Chapter 2: Past Lives and Present Existence

Packing up? What is there to pack? I am always ready to leave! Zhao Cheng muttered with a bitter smile. The office was essentially his dormitory, and the leather trunk under his bed contained all his belongings. His entire wealth consisted of a few military uniforms issued by the army; he had no wife, no children, and certainly no home, only a bookshelf filled with books. If he were to browse through them, he would find that most were related to agriculture, with a small portion being historical texts.

It is currently the harvest season for rapeseed, and the fields of the farm are a golden expanse, with various machines buzzing busily to gather the crops. In the farm manager's office, Zhao Cheng was not busy in the fields as usual; instead, he was staring at a military district newspaper published today, the front-page news reporting that the military district leaders, accompanied by the logistics department officials, inspected the Hongxing Farm, designating it as a "supply base for military side dishes and investing in the construction of a material distribution center." In the featured photo, several generals were chatting and laughing, and in an inconspicuous corner, half of his face was visible, making it quite difficult to notice without a closer look.

Zhao Cheng is in his thirties this year. A few years ago, he was transferred here and quickly brought order to this unit, which had been a source of headaches for the leaders. He transformed thousands of acres of sandy land into fertile fields, established a breeding farm, an oil and grain processing plant, and a comprehensive shopping center to provide employment for the families of military personnel. The farm has become a model unit, generating nearly 100 million yuan in annual profits. Given such significant contributions, it would normally be expected for him to be featured in the newspaper, yet he appears to be anything but happy.

... ...

I have to leave again; I can no longer stay here!" Zhao Cheng muttered to himself as he picked up the phone and dialed a three-digit number. The call was quickly connected. "Hello, who are you looking for?" "Number one, I am the Hidden Arrow, I have revealed myself!" Zhao Cheng whispered to *Tu* *Shu*.

At this moment, three individuals burst in. The leader, wearing a nine-beam crown and a yellow dragon robe, was tall and slender, with a face like smooth fat and eyes like dots of lacquer. He had a handsome demeanor, but his brows were tightly furrowed, as if troubled by some matter. Accompanying him were two Taoist priests, one old and one young.

Oh, you should prepare for evacuation immediately. I will send someone to pick you up right away. Please pay attention to your safety! The other party had no doubts and immediately made arrangements

His refusal to be photographed does not mean that others do not possess his pictures. Currently, at least hundreds of top assassins from various countries are searching for him around the world, looking for traces he has left behind, because his life is extremely valuable. Yesterday's newspapers have been transmitted at the fastest speed to major organizations, and one by one, the assassins, stirred by the lure of money, are converging here from all corners of the globe.

I have finally died, not knowing who has become wealthy; this sum of money is enough to buy ten such farms... Zhao Cheng smiled helplessly, blood welling at the corner of his mouth. He struggled to lift his head to look out the window, where a figure swiftly darted past the wall. He raised his hand and fired a shot; the figure fell and vanished into the darkness. At that moment, a rumble echoed through the air as a helicopter hovered in front of the building. Several ropes were thrown down, and a few fully armed men in black quickly descended, rushing into the building. Yet, Zhao Cheng's eyes had already lost their luster; his body remained leaning against the windowsill, gun in hand, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He made another effort to look out the window, where a figure swiftly darted past the wall. He raised his hand and fired a shot; the figure fell and vanished into the darkness. At that moment, a rumble echoed through the air as a helicopter hovered in front of the building. Several ropes were thrown down, and a few fully armed men in black quickly descended, rushing into the building. Yet, Zhao Cheng's eyes had already lost their luster; his body remained leaning against the windowsill, gun in hand, with the unfinished "History of the Song Dynasty" tossed on the table.

Chai'er! The Empress once again threw herself onto Zhao Cheng, weeping bitterly. "Cough, cough..." Zhao Cheng's chest was violently compressed, causing a thick phlegm to be forced out from the corner of his mouth. "Chai'er, Chai'er!" Zhao Cheng was so pressed that his eyes rolled back, the phlegm was expelled, but he could not catch his breath.

"Your Highness, forgive this humble servant for his incompetence. The Second Prince's pulse is entirely absent, and there is no hope for recovery!" Doctor Wang knelt on the ground, weeping. "Chai'er..." The Empress looked up at the comet in the sky and let out a long wail before fainting. The eunuchs and palace maids in the room hurriedly rushed forward to support her, while Doctor Wang quickly administered acupuncture. After a flurry of activity, the Empress finally regained consciousness. Although Consort Zheng was currently favored by the Emperor, she had only one son and one daughter. Once her beauty faded with age, her son would be her only hope for the future. This child had been born prematurely and was deemed by the doctors to have a weak constitution, making it difficult for him to survive. However, she had cared for him with great devotion and treated him meticulously. After much effort, he had finally reached the age of seven, but during the Lantern Festival a few days ago, while admiring the lanterns in the newly completed Longfu Palace, he was pushed into the river. After being rescued, he had not awakened, and today he ultimately succumbed to his condition.

Their call lasted less than ten seconds, and even the most advanced listening devices today would not be able to determine his location in such a short time. After Zhao Cheng finished speaking, he immediately hung up the phone, not even inquiring about where he was going next.

Damn it, even the heavens are just a blind sparrow; they let someone else abduct their own wife and children. How can such a person be allowed to be an emperor!" Zhao Cheng angrily threw the book onto the table and cursed.

Zhao Cheng quickly calmed down from his shock, surveying his surroundings. On the wall in the center hung the "Red Plum Blossom Painting," with its elegant branches still standing tall and the green buds glistening with dew. By the window stood a large table made of light red serpentine marble, adorned with several square Duan inkstones and variously shaped brush holders filled with lake brushes. A tall bookshelf was filled with books, both new and old, and the presence of a table and a small table exuded elegance. Looking at the empress, who was his biological mother, although her face was streaked with tears like a pear blossom in the rain, she still maintained a dignified and graceful demeanor, preserving her fresh and solitary charm.

"Your Highness, the prince has awakened!" A palace maid, noticing Zhao Cheng's disdainful glance, hurriedly pulled the empress and shouted loudly. "A miraculous revival!" Physician Wang, having practiced medicine for most of his life, had never witnessed such a phenomenon before. Ignoring the formalities between sovereign and subject, he stepped forward and grasped Zhao Cheng's wrist. After trembling for a while, he finally found the pulse. "Your Highness, the prince is truly alive..." The old man, with tears and snot streaming down his face, said excitedly. He felt that his life had not been in vain, as he had finally witnessed a miracle.

Suddenly, the tightly shut window was smashed open, and a shadow rushed in. The lights in the room immediately went out, followed by two gunshots, leaving a corpse on the floor. Zhao Cheng did not turn on the lights; he walked to the window, preparing to pull the curtains shut again when a comet streaked across the night sky, exposing his figure in the bright starlight. With a muffled sound, Zhao Cheng distinctly felt a searing bullet tear through his flesh, break his sternum, and pierce his heart. A comet streaked across the night sky, exposing his figure in the bright starlight. With a muffled sound, Zhao Cheng distinctly felt a searing bullet tear through his flesh, break his sternum, and pierce his heart

Oh?! The two Taoist priests behind the Emperor exclaimed in surprise, stepping forward to gaze at the couch, just as they locked eyes with Zhao Cheng. Both were taken aback, wondering how this child could exude such a strong aura of killing intent

"Who is crying? Am I not dead? How can I hear crying?" Zhao Cheng suddenly woke up, but his body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He exerted all his strength but could not move a single finger. "Your Highness, please accept my condolences. The Second Prince is afraid he cannot be saved; I have done my utmost!" "Doctor Wang, is there really no hope?" a woman sobbed, still clinging to the last glimmer of hope.

Where is this place, why is it not right! Zhao Cheng, who had been left aside, listened to the chaotic cries and felt uneasy. Years of military life had instilled in him the habit of remaining vigilant at all times. He struggled to open his eyes, but the scene before him nearly caused this battle-hardened warrior to faint again. Why was his body so small? The people crying and shouting did not seem to be acting; their expressions were incredibly genuine. Could it be that I, like the protagonists in those grand novels, have 'traveled' here... The scene before him nearly caused this battle-hardened warrior to faint again. Why was his body so small? The people crying and shouting did not seem to be acting; their expressions were incredibly genuine. Could it be that I, like the protagonists in those grand novels, have 'traveled' here...

Zhao Cheng and *Tu* Book are not afraid of death, for he has witnessed too much death. He once had a happy home, with loving parents and a caring elder brother, but everything changed when he was admitted to the military academy. He majored in mechanical engineering, which can be said to have no connection to combat troops. During his third year, he went to the field for an internship and participated in a sanda competition. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, he surprisingly made it to the finals, and his performance caught the attention of the commander selecting special forces candidates, who recruited him into the special forces battalion. Three years of rigorous training allowed him to stand out, and from then on, he distanced himself from a normal life, severing ties with family, friends, and classmates, using various means to erase the last traces of his existence in this world.

As a master of special operations, Zhao Cheng is active in various hotspots, assassinating terrorists that threaten the interests of our country, eliminating traitors who defect, and clearing out enemy agents infiltrating our nation. His repeated successful missions have made him a target of deep hatred among enemies, who have placed a bounty on his life. However, no one knows his appearance; they only know his code name—Dark Arrow. During a foreign rescue operation, an unfortunate incident allowed his adversaries to glimpse his true identity. Since then, he has concealed himself on this farm, refraining from using any advanced communication facilities and never appearing in front of cameras. He has buried himself deeply like an ostrich.

Zhao Cheng understood this time; the sound he had just heard was indeed the cry of this woman. However, he was even more confused. This voice was very unfamiliar, and he had never had any interaction with her. How could she be crying for him? Moreover, the way she addressed him, as if he were a prince or a royal physician, made him feel as if they were in a movie.

Your Majesty! In the midst of the chaos, someone finally discovered that the Emperor had arrived, and everyone in the room immediately knelt down. "My beloved consort, Erlang has passed away; you must grieve with restraint and not harm your health!" the Emperor advised as he helped the Empress to her feet. "Erlang is not dead; he has come back to life!" the Empress said, overwhelmed with joy and tears.