Ironwood Empire, Demonic City.
"Mr. Grayson, the boss of the Magic Manor just called. He said a few foreign scholars have arrived recently—highly accomplished in the arts. He hopes you can stop by and tutor them in foreign languages."
"Got it," Grayson replied lazily, his voice carrying a casual elegance.
The young man reclined comfortably against the leather backseat of a sleek Maybach, the faint scent of leather mingling with the fresh air from the half-open window. He yawned, stretching languidly, nodding slightly at the driver's respectful report.
Grayson—eighteen years old, handsome, and carrying a luxurious temperament—was not an ordinary young man. He was a time traveler.
In his past life on Blue Star, Grayson had been an extreme enthusiast of global cultures. He journeyed through dozens of countries, immersing himself in exotic customs and mastering an array of foreign languages.
Yet fate had other plans. On a return flight home, he became the victim of a tragic plane crash—and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself reborn in a strange new world.
This was no ordinary world.
It was a high-level martial arts universe, ruled by mighty cultivation systems, alien races, and awe-inspiring powers beyond imagination.
And Grayson? He had been reborn as the second son of the Grierson family, the most powerful family in the Ironwood Empire.
The Griersons stood at the pinnacle of society, a name that made even the boldest warriors and politicians tread carefully. An ancestor of the family had long ago reached the mighty Heavenly Realm, the eighth rank of cultivation—just one step below the near-mythical True Immortals.
In this world, as long as True Immortals remained aloof, a Heavenly Realm cultivator was practically invincible.
As the second young master of the Grierson family, Grayson was showered with love and privilege. There were no sinister plots, no jealous scheming from within the family.
His older brother—the family heir—adored him, often spoiling Grayson with the very best the world could offer.
The Griersons were united, harmonious, and above all, terrifyingly powerful.
However, even among giants, Grayson carried a personal tragedy.
No matter how he tried to cultivate, his spiritual energy would mysteriously dissipate. He couldn't condense a single strand of it.
Even the ancient Heavenly Realm ancestor of the Grierson family shook his head helplessly, unable to resolve the strange anomaly in Grayson's body.
The final verdict: Grayson could not practice martial arts.
Faced with such an irrefutable reality, Grayson redirected his ambitions. He embraced literature, knowledge, and leisure, plunging into an ocean of books and foreign languages.
Why struggle when luxury was guaranteed for life?
With the Grierson name behind him, Grayson had no real worries. His days were filled with extravagant banquets, arts, music, and casual indulgences.
Still, trouble had a way of finding even the most careful.
While visiting the Imperial Capital some months ago, Grayson clashed with a spoiled young master from the powerful Gu family—a descendant of another elite clan.
The altercation escalated... and Grayson, with casual ruthlessness, shot the arrogant brat twice—one shot to the head, one to the lower body.
The incident ignited a political storm.
To avoid escalating tensions between noble families, the Griersons discreetly sent Grayson away to Demonic City under the pretense of "further studies" at Magic City University.
In truth, it was exile in luxury.
He could attend classes if he wished—or not. No one dared to question the Griersons' decisions.
In Demonic City, Grayson lived like a king without a crown. He had free rein, unchallenged and revered, and even the local billionaires eagerly sought his favor.
It was a decadent existence.
But even decadence had its price.
Sitting idly in the Maybach, Grayson looked out the window, a faint trace of melancholy surfacing in his eyes.
"Eighteen years..." he muttered. "Eighteen years of this life. It's getting boring."
A deep sigh escaped his lips.
It wasn't that Grayson was ungrateful. No, far from it. He understood better than anyone how lucky he was.
But deep inside, there was always that unfulfilled longing—the desire for power.
The power to change destinies, to move mountains, to walk among immortals.
He had transmigrated into a world of miracles... yet he remained powerless.
No divine inheritance. No ancient treasure. No peerless physique.
Unlike other time-travelers from the novels he used to read, Grayson had received... nothing.
He couldn't help but feel it was an enormous cosmic joke.
"I've been hiding out here in Demonic City for nearly a month now," Grayson thought idly, gazing at the glittering skyline. "I wonder if the mess in the capital has settled down. When can I return?"
His lips curled into a faint smirk.
"The Gu family... tsk. I shot that little bastard's head clean off. They won't forget that anytime soon."
The smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of grim resolve.
If the Gu family moved against him, it wouldn't end prettily.
Just as he was lost in thought, something unexpected caught his attention.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure—staggering unsteadily from the back entrance of a nearby hotel.
Under the soft glow of the Maybach's headlights, a young woman appeared—graceful, elegant, her steps unsteady as if drunk.
Bang!
She stumbled forward, collapsing directly in front of the Maybach.
In the sharp halo of the headlights, her delicate face was illuminated—fair skin flushed pink, soft lips parted in shallow breathing.
"Mr. Grayson," the driver said quickly, recognizing her. "That's Anya—the daughter of the Grierson family... and your classmate at Magic City University."
Grayson's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Grierson family was a prominent first-tier family in Demonic City, though nowhere near the level of the Griersons.
Their current head was a sixth-rank Supernatural, respectable but hardly a threat to true giants.
As for Anya, she was famous.
The cold goddess of Magic City University.
The iceberg beauty pursued by countless suitors—and yet, always distant, always unattainable.
Grayson had invited her out a few times when he first arrived at the university. She had politely but firmly declined.
He hadn't pursued it further.
Plenty of beauties in the world. Why force one?
Still—tonight was strange.
The haughty school beauty, drunk and unconscious, collapsing right in front of his car in the dead of night?
Too strange.
He frowned, sensing the faint scent of a setup.
Many stories flooded his mind from the novels he once read—"drunk heroine, missing protagonist, villain picked up the heroine by accident..."
A classic trap.
"Should I..." The driver hesitated, his voice low.
"No rush," Grayson said calmly, his mind racing.
The air felt thick with something unnatural.
It was too coincidental.
Too obvious.
Just as Grayson's instincts screamed caution, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed inside his mind:
[Ding! Destiny heroine detected ten meters ahead. The destiny line of this world begins to unfold.]
[Villain Simulator activating!]
Grayson's pupils contracted sharply—but excitement immediately surged through him.
After eighteen long years...
His golden finger had finally arrived!
The cold, mechanical voice continued:
[The Villain Simulator allows the host to simulate various future timelines and acquire knowledge, experience, and rewards. Each simulation requires Villain Points, which can be earned by altering key events or characters' destinies.]
[Ding! Novice gift package delivered: three free villain life simulations available.]
A brilliant gleam flashed in Grayson's eyes.
He instantly understood.
A simulator cheat code!
Exactly like the ones in countless novels he had devoured in his previous life!
A tool that allowed foresight—peeking into the future and changing fate.
But... a villain simulator?
"Looks like I really am cast as the villain in this world," Grayson chuckled inwardly.
He glanced again at the unconscious Anya, her chest gently rising and falling, utterly defenseless.
No, this situation was too suspicious.
He decided to use one of his simulations—right now.
"Start simulation," Grayson commanded inwardly.
[Ding! First villain life simulation beginning.]
[As this is the first activation, you may draw one talent for free.]
Virtual cards spun before Grayson's mental eye, blurring in a whirl of colors.
Levels appeared: Gray, White, Blue, Yellow, Green, Red, Purple, Gold.
[Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained Blue Talent: Greased Lightning.]
[Greased Lightning (Blue): Your footsteps are like oil on the soles. No one can catch you, not even martial artists.]
"Excellent," Grayson murmured.
A perfect escape ability.
Very useful for a would-be villain.
A moment later, he felt his consciousness split.
One part stayed grounded in reality.
The other plunged into a vividly detailed simulation.
[You are Grayson, second son of the Grierson family.]
[Sent to Demonic City after an incident in the capital.]
[Tonight, you encounter the drunk Anya—the destiny heroine.]
[You get out of the car, purely out of kindness, to carry her to safety.]
[Upon closer inspection, you realize she has been poisoned—her body burning with fever. Saving her is an act of compassion, not desire.]
The simulation unfolded rapidly.
[However, before you can call for help, your driver drives away mysteriously...]
[...]
[Tonight's events... spiral out of control.]
...
Half an hour later—
A furious Luke—destined protagonist—rushed to the scene, only to find Anya missing.
["Nooo!!!" Luke howled in despair.]
The simulation abruptly cut off.
Grayson's eyes snapped open.
He exhaled deeply, gripping the armrest of the Maybach.
"So that's it," he muttered. "A setup to make me the villain in the protagonist's story."
His lips curled upward into a slow, chilling smile.
"Interesting."
___________________________________
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31