Chapter One: Is This the World of Marvel?

Cough, cough... Lin Feng broke into a violent fit of coughing, his head spinning as he struggled to open his eyes. The white ceiling above and the IV drip by his side met his gaze. Am I...saved?

Lin Feng was a university student, just graduated and about to step into society. He’d decided to travel abroad and signed up for a ten-day tour of Iceland. But fate had other plans. As their sailing ship neared Iceland, a ferocious storm struck—howling winds, torrential rain, thunderbolts, and monstrous waves crashing like the end of the world.

Their vessel was an old three-masted schooner, not large by any means. The ship was tossed violently by the surging waves, forcing everyone to cling to the railings just to stay upright. Suddenly, a wave towering dozens of meters high bore down upon the ship. Seeing this, Lin Feng could only think: This is it, I’m done for!

The wave struck with tremendous force, submerging the ship under the water’s crushing weight. The passengers were thrown about by the impact, Lin Feng among them, who slammed into the wall and nearly lost consciousness as seawater flooded into the cabin. Fortunately, after a moment, the ship was lifted up by the current and floated once more. Lin Feng clung desperately to a railing. The ship was already leaning, half the deck submerged, and everyone could only grab onto whatever they could. The sailors began untying the lifebuoys.

Clutching a mast for dear life, Lin Feng summoned all his strength to climb upwards. At last, he reached the top, gazing at the steadily sinking schooner below him, his heart sinking with it. Regret surged through him for ever embarking on this journey. At that moment, a bolt of lightning split the sky, striking Lin Feng atop the mast.

All he saw was a flash of blinding light before losing consciousness. How much time passed, he could not say, but when he awoke, he found himself in what appeared to be a hospital, and a wave of relief—the feeling of surviving disaster—washed over him.

"Child, you're awake at last!" A man's voice sounded at his ear. Lin Feng turned his head to see a middle-aged man sitting eagerly by his bed.

"And you are?" Lin Feng asked, bewildered.

"I'm Arthur, the village chief."

Village chief? Arthur? Lin Feng had no idea what was happening. Suddenly, a flood of unfamiliar memories surged through his mind.

"Arthur, what's wrong? Say something!" The village chief sounded anxious, watching Lin Feng stare blankly ahead. Perhaps the accident at sea had left the boy addled. Poor child!

Lin Feng absorbed the strange memories, forcing a bitter smile—he’d actually transmigrated. The owner of this body was named Jon Arthur, a sixteen-year-old Icelander who had grown up with his father. It was said Arthur had been found by his father on the seashore as a baby.

Still, Arthur's father had devoted himself to raising the boy, and their bond was strong. They lived in a small Icelandic fishing village, making their living from the sea—like most Icelanders. Just a few days earlier, father and son had gone fishing, only to encounter a tsunami. The little boat was overturned by the towering waves, and Arthur lost consciousness.

Learning Arthur’s history, Lin Feng felt a kinship in misfortune. What of his father? he wondered. With Arthur's memories now his own, Lin Feng felt himself become Arthur.

"I'm alright, Chief. Has my father been found?" Lin Feng asked.

The chief hesitated, then spoke, "I'm afraid your father was lost at sea. The rescue team only found you, clinging to a plank."

A wave of grief welled up from deep inside Lin Feng. Is this your sorrow, Arthur? No, it's mine as well. From this day on, you are me, and I am you. I am Jon Arthur now.

Arthur lay in his hospital bed, awash in mixed emotions and uncertainty for the future. He was someone else now, and had no way of knowing if this was even the world he had once known.

He asked the nurse, who told him it was March 2010, and that he was in Iceland Central Hospital.

2010—ten years in the past. Arthur gazed at his reflection: golden hair, blue eyes, sun-kissed skin now pale from the sea’s chill—a youth’s face unfamiliar to him. With the loss of his only parent, he was now an orphan. Fortunately, as a minor, he would receive a government stipend, enough to scrape by until he turned eighteen.

Should I return to China and see if my parents are there? Perhaps there’s still a Lin Feng, a student, living his old life.

Arthur stared out the window, lost in thought. The television in the room was broadcasting the news: "The British government has placed an order for the latest Jericho missiles from America's largest arms manufacturer, Stark Industries."

At this, Arthur jerked his head toward the television, seeing the British Prime Minister shaking hands with a familiar bald man—Obadiah Stane, the villain and uncle from the Iron Man movies. What was going on?

The broadcast continued, "Stark Industries is the world's largest military contractor. Its leader, Tony Stark, is a genius scientist..."

The screen showed Robert Downey Jr. Arthur's mind froze. This...was the Marvel universe?

"Renowned gamma ray researcher Bruce Banner has mysteriously disappeared following an accident during an experiment..." That settled it—this was definitely the Marvel world.

Standing before the dilapidated wooden cabin, Arthur quietly opened the door and stepped inside. This was the home he had shared with his father since childhood. Everything was just as it had been, except the one person who had been his whole world was gone. A wave of sorrow swept over him.

No, this wouldn't do. He couldn't wallow in despair. Ever since learning he was in the Marvel universe, Arthur had felt both exhilarated and terrified. The thrill came from the idea of becoming a superhero, wielding powers to safeguard the world. But fear gripped him, for he had no abilities at all. His physical condition was poor; he couldn’t so much as survive the collateral damage from a superhero battle, let alone defeat any villains.

This world was fraught with danger—Earth itself a prime target for alien invasions. The thought filled Arthur with anxiety.

No, from today onward, I must start training my body. Even if I can't take down enemies, I should at least be able to run when the aliens invade! Arthur resolved fiercely.

He wondered if he had a system, as in those stories, and tried calling out for one—but nothing happened. Apparently, he was on his own. Disappointment washed over him.