Chapter 3: Tangled Fate

“Master?” Rayne paused for a moment to process, then finally grasped the situation and said to the girl: “Then let’s go.”

His deep, calm voice immediately eased her tension. She responded with a composed “Yes” and led him out of the room.

The two walked down a long corridor lined with countless doors, all firmly closed. Rayne barely paid them any attention, glancing at a few before looking away.

This house wasn’t the home of the former ultimate villain, the original “Rayne Lyle”, it was his father’s residence. Though called a “home” for familiarity, it was in fact a massive mansion built in a classical architectural style, adorned with countless expensive furnishings. Every corner exuded elegance and luxury.

Ordinarily, when the original “Rayne Lyle” returned home on leave, he would attend a formal meal here. And now, Rayne was preparing to join that very meal.

It was worth noting that the former “Rayne Lyle’s” career bore some resemblance to Rayne’s past life. He had been a soldier, a member of the national special forces, frequently participating in crucial combat missions abroad. However, in terms of skill, “Rayne Lyle” was average, competent in some areas, lacking in others, far from exceptional.

In contrast, his team leader, the main character of Apocalypse Chronicles, was a prodigy. At just twenty-nine, his abilities and intellect surpassed those around him, leading his team through countless dangerous missions, ultimately earning the rank of the youngest Major General in the military.

Possibly due to envy of the main character’s talent, “Rayne Lyle” often displayed acts of rivalry. Yet in the end, his abilities were insufficient, he never truly posed a threat.

Even though this was a character he had created, seeing villain exist in reality brought a more objective perspective.

In truth, “Rayne Lyle” had been born into privilege. His family was a long-established, wealthy household in V, with relationships that placed him at the center. If he had seriously pursued the family business, he would have inherited nearly all of the family fortune.

But theory and reality diverged sharply. Rayne was the eldest child of the legal wife, yet his parents’ marriage had been a commercial arrangement. He himself was essentially a product to maintain the alliance between the two families. When he was young, his mother died from illness. Soon after, his father remarried and brought in a stepchild only a few years younger than him.

Outwardly, his father’s new wife treated him well, playing the role of a kind stepmother. But appearances were deceiving. Behind the scenes, she tormented him, inflicting wounds without a blade. His father, swayed by the stepmother, gradually ignored him, favoring his younger son. Rayne became the family’s overlooked member.

He became quiet, reserved, and distant from everyone, until an uncle he had never met appeared. He had been unaware that his father had a younger brother, only discovering him at fifteen.

His uncle, a military officer serving the state, opened a new path for him. Unlike his family of merchants, the uncle showed genuine care and guidance, reminding him of the love from his late mother. Motivated by his uncle, he joined the military, striving to become a soldier like him.

Now, the uncle held the rank of General and served as a high-ranking leader in the Military Intelligence Agency.

It was this solid backing that allowed the origin “Rayne Lyle” to confront the main character without fear. But all of it remained verbal and psychological, he never took action that would affect the entire squad. Even if some team members disliked him, they tolerated his rude behavior toward the leader.

When the zombie plague broke out, the “Rayne Lyle” inexplicably became infected. He turned into a mindless zombie, feasting on countless lives, growing into a super-zombie, the Zombie King, ruling over all the undead.

Whether it was the virus eroding his humanity or his inherent cruelty, he used his newfound power to relentlessly hunt the main character. In the story, he could have truly killed him.

But all these entanglements belonged to the main character’s previous life.

Rayne, in the present, lived in the main character’s current life.

In the previous life, the main character had died, returning in this life, retaining a grudge against the former “Rayne Lyle,” always ready to kill him.

And the main character didn’t differentiate between body and soul, anyone named “Rayne Lyle” was a target.

Thinking about being a plot knot with no solution, Rayne felt a twinge of frustration.

Lost in thought as they walked, the maid finally led him to the dining room.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***