Chapter 0001 I Am Still Myself

“You’re just a civil servant, aren’t you? Last time you struck me, you used such a thick bolt of lightning, and this time you’ve gone even further. Damn, this is just a personal vendetta!” Brian Carter was alive again. The moment he opened his eyes, he didn’t even need to look at his surroundings to know that he had successfully crossed over once more. This kind of thing had become second nature to him; that feeling of recovering from a serious illness was already a clear sign.

“Ow... my head... Could this be a side effect?” But this time seemed a bit different from before, with more side effects. That made sense, though—after all, he was using a low-tier slot for transmigration, one he had gotten through trickery and bribery. The person who gave him these two slots had already said that this thing was a knockoff with no official certification. Not only did it lack full support from the Heavenly Court system, but if there were any quality issues, the manufacturer wouldn’t be responsible, and there was no after-sales service—not even returns. Brian Carter didn’t really have any complaints about the product’s performance; at least he made it through, and it didn’t seem like he was missing any parts. That was already pretty good. Most people could only dream of a free, voluntary transmigration—what more could he ask for?

“Crap, I’m dizzy... Never use uncertified products, don’t be greedy for small gains!!!” But before he could finish checking himself, Brian Carter’s condition started to go wrong. The light before his eyes faded, his body felt drained, and waves of dizziness crashed over him. Even biting his tongue couldn’t stop that out-of-body feeling. If only he had pen and paper, he would have written this down as his dying words to warn future generations: always value product quality, and never be greedy for cheap, uncertified goods—once you have it, you’ll regret it for life!

“Xiao Hong! Xiao Hong! Wake up...” Who knows how much time passed before an urgent voice sounded in his ear. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn’t recall who it was.

“Director Walker?” Brian Carter felt his eyelids were heavy and his whole body ached. After a long struggle, he finally managed to open one eye, and saw a chubby face—not just familiar, but someone he actually knew.

“Of course it’s me! Who else could it be? I’ve told you before, don’t go so far to fish, and if you must, wear more clothes. See, you’ve caught a cold! Hurry up, pack your things and let’s go down the mountain. If you feel too bad, I’ll take you to the hospital first.” As soon as the person saw Brian Carter wake up, the worry on his face vanished, replaced by impatience. He grabbed Brian Carter’s arm to pull him up while grumbling.

“I went fishing?” Brian Carter’s mind was a bit foggy. He remembered holding a beautiful woman in ancient costume, doing who knows what, and now he was suddenly back at work. And there was still a vague impression in his mind—the woman’s name was Grace Bennett, and she had even bitten his ear. Could such a vivid feeling really have just been a dream?

“Are you running a fever? Looks like it! Grab your stuff, I’ll take you to the hospital. You probably got caught in the rain, and it looks like you’re hurt too—your ear’s been scratched and it’s bleeding. Don’t bother with a band-aid, let’s get it treated at the hospital. And let me remind you again: no fishing during work hours. If you must go, get my approval first. Next time you sneak out, I’ll count it as absenteeism!”

The middle-aged man called Director Walker wasn’t too surprised by Brian Carter’s condition. This young man had only been at the company for half a year, but he worked well and got along with everyone—even better than some old employees. But he was too free-spirited, daring to sneak out fishing during work. It had happened before, but never with such serious consequences—gone all night, dumped all the work on him, and came back sick. As the supervisor of the operations station, he couldn’t turn a blind eye anymore. Brian Carter’s behavior was now a safety risk, and if something happened to him on the job, he’d be held responsible. He had to give a stern warning.