Reincarnation through time travel

Ye Fan's eyes snapped open as the bright sunlight streamed through the window, causing him to instinctively squint. However, he quickly sat up, his sharp gaze full of alertness as he surveyed his surroundings.

The small room, barely ten square meters in size, was neat and tidy. Next to the single bed was a desk, piled high with old, worn books—there were easily hundreds of them. In a larger room, such a collection might not have stood out, but here, in such a confined space, the sheer number of books created a striking impression.

Ye Fan couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise. His wary gaze lingered on the mountain of books, and a look of bewilderment slowly crossed his face.

Click, click...

The sharp sound of high heels striking the hard cement floor echoed rhythmically, growing louder as it approached. The sound sent a shiver down Ye Fan's spine, instantly pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Dragon Lady!"

Ye Fan blurted out, the words escaping his lips before he could stop them.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a flicker of confusion crossed his face, as if he didn't quite understand why this nickname had suddenly come to mind.

But the confusion didn't last long. An overwhelming flood of chaotic memories surged from the depths of his mind, causing his eyes to lose focus.

"What did you just call me, you little brat?"

With a sharp bang, the bedroom door was flung open. A voluptuous, beautiful woman stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. She was dressed in a knee-length red dress, her features stunning, and her entire demeanor exuded mature charm.

Ye Fan sat on the bed, his eyes vacant, showing no reaction to the scene before him.

Seeing this, the woman's brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of "murderous intent" flashed in her eyes. Without a word, she strode over to the bed with swift, confident steps, her high heels clacking loudly on the floor. She expertly grabbed Ye Fan by the ear and yelled furiously.

"You little punk! Three days without a beating, and you're already causing trouble! Today is the first day of classes at Tianlan Academy, and you dare to sleep in? If you miss the boarding time, the spot I worked so hard to get for you will be wasted!"

As she spoke, the woman twisted Ye Fan's ear even more, though she eventually relented and let go.

"Ow..."

Ye Fan yelped in pain, a spark of awareness returning to his eyes. He grabbed the woman's hand, shouting, "It hurts, it hurts! Teacher Li, go easy on me! You're going to tear my ear off!"

Li Nianhan looked at the boy, who was pretending to be helpless, his eyes glinting with mischief. With a sigh, she released his ear and lightly knocked him on the forehead, scolding, "Don't play the victim with me; I know you too well."

"Heh heh..."

The boy chuckled, rubbing his forehead, his eyes filled with a deep attachment as he gazed at Li Nianhan.

"Alright, get up quickly. You don't want to miss the boarding time."

The boy's attachment melted away the last of Li Nianhan's frustration. She reached out and ruffled his shiny black hair, speaking gently.

"Okay..."

The boy nodded, watching Li Nianhan's figure as she walked into the morning light. The attachment in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a weariness that seemed far beyond his years. Behind that weariness was a complex mix of emotions—bitterness, anger, excitement—all swirling together like a storm.

"The Golden Society... I survived by a stroke of luck, but this time, I'll make sure you're utterly destroyed!" Ye Fan took a deep breath, a fierce determination flashing in his deep-set eyes. The intensity of it caused his body to tremble slightly with excitement.

He quickly got dressed and washed up. Slinging the bag he had packed earlier over his shoulder, Ye Fan turned and left the bedroom. Just before stepping out, he glanced back at the room that was both familiar and strange, sighed softly, and then walked into the morning light without looking back.

At the entrance of Hansheng Orphanage, a sky-blue spaceship was parked. The ship was circular, resembling a giant disc, with a diameter of over twenty meters.

In front of the spaceship, a group of fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds stood in neat rows with their bags slung over their shoulders. They were chatting excitedly, their voices buzzing with anticipation for the journey ahead.

Li Nianhan, dressed in a red business suit, was busy maintaining order and counting heads, making sure no one was left behind. Just then, Ye Fan emerged from the orphanage, walking at a leisurely pace with a small bag slung over his shoulder.

Seeing this, Li Nianhan couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration. She quickly walked over to Ye Fan and whispered harshly, "You little brat, hurry up! You're the last one we're waiting for."

Ye Fan glanced at the group, then grinned and jogged over to join the line. Li Nianhan shot him a stern look before turning back to the front of the group. She cleared her throat, and once all eyes were on her, she began to speak.

"The destination of this trip is something I'm sure you all know by now. That's right, it's Tianlan Academy!" Li Nianhan smiled as she looked at the eager faces before her.

"Wow... It's really Tianlan Academy!"

"I've heard there are so many gene warriors there. If we work there, maybe we can become gene warriors too!"

As soon as Li Nianhan finished speaking, the line of youngsters erupted into excited chatter. They all started talking at once, expressing their joy. Ye Fan stood among them, a slight smile on his face, but he wasn't nearly as excited as the others.

"Ye Fan, you don't seem very excited. Wasn't going to Tianlan Academy always your dream?" Chu Xue gently tugged on Ye Fan's sleeve and asked softly.

Ye Fan turned his head slightly, and the pure face of a young girl came into view. Chu Xue was only fourteen or fifteen, but her budding beauty was already apparent.

"Heh, becoming a gene warrior isn't that easy. Even among the students at Tianlan Academy, only one in a thousand can become a gene warrior. For us, who are just going there to do odd jobs, the chances are even slimmer," Ye Fan chuckled self-deprecatingly, revealing a set of white teeth that gleamed in the morning light, giving him an aura of vitality.

"No matter how difficult it is, I believe you'll succeed!" Chu Xue said firmly, her eyes shining with determination as she stared at Ye Fan.

"Haha… of course!"

Ye Fan waved his hand, his white teeth reflecting the sunlight, his face full of confidence.

Seeing this familiar sight, Chu Xue giggled, her face filled with happiness. It seemed that Ye Fan's success was her greatest joy.

After the youngsters had excitedly chatted for a while, Li Nianhan raised her hand, and they immediately fell silent, their eyes eagerly fixed on her.

"There's no need for me to say much more. This opportunity didn't come easily. Although you're going to Tianlan Academy for work, you'll also have some time to study. If you seize the chance and learn real skills, you'll be able to secure a good future for yourselves. Remember, Hansheng Orphanage will always be your home, and its doors will always be open for you..."

As Li Nianhan spoke, the excitement on the children's faces gradually gave way to a sense of reluctance. They were all orphans, most of whom had spent a long time at Hansheng Orphanage—some had even lived there since birth. To them, the orphanage was home, the warmest place in their memories.

However, the orphanage had its own rules. Even though the Aedis Federation was prosperous, it couldn't care for these orphans forever. In the Federation, most orphans from orphanages were sent into society to do simple jobs when they turned fifteen.

This practice served two purposes: to ease the financial burden on the Aedis Federation government, and to give these orphans some social experience before they reached adulthood, so they wouldn't struggle to make a living when they grew up.

Of course, these simple jobs varied in quality, and the orphans from Hansheng Orphanage were undoubtedly lucky. Tianlan Academy was the only advanced institution on Tianlan Star and the oldest academy in human history. The work there was not only easy, but they could also attend classes in their free time. If they made the most of this opportunity, it could even change the course of their lives.

As the spaceship roared to life, a ramp extended down to the ground. Li Nianhan's gentle farewell came to an end as she waved her hand, signaling the children to line up and board the ship.

Watching these familiar figures disappear one by one through the spaceship's door, Li Nianhan's eyes began to glisten with tears. What awaited these children once they left the protective shell of the orphanage?

Glory, shame, success, failure, life, and death!

All of it was beyond her control now, for she was just a small orphanage teacher. She didn't have the power to change the fate of these children. All she could do was make sure they learned useful skills while they were at the orphanage, so they could step into a better place when they left.

"Teacher Li, I'll miss you!"

Ye Fan suddenly hugged Li Nianhan around the waist, rubbing his head against her chest a few times, speaking with a tone full of reluctance.

Li Nianhan ruffled Ye Fan's shiny black hair. Normally, she would have pushed this cheeky brat away and given him a good knock on the head for trying to take advantage of her. But at this moment, she couldn't bring herself to push him away. The cheeky brat seemed to know this, and he continued to rub against her, refusing to stop.

Thud...

Finally, Li Nianhan, now a bit exasperated, knocked Ye Fan on the forehead and pushed his head away from her chest, scolding, "Don't come back unless you become a gene warrior!"

Ye Fan grinned, holding his head, and boarded the spaceship. Chu Xue, who had been watching with a mischievous smile, covered her mouth and giggled as she followed him. Just as they were about to enter the spaceship, Chu Xue lightly poked Ye Fan's arm and asked with a puzzled expression, "Does rubbing against Teacher Li feel that good? Why do you always want to do it?"

Ye Fan stumbled, nearly tripping over his own feet. His face flushed red, and without turning back, he quickly disappeared into the spaceship.