Absolutely not to be burned at the stake

"Ah~"

Feeling the burning pain from his wounds, the dizzy Li Wei couldn't help but scream. The sound echoed in the dim space, hoarse and broken.

Hearing Li Wei's screams, the assailant seemed even more smug, his movements becoming increasingly ruthless. Rough fingers, dipped in cold, sticky ointment, were mercilessly pressed into the torn flesh.

"Ah~ Ah~~"

Li Wei screamed again, his body instinctively trying to curl up, but he was bound to the cold stone slab by some invisible force. Every breath brought a tearing pain to his chest and ribs.

After a long while, the man stopped, his hoarse voice ringing out like a whetstone: "Awake? You're really tough... You can still breathe after taking a Void Explosion from me, that's quite an achievement."

"Airburst? What airburst? Wasn't I pushed off a cliff by Wang Lun?"

Li Wei forced his eyes open and looked at the figure in front of him.

As he squinted, he gradually made out that in front of him was an old foreign man wearing a tattered priest's robe. In the dim candlelight, a deeply lined face was outlined, with a hooked nose, thin lips, and gray-blue eyes that were sunken in their sockets like two frozen wells, coldly looking at him with a hint of mockery.

It's not that person!

"you..."

Li Wei was stunned for a moment. He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but he felt as if something was blocking his throat, so dry it felt like it was being cut by a knife, and he couldn't say a word.

The old man, however, seemed oblivious to his pain. He used his finger to scoop up the dark green, pungent-smelling ointment from the earthenware bowl and applied it to the wound without hesitation.

"ah!!!"

A piercing scream burst from his throat, echoing in the dark room.

The moment the ointment touched the wound, it felt like a scalding hot iron mixed with strong acid, corroding the flesh and burning the nerves! Li Wei's vision went black, and his body convulsed violently. If he hadn't been so extremely weak, he would have almost jumped up.

At first, Li Wei thought it was a dream.

But he knows now!

This is not a dream!

This is definitely not a dream!

"Pain? You feel pain now? This is a fiery ointment I made myself; the materials alone cost me two crowns and eight tals..."

The priest's voice was slow and deliberate, tinged with a hint of regret, "Two crowns and eight tals! That's enough to buy twenty plump old hens, and I've spent it on you!"

"Do you know the effects of Red Hot Ointment? It's excellent at stopping bleeding, but it's also extremely irritating to wounds."

The priest leaned closer, grinned, and said with a smug yet cruel tone, "Just like now."

The priest sneered, his hands continuing their work as he scrambled up another large dollop of sticky ointment and smeared it on another gaping wound on Levi's ribs: "Using my medicine to poison me? Who gave you the guts? Hmm? That little bitch Alice?"

More excruciating pain struck, but what exploded even before the pain was the chaotic flood of fragmented memories into my mind.

On a sunny afternoon, in the alley behind the town hall, moss grew at the base of the walls, and the air smelled faintly of coal smoke and rust.

Alice leaned against the mottled brick wall, her fingers twirling the ends of her chestnut hair, which was gilded by the sunlight filtering through her soft strands.

"Li Wei, darling," she said, her head bowed slightly, her voice low and pleading, "my father has agreed...we can get married. But..."

Fear and humiliation crossed her beautiful face. Her long eyelashes drooped, casting small shadows on her cheeks. "Father Hansen...you know the rules. All brides, on the eve of their wedding, must...must go to church to 'receive a blessing'."

She shivered, her thin shoulders trembling slightly, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't want him to touch me, Li Wei, I don't want to! That old monster, so many girls have cried at his hands... I heard that Jenny stayed in bed for three days after she came back, she couldn't even walk..."

"That little bitch!" The priest's vicious voice dragged Li Wei back from the fragments of memory, and the excruciating pain once again took over everything.

"Did she tell you that as long as you kill me and take the church's money, you can run away together?" Another blob of cold ointment was smeared on him, and Li Wei's screams became weak and hoarse.

"Stupid! Incredibly stupid!"

The priest straightened up, looking down at him with a hint of annoyance. His worn priest's robe was stained with dark brown dirt. "That little bitch...she's been hooking up with the tax collector's son for ages. She still thinks highly of you? The tax collector's son can buy her silver bracelets, lace dresses. What can you give her? Hmm? A few copper tals?"

He leaned down to look at Li Wei, a cruel, gleaming light in his cloudy eyes: "You've followed me for two years, a full two years. Others may not know, but you still don't know what this church represents? Don't you know my rank?"

"How could you be so stupid as to use a little poison and a rusty, broken dagger to try and kill me?"

The priest shook his head, then suddenly raised his voice, spittle flying onto Li Wei's face, "Of course, you did learn a little something, at least you seriously injured me... but that's not enough, not enough, you know!"

"Do you know why I didn't kill you? Why I saved you?" The priest's voice lowered again, carrying a chilling intimacy.

"The pyre in the square hasn't been used for two years. I think... some people may have forgotten what reverence means."

The priest slowly straightened up, his voice chilling, "I want everyone to know the consequences of daring to offend me... I will burn your parents, your blind sister, and you at the stake. I will start from your feet, slowly, for a whole day. Your screams will echo throughout Shadowtown, so everyone will remember."

He carried the earthenware bowl, his back slightly hunched, and swayed as he walked up the steps. The hem of his tattered robe brushed against the threshold, and the wooden door creaked shut, shutting out the last bit of dim light.

The stone chamber plunged into deeper darkness, with only a small oil lamp on the wall struggling to emit a tiny light.

Li Wei finally caught his breath.

I've time-traveled!!

I've read so many time-travel novels, and now my family has actually time-traveled! But I'm incredibly unlucky; the person I trusted most killed me, and now that I've finally stumbled into time travel, I'm going to be burned at the stake?!

Burning rack?

Isn't that the same as going to the incinerator before you're even dead? No, it's worse. Thinking about this sent a shiver down Li Wei's spine.

I just got some medicine smeared all over my body by this old man, and I'm already in so much pain. What would happen if I were burned at the stake?

Just as Li Wei's heart was sinking, a glimmer of light appeared before his eyes.

The light was initially faint, like fireflies on a summer night, then quickly stabilized and expanded, forming a semi-transparent screen that hovered above his line of sight. A faint, data-like blue light flowed along the edges of the screen, and clear text appeared in the center, written in the familiar simplified Chinese characters.

Young man, aren't you filled with resentment? You've worked so hard for so long, and just when you could finally start enjoying life, someone killed you...

[Just when I thought I'd stumbled upon a time-traveling adventure, I'm now facing the stake!]

Are you feeling very resentful?

So, the opportunity has arrived... The interdimensional escape plan is officially launched. Believe in yourself; when you are strong enough, anything is possible!

Given the current situation, the first priority is to ensure you don't get burned at the stake. You currently have three options—

The text paused briefly, then appeared line by line:

[Option A: Find a way to escape and successfully leave Shadowtown. The reward is a share of the Dark Wizard Bossa's legacy.]

[Option B: Beg Father Hansen for mercy and receive his forgiveness. Reward: Constitution +1 (A little hint: Father Hansen may have grown tired of women and his orientation might change. You're quite handsome; this might be your chance to survive and potentially become a low-level divine mage. Note: For reference only.)]

[Choose C: Kill Father Hansen and survive successfully; reward: one instance of the Alchemist's Divine Grace.]

The text ends here, and the screen floats silently, emitting a faint blue light.

As the light screen in front of him slowly dimmed, Li Wei was stunned for a long time before he realized that the Transmigrator System had arrived!

A slight thrill stirred within him; did this mean he still had hope of returning?

But after taking a closer look at the choices in front of him, he couldn't help but chuckle.

None of these three options seem reliable.

Escape? This body is critically injured and near death; even lifting a hand is difficult. Moreover, in the original owner's memories, Shadow Town is surrounded by mountains, with only one path leading to the outside world. The surrounding area is dense forest, teeming with various wild beasts, and seemingly monsters and dark mages...

Given their current state, even if they managed to escape, they'd likely be wolf food before even leaving town. Option A can basically be ruled out!

Beg Father Hansen for mercy? In the original owner's memories, Father Hansen was a vengeful old man, and the chances of successfully begging for mercy were almost zero. According to this system, does it mean he has to sell his body? Pah... I'd rather die! Option B is out!

Choosing C seems to be the last resort, and there's also the divine grace of the Alchemist God.

Li Wei swallowed hard.

But how could they kill Father Hansen? They were unarmed and severely injured, almost unable to move, while their opponent was a priest with strange divine magic.

hehe...

Li Wei closed his eyes speechlessly.

"well..."

Feeling the burning pain emanating from his body, Li Wei couldn't help but sigh.

If I had known I would end up like this, I shouldn't have worked so hard in the first place.

He worked tirelessly day and night to make money, and he did make money, even finding a beautiful fiancée that everyone envied. But then...

Thinking of my newly renovated little house by the sea, the bright and clean rooms, the creamy white walls, the warm sunlight filtering through the blinds beside the desk, and the soft bed...

Thinking about this made Li Wei feel like crying...

If only I could go back, I absolutely cannot let that bastard Wang Lun get away with it.

The thought had barely formed when, in a hazy state, a faint light suddenly flashed before my eyes. It wasn't the blue light of the system screen, but a soft sunlight, as if seen through frosted glass.

Then Li Wei found himself in the living room of the house.

"I'm back home?" Looking at the familiar house in front of him, Li Wei felt a surge of joy.

But he soon realized something was wrong. He could see everything in the room, but he couldn't see his own body; it was as if he were a ghost.

"This...this..."

Li Wei subconsciously wandered around the room, taking in everything from the bed, wardrobe, and chairs in the room to the bookshelves, desk, and computer in the study, and the mini composite bow hanging on the wall.

He could even see the scenery outside and hear sounds through the window, but he couldn't leave the room.

"What's going on?" Li Wei's question had just begun when he suddenly felt dizzy, his vision blurred, and he was back in that painful body, before he instantly fainted.