Claire awoke from her stupor to find no trace of any person, only a ground littered with corpses and spent shell casings. What shocked her most was the enormous body slumped beside the stretch Bentley.

The massive musculature, the razor-sharp claws, and the thick fur covering its entire frame all screamed that this was no human carcass, and the overpowering stench of blood confirmed it was no mere prop.

If that hadn't been shocking enough, the corpse nearby, cleanly split in half by some sharp implement, spilling blood and viscera across the pavement, filled her with even greater horror.

"My God! Am I hallucinating?"

She fumbled for her phone and immediately called her supervisor. The situation was too bizarre for her to handle alone; she needed backup first, then she could try to piece together a report—though she barely had anything coherent to report herself.

An hour later, the young female officer was pulled aside by her superior, noticing suddenly that numerous unfamiliar personnel had appeared, seemingly taking over the duties she and her colleagues had been performing.

"What is going on?" Claire asked immediately upon seeing the Chief.

"Nothing!" The Chief was a portly middle-aged man whose uniform, though already large, still strained across his frame. "Claire, this matter is closed. It was just a film crew that hadn't cleaned up their set after shooting. You can resume your vacation..."

"What?" Claire could not believe such a flimsy explanation. "I just told you, I was knocked unconscious. What kind of film crew dares assault a police officer?"

"Perhaps you misremembered?" the Chief replied vaguely, his eyes shifting away. "In any case, it's just an uncleaned movie set!"

Just then, a man in a black suit and dark sunglasses—someone who clearly preferred to remain unseen—walked in. Hearing the Chief’s explanation, he understood this young officer was the first on the scene.

He turned his gaze toward the badge hanging on the officer’s chest and suddenly smiled. "Claire Redfield? I'm also a fan of Resident Evil, but I wouldn't call myself Leon S. Kennedy!"

Hearing this, the stout Chief, ignoring Claire’s blazing eyes, burst into loud laughter. "Do you know? This girl actually has a brother named Chris Redfield!"

When the Chief noticed that Claire’s eyes were not only fiery but were also producing a chilling sound of gritted teeth, he realized the joke had gone far enough. "Alright, Claire, you can go back to your vacation. You are no longer needed here!"

"But..."

"No buts!"

Watching Claire storm off in a huff, the stout Chief muttered resignedly to the man in black beside him, "Perhaps you gentlemen need to schedule a movie featuring those monsters soon, otherwise..."

"Those matters are none of your concern; we know how to handle them!" The black-suited man’s expression was cool, and the way he pulled out his phone to give orders made the Chief intensely envious. "I wish I could be that cool..."

Furious yet helpless, Claire stalked out. As she angrily unclipped her badge, preparing to leave, a colleague she often clashed with at the precinct stepped in front of her.

"Heh heh! Look who we have here? The precinct’s heroine, the one who single-handedly escaped from a hellish little town... Oh, wait! I suddenly remember, that was someone with the same name!" He then guffawed with the colleagues beside him. "Heard you found a werewolf? Does the famous Claire handle werewolves now, in addition to zombies?"

Claire snorted, gritting her teeth and cursing those damn Japanese people as she walked away, while inwardly screaming, "I will prove everything I said is true!"

For the next few days, Claire frantically tried to chase down the truth, but she found nothing. Even her original evidence had vanished without a trace.

The MP5s and shell casings left at the scene, even the bullet core she had personally brought back to the precinct, were all gone.

"Crap, how could this happen?"

If she hadn't been absolutely certain that she hadn't been drinking or smoking any marijuana—that she was perfectly sober—she might have believed she’d imagined the whole thing.

But the figure that vanished in the blink of an eye was unforgettable. She had kept her eyes locked on the opponent from the moment she reached for her gun until she raised it, yet she couldn't figure out exactly when one person disappeared, only to be knocked unconscious immediately afterward.

"The clothing looked a bit like ancient Chinese robes. Maybe I should check Chinatown?"

The result... was naturally nothing. Because at that moment, Ye Wen was in the apartment Tommy found for him, munching on a sandwich while tutoring two women in English.

Perhaps it was his improved physique, or maybe the two women were simply terrifyingly gifted geniuses; within just a few days, they had devoured the introductory English textbook—thinking of the arduous effort he himself had expended on that blasted foreign language, only for them to master it in three days, the sheer disparity left him speechless before the heavens.

"However, I have noticed my own mind seems much sharper!"

In reality, Ye Wen had spent nearly a decade in that other world, benefiting from countless fortuitous encounters. His long-term cultivation and the constant nourishment of abundant vital energy had significantly enhanced both his physical condition and his brain power compared to before. Now, recalling things, even nearly forgotten vocabulary came back to him easily, which was why he could converse so smoothly with Tommy a few days prior.

If he were to learn new things now, he might even surpass the two women in speed, as his body had been tempered far more thoroughly by the essence of the Crimson Fruit.

There was one thing he didn't know: the energy constantly tearing at his body during the Shattering Void transition was also re-tempering his physical form. If he survived that, his physical capabilities would naturally climb another significant step; if he failed to cross that threshold...

Of course, this tempering and modification only sharpened his clarity and improved his memory; it couldn't instantly boost his raw intelligence. Ye Wen could become smarter through the gradual accumulation of knowledge and his formidable memory, but he couldn't instantaneously transform into an all-knowing prodigy.

He stroked his chin, looking at the two women whose attire still hadn't quite become second nature after several days, and chuckled with self-satisfaction.

His smile prompted an involuntary eye-roll from both women. However, Ning Ruxue’s eye-roll carried a hint of affectionate chiding mixed with shyness, while Hua Yi’s... Ye Wen could easily interpret it as an invitation.

He playfully slapped the smooth thigh of one woman, encased in sheer stocking, eliciting a squeak of surprise, before standing up. "I'm going out to buy some things; the fridge is almost empty!" With that, he dashed out, leaving the two women in the room watching television, still trying to adapt to this language they had never encountered before.

Once Ye Wen left, Hua Yi noticed Ning Ruxue still wriggling uncomfortably, trying to pull down the skirt that barely covered her thighs. This action made Hua Yi chuckle. "Madam, if you pull any lower, you might reveal other parts!"

Ning Ruxue was embarrassed, but she felt something was fundamentally wrong with an outfit that exposed her entire legs. "But... this still shows too much!" Even though she was wearing those things called stockings on her legs, she felt that such thin covering shouldn't be visible externally.

She turned to Hua Yi. "Senior Brother said women here dress like this, but why does it feel so wrong to me?"

Hua Yi smiled. "Master used to live here; perhaps he spoke the truth? Look at the images playing on this box called a television; the people inside are dressed similarly!"

Both women were watching news programs. Ye Wen only dared to let them watch dramas when he was present, for fear of accidentally stumbling upon something inappropriate—Tommy, not only renting the apartment but also enthusiastically setting up every channel available for Ye Wen.

Ning Ruxue glanced at the screen, then suddenly became shy. "That... why is that woman wearing so little?" A commercial was playing, featuring a woman in a swimsuit running along the beach, her ample curves frighteningly prominent!

Hua Yi’s face flushed slightly. "S-s-servant doesn't know either..."

As for how Ye Wen knew about the affairs of this world, he had explained some of it to the women over the last few days, naturally with a degree of careful editing and embellishment.

"Junior Sister, do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Ah?"

Ye Wen continued in his pseudo-mystical tone. "Senior Brother was struck by Zhang Gui's palm strike. My head felt like it exploded, and in my coma, I dreamt as if in a fantasy of many strange things. Only at the end did I understand—those were my past lives!"

"!!!"

Hua Yi and Ning Ruxue were utterly dumbfounded. They hadn't expected Ye Wen to utter such words. They initially wanted to disbelieve, but then how could they explain Ye Wen’s knowledge of this world’s language, customs, and even daily habits?

In the past few days, although they were curious and amazed by the strange appliances, without someone to tell them how to use them, they would never have grasped their functions upon first sight—yet Ye Wen expertly operated things called refrigerators, water heaters, televisions, and telephones.

Though still slightly skeptical, the two women had mentally accepted Ye Wen’s explanation. They truly could not fathom any other logical reason for everything.

Especially after Ye Wen recounted some of his experiences in this world, the women slowly began to believe the man destined to accompany them for the rest of their lives.

Having successfully played the mystic, Ye Wen breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he had managed to navigate that conversation, and confirmed that choosing not to reveal he was a soul inhabiting another body was the right decision. Otherwise, while Hua Yi might have accepted it, Ning Ruxue would surely have harbored doubts, and he certainly didn't want conflict with the wife he had just acquired—that would be too much like a melodrama!

Emerging from the apartment, Ye Wen glanced around quickly and headed toward the nearest supermarket—this was an ordinary neighborhood Tommy had found for him, neither upscale nor chaotic. The residents belonged to the lower-middle class of New York; they had no life-threatening worries and could occasionally enjoy themselves, but they were not wealthy.

This area offered a decent level of security and a pleasant environment. Furthermore, as an Asian man living here, he wouldn't stand out; streets in this neighborhood housed people of all races and nationalities, so no one would find it strange for an Asian man to move in.

Ye Wen living in such an utterly unremarkable neighborhood was precisely why Claire couldn't find him—she instinctively assumed Chinese people preferred living in or near Chinatown.

"Should I buy some clothes for the two girls too?" Ye Wen carried a bag of groceries, his mind occupied with how to satisfy some of his own interests with his two wives. Just as he was pondering this, a hand suddenly clapped him on the shoulder.

"Sir, could you turn around and let me see your face?" A somewhat familiar voice came from behind him. Ye Wen could only offer a wry smile before turning around with a practiced, pleasant expression. "Excuse me, is there something I can help you with?"

Ye Wen was dressed in an ordinary jacket today, with slightly worn jeans on the bottom. His waist-length hair had been trimmed by Ning Ruxue, making him look no different from any other handsome man—he certainly didn't think this female officer could recognize him.

But he underestimated someone's determination. Claire, who had spent days searching for evidence until she was almost frantic, immediately shouted upon seeing Ye Wen, "It really is you!"

With that, she leaped backward, then instantly drew her handgun and aimed it at Ye Wen. "Don't move! NYPD!" She remembered that he had vanished from her sight the moment she reached for her weapon, so her guard was fully up, and she immediately disengaged the safety on her pistol.

"Damn, can't she use a different line?"

Ye Wen maintained his perfect smile, looking at the plainclothes officer with an expression of utter innocence. "Officer, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

"Impossible! My eyesight and memory are the best in the precinct. I never forget something I've seen within a hundred meters for up to a year!"

The female officer seemed quite proud, tilting her chin up and stepping back a few paces before pulling a pair of handcuffs from her back holster. "You had better stay still and come with me back to the station..."

"I don't believe you!"

"What?"

Ye Wen’s sudden statement confused the female officer, leaving her momentarily stunned. At this point, Ye Wen lifted his chin and said, "I don't believe your eyesight is that good. If you can tell me what that pigeon is carrying in its claw, I will believe everything you say and come with you to the police station willingly!"

Claire was enraged by Ye Wen's words. Having her proudest skill questioned was intolerable. Determined to prove herself, Claire slightly tilted her head, making sure her gaze remained fixed on the man, while simultaneously glancing at her target.

And when she clearly saw the object the so-called pigeon held, Claire erupted in fury. "That's clearly an airplane..." Feeling utterly played, Claire instantly wanted to punch the trickster, but when she turned her gaze back, the man who had been standing there had vanished.

"This... How is this possible?"

Holding the bag of groceries, Ye Wen strolled leisurely back, humming a tune and reciting a line in a casual rap: "Stupid cop, stupid cop, stupid..."

It wasn't really a big deal; even if a person's field of vision can encompass many things, when one focuses intently on one object, there is a momentary lapse in noticing other elements within the sightline. Furthermore, the image captured by the eye is not absolutely synchronized with the actual object, combined with Ye Wen's formidable lightness skill...

Trick the woman into looking at the airplane, then use the 'Cloud-Treading Step' technique... It was that simple.

Chuckling happily all the way, Ye Wen assumed he would return to enjoy some time with the two girls, and then, once Tommy sorted out their identities, he would plan his next move. The three of them were still undocumented aliens and dared not wander far. Even the apartment was rented under Tommy's name.

Unexpectedly, there was a sudden clatter beside him. A trash can placed near the sidewalk was nearly knocked over as a middle-aged man stumbled toward him, shouting breathlessly under Ye Wen's confused gaze, "You... you... you... The tune you were humming just now... what song was that?"

"Ah?"

Ye Wen was somewhat bewildered. He had sensed someone barreling recklessly behind him, but he never expected this person to be heading straight for him.

What confused Ye Wen even more was that this man was asking about the tune he was humming? What was so special about a simple tune...

"Crap, the tune I was humming probably wasn't from before the year 2000!" It wasn't too late to recover; he could just casually claim he was making it up as he went along. The problem was that just humming a song on the street attracted a well-dressed man in a suit and shining leather shoes—a typical scenario: "Damn, have I turned into the protagonist of an urban novel?"

What frustrated Ye Wen even more was that after catching his breath, this middle-aged man scrutinized Ye Wen from head to toe, circling him once, before letting out a wild laugh, proclaiming he had discovered a treasure, only to immediately shake his head in frustration, muttering something like, "A pity he's an Asian person!"

"Sir, I can sue you for racial discrimination!"

"No, no, you misunderstood my meaning!" The middle-aged man suddenly straightened up, adjusted his tie, and pulled a business card from his breast pocket. "Actually, I am a professional manager. My specialty is spotting raw talents unnoticed by others, then designing a personalized path for them to achieve massive success! Frankly, your appearance and vocal quality are excellent, but..."

As Ye Wen listened, black lines of exasperation formed on his forehead. He understood what the man meant, but he had zero interest in becoming a star.

"Not interested!"

However, the man didn't give up. He quickly pressed on, "Besides that, I am extremely interested in the tune you were humming. If you're willing, I'd like to buy it... Uh... that must be your composition, right?" This man only remembered that last part afterward, causing Ye Wen to scorn him inwardly.

But, considering he was indeed short on cash—the bills he took from the black-suited man would only last a while—and knowing the importance of money in this world—if only for the fact that without money he couldn't even return home, and he still needed funds for fake identification documents—he decided not to let such a convenient mark go un-tapped!

P.S.: The main plot arc for the early volume will be hinted at in the next chapter, but before that, Ye Wen needs to handle some domestic issues. That’s it for now... Also, the effect of acupuncture seems quite good...