BXBX NOVEL Chapter 17: 17.
Chapter 17: 17.
Reliving his past lives helped him settle all the sealed emotions and witness from an outsider\'s perspective how his presence changed those close to him and the world itself. During his first transmigration, he lived with the belief that it will be his new and final life. The missions and development were done in complete abandonment. He strived for perfection. He created rules and respected the past. That mindset placed him as one of the greatest Emperors.
It was on his Second Transmigration when his thinking shifted.
Third Floor of the Pagoda.
Chen Kai no longer falls into the unsealed emotions. He accepted it all. He learned from each image. That transmigration was definitely a new experience. He took the role of Son Of Destiny as Rok Naline seriously.
Orphaned. A loner in a world invaded by monsters - a typical fantasy world.
His start was pitiful but he understood what he did after reliving those missions. He gave those who had no voices a chance. He also understood human greed. Those that stood above him as he grew into the modern hero SSS Awakener Rok Naline were the ones he had to cull and were the epitome of corruption.
They killed with no remorse. He stopped them.
Those who had no place in that warped society. He helped them.
The truth that was hidden. He revealed it all.
Chen Kai dealt with the grief of once again losing his precious people. He frowned when his memories were coming to an end. The fierce phantom knew his thoughts and sat back in the Black Brocade chair that was in the middle of the modern living area with bright lamps. Silver eyes soften and the inherent lightning power that freely surged around his hands and body calmed down.
"Loneliness. It seems like that will be the theme of our lives. We entered alone. We walked alone. We were left alone. The seal not only suppressed our emotional capacity but created a shield of protection. It kept away meaningful relationships hence the love of our wife and children was the most significant."
The phantom glanced at their heroic image standing above all as a god-tier awakener, protecting the masses with their strength. They did their best, that\'s all that matters. The people were protected and will be so continuously thanks to the protocols they created. It was a good life.
The phantom\'s body dissipated on that last thought; the wisps moved to the lamps and replaced the bright lights with the calm color of blue. It matched the current inhabitant\'s mood.
"I don\'t think we\'ll be lonely any longer," Chen Kai murmured with a smile.
[Mental Faculties - 85%]
~~~~~~~
In the main living room of the outside world, Chen Kai\'s body was covered in sweat and now lying on his back. His eyes were twitching violently as he went through the memories of his next life.
The system took charge of the Villa\'s AI network to keep him and his new home secure during this sensitive development. The creator of the villa placed a smart system that supervises the medical, security, and basic needs of the owner.
Currently, the system blocked the medical alert the AI was about to send.
{Master Chen is currently in a state of unconsciousness. Life signals are not optimum. Contacting Medical Personnel.}
{Error! Failure to contact.}
{Please contact Medical Personnel manually.}
{System Breach!}
{System is being overwritten. The administrator has been confirmed.
{System is being prompted. Update Installation Commencing.}
{Update progress 4%..... 15% ..... 23%.....}
If one was to listen to this technological hijacking that can see played out in the movies, one will be equally dumbfounded by the ongoing scene in the formal living room.
Five transparent screens floated steadily above Chen Kai\'s body. Three out of the five were dim and were currently undergoing an extraction state due to the speedy scrolling and highlighted information on them.
These screens were Chen Kai\'s status and records screen from his past lives. With each life being comprehended and accepted, the screen will dim and go through the extraction phase.
Currently, the highlighted screen was of his third transmigration.
In that life, he was a highly accomplished doctor. He was dubbed by the people and his peers as Divine Doctor Kalum Rennison.
This was a life filled with scheming behind the scenes which Chen Kai hated. He wanted to practice medicine but the affluent people hampered that on different fronts. He fought for the people without voices to get the medical care they needed even if he had to enter the political circle.
After sifting through those memories, Chen Kai learned what it meant to be - resolute. In his life as Kalum Rennison he walked a pure path but he had to make certain detours to get what he wanted.
No matter how righteous one was, there were things in the dark that will help you on your way.
The only attachments he had in that life were his eccentric disciples. Having a romantic relationship or creating bonds with people was far from his mind. He kept himself at a distance - a coping mechanism and side effect of the seal.
He did what had to be done.
[Mental Faculties - 90%]
~~~~~~~~
Returning to Chen Kai\'s MindScape, the three Pagodas stood valiantly on the dark abyssal lake. The previously derelict Mind Pagoda now shone with vibrancy and showing signs of constant repair. This was the result of the host accepting, understanding, and sorting through his emotions to stabilize his mental health.
The First to Fourth floors were repaired and through the windows, the blue mystical hue shone through.
Chen Kai was on the Fifth floor.
That life was one he considered a failure.
He was tired. Dejected. Confused. Lost.
It was his fourth transmigration. He was further away from his original world and forgot things about the first transmigration he wanted to keep. Establishing a new life was harsh on his mind and body. To adapt to a new world\'s rules, live with new \'relatives\', understand the new body\'s situation - it bothered him greatly.
As the second son of a tyrannical business tycoon, Emmerson Lee was said to live his life lavishly and bathing in riches his father earned.
That was the public\'s imagination.
Emmerson Lee was the only son between the tycoon, Horace Lee and his hidden second wife, Emma Janis. The public had no knowledge of the tycoon\'s harem and how many children he fathered after his firstborn, Heath.
Life for the wives and kids was competitive. Similar to the bloodbath for the crown back in medieval and probably modern times, it was the same for the Lee fortune.
He was unfortunate to be born as the second child and male.
Horace Lee was patriarchal. Only a legitimate son can take over his empire or one of his important companies.
The first wife made it clear that it was her sons, the first and third, who were the rightful heirs.
The other wives fought for their sons to be acknowledged while oppressing the others.
The second wife saw the competition as idiotic. It was their husband\'s choice. She lived under her maiden name and created a group of companies as her own but was still faithful to her husband. Emmerson followed his mother\'s path and kept his distance from his callous siblings but it still brought on harsh bullying and ridicule. His passive stance and delicate features misconstrued his father\'s evaluation of him. Horace began to disdain that child of his and focused on the others.
The father\'s action was a trigger to the cruel tricks played on Emmerson.
Being a filial child he suffered in silence to keep his mother happy. That silence was part of his depression but he tarried on for his mother.
"Such a filial child," Chen Kai said softly as he watched on. The phantom of Emmerson Lee was beside him. A sad smile was on his lips, his looks changed to a forlorn god looking down at the world below.
"Every life we have been filial. It\'s engraved on our soul."
The next image was familiar to Chen Kai. A soul that has a large amount of good fate and is destined for greatness, will have its share of enemies, in this case, covetous siblings.
A bitter smile was on his face when he watched on as Heath, the first son, his murderous attempt in a simple beating.
The planned assault by his first and third brothers was common. Heath hid a few poison-tipped needles through his clenched fists and pummeled Emmerson mercilessly. The secondborn was a threat to his standing.
"Poison is to be my downfall, huh?" Chen Kai murmured. His death in his past lives and present have been poison. Was it a mandatory death path or entirely coincidental?
"It is a popular way to kill one\'s enemies. Killing should be uncomplicated," the phantom retorted with a nonchalant shrug.
"Hmm. You\'re right."
Emmerson was eighteen when he attacked. He \'died\' a day later. That\'s when Chen Kai transmigrated.
His mindset was the same as the past Emmerson which was easier to adapt. The depression from his past lives and the current one made him isolate himself from the Lee family to the extent that he left the estate.
He had his own income from his mother and a small business he created. Even though, he stayed away from the family and lived his life as a college student. The wives of Horace Lee were persistent. Several murder attempts happened, and he personally handled it all. Emmerson didn\'t reach out for help at all.
"Were we too arrogant in not asking for help?"
"No. Their deaths would have hung heavier on our minds."
The phantom nodded in agreement as they watched on. The images showed how their father\'s greed and extravagant spending affected the family\'s wealth and the people who were the backbone of such wealth.
The rich didn\'t make the rich, richer.
It is the poor that makes them rich.
Those in the low and middle classes are the ones who make up the little gears that set their wealth rolling. The more pressure on these people, the higher the failure. Emmerson\'s mission was to resolve the oncoming blow of economic loss stemming from his family. The Lee Empire had strongholds in various industries, if they were to fall, the country\'s economy will fall like a deck of cards.
To do that he had to take over the Lee Empire.
Each grueling day was tiresome. Emmerson began having darker thoughts. His demeanor became colder and unpredictable. He was teetering on the edge.
Then, he fell.
They targeted his mother.
He lost all sense of decorum and righteousness. Emmerson played with them using the same methods but crueler. He went as far as crippling his dear father because it was he who failed to rule over his family fairly. It was he who indulged them all to play with the lives of their own blood.
Emmerson was close to killing his father when he slipped into a crazed state. It was a need to release all those harmful thoughts. He just wanted a sweet release.
If it wasn\'t for his mother, his hands would have been stained with blood. She held him back.
"If she wasn\'t there....."
"Yeah. She was a good mother," Chen Kai whispered.
Both phantom and host looked back on their crazed state and were even more thankful towards the woman. She saved them. They were pretty close to offing themselves.
"Hahaha! Transmigrating isn\'t as fun as the novels portray it to be huh?" the phantom commented with a bitter laugh. He got to his feet and walked towards the image of him being consoled by his mother.
"That feeling. It was fleeting but we remembered it. The feeling of being cherished no matter what. She loved us."
"Love. After reliving all my lives, love stopped after Talia\'s death. The feeling of love hid until our mother." Thinking it over, Chen Kai lay on the floor to digest everything they spoke of and watched.
"This life should be a good one to find love once again. Right?" The phantom smiled at him from over his shoulder.
"There\'s a possibility."
"Of course there is. This is our retirement."
The phantom bowed deeply to the image and stood before it with a relieved smile on its face. Slowly it began to fade into wisps, turning the soft lights into a comforting blue hue.
Chen Kai felt like a weight has been lifted off his chest. Everything felt clearer. His mind felt so peaceful.
This is what he longed for.
[Mental Faculties - 95%]