002 The Unlucky Seven

Xie Yihuang was an obedient child, but when she was born, her family’s circumstances were poor, and her mother’s diet was rough and plain. This resulted in Xie Yihuang being born prematurely and malnourished. To borrow a line from “Dream of the Red Chamber,” Xie Yihuang was the sort of person who needed medicine from the moment she was born, and never stopped needing it once she learned to eat solid food.

It was difficult enough for her to survive until the age of eight, but just recently, after following the adults to the seaside to gather shellfish, she accidentally caught a cold and developed a fever. It seemed she wouldn’t make it, but unexpectedly, she survived. However, the soul inside her body was now that of the adult Xie Yihuang.

She sighed again. How had she been reborn? And if so, why this particular body? She rubbed her eyes in disbelief and pinched her arm. The pain told her that no matter how she tried to deny it, she had really turned from a thirty-year-old woman into an eight-year-old girl.

She used to think those time-travel novels she’d read were nothing but nonsense. Only now that she’d experienced it herself did she realize that the mysteries of the world could never be explained with mere words.

She clapped her hands, deciding to accept her fate. Since she couldn’t go back, she might as well see what compensation she’d received.

There was no need to explain the compensatory space—it was simply a static dimension, useful only for storing things. Yet it had one advantage: time was frozen within. Anything placed inside would remain exactly as it was when taken out. For a food lover like Xie Yihuang, this was wonderful—now she could store delicacies without worrying about them spoiling.

As for the compensatory pills, she’d already taken the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Remembering there was also the Power Pill, she took it out. It looked a bit like a dull, gray M&M from the future, so she popped one into her mouth.

Afterward, she decided to test the effects. She simply grabbed a stool with one hand—no problem. Then she tried the wooden bucket full of water, then the water vat under the eaves. After a series of tests, she was sure she’d become a genuine strongwoman.

Xie Yihuang was quite satisfied with this result. At the very least, with such strength, she wouldn’t have to worry about being bullied as she grew up.

At last, her gaze fell upon a red button in the upper right corner of her space.

She pressed it again and found herself in a group chat.

This group was dedicated to the seven of them—the seven unlucky souls. They were called unlucky because all seven had had their lifespans mistakenly erased by a confused intern.

The first time they met was in the Underworld. They had come from all over, with different backgrounds and jobs, people who would never have crossed paths in life. Their shared fate brought them close together as friends.

When the matter was resolved, each went on to live her new life in a different world.

The space before her, and this special group chat, were the Underworld’s compensation for the seven of them. They were told from the start that they could share resources from their respective worlds by sending gifts and red envelopes.

Though Xie Yihuang had no idea where the others ended up, she decided to leave a message first.

“1980s Xie Yihuang: I’ve landed successfully. I’m eight years old now. Waiting for replies from you all.”

“Yan Qingqing of Dayan Dynasty: Xiao Huang, you arrived so fast!”

“1980s Xie Yihuang: I’m just a little bean sprout now. Maybe that’s why it was quick. Qingqing, what about you? How are things on your side?”

“Yan Qingqing of Dayan Dynasty: I’m in a place called the Dayan Dynasty. I’ve never read about this dynasty in any of my history books, so I suppose it’s an unknown time and space. I’m a little illegitimate daughter in the family of the Assistant Minister of Revenue, and in a few days, I have to participate in the palace selection.”

This piqued Xie Yihuang’s curiosity.

“1980s Xie Yihuang: Is it like those palace intrigue dramas? Are you going to compete in the palace?”

“Yan Qingqing of Dayan Dynasty: Palace intrigue, my foot! Someone like me, if I entered the harem and got involved in palace schemes, I wouldn’t survive a single chapter in those novels—I’d be cannon fodder. So I’m figuring out how to get eliminated.”

“Liu Xianger of the 22nd Century: Xiao Huang, Qingqing, you’re both so fast. I’m lucky—I’m still in the 22nd century, but it’s a parallel universe. The original me was pretty well off, with a ten-million inheritance and a small company worth over a hundred million.”

“1980s Xie Yihuang: [Envy] I’m so envious I could die.”

“Yan Qingqing of Dayan Dynasty: [Envy] I’m so envious I could die.”

“Bing Ying of the Interstellar Era: [Envy] I’m so envious I could die.”

“Yan Qingqing of Dayan Dynasty: Bing Ying, you’ve landed too! In the interstellar world? Is it full of mechas and spaceships?”

“Bing Ying of the Interstellar Era: More or less. The original me here was the only female general in this world, able to operate three mechas at once. This time, I died because I pushed myself too hard in battle, overusing my mental strength while piloting.”

“1980s Xie Yihuang: Suddenly I envy all of you. At least you’re all adults. I’m just an eight-year-old bean sprout and have to start all over from first grade.”

“Liu Xianger of the 22nd Century: There’s still Du Wushuang, Hu Xiaomei, and Jin Coral.”

“Jin Coral of the Primal World: You think you’re unlucky? I’m the truly unlucky one! I landed in the primal world—eating raw food, wearing fur, can’t understand the language. What am I supposed to do?”

“1980s Xie Yihuang: You actually landed in the primal world?”

“Liu Xianger of the 22nd Century: [Helpless] Just think of it as a breath of fresh air. The air in the primal world must be good.”

“Jin Coral of the Primal World: [Soldier] Ha ha.”

“Du Wushuang of the Cultivation World: Landed successfully.”

“Jin Coral of the Primal World: Wushuang, you actually ended up in a cultivation world? You’re so lucky! I want to become immortal too.”

“Du Wushuang of the Cultivation World: Dream on. The original me here was just a menial disciple in the Medicine Valley, with mixed spiritual roots. Becoming immortal? I’m only at the initial stage of Qi Refining, and I’m bullied by even the outer disciples.”

“Hu Xiaomei, Celestial Fox of the Demon Realm: At least you’re all human. I’m a fox! What is this mess? White Wuchang, come out and explain!”

Hu Xiaomei’s complaint summoned the group owner, White Wuchang.

“Group Owner White Wuchang: Ahem. Actually, you don’t need to type. Just turn the button on the side to the right, and you can start a video chat.”

Hu Xiaomei popped up first in the video. A silver fox tail mark adorned her forehead, and a pair of white fox ears stood atop her head.