Kicked by the kangaroo.

That was how he died. Ridiculous and dramatic at the same time. Karl Logan, the famous adventurer who had his own show on animal planet—died while filming.

He didn't know if the footage of his misfortune would be shown in the final episode of his show. Karl couldn't be sure because he was already dead. Karl probably fainted when the kangaroo kicked him. There was a leak in his heart and spleen. He did not survive because he was in an aboriginal settlement. He brought a medical team of course, but they didn't have enough resources and equipment to treat his injuries.

Death felt both foreign and familiar. He had a hard time explaining it. There was no fear, Karl was sure he had lived a good person all along. He did not like to meddle in other people's affairs, was obedient to pay taxes and lived faithfully in monogamy with his wife. He never caused trouble.

He was sure he would not go to hell. When he floated formless in a vast, bright white room—he felt like he was about to meet an angel. But it turned out that there was actually a god who approached him and said that he would be reincarnated.

Karl couldn't rest and have fun in heaven yet. God gave him an important task. And He needed the skills and experience of Karl's life for that. Karl didn't really listen. After all, he would forget everything in his new life.

He didn't know how. Karl suddenly felt his vision turn dark and he felt cold. He opened his eyes and looked towards the sky. But he couldn't see anything. Everything was dark.

He tried to move. But it was hard to do. His back was cold and he had to struggle even just to move his hands. What made him panicked was—how could he remember his past life?

Karl groaned. He tried to talk. But only the sound of a baby's cry came out of his mouth.

Am I back to being a baby? Damn!

He should be grateful. Because he was born as a human instead of a pig or a worm. But replaying his life as a baby with an adult's mind sucks. Did he have to go through it all again? Learning to walk, studying at school? Or looking for a job?

But wait, Karl just remembered vaguely. The god said he needs his skills. But for what? Karl regretted not listening carefully to him.

Karl was still crying. He knew it might be a waste. But as a baby, crying felt good. It helped him vent his frustration and attracts attention.

He stopped crying when he felt a hand hug him. It was very dark so he didn't recognize it. Was he born in a poor country with no electricity supply? At least they should have a light.

The person pressed Karl's mouth into her chest. Karl did his reflex as a newborn baby sucking its contents. Was he shy? No. He tried to be rational. Whoever was holding him right now must be his mother. He was still too young to feel aroused by women's breasts. After all, this was his second life. That person was still his mother!

Breastfeeding was a noble activity. The wonder of the mammals. The adventurous Karl admires mothers who were still breastfeeding their children. Including monkeys, whales and elephants. Mother's milk was the best nutrition. When he got married, he made a pact with his fiancee that she had to breastfeed their child.

It was not that Karl couldn't afford the store bought baby milk. He just wants the best for his future son.

It had a slightly sweet taste and there was a sharp sensation as it ran down his throat. It tastes completely different from cow's or goat's milk. Warm, delicious and fulfilling. It was the best drink Karl had ever tasted—as a baby of course.

Karl moved his hand to touch his mother's skin. It felt a little dry even though he detected a layer of mud there. He was a little sad, was his family so poor that they couldn't buy water for bathing? Karl then swung his hand again to touch his mother's face. But he couldn't focus on controlling his hands and ended up grabbing his mother's hair.

His mother complained and let Karl go. She just put the baby down and walked away.

Uh? Karl was confused. Maybe he had hurt his mother and upset her.

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He felt the cold sensation on his bare back again. Karl tried to roll over and touch whatever he was sleeping on at the moment. The texture was hard and cold. There was dust and dirt covering it. Karl realized that he was sleeping on the rocky ground at the moment.

Karl concluded. He was born poor, lived in cold rocky ground, had a mother who never bathed and had no access to electricity. Can he who had lived for more than thirty years as a successful millennial generation live this second life?

Impossible.

Karl was crying again. This time it was more powerful and emotional. Until his mother heard it, stepped in a hurry and hugged him again.

At least he had a mother who loved him. And warm milk that fills his stomach. But why was there no blanket??

Mother's milk calmed him down. Karl had read it before. They said there was a special content in breast milk that can make the baby calm and happy.

Before Karl closed his eyes and fell asleep. A voice echoed in his tiny head.

[WELCOME!]

What?

[DO YOU WANT TO GET AN EXPLANATION ABOUT THIS WORLD?]

Karl didn't sleep. The robotic voice echoed in his head. He knew that only he could hear it because his mother was acting as usual. What did it mean? He removed his mouth from his mother's chest to think.

[Yes / No]

Yes.

Karl thought.

[YOU WAS BORN IN THE LATE PLEISTOCENE ERA. YOU ARE A NEANDERTHAL. YOU WILL LIVE YOUR LIFE DOING TASKS FROM GOD. THE FINAL GOAL OF YOUR LIFE IS: TO PREVENT THE EXTINCTION OF THE NEANDERTHAL RACE]

What is this? It's like some kind of game, and I'm the main character?

Karl was still trying to digest. Neanderthals it said. If that was the case, he would understand why he slept on the stone floor, why his mother didn't shower and why it was pitch black around him.

Karl was probably in a cave with other Neanderthals including his mother. This was probably worse than being born poor. Karl had thought he would use his past knowledge to invest in stocks, trade or gambling to make a comfortable life.

But if he was born as a primitive man—he had no chance of becoming rich. The Pleistocene was a tough era for humans. Because the weather was very cold and they could only focus on surviving.

Now he knew why the gods said he needed his skills and life experience. Even though he still had doubts, he was sure that he had enough experience to live his second life.

[REWARD / OBJECTIVE / STATUS]

A sort of menu choice plastered on his mind. But now he could only see the words "objective" in green. Karl found this interesting. He was not really a gamer, but he used to played it seriously several times when he was a teenager.

Objectives!

[NEW OBJECTIVE!]

[1. KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND DO OBSERVATIONS]

[2. GROW TO BE A HEALTHY BABY WITH IDEAL WEIGHT]

Looks like Karl's first mission wasn't that hard. He was still a baby so he couldn't do anything but cry, sleep and drink milk.

Oh yeah, and he can poop too. Karl now felt his stomach churn. He was crying to push. He immediately panicked because he remembered that he was a baby Neanderthal who obviously didn't wear any diapers.

When Karl finally gave in and released his guts. He felt both relieved and sad. His mother, who noticed that he was pooping, picked him up and wiped his ass with some kind of rough hairy cloth. No wet wipes let alone water. Karl now believed that he was truly reborn as a Neanderthal.

Was there no water? Karl felt very unhygienic. He cried again. His mother picked him up and patted him on the back. Then she tried to breastfeed him again. But Karl refused.

In the end the mother put him back on the stone floor and left.

Wait, she left me? I'm not even a week old yet!

Karl finally fell silent, crying exhausted him. His eyes that were getting used to the dark—detected a light nearby. It seemed that he was now near the cave door. He could see the moonlight seeping in.

It wasn't long before he heard his mother's voice snoring. Karl wasn't going to judge her. Being a mother in any era was not easy. Especially when they just gave birth. They had to wake up every two hours to feed their babies. Karl still remembered when his wife was depressed after giving birth. The milk cannot come out and she must go through a psychiatric consultation before being able to breastfeed again.

Karl was determined to be an obedient baby. He wouldn't bother his mother. He will suck her milk as much as possible until full then let his mother rest.

He had intended so. But it looks like he will have to trouble his mother once again. Because he saw a pair of yellow eyes watching him from the darkness and creeping towards him. Karl heard him hiss. It was a snake. A snake that wasn't big enough to hurt adult Neanderthals. But can swallow a whole newborn baby like him.

Karl cried again, louder and sounded more desperate. He hoped his mother or someone else would hear him. But no one approached him. Maybe for them crying babies were normal. Or they were too sleepy to notice his cries for help.

He noticed that the snake was getting closer and He felt a chill as his tongue sticking out close to his skin.

Okay, I'm going to die here. He had given up.

He hadn't even lived for one day in this Pleistocene era. Now he would die again. Karl tried to think positively. Maybe he would be reincarnated in another life. Or he could just go straight to heaven.

[DANGER DETECTED!]

Yes I know. Karl muttered weakly

[WARNING!]

[EARLY DEATH BEFORE COMPLETING THE MISSION MEANS YOU WILL NOT GET PAID / REWARDED]

The Heck?! what reward? Who Will Pay me?

[YOU AGREE TO THESE TERMS]

What terms? Did I sign something with that god?!

Karl once again regretted not having listened to the god's words when he was still a spirit.

[YOU HAVE 10 "ESCAPE FROM DEATH" CARDS. WANT TO USE IT?]

[YES / NO]

Does Karl have another choice? Of course he said Yes.