REBORN: BETRAYAL AND LOVE (Enigma X Alpha) 1

Dim Forest

Mist floats over the earth. The air is damp, heavy with the scent of pine and blood. LAN YAN groans as he slowly regains consciousness.

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

*Confused* ...Where...?

He tries to sit up. His head throbs. Dirt smears his robes — not hospital scrubs, but coarse, rough-spun fabric. His hands are scraped. In his arms, a small child cries softly, face bruised and bleeding from a cut.

Lan Yuri [MC Brother4|Omega]

*Sniffling* ...Gege... it hurts...

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

*Heart clenching* Hey—hey, don’t cry, little one... I’ve got you...

He looks around — tall trees, chirping birds, and no trace of city lights or honking cars. Just... silence. And pain.

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

💭Where the hell am I? This isn’t the hospital... this isn’t even the 21st century...

Suddenly — harsh footsteps approach. A group of young men in ancient garb appear, laughing cruelly.

***

BULLY #1 *snorting* Look what we have here. The stray mutt woke up.

***

BULLY #2 Still clutching that brat like it’s his. You’re both unwanted — beggars from the temple ruins!

***

BULLY #3 *mocking* Maybe he’s pretending to be noble again! You hear that last week? Said he was from the capital. Must’ve hit his head too hard.

LAN YAN shields the child instinctively, frowning despite his pain.

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

Touch him and I swear, I’ll break your hand.❄️

***

BULLY #1 *laughing* You? You’re barely standing.

They kick him, knock him down. The child screams. Blood at the corner of Lan Yan’s lip. His grip on the child never loosens.

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

~Argh...

Lan Yan [Alpha] MC

💭This isn’t a dream. I died... didn’t I? That truck... and now—what is this place? Why do I feel like I’ve been dropped into someone else’s life?

Suddenly, a calm yet commanding voice cuts through the air.

???

What’s going on here?

Everyone freezes. A tall man in dark robes steps out from the shadows, his gaze cold like steel. He wears the crest of a noble clan on his sleeve. The bullies instantly kneel.

***

BULLY #1 *panicking* Y-Young Master Lu! We didn’t know you were here!