Chapter 1 A Second Chance

It all happened so quickly.

Before he could react Hou Jiayi fell to his knees. His vision blurring as he felt the rain sting against his skin and the cold side walk against his face. He could feel his life slipping from him. With the last moments of his life Hou thought about everything he had accomplished. The first in his family to pursue education, the first of his family to move to a city, the first in his family to escape the suffocation of poverty...and yet here he was. Dying on the street. 

What had he done to deserve this? Well he actually had a pretty good idea. It was all too coincidental that mere days ago he had taken concerns regarding XX pharmaceutical's new line of so called cancer treatments to a local watchdog. They were also the only ones that came to mind when he wondered who would be able to slip him an odourless, tasteless poison. The taste of iron was filling his mouth now. Hou knew he couldn't have that much longer. One, maybe two minutes, and yet all he could think about was his regret. He wasn't able to stop XX pharmaceutical. If only he was more powerful. If he ever lived again he wouldn't let himself be silenced. He would live for himself and carve a path of morality. 

"I have heard your wish"

Rolling over, Hou looked to the sky and amongst the fog enclosing his vision there remained a single clear...Qilin? No it couldn't be. Stretching out his arm towards the shape Hou felt the rest of his energy drain.

"Is this...heaven?"

Hou stood there surrounded by emptiness. The suit he had been wearing was now a white robe, and there in front of him was the Qilin he had seen in his last moments. 

"What...what am I doing here?"

The Qilin bowed towards Hou. 

"You who sort to be more. To help more. To do more. I have heeded your call. While I can not return you to your own earth I can bring you to another. One where you may live as you wish. One where you can save lives."

Hou couldn't believe what he had heard. He could live again!? But what of his family. What of those he left behind?

"Fear not child. Those who survive you will go on. They will be sad but they will heal, and they will remember you, but not forever, and that is the fate of all. Step into this new world without regrets and with a wish to live anew, not clinging to the life you once lead."

While it was painful, Hou knew the Qilin was right. This was a chance to reincarnate. He couldn't let himself be tied down to the past of someone he was no longer going to be. Standing with more confidence now he turned to face his saviour.

"Take me."