Chapter 001: Battling the Beast (Revised)

“Huff, huff… roar!” Strange and terrifying sounds echoed in her ears. Shen Duo’s head throbbed with pain so intense it felt as if it might split open. She struggled to open her eyes, only to be confronted with a scene so horrifying it would haunt anyone’s nightmares.

Enormous fangs loomed before her, still stained with dried blood. The beast’s nose twitched as it breathed heavily; its eyes burned crimson, issuing monstrous, guttural noises. Drool dripped from its mouth onto Shen Duo’s face.

The creature’s face, covered in coarse, black fur, was nearly pressed against hers, as if it had finally realized she would make a delicious meal. With a thunderous roar, it raised a sharp forehoof and stomped toward her chest, its gaping jaws lunging for her slender neck.

Shen Duo’s body acted before her mind could catch up, swiftly rolling aside to dodge the beast’s fatal strike. Where she had just lain, the ground now bore a deep hoof print.

She gasped for breath, her whole body aching from the sudden movement. Yet years of rigorous training in her previous life brought her calm in an instant. No matter where she was or what had happened, her sole task now was to survive this encounter with the beast. Clear-headed, she assessed the situation.

The beast, frustrated by its missed attack, grew even more agitated. It pawed at the ground with its forehooves, its bloodshot eyes fixed on Shen Duo, determined to claim its prey.

Ignoring her injuries, Shen Duo prepared to fight. She searched her body and finally found a rusty, dull dagger. Gripping her only weapon tightly, she steeled herself for a deadly struggle.

The beast was as tall as her, but far more muscular. It charged like a raging bull, fangs gleaming coldly, ready to pierce her. Its speed was astonishing, kicking up a cloud of dust as it barreled toward her. Shen Duo gritted her teeth, narrowed her eyes, and watched its every move. As it drew near, she leapt onto its back, stabbing the dagger at its neck with lightning speed.

The beast let out a piercing howl, and with a sickening crack, the blade snapped! Even Shen Duo, usually calm beyond measure, stared in shock. Its hide was tougher than steel!

Enraged by the attack, the beast went berserk, shaking violently to throw her off. Shen Duo clung desperately to its neck, refusing to let go no matter how it thrashed.

Panting furiously, the beast’s gaze suddenly locked on a massive tree nearby. Shen Duo cursed inwardly—the beast meant to smash her against the trunk!

As she expected, the creature backed up a few steps, then charged full speed at the tree. Wind whipped past her ears; its velocity was terrifying. If she jumped off now, she’d be lucky to survive the fall.

Making a split-second decision, Shen Duo gripped the beast with one arm and, with all her strength, thrust the remaining half of the blade toward its blood-red eye.

As anticipated, the beast shrieked in agony. Blood poured down its face, pain overwhelming its instincts. It crashed headlong into the thick trunk!

Shen Duo held tight as the impact sent a shockwave through her body. She nearly lost consciousness from the force, but the beast’s bulk absorbed most of the blow, sparing her from immediate death.

A foul stench filled the air—the beast’s skull had shattered against the tree, brain matter splattering, its sharp fangs embedded in the wood. The scene was gruesome.

Suppressing her revulsion, Shen Duo rolled off its body and lay to the side, utterly spent. The tension and terror of the life-or-death struggle slowly ebbed away, leaving her aching everywhere.

She steadied her breathing. When she could move again, she rose at once. This place was dangerous; from the memories newly awakened in her mind, she knew she was at the edge of the Katela Forest. For someone without spirit energy, like her—a so-called “waste”—she could be eaten by magical beasts at any moment.

Enduring pain, Shen Duo followed her memories out of the forest and reached an open, relatively safe plain. Her body was severely depleted, and after the brutal fight, she finally collapsed.

When she awoke again, dawn’s rays touched her face. After a night’s rest, some strength returned. She propped herself up, gazing at the pure blue sky above, and the memories in her mind grew clearer.

This was not City A, but a continent called Saint Mang. The city she found herself in was called Luo City—a small, insignificant part of Saint Mang.

From her memories, she learned that the body’s original owner had suffered inhuman torment. Her name was also Shen Duo, which might explain why she had been reborn here.

Days ago, the original Shen Duo was cornered in a dead-end alley in Luo City, beaten and insulted by a group, then dragged to the edge of Katela Forest to be left as magical beast fodder. Before the beasts appeared, she succumbed to exhaustion and died.

What shocked Shen Duo was that this weak, powerless, bullied girl was actually a direct descendant of the Shen family, one of the four great clans of Saint Mang.

In this world, strength was everything. Without it, one lost all. Only power ensured survival. Here, magicians were blessed by heaven, born able to absorb spirit energy to strengthen themselves. Those born to noble families had extraordinary talent.

But Shen Duo, despite being a direct Shen descendant, was a disappointment—her body could not absorb spirit energy, nor did she have any talent to become a magician. To the family, she was a disgrace.

Thus, she was shunned by relatives and friends, suffered countless cold stares, and was labeled “the useless Ninth Miss.” At fourteen, she was exiled to Luo City, a border town run as the Shen family’s subsidiary business.

Luo City was no safe haven. Her reputation as a waste lingered, and her years in the main city as a direct descendant bred jealousy among the collateral branches of the Shen family. The main city was their dream—housing the best teachers, the strongest magical beasts, and all honor and power. Many spent decades striving to become a qualified seven-star magician, passing family tests for a slim chance to enter.

Shen Duo, by birth, lived there for fourteen years, inviting envy. She was constantly abused and beaten, unable to gather spirit energy or even defeat the lowest one-star magician. Timid and weak, she hid in her room to heal, unable to voice her grievances, burning with hatred and resentment but powerless—a laughingstock. Others took out their frustrations on her, and eventually, she could endure no more, dying at the forest’s edge with hatred in her heart.

Looking at her hands, marked by fresh and old wounds, Shen Duo felt a surge of hatred for the body’s original owner’s fate. It startled her, but she realized it was influenced by the lingering memories left behind. Lying still, reviewing everything in her mind, she understood: the original Shen Duo was gone, and she, as the new Shen Duo, had inherited her life. They were one. Even without those memories, she would have avenged her; now, she would live well in this world.

In her previous life, as a female armed police officer, Shen Duo possessed unwavering will and optimism. Given a second chance, she would not waste it.

Having resolved her thoughts, Shen Duo sought water, tidied herself, and gathered edible plants to fill her stomach. As a policewoman, she had trained in wilderness survival, weathering all kinds of harsh environments. Food and water were never a problem. Though this was a different world, with many unfamiliar plants and animals, some things were similar enough.

Once everything was done, Shen Duo set out for Luo City.

She returned to her shabby house just as the sun’s last rays faded. In the dim light, she surveyed the tiny room: a bed, a cabinet, a table, and a chair—no other furniture. The door was missing a plank, letting in a sliver of sunset.

She found a clean black robe in the wardrobe—the Shen family’s standard attire, unisex, issued twice a year to all under eighteen. Most girls disliked its somber color, preferring fancy dresses. Shen Duo didn’t care; after years of wearing a uniform, the simpler, the better.

She removed her dirty, torn robe, cleaned her wounds with fresh water, and dressed in clean clothes. Her long black hair was brushed into a simple ponytail, revealing her full forehead. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the sunlight streaming through the door and smiled confidently.

She shut the door and slept soundly through the night until morning.

After tidying up, Shen Duo had just stepped outside when a young boy hurried over, his voice urgent: “Shen Duo, Shen Duo, you must leave, something’s wrong!”

Her slender brows arched as she searched her new memories for the voice. The boy was Wang Feng, her only friend in Luo City. He lived next door, orphaned, supporting his elderly grandparents by working odd jobs in town. He had no idea his friend had been replaced.

Wang Feng was a head taller, clothes a bit dirty, face full of worry as he looked at Shen Duo.

Her voice was still youthful but steady as she asked, “Wang Feng, what happened?”

He looked down at her bruised face, startled by her tone. Today, Shen Duo seemed different—her bright black eyes no longer held fear or timidity, shining like jewels with confidence and determination. Her slightly pursed lips gave her an air of resilience. He was surprised, unable to find words.

Seeing his daze, Shen Duo nudged his arm, calling, “Wang Feng!”

He remembered his purpose, grabbed her arm, inadvertently pressing on a wound, making her frown but she didn’t pull away. He hurriedly said, “Shen Duo, you must hide—Shen Yan and his gang are coming!”

Shen Yan and his group were the ones who beat the original Shen Duo in the alley and threw her into Katela Forest.

A wave of hatred surged in Shen Duo’s mind—emotions lingering from the girl’s memories. Her delicate brows knitted as she recalled their merciless beating, her pleading and promises met only with mockery and scorn. Their ugly faces haunted her, fueling her hatred. Though surprised by these feelings, she welcomed them; her previous career had made her fiercely intolerant of evil.

Wang Feng saw her standing unmoved, lips pressed, worried for her. He pulled her arm, urging, “Shen Duo, Shen Yan is a five-star magician—you’re no match for him. Run! If he finds you, you’ll suffer for sure.” In his heart, he feared she might not survive at all.

He could warn her now, but when Shen Yan arrived, even if they beat her in public, no one would intervene. This world respected strength; only the powerful earned respect and awe. Simple, yet cruel.

Shen Duo looked up at Wang Feng, unmoving, and asked, “Only seven-star magicians can have magical beasts, right?”

Wang Feng was puzzled but nodded instinctively. He couldn’t understand why she cared about magical beasts at a life-or-death moment. She couldn’t even absorb spirit energy.

Her dark eyes grew more determined, shining with dazzling strength. Although she hated Shen Yan’s gang, her past training made her never fight a battle she couldn’t win.

Hmph! A five-star magician—still unable to possess a magical beast. Until one becomes a grand magician, they’re little different from a martial artist, their spirit energy merely enhancing their physical strength. Martial skills were Shen Duo’s specialty. As a distinguished policewoman, she had mastered Chinese martial arts—long fist, tai chi, wing chun—and studied foreign arts—jeet kune do, judo, karate, fencing. She had absolute confidence in her combat skills.

Today, she would avenge the original Shen Duo!