Gu Shen slowly opened his eyes. The bright light from the neon lights above him dazzled his vision, forcing him to squint to see his surroundings. Clean white walls and advanced medical equipment filled the room, giving it a futuristic look. Around his bed, high-tech monitors beeped slowly, displaying his vital signs in holographic form that floated in the air.
Confusion washed over him. "What's happening?" he thought. The last memory he had was of himself training in kickboxing at the gym. After a hard workout, he returned home and rested. But why was he now in the hospital? And not just any hospital, the technology here was far more advanced than anything he had ever seen.
Suddenly, a series of new memories flooded his mind, leaving him breathless. He saw himself in various scenes he had never experienced before. The name "Gu Shen" emerged in his thoughts, along with a clear image of a life he did not recognize. He had shifted to another world, a world filled with mutated creatures and humans with special powers. In this world, he was not just an ordinary man; he was Gu Shen, the sole descendant of the Gu Family, one of the 12 Great Families in the country.
Memories of the Gu Family continued to overwhelm him. This family was part of an alliance known as the "Alliance of Light and Darkness," a coalition formed to protect humanity from the threat of mutated creatures. Gu Shen remembered that his family was one of the most influential in this alliance, and they doted on him because he was the sole heir of the family.
So, it can be said that Gu Shen is a winner in life, with a silver spoon in his mouth. He doesn't need to worry about food, clothing, or even the laws of the land, because he is a descendant of a prominent family.
Gu Shen could only sigh, pondering how his name matched his previous life. Although sharing the same name, their fates were as different as night and day. Gu Shen in this life had a blessed existence, while his previous life could be described as less fortunate.
Setting aside his confusion for a moment, Gu Shen tried to recall how he ended up in this hospital. Slowly, memories began to surface in his mind, still fuzzy and incomplete.
Gu Shen remembered a girl who had always been by his side since childhood, a childhood friend whom he deeply loved. Her name was Lan Xue, the daughter of another prominent family within the Alliance of Light and Darkness. Like him, Lan Xue also hailed from one of the 12 Great Families. In their childhood, they shared many happy moments together, but as time passed, their relationship began to change.
As he recalled his memories, Gu Shen felt a jolt of surprise. A kind person, it seemed. Gu Shen had a beautiful childhood friend. However, as he delved deeper into his memories, Gu Shen felt an unease. According to his recollections, Gu Shen had exhibited a strong possessive nature towards his childhood friend.
There was a time when his childhood friend found another male friend besides Gu Shen, which enraged him and led to the destruction of that person's family. Lan Xue, upon learning of this event, started to despise Gu Shen. Despite knowing Lan Xue's feelings, Gu Shen remained indifferent and continued to pursue her.
Even he once declared that he would marry no one but Lan Xue. Gu Shen's memories shifted to others, many of which were not pleasant. In those memories, Gu Shen mostly oppressed the weak with his followers.
Seeing those memories, Gu Shen fell into a stunned silence. The people oppressed by Gu Shen were mostly those associated with Lan Xue, and if any man gazed at Lan Xue with desire, Gu Shen would make them suffer.
Although Gu Shen often oppressed others, he never oppressed women. Almost all of those he oppressed were men.
As Gu Shen looked at his memories, he started muttering in his heart, "This person is not normal!" His level of possessiveness had become extremely severe, to the point that merely a fleeting glance at Lan Xue by another man would immediately ruin that man's life. This is why Lan Xue detests Gu Shen so much.
Reflecting on his other memories, Gu Shen finally reached a point in their lives when they were both 18 years old, a time eagerly awaited by all descendants of the prominent family: the talent awakening ceremony. Gu Shen awakened an SSS-level talent, an extremely rare and extraordinary achievement. In contrast, Lan Xue only awakened a C-level talent, which, although very strong, still fell below Gu Shen's talent. Proud of his accomplishment, Gu Shen even announced to everyone after the awakening ceremony that he and Lan Xue would get married.
Gu Shen's words caused everyone who heard them to exclaim, and many felt envious of him – who wouldn't be envious when Lan Xue was renowned for her beauty at their school? Although these individuals were envious, they dared not speak up. Everyone was aware of Gu Shen's reputation. Given his nature, they might be buried today if they did. They could only feel sorry for Lan Xue, this beautiful girl; they feared her future might be filled with sorrow.
Hearing the comments of those around her, Lan Xue, usually calm and composed, appeared displeased. She felt pressured. However, as Lan Xue's mood worsened, that was when a man suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Ye Tian was a young man with a captivating aura and extraordinary strength. Without hesitation, Ye Tian embraced Lan Xue's waist confidently in front of Gu Shen, causing Gu Shen's blood to boil. Uncontrollable anger consumed him, clouding his mind and driving him to challenge Ye Tian to a duel. Gu Shen, fueled by the confidence from his newfound talent, felt invincible. However, a bitter reality quickly followed: Gu Shen was easily defeated by Ye Tian and ended up in the hospital.
Reflecting on this memory, Gu Shen suddenly felt a terrifying realization dawn on him. This plot, this situation, everything felt so familiar. Then, he realized the shocking truth: he was now in the body of a villain in a story he had read, a character who only lasted a few chapters before being eliminated by the protagonist, Ye Tian.