Chapter 698: Out Of Place

Before crossing over, Li Xiaofei had grown up in a relatively affluent family. His parents were well-off, which allowed him to indulge in his passion for ancient martial arts during university. Over the years, he had apprenticed under a thousand eight hundred and eight mentors to learn the ways of cultivation.

However, his family’s wealth was by no means boundless. Li Xiaofei followed the memories of his youth to a small city in the northwest. Yet, when he reached the familiar office complex where his parents’ company was supposed to be, he found no trace of them.

Even the company's registered legal name was completely unfamiliar. There were only a dozen faces that looked somewhat familiar as people he remembered from his previous life. But when he inquired about himself, none of them had ever heard the name Li Xiaofei. A deep sense of doubt settled in his heart as he pondered the situation.

He activated his divine abilities and extended his senses for a moment. Gradually, his expression shifted into one of surprise. He had detected a familiar aura in the outskirts of the city.

He instantly teleported there. What he saw left him momentarily stunned. A middle-aged couple was winnowing grain in an autumn wheat field. They were using the wind to separate wheat from chaff before bagging the clean grains and carrying them back to the courtyard of their house.

The home was simple, with brick walls and a clay gate. To the left of the entrance, a small aluminum plate was affixed to the wall, displaying the address in clear characters.

Hongqi Village. Liuhe Township. Ninth Production Team. Household No. 37.

None of that truly mattered. The only thing that mattered was that Li Xiaofei was absolutely, unquestionably certain that the middle-aged couple laboring in the wheat field were his parents.

It was them in their youth. Beside them, an eighteen-year-old boy worked tirelessly, his skin tanned from the sun, yet with delicate and well-defined features. He stood about 1.78 meters tall, drenched in sweat as he diligently helped with the grain.

A family of three. Nearby, a yellow mutt lay in the shade cast by the stacked wheat bags, panting heavily, its tail lazily swaying back and forth. Blue sky, white clouds, scorching sun, golden fields, scattered wheat grains... The entire scene was picturesque, simple yet heartwarming.

But waves of turmoil surged within Li Xiaofei’s heart. Still hidden from sight, he listened to their conversation. He quickly learned that the tanned young man was indeed the son of the middle-aged couple.

His name was Li Guorui. The name sounded eerily familiar.

Wait a minute. Isn’t that the name of the strongest warrior from that dying Earth of Liu Diqiu? The very man who shattered the moon? Is it a coincidence or is it the same person?

Li Xiaofei continued observing in secret, deep in contemplation.

Why is this happening?

There was no way he could mistake his own parents. Yet, on Earth 1818, they weren’t the small-business owners with modest wealth he remembered. Instead, they were hardworking farmers. That, in itself, wasn’t the real issue. The real issue was, their son wasn’t him.

The young man named Li Guorui was lean, with refined facial features and a well-proportioned physique. His movements were swift, giving him a scholarly air, yet his strength was undeniable. A single bag of wheat weighed over a hundred and twenty pounds, yet he effortlessly hoisted it onto his back with a mere bend of his waist. It was clear that he was no stranger to hard labor.

He was the perfect image of a hardworking farm boy. The family of three laughed and chatted happily as they worked. Li Xiaofei learned that Li Guorui had just graduated high school that year. He had performed as expected on his college entrance exams and was admitted to Jinshi City’s Balitai University. In three days, he would be leaving for school.

The main point of their discussion was whether his parents should accompany him on the trip. After all, Li Guorui had never traveled far alone before. As his parents, they were naturally worried.

But there was one major problem: money. A long-distance train ticket from the Northwest to Jinshi City cost at least 400 yuan for economy class. The journey also took forty-one hours, with a transfer required at Lanfu.

If both parents accompanied him, the total cost for round-trip tickets would be no less than 1,200 yuan. Adding in other miscellaneous expenses, and the total would easily exceed 1,500 yuan. This was no small amount for the Li family.

As the conversation went on, Li Xiaofei listened to them calculating their annual income from farming. They owned thirty acres of land, with nine acres being privately cultivated. One acre produced around a thousand pounds of grain per year.

The government supply grain purchase price was 0.80 to 0.90 yuan per pound. The private market price for commercial grain was slightly higher, at 0.94 yuan per pound. This meant an acre of wheat would yield about 900 yuan annually.

However, after deducting water fees, fertilizer costs, and other farming expenses, the net profit per acre was less than 500 yuan. If they chose to grow cash crops like cotton, safflowers, cumin, melon seeds, or sugar beets, they could earn more. But cash crops were far less stable than wheat.

In a good year, they could bring in double or even triple the income. But in a bad year, they could lose everything. That was why most farmers practiced mixed farming, balancing risk and stability.

At best, the Li family’s total annual income was around 30,000 yuan. But they had to take out loans every year to cover farming expenses and water fees. They worked tirelessly from planting to harvest, but they were barely scraping by.

By the year’s end, they could barely afford a few new pieces of furniture, some fresh clothes, and a simple New Year’s celebration. Then, once the new year began, they’d borrow money again to start the cycle anew.

As Li Xiaofei listened, a complicated mix of emotions welled up inside him. In the end, the family decided that only Li Guorui would take the train to university. His parents would not accompany him. The money saved would go toward his living expenses at college...

The next day, Father Li rode his motorcycle into town with his son to obtain a poverty certificate and open a bank account. They were preparing for student loans to support his college education.

The following day, the family of three took their four-wheeled farm vehicle into the town’s shopping district. They bought two sets of new clothes, and ran around making last-minute preparations for Li Guorui’s university life.

Li Xiaofei silently observed them. His mind was filled with questions. The hundred thousand worlds were essentially hundred thousand archived versions of Earth, each frozen in a specific time period. From the moment of their ‘save point,’ they became independent planes of existence.

But the problem was, these ‘archives’ were all derived from the same original world. So logically, two ‘saved versions’ from the same time period should maintain relative consistency. His parents should still be his parents. There shouldn't have been a new son. The timeline mismatch made even less sense. How had this discrepancy appeared?

Li Xiaofei racked his brain but couldn’t figure it out.

The next afternoon, Miss Fan called Li Xiaofei. Her voice was filled with panic as she said, "Master, something’s happened! Where are you? Can you help me? I’m at—"

The call abruptly cut off. Before Miss Fan could finish speaking, a startled cry echoed through the call. Then, a sharp and resounding slap followed. The line went dead. Li Xiaofei immediately redialed, but the call could no longer connect.

Hmm? Could it be that Eden had finally made their move?

If that were the case, then they were far less patient than he had expected.

"Let’s go back first," Li Xiaofei turned to Ah Qing.

Ah Qing had no idea what was on his mind. She also didn’t understand why he had been so invested in watching a completely unremarkable rural family for the past two days.

She simply nodded seriously and replied, "Okay."

Li Xiaofei soared into the sky on his sword, taking Ah Qing with him.

***

Minutes later, at Jinshin City, Meilin Mansion Villas, near the water park.

The moment Li Xiaofei stepped inside, his gaze swept across the room. The entire villa was in shambles, as if it had been ransacked. Several pieces of furniture had been overturned.

And there were bloodstains on the floor.