Welcome, User Yohan to the interdimensional Online Shop system.]
[Master has been given a system to help you become strong!]
[Master can purchase all needs and desires with points.]
[Points can be earned by completing missions]
[Use wisely]
[As an introduction, system is processing first mission...]
"So... I really did possess someone else's body? But... System? Missions? Points?"
"Mom... Dad's awake."
That small trembling voice broke through his thoughts again.
Yohan turned. The boy was maybe four years old, still standing beside Yohan's shabby bed with a fearful gaze.
This was Thomas. The child of this body's owner.
"Thomas, come here... don't bother your father."
A woman emerged from the kitchen direction.
Her voice was gentle but trembling with fear upon seeing Yohan conscious. She wore tattered clothes of rough fabric, but even in that state, her beauty couldn't be hidden.
Her face was pale, there was a bruise on her cheek, and her body was too thin.
Her name was Anne. The wife of this body.
Yohan could feel it through the body owner's memories—how he had tormented this woman. Hitting, insulting, even threatening to sell their child if Anne didn't hand over all her possessions.
'Bastard,' Yohan hissed internally. 'What kind of man could torture his own wife and child?'
Anne stepped forward hesitantly, carrying a small bowl of sago porridge. "Master... here's your food."
Her hand trembled as she placed the bowl beside the bed, as if afraid Yohan would hit her at any moment.
Yohan stared at the woman with mixed feelings. He wasn't the original body owner. But now, Anne and Thomas were his responsibility.
"You... eat it," Yohan said awkwardly, trying to make his voice sound as gentle as possible. "You look hungrier than me."
Anne flinched, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Wh-what?"
"I said, you and Thomas should eat. I'm already full," Yohan repeated.
"B-but Master just woke up. You need to eat—"
"Anne." Yohan looked at her seriously. "Don't make me repeat myself."
Tears began flowing down Anne's cheeks. She felt afraid of Yohan's words just now. For her, there was never a day without threats from Yohan.
"I'm not angry, so don't cry," Yohan said again.
He felt guilty for making the woman misunderstand. But Yohan knew if he didn't act this way, Anne wouldn't obey.
"A-alright," Anne finally whispered, her voice shaking.
Yohan smiled faintly, then looked at Thomas standing behind his mother, his body half-hidden.
"Thomas, come here," Yohan called gently.
The child hesitated, afraid his father would hit him as usual.
"Dad won't hurt you. Come here," Yohan said, extending his hand.
Slowly, Thomas stepped forward. His small hand touched his father's hand carefully.
Yohan pulled Thomas into his embrace, something the body's owner had never done before.
"Eat, you're so skinny," Yohan said as he released the hug. Actually, this was one way for Yohan to confirm that everything wasn't a dream.
Yohan's gaze was so gentle it stunned the small child, as well as Anne.
But because his behavior was unusual, they both felt afraid. Afraid that Yohan was planning something against them.
Thomas started crying, hugging his mother tightly and hiding from Yohan. "Dad... please don't hit me again," he pleaded.
"Alright, Dad won't hit Thomas again," Yohan quickly replied to calm the child.
Thomas blinked his eyes again—he'd just heard his father say he wouldn't hit him anymore. Was that real?
Anne, seeing this, felt confused. What was really happening? There was no way Yohan, her husband, could change this quickly.
Yohan looked at them both. Though it still felt awkward.
He had to understand where he was, build a good relationship with both Anne and Thomas. At least until he was strong enough to return to his world and take his revenge.
But then—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The house door was knocked hard, making the whole house shake.
"Yohan! Open the door, you coward!"
A rough, angry voice came from outside.
Anne immediately turned deathly pale. Her body trembled violently, her voice stuttering. "M-master... that's... that's..."
"Who?" Yohan asked with a furrowed brow.
"The-the loan shark Tando," Anne whispered, her voice barely audible. "He probably came to collect the debt."
"Debt?"
The body owner's memories surfaced again.
Yes, after losing his power, the original Yohan borrowed money everywhere. Gambling, drinking, womanizing. And the biggest debt was to a loan shark named Tando.
This Yohan, the body's owner, owed 50 gold coins.
An impossible amount to repay for a family that struggled even to eat once a day.
"Yohan! I know you're in there! Open up now or I'll break down your door!"
[First Mission has been processed...]
[First Mission: Save Your Family!]
[Reward: 100 points]