The waves rolled in gently, foaming across the shore before pulling back again.
Xu Qianghua sat in a reclining chair just outside the villa, his arms resting along the sides, legs stretched out, and eyes half-closed under the warm afternoon sun.
The sea breeze brushed past his skin, cool and salty. It was peaceful here. There were no system messages, battle alerts, or elders knocking on his door to ask about urgent family affairs.
Just quiet.
And for once, he let himself enjoy it.
His body was relaxed, but his mind—while not racing—was still quietly thinking.
Memories drifted in the background like clouds: images from the past life, old battles, old friends, the first time he saw the system interface appear after the merge, the moment he realized what kind of world this was becoming…
He didn't move when he heard the soft footsteps behind him.
The villa was protected by layers of formation, so anyone arriving without his approval would've triggered at least five warnings.
