The Wandering Immortal

The main text is temporarily the old version of the story and will be replaced later. -- A corporate drone gets crushed by a garbage truck late at night and turned into a mayfly-like hydra. When consciousness returns, he discovers that his misfortune has brought him a blessing: he can cultivate immortality now. There's just one problem. He's a little old, and his life will soon be over. In ancient times, the common folk rose to greatness. Today, a mayfly cultivates immortality, enjoying the experience of "suspended between heaven and earth, as insignificant as a grain of millet in the vast ocean." But then... "Unknown carbon-based life-form detected ahead! Biological classification scan: insectoid? Behavioral classification: intelligent species, low level. Spiritual energy detected: trace amount. Lineage: unknown." "New cultivable intelligent insectoid species discovered... The Insectoid Life Support Bureau, Endangered Species Conservation Center, and New Cultivation Research Institute have been automatically notified..." "A divine official will arrive in 5 seconds to escort you." "Considering your spiritual energy levels and intelligence, the conservation center has selected 1,000 eligible insectoid partners for you. Your top priority is to preserve your precious genes as soon as possible." "Here are the merfolk records, and these are naturally occurring scaled merfolk. Are you sure you want them?" "Inter-species reproductive compatibility surgery is an out-of-pocket expense, but we do offer a low-interest, collateral-backed green channel. You only need to make your genetic code available and cooperate with the research institute on some examinations. There should be no harm." You've got to be kidding. If a mayfly reproduces, is there any chance it'll survive? Indeed: Free from love and hate, may immortality flourish. Unmarried and childless, may youth last forever. Cyber-cultivation: heaven and earth as the furnace, life and death as the game board, all things vying to flourish. Two-device, dual-SIM gold-mining top x shapeless, haphazard, abstract bottom Theme: Any hardship can knock me down, but whatever doesn't kill me will only make me stronger.