The Chronicle of Becoming King

A ray of sunlight fell across Wang Cheng's haggard face. The searing pain radiating from every part of his body brought his sluggish mind back to life. He slowly opened his eyes, gritted his teeth, and lifted his head a little. He was lying on a bamboo bed, a crumpled white cloth covering his crotch. Bamboo splints held all four limbs in place, leaving him unable to move. The hot wind stirred the thatch hanging from the edge of the hut. Beyond a dense patch of reeds, the river flowed north, boats lined up one after another.

Suddenly, the wind changed direction, carrying a foul stench straight toward him. A veteran of many battles, Wang Cheng immediately recognized the smell of a rotting corpse. He turned toward the wind and saw that most of the bamboo beds nearby were empty. A few held bodies covered with white cloth, stones weighing down the corners to keep the wind from lifting them. The cloth bulged over the bodies, and the stench must have come from there.

The smell was overpowering. Instinctively, Wang Cheng tried to cover his nose, but even the slightest movement brought excruciating pain, and he couldn't help crying out.

A clear, lilting female voice called out, “Oh! You're finally awake?”

Wang Cheng was a fourth-rank commandant, framed by a treacherous villain. He had meant to prove his innocence by dying, but against all odds, he had survived.

It all went back to half a month earlier…