Volume One: The Future Can Be Seized

Brief Introduction

　　The Past and the Beginning

　　At a temporary parking spot by the South Ring Road, a car sat quietly. Looking out through the car window, the sky was already dim, with wisps of rain like mist and a hazy veil of moisture.

　　Nathan Thompson was sitting in the car, watching the sidewalk by the road. There weren’t many pedestrians. Suddenly, the scene brightened as the streetlights on both sides lit up. He looked up at the lights and gave a bitter smile, then began to speak.

　　"Jade Ruyi!"

　　Instantly, a jade ruyi about an inch in size appeared out of thin air before him. The ruyi was densely engraved with mysterious characters, three of which glowed like indicator lights. The jade ruyi was almost transparent, with a purple light flowing inside it like water, filling about one-third of it and illuminating the entire car.

　　Nathan Thompson stroked the jade ruyi affectionately, counting the twenty-four engraved symbols on it. Gradually, an expression of deep regret and remorse appeared in his eyes.

　　The first character represents abundance, which stands for the accumulation of wealth.

　　The second character is a type of energy that can strengthen one's physique and sexual ability.

　　The third character is a prophetic and revealing symbol, often bringing warnings about fate.

　　After caressing it for a long time, his gaze turned resolute.

　　"Ruyi, Ruyi, follow my will, reveal my destiny."

　　The third symbol on the jade ruyi shone even brighter, flickering in the air. He saw a blueprint of the entire South Ring Road parking area, but all around was pitch black, and countless dark dots were moving toward the parking spot. A flood of information poured into his mind.

　　"If there is a next life, I absolutely must not reveal this secret again. What a pity, I’ve only unlocked three symbols. If I could unlock all twenty-four, how much power would I have?" Setting down the jade ruyi, Nathan Thompson gave a bitter smile.

　　He was, after all, young. He had stumbled upon this treasure by chance. It was very similar to the ruyi in the ancient animated series "Calabash Brothers"—as more characters were unlocked, it could alter reality within a certain range, much like a wish-granting spell.

　　The only problem was that the ruyi’s functions required him to accept the wishes of others. Each time he fulfilled one, he would gain some power, much like merit. When enough merit was accumulated, he could unlock a character—for example, the first character could consume a certain amount of power to increase wealth, and the second could improve health and enhance vitality.

　　Of course, he could also draw power from the host to replenish it, but this method was much slower and weaker.

　　This treasure allowed him, a graduate from a third-rate university, to gain wealth in a short time. However, because he was not discreet and, in order to gain more merit, had obviously done many things against convention, he attracted the attention of those with ulterior motives. After an investigation, his secret was finally discovered.

　　A car entered from the entrance. Nathan Thompson lit a cigarette, his hand trembling slightly. He struck a match and took a deep drag.

　　He used his power to foresee what would happen three minutes later. The car, which appeared to be an ordinary vehicle coming to park, would actually, upon approaching his car, have three armed men jump out, open his car, and arrest him. His girlfriend Susan Clark was also in the car, probably as a precaution.

　　He then used half his remaining power to predict his own outcome. If arrested, he would die three years later, and those three years would be an unbearable existence as a lab rat. Although he was terrified of death, the life of a lab rat was even more horrifying.

　　The car slowly approached. Inside were several young men and women, who looked very ordinary and even glanced over naturally. Nathan Thompson dropped his cigarette, rolled down the window, and, facing the car now only a meter away, gave a faint, mysterious smile: "Hi, my friends, let’s go to hell together!"

　　As he spoke, his sweat-soaked left hand pressed down without hesitation. This was the explosive he had obtained through foresight, and it was the greatest resistance he could muster.

　　"Boom!"

　　A blast blew the car apart, sending it flying into the air and blowing off the garage roof. The approaching car was also blasted away, engulfed in flames and thick smoke, shattered to pieces.

　　A woman, Susan Clark, behind the car was also badly injured, bleeding profusely. Her consciousness grew dim. She knew she was dying. Memories of her twenty-some years flashed rapidly through her mind, and her entanglement with Nathan Thompson passed by in an instant, finally settling on her parents’ faces.

　　Susan Clark choked out weakly, " Nathan Thompson, even though I was the one who revealed your secret, I hate you even more. If it weren’t for you, how would things have ended up like this? Mom, Dad, I can’t be filial to you anymore..."

　　With that thought, her mind went blank, her pupils dilated, and finally, all was silent.

Chapter One: Descent

　　In the darkness, the sound of wind rose all around, and thunder rumbled, drawing nearer from afar.