"Um, okay?"

  What's with the wind howling? I'm at the edge of a, err, what's this? A balcony? No more than that, the architectural style seems Chinese or Korean.

  "Mistress, please calm down. This is not the way to relieve your dissatisfaction with the Master!"

  What? Am I a mistress? Mistress, no, there are two meanings to mistress wording. Am I a homewrecker, in old terms, lover of a man who already has a wife? The concubine? Or the legal wife, 'the' Mistress, aka wife.

  Just like some cliche, I pinched myself, and oh my mother, does it hurt so bad.

  I backed away from the balcony's railing and turned to face the voice behind me.

  A servant, that was my first thought.

  She looked like someone from a Wuxia story. Yep, not Xianxia, maybe Xuanhuan?

  "Let me take you to your bed, Mistress."

  "Mistress? Like the first wife? A wife?"

  The maid looked at me, quite confused, "Yes, Mistress. You're the Master's wife."

  "I see."

  Hehe. Wow, I'm already married. A single nympho who had never laid and waited for the person she married unknowingly is married now.

  Give me experience!

  Speaking of, yeah, did we do the deed with my husband?

  No, why am I thinking of it when I don't even know my husband's name?

  Is he only my husband, though? Am I the only Mistress? The oh-so-wife. This is in ancient times, right? Who knows if he has three thousand concubines and six thousand children?

  Questions keep piling up inside my head.

  "What's my name?"

  "M-Mistress?"

  "What's my name?"

  I asked again.

  The little girl in front of me fidgeted. Sorry, this lady here is not who you think she is.

  "This, are you sure you alright, Mistress?"

  "Yes, now tell me."

  Man, child labor is rough.

  "My Mistress' full name is Renorei Xinzhu."

  Renorei Xinzhu. Xinzhu. Xinzhu. Renorei.

  Renorei…, "Where's," I gulped, "Where's my husband Bai Yunxiao?"

  As if natural, the little girl answered, "Master is away; he is still fighting in the Southern Province, Gaozu."

  "How many years has it been again?"

  The little girl counted with her fingers, "Uhm, it's already been 7 years, Mistress."

  "7 years…"

  I plopped on my bed.

  Now I remember.

  Martial Leader's Surreal Ascension.

  That's the title of this novel.

  The protagonist is a transmigrator, and it's a collecting harem. Ahh.

  This is where I'm at, eh?

  "Little one, you can leave. I'll take a rest and summon you if I need anything."

  "Understood, Mistress."

  Before opening my eyes, I had this dream.

  'A dream within a dream.'

  That was what I saw on a screen.

  A hallucination taken by the poet Edgar Allan Poe. Metamorphosis.

  I don't know if it's true, but I'll need proof. Something more concise.

  Then why am I dreaming? When will this dream end? I only truly most reliably slept that day.

  "Come on. Would I say the legendary, 'why me?' cliche just for someone somewhere who's watching me respond?"

  I'll observe and stay put.

  "Sheesh. Well, it's not bad."

  You see, my dear beloved husband is a pretty dashing man.

  Too dashing that he is nefarious.

  Yes, a villain. The final boss in an end-game.

  And me? Hehe.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  The white moonlight that the protagonist couldn't have.

  But when Bai Yunxiao died, I became part of the male lead's harem.

  "There is no way I'll be with a husband with multiple wives even if the same planet acquaints us."

  His trunk doesn't belong in my garage–mine has been taken care of with the utmost care, not a junk from aisle five.

  [Ting!]

  [New Quest Activated!]

  Quest: React to the Martial Leader’s Surreal Ascension

  Skill Unlocked: Fades to Nothing, Blends with Everything – The Third Person’s Perspective

  Skill Details:

  Upon activation, the user becomes imperceptible to all but those who carry the user’s blood.

  Visibility does not grant physical interaction; the user cannot be touched.

  Communication is disabled for the duration.

  Duration is determined by the user’s willpower and mental clarity.

  The user must fully embody nothingness—no presence, no interference.

  Reward: Finale of Choice

  Restriction: You must adhere to the novel’s canonical ending.

  Punishment for Failure: Eternal Loop – Relive the sequence until conditions are met.]

  What a funny thing. If the punishment is to die, then I'll find ways to die earlier on. But it seems you know me well. Funny.

  "So I'm just like those VTubers doing reactions. Like some Livestream? Then, do I have an audience? System Panel!"

  Yet nothing came up—no reactions from who knows where. No pop-ups.

  "Interface."

  "Inventory."

  "Profile."

  "Status."

  I frowned, "Would it be triggered in a certain way, but it's unrelated to me?"

  "Novel, show me where we are now in the story. Uh, Status Chapter?"

  [Novel's Current Status: Prologue. Please see below the details.]

  Oh, now it triggers an SSO.

  [Prologue: Where am I? Did I transmigrate?

  Xiaren Zhurei grew up an orphan, fighting to survive daily and defying every hardship. Through sheer determination, he clawed his way to the top and became a CEO. But the success didn't last. Betrayed by his closest friends and shareholders, his empire crumbled overnight.

  Forced to start over, he took on ordinary sales work, juggling grueling 9-9-9 jobs to stay afloat. He found himself utterly alone with no family left and a girlfriend who abandoned him for someone wealthier.

  One morning, drowned in grief and barely sober, he stumbled to work—only to be struck by a speeding truck. As life faded, he stared at the sky and muttered: "Truly, I'm just a mere hermit… useless until death. Is this the end?"

  Xiaren Zhurei wanted to get revenge, yet how could he take revenge like this? He is not willing!

  Current location: Nando Province, Marquis Zhu's Pavilion.]

  "Typical story starting. Copy on that."

  Soon, a hologram panel appeared. I could instantly see the geography and terrain. A mini marker was flagged on a particular area.

  Marquis Zhu's Pavilion.

  I tried to tap it and see if it worked.

  [Teleport?]

  "Oh!"

  Cool. I felt like an ignorant kid looking at this panel.

  And where is my home base?

  Looking at the far north, I saw a green dot. I tried to experiment and zoom it. And boy, it did!

  "This is fun."

  I zoomed the map back to its usual 100%—a standard browser's zooming.

  Home: Xinzhu Estate, North Palace. Red Pavilion.

  [Unable to teleport, currently in Xinzhu Estate]

  Okay okay.

  I grabbed my clothes, fixing the tiny, what's this, chiffon? I tucked a few cookies from the maid into a small sachet, then tapped the Zhu's Pavilion icon on the map.

  [Teleport?]

  Teleport.

  The moment I blinked, I was standing in the street.

  "Ah!"

  I looked at the man who screamed.

  He was dressed like a peasant with potatoes falling over his basket.

  "You..you just appeared! Are you an immortal?"

  I frowned. As far as I know, wuxia doesn't have immortals. Well, this one doesn't have immortals—just martial heroes.

  Ugh. The gazes are getting thicker.

  I shook my head.

  "You are deeply mistaken. That was just me using qi uh, ki, chi? Anyways, in the fastest way. I apologize for troubling you."

  I helped the man put all the potatoes in the basket.

  "Please..please don't. You'll stain your hands Mistress."

  Erm? I reached out my hair.

  "Please be careful?"

  Why is this man worrying if I tap my hair? Was it because I tied it up, and my clothing was far darker than unmarried ladies?

  There was no time to braid it properly when I laid on my end.

  "Sorry, Mistress! If it's alright, you can use my cloth—it's clean enough to wipe the dust. I didn't mean to get your hands dirty!"

  Oh, so it's that. Seriously, this guy. I waved my hand. "Thank you, but it's fine. Alright then, I'll take my leave."

  I walked away quickly as I felt too many eyes were looking at me.

  What are you looking at?

  It's too sticky, and I need to get away. Of course, although my steps were rushed, I still handled it well with poise.

  As I disappeared from the eyes of people, I went straight to somewhere I could hide.

  What's my skill again? How do I say it?

  "Activate."

  I heard a thing, and that was when I left my hiding place. I can turn into a shadow or a mist unseen by everyone around me.

  "Man, I should have done it earlier."

  As I returned from the streets, I looked at my map. A few meters away from me is the gate of the Zhu Manor.

  Seeing another icon on the map, I tapped it.

  [Navigate?]

  "Nice. Of course, Navigate."

  I could now see a gold line.

  But, the moment I was at the door, I reluctantly stopped.

  My skill, 3rd POV, Fades into Nothing and Blends with Everything. Let's try.

  As I reached out the door, I passed through the door. My eyes glimmered with joy.

  Awesome!

  Alright, let's go and watch!

  When I entered his bed, our protagonist, Xiaren Zhurei, Xiaren Zhu, the youngest of all the siblings, was looking at his hands.

  "This, this is not me. No, have I been Transmigrated? Ack, my head! These memories!"

  Xiaren was confused, so he clenched his fist. The long black hair covered his face as he looked down. Somehow, his shoulders trembled.

  Is this what it is?

  "Ha. Hahaha! A second chance!"

  "Xiaren, oh Xiaren. Since you and I share the same names, I'll avenge you!"

  Yeah, it's what it is.

  I pulled out a cookie and sat on a chair, seeing how this guy transformed into a Power Ranger. Look at that smile.

  Bang!

  "Xiaren!"

  An older man entered the room.

  Guess who it is?

  "Father?"

  Did you guess it right?

  Xiaren's father looks furious; he points his fingers as he trembles from intense anger.

  "Don't call me father! You are a disgrace! You were once a hailed genius of our Zhu Family, but now that you are disabled, no one wants you! The Wei Clan, Wei Changbin, doesn't want you. They cut off their engagement ties with us!"

  Xiaren, with difficulty, stood up, "Father, I was betrayed! While advancing my martial path, Su Guin interrupted me. Father, you know what happened!"

  "Yes, I know you're incompetent! Do you think I don't know you're framing Su Guin? The day your qi broke out, he was with Wei Changbin! Why must you must your useless self add another lie?!"

  Xiaren frowned, "Wei Changbin? Why was he with Wei Changbin?"

  Ohohoho.

  "Father!"

  Yet his father was not listening. "Silence! From this moment on, you are not part of the Zhu Family! Get your things and leave! Never show your face again!"

  "This..."

  I looked at the gloomy Xiaren. He shook his head, and I heard Xiaren mutter, "Here, I thought this father would believe his son even once. Yet, all is the same."

  Xiaren looked at his father coldly, "Then I hope you won't regret it."

  With one last bow concerning the body's father, he stood up with the confidence of a protagonist and walked past his father.

  "I don't need to pack anything from this wretched house."

  His father is furious as he is smacked on the back of his head. "You are truly ungrateful. Alright, then leave. All your belongings will be sold!"

  Xiaren hmped and walked away.

  [Prologue End.

  Points Earned: 50/xxxxxx ...]

  Oh, was I too bored after the prologue?

  Hmm.

  Now, this would be the start of Xiaren's journey.

  [Chapter 1: Do you wish to continue?]

  Question: What will happen if I don't have time to watch each chapter?

  [Points will be deducted as a Preview]

  Sheesh. How much per chapter?

  [The more chapter progression, the higher the points would cause. Currently, skipping Chapter 2 costs 5 points.]

  Oh, okay, that's fine.

  I'll grind more points, then. It's not like my husband will be arriving.

  Ah, that little girl might know I'm gone. I should go back and write something.

  [Teleport to Home?]

  Yes.

  Teleport.