Crossing Over as the Sixth Brother
In the blooming March of Venice, the grass grew tall, orioles flitted about, and flowers bloomed in profusion.
In the soft morning light, a three-story pleasure boat drifted gently down the river.
On the large bed on the boat’s third floor, Liam Voss jolted violently. A flood of chaotic information surged into his mind like a raging beast, adding a sharp jolt of excitement to his already buzzing nerves.
But this strange sensation came and went quickly. In just a few breaths, it faded completely, and his stiff body relaxed.
Did I transmigrate? He sat bolt upright, and fragments of memories began to surface in his mind:
• His father, Alaric Voss, was a First-Class Marquis of the current dynasty.
• His eldest brother, Gideon Voss, was a valiant warrior. Appointed General of the Valiant Cavalry by the Emperor in his youth, he now guarded the northern border.
• His second brother, Elias Voss, was exceptionally brilliant. After winning the top scholar title in the imperial exam, he married Princess Elara and became the Prince Consort.
• His third sister, Seraphina Voss, was breathtakingly beautiful. Taken as Consort Seraphina by Emperor Theron, she was the most favored woman in the entire harem.
• His fourth brother, Julian Voss, had a genius for business. He founded the Merchant Alliance and was the wealthiest man in the world.
• His fifth brother, Kael Voss, was a master martial artist. The Azure Tower he had established was ranked among the eight great sects of the martial world.
He himself was the sixth child—the youngest of the siblings—and had just turned seventeen.
Compared to his four accomplished brothers and one revered sister, this sixth son was good for absolutely nothing: he could neither read nor write, nor could he hold a sword. But he did have one infamous title: the Number One Playboy of Venice.
Perhaps because Marquis Voss had fathered a son so late in life, this youngest child was doted on from the moment he was born. Spoiled rotten, he grew into a young man who cared for nothing but luxury, wine, and women.
The old Marquis was utterly helpless when it came to his disappointing son. But given the Voss family’s towering status, they hardly needed this sixth child to bring glory to the clan. As long as he didn’t cause a catastrophe that would bring down the heavens, they usually let him do as he pleased.
“Heh heh...”
After fully grasping his new identity, Liam couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
What is transmigration? What is a “chosen one”? What is “domineering aura”? This is what it looks like!
All those cliché transmigrations—ending up in a dungeon, as a servant, a eunuch, or an orphan—were absolutely pathetic compared to his luck. He mentally scorned every web novel author from his previous life.
In his past life, he had also been named Liam. He had slaved away at his studies for over a decade, only to get into a third-rate university. After graduation, he couldn’t find a decent job and was forced to work in an electronics factory just to survive.
• Salary: 3,000 yuan a month
• Benefits: The “blessing” of the 996 grind (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week)
Sure enough, he thought, no amount of hard work beats being born into the right family.
After all the hardship, a life of happiness was finally beginning.
In his previous life, he had been an orphan. The only thing he’d ever felt any attachment to was the campus belle, but she’d gone through over a dozen boyfriends and never even glanced his way.
Where am I? He snapped back to reality and looked around.
The room reeked of strong alcohol, and he was lying on a soft, plush bed.Morning light streamed through the exquisite carved lattice windows, casting dappled golden patterns across the room.
Food and wine were spilled all over the table, and dresses, silk sashes, undergarments, and corsets were scattered haphazardly across the floor. What should have been a fresh, elegant boudoir was a complete and utter mess.
When he spotted the pink silk corset on the floor, a sharp memory immediately surfaced:
A few days earlier, the original Liam had molested the daughter of Venice’s Chief Magistrate. Furious, the old Marquis had locked him in his room as punishment.
After being cooped up for three whole days, the original Liam had snuck out of the Marquis’s mansion last night. He’d gone to The Drunken Blossom Pavilion, the city’s most famous brothel, taken its top courtesan Lila onto this pleasure boat, and spent the night with her on Lake Serenity.
In his memories, the original Liam had drunk an enormous amount of wine with Lila. What happened after that was a total blur.
Blacked out? Where’s Lila?
Seeing the large bulge in the covers beside him, he grabbed the corner and lifted it gently, like a thief about to be caught. A stunning, seductive figure lay beneath the blankets.
Lila was wearing a thin, sheer silk robe, her curvy figure barely visible beneath the delicate fabric.
Liam couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Did the original idiot actually die from overexertion last night?
He looked her over carefully: an oval face, delicate willow-leaf eyebrows, and large, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with mischief. She was breathtakingly beautiful.
And her figure was even more perfect: skin as white as snow, a waist as slender as a silk ribbon, full breasts, a round bottom, and long, elegant legs that formed a curve so perfect it made his head spin.
In his previous life, he could only admire women this beautiful on the internet. Now, one was lying right next to him.He almost fell to his knees.
Sure enough, he thought, wine is a poison that rots the intestines, and lust is a sharp knife that scrapes the bones.
Dying from wine and women at seventeen—this idiot had gotten exactly what he deserved. Too bad he had to take over the body. He mentally cursed the original Liam again.
But then he smiled. If the original owner hadn’t been so reckless, he never would have gotten this chance at a new life.
Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and blessing may be a misfortune in waiting. It was all karma.
After steadying himself against the bed, he dragged his weak, aching body over to the floor, found his clothes, and began to put them on.
Ancient clothing was a nightmare to wear. It took him ages to fumble his way into the silk robes and get them even remotely straight.
Seeing the polished bronze mirror on the dressing table, he walked over to take a look.
The face staring back at him was handsome, elegant, and dashing.
Not bad. Not bad at all. He nodded in satisfaction. This is what a transmigrator should look like. Except for being a bit weak, I’m perfect.
He put down the mirror, stretched lazily, and walked out of the room to lean against the boat’s railing.
The sun was just rising, painting the eastern sky with thousands of rays of pink and gold. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
The pleasure boat drifted slowly down the river, flanked on both sides by dense, swaying reed marshes. It was eerily quiet.
Where the hell am I? The third floor offered an excellent view, and he realized with a jolt that this stretch of water was far too desolate. This was definitely not Lake Serenity.
“Boatman!” he called out.He leaned over the railing and shouted down to the cabin below several times, but no one answered.
Perhaps it was the overwhelming silence and desolation all around, but a cold, bad feeling began to creep up his spine.
The original Liam had been a terrible person. He had bullied men, forced women, and ruined countless lives. In Venice, anyone with even a shred of justice in their heart would have loved to tear the young Marquis limb from limb.
He never dared to go out without at least half a dozen guards. But last night, the idiot had snuck out completely alone.
Oh no. This is bad. Staring at the endless, empty reed marshes, his heart began to race with panic.
And of course, the thing he feared most was about to happen.
Just then, seven or eight bamboo rafts emerged silently from the reed marshes all around the boat. Each raft carried three or four burly, grim-faced men clutching sharp swords.
They were closing in on the pleasure boat from every direction...
