C11 A Hidden World Within

These days, Ethan and his teammates had nothing to do. After teaching them a set of strange, unexplained skills, Dragon Five had vanished without a trace. They practiced fighting techniques freely each day, then spent the rest of their time joking around. Ethan grew restless, and a bold idea returned to his mind.

He had not felt any clear benefit from practicing Dragon Five’s skills, but he noticed that in the eyes of his teammates, there was occasionally a mysterious light—an unreadable, otherworldly glow.

Ethan found Howard and Han Tao, and revived their old plan. The same burning curiosity drove all three of them—especially now that their physical strength and abilities had improved dramatically.

Howard’s vision had grown so sharp he could see the flow of energy inside the human body, and could even influence the other person’s energy flow without touching them.

Han Tao discovered he could hear the silent thoughts inside people’s heads.

Early the next morning, the three arrived at the pool. Looking at the clear green water, Ethan jumped in first. In the dark underwater, they swam into the black hole. It grew deeper and darker, until no light remained at all. Yet Ethan could still see as clearly as in daylight. He pulled the other two deeper.

Suddenly, a powerful suction pulled them into a massive whirlpool. They spun dizzily, losing all sense of direction. They could only go with the current; human strength was nothing next to nature’s power…

After a long time, the three woke up floating in a vast, endless ocean.

“Is this the Bohai Sea or the Yellow Sea?” Ethan asked in shock.

“Who knows?!” Han Tao answered blankly.

Howard looked around. The sky and sea stretched endlessly, but far on the horizon, a faint green line appeared.

“Land! An island! We’re saved!” Howard shouted excitedly—then screamed in terror. “SWIM! FAST! Something’s in the water! A huge fish is coming!”

Ethan and Han Tao turned. A giant mouth was rushing toward them. Panicked, the three swam faster than rabbits toward the distant shore. But in water, humans were no match for sea creatures. A strong pull came from the fish’s mouth, slowing them down. Death loomed over them.

Ethan felt guilty. If he had not dragged them into this adventure, they would not be facing death. He thought of the giant crab he had killed before. Was this its relative, coming for revenge? He would not die like this.

“Grab my clothes if you don’t want to die!” Ethan roared, unleashing his Ascending Dragon power.

“I haven’t gotten married yet! I don’t want to die!”

“I’m still a virgin! This isn’t fair!”

Ethan pushed his inner energy to the limit. He had only one thought: get these two to shore alive. The three kicked together, leaving a white trail in the water. But the monster fish kept chasing, unwilling to let its meal escape.

Just a few meters from land, Ethan leaped upward, slamming his palms into the water. He carried the other two in a diving jump onto the sand. The fish rushed too fast and beached itself, jaws still wide open.

“Damn you! You dare come onto land?!” Ethan charged back and punched the fish as hard as he could in the head. Howard pulled out a small knife and stabbed deep into the fish’s gills. Han Tao lifted a heavy stone and smashed it into the other side of the monster’s head.

Under the blue sky and clear ocean, a strange giant fish thrashed on a beautiful beach, while three fierce young men beat it without mercy.

“Ao… Ao…” The fish made sounds almost like human screams.

“Damn thing’s possessed,” Ethan thought, still hitting the nearly dead fish.

“WAIT!” Howard and Han Tao shouted at the same time. Ethan stared at them, confused.

Without a word, Howard cut open the huge belly and climbed inside. Han Tao followed.

Ethan watched the man-sized fish and his two teammates disappear inside, completely lost. On this wild island, his friends had clearly lost their minds. He sighed, worried about how he would take care of two “crazy” people.

Moments later, Howard and Han Tao crawled out, dragging a person with them. The man was covered in blood, half-eaten by the fish’s stomach acid, barely alive, his clothes torn to pieces.

Ethan rushed over and punched them both lightly. “I thought you two lost it! You were saving someone!” His eyes turned red.

The two laughed and punched him back.

“As long as you’re not crazy—I still haven’t gotten married!”

“I’m still a virgin!” Howard added. All three laughed and hugged. Surviving death had made them closer than ever.

They washed the survivor with seawater. As the blood cleared, they recognized his face.

“RAYMOND!” All three shouted in shock.

Raymond woke, confused. “How did you get here? Where am I?”

“We should ask you that! How did you end up inside a fish?!” Ethan demanded.

“Yeah! We explored the black hole—how did you end up here… in a fish?!” Howard and Han Tao said together.

“I… I… I loved the crab meat so much I wanted to catch a smaller one. I went into the water and got pulled into the black hole. When I woke up, everything hurt. I yelled… it was dark… I was scared… and then I saw you guys.”

“Hahaha! Went crabbing… and got eaten by a fish!” The three burst out laughing.

Howard gathered wood and dry branches. Han Tao and the now-recovered Raymond cleaned the fish. Ethan used his inner power to start the fire. The four worked together like family.

The monster fish tasted surprisingly delicious. They all remembered the giant crab meal. Only things earned through life and death tasted truly wonderful. The crab, the fish, the danger, the ocean, the sand—life was beautiful this way. Full and exciting. The four ate happily, lost in the moment.

When Ethan woke up, the other three were gone. He assumed they had gone exploring.

Half a day passed, and they still had not returned. Ethan was alone on the island, and fear grew. They would not leave without him. Something must have happened. This mysterious island held unknown terrors.

He walked uneasily into the forest, calling their names. No answer—only birds flying into the sky. A terrible feeling told him they were no longer on this part of the island.

The island was far larger than it seemed, endless. Ethan walked for hours without exiting the woods. He told himself they must be lost—but he himself was lost. Strange small animals wandered fearlessly around him, while larger animals ran away at the sight of him. Ethan could not understand why.

He slept in trees at night, too scared to sleep on the ground and risk being eaten. Luckily, the beasts left him in peace. But before long, he reached a dead end.

He stood on a hundred-foot cliff. Below, smoke rose from small houses clustered like beetles. Ethan smiled bitterly. After walking so far, he had reached a dead end. He could see people—but he would not turn back. He was too disoriented to risk losing sight of civilization.

Ethan collected vines, working nonstop to make them longer and stronger. Once a person chooses a path, turning back is often impossible. He tied the vine rope firmly and began climbing down the near-vertical cliff. His hands were cut, his legs numb, but he did not dare rest. One slip, and he would die.

When he was about 10 meters from the ground, he almost jumped in joy—until he saw the vine had ended.

He nearly cried. Why hadn’t he made it longer? Why hadn’t he prepared better? It was too late. Climbing back up was even more dangerous.

Ethan stared at the 10-meter drop, hesitated, then jumped. He did not believe 10 meters could kill him—not after surviving a 50-story fall. In the air, he felt like he was flying. The speed awakened his inner energy automatically. He felt light as a bird.

He landed gently on the ground, feeling no pain, as if merging with the earth. He stood up, brushed off dust, and looked back at the towering cliff. It had been easier than he thought. He should have just jumped from the start.

Ethan fixed his torn clothes and walked confidently toward the distant town.

It was a small city. To Ethan’s shock, nearly everyone on the streets was a woman, wearing strange ancient-style clothes. They all stared at him like he was a monster. Ethan checked himself—he looked normal. He assumed they were filming a movie.

“Some movie set,” he thought. “Too bad the extras are rude.”

Some women even whistled at him. Ethan felt embarrassed. Being good-looking was troublesome sometimes.

Soon, several tough, muscular women surrounded him.

“Hey, cutie. You alone? Come talk with us.”

“You’re pretty handsome,” one said, touching his defined cheek.

“Get your director. I don’t remember agreeing to be filmed,” Ethan said angrily.

“Director? What are you talking about?”

Ethan grew angrier. They were just actors, acting high and mighty. Once they had been the lowest class; now they acted like stars. He wanted to slap them, but he refused to be rude to women—especially since he was usually the one flirting with girls, not the other way around.

“Little guy, don’t be shy. I’ll be gentle…”

“What do you think you’re doing, harassing a man in broad daylight?!” A sword-carrying woman stepped forward coldly.

Ethan held back laughter. They were really committed to the act. What low-budget director was making this?

“Mind your own business! Or I’ll beat you so bad your own mother won’t know you!” one tough woman shouted. The others laughed.

“Arrogant,” Ethan thought.

“Get lost before I make you regret it!” another woman yelled.

“I’m in a bad mood today. You’ll regret messing with me.” The swordswoman drew her blade in a cold flash. It sliced past the women, who collapsed almost at the same time, blood flowing from their throats.

“Wow! Awesome!” Ethan clapped. The acting was so realistic, even the blood looked real.

“Are you all right, sir? It was only right to help.”

“CUT! Good take! Which crew is this? Who’s the director?” Ethan asked, impressed despite himself.

“Crew? Director? Sir, are you all right? Did you hit your head?”

“I said stop acting! Get your leader!” Ethan snapped.

“Leader? Acting? You must be mistaken. I’m LENG BING, captain of the Imperial Guards of the Moon Rabbit Kingdom. Those women are dead,” she said, confused.

“Freaks,” Ethan muttered. He kicked one body. It did not move.

“Get up! Quit pretending!” He grabbed the woman’s hand. It was cold and stiff.

“Aaaah!” Ethan screamed. They were really dead. This was not a movie. He searched wildly for cameras, finding nothing.

“Miss… you said this is the Moon Rabbit Kingdom. Then… where am I from?” Ethan asked, dazed.

“You do not look like a local. The land is unsafe because of war. You must be shocked. Come to my home and rest. I will help you,” Leng Bing said, pitying the stunned man.

Ethan’s head spun. He had arrived in some unknown country, full of strange people. Sticking with this beautiful woman was his best chance to understand where he was.

Leng Bing took him to her mansion. On the way, Ethan saw only women, nearly all strong and athletic, staring and pointing at him.

Inside the Leng Mansion, the decor was luxurious, like a royal palace in ancient times. But all servants were men, bowing respectfully to Leng Bing. Ethan felt like a country boy in a fancy city, trying hard not to look shocked.

“Come with the servants to wash and change clothes. I will wait for you in the back hall,” Leng Bing said, without waiting for his reply. Ethan sighed, feeling like a puppet being pushed around.

He soaked comfortably in a large wooden tub—but was disturbed by several male servants waiting on him. He hated it. In his old life, women had waited on him in saunas. He was not used to men serving him.

After bathing, he was led to the back hall. Leng Bing sat with four men, all dressed up, wearing makeup, laughing closely with her.

“Freaks,” Ethan cursed silently. Men had no business wearing powder and lipstick.

“Thank you for your kindness, Miss Leng. I am grateful to have escaped to this place.”

Leng Bing looked at the newly cleaned Ethan, and her eyes lit up: tall build, smooth skin, unique eyes…

Ethan felt like a monster in a zoo, or as if he stood naked. He was both embarrassed and weirdly proud of his looks.

“Sir Leng… you were…”

“Ah—nothing. It was nothing. Please, make yourself at home.” Leng Bing caught herself staring. “Mr. Ethan, these are my four husbands. Let me introduce you.”

“FOUR HUSBANDS?!” Ethan froze completely.

He was stunned. A country with one wife and multiple husbands? Women held all the power? If this existed in his world, society would collapse. Men would have no dignity at all. This was a true women’s world—matriarchy still alive. He now understood why women had flirted with him so boldly. Men here were low-status, just like women had once been long ago.

“Aww, is our handsome new friend shocked by our beauty? Welcome, brother! I’m SPRING!” one man said, flirting playfully.

“I’m SUMMER…”

“I’m AUTUMN…”

“I’m WINTER…”

Leng Bing’s husbands introduced themselves one by one. Ethan nodded back, uncomfortable. He could not stand grown men using such names… or the strange, feminine atmosphere.

“Lady Leng… how many husbands can one woman take? And how many wives can a man have?”

Leng Bing looked confused. “Women do NOT take multiple husbands where you come from? The whole world follows the rule of one wife, many husbands. How can you even ask if a man can have multiple wives? That’s completely improper for a husband!”

Ethan’s head spun. If the whole world was like this, he might as well kill himself. How big was this island? Could it be an entire continent? He had never heard of such a place. Had he discovered a new world?

“I was born in a tiny, faraway village. I know nothing of the outside world’s customs. Please teach me,” Ethan lied. He could not understand how modern society had never found this place. The Earth was still full of mysteries.

“I see. The world is large. We women work, fight, and rule. Men care for the home, the wives, and the children. Of course, some men are skilled—but few. I am tired. Go with Spring. He will teach you our ways.”

“Yay! I’d love for Ethan to stay with me tonight! Don’t be jealous, my lady!” Spring said, flirting with Leng Bing.

Ethan was speechless. What kind of messed-up society was this?

He talked with Spring all night and learned the truth: this was a full matriarchal world. Men were property. Women could have many husbands; men could only serve one. Men did not work outside—women handled business, fighting, and leadership. Men cooked, sewed, raised children, and stayed indoors.

Ethan felt sad for the men here.

“What do you even do all day, with nothing to do?” Ethan asked, disgusted.

“Cook, sew, take care of kids… and look at pretty girls when we’re bored! You must miss women already, huh?!” Spring laughed.

Ethan wished he had a machine gun. He would shoot every spineless man in this place.

“How long would it take to leave this continent?” Ethan asked, desperate to go home.

“Leave? Go where? The whole world is the same! No one leaves the continent. The earth ends at the ocean…”

Ethan gave up talking to the brainwashed man. He would get nothing useful from him.

He stood alone, staring at the alien sky.

He had walked into a hidden, impossible world.

And the way home was nowhere in sight.