Within the next week, An Guang gradually came to understand his current situation.
For example, he had died—but now he was alive again, inside someone else’s body, living under someone else’s identity. In short: reincarnation.
For example, his current identity was the second son of the Lian family. His father had been a soldier, but had “checked out” a few years ago. His mother also passed away half a year ago. Shortly after that, the original owner of this body had an accident. Now there was an older brother above him and a younger sister below him.
And further—for example—this world was separated from the one he once lived in by three thousand years. After the great disaster three thousand years ago, humanity was nearly wiped out. Later, although some survived, the lingering viruses in the air transformed human bodies. Compared to men, women were far weaker physically. That catastrophe nearly brought women to extinction. Afterward, the surviving population had a ratio of 8:2 male to female, and humanity could no longer reproduce.
Human life was limited. If women could not bear children, then inheritance of bloodlines was impossible, meaning humanity would eventually go extinct. Once again, despair engulfed the post-apocalyptic world.
But then, a new kind of people appeared.
Within their bodies existed a strange organ that allowed them to become pregnant, regardless of gender. These people were later called “Natural Bodies.”
Their existence brought hope back to humanity.
However, although Natural Bodies could conceive, their bodies were too fragile. Even pregnancy was unstable—fetuses could not remain in the womb. After three months, embryos had to be surgically removed and raised in special artificial environments using technology.
Even though Natural Bodies were weak and rare, they were still better than complete extinction.
Later, with technological development, humanity also invented a method to combine cells—sperm or eggs—from men and women, or even same-sex combinations, to create embryos. But survival rates were very low.
Natural Bodies could conceive, but they were extremely rare—only about 3% of the population, meaning only three out of every hundred people.
As for how the original body owner died…
Looking at the wrist device that resembled a watch but was actually a quantum brain computer, even the usually calm An Guang couldn’t help grinding his teeth inwardly.
After retrieving his “light brain” from those two doctors, he spent two days roughly learning how to operate it. Through the AI assistant, he finally learned the truth about this body’s original owner.
Lian Qiguang, 16 years old, a first-year student at Qingdi Military Academy, majoring in battlefield rescue—in simpler terms, a military medic.
This kid had a timid and introverted personality, disliked interacting with others, and always wore a gloomy expression. He drifted through campus like a ghost. Naturally, he wasn’t liked.
At some point, while being bullied, a tall, handsome “prince charming” appeared and saved him—at least in Lian Qiguang’s eyes.
From then on, it was love at first sight, then deeper attachment, then devotion to the point of “no one else but him.”
But then his mother suddenly fell ill and was dying. Before dying, she told him he had a fiancé, who would come to take him away once he turned seventeen.
The boy completely broke down.
He cried and confessed to his “prince charming,” and the result… was exactly what one would expect: nothing.
Heartbroken and despairing, he gave up on life.
Later, he was tricked and coerced by a group of reckless bastards and dragged into the Fifth District. He almost lost both his life and his dignity. Fortunately, he was rescued at the critical moment—but the identity of the rescuer wasn’t recorded.
After reading all this, An Guang stared at the ceiling for a long time before finally exploding:
“Damn useless kid!”
If he had met this kind of person in the apocalypse, he would have cut them down without hesitation.
But that wasn’t the important part.
The important part was—he was about to be “married off,” right? RIGHT?!
In the apocalypse for forty-five years, he never even gave away his first time—and now, in the blink of an eye after waking up, he was being packaged and shipped out?!
An Guang stared at the ceiling with a wooden expression, unable to calm the storm inside his heart.
“Creak.”
The door opened. A tall, handsome man with a cold expression walked in and looked at him.
An Guang lifted his head expressionlessly. Who… was this?
“Get ready. Come with me,” the man said coldly, then said nothing more.
An Guang tilted his head. “You are… who?”
The man paused slightly. “You don’t remember?”
A nod.
“I don’t.”
After staring at those blank, straight eyes for a moment, the man frowned slightly.
“Lian Yucheng. Your older brother.”
Lian Yucheng?
An Guang’s fingers instinctively touched the bridge of his nose.
That was the brother who, after their father died, gave up a military academy spot and entered business to support the family?
As An Guang lowered his head in thought, Lian Yucheng’s cold eyes softened slightly.
“Let’s go. We’re going home.”
“Okay.”
He nodded blankly and began packing.
………………………………
After packing his few belongings, he followed Lian Yucheng out of the hospital.
The moment he stepped outside, An Guang almost failed to maintain his expressionless face.
Strange, towering buildings. Dense skyways crisscrossing above like a spiderweb. And above that, flying vehicles streaking through the sky.
“Let’s go,” Lian Yucheng said, opening the door. Following An Guang’s gaze, he added, “The flying vehicle is under maintenance today. We’ll take a car.”
“Okay.”
Still expressionless—though only if one ignored how stiff his face had become.
He got into the car and sat down. As the engine started, the vehicle shot forward.
An Guang’s heart tightened slightly, and he unconsciously gripped the edge of his clothes.
“Mother’s funeral has already been held. You slept for half a year and didn’t make it in time. Find a day to visit her grave,” Lian Yucheng said calmly.
“Okay.”
“You fell behind in your studies. You’ll have to repeat a year.”
“Okay.”
“Xiao Xiao will transfer to the school next to yours this year. Even if you don’t take care of her, you’re not allowed to bully her.”
“Okay.”
“And—Xiahou Shaoxuan. Even if you don’t want this, there’s nothing I can do. Against the Xiahou family… I can’t protect you.”
An Guang paused. “Who is Xiahou Shaoxuan?”
Lian Yucheng’s hand hesitated slightly.
“Your fiancé.”
“………………”
An Guang went silent.
“After you return, prepare yourself. In one week, when you turn seventeen, the Xiahou family will hold a banquet to announce your engagement.”
Lian Yucheng paused again.
“If you marry into the Xiahou family, you can do whatever you want. On the entire Blue Star, you can walk sideways. With the Xiahou family backing you, no one will dare touch you.”
An Guang remained silent.
Seeing no response, Lian Yucheng also stopped speaking. The atmosphere inside the car became strangely tense.
No one knew how long passed before An Guang slowly raised his head and looked at him seriously.
“Can I be the one who marries him instead?”
The steering wheel jerked.
The car swerved in an S-shape.
“……………………………” Lian Yucheng