27 . The life simulation (1)

The night was tranquil, and the still air carried the scent of flowers and grass, accompanied by the soft hum of insects.

Noah lay on his bed, feeling completely at ease. The remote wilderness, free of noise and lights, felt peaceful.

"System, activate the life simulation function."

The life simulation function was activated, and nine simulations remained.

Noah took a deep breath. "I only have nine tries left. I won't allow any more failures in the future."

"System, will the manor entering a freezing state interrupt the simulation?"

The system's features and functions will not conflict, and the simulation process will not be interrupted.

"Good. Proceed with the simulation."

Confirmed.

Creating character: male.

This character will have a 10% enhancement from the previous simulation.

Recommended traits for improvement: diligence and resilience, prioritizing loyalty and righteousness.

Entering simulation in 5 minutes.

...

The simulation will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

---

I am a child with no knowledge of who my parents are. From the moment I was born, I was abandoned in the wilderness.

However, by some stroke of luck, an old woodcutter found me and took me in. I was diligent and hardworking, remaining optimistic despite the hardships and poverty we faced.

There were five of us living in River and Wind Village, and although I was adopted, the bonds of family were strong between us.

At the age of 16, it was time for me to marry, but in our village, before marriage, we had to receive a blessing from the immortal elders who lived atop the mountain.

It was said that the mountain held an immortal sect, where people could fly through the clouds, and with their magical powers, they could even revive the dead. Every year, the immortals would visit the villages to bless the young men, ensuring they would have many descendants after marriage.

And if someone was fortunate enough to have an immortal fate, they would be taken to the sect to cultivate. The elders often said that if someone with an immortal destiny stayed in the mortal realm, they would inadvertently bring harm to those around them. Only the immortal sect could turn this danger into safety and make such people useful to the world. In our village, there were a few who had been taken by the immortals, and their families were greatly respected afterward. Almost all of the village's wealthiest families had someone who had left with the immortals.

I knew who I was. I didn't long for an immortal fate; I just wanted to live a peaceful life, marry the girl next door, Marie , and have many children. That would be more than enough.

The day finally came, and as expected, I didn't have an immortal destiny. But Marie did—and not just a small one, but a significant one. Before she left, she asked to meet me by the river. Under the moonlight, she kissed me and told me she wished I could have an immortal destiny too. With tears in her eyes, she left.

Before departing, she gave me a handkerchief embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks. She said our relationship was a doomed mortal affair and that immortals and mortals were meant to be separate. She promised we'd meet again where we could walk together once more.

After that, I wandered through life in a daze, unable to focus on anything. One day, while gathering firewood, I lost my way in the forest and fell into a deep crevice. When I regained consciousness, I found myself inside a long, deep cave. Looking up, the cliff was too high to climb out.

I had no choice but to venture deeper into the cave. At its end, I discovered a clear stream and a strange tree bearing peculiar fruit, surrounded by animal bones—and even human skeletons. This was clearly a demon's lair. But at that point, I no longer cared. Whether I met a demon or was eaten, it made no difference.

I approached, drank the water from the stream, and ate the fruit from the tree, indifferent to whether it was poisonous or not. Afterward, it seemed the beast that lived here had not yet returned.

In the corner of the cave, I found a shiny scroll that emitted a faint light. Inside, the reflective surface revealed my own haggard reflection. In the bottom right corner was an inscription: "There is something that seeks to harm you..."

Seeing how broken I had become, I came to my senses. I couldn't let my father and family down. This ill-fated relationship had run its course; forcing it would be pointless.

Returning to the cliff, I found a rope and slowly climbed back up.

From then on, I resumed my life as a woodcutter, no longer wandering like a lost soul. A year passed, and the pain began to fade. I had moved on.

At 18, I was arranged to marry a girl from the neighboring village named Eira Aeron . She was extremely beautiful, but no one dared approach her for fear of bad luck. In the past, she had a deep connection to the immortals, but due to some unknown mistake, she had lost her immortal fate and returned to the mortal world.

I didn't want to marry her, but to repay a debt for my elder brother, I reluctantly accepted the arrangement.

At 19, a year after we wed, I saw deep within her eyes a boundless ocean of resentment, despair, and anger. I could understand why, so I never touched her. Every evening, she would sit and watch the sunset, her gaze filled with sorrow. She was breathtakingly beautiful, like a celestial maiden—someone who truly didn't belong in this world. During these moments, I would bring her some fruit and quietly leave.

By the time I turned 20, she had finally come to terms with her situation. She began cooking, washing clothes, and taking care of our little household. On many days, she would join me in the forest to chop wood, gather herbs, and forage. I was content.

One summer evening in June, as the sun set beautifully on the horizon, two people dressed in magnificent robes descended from the sky. When they passed by, a powerful halo of light shot down toward my village. In the blink of an eye, everything—the ground, the village, and the people—was frozen solid and shattered like glass. What had once been a bustling village was now nothing more than a pile of frozen rubble, with a deadly cold spreading in all directions. Even from a great distance, I could feel the icy chill of death.