In a shabby alley under a dim yellow streetlight, a young girl curled up in a corner, trembling.

  Standing before her were two thugs, their eyes filled with malicious intent.

  The leader sneered:

  "Your brother owes us $20,000. No cash? Fine. Sleep with me every night. I'll pay you $500 a night. Easy, right?"

  Ngoc Linh clenched her fists, her voice trembling but firm:

  "I'd rather die than do that!"

  The second thug barked:

  "Then pay up!"

  Ngoc Linh shook her head desperately:

  "I don't have any money...! But my brother will come back and pay you!"

  The leader burst into cruel laughter:

  "Your brother? The guy who vanished three years ago? You still think he's coming back?"

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  Tears welled up in Ngoc Linh's eyes, but she shouted back:

  "He will come back!"

  The two thugs exchanged mocking glances and moved closer.

  Ngoc Linh backed away, voice breaking:

  "Stay away! I'll scream!"

  The second thug chuckled darkly:

  "The more you resist, the more excited I get!"

  Suddenly—

  BANG!

  The door slammed open with a deafening crash.

  A skinny teenage boy stepped through the doorway, his eyes cold and sharp like a blade.

  "Let her go," he said, voice low and dangerous. "Or face the consequences."

  The two thugs paused, then burst out laughing.

  The leader mocked:

  "Just you? Look at yourself, you stick figure! You think you can play hero?"

  The boy didn't flinch.

  "Never underestimate a poor kid," he said quietly.

  The second thug lunged at him—

  WHAM! WHAM!

  In an instant, both thugs were knocked flat, groaning in pain.

  The boy stepped forward, glaring down at them.

  "Get lost," he spat.

  Terrified, the thugs scrambled up, bowing and stammering:

  "Thank you, boss! Thank you for sparing us!"

  Then they bolted out the door, tripping over themselves.

  Silence filled the room.

  Ngoc Linh stared at the boy with wide, tearful eyes. Then she rushed into his arms.

  "Brother... You're back... Where were you? Why didn't you come home when we needed you most?"

  The boy held her tightly, guilt flashing across his face.

  "I'm sorry," he whispered. "It's all my fault."

  ---

  [Three Years Ago]

  While answering nature’s call near a cliff, H?o Ca had slipped and fallen.

  Instead of dying, he found himself transported to a mysterious world known as Honghuang.

  There, he trained for a thousand years, climbing from an ordinary mortal to an unmatched powerhouse.

  But during his final breakthrough attempt, something went wrong—his soul shattered.

  Just when he thought he would disappear forever, he woke up back in his original world.

  To his shock, only three years had passed here.

  Now carrying the experience of a millennium, H?o Ca had finally returned—

  —to protect his family and everyone he cared about.

  ---

  [End of Chapter 1]