After breakfast, Jiang Ning excused himself and returned to his chamber. The laughter of his parents and Lina still lingered faintly in his ears. For a long while, he sat on the edge of his bed, watching the morning light crawl across the floorboards, wondering if any of this was real.
He went to the bath and poured a basin of cold water. The chill struck his skin and forced him to breathe deeply, grounding him.
Was everything I lived through a dream?
He wanted to believe that the years of blood and ruin had been nothing more than a nightmare, but the weight in his chest told him otherwise. The pain of loss was too vivid to be false. He truly had returned to the past.
Steam curled from the bathwater as he sank into thought. Ten years from now, the Vastel Empire would fracture. The emperor's death would split the realm in two, his sons raising armies against each other until the continent drowned in its own blood.
But that was not what troubled Jiang Ning most.
He clenched his fists. My family died because of the greed of one man.
His uncle, Lord Qin Ning, had smiled like a kindly scholar yet hidden a serpent's heart. In Jiang Ning's last life, that man had poisoned Baron Ren Ning's food little by little, weakening him until even his great strength faded. When his father finally fell, House Ning followed him into ruin.
Jiang Ning's expression hardened. "This time I'll be watching you."
He whispered the words to the quiet air. The anger that had once consumed him flickered back to life, tempered now by clear purpose.
Just as he was gathering his thoughts, a faint chime sounded.
He looked up sharply.
Before him, a transparent blue screen shimmered into existence. Strange letters floated across it, lines of text forming one after another.
[Loading system.]
[Scanning host.]
He stared in disbelief as words continued to appear.
Jiang Ning — Apprentice Cadet
EXP: 70 / 100
Potential: B
Talents: Horseback Riding (D), Marksmanship (D), Close Combat (D), Tactics (E), Endurance (E)
Strength 17
Stamina 18
Agility 15
Vitality 17
Will 17
Focus 3
Battle Points 0
[New User Detected. Reward granted.]
A golden box appeared on the screen, glowing softly.
[You have received a newbie gift pack.]
[Open gift pack?] [Yes] [No]
He blinked several times, half convinced he was hallucinating. He even closed his eyes, counted to five, and looked again. The screen remained, gleaming patiently.
"What in the world…"
Without meaning to, he reached out. His finger brushed the surface.
[Yes]
The moment he touched it, light rippled outward.
[Opening gift pack…]
[You have received: x1 SSS-Class Marksman Talent Card.]
[You have received: 1000 Battle Points.]
[You have received: x1 Elite Knight Summon Card.]
Jiang Ning stared blankly at the floating text. His mind raced to understand. The screen was listing his physical abilities as though he were a character in a military ledger.
Is this measuring my body? My training?
He rubbed his temples. "A system that quantifies strength…"
It was absurd, yet the numbers felt strangely accurate.
I'll figure it out later. For now, what is this 'talent card'?
Two cards appeared in his palm. One shimmered gold, etched with the design of a rifle crossed over a sword. The other was deep blue with a silver crest shaped like a shield.
[Use SSS-Class Marksman Talent Card?] [Yes] [No]
The words were written in symbols he didn't recognize, yet his mind translated them effortlessly.
He hesitated, then tapped [Yes].
The moment he did, his vision flared white.
A rush of heat surged through his skull, followed by an explosion of clarity. Every lesson he had ever taken with a firearm, every recoil pattern, every angle of wind and trajectory, came alive in perfect detail. The mistakes he once made now unfolded before him in slow motion, their corrections instinctive.
He saw himself reloading, firing, moving, all in fluid precision. The techniques that had taken years to grasp were now as natural as breathing.
When the sensation finally faded, he gasped and gripped the rim of the tub to steady himself.
"What was that?"
It wasn't pain, but revelation.
He stared at his reflection in the water. His eyes burned with a sharp golden light that hadn't been there before.
So this is what the SSS-Class Marksman Talent does… it lets me see everything clearly.
He shivered. "Unbelievable."
A thought came unbidden. Could this system be the reason I was sent back?
He didn't know, but a part of him felt certain that the two were connected.
The blue screen pulsed again.
[Use Elite Knight Summon Card?] [Yes] [No]
He frowned. "An Elite Knight? It can't actually summon someone… can it?"
He chuckled at the absurdity, then froze. After everything else he had just seen, nothing seemed impossible.
Better not risk summoning a stranger in the bath.
He dried himself quickly, dressed in a clean shirt and trousers, and sat on the edge of his bed. The card floated above his palm, humming softly with restrained energy.
"Here goes nothing." He pressed [Yes].
Light burst from the card, filling the chamber. He raised an arm to shield his eyes.
When the glow faded, a tall figure stood in the center of the room. The man wore dark leather armor trimmed with steel. His posture was straight, his aura heavy and disciplined, the presence of a veteran who had survived countless battles.
His hair was black, streaked with silver, his eyes the steady brown of tempered earth.
"I am Ronan Vale," the man said, dropping to one knee. His voice was deep, steady, and full of conviction. "From this moment forth, I swear my loyalty to you, my lord."
Jiang Ning's mouth fell open.
It really summoned someone.
He studied the warrior before him. Ronan radiated quiet power, the kind that came only from years of hardship.
"Please rise," Jiang Ning said after a pause.
Ronan obeyed, towering over him by half a head. The air between them carried the scent of iron and leather.
"To reach the rank of Elite Knight," Jiang Ning murmured, "a man must train for decades."
He had needed nearly twenty years in his previous life to reach that level himself. And now a single card had given him one such fighter as a subordinate.
His thoughts spun. If my father or uncle sees him here, how do I explain this?
He began pacing, muttering plans under his breath.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door.
"My lord," came Lina's cheerful voice, "His Lordship asks that you come to the training grounds. It's time for your morning drills."
"I'll be there shortly," he called back.
He turned to Ronan, who was standing motionless like a statue. "You can't stay here. The servants will see you."
Ronan said nothing. His eyes followed Jiang Ning with calm focus.
"Fine. You're coming with me," Jiang Ning decided. "If anyone asks, you're a mercenary I hired. Speak as little as possible. Understood?"
"Yes, my lord."
Jiang Ning took a breath, straightened his jacket, and opened the door.
As they walked through the corridors, whispers followed them.
"Who is that man?"
"He's enormous."
"Looks like a knight from the frontier."
Jiang Ning ignored the comments and strode toward the courtyard. The clang of steel echoed from the training grounds ahead.
Baron Ren Ning was there, sword in hand, sparring with two household guards at once. His movements were heavy but precise, the rhythm of a man who had fought too many battles to count. When he noticed his son, he lowered his blade.
"Father," Jiang Ning greeted respectfully.
Ren Ning's sharp gaze shifted to the tall stranger standing a step behind. "And this man?"
Jiang Ning kept his expression calm. "This is Ronan Vale. He is an Elite Knight who has agreed to serve under me."
The baron's brows lifted slightly. Hiring an Elite Knight was no small feat. Such men were proud and rarely bent the knee for coin alone.
"I see," Ren Ning said after a pause. "If he wishes to stay, he may train here with you. I will have his background checked later. As long as nothing questionable is found, he will be considered one of ours."
Jiang Ning felt his shoulders relax. "Thank you, Father."
Ren Ning nodded. "You are already eighteen. It is time you learn to gather your own people. A leader must have those he trusts by his side. But their pay and upkeep will be your responsibility. Understood?"