Chapter Text
Shen Yuan’s life didn’t go as planned the first time, so why did he assume it would be better in the next?
In his first life, he was sick from the moment he came out into the world, destined to stay sheltered and coveted forever. Even the sun couldn’t grace his skin lest he wanted nasty scars. Then he died reading some of the worst piece of literature he had ever dared lay his eyes upon, and now!!!
He was currently a fish in the stupid fucking novel “Proud and Glorious Draconic Way,” a dumbfuck novel made by a dumbfuck author!!!
The premise of the story is what originally allured Shen Yuan and many other readers like him. A young half-dragon, Luo Binghe, works as an attendant for head advisor Shen Qingqiu, who in turn works for King Yue Qingyuan, ruler of Cang Qiong Kingdom. As an attendant, he both serves Shen Qingqiu and learns more about how to become an advisor, hoping to one day be picked once Yue Qingyuan dies and a new ruler takes his place.
Later in the story, in a series of trials that was meant to bring all neighbouring kingdoms together and offer a sure-fire spot in a King’s court, Shen Qingqiu sends Luo Binghe down a volcano named the Abyss, which earned its name because of its black lava that was so dark it looked endless. Shen Qingqiu did this hoping that Luo Binghe was a young enough dragon that he wouldn’t be able to survive.
Plot twist! He survived.
And when he escaped as a full-fledged dragon, he waged war upon the realm. To turn back into a human, he consumed all pure spiritual creatures. Then, after his overly romanticized transformation, he started his harem of beautiful flowers.
And unfortunately for Shen Yuan, he was a spiritual creature. And even more unfortunate, the very creature that Shen Qingqiu loved the most. And to top it all off, the creature Luo Binghe took pleasure in eating right in front of his shizun.
Shen Yuan, in all his years of staying loyal to this author, never learnt the reason why there had to be a fucking fish and why Shen Qingqiu loved him so. This caused many people in the comment section to theorise that it was because Shen Qingqiu had a fish fetish—which first off was a disgusting thing to recommend, and also it didn’t fit his character.
Another suggested that it was because the fish looked so much like himself, which Shen Yuan could agree on. This advisor was always so elegantly poised and never showed his true feelings to anyone, and probably only tolerated things that he thought were just like him. And a fish who was long, skinny, with pale iridescent scales and ribbon-like fins fit Shen Qingqiu’s own attire of long, flowy clothing.
But this fish was extra special, because in their daily interactions Shen Qingqiu repeatedly calls the fish A-Yuan, in a loving tone! It often scared him how such a horrid, disgusting, and perverted man could sound so soft and careful with a fucking fish but not real people.
After his first week in the scum villain’s pet fish’s body, a system finally turned on. And of course, in true western fashion, the system appeared as a blue glowing fairy, seemingly invisible to everyone but Shen Yuan.
The day they met, it appeared when Shen Yuan was complaining about how rather boring it was being a fish.
[Greetings User Shen Yuan! It is a pleasure to serve you today and every day you choose to be here!] it chirped in an unusually cheery tone.
Shen Yuan could barely think before the system spoke again.
[As the system serving you for the time you are in our realm, we apologise for appearing so late.]
Shen Yuan nodded and tried to keep as polite as possible.
“And why did you decide to take this long to talk to me?” his little fish head tilting at its axis.
[We originally planned for you to be inhabiting the body of scum villain Shen Qingqiu.]
Shen Yuan paused.
“What the fuck!?!?! Me??? As Shen Qingqiu!?!?”
The system nodded its own tinier head, then proceeded to shut Shen Yuan up with a hand movement.
[Affirmative, User. Though we chose to put you in the body of the already brain-dead Shen Yuan.]
The system made another hand motion that let Shen Yuan unzip his mouth.
“Who’s brain dead? I’m not brain dead!” he snapped, rather offended, also seemingly forgetting that his name was the same in both worlds.
[The fish you inhabit belongs to the former brother of Shen Qingqiu.]
‘Ahh, so that's why the scum villain loves him so much.’
Shen Yuan nodded, trying to understand, then snapped back into reality.
“What?! The fish Shen Qingqiu cried about is his brother!!”
[Correct! If user would like to learn more, then purchase “Hand Book to PAGDW,” which costs 1000 points. This handbook lists all the ways you can collect and earn points, along with information on how to use your powers! Back story information costs 300 points. User started off with 1000 points!..along with the interactions made with scum villain you have collected 2000 (joy to all points!) overall the user has collected 3000 points…would user like to purchase these items for 1300 points?]
As soon as the select screen appeared with the questions yes or no, Shen Yuan instantly tried to strain his fin for the yes button before the system felt enough pity to press it themselves.
[Transaction complete! User now has 1700 points left over.]
As Shen Yuan saw that the Hand Book to PAGDW wasn’t physical and that he could skim through it pretty easily, he reluctantly said thank you to the system. He’d really hope that one of those said powers was how to become human.
As for the back story information, as soon as Shen Yuan hinted that it wanted the system to show it to him, it was like reliving someone else’s life, and he saw it all through the eyes of Shen Yuan.
His name has always been Shen Yuan, and Shen Jiu was Shen Qingqiu’s real name.
Once upon a time, they were young mermen in a zoo-like establishment, tortured and presented lewdly for others' amusement. And young prince Yue Qingyuan visited every day and promised that he would buy the boys out. His elder brother, Shen Jiu, believed him. In fact, they both did.
And they waited, and waited, and waited.
And when they were 15 and were told that they would be separated and be sold off to friends of the owner—which Shen Jiu could only guess were planning to do something more than just admire the two twins—Shen Jiu prepared to intake Shen Yuan’s spiritual qi and turn into a full fish.
But Shen Yuan, knowing that he was much weaker, forced himself to take in Shen Jiu’s instead.
And Shen Jiu, with the new gift of legs, ran as fast as he could to safety, holding Shen Yuan in his arms.
Ever since then, Shen Yuan was brain dead. He was just a fish. That was all he would ever be—a spiritual fish with double the spiritual qi and a hundred times the value than if he was just a regular mermaid.
But he would never be the same.
Even if he became human, or just half of one, he would still be a fish.
As Shen Yuan came back to the reality he now lived in, the system chimed.
[Current task! Greet the protagonist.]
‘Excuse me?’