The Northern Border Fortress did not sleep.
Even at midnight, the massive stone complex pulsed with life.
Torches burned along the battlements, their flames bending sharply in the icy wind. Soldiers marched in rotating patrols across the inner courtyard, their boots thudding against frost-hardened ground. Somewhere in the distance, steel clashed against steel from a late-night training session.
Long Wei stood alone near the eastern watchtower, his hands resting lightly on the cold stone wall.
The night sky stretched endlessly above him.
Dark.
Silent.
Merciless.
Much like the world he now found himself in.
A gust of wind swept across the fortress and carried the smell of smoke, horse sweat, and snow.
He exhaled slowly.
"Not bad," he murmured.
For a border military base in an ancient kingdom, it was structurally sound.
But only structurally.
Operationally?
Weak.
His sharp eyes moved across the courtyard below.
One patrol squad had a seven-minute blind gap near the southern barracks.
The archers on the west wall were changing positions too slowly.
The food storage area lacked dedicated guards.
"Aise kaise chalega…"
How is this supposed to work…
His special forces instincts were already dissecting every weakness.
This place could fall in a surprise raid.
And if the capital had deliberately weakened supplies—
It was only a matter of time before someone attacked.
Long Wei's expression darkened.
Prince Long Jun had not just exiled him.
He had sent him to die slowly.
Cold.
Starvation.
Enemy raids.
Internal sabotage.
The plan was elegant.
Cowardly, but elegant.
A bitter smile touched his lips.
"Bhai, tumne galat banda choose kar liya."
Brother, you chose the wrong man.
He turned away from the wall and walked toward the barracks assigned to him.
Unlike his former royal quarters, this room was brutally simple.
One wooden bed.
One low table.
A clay lamp.
A small iron stove.
Honestly?
He preferred it.
At least nothing here pretended to be something it wasn't.
He shut the door behind him.
The room fell quiet.
For the first time since arriving at the fortress, he allowed himself to breathe.
The exhaustion finally hit.
Not physical.
Mental.
Too much had happened too quickly.
Death.
Rebirth.
New world.
Royal betrayal.
Exile.
Military assessment.
And somewhere in the middle of it all—
the pendant.
The thought had barely crossed his mind when a familiar warmth spread across his chest.
Long Wei froze.
Slowly, he slipped his hand inside the inner fold of his robe.
The jade pendant.
It was glowing.
Soft emerald light pulsed beneath its surface like a living heartbeat.
His eyes narrowed.
"So you finally want to talk."
The pendant grew warmer in his palm.
Then suddenly—
A wave of force burst outward.
The lamp flame flickered violently.
The room darkened.
Wind howled inside the sealed chamber.
Long Wei stepped back instinctively.
"Arre— what the hell!"
The jade light intensified.
Symbols began appearing in the air around him.
Ancient golden runes.
Dragon seals.
Imperial script.
His heartbeat quickened.
This was the same energy he had felt inside the tomb.
The same strange pull.
The same impossible presence.
A female voice echoed faintly in his mind.
Come.
Long Wei's eyes widened.
"Seriously? Raat ke 12 baje portal kholna zaroori tha?"
Seriously? Was it necessary to open a portal at midnight?
But before he could say anything else, the light exploded.
The room vanished.
When Long Wei opened his eyes again, he was no longer inside the fortress.
He stood in an endless stone corridor.
Rows upon rows of ancient imperial tombs stretched beyond sight in both directions.
The ceiling disappeared into darkness.
Blue ghost flames burned in stone lanterns along the walls.
The air was cool.
Still.
Heavy with history.
For a moment, even Long Wei's composed expression cracked.
"Bhai…"
He turned slowly.
"Main sach mein doosri duniya mein aa gaya."
I really came into another world.
The absurdity of it almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Then he saw her.
At the centre of the vast hall stood a stone table.
Upon it rested a tea set of white jade.
And seated gracefully beside it—
a woman.
The Tombkeeper
She wore flowing white robes embroidered with silver phoenixes. Her long black hair cascaded like silk over her shoulders, and her eyes carried an ancient stillness that made the entire hall seem insignificant beside her.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Dangerous.
She lifted a teacup and took a slow sip.
Then looked directly at him.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"I have been waiting for you."
Long Wei stared.
Then looked behind himself.
Then around the corridor.
Then back at her.
"Excuse me," he said dryly, "waiting for me specifically? Ya, general audience?"
Her smile deepened.
The woman actually looked amused.
"Still able to joke after death and rebirth."
Her voice was calm.
Pleasant.
Ancient.
Long Wei folded his arms.
"Look, whoever you are, I've had a long day."
He began counting on his fingers.
"Girlfriend betrayal. Murder. Cliff fall. Rebirth. Royal politics. Border exile."
He looked up.
"So kindly explain before my patience resigns."
For the first time, the woman laughed softly.
The sound echoed beautifully through the endless hall.
"Interesting."
She placed the cup down.
"You truly are different from the others."
Long Wei frowned.
"Others?"
Her eyes shifted toward the endless rows of tombs.
"These are the resting places of betrayed empresses."
His gaze followed.
Countless tombs.
Endless.
Ancient.
Each one was carved with imperial symbols.
Each one radiates faint spiritual pressure.
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
She stood gracefully.
"The pendant has returned to its rightful master."
Long Wei looked at the jade in his hand.
"Master?"
Her eyes met his.
"You."
The word landed like thunder.
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.
Then she continued.
"You are the only one who can enter this realm."
Long Wei narrowed his eyes.
"And why exactly would I want that?"
She walked past him, her robes trailing softly across the stone floor.
"Because your destiny lies here."
He let out a dry laugh.
"Meri destiny toh already kaafi busy chal rahi hai."
My destiny is already busy enough.
But inside—
something stirred.
A strange sense of inevitability.
As if part of him had always known this moment was coming.
The woman stopped before the nearest tomb.
Its stone surface was engraved with a phoenix and a crown.
She turned toward him.
"Touch it."
Long Wei raised an eyebrow.
"After everything that happened last time?"
She gave him a knowing smile.
"This time, you won't die."
He stared at the tomb.
Then at her.
Then sighed.
"Fine. Let's see what fresh problem this unlocks."
As his hand moved toward the ancient stone, the pendant in his palm began to glow brighter.
The hall trembled faintly.
And somewhere deep within the endless tomb realm—
something awakened.