Chapter 1: In the Next Life, Don’t Be a Hero

"Yangzi, what are you doing here so late at night?" Cao Youxue asked the young man beside him with a cheerful smile, casually pushing open the car door. He stepped out, stretched lazily, and relieved his weary body.

Cao Youxue was twenty-six years old, a detective in the X City Police Department. Just a few days prior, he had cracked a drug case, successfully taking down a major drug lord hidden within X City, and received commendation from the provincial authorities.

The case, in itself, was quite bizarre. What began as a simple suicide was unraveled by a sharp-eyed detective, exposing a chain of murders. In the course of the investigation, the detective fell victim to a vicious attack, which infuriated Cao Youxue. Despite numerous obstacles after taking over the case—and even after being suspended from duty—he never gave up. He pressed on, stubbornly, even when left alone...

Yet, even he hadn't anticipated the truth would be this staggering.

A renowned entrepreneur celebrated throughout the province had turned out to be a notorious drug lord. Behind him, an enormous web of corruption and bribery was revealed.

Half the judiciary and law enforcement system of X City was implicated. Countless officials fell from grace, including high-ranking provincial and municipal leaders. This became the largest drug trafficking and corruption case ever uncovered in Central Province since the founding of the nation.

It took two full years to crack the case. During those years, Cao Youxue faced death countless times and endured immense pain. Now that it was finally over, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Standing beside the Xionger River Reservoir, gazing at the moonlit, rippling water, pride welled in his heart, tinged with an indescribable, faint sorrow.

Suddenly, a sense of foreboding struck him.

After two years of dancing with death, Cao Youxue’s instincts for danger had been honed to a razor’s edge. He dove aside almost reflexively, but at that very instant, a gunshot rang out behind him. A bullet pierced his back, hurling him to the ground.

Though he had reacted instinctively, the attack came far too suddenly.

He hit the ground hard, clutching his chest as blood streamed between his fingers. Raising his head, he stared in disbelief at the young man stepping down from the police car—Yangzi, pistol in hand, the barrel wreathed in fading smoke.

"Yangzi, you—"

Cao Youxue could not accept it. His most trusted comrade, his most capable partner, had shot him.

Under the moonlight, Yangzi’s face was expressionless as he looked down at Cao Youxue.

"Old Cao, I warned you before, didn’t I? Stop investigating. This case isn’t as simple as you think.

But you wouldn’t listen. You insisted on pressing forward. And what’s the result? Let me tell you, this case isn’t over. The ones you exposed are nothing but expendable scapegoats. You ruined big plans—how could they possibly let you walk away?"

In that instant, everything became clear to Cao Youxue.

All those close calls over the past two years… He’d often wondered how the enemy kept finding him. He’d suspected a mole and eventually uncovered one. But never had he imagined the greatest traitor was—

All those lingering doubts suddenly made perfect sense.

"Yangzi, you too—"

"Don’t blame me. I have a wife and child—and I love them dearly.

Old Cao, I truly admire you—your persistence, your so-called sense of justice… But what does that matter? The case seems solved, but you’re left all alone. As for your parents, I’m sorry for what happened. But if you have to blame someone, blame yourself for failing to adapt, for not seeing the world as it is… Old Cao, good men don’t live long. Heroes never meet good ends."

As Yangzi spoke, he raised the gun once more, aiming at Cao Youxue.

"In your next life, don’t try to be a hero!"

Bang!

With those words, a gunshot echoed over the Xionger River Reservoir, lingering in the night air…

Several days later, Cao Youxue’s body was found in the reservoir.

The police confirmed that Cao Youxue had died in a gangland reprisal. The provincial authorities immediately ordered a sweeping crackdown on organized crime and posthumously recognized Cao Youxue as a martyr.

At the memorial service, with Cao Youxue’s parents already deceased and no close relatives remaining, the Deputy Director of X City’s Public Security Bureau—Cao Youxue’s most trusted comrade and best friend, Zhang Yang—attended in the capacity of family, offering thanks to the leaders for their heartfelt condolences.

Old Cao, don’t blame me.

Good men die young, while evildoers last a thousand years…

You always said, "Heaven sees what men do." But now I stand here, and you are nothing but a restless soul… In your next life, I hope you won’t be a good man again.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

Cao Youxue cried out and opened his eyes, sitting bolt upright. His back was soaked in cold sweat, the damp fabric clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

"Peng’er, what’s wrong?"

His commotion must have startled the others in the room. A voice both strange and familiar sounded in the darkness, followed by a flash of flame as someone lit an oil lamp. The once pitch-black room filled with a dim glow, bringing Cao Youxue a small sense of security.

He exhaled deeply, wiping cold sweat from his forehead and gradually calming himself.

A simple, honest man in a cross-collared cloth robe hurried over, holding a celadon oil lamp shaped like a leaping carp, shielding the flame with his hand, anxiety clear in his expression. Behind him stood a woman of about thirty, her brows furrowed with worry. She sat on Cao Youxue’s other side, silent, but her caring gaze spoke volumes.

Cao Youxue broke into a bright smile and spoke softly, "Father… Mother… I’m fine."

Even after nearly twenty days in this world, Cao Youxue still struggled to adjust.

He’d thought he was doomed, but after that gunshot, he discovered, to his astonishment, that he was still alive.

But the world he inhabited was no longer the one he knew.

Nor was he the same person as before.

To be precise, the present Cao Youxue was a youth in his prime, only thirteen years old. Or, to put it mystically, his soul now occupied the body of a thirteen-year-old boy named Cao Peng.

Comrade Cao Youxue had always been an outstanding party member and a staunch atheist. Yet, faced with this bizarre turn of events, he couldn’t explain it. Was there truly some higher power at work?

If so, why did such powers not punish the wicked?

He could make no sense of it.

What he did know was this: he was no longer Cao Youxue, could never return to his former world, nor avenge his death.

In this world, he had a new name and a new family.

The honest man was named Cao Ji—not "Grass Chicken," but Ji as in "to draw water." It was said that when he was born, his mother (Cao Youxue’s grandmother) was fetching water at the well. Thus, he was named "Cao Ji," for drawing water.

He now had a new identity: in this world, Cao Ji was his father—his real father.

The woman sitting on his right was surnamed Zhang and had no given name. Before marrying Cao Ji, she was simply called "Miss Zhang"; after marriage, she became known as "Madam Zhang." In this era, unless born into wealth, women rarely had personal names.

Madam Zhang was born into a commoner’s family.

Cao Ji and Madam Zhang had a son and a daughter.

Their son, Cao Peng, was now inhabited by Cao Youxue’s soul; their daughter, known simply as "Miss Cao," was his elder sister, eighteen years old, married two years ago to a man named Deng Ji from Deng Village in Jiyang. When she married, Cao Ji even had a proper name bestowed on her: Cao Nan.

Since Deng Ji would receive his bride in southern Jiyang, and the family believed she lacked the element of wood in her birth chart, she was named Cao Nan.

Cao Youxue had never met this sister, but after his rebirth, had heard Madam Zhang mention her a few times. Over ten days ago, Cao Peng had suddenly fainted; when he awoke, his soul had been replaced by Cao Youxue’s.

Seeing the concern in the faces of these honest, devoted parents, warmth filled Cao Youxue’s heart.

"Father, I’m really fine. I just had a bad dream."

But his words only made Cao Ji and Madam Zhang more anxious.

The couple exchanged glances. Madam Zhang said, "Peng’er, don’t be afraid. Your father and I are here. Just sleep, child, there’s nothing to worry about."

"Yes, it’s late. Get some rest, Peng’er. Your mother and I will stay with you."

In his previous life, Cao Youxue was so busy with work he rarely spent time with his parents. Because of that earth-shattering case, he even brought misfortune upon them—a guilt that still gnawed at him.

Though these young parents were strangers, the body his soul now inhabited owed its very existence to them—a bond of blood that could never be severed.

This stirred a profound sense of reliance in his heart.

Hearing their gentle, comforting words, his heart, shaken by the nightmare, grew calm again.

He closed his eyes and lay back down, feeling the tender warmth as Madam Zhang gently covered him with the quilt.

"Dear, ever since Peng’er woke up, he’s been having nightmares. This can’t be a good sign," Madam Zhang whispered.

"I know. Peng’er has always been frail, and after that sudden fainting spell, these constant nightmares worry me. Maybe he’s run into something unclean… Perhaps I should go to Zhongyang Mountain in a few days and fetch some talisman water from the Immortal’s temple. I heard the Immortal from Zhongyang Temple is very skilled—just recently, Old Wang’s boy got better after drinking the talisman water," replied Cao Ji.

The couple’s quiet conversation drifted through the room.

Cao Youxue, appearing fast asleep, heard every word.

Since awakening, he had tried, through subtle questions, to learn about the world and era he now inhabited. But neither Cao Ji nor Madam Zhang could say much. All he knew was that they lived in Zhongyang Town, at the foot of Zhongyang Mountain, under the jurisdiction of Nanyang Commandery.

Nanyang Commandery?

Throughout China’s long history, many dynasties had a Nanyang Commandery.

At the very least, Cao Youxue was certain he was still in China. But as for the precise era? That remained a mystery.

Cao Ji and Madam Zhang’s murmurs shifted from temple water to everyday matters.

Suddenly, Cao Ji said, "Today, Old Wang across the way told me that Governor Liu of Jingzhou and General Little Zhang have stopped fighting—they might even form an alliance."

Governor Liu of Jingzhou? General Little Zhang?

Cao Youxue’s heart skipped a beat. A vague answer began to take shape in his mind.

Today was the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

With this new book, I wish everyone a happy new year, may all your endeavors be auspicious and bright.

A new year, a new beginning. I hope this novel can achieve good results. Favorites, recommendations, clicks… I welcome them all. Thank you for your support!