Rain fell.

It wasn’t a torrential downpour, but a gentle drizzle, silently washing every ancient slate brick of the old street. A grey stray cat perched on the eaves, its crimson pupils scanning both sides of the street as if searching for something.

Until it spotted an “anomaly.”

A person lay sprawled in the middle of the street. Rain pattered softly onto his face, trickling into the cracks between the bricks. He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere—just a moment ago, he hadn’t been there, but in the blink of an eye, he was.

The grey cat glanced down at him, showing no reaction.

The rain showed no sign of easing. The sky hung dull and grey, as if it would last for hours. The cat resumed scanning the street, seemingly waiting. This old district rarely saw passersby, especially in such weather. The street lay eerily quiet, filled only with the sound of falling rain.

After a long while, the man stirred. First, he sat up slightly, wiping water from his face. Then he sat there blankly, staring at his hands. Only when rain continued to fall on his head did he react. Yet instead of seeking shelter, he lay back down, gazing dazedly at the sky, letting the rain soak him.

The grey cat lowered its head, its expression as if looking at a fool. It sensed no dislike for the rain from him—in fact, it saw him smiling, as if overjoyed by something.

Just getting wet in the rain… what was there to be happy about?

After a while, the man sat up and walked toward the eaves. He plopped down under the windowsill. The grey cat stood on the sill, silently watching. It wasn’t scared; it almost seemed to permit him. But the cat was slightly puzzled—he did nothing after his earlier antics, just sitting blankly under the sill, gazing at the sky.

It’s the rain.

It’s raining.

How long had it been since he last breathed such air?

Yue Ge gazed silently at the sky. He’d never imagined walking outside so freely again. This body felt incredibly good, filled with strength like never before.

In his past life, he’d been a sickly wretch, confined to a hospital bed most days. Before death, the omnipotent Deity had offered him a second chance—not in his world, but a completely unfamiliar, desolate one.

He’d agreed, and here he was.

“Aren’t you going home? Or do you have no home to return to?” Yue Ge looked up at the grey cat.

The cat didn’t understand. It lowered its head, licking its paws. Bored, it stopped looking at Yue Ge and slowly curled up on the sill.

“Then I’ll wait for the rain to stop. I need to figure out where to go anyway.” He scratched his cheek, stood up, and hesitated before reaching toward the cat.

The cat sensed movement, opened its eyes, and swatted his hand away with surprising strength.

“Not letting me pet you?” Yue Ge felt disappointed. Then he realized—a cat had swatted him, and it wasn’t even scared. It glared at him defiantly before licking its paws again.

This world… seemed a bit strange.

“It’s a bit shy.” A voice came from behind him.

Yue Ge turned. A girl holding a black umbrella stood beside him. She’d appeared like a ghost; even in the rain, her footsteps were inaudible. The umbrella hid her face, but he saw a white dress and a frame shorter than his.

The grey cat leaped into her arms. Yue Ge was slightly surprised—her hair wasn’t black, but pure white like winter snow, a shade he’d only seen on the gravely ill.

“Is this your cat?” Yue Ge asked.

“No.” She tucked the umbrella under her arm, struggling to hold the plump cat with one hand.

“Need help?” Yue Ge offered. He had nothing to do, and following her might lead to something interesting. He was tired of waiting; he craved a life more exciting than anyone else’s. Only then could he say he’d truly lived again.

The girl glanced at him, thinking, then silently handed him the umbrella.

She was stunningly beautiful. Her white hair complemented her perfectly, like a figure from a fairy tale.

Yue Ge took the umbrella. “Where to?”

The black umbrella was large enough for two.

“Turn left. It’s nearby.” She rubbed the cat’s head as she spoke.

“You live close?” Yue Ge glanced at the cat. It stared back, wearing a threatening expression. He couldn’t help but smile.

They walked in silence. True to her word, after a turn near the street center, she stopped at a door and set the cat down.

“Here?” Yue Ge closed the umbrella, handing it back.

“Mm. Thanks.” She nodded and pushed the door open. But the grey cat didn’t follow—it just sat outside.

Two steps led to the door, room for three or four people. Yue Ge sat down beside the cat, watching the rain. He had nowhere to go, and being soaked made him uncomfortable.

Minutes later, the door opened again. The white-haired girl placed a bowl of cat food outside, then looked at Yue Ge with a puzzled expression. As if remembering something, she went back inside, returned with the umbrella, and handed it to him.

“No need to return it,” she said.

Yue Ge took it silently and sat on the steps.

The grey cat stopped watching the rain and began eating. The white-haired girl gently stroked its head. After a while, she asked, “Waiting for the rain to stop?”

Though she seemed cold, she wasn’t unapproachable. She was just indifferent, making small talk to pass time while petting her cat.

“I guess so. I have nowhere to go.” Yue Ge paused. “After it stops, I’ll look for a police station. Do you know the way?”

He was undocumented here; no one would hire him even for manual labor. Had the omnipotent Deity considered this? Even without cheat abilities, a fabricated identity would’ve helped.

The girl looked at him, then shook her head without answering. Seemingly satisfied, she stood and went inside, ignoring him.

The rain showed no sign of stopping; if anything, it grew heavier.

Yue Ge wasn’t in a hurry. Hospital days had taught him to wait. He sat there, silently letting time pass, thinking of nothing.

Beside him, the grey cat scratched in its bowl, the sound blending with the rain.

Until footsteps climbed the steps, snapping Yue Ge out of his daze.

A man in all black stood there—black umbrella, black hat, sunglasses. He didn’t glance at Yue Ge, knocking directly on the girl’s door.

But the response wasn’t an opening door—it was a low tearing sound. The air visibly distorted, hurling the black-clad man backward. Yue Ge stared, stunned.

The grey cat didn’t react, eating as if accustomed to it. The white-haired girl walked out indifferently. She glanced at Yue Ge, tilting her head slightly.

Unlike before, she wore a pure white cloak. The wide hood nearly covered her face, the robe trailing like a gown. Yue Ge noticed her eyes—blood-red, like the cat’s.

What surprised him more was the black-clad man quickly standing up, seemingly unharmed.

“What a warm welcome. No wonder you’re the Deity’s ‘Essence’—the force is different.” The man clicked his tongue. “Doctor Bai Ya, won’t you hear our terms? ‘Above’ has set a high price. Finding you wasn’t easy.”

The girl lowered her head slightly, then walked down the steps. Rain fell around her, but not a drop touched her body—everything twisted and slid away.

Step by step, she approached him, raised her hand, and made a snapping gesture.

“Boring,” she whispered.

Snap.

At that moment, the world fell silent.