Chapter 1: A Soul Too Vast for the Heavens
"Shen Haoyu, orders the initiation of soul transfer to the Tribulation System."
Within the endless black void, a figure hovered weightlessly, ethereal and transcendent. Skin white as fresh snow, smooth and unblemished like porcelain. Phoenix eyes shimmered with ancient wisdom; a tall, aristocratic nose cast a proud line across his face, ending in small, heart-shaped lips tinged with soft color—gentle, tempting, neither feminine nor masculine, but wholly divine.
His face was neither large nor small, his frame neither frail nor broad—everything about him balanced with such celestial symmetry that one would not think to question his gender. In the presence of such beauty, the question simply ceased to matter.
Shen Haoyu—the Void Deity of Star Calendar year 130406—was born into a male form, though its traits were subtle, graceful, and ever-shifting. Among the marine races, he was the only one capable of shedding his strong and beautiful tail for long, slender human legs. As the last living siren and the youngest son of CINQ's absolute monarch, he was burdened with divine responsibilities from the day he matured.
Though not fond of authority, Shen Haoyu had little choice. He was tasked with overseeing the justice, governance, and well-being of the merfolk. His role was sacred: protector of marine-kind, arbiter of disputes, and administrator of law.
But Haoyu, who valued peace above power, found this duty increasingly heavy. Every decision carved hours from his day. Each crisis drained his spirit. And so, with divine ingenuity, he created three systems—interlinked and self-operating—to free himself from his never-ending obligations:
LIBRA, the Judiciary System: tasked with punishing criminals and maintaining law across realms.
ARIES, the Cultivation System: a sanctuary where those seeking to grow, experience, or chase dreams could thrive—so long as they followed the rules and avoided LIBRA's grip.
AQUARIUS, the Tribulation System: hidden, secret, and reserved only for souls burning with the deepest desires. It was the most mysterious and dangerous of the three—for it triggered journeys that could shatter or remake fate.
Today, it was AQUARIUS that would carry Shen Haoyu into a new world.
"Tribulation System, mainframe: AQUARIUS acknowledges the order. Initiating master's soul transfer… 10%... 20%... 50%... 80%... 90%... 95%…"
Suddenly, the numbers froze. The system stuttered.
"Transfer failed."
A tiny figure zipped into view—a soft-winged fairy, her ocean-colored eyes filled with concern. Light blue hair floated like mist around her. She circled Haoyu's spiritual form, data screens blinking around her head.
"State the cause," Haoyu commanded calmly.
The fairy's expression was troubled. "Two main reasons, Master. First, your soul domain is too vast—the system crashes when attempting to condense it. Second, your spiritual will is too strong—the system cannot interfere or extract your soul without collapse."
Haoyu narrowed his eyes but remained composed.
"Very well," he said softly.
He reached inward, gently guiding his powerful soul out of his body—currently suspended in a healing pod, asleep in frozen stasis. Once free, he compressed the immeasurable energy of his domain, weaving it tighter and tighter until its pressure no longer threatened the system. Then, with meticulous precision, he split that force into four glowing orbs.
"Restart the transfer," he said.
"Acknowledged. Reinitiating soul transfer of individual Shen Haoyu… 10%... 50%... 99%... Success. Safe travels, Master."
---
First World: Apocalypse Arc — Shi Yuze (Shou) × Han Li Wei (Gong)
Note: Early childhood details are summarized; the story begins post-transmigration.
A soft, chubby toddler named Shi Yuze ran in circles around a strikingly handsome youth, laughter bubbling like a spring. The young man watched with a faintly indulgent smile, clearly amused by the child's antics. Little Yuze clung to his arm and chirped "Uncle!" with practiced sweetness.
This man was Han Li Wei, guardian of the child's body—though not by blood. He had been the sworn younger brother of Yuze's late father. After the accident that took the boy's parents, Han Li Wei's mother, who had been close friends with Yuze's grandmother, took him in. But tragedy struck again. Her untimely death left Han Li Wei as the boy's only family.
Although young himself, Li Wei accepted the duty. When he saw the loneliness in Yuze's eyes, he was reminded too painfully of his own. He vowed that this child would not suffer as he had.
But the boy now calling him "uncle" wasn't the original Shi Yuze.
Deep inside that small body resided Shen Haoyu, divine and ancient—now trapped in the wobbling limbs of a four-year-old. And he was not pleased.
'Gemini,' Haoyu snapped mentally, 'why a toddler? I can't even walk without toppling. What am I supposed to do, crawl my way to enlightenment?'
The voice of GEMINI, his personal system, answered in its usual calm.
[This vessel was selected for optimal integration. Minimal spiritual rejection. Safety was the highest priority.]
Haoyu muttered mentally.
The truth behind the vessel selection weighed heavily. The original Shi Yuze was meant to die with his parents, his soul reincarnated into a new, complete family. But GEMINI had intercepted the reincarnation path, holding the soul in stasis to implant Haoyu instead.
That intervention changed everything.
To maintain balance, a life had to be exchanged. When the system identified that truth, Mrs. Han—Li Wei's mother—had made the decision herself. Upon discovering that her sacrifice would allow Yuze to live longer, she offered up her spirit.
And so she vanished completely. No reincarnation. No return. Only silence.
Now, Haoyu carried guilt not only toward the suspended spirit of Shi Yuze, but also toward Han Li Wei—who had been orphaned early because of this interference.
In these spiritual worlds, everyone had a soul, a will, a sense of self. Though they existed in a simulation of sorts, they were real—their emotions, their pain, their joys. If GEMINI hadn't hijacked an existing spiritual identity, the world's consciousness would have rejected Haoyu outright. Rejection would have meant failure. And destruction.
---
"Uncle, come, see!" Yuze's voice rang out, tugging Li Wei toward the thick woods behind the Han estate.
Li Wei hesitated but relented. The boy's joy was infectious. They walked together beneath the fluttering canopy of leaves, the air growing cooler as they ventured deeper.
Something shifted.
A strange chill prickled Li Wei's skin. The light dimmed slightly, and the wind stilled. His gaze sharpened as he instinctively placed himself protectively beside the child.
"Uncle, meet my new friend! Her name is… Seol."
They stopped at a quiet clearing. By the edge of a small pond stood a pale figure
---
[End of Chapter 1]