Chapter 2

The deafening roar of thunder echoed in his ears, but when he listened carefully, it seemed as if he could sense nothing, as if it were an illusion. Towering bookshelves stood around him, their imposing size comparable to skyscrapers, and the sky above, where the ceiling should have been, was filled with rolling dark clouds, a terrifying sight reminiscent of the moment before a storm. Lightning flickered intermittently in the black clouds, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Anyone who found themselves in this vast building would feel their insignificance and humility when they looked up at the sky.

"Successor of the Magi! Welcome to the Eternal Grand Library."

The elderly voice, coming from nowhere, startled Luo Zhengdao, who was in a half-dream, half-awake state. He opened his eyes and looked around, and despite his drowsiness, he was truly awakened by the shock. When Luo Zhengdao realized that he was surrounded by bookshelves that stretched from floor to ceiling, their number indistinguishable, he felt a sense of unease. The bookshelves, which extended to the horizon, all looked the same. Wandering through this strange forest of books and shelves, he felt an indescribable fear. One teleportation was already bizarre; did he have to experience a second one as a special treat?

This strange building seemed designed to shock visitors, and even as Luo Zhengdao wandered aimlessly, he could sense its many inexplicable aspects. Circling the nearest bookshelf, Luo Zhengdao felt more and more like a mouse trapped in a maze. Apart from constant amazement and helplessness, he didn't know what the right reaction should be. In short, this place was very strange, and everything was abnormally large. Not only were the bookshelves enormous, but the books on them were also ridiculously oversized. Imagine books that stood taller than an adult and were thick enough to serve as load-bearing walls in buildings.

Wandering through the gaps between these massive bookshelves, Luo Zhengdao, bewildered, couldn't help but wonder if this dream was too bizarre. When did he develop such a fantastic imagination?

As if reading Luo Zhengdao's unspoken thoughts, the elderly voice, which had been silent for a long time, spoke again, calmly saying:

"No, this is not a dream! Successor!"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao's hair stood on end. He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but found nothing. He asked nervously:

"Who are you?"

The elderly voice answered in a somewhat stiff manner:

"I am the Librarian, the manager of this Eternal Grand Library."

Luo Zhengdao had never encountered such inexplicable supernatural events. If it weren't for the fact that he didn't know where to run, he would have fled long ago. With no way to escape, he could only tremble and converse with an unseen entity.

In this unprecedented and dreamlike place, Luo Zhengdao, breathing heavily, asked:

"Where are you?"

After a brief silence, the elderly voice, filled with the weight of years, replied calmly:

"I apologize, I have no physical form. If you must find me, this library is my body."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao was still confused. He scratched his head, trying to digest the information. After a moment, he looked up and asked in a questioning tone:

"Why am I here?"

"Ceremony!"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao frowned. This answer was frustrating. After much thought, he still couldn't find an answer. He sighed and said:

"What ceremony? I haven't participated in any ceremony!"

"No, the ceremony was successful. You have inherited the glorious legacy of the great Magi. You will have the opportunity to go further than they did..."

Even though Luo Zhengdao understood every word the elderly voice said, he couldn't comprehend the meaning when they were put together. This felt like a cruel mockery of his intelligence, as if he were wearing a sign that read "idiot" and being gawked at by passersby. The frustration made him feel like he wanted to vomit blood.

"Time is running out. You should return. If you have any questions, you can ask the Mouth of Truth next time."

"Wait, I haven't... Ah—"

As if stepping off a cliff, Luo Zhengdao experienced the extreme thrill of free-falling, screaming like a pig being slaughtered during the seemingly endless descent. Even a profound philosopher would have screamed if they were subjected to this free-fall experience.

"May Lord Aifandra protect us! My lord, you have finally awakened!"

Just as Luo Zhengdao, still in a half-dream, half-awake state, had experienced the thrill of a high fall, he opened his eyes, gasping for breath. Ignoring the cold sweat on his face, he scanned the two men and one woman who were watching him, and asked:

"Who are you?"

After speaking, Luo Zhengdao realized that he was not speaking his native language but a foreign language with a strong rhythm, which he used as fluently as if it were his mother tongue.

Observing Luo Zhengdao's every move after he woke up, the ship's doctor, the short and fat Derek Kin, analyzed his abnormal behavior for a long time. Finally, he shook his head in disappointment, shrugging at the half-elf beauty's questioning gaze, indicating his helplessness.

The half-elf beauty, with her beautiful blue eyes, looked straight at Luo Zhengdao and said:

"My lord, I am Vina Dubov, your governess. Wil, do you really not remember me?"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao subconsciously touched his smooth face, finding no sign of a beard. This body was younger than his previous one, but at least the facial features were decent. Suddenly, Luo Zhengdao's heart sank. Without thinking, he grabbed the beauty's hand and asked:

"Who am I?"

"My lord, you are the current Baron Fulu."

The two men, who were exceptionally handsome, treated Luo Zhengdao with great respect, always using honorifics. However, Luo Zhengdao was not concerned with etiquette at the moment. When he heard this answer, he pinched his thigh hard, feeling real pain. At this moment, he realized he had truly crossed over, not dreaming. The absurdity of the situation, like a 10-ton iron hammer smashing into his head, made him feel both amused and frustrated. Heaven! Earth! If he had to cross over, why did he become a lowly Baron Fulu? Where were the mighty heroes like Long Aotian, Xuanyuan Wudi, and Dugu Ba?

"Boom—"

Just then, another loud boom came from above, accompanied by the ship's shaking. Luo Zhengdao's cabin trembled, and he realized the situation was dire. He asked:

"What is that sound?"

The half-elf beauty Vina looked at the two baron's retainers and sighed:

"We haven't escaped the dirty green skins' blockade. Their cannons could destroy this ship at any moment. We can only pray for divine protection."

"Thud—"

"Prepare for boarding! Everyone, get ready to fight and protect the baron."

Before Luo Zhengdao could fully comprehend the situation, the ship shook violently again, this time tilting more than it had when it was hit. The three people, except for Luo Zhengdao, turned pale.

The half-elf beauty Vina, who called herself his governess, put on a serious face and said:

"My lord, you should be on the battlefield. You are the captain of this ship, and it is your duty."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao, still in the mindset of a commoner from his old world, pointed at himself in surprise and asked:

"What? Me? You mean I'm the captain?"

In a dire situation, the retainers couldn't afford to consider the baron's dignity. The one-eyed boatswain, Ful Xiao Bang, turned and shouted:

"Men, escort the baron to the stern deck to command the battle."

Without understanding the situation, Luo Zhengdao was lifted from the uncomfortable luxury bed by two burly sailors and carried up the stairs to the stern deck. His head still felt dizzy, and he couldn't believe he had crossed over. What was happening?

The real world doesn't change based on someone's subjective thoughts. When Luo Zhengdao was carried to the upper deck of the two-masted schooner Chao Yong, the scene before him was a horror movie-level nightmare. The pungent smell of blood, the acrid odor of burning wood and canvas, and the mixture of these smells created an indescribable, eerie scent. Luo Zhengdao couldn't pinpoint what this smell reminded him of, but he could guarantee it was not pleasant.

The cold wind cleared Luo Zhengdao's muddled mind. Observing his surroundings, he quickly understood the source of the violent shaking he had felt in the cabin.

Not far away, a smaller, faster boat had rammed the two-masted schooner. From the stern deck, even though the Chao Yong's midsection didn't show obvious damage, the burden of the smaller boat made it impossible to move quickly.

A loud, mournful horn sounded over the sea, and the ropes and grappling hooks from the smaller boat were thrown up. Following them, a group of green-skinned, fanged creatures climbed onto the upper deck of the two-masted schooner.

After the fall of the first Goblin Empire, the goblins, who had been dormant for a long time, rose again. In a decisive battle, they dramatically crushed the million-strong army led by the emperor of the Light Dynasty. During the peak of the second Goblin Empire, which dominated the main continent, the goblins found few worthy opponents, let alone their former defeated enemies. Given their usual disdain for human combat capabilities, the goblin officer on the smaller boat confidently waved his sword and shouted:

"Charge! Kill all the hairless monkeys!"

---

The real world doesn't change based on someone's subjective thoughts. When Luo Zhengdao was carried to the upper deck of the two-masted schooner Chao Yong, the scene before him was a horror movie-level nightmare. The pungent smell of blood, the acrid odor of burning wood and canvas, and the mixture of these smells created an indescribable, eerie scent. Luo Zhengdao couldn't pinpoint what this smell reminded him of, but he could guarantee it was not pleasant.

The cold wind cleared Luo Zhengdao's muddled mind. Observing his surroundings, he quickly understood the source of the violent shaking he had felt in the cabin.

Not far away, a smaller, faster boat had rammed the two-masted schooner. From the stern deck, even though the Chao Yong's midsection didn't show obvious damage, the burden of the smaller boat made it impossible to move quickly.

A loud, mournful horn sounded over the sea, and the ropes and grappling hooks from the smaller boat were thrown up. Following them, a group of green-skinned, fanged creatures climbed onto the upper deck of the two-masted schooner.

After the fall of the first Goblin Empire, the goblins, who had been dormant for a long time, rose again. In a decisive battle, they dramatically crushed the million-strong army led by the emperor of the Light Dynasty. During the peak of the second Goblin Empire, which dominated the main continent, the goblins found few worthy opponents, let alone their former defeated enemies. Given their usual disdain for human combat capabilities, the goblin officer on the smaller boat confidently waved his sword and shouted:

"Charge! Kill all the hairless monkeys!"