When the Overpowered Protagonist Mistook Me as Fellow Townsman
Su Xing Chuan
Zhou Xun once thought his life would only ever be this way. His elder brother was the prince's white moonlight, the tyrant's cinnabar mole. And he? A flawed imitation living in his brother's shadow; a cheap, cast-off gift given to the prince as a replacement, his chance at the imperial exams ruined; a cannon fodder character in a dog-blooded harem novel, whose tragic death served only to facilitate others' love. Enough was enough. At a palace banquet, Zhou Xun, resolved to take revenge, attempted to assassinate the tyrant—hoping to bring about the extermination of his entire clan—and was thrown into the imperial prison. In his cell, he closed his eyes and waited for death. But what he didn't expect was... The awakened tyrant not only had his soul replaced by a transmigrator from a stallion novel but also, through a series of coincidental exchanges, mistakenly identified Zhou Xun as... A "fellow transmigrator"??? Emperor: "Why did you try to kill me?" Zhou Xun: "If not explosion in silence, then death in silence." Emperor: (utterly confused) "Do you know the consequences of assassinating an emperor?" Zhou Xun: "At worst, the extermination of my clan. I never shy from assuming the worst of others." Emperor: "Who taught you these words?" Zhou Xun: "Fate. Unfair fate." Emperor: "You... care to share your thought process?" Zhou Xun: "The sorrows and joys of humanity are disconnected." Reflecting on his silenced, unfairly snuffed-out life, Zhou Xun thought: this world had shown him nothing but malice, and no one understood his sorrows or joys. Moved by his own words, he concluded his speech and closed his eyes, awaiting death... He waited, and waited, and waited... Only to hear the emperor whisper? "Odd changes, even remains unchanged...?" Zhou Xun: ??? "Stop pretending. We're fellow transmigrators... right?" Zhou Xun: ??? #WhatToDoWhenAMistakenTransmigratorThinksYoureAFellowHelpNeededASAP# * Emperor Rong Xuan of the Jing Dynasty was infamous for his cruelty, having countless executed for displeasing him. Yet from that day onward... "Your Majesty, this is the finest Xinjiang ice moss, delivered eight hundred li post-haste—" "Send it to the Master!" "Your Majesty, Jiangnan has sent three taels of Zhou Cai's favorite pre-Qingming tea..." "Send it to the Master!" "Your Majesty, this is the heirloom jade pendant your mother left for her daughter-in-law..." "Must I repeat myself? Send it, send it, send it—all the finest treasures to the Master!" "What about the peerless dancer?" "Of course, send her too—Bah! Wait! Bring her back! That one stays!" "Your Majesty, this is Scholar Xun's 'ex,' the Fifth Prince, and your white moonlight, Zhou Cai..." "Exile them ALL!!!" The court: A bewitching consort! It must be a bewitching consort! Yet the so-called "bewitching consort" spent his days agonizing over how to teach the transmigrated emperor to convincingly mimic a tyrant without blowing his cover. "What does a tyrant do?" "Extravagant construction projects." Rumors spread: the tyrant leveled roads, built lavish carriages for the consort's outings—all for a single smile. Then... The capital's order flourished, merchants traveled freely, and the people prospered. "What else does a tyrant do?" "Crushing taxes and levies." Rumors spread: the tyrant slaughtered corrupt officials, drenching the land in blood—all to please the consort. Then... The bureaucracy was cleansed, peace reigned, and the people cheered. "What else?" "Wasteful projects." Rumors spread: the tyrant dredged canals, raised a navy—all to ship lychees for the consort. Then... The Grand Canal was completed, the Jing navy became unmatched, envoys from all nations bowed, and the empire united in loyalty. After years of coaching the emperor on tyrant behavior—while keeping his transmigrator identity secret—Zhou Xun decided to resign and return home. With his vengeance fulfilled and his dream of topping the imperial exams achieved, he had no reason to stay by the emperor's side. "Zhou Xun." "Hmm?" He turned. "What should a tyrant do now?" "Do... what?" "Hold you." The man embraced him from behind. "Never let you go." * Later, Zhou Xun reflected: this world hadn't been so kind to him, but neither had it been entirely cruel. It had often brought him to the brink of death, yet always left him a thread of survival—threads that had carried him through his first eighteen years, until they led him to this meeting. But one thing he never learned: A soul had once traveled across time and space, fighting tooth and nail to pry open paths of survival for his younger self, yet never told him what it had done. That soul wanted to see him smile—wanted him to know— This world, and he, loved him dearly. —Sunny, silly transmigrator who crosses countless timelines to save his past lover × cool, gentle, devoted genius—