8. I want to go home

Dawn soon arrived. At the military camp of the Moonlight Empire, the command tent was filled with royal family members, generals, and distinguished scholars from five great dynasties.

The representatives of the Moonlight Empire, Great Prosperian Dominion ,the Domain of Chromatica, Tian Tzu Empire, and finally The Land of the Ancestors, all gathered.

The supreme commander, General Brightblade , sat at the head of the table. He glanced around at everyone in the tent before speaking, his voice calm and indifferent, showing no regard for the noble status of those present—some of whom had once been enemies battling him to the death on the battlefield.

"You must already know; the phenomenon last night was unprecedented. On the other side, the Immortal Sect has dispatched people to investigate. Meanwhile, the demon clans have secretly sent their creatures to infiltrate, and forces from Central Continent are lurking, ready to act."

"This is an internal matter of our five great dynasties. I do not want any foreign interference. What are your thoughts?"

The representatives of the royal families, as if prepared, spoke one by one.

"The Domain of Chromatica is in complete agreement."

"The Great Prosperian Dominion concurs."

"The Land of the Ancestors and the Domain of Chromatica agree as well. However, if we detect any external interference, this alliance will immediately dissolve."

Without hesitation, General Brightblade nodded in approval and stood up. "Agreed. A word is worth a thousand gold coins. Let us sign a pact ensuring that no foreign forces interfere with any of our sides."

Once everyone agreed, General Brightblade retrieved a flag and carefully said, "As you know, within a 20-mile radius of Strong Bull Mountain, a vast mist shrouds the area, making it impossible for anyone to go beyond five miles. According to descriptions, the mist engulfs the area, obscures all directions, and forces anyone who tries to enter to circle back out. It's as if there's a boundary separating the inside from the outside."

"This flag in my hand was retrieved from the center of last night's anomaly. It has the power to transport people from the center to the outside—and possibly, to allow entry as well."

"The scholars are unable to calculate anything; the heavens remain shrouded in mystery. This is likely the most dangerous place. Be prepared."

A solemn silence enveloped the tent.

A royal member of the Moonlight Empire standing behind General Brightblade spoke up. "We've already agreed to send the princes and princesses of the royal families to explore, with a maximum of 50 individuals. The Moonlit Dynasty will take 14 participants. Any objections?"

One of the scholars hesitantly asked, "May I see the flag?"

---

The sun rose higher, reaching its zenith.

At Tigers Leopard Manor, specifically in the backyard, a young man lay on a bed, clutching a pillow and sleeping soundly.

It was no wonder—his room was slightly chilly, his blankets warm, and combined with staying up late and exerting himself the previous night, he was utterly exhausted.

But a gentle breeze carried the fresh morning air, the chirping of birds, the scent of blooming flowers, and the serene ambiance of a high-altitude sea of clouds. It all seemed to beckon him to wake up.

"Oh, this feels amazing... Wait, it's Sunday, right?"

Noah Drake felt cozy and comfortable. Curling up in bed and stretching lazily, he thought to himself, "Why is the house so quiet today? Must still be early… But what time is it?"

Out of habit, he reached for the table beside his bed to grab his phone, but he couldn't find the table.

"Where's the table? It's not that far away. My phone… Where's my phone?"

He opened his eyes.

"Where… am I?"

He was lying in a bed, in an unfamiliar room with a strange ceiling above him. The only familiar thing was the clothes he was wearing.

"The events from last night…" He looked around. No one was there.

"System?"

A soft, playful, and energetic female voice echoed near his ear, responding to his absent-minded question:

"The All-Purpose Support System has been activated. Please select a function to use."

Looking at the summary screen before him, Noah murmured, "So, everything that happened last night wasn't a dream. I really did transmigrate… I transmigrated and got a system that looks just like a Windows interface."

He closed his eyes, trying to recall everything.

What a nightmare!

"System, where am I?"

"The host has not unlocked this function. You need to level up to access it. Currently, you may only inquire about issues within the manor."

"The voice has changed. It's not the same as last night… Hmm. Open notifications."

Countless green panels popped up, then disappeared one after another.

"Startup process: 3/5. Friendly features activated. The interface has been customized based on the host's preferences… Completed."

"Startup process: 4/5. Multi-language setup successful. You can now understand the local language."

"Startup process: 5/5. Manor control functions enabled. You may now set rules for the manor."

Feeling curious, Noah got out of bed and opened the door to his room. Outside, warm sunlight bathed the world, and the sky was clear. Below lay an expansive sea of clouds, presenting a breathtaking, majestic scene.

"So beautiful…"

"I'm on a mountain. A very high mountain."

"The entire manor has changed… Where are the bodies?"

The system's feminine voice chimed in again.

"All broken and outdated items have been disposed of by throwing them behind the mountain, following the old manor regulations."

Hearing this, Noah felt a strange sensation in his chest, his eye twitching involuntarily.

"Thrown behind the mountain? Everything? Is that okay? Dumping stuff into the environment like that… really?"

This time, the system's tone shifted to a calm and serious one, like a reliable assistant.

"Please rest assured, host. This process has been followed by the manor for hundreds of years without issue. Everything will naturally decompose within a few years and return to Mother Earth."

Noah… didn't know what to say. He felt as if his sense of reality was being twisted.

"What kind of ridiculous disposal method is this…"

The system replied confidently, still in its feminine tone.

"The process was executed perfectly according to the manor's customs, without any errors."

Feeling the harshness and primitiveness of this world, Noah shook his head.

"This otherworld is so brutal… so backward."

At the mention of this otherworld, Noah suddenly remembered something very important.

"What about the world I came from? My parents? I want to go home…"