During the Republic of China era, I achieved unparalleled success by returning to the past.

This world was far more cruel and bloody than he remembered the Republican era. Knowing he was at his wit's end, Song Beiyou stared blankly, unsure of where to go—when, without warning, a vortex the size of an inkstone appeared before him, spreading rapidly like ripples!

The falling raindrops, the dim beams of light, and the fleeting singing all froze in place. Then, everything rapidly faded, and the entire narrow alleyway instantly became a frozen black and white photograph!

What is this? Song Beiyou's heart pounded wildly.

A mysterious light swirled, and an ancient book appeared. It was about half a foot long and a palm wide, with the words "Book of Impermanence" written vertically on the cover, looking ancient and weathered.

"You finally came when I was at my most desperate! You are my true godfather. I've waited a whole year for this!"

Song Beiyou felt his throat tighten, and an indescribable emotion surged through his chest—excitement, ecstasy, and anticipation intertwined, making him want to roar to the heavens.

In the end, he merely curled the corner of his mouth and reached out to grasp the Book of Impermanence.

The book is neither paper nor leather to the touch; it's cold and rough, as if it could absorb the warmth from your palm. Turning to the title page, on the rough yellow paper, the ink blots spread like mist, revealing a mirror-like surface.

Amidst the rippling waves, a line of blood-red characters slowly emerged:

[Will you remain paralyzed from the waist down, living out this tragic life; or will you sacrifice all your lifespan to become a calamity-bringer in the Book of Impermanence, and start over?]

[Song Beiyou (Completed by Seal)]

Song Beiyou stared at his own name for a moment, then a sneer appeared on his lips. "Do I even need to choose?"

He extended his thumb and pressed it against his own blood-red name on the page. Instantly, a chilling sensation shot through his fingertip, causing him to shudder and his lifespan to be drawn out.

The Book of Impermanence immediately shone with a great light, with countless light patterns intertwining and flowing, and Song Beiyou instantly connected with it mentally.

The water mirror page displayed rust-like text: 【Please open the Thousand-Faced Treasure Box, Lord of Calamity, and draw your reward.】

Hmm? A newbie gift pack, a lucky draw at the start?

As soon as Song Beiyou had the idea, a square wooden box about a foot in size appeared in his hand. He said, "Open it."

In an instant, a burst of dazzling colored light shot out from the box, transforming into hundreds of shimmering, iridescent masks that swirled rapidly before his eyes. Lines of information appeared:

• 50% chance to obtain the Hundred Trades Skill Mask

• 30% chance to obtain a martial arts mask

• 10% chance to obtain the Inner Cultivation Mask

• 8% chance to obtain the Talent Super Mask

• 2% chance to obtain the Bloodline Inheritance Mask

Green, cyan, purple, red, gold... Song Beiyou was dazzled. Seeing the probability information, his heart started racing. It really was a lottery!

Finally, the dazzling light dissipated, leaving only a mask that fell and floated silently before our eyes.

Song Beiyou's heart leaped into his throat, and he held his breath. He hadn't been this nervous even when he was killing someone. He reached out to touch the mask; it was as thin as a cicada's wing and as cold as water, as if it could absorb the warmth from his fingertips.

The style is simple and unadorned, but around the eyes and on the forehead, eight eyes of different shapes, some open and some closed, are drawn with concise brushstrokes, making them mysterious and unpredictable.

A line of rusty characters appeared: 【Inheritance · Qianyuan Eight Awakenings · Initial Awakening】

Inheritance! I won with only a 2% chance! Song Beiyou suppressed his elation. This was one of only two items in the treasure box, an absolute rarity.

He was about to examine its specific function more closely when the mask had already spilled into the water mirror, and a line of bloody words flowed down:

[Mission: Survive the murderous storm of the rainy night. Success: Relieve your lingering misfortune and gain lifespan. Failure: Be removed from the Book of Impermanence, erasing all traces of your existence.]

Song Beiyou felt a chill run down his spine: If it fails, then he'll be wiped out. That's right, his lifespan has already been entirely sacrificed; he's practically a dead man now.

Suddenly, the frozen raindrops, the stagnant dim light, and all the black and white scenes in the alley shattered!

He felt as if his entire body was being torn to pieces by an invisible force, only to be reassembled amidst intense dizziness. When he regained his senses, the scenery before him had drastically changed.

He was sitting at a long table covered with a rubber mat, and a pungent, bitter smell hit his nostrils—the smell of carbolic acid, a disinfectant commonly used in this era, rather than the smell of chlorine-containing disinfectant from his previous life.

This is... the St. Mary's Church Hospital!

Song Beiyou steadied himself, and the Book of Impermanence flew from his bosom. Unfolding its first page, lines of blood-red characters cascaded down like a waterfall:

Current time: 18th day of the 11th lunar month, 7 PM (three days ago)

[The one destined to face the calamity: The Lord of Calamity himself]

[A Moment of Survival After the Massacre: A Quarter]

[The person who survives the calamity can wear a mask: 0/2]

【Mask Collection: Inheritance · Qianyuan Eight Awakenings · First Awakening】

"It turns out they've sent me back three days. Three days ago, that's when my lumbar spine was broken, leaving me paralyzed on one side!"

Song Beiyou felt a surge of excitement. "Fifteen minutes. There's still fifteen minutes to prepare."

"Wearing a mask, figuring out the function of the mask first is the key to breaking the deadlock!" As soon as the thought arose, the ancient mask from before reappeared on the pages of the book.

Without hesitation, Song Beiyou picked it up and put it on his face. It felt like a light veil brushing against him, without any facial mask sensation, but a surge of scalding heat suddenly exploded from his spine and rushed to his limbs and bones.

Immediately afterwards, a message appeared:

By wearing the mask "Inheritance: Qianyuan Eighth Awakening: First Awakening", you will receive:

• Autumn Cicada's Premonition: High-speed dynamic vision and corresponding brainpower analysis.

Note: After the effects wear off, the patient will enter a period of mental weakness.

• Qian Gang Zhi Yang: Increases physical strength by 20%.

Initial progress: 1% (+).

• Retribution: Karmic burdens incurred, resulting in a depletion of lifespan. Currently, an additional day of lifespan is depleted each day. Note: This is exempt from copying.

The phrase "the cicada senses the coming of autumn" likely refers to the subtle state of "the cicada sensing the coming of autumn before the wind blows," a realm coveted by martial artists. Possessing this ability is considered a divine skill in combat.

Song Beiyou clenched his fists and felt a surge of heat in his arms, giving him inexhaustible strength. His confidence soared, and he began to carefully examine his surroundings.

On the table in front of me, a drop of ink smudged on an unfinished medical record under the nib of a slender black Parker pen.

Name: Liu Dazhu, Age: 62, Diagnosis: Neurosis...

At a glance, he noticed that he had changed into a clean set of clothes, wearing a white lab coat over a white shirt and vest, and also a dark, narrow tie.

He capped his Parker pen, closed his medical record book, and patted the Chinese-English dictionary lightly. This was indeed his work from three days ago.

He peeked out and saw that it was quiet, with only the regular ticking of a clock. A slightly plump nurse was standing with her back to him, writing something with her head down.

Song Beiyou took a deep breath, subconsciously got up and took a few steps, only then realizing that his legs were completely healed, and he felt a sense of relief. Only after losing something do you realize how precious it is.

"I only have fifteen minutes. What exactly is this murder? Should I stay in my office? What will happen next?" He tried desperately to recall, but all he could remember was a blurry, indistinct figure in the rainy night.

Could it be that I've developed selective traumatic amnesia? Song Beiyou frowned, his leather shoes clicking on the paulownia wood floor as he slowly walked out the door. He looked up at the clock on the wall—9:45, a quarter to 10, right before the deadline.

Mary, wearing a nurse's cap and slightly plump, heard the noise, glanced at the time, and then turned to ask, "Song, shall we go on patrol now?"

Beneath the woman's high, prominent brow bones were a pair of brown eyes, and her cheeks were covered in freckles. She was a Gaul who had come to Dongxia with her husband. Song Beiyou smiled and said, "No, wait a little longer. The office is too stuffy; I'm going out for some fresh air."

"Oh!" Mary shrugged and continued writing.

Song Beiyou turned and walked into the restroom next to the nurses' station, turned on the tap, and splashed water on his face. Looking at his handsome figure and gentle face in the mirror, his pupils suddenly contracted—

Because above his head, a line of bloody words appeared:

Calamities are karma, unavoidable; they accumulate and grow heavier until death.

[Through all trials and tribulations, merits and deeds are judged, and rewards are given accordingly.]

Song Beiyou felt a chill rise from his back, rushing to the back of his head, leaving him numb. His thought just now was to hide in the office or the bathroom.

If I hide here, will it turn into a "Final Destination" movie for me?

Should rewards be issued based on the evaluation?

Song Beiyou stared at the mirror, his gaze piercingly bright. "Since that's the case, let me go and see what inescapable calamity this is!"

Tick, tick, tick...

The clock's second hand ticked mechanically. The incandescent bulbs in the ceiling dome emitted a dim, yellowish light, and the Santa Maria emblem on the brass base reflected a cool metallic sheen.

"Song, did you know that Scarlett's fiancé will be coming here next spring as the Consul General?" Mary said with a smile as she closed her finished journal.

Consul General? Song Beiyou looked up from the clock and said, "Oh? I don't know, I'm just Dr. Scarlett's assistant."

"Okay." Mary raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to make a cup of coffee. Call me if you need anything." With that, she swayed her voluptuous hips as she entered the changing room next door.

9:57……9:58!

Song Beiyou abruptly stood up, straightened his back, picked up a round-handled scalpel he had just found, and put it into his white coat pocket. This was a scalpel, less than a palm's length, used by doctors to treat small wounds.

"Mary, I should go on my patrol now. Is the coffee ready?" The voice trailed off, but there was no response.

"Ms. Mary?" Song Beiyou looked towards the changing room, but there was no sound from inside.