Chapter 1: The Bridge of Lost Souls

The last thing I remembered was the screeching of tires and the cold, unforgiving rain of Seoul. Then, a flash of white light, and a voice that sounded like grinding stones whispered: "System Initialization: Reincarnation Protocol Engaged."

​When I opened my eyes, the rain was gone. In its place was a thick, violet mist that smelled of ozone and ancient roses. I was standing on a bridge—a massive, crumbling structure of black obsidian that seemed to span an infinite void.

​"Where am I?" I croaked. My voice sounded deeper, smoother.

​I looked down at my hands. They were pale, almost translucent, with sharp, black fingernails. And then I felt it—a heavy, rhythmic twitching on my back. I spun around, tripping over my own feet, and gasped.

​Wings.

​Leathery, bat-like wings, midnight-black and shimmering with a faint purple iridescence, were folded against my spine. And on my head, two small, curved horns poked through my messy hair.

​"A Succubus?" I whispered, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. "No... a male one. An incubus?"

​Before I could process my new identity, the mist parted. A woman stood at the end of the bridge. She was terrifyingly tall—easily two meters—with hair the color of spun moonlight and eyes like polished silver. She wore a business suit that looked like it was woven from shadows, hugging a frame that radiated pure, unadulterated power.

​She didn't look at me with fear. She looked at me the way a collector looks at a misplaced diamond.

​"So, the bridge finally delivered," she said. Her voice was a low, melodic hum that made the core of my being tremble. "A male of the lost lineage. Small, fragile, and utterly exquisite."

​"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to sound brave, but my wings gave me away, fluttering nervously.

​"I am Su Qian," she replied, stepping closer. Every step she took made the obsidian bridge vibrate. She loomed over me, her shadow swallowing me whole. "And you, little one, are currently trespassing in the private airspace of the Su Corporation."

​"I... I didn't mean to—"

​"It doesn't matter what you meant," she interrupted, reaching out. Her hand was large, her fingers grazing my cheek with a touch that was surprisingly hot. "In this world, Aethelgard, creatures like you don't exist in the wild. You are either a trophy, or you are prey."

​She leaned down, her face inches from mine. I could smell sandalwood and power. "I don't like my trophies being hunted by others. From this moment on, you belong to me. You will be my consort, my secret, and my most precious possession."

​I tried to pull away, but my body felt heavy, anchored by her gaze. "I'm not an object!"

​Su Qian smirked, a dark, possessive glint in her silver eyes. "We'll see about that, Li Yuan. Welcome to your new life. Try not to break too easily."

​With a flick of her wrist, the mist swirled around us, and the bridge vanished. The last thing I saw was the cold, triumphant smile of the woman who had just claimed my soul.

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