Chapter 4: Back to Ancient Times as a Prince?

The countdown had ten minutes left—a seemingly long and torturous stretch for someone waiting for the arrival of the unknown.

The guest room was dimly lit. Huang Wei leaned against the TV cabinet, neither in a hurry to leave nor attempting to strike up a conversation with Ren Ye. He simply smoked quietly.

“…What are you planning to do later?” Ren Ye finally broke the silence.

“Report your situation, then go home and play some games,” Huang Wei replied nonchalantly.

Ren Ye tried to suppress his fear and distraction, attempting to focus on anything else, so he asked offhandedly, “Haven’t you married yet?”

“Divorced.”

“Why?”

“My wife and I are both sentimental people. After ten years of marriage, we realized a horrifying truth,” Huang Wei said, his face partially obscured by smoke, seemingly unfazed by the mention of his personal pain. “We found that after ten years, all that was left between us was…the act itself. No love. That truth was hard to accept, so we amicably divorced.”

“Hah, makes sense,” Ren Ye chuckled, then continued, “Did you two have kids?”

“At first, we didn’t plan for any. Later, when we wanted one, there was no love left.”

“You and your wife are quite the romantics. People always say marriage eventually turns into kinship. Why did you take it so seriously?”

“Uh, that’s true. Most people choose to settle for that…but we didn’t.”

The two continued their casual chat in the dim room, never once bringing up anything about the Star Gate.

Huang Wei’s career and personal life hadn’t gone well in recent years, so he wasn’t a talkative person by nature. Yet, he stayed and chatted with Ren Ye for nearly ten minutes.

When the time felt right, Huang Wei stubbed out his cigarette and gave Ren Ye a casual wave. “I’m off. Best of luck to you.”

“Take the letter on the table. If I don’t come back…give it to my dad,” Ren Ye said, still sitting on the bed.

Huang Wei picked up the letter Ren Ye had written—a “final note”—and walked to the door.

But just as he reached the door, he stopped and tossed the letter onto the mini-fridge. “I don’t think you’ll need this. The love you have for your dad—tell him in person.”

“…!” Ren Ye froze for a moment.

Huang Wei turned to him. “The rules and details of the Star Gate are in the notebook I gave you. Beyond that, I can’t help you. But you’re a capable guy. You adapted to life on the border and in prison. So what’s an unknown world? Treat it as another mission and keep your head straight.”

Ren Ye, who had been on edge, found unexpected confidence in these words.

“I’m off.”

Huang Wei opened the door and left.

Inside, Ren Ye sat cross-legged on the bed, gradually calming himself.

Huang Wei was right. Back on the border, when he was tackling fraud cases, Ren Ye had faced being buried alive, crawling through dog cages, and enduring water prisons—what danger hadn’t he faced? Even in the detention center, the death row cell was just two steps away from him.

So what if it’s the unknown? What if it’s another world? I’m already here, so why panic?

As he regained his composure, the cold voice once again echoed in his ears.

The final ten seconds.

“Nine!”

“Eight!”

“Seven!”

Ren Ye’s heart pounded as he saw a speck of starlight appear above the bed and rapidly expand.

This time, however, he didn’t avoid or flinch. Instead, he stared straight into the growing starlight, watching as it unfolded into a distorted, irregular Star Gate.

The center of the Star Gate was pitch black, like an endless abyss, while its edges shimmered brilliantly like a flowing galaxy.

“Damn…that’s beautiful.”

“One!”

Whoosh!

The countdown ended. A disorienting sensation washed over him as Ren Ye’s body was sucked into the Stargate, leaving the room eerily silent.

Across the street, in a two-story building, a young woman named Nian Nian suddenly opened her eyes. She turned to her colleague and said, “Star energy fluctuation detected. The ‘Seven-Shot Warlord’…is gone.”

In the hallway, Huang Wei abruptly stopped mid-step but quickly resumed walking. “Buddha, please. Don’t make me attend another memorial service…”

…

First-Tier Star Gate World: The Great Qian Dynasty, Prince Huai’s Manor

Cold. Shaking.

The endless darkness faded as a ray of scorching sunlight hit Ren Ye’s eyes. He slowly opened them, regaining consciousness.

His sore eyes scanned his surroundings.

The spacious bedroom was filled with the faint scent of sandalwood. Intricately carved tables and chairs stood neatly in place. Sunlight streamed through paper-paneled lattice windows, illuminating the space.

This was unmistakably an ancient-style bedroom. Ren Ye himself was lying on an opulent canopy bed.

So, the Star Gate led to ancient China? Great—easy to immerse myself in this setting.

Propping himself up, Ren Ye realized that his modern sportswear had been replaced by a luxurious crimson robe. The smooth, lustrous fabric hinted at its high value.

After getting out of bed, Ren Ye moved cautiously, his eyes filled with both curiosity and vigilance. He walked slowly around the room, examining everything carefully.

On the left side of the room stood a writing desk with ink, brushes, and paper neatly arranged. Next to it was a copper mirror.

Ren Ye approached the mirror absentmindedly, but when he glanced at it, he froze in place.

In the mirror, his facial features were visibly shifting, as if someone were molding his face like clay. The transformation was unnerving.

His hair stood on end, and he instinctively took two steps back.

In those few seconds, his new appearance solidified—an unremarkable young man stared back at him.

“Damn it! What happened to my face that could rival Daniel Wu’s?!”

Before he could calm down, a sharp pain shot through his mind, and a flood of foreign memories poured in. It was as though a divine voice was narrating them:

“I was born into immense wealth and privilege.At fourteen, I took my first concubine.At fifteen, I married my wife for a political alliance.As of now, I can no longer recall how many women I’ve had.My family’s wealth is inexhaustible. Until the age of sixteen, I never experienced hardship or heard a word of disapproval.My family’s empire was built by my grandfather, a man with countless heirs. Yet, he favored my uncle and my father.When my grandfather was alive, he split the family’s domain equally: half to my uncle and half to my father.In my early memories, my uncle was a kind man. He spoiled me as a child and often called me ‘Little Bean.’ Whenever I clashed with his children, he would always take my side.Heaven’s favor seemed to shine solely upon me.I was born to be so fortunate.My father was incredibly talented—skilled in music, strategy, the arts, and martial prowess. Compared to him, I was utterly mediocre. I couldn’t hope to match his accomplishments, so I decided not to try. Why bother? As long as I didn’t mess up, I was set to inherit everything he built.When I was sixteen, my grandfather passed away…My father and uncle quarreled over the inheritance. For a time, I even had to live with my uncle. He treated me well, giving me money and women, but from that point on, he never smiled at me again or called me ‘Little Bean.’Eventually, they divided the estate. My father retained management of half the family assets, and we stayed in Qingliang Prefecture.Soon after, my father departed with many retainers to resolve a conflict with another powerful family. My uncle claimed only my father could handle the matter.Before he left, my father said, ‘I’m growing old; it’s time for you to grow up.’I understood his meaning and tried to take over some family responsibilities. But compared to the allure of beautiful women, the work was dull and unbearable. I lacked both the skill and the interest.At eighteen, my father succeeded in resolving the conflict but was injured and died on the way home.Shortly after, my mother succumbed to illness.Overnight, I lost everything.The servants who once respected me started whispering behind my back. My father’s trusted aides either mysteriously died or distanced themselves, some even turning on me. They all gravitated toward my uncle, obeying his every word like sycophants.I was furious and tried to regain control, but I quickly realized I had squandered too much time. I lacked the ability to resist.Looking back, perhaps that was a blessing.Because after my father’s death, when I saw my uncle, I noticed the murderous intent in his eyes…Maybe my incompetence saved my life. A threat isn’t worth eliminating if it’s powerless.And so, I survived in this vast, sprawling family estate.I became a caged bird—admired and mocked, entirely at the mercy of others.Even the meals I eat are gifts from my uncle and the very people who once served my father.Oh, and my father once told me that my uncle was searching for some ‘Heavenly Pardoned One’—someone destined to change the family’s fate. He never found such a person…

How absurd. My grandfather was once a beggar and a bandit. Through hardship and grit, he built this empire. How could the rise or fall of a family depend on some so-called ‘Heavenly Pardoned One’? What nonsense.

Okay, that’s it. 

I am Zhu Zigui,

I am the last prince of the Great Qian Dynasty – Prince Huai!” 

The memory ended there.

Ren Ye blinked rapidly, staring at his reflection in the copper mirror. His voice trembled with realization:

“Holy sh*t, the ‘Heavenly Pardoned One’? Isn’t that… me?!”