God of Contracts: I Buy, I Rule

3. Waking up

"What the fuck! My head's killing me," Arthur grumbled and tried to move his body.

However, before he could, a gush of cold water entered his nose and lungs, suffocating him. A burning sensation spread across his chest instantly.

Arthur struggled, wiggling his arms to grab some support. With a loud gasp, he sat up straight, coughing hysterically as he panted. The burning sensation increased, and he continued coughing for some time.

His entire body was freezing and drenched, and he shivered when a gust of cold wind blew by.

Coughing for some time more, he waited until his labored breathing returned to normal before blinking his eyes open. For a moment, he wondered if he was dreaming.

The place around him was unfamiliar and magnificently designed, its architecture reminding him of a Chinese fantasy movie. The luxury and elegance of the place blinded his eyes, and Arthur blinked a few times in wonder.

Suddenly, a pang of pain hit his head, making him shrink a little. Holding his head, he grunted and took deep breaths to overcome the pain.

However, it only turned worse until unfamiliar memories started playing in his mind. It was as if a movie was being played at 10x speed.

At first, Arthur had no idea what was happening. But soon, the memories merged with reality, and he saw himself walking towards the pond and picking up a shining jewel floating above the fountain.

"What was that?" he wondered, looking around him. His eyes dilated when he saw the same fountain beside him, and the water kept gushing from the middle.

Arthur's mind went blank, and he looked down, only to find himself completely drenched. But what flummoxed him was the clothes he was wearing.

They didn't belong to them. He never wore anything of such style.

With his eyes wide, he stood up and walked out of the pond, taking in the place around him.

"Don't tell me..." he muttered, finding it utterly unbelievable.

Arthur remembered that he had been swimming in his villa. All of a sudden, his eyes turned hazy, and dark spots filled them. 

"I remember I tried to get out of the pool but..." Arthur shuddered once again when a cold wind hit him, and he wrapped his arms around himself to warm himself up. "But I couldn't, and I fell unconscious."

Arthur's lips parted when he realized what might have happened. "Did I really come here? It is not a dream?"

Suddenly, Arthur heard voices from behind, and he moved to hide instantly. 

"Where is that cripple? Where did he vanish?" 

Arthur heard one of the men shout, and his brows furrowed. 'Cripple? Who are they talking about?'

Some distant memories flashed in his mind again, and he saw some people calling someone cripple. 'Why did they call him cripple? Did he...'

Arthur stopped pondering when he heard the footsteps getting closer. In his hurry, he rushed towards one of the closest rooms and closed the door. 

Holding his breath, he looked for a place to hide. The room was vast, and he was impressed by the grandeur of the place. If he wasn't in a hurry to hide, he sure would have taken his time to explore.

Arthur almost stumbled over his robe. Gritting his teeth, he lifted it and ran as fast as he could, looking for some place to hide.

But on the way, he stopped when he passed by a mirror. Disbelief filled his heart when he saw his reflection. The man in the reflection looked like him. 

There was no difference in facial features, nor in the physical appearance, except that the man in the reflection looked younger, maybe in his late teens or early twenties. 

He looked young and immature, having yet to experience the vicissitudes of life.

Wearing a white robe with blue borders, he seemed to have just stepped out of a Chinese movie, only that the clothes stuck to him while water dripped near his feet, making a pool around him. His long hair slung around his neck and back like a sleeping snake, and reality hit him instantly.

"Fuck! How did I become like this?" 

Arthur thought of the unfamiliar memories, and his jaw dropped. "Did I really transmigrate here? Am I Jin Yuchen now?"

"Look everywhere. We cannot allow anyone from the Tianze clan to escape." 

'Damn it.' 

From Jin Yuchen's memories, Arthur had found that their family was in trouble. The imperial army had come for them. If he dawdled any more, he'd be captured too.

For Arthur, hiding and protecting himself was more important than anything else. Tucking away his shock, he lifted his robe and ran with all his might, leaving a trail of water droplets behind him.

"Do you see this water?" one of the men asked, and Arthur cursed under his breath.

"Let us follow the trail. Maybe, he is hiding somewhere."

Gritting his teeth, Arthur climbed out of one of the windows. The Chinese-style chambers made it easier for him to jump out easily.

Glancing around him, Arthur walked stealthily. He was vigilant, his phoenix eyes watching out for any danger.

When he noticed the coast was clear, he dashed towards the room that was farthest from his place. 

On his way, he found a few dead bodies, and his eyes shrank, his heart pounding madly in fright.

Yet, he didn't stop and entered one of the courtyards. He had to first change out of his clothes. The chill breeze pierced his bones, and he was close to having frostbite.

Entering one of the rooms nearby, he found a new set of clothing. Although they were a little large, it was better than wearing wet clothes. 

Arthur even changed out of his shoes and left the room again, looking for another place to hide.

From the host's memories, he recalled a place that not many people knew. Even among the Tianze clanmates, only a handful of people knew about the secret place.

Tracing the path using the host's memories, he entered one of the rooms, which seemed to be bigger than all the other rooms. He didn't bother admiring the place. Instead, he went to one of the inner chambers and approached the small silver statue on the table beside the bed. 

Twisting it slightly, he watched the wall behind the table open, and he rushed inside without thinking. Once inside, he pulled the small lever beside the door, and the wall closed again, the silver statue on the table returning to its normal position.

Arthur finally had a moment to breathe, and he huffed. Leaning against the wall, he slid down and sat on the ground.

No one would find him there. He was safe.

Once his breathing returned to normal, Arthur started to sort his thoughts, recollecting all that had happened with the host and his family.

The Tianze clan had been caught off guard when the imperial army had attacked them all of a sudden. They didn't even have a chance to prepare themselves.

Death was at their door, and the only way to escape was to fight.

Taking his time, Arthur analyzed all that had happened, and his heart dropped when he remembered the last message Jin Yuchen's grandfather had left for him.

From his words and tone, Arthur was certain that the old man was dead. And considering that the imperial guards were hot on his trail, he knew that the other clanmates, including his family, were dead.

Arthur felt a pang of pain hit his heart. Although it was the host mourning his family's death, he too felt his heart ache.

Sympathizing with the host, he thought of his own parents. But they had died naturally, unlike Jin Yuchen, whose clan members had been accused of treason and executed without mercy.

Arthur didn't know the exact story. But his shrewd mind told him it was all a ploy aimed to exterminate the Tianze clan. Someone had plotted against Jin Yuchen's grandfather.

'Who could it be? Who plotted it?'

His eyes narrowed, his blood boiling in anger.

Arthur was usually a calm man. Nothing could faze him. He hadn't felt nervous or antsy even when he dealt with millions or billions.

However, now, for the people he didn't even know, Arthur felt terrible and indignant, and his eyes blazed with fury.

'But seeking revenge won't be easy. I don't have a spirit root, and I'll be trampled easily without the Tianze clan protecting me.'

Feeling a headache creeping in, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, diverting his thoughts elsewhere.

And the moment he did so, he found himself floating. His body wasn't in his control anymore.

"What's happening? What…."

Arthur's eyes snapped open, and the next instant, he found himself in a vast land that seemed to go on forever.