Chapter Four: Let Me Become the Light

Xie Jing had originally planned to walk right in and tell them the truth: this world, everything they knew, was nothing more than a television show called Ultraman Tiga. He even intended to reveal to them that they were nothing but main characters in a special effects drama.

He wanted to do it for the thrill! After all, what was the point of transmigrating into the world of Ultraman Tiga if he didn’t stir things up a little?

Xie Jing was brimming with mischief. Yet, on second thought, he realized that even if he spoke the truth, no one would believe him; they’d probably think he’d lost his mind.

No one would believe it!

So Xie Jing decided it was best to keep his silence for now. After all, if you had no solid proof, who would distinguish truth from fiction? Especially with something so clearly impossible—who could possibly believe it?

After all, in their memories, they were Jun Hui, Da Gu, and members of a team called GUTS.

If he was going to say anything, it would have to wait until he could become Ultraman himself. Speaking out without the ability to protect himself would truly be courting death.

But the mission still had to be accomplished. All Xie Jing needed was permission to go to the pyramid!

Dr. Reiko gently ran her hand over the time machine; a white phosphorescence shimmered along its surface.

The lights suddenly dimmed.

“Perfect lighting effects!” Xie Jing applauded with a grin.

Everyone glared at him, and he immediately sat up straight.

A small aperture opened at the front of the machine, and then a figure clothed in white—the apparition Yu Ling—floated into the air.

A string of unintelligible sounds followed.

“Ahem, Kurei, get out your simultaneous translation device! I can’t understand a word!” Xie Jing kindly reminded him.

“Oh, right!”

The portly Kurei stared at Xie Jing in surprise, as if puzzled by how he knew Kurei carried a translator.

While Kurei fiddled with the device, Xie Jing slid his chair over to Lina’s side.

“Team member Lina, could you make me a cup of tea?” Xie Jing asked, smiling broadly.

“Ah, of course!” Lina nodded kindly and hurried off to brew tea.

Xie Jing then slid his chair back and stood, positioning himself vaguely in front of Da Gu.

The translation device was quickly set up; soon, a gentle female voice echoed in everyone’s ears.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Yu Ling, commander of the Earth Defense Corps...”

Yu Ling’s account began, but Xie Jing already knew her words by heart. This was, after all, a classic from his childhood; he could recite the villain’s speech from the first episode with ease.

“...The only one who can protect Earth from disaster is the giant within the pyramid. That giant was once Earth’s guardian. He hid his combat body deep inside the massive pyramid...”

As Yu Ling said this, her gaze settled on Da Gu, but Xie Jing kept inadvertently drifting into her line of sight, so everyone assumed Yu Ling was speaking to him.

“There is only one way to awaken the giant... and that is...”

Yu Ling’s glowing figure flickered, then disappeared before she could finish. The final, most crucial line was left unsaid, like a cliffhanger from a melodramatic detective show—enough to drive anyone mad.

Everyone’s attention swiveled to Xie Jing. No one could fathom why Yu Ling had addressed her last words to him.

Xie Jing wore a look of feigned astonishment.

“Why was Yu Ling looking at me? Could this have something to do with me?”

“That...” No one could answer Xie Jing’s question. All they could do was speculate about the unfinished message.

“It’s possible... Maybe you need to be sacrificed to summon the giant,” Kurei teased, trying to spook Xie Jing.

But when Xie Jing remained silent, Kurei quickly changed his tone. “Don’t worry—even if summoning the giant required sacrificing you, we would never gamble with your life!”

“No need to be afraid, there must be another way!”

“No... that’s not it...” Xie Jing leaned back in his chair, pointing at himself with excitement written all over his face. “If this really has something to do with me, that’s incredible! I want to see it for myself!”

Jun Hui: “?”

Da Gu: “?”

Kurei: “?”

...

Watching Xie Jing tremble with excitement, Jun Hui sighed and covered her face with her hand.

Geniuses truly didn’t think like ordinary people!

“It must be that I’m destined to become the giant! It has to be!” Xie Jing declared with certainty.

“You, become the giant?” Da Gu muttered to himself. For some reason, an inexplicable sense of annoyance welled up inside him, though he couldn’t say why.

Standing opposite Xie Jing, Jun Hui called out, “Alright, enough! Quiet down!”

Xie Jing immediately fell silent, but inwardly, he was laughing. He’d managed to fool them all!

He was certain that, with his Oscar-worthy performance just now, they would believe him—at the very least, they would bring him along.

Xie Jing drained his cup of tea in a single gulp. “Captain, I really want to go see for myself!”

The room fell silent. The team had scant information and no way to know what would happen if they found the pyramid.

Deputy Captain Zong Fang looked at Jun Hui with concern as she stood there in a daze; the hardened man had always harbored feelings for her but was too shy to confess.

Jun Hui, however, regained her composure almost instantly and immediately began assigning tasks.

“Kurei and Ye Run, coordinate with the technical department to analyze the ancient script and try to pinpoint the location of the pyramid!

“Da Gu and Lina, continue monitoring Golza and Melba’s movements. If anything changes, report immediately.

“As for you, Fujii... just wait for now!”

“Alright,” Xie Jing replied, dejected.

Zong Fang nodded earnestly. Noticing Xie Jing’s crestfallen look, he decided to boost morale and raised his fist.

Every GUTS member did the same, and Xie Jing forced a bitter smile as he followed suit.

“GUTS, action!”

“Let’s do our best!”

...

Whatever strategies GUTS deployed had nothing to do with Xie Jing. At this point, he was like a ghost—completely ignored by Jun Hui.

In his view, this world was just the first stop on the road of his protagonist’s journey—essentially a starter zone, a place to gain experience, never meant for a long stay.

Everyone and everything here were nothing more than passing travelers on the road of life.

With this philosophical detachment, Xie Jing became almost Zen-like: when there was work, he worked; when Akane Kamiji visited, he’d joke around with her; otherwise, he spent his time napping or gaming.

Before falling ill, Xie Jing had enjoyed a decent appearance and a fair income, so he’d dated plenty of girlfriends, but none of the relationships had lasted long. Modern Chinese women were formidable indeed—their desire for control often exceeded that of men.

But here, in this strange country, Xie Jing met a girl who could have been the perfect girlfriend—Akane Kamiji.

She was beautiful and adorable, an excellent cook, and came by every couple of days to help clean his dorm. If he said something that upset her, she’d get angry, but always apologized afterward.

Most importantly, she was a childhood friend—intelligent, talented, and from a well-off family.

Perfect, really.

Yet, there was one downside: whenever Xie Jing wanted to take things further, a nagging voice would ring in his mind.

“Beast~ Beast~ Beast~”

All that was left for him was the echo of that voice.

So Xie Jing put his pursuit of Akane Kamiji on hold and shifted to a gentler approach.

Leisurely days passed swiftly. Three days later, a message arrived on Xie Jing’s portable computer.

He grinned. The mission was halfway to success.