Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"The Fox's First Task"

The moment Li Wei opened his eyes, the stench of cold, metal air greeted him. It was nothing like the warm, fragrant winds of the forest he once called home. The familiar weight of his fox tail was gone. In its place, a hollow feeling lingered deep within his chest.

He looked around, finding himself not in the lush forests he remembered, but a stark, sterile room—cold walls, a blinding white light overhead, and a single screen flickering in the corner. 

"Welcome back, Fox Spirit, Li Wei," a mechanical voice intoned, breaking the silence. 

Li Wei groaned, pushing himself up from the metallic table that had held his lifeless body moments before. His eyes narrowed. "I should've known this wasn't the end," he muttered under his breath. 

The last thing he remembered was the betrayal. The sword that had pierced his heart, his last breath escaping as he crumpled to the ground.

His death had been swift but painful, like the sting of a sharp arrow, and now he was... alive again? No, not alive—not in the way he once had been. He was trapped in this strange, sterile place, with only the voice of a system to guide him.

"You are no longer alive, not in the way you were. But you will serve a purpose." The voice sounded almost bored, as though it had said this countless times before. "You have been given a second chance. Complete your missions, and you may return to your former life. Fail, and you will be lost forever." 

A second chance? Li Wei's memories of his past life flashed before him. The laughter, the joy, the sly tricks he'd pulled on humans, and the love he'd never known. And then, the betrayal. His enemies had been too numerous, too cunning. He was struck down by those who claimed to be his friends, left to die alone in the cold shadows of the forest. 

But revenge, he swore, was his. 

"What should I do?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with the bitterness of his past. 

The screen flickered again. "You will travel through different worlds. Each world will present a challenge. You must win the heart of a cold, untouchable individual. Only then will you be allowed to return to your past life. Fail, and your chance for revenge will be lost forever." 

Cold, untouchable people? He raised an eyebrow. "Sounds simple enough." 

"You will be tested," the voice warned. "You are not the only one seeking revenge." 

The thought of facing others who might stand in his way only fueled his determination. He had died once already, but now he had a chance—an opportunity to get back what had been taken from him. 

The screen blinked again, showing a new image. A tall, cold figure dressed in a dark suit appeared, standing imposingly in the center of a luxurious office. His face was sharp, his eyes icy, and there was an aura of unapproachability that made the air itself seem colder. 

"Your first target," the voice continued. "He is a CEO—unfeeling, detached, and ruthless. His heart is frozen, and he has no time for affection." 

Li Wei's lips curled into a sly smile. Perfect. Cold men were easy to play with. They just needed a little warmth, a little... attention. 

"I'll win his heart," he said, his voice laced with confidence. "I've charmed far worse than him." 

"You may not have to charm him. You may need to break him." 

His brows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?" 

"Some hearts are not won through affection," the voice replied, cryptic as ever. "You will learn soon enough." 

Before he could respond, the room around him seemed to fade, the walls dissolving into light. He felt his body shift, as though he were being pulled through space itself. The strange sensation made him dizzy, and for a moment, he feared he might be pulled apart. But the sensation was fleeting, and the next thing he knew, he was standing in the middle of a sleek, modern office—a stark contrast to the cold, metallic chamber he had just left. 

Song Xue. 

The man at the desk didn't look up. 

This was the one, then. The first of many. 

Li Wei glanced at his new surroundings—high-end furniture, large windows revealing a sprawling cityscape. It was beautiful in a cold, calculating way. Song Xue, no doubt, was accustomed to luxury, power, and control. But even as he stood there, trying to gather his bearings, the CEO remained engrossed in his work, completely unaware of the presence in the room. 

Li Wei felt a wave of amusement. This man, this untouchable figure, would soon be his. 

He stepped forward, the sound of his soft footsteps echoing through the otherwise quiet room. "You know," he said, his voice smooth and playful, "it's considered rude to ignore someone in your own office." 

Song Xue didn't flinch. His eyes didn't even leave the papers before him. "I'm busy," came the curt reply, his voice as cold as ice. 

Li Wei grinned. Oh, this was going to be fun. 

He stepped closer, leaning over the desk with a mischievous glint in his eye. "But I'm sure even someone as busy as you has a minute to spare for a charming stranger." 

Song Xue finally looked up, his gaze locking with Li Wei's. There was a moment of silence—an unsettling tension that seemed to grow thicker with every passing second. Li Wei didn't flinch, his smile only widening. 

"Who are you?" Song Xue's voice was still cool, unbothered, but there was a flicker of something—something faintly resembling curiosity. 

"Just a fox in the right place at the right time," Li Wei replied, his eyes gleaming. "But I'm sure we can come to an understanding. We're both busy people, after all." 

Song Xue's lips thinned, his expression hardening. "I don't have time for games." 

Li Wei leaned back, giving the man a playful look. "Well, that's too bad. I'm all about games." 

Song Xue's eyes flicked over Li Wei's figure once more, lingering for a moment longer than necessary, but he said nothing more. He returned to his work, dismissing Li Wei as though he were an insignificant distraction. 

Li Wei's grin faltered for a brief moment. So, the coldest of the cold had no interest in him? No matter. He was used to harder challenges. The ice would break eventually. 

For now, he would wait. The game had just begun, and he always played to win. 

But Song Xue's next words made his eyes narrow. 

"Is that all you're here for?" 

Li Wei's lips curled again. "I'm here for much more than you think."

I'm so lazy to italize.. :D just so everyone knows, this is a work from wattpad which is ALSO MINE, Under the same name, Sevxuki_

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