The night air was crisp as Lin Feng stood by the open window, his gaze distant as he took in the sprawling cityscape of Bo City. Dim streetlights flickered, casting long shadows over the narrow alleys below. The city was quiet at this hour, save for the occasional barking of stray dogs and the distant hum of a passing vehicle.
His mind, however, was anything but quiet.
He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. This body was never meant to be a mage.
At the school's Awakening Ceremony, the original Lin Feng had stood in front of the magic stone, heart pounding with anticipation—only for nothing to happen. No glowing star dust, no connection to an element, nothing. The stone had remained lifeless, just like the future that had been stolen from him in that moment.
To be born in a world where magic defined one's fate yet to possess none? It was the cruelest joke. It was why his predecessor had wasted away in self-loathing, abandoned by friends, mocked by those who once saw him as an equal.
Lin Feng exhaled slowly, letting the bitter emotions pass.
What's the point of lamenting something I cannot change?
His thoughts were sharp, logical. Dwelling on the unfairness of it all was useless. Right now, he had two years before Bo City fell. Two years to prepare, to carve his own path. Magic or not, he refused to be another nameless corpse trampled by fate.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he turned away from the window. First, I need to understand my environment properly.
The memories of the original Lin Feng were helpful, but memories weren't enough. Things could change. The mind could misremember. If he wanted to survive in this world, he needed to see things with his own eyes.
Stepping into Bo City
Pulling on a worn-out hoodie, Lin Feng left the apartment and made his way down the cracked stairwell. The building smelled of dampness and cigarette smoke, the walls covered in old posters peeling at the edges. He ignored it all as he stepped out into the city.
Bo City wasn't glamorous. It was a mid-tier city in the vast nation, its skyline unimpressive compared to the megacities ruled by elite mages. But for him, it was a battlefield. Every alley, every street, every face he encountered could be a potential threat or opportunity.
As he walked through the streets, he began taking mental notes.
The shops he passed were mostly mundane: convenience stores selling cheap snacks, restaurants catering to night workers, and repair shops with flickering neon signs. But further down, in the less regulated districts, he found the underground dealings. Shady bars where mercenaries gathered, street vendors selling "Certain Things" of dubious origin, and quiet alleyways where desperate people met for illegal trades.
Lin Feng smirked slightly. Even in a world of magic, human greed remains the same.
He knew from his past life's knowledge of Versatile Mage that Bo City had its hidden currents. It wasn't just a quiet city where nothing happened—secrets lurked beneath the surface. The Black Vatican had already infiltrated this place, operating in the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike. If he played his cards right, he could exploit that knowledge to his advantage.
As he continued exploring, he started to notice things the original Lin Feng had overlooked.
—There were security patrols, but they were lax, uninterested.—The underground economy thrived, but no one dared to disturb the true power holders.—Most common folk barely understood the depths of the magic world, even if they lived in it.
He even overheard a conversation between two young men outside a small magic shop.
"I heard the Shang Family's eldest son awakened the Lightning Element. Can you imagine? That guy's going straight to the top."
"Yeah, unlike those unlucky ones who fail the Awakening Ceremony. Useless."
Lin Feng's expression remained blank as he walked past them.
Knowledge of a Past Life
Despite the grim reality of his situation, he still had an advantage—he knew how this world would change.
In his past life, Versatile Mage had been just a story, a thrilling tale of magic and survival. But now? Now it was his reality. And in that reality, certain truths stood out:
—The world of magic was much deeper than common people realized. Forbidden spells, lost elements, ancient artifacts—they all existed.—While those born without magic were considered trash, there were no ways to break past those limits. Rare resources might be able to do it… They weren't common, but they existed.—In two years, everything would change. Bo City would fall, countless people would die, and the world would be thrown into chaos.
Lin Feng's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. If others saw him as nothing more than a powerless cripple, then he would use that to his advantage.
For now, he would continue gathering information. Learn the city, its people, its hidden rules. And when the time came… he would strike.
Tonight was just the beginning.