Metropolis Alien King

If there were truly superpowers in this world, then human self-awareness would be a form of superpower, and arguably the greatest one. Gao Ming sat in the decrepit courtyard, chin in hand, staring blankly at the pulley support near the well. His expression was one of frustration. He couldn't fathom how, overnight, he had transformed from a 23-year-old man into a 10-year-old child. What a perplexing turn of events! Sighing, the fine lines on his young face furrowed into a pile. He picked up a small stone from the ground, swung his little arm, and tossed it into the well. Hmm, not bad accuracy. Returning to the topic, his past life was filled with misery, with nothing worth reminiscing. The only thing that left him despondent was the fact that he could never see his family again. Reborn from 23 to 10, it wasn't such a distressing matter. After all, his mind retained over a decade of experiences, and it could be considered gaining a bonus of ten extra years of life. What bothered him, however, was that it seemed like he hadn't been reborn into his own past or the familiar era he knew. Instead, he found himself in a very unfamiliar ancient world. Looking at the attire he wore—hemp clothing, washed until it turned white. Even the cheap goods from his previous life's street vendors were more exquisite. Although durable, wearing it was uncomfortable, causing an itchy sensation against his skin. If he had been reborn in an ordinary ancient world, it would have been bearable, given his experiences from the previous two decades. What vexed him to the point of spitting blood, however, was that this world was far from ordinary. It was so extraordinary that it made Gao Ming's scalp tingle. All of this had to be traced back to the memories he acquired when seizing control of this body. Coincidentally, the original owner of this body also went by the name Gao Ming, bringing him a bit of reassurance. After all, he had carried that name for over two decades. If everything had been altered, it would have been unsettling. At least, it was a name given to him by his parents in his previous life. Suddenly being reborn in this world of superpowers brought some sentiment for his past. What worried him the most was that he lacked the most basic survival skills in this world. Speaking of basic survival skills, it's worth mentioning the extraordinary nature of the world he was now reborn into. His understanding of this world was compiled from the memories he gained when seizing control of the unfortunate soul. Although those memories were somewhat distressing, depicting a life even more miserable than that of the impoverished masses in the old society, they provided him with a narrow understanding of this world. The Superpower Continent. That's the world where Gao Ming now resides. The name alone indicated that it was neither simple nor ordinary. The main theme of civilization in this world wasn't centered around mechanical technology or the magical cultivation found in fantasy novels. It didn't even qualify as a civilization dominated by melee weaponry. Instead, it was a world where superpowers held sway. Superpowers. The excitement Gao Ming felt when he first learned about this information surpassed that of taking drugs. There was no way around it—having read so many novels in his previous life, if he didn't know what superpowers were, he might as well smash his head against a block of tofu. Even though tofu wasn't a thing in this world, Gao Ming would never forget the delightful taste of tofu, a delicacy from the human realm. In this world where superpowers dominate, having no superpower means having no rights. Without a superpower, one can only live as an inferior being. Faced with this fact, Gao Ming was dumbfounded. Did he traverse through time and rebirth just to experience the life of an inferior being, trodden upon by others, in this free tour of an alternate world? It was truly disheartening. Gao Ming almost had a mental breakdown and considered smashing his head against a wall. However, he was stopped by the crying and beseeching of the beautiful woman who now served as his mother. Just as he was in a daze "Gao Ming, still daydreaming!" A gentle and shivering female voice came from behind, followed by a tender and breathtakingly beautiful hand gently caressing Gao Ming's small face. In front of Gao Ming appeared an enchanting woman around the age of twenty-six. Her face, as delicate as a flower, carried deep concern. A pair of watery eyes, brimming with infinite affection, nervously observed him. This enchanting woman was Gao Ming's current mother—Li Qing. "Is there anything uncomfortable? Tell Mother!" Li Qing embraced Gao Ming, as if cradling a precious treasure. The nervous expression she wore could make anyone's heart flutter. Fortunately, Gao Ming didn't see this, as his gaze remained fixed ahead. Nonetheless, the faint fragrance in the air was enjoyable. Even though being held by such a charming woman felt a bit awkward, he was, after all, her son. A little hug wasn't a big deal. Moreover, in the arms of this enchanting woman, it was an indulgence. It had to be said that Li Qing's figure was impeccable—slender where it should be, voluptuous where it needed to be, pert where it should be, and astonishingly captivating where it needed to be... Witnessed by the heavens, he was merely appreciating beauty from a man's perspective, without any dirty thoughts! "Mother, I'm fine." Regardless, even though his soul belonged to the parents of his past life, the body now belonged to Li Qing. Calling her 'Mother' wasn't a big deal. Moreover, in this unfamiliar world, where he was stumbling in the dark without any reliance and lacked even basic survival skills, having this relative to depend on wasn't a painful thing. If he truly had been reborn as an orphan without any support, Gao Ming would probably have smashed his head against a wall long ago. So, the emotions between people did have some use. Although the mother-son bond between them seemed fragile, it was still a notion and a dependence. Now, Gao Ming had the desire to continue living. Li Qing gently stroked Gao Ming's hair, looking at her still dazed son with an indescribable sadness. "It's good that you're okay. Mother is satisfied as long as you're safe and sound. Gao Ming, don't go to the big courtyard in the future, understand!" Gao Ming understood Li Qing's implication. The ability to take over a body might be related to the incident from last time. He obediently nodded, having thoughts not to worry Li Qing and a hint of genuine fear. After all, terrifying individuals resided in that big courtyard. Although he hadn't personally experienced the incident, the memory left a lingering fear. His predecessor had accidentally entered the big courtyard and was almost killed by a superpowered youngster. In that big courtyard, where superpowered individuals held sway, the status of an ordinary servant-born child was non-existent. Superpowered individuals could kill someone like him as easily as crushing an ant, without needing any reason. Gao Ming's identity was quite complex. His father, Gao Bo, was the legitimate second son of Gao, the tribal chief of the Yuan clan. Born with superpowers, he possessed the inheritance right of the tribal chief. Although the Yuan clan was a tiny tribe on the Superpower Continent, with just over ten thousand members, being the heir to the tribal chief carried significant weight. In theory, as the heir to the tribal chief, Gao Ming's status should be high. However, the Superpower Continent didn't operate based on social status. The size of one's ability determined a person's position within the tribe and even on the Superpower Continent. This ability was known as superpowers. So, superpowers became the fundamental factor influencing the social structure of the Superpower Continent. A strict tribal rule prevailed throughout the continent—only superpowered individuals could formally marry. Other ordinary people could only exist as dependents. In other words, a male superpowered individual could only marry a female superpowered individual as a primary wife. Ordinary women could only have the status of concubines or servants, regardless of their backgrounds. Superpowered individuals had to marry other superpowered individuals; this was for a reason. The offspring born from their union had a higher probability of awakening superpowers compared to the offspring of unions between ordinary people or an ordinary person and a superpowered individual. Superpowered individuals were the dominant force on the Superpower Continent, essential for the survival of each tribe. The number of superpowered individuals determined the tribe's status on the continent. It was impossible not to prioritize this, and not everyone had the opportunity to become a superpowered individual. Gao Ming's father was a superpowered individual, but his superpowers couldn't awaken, which was quite normal. Even among the offspring born to superpowered parents, there was a considerable portion that couldn't awaken superpowers. However, compared to children born to concubines like Gao Ming, their destinies were much better because they had a mother with a high status to care for them. Li Qing was just a concubine with a status lower than that of a wife. In the tribe, she had no status, and consequently, Gao Ming, born to her, also had a lowly status. In Gao Ming's memory, he had never seen what his father Gao Bo looked like. Of course, the children born to concubines were not necessarily destined for a humble status. There was a chance to change their fate, and that was by awakening superpowers. Unfortunately, Gao Ming's predecessor not only didn't awaken superpowers innately but also failed to do so in the two artificial superpower awakening ceremonies. The older he got, the smaller the chance of awakening, and even if he did, the potential of his superpowers would be weak. This was the reason for Gao Ming's frustration and despair. Without superpowers for self-defense, in this superpower-dominated world, he was nothing. Li Qing was just a fragile woman with a lowly status in the tribe. Naturally, she didn't have the ability to make Gao Ming's life better. The fates of the mother and son were intertwined from the moment Gao Ming was born. The two pitiful mother and son depended on each other until the sky gradually darkened. Li Qing gently patted Gao Ming's back, softly saying, "Gao Ming, the ceremony for the awakening of superpowers will begin in a few days. Rest well these days; this is your last chance. Ah!" Her tone carried deep helplessness. Even though the hope was faint, there was still a glimmer. The awakening ceremony for children of this age was rare, but not unheard of. The age range for superpower awakening was between two and ten years old. Once past this age range, the chances were slim. However, it wasn't absolute. Throughout history, there were cases of individuals awakening superpowers at an older age. But the probability was tiny, with perhaps one in a million. There was a category of individuals who innately awakened superpowers during the superpower awakening stage. Their potential was often astonishingly great. Each innately superpowered individual was a treasure in their respective tribes. If protected properly, they could achieve tremendous accomplishments in the future, far surpassing those who artificially awakened superpowers. Ninety-nine percent of superpower experts in each tribe were innately superpowered individuals. Gao Ming was already ten years old. This awakening ceremony would be his last chance. If he still couldn't awaken superpowers, his fate for this lifetime would be decided. As Li Qing spoke, Gao Ming's heart gradually grew heavier. Yes, this was his final chance. The last opportunity for a dragon to transform or remain a worm.