C1 He Had to Take Care of His Body!

People often say that transmigration usually begins with an unexpected death.

But do you believe that?

I certainly don't, which is exactly why...

"Clickety-clack, clickety-clack..."

In a dimly lit room, a twenty-something man was fervently tapping on his computer keyboard, which emitted a soft glow. The dark circles under his eyes revealed his sheer exhaustion.

"Just two more minutes until six in the morning, and I'm a hundred words short. Hurry, hurry!" he whispered to himself. "Hands, unleash your full potential. My perfect attendance can't be ruined on the last day of the month!"

His roar filled the room as his fingers flew over the keys, leaving a ghostly trail.

"Secret Technique: Ultimate Word Count Deception!"

A hint of a smile played on his lips as he paused his typing. He glanced at the computer clock—fifteen seconds to go—and then at the word count—twenty words shy.

"I'll just pad the word count for now. No one's reading at this time anyway. I can edit it later."

His voice was emotionless as he typed twenty random letters to meet the requirement and hit upload, successfully bluffing his way through.

"I am a genius!"

He laughed with a sense of self-satisfaction.

Let me introduce him: this young man is an online novelist, though not a naturally talented one. He's been at it for years, written a few books, but after paying rent and other expenses, his monthly earnings are just enough to get by.

In need of more income and short on talent, he decided on a desperate strategy: if not quality, then quantity. He began writing three novels at once, tripling his income and alleviating his financial woes.

However, this approach came with its own challenges: it demanded an enormous amount of time and energy for writing.

"Huff... huff... huff... Over fifteen hours of intense work daily is really wearing me down."

As he relaxed from the tension, the young man sat on the floor, muttering to himself.

"I've been pushing through for three months now, and I'm still holding up. I'll grab something to eat before I catch up on sleep. And today's rent day—there goes the last of my cash. That's always a downer."

He stood up, retrieved his beloved braised beef noodles from beneath the table, and spoke softly to himself.

"I'll boil some water first, then I'll use that time to correct those typos."

He thought to himself with a smile, plugging in the electric kettle before returning to his computer desk.

"Hmm? Why does everything look so blurry?"

He peered at the computer screen, noticing his vision had become fuzzy.

"My head's spinning..."

He held his head, his eyes beginning to lose focus.

"Thud!"

With a heavy sound, the young man fell forward at his computer, his eyes losing their clarity.

An hour later, the landlord, who had come to collect the rent, received no answer to his knocking. However, the persistent whistling of the kettle inside indicated someone was present.

"Is this kid trying to skip out on the rent?"

That was the landlord's first thought as he called the young man's phone.

Inside, a phone rang, but there was no answer.

"Playing not at home, are we? Or could he be asleep?"

The landlord mumbled to himself, took out the spare key, and opened the door.

"What's this? He's right here. Hey, kid, wake up. I've got errands to run. Can't you just pay your rent on time without making me come all the way here?"

He stepped in and nudged the young man who was collapsed in front of the computer.

"..."

There was no response.

"Wake up, will you? I've got a busy day. And don't just sleep here in the cold; you might catch a cold."

Seeing no reaction, the landlord shook him more forcefully, speaking louder.

"Thud!"

Suddenly, the young man's body fell to the floor, his face lifeless and stiff.

"Hey, are you alright?"

The landlord finally realized something was seriously wrong. He approached the still young man and cautiously asked.

"I'm calling an ambulance! Hold on!"

After feeling the young man's cold arm, the landlord ran outside, panic-stricken.

Several hours later, the young man's body was carried out of the rental unit, the cause of death determined to be sudden death due to overwork.

This serves as a grim reminder of the risks of excessive work. Perhaps taking it easy isn't such a bad idea after all...

...

In a far-off world, where the seas make up sixty percent and the lands forty, there is a continent called Getra. At its core lies the majestic dragon realm of Lagrand, known as the 'Holy Domain of Dragons'.

The sky is filled with the sight of enormous dragons gliding on their wings. From today, for several months to follow, it will be the birthing season for a new brood of young dragons. Although dragons are not bound to a specific time for laying eggs, those from the same lineage tend to enter their breeding season simultaneously, leading to a surge in the hatching of young dragons every few decades. During other times, the birth rate is much more consistent and significantly lower.

Deep within a cavern, several female dragons were diligently caring for hundreds of dragon eggs. Originally, the eggs were incubated individually by their mothers, but the extended incubation period was fraught with accidents, most critically the potential death of the parents, which would leave the eggs abandoned and doomed. This was a scenario the scarce giant dragons were desperate to prevent.

After extensive experimentation, a new practice emerged where eggs were collectively placed under the care of a few select females. Once hatched, the young dragons would be returned to their parents. Personal incubation was still an option, particularly favored by experienced mothers. However, for first-time dragon parents, communal care was often the wiser choice.

"Many of the eggs have started moving lately. It seems we're on the brink of hatching time."

In the cave, one female dragon reclined on the ground, watching over the eggs as she conversed with a companion.

"Indeed, the parents of these hatchlings are probably waiting just outside. It's one of the busiest times we've seen in decades," the other dragon responded, nodding.

"Hm? Is the first young dragon about to emerge?"

At that moment, the first dragon noticed an egg nearby trembling intensely. She stood up slowly and walked toward it.

"Is this one from the Trix family? Their parents should be outside waiting."

She glanced at the name etched beside the egg and whispered to herself.

...

"Ugh... This is incredibly uncomfortable..."

Within the egg, a consciousness was awakening, its thoughts still foggy.

"So cramped in here..."

He moved his limbs slowly, feeling the boundaries restricting his movement.

"So hard..."

This was his initial reaction to the eggshell.

"And it's slippery..."

His second observation.

"And there's... water?"

He kept his eyes shut tight, feeling the liquid surrounding his body.

"I need to... get out..."

Instinctively, he pushed against the hard shell encasing him.

"Crack!"

From the outside, the eggshell began to display cracks.

"This one's breaking through so quickly; looks like we'll have a strong one."

The female dragon observed the egg closely, thinking to herself.

"Just a little more, almost there."

The young dragon inside the egg struggled valiantly, the cracks spreading until a fracture wrapped around the entire egg.

"Now's the time!"

Sensing the dawn of victory just within reach, the young dragon from Lagrand made a final, desperate push, but...

"Snap!"

"Ah, wait a moment—I forgot your parents aren't here yet. You can't hatch now. You need to see your parents first when you come into the world. Just a little longer, okay?"

The female dragon from Getra suddenly gripped the dragon egg tighter to prevent it from cracking open, speaking as she hurried outside.

"Ugh..."

The young dragon within felt like its head was about to explode. It had given its all, only to be blindsided by a harsh blow. The feeling was akin to a prisoner who had nearly dug his way to freedom, only to be shoved back into confinement at the last moment.

"I might be singled out..."

That was the only thought that remained in his chaotic mind as he lay trapped within the Holy Domain.