Death was surprisingly peaceful.
Lin Hao had spent his entire life on Earth living an ordinary life.
He had worked, eaten, worried about money, watched people come and go, raised a family, and eventually reached an age where most of the people he had known were already gone.
Now, lying quietly on his bed, he could feel his life coming to an end.
His breathing became slower.
His eyelids grew heavier.
There was no dramatic final battle.
No regret-filled scream.
No mysterious prophecy.
Just an old man reaching the natural end of his life.
Lin Hao smiled faintly.
“Well…”
He took one final breath.
“I guess this is it.”
His consciousness gradually faded.
When Lin Hao opened his eyes again, the first thing he felt was pain.
His entire body hurt.
His bones felt weak.
His chest felt tight.
Even breathing seemed like hard work.
Lin Hao slowly opened his eyes.
Above him was an unfamiliar wooden ceiling.
He stared at it for several seconds.
“…What?”
He tried to sit up.
His arms trembled.
His body felt incredibly weak.
Lin Hao froze.
He looked down at his hands.
They were old.
Wrinkled.
Thin.
His fingers trembled slightly.
He touched his face.
The skin was loose.
His beard was white.
He slowly climbed out of the bed and stumbled toward a nearby bronze mirror.
The reflection inside made him speechless.
An old man stared back at him.
Lin Hao stood there for several seconds.
Then his mouth twitched.
“I died of old age on Earth…”
He stared at the reflection.
“…just to transmigrate into another old man at the end of his rope here?”
Silence.
Lin Hao looked toward the ceiling.
“Am I that unlucky?!”
He almost wanted to laugh.
Of all the possibilities after death, why had he gotten another elderly body?
Wasn’t transmigration supposed to come with a young body?
A handsome face?
A powerful bloodline?
A mysterious identity?
Even becoming a useless young master would have been acceptable!
But an old man?
Again?!
Lin Hao covered his face.
“Seriously?”
Suddenly—
DING!
A cheerful voice echoed inside his mind.
[Host!]
Lin Hao froze.
“…Who?”
[Who else could it be?]
The voice sounded incredibly proud.
[The greatest, most magnificent, most extraordinary Clan-Building System in existence!]
Lin Hao blinked.
“…System?”
[Correct!]
The voice became even more enthusiastic.
[Congratulations, Host!
You have been selected by this system!]
Lin Hao stared blankly into space.
“Selected?”
[Yes!]
The system paused dramatically.
[Because you are the luckiest person in the entire world!]
Lin Hao’s expression became strange.
“The luckiest?”
[Absolutely!]
The system sounded offended.
[Do you think just anyone gets a system as magnificent as me?]
Lin Hao remained silent.
The system continued.
[Do you know how many people dream of receiving a system like this?]
“No.”
[Exactly!
Because none of them are worthy!]
“…”
Lin Hao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
This system seemed incredibly narcissistic.
[But you are different, Host!]
The system’s voice became solemn.
[You have obtained the supreme Clan-Building System!]
Lin Hao raised an eyebrow.
“Clan-Building System?”
[That’s right!]
A golden screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Clan-Building System]
Host: Lin Hao
Clan: Lin Clan
Family Points: 0
System Mall: Locked
Summoning Function: Locked
Lin Hao stared at the screen.
“So…”
He hesitated.
“What exactly does this system do?”
The system immediately became excited.
[Excellent question!]
[As the greatest system in existence, I can help you build the greatest clan in existence!]
Lin Hao rubbed his forehead.
“That’s a little vague.”
[Vague?]
The system sounded deeply offended.
[Host, please do not underestimate me!]
[I possess the System Mall!]
[I possess the Summoning Function!]
[I possess countless unimaginable abilities!]
The golden screen flickered.
[With this system, you can obtain treasures, cultivation resources, pills, techniques, weapons, heavenly materials, rare treasures and countless other things!]
Lin Hao’s eyes widened slightly.
“All of that?”
[Of course!]
The system practically sounded like it was laughing.
[I am the Clan-Building System!]
[My inventory is so vast that even the heavens would become jealous!]
Lin Hao stared at the screen.
For the first time since awakening in this strange world, he felt something other than confusion.
Hope.
But then he remembered something.
“Wait.”
He looked at the system.
“You said I was lucky.”
[Correct!]
“But I’m an old man again.”
[Correct!]
“I have a body that’s practically at the end of its life.”
[Correct!]
Lin Hao’s face darkened.
“How exactly does that make me lucky?”
There was a brief silence.
Then the system replied proudly.
[Because you have me!]
“…”
Lin Hao stared at the empty air.
The system continued with complete confidence.
[Host, you have just received the most powerful system in existence.]
[From this moment onward, your destiny has changed!]
[Your clan will rise!]
[Your family will prosper!]
[Your enemies will tremble!]
[And one day, the entire world will know the name of the Lin Clan!]
Lin Hao remained silent.
Then he slowly smiled.
“Well…”
He looked at his old reflection in the bronze mirror again.
“Since I’ve already died once…”
His eyes gradually became sharper.
“…I suppose I can try living again.”
The system immediately shouted excitedly.
[THAT’S THE SPIRIT, HOST!]
[Now, let’s build the greatest clan in existence!]
Lin Hao couldn’t help but laugh.
For the first time in two lifetimes…
He felt like his story had just begun.