《earthly underworld simulator》


 Chapter 1 The Weight of Wishes

    At the dawn of the universe, it held a consciousness. Everything worlds, mountains, oceans, stones,trees, the sun, the moon, the stars, humans, animals was part of this awareness. All of creation, between the Heavens and the Earth, existed within this consciousness. But when the universe desired to [******], it was destroyed by the [*##****#**].


    The universe was reborn, but this time, it no longer had consciousness. Only the living beings within it¡ªhumans, animals, and others¡ªheld awareness. For aeons, the universe slept, hidden from the waking world, its power dormant. Now, the universe slumbers on a planet called Blue Star.


    Within it, a [????] of unknown power merged with a human, passing down through generations, unnoticed by those who carried it. And it would remain this way... until one fateful day.


    The Office


    The harsh hum of fluorescent lights filled the room, casting a sterile glow across the desk. The light fell on his face, illuminating his black hair and grey eyes, a slightly handsome face framed by glasses. He typed away on his keyboard, the minutes stretching into hours. It was impossible to know how long he had been at it when suddenly, he stopped.


    He took a deep breath, stretched his hand, and reached for his coffee. Just as his fingers touched the mug, a loud sound¡ªlike thunder¡ªcame from behind him.


    "BAO CHEN!"


    A tall man with a bald head and dressed in a suit stormed up to him. "ARE WE SLACKING AGAIN?"


    Bao Chen looked down, with a timid voice. "Boss... I... I wasn''t¡ª"


    "EXCUSES! EXCUSES! EXCUSES! WHEN WILL YOU LEARN YOU NEED TO PUT IN HARD WORK?" The man''s roar echoed through the room.


    "I... I..." Bao Chen stammered, looking around for help. But his coworkers just stared at him, smiling, giggling, all too eager to see him suffer. Their faces shifted, twisting into grotesque, monstrous shapes, their laughter growing louder and louder.


    His boss grabbed his head, forcing him to look at himself in the reflection of a nearby window, his face flushed with rage. "YOU''RE ARE FIRED. WE DON¡¯T NEED SOMEONE LIKE YOU HERE. GO OUTSIDE AND BECOME A BEGGAR. NO ONE IN ANY COMPANY WANTS SOMEONE LIKE YOU."


    The laughter of his coworkers filled the air, but it wasn¡¯t just the laughter it was a mocking, sinister sound that surrounded him. He felt like he was suffocating under the weight of their joy.


    Looking around in desperation, he tried to understand why they hated him so much, why there was so much anger. And then he saw them¡ªhis parents, holding a birthday cake. "Happy birthday, son!" they called, their voices ringing with false cheer.


    But something was wrong. His mother was crying, and his fatherb stared at him, shaking his head.


    A sudden memory struck him. His father had been blinded in an accident and that''s why he wears glasses and has different-colored eyes. "How could he see me like this?"


    His mind reeled, and in an instant, everything felt like an illusion. The scene shattered, and with a start, Bao Chen opened his eyes.


    He was back at his desk. His house, the computer still on, the coffee cold¡ªeverything was as it had been before. People walked, drove, and talked outside.


    Bao Chen rubbed his eyes, trying to shake the fog of confusion. *Was it all a dream?"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Standing up, he looked around his house to make sure it wasn¡¯t another dream. To confirm he was awake, he bit his finger. Feeling the pain, he smiled and thought, "It¡¯s not a dream after all."


    Suddenly, his alarm clock rang¡ª¡°Ring ring!¡±¡ªand when he checked the time, his smile faded. "Looks like it¡¯s time for work again," he muttered sadly.


    Actually Thinking back to his dream, he started to worry. "Maybe it was a bad omen. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t go to work today." But then he sighed. "If I don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll definitely get Fired."


    He''s cooked some food. "the best in the world" he thought to himself. even in restaurants he''s cooking is the best,


    He got dressed, took out the frozen food he had cooked the night before, and left the house, locking the door behind him. On his way to work, he suddenly remembered something important¡ªhe forgot his laptop, the computer he needed for work.


    ¡°F**K¡± he cursed under his breath. He turned back, unlocked the door, grabbed his laptop, locked the door again, and hurried off to work.


    Now running late, he decided to take the train. It was expensive, but it would save him time.


    When he arrived at the train station, he noticed two people acting suspiciously in a dark corner of the lounge. He saw them quietly exchanging something.


    ¡°If they weren¡¯t doing something illegal, they wouldn¡¯t be hiding it. So it must be illegal,¡± he thought.


    He pulled out his phone and called the police not because he cared, but because he enjoyed seeing people face the consequences of their actions. After making the call, he boarded the train and continued on to work.


    Arriving at his office in a tall building, he casually greeted his coworkers.


    "Good morning."


    "Good morning," a few replied, while others either didn¡¯t hear or didn¡¯t bother responding. Bao Chen didn¡¯t care either way.


    Bao Chen alive to his work place, he opened his work computer and saw a message from his boss, Wei Changfeng, which says, "Bao Chen, I need the report from yesterday. Where is it? I need it ASAP."


    Bao Chen''s face turned dark. It''s thoughts to himself: "I would have gotten you the paper long ago, but you and your daughter have gone on a vacation for 3 days. It''s a team effort thing. How do you think I could do it alone?"modeling until his breath


    His boss Wei Changfeng has a daughter who is Lingyun, a fellow worker of his, but for her mistakes, she doesn''t get punished for it, but he can get punished for the smallest reasons.


    Bao Chen thought to himself, "I should stop thinking about it. I will get a headache later, and my mood will go down."


    But I smile. pops up in his face. "thankfully, I might finish this today."


    A girl see you bao chen she smiled happily and sad "Good morning." Behind bao chen was a blonde-haired girl with blue eyes; it''s a beautiful face; it was Wei Changing''s daughter. She smilingly waved at him, saying, "I''m sorry. I was on vacation, so I couldn''t help you with the report as an apology. Should we go get some drinks later?"


    Bao Chen shook his head. "I am busy later; I don''t have time."not interested in going out drinking, I will go drinking later at night.


    Wei Changfeng daughter was downcast; she said okay and left to do her work.


    Late at night in the woods


    He is camping with his friend adele has black hair and blown eyes with a good looking face and with black bags under his eyes, he''s is a nurse it''s a difficult job for a man it''s always expected for a man to be a doctor not a nurse so it''s slightly embarrassing for him but it pays well at least but it is tiring


    they are talking about their lives, and their mothers and fathers are nagging them to get wives and to give them grandchildren. And the conversation started going towards their job


    Adele: "Ahh, life is so difficult but so easy for many. These kids of rich families they don''t care about us


    Bao Chen "I agree what children of rich families go through of drinking every night and driving expensive cars, and we are down here working for them. If our lives were the same as these books and movies, our lives would be exciting."


    Both of them side adele pulled out a bottle of alcohol and gave one to Bao chen; they opened it, hit the bottle together, and started drinking Non-stop adele started drinking heavily as if you want to drown something in him and then started feeding dizzy, and he said to Bao chen,


    I''m i..mm go..go to the bathroom," and adele went to the woods to do his business.


    Bao Chen looked at the sky and said, "Life is so happy sometimes but so sad at other times."


    And then he saw a shooting star, and he remembered in a shooting star that his wish would be granted, and he drunkenly wished for a "life of luxury full of cars and women and alcohol and to kick this pompous children of rich families."


    And he saw the meteoroid getting bigger and bigger, and he said to himself, "That''s one big shooting star." Still drunk from the alcohol, he didn''t notice that the meteoroid was getting closer and closer to him.


    Some time ago, before the shooting star


    A scientist was drinking some coffee and looking at the report, and he said, Good thing that meteoroid will hit the moon, not the planet; the moon is such a shield for humanity; the moon always eats most of the meteors; that''s why it has so many craters."


    And looking at the screen, the mutual hit the moon successfully, and he smiled, "Thankfully, nothing bad happened."


    Until the big white object left the moon, he''s smile frozen. He thought, "Damm it, I jinx it."


    And the scientist said, "There''s a meteoroid incoming into earth at extreme speeds."


    "WHAT?!" a man with white clothing with glasses on set to his student?"WHY HAVEN''T WE NOTICED IT BEFORE THE SPACE STATIONS ELECTRICAL TEAM SHOULD HAVE NOTICED IT LONG AGO!?"


    "SIR, THE METEOROID IS PART OF THE MOON, WHICH HAD FALLEN OFF."


    When everyone else is panicking, one person has no idea what''s happening until the meteoroids become very close. Bao Chen finally noticed the meteoroids, becoming very close, becoming sober, and noticing meteoroids. "That''s not a shooting star; that''s a f*ck meteoroid." He stood up and started running in the closest his glasses fall off and one of its lenses in the corner broke, but he didn''t care about it; he didn''t even notice, but it was too late; it was like the meteoroid was tracking him, and in his


    final moments, he looked at the meteoroid very closely.


    and saw it shaped like a truck. He thought, to himself, "damn."


    *BOOM*

 Chapter 2 The Not So Silent Descent

    Bao Chen woke up in a dark room, moonlight streaming through the windows. Confusion clouded his mind.


    He had no idea where he was or how he got there. The last thing he remembered was being hit by a meteoroid shaped like a truck.


    That memory struck him hard. Clutching his head, pain surged as unfamiliar memories flooded in. He screamed in agony, and then he heard a mechanical sound.


    [Ding]


    [Downloading Earthly Underworld Simulator...]


    With that message, it felt like a hammer was pounding into his skull. The pain of absorbing a lifetime of memories combined with the system download knocked him out.


    [Ding]


    [Host soul detected as unstable. Pausing download. Assisting with memory integration.


    Bao Chen''s scream had echoed through the village, waking everyone. People emerged from their houses, lanterns in hand, nervously searching for the source of the noise. Fear rippled through them¡ªit was late at night, and it could be a wolf¡­ or something worse.


    One someone approached Bao Chen¡¯s house and knocked on the door.


    "Bao Chen, are you okay?"


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Silence.


    The boy knocked louder. "BAO CHEN, ARE YOU OKAY?"


    Still no response.


    The commotion attracted an old man, Uncle Wang. Worried, he kicked the door open and rushed inside, finding Bao Chen unconscious on the floor.


    "Let¡¯s take him to Doctor Lee, quickly!"


    Without hesitation, Uncle Wang hoisted Bao Chen over his shoulder like a sack of rice and carried him to the doctor¡¯s house.


    He pounded on the door. "Doctor Lee! We have a patient! Hurry!"


    The door swung open, revealing an elderly man who glanced at Bao Chen and said, "Bring him in!"


    They laid Bao Chen on a patient bed. Dr. Lee immediately pulled out needles and began acupuncture. Bao Chen¡¯s breathing steadied, and the tension in his face eased.


    Dr. Lee frowned. "What happened to him?"


    Uncle Wang shook his head. "We don¡¯t know. We heard screaming and found him like this."


    Dr. Lee examined Bao Chen carefully. "There¡¯s no trauma on his body. He looks perfectly normal."


    Lowering his voice, Uncle Wang muttered, "Could it be¡­ a ghost?"


    Dr. Lee smacked him on the head. "If it were a ghost, he¡¯d be dead by now! And aren¡¯t the rules. if a ghost possesses someone. they should be killed on the spot?"


    Uncle Wang opened his mouth to speak, but Dr. Lee cut him off.


    "I don¡¯t sense any yin Qi around him. No ghosts, no demons."


    Uncle Wang tried again, but Dr. Lee raised a hand. "Save your questions. Wait until he wakes up."


    Frustrated but knowing Dr. Lee was right, Uncle Wang left.


    Outside, villagers had gathered, staring anxiously. Uncle Wang tried to reassure them.


    "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s just unconscious."


    But his words had the opposite effect.


    "Why is he unconscious?!" someone shouted.


    "Maybe he fainted from hunger?" Uncle Wang guessed.


    The villagers stared at him like looking at the mentally disabledl. Annoyed, Uncle Wang snapped, "I don¡¯t know! ASK HIM WHEN HE WAKES UP!"


    Later, Uncle Wang quietly slipped back into Bao Chen¡¯s house, looking for anything unusual. His eyes landed on a small pouch of coins.


    I did carry him all the way to the doctor... It wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a little as payment, he thought.


    Just as he reached for the pouch, a voice startled him.


    "Uncle Wang, what are you doing?"


    He turned to see the young man who had first knocked on Bao Chen¡¯s door.


    Thinking quickly, Uncle Wang stammered, "I-I¡¯m checking if there¡¯s anything... unclean here."


    The young man paled. "You mean... ghosts or demons?"


    Uncle Wang cursed himself silently. Why did I say that? Why did I say that? Now the whole village will panic, and Dr. Lee will scold me!


    Forcing a calm tone, he said, "I¡¯ve checked. Nothing suspicious. You should go home¡ªit¡¯s late, and your parents will worry."


    The young man hesitated, then left. Uncle Wang sighed in relief.


    Better not take the pou¡ª I mean, better not take payment. Safer to leave.


    With that, Uncle Wang quietly slipped out and returned to his home.

 Chapter 3 Destiny calls

    Bao Chen slowly opened his eyes. Something felt different. Everything seemed clearer, more vivid, and strangely beautiful. His mind felt sharper, as if it had been cleansed. He could see wooden furniture, white glass medicine cabinets, and several beds. Morning light streamed through the windows.


    What am I doing in Dr. Lee''s house? he wondered.


    Then confusion struck him. Who is Dr. Lee? Why do I even know him?


    Suddenly, memories rushed back¡ªlike fragments of a forgotten dream.


    In shock, he thought, Did I reincarnate? Or did I time-travel¡­ maybe transmigrate?


    But in the end, it didn¡¯t matter. No matter how it happened, he was no longer in his original world.


    He wasn¡¯t like other protagonists. He had a family back home¡ªan elderly mother and a blind father. His chest tightened as he stared at the floor. What will happen to them? Who will take care of them now?


    Suddenly, a crisp sound echoed in his mind.


    [Ding]


    [Detecting the host is awake. Activating the Earthly Underworld Simulator.]


    A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.


    [System Name: Earthly Underworld Simulator]


    [Host: Bao Chen]


    [Status: Currently unknown. Please start the simulation to proceed.]


    Seeing this message, Bao Chen¡¯s blood boiled with excitement. His heart pounded in his chest. A golden finger! And it¡¯s a simulator!


    Simulators in stories could predict the future or simulate other worlds. He wanted to laugh out loud but stopped himself. He glanced around the room to see if anyone was nearby. Considering whether to check other rooms, he hesitated. No, I should start the simulation first. The simulated self will check, and I¡¯ll know if there¡¯s danger.


    "System, start the simulation."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [Does the host wish to start the simulation?]


    "Start."


    ---


    [Day 1]


    You have transmigrated into a mysterious world of immortal cultivation. After waking up, you feel a little panicked. This world is far from your hometown. Your first goal is to blend in. Do not let anyone know you are a time traveler. Act like the old Bao Chen. You¡¯re slightly afraid that other time travelers might exist and could try to kill you.


    (Damn, this is a world of immortal cultivation¡­ Bao Chen felt fear creeping in.)


    You look around, trying to see if anyone is nearby. You spot people passing by, and they wave at you. You wave back. You search inside cabinets and check every corner of the room. After a while, you wonder if the people outside will call the doctor, so you decide to stay put.


    Dr. Lee enters. He asks, "Do you know what happened to you? Did you see anything?" You answer his questions calmly, and he lets you leave. You suspect this is related to your time travel.


    You search through your memories to learn more about the old Bao Chen. He was a hard worker, taking on any job he could find. He didn¡¯t have a stable job until three days ago when a baker needed help. Bao Chen assisted him, and the baker offered him a job. Strangely, the baker reminds you of your old boss from your previous world¡ªand he even has a daughter.


    With nothing else to do, you decide to keep working at the bakery. It makes you seem normal and avoids suspicion. Later, you find out that Uncle Wong and a friend helped you when you collapsed. You decide to buy them some food as a way to thank them.


    ---


    [Day 2]


    You start looking for information. There are gaps in your memory¡ªlike the name of this world and the village you¡¯re in. But asking strange questions might seem suspicious. If I suddenly start asking weird questions after passing out, that¡¯s 100% suspicious. So you decide to act normal and wait for people to forget what happened.


    ---


    [Day 3]


    You go to work, keeping a low profile. You buy gifts for Uncle Wong and your friend to thank them.


    ---


    [Day 4]


    You continue working and go out drinking with your friend.


    ---


    [Day 5 - 6]


    You keep up the same routine, staying calm and making sure people forget about your strange behavior.


    ---


    [Day 7]


    You quietly begin asking around for information.


    ---


    [Day 8]


    While working, you find out the village is called Blades Grass village. Curious, you ask why. You learn the grass looks like sharp blades, so the village was named after them.


    ---


    [Day 9]


    You discover that Uncle Wong is a martial artists and works as a village guard. Curious, you ask subtle questions and learn that martial artists is a special practice. By strengthening the body and using special materials, people can awaken unique abilities.


    But what truly shocked Bao Chen was that martial artist wasn¡¯t the only supernatural path in this world. There were also Taoists, Buddhists, and even powerful Scholars.


    His eyes brightened, and he asked Uncle Wong to explain more.


    With a prideful smile, Uncle Wong began:


    ¡°The first stage of martial arts is Strengthening the Body, Bones, and Tendons.


    The second stage is Flesh and Blood Tempering.


    The third stage is Skin Refining, where special powers are unlocked.


    ¡°Beyond Skin Refining, one enters the Power Realm, where the body is strong enough to fully contain and use special powers. At that stage, we call them Power artists.¡±


    Bao Chen noticed the contradiction. Didn''t it''s supposed to be martial artists? He asked, and Uncle Wong explained, ¡°Not everyone reaches the Power Realm. Those who stop at Skin Refining are called martial artists. Those who surpass it become true Power Art.¡±


    So the power artist is the evolved from martial artist


    Bao Chen also asked about the Taoists, Buddhists, and Scholars.


    Uncle Wong explained that while their cultivation systems differed slightly, they shared similar realms:


    1. Enlightenment Realm: Understanding the world and laying a foundation.


    2. Qi Refining Realm: Gathering and refining Qi to progress.


    For Buddhists, Qi Refining involves helping people and gaining good karma, understanding oneself, and becoming a Buddha


    For Scholars, it requires cultivating a scholarly aura by studying, writing, and contributing to governance.


    For Taoists, Qi Refining is achieved through meditation, understanding the Dao, and consuming Qi.


    Taoists, though versatile, are jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Each path excels in different areas, but Taoists remain balance

 Chapter 4 choices in the dark

    And the third stage is...is


    I don''t know that''s all I know of them


    You are disappointed


    You eagerly asked how you could become a Taoist,


    Uncle Wong. He looked at your excitement and let out a sigh of relief.


    Smiling, he told you, ¡°It¡¯s impossible. First of all, you don¡¯t know how to read or write, and you don¡¯t have enough money to buy the techniques, only some special people have it, even if you find them they will not give you it."


    With a sly gleam in his eye, he added, ¡°For most people, the only way forward is becoming a Power Artist.¡±


    You felt disappointed but decided to pursue another path: becoming a merchant. You resolved to earn enough money to one day fulfill your dream of becoming a Taoist. Some things in this world were different from what you expected, but it was still undeniably supernatural.


    ---


    Day 10:


    You continued working and searching for information. Eventually, you discovered you were living in the Tianyuan dynasty. The revelation surprised you, though not much¡ªyour surroundings already hinted at ancient times. From the houses, people¡¯s linen clothing, and their craftsmanship, it was clear this was a bygone era.


    Remembering your past life memories and modern-day knowledge, you decided to pursue a merchant¡¯s path. Though you didn¡¯t know much about advanced technology like gunpowder, you vaguely recalled seeing it in a video once. However, that wasn¡¯t your focus. With your light-hearted and creative personality, you started gathering materials to bring your ideas to life.


    ---


    Day 11:Stolen novel; please report.


    After work, you decided to create something simple but useful: a toothbrush. You found a mint-like herb to use as an additive. The closest thing these villagers had to a toothbrush was a small, soft stick.


    At first, no one wanted to buy your product. But once they realized its purpose, it began selling quickly. Excited, you were approached by your boss, the baker, who asked where you got the idea. Not wanting any misunderstandings, you said, ¡°I noticed I had bad breath and wanted to fix it.¡± The baker seemed satisfied with your explanation and bought two himself.


    ---


    Day 12:


    You continued selling mint and making toothbrushes while gathering information. You discovered the village was isolated, with little contact with the outside world. There was a significant information gap, so you decided to stop asking questions that might raise suspicions.


    ---


    Day 13:


    Balancing your job with making and selling toothbrushes became increasingly difficult. You had other ideas in your mind and realized you needed more time to pursue them. Despite people calling you crazy, you left your job. In this ancient era, bakers were wealthy and respected, but you were determined to prove them wrong.


    ---


    Day 14:


    You discovered that most villagers were illiterate, except for the village chief, Uncle Wong, and Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee was particularly mysterious. After some inquiries, all you learned was that he had been the village doctor for 20 years.


    ---


    Day 15:


    You saw merchants arriving in the village to trade goods. After speaking with one, you learned they were heading to Silver Moon City. This village was too small for your ambitions, so you decided to leave with them.


    Initially, you didn¡¯t want to sell your toothbrushes to the merchant, fearing they¡¯d reverse-engineer your idea. However, villagers were already selling your toothbrushes to him. Adjusting your plan, you played the role of a young, na?ve seller and managed to sell your stock while keeping your money.


    The villagers gave you a heartfelt send-off. Uncle Wong, Dr. Lee, your boss, the baker, and even the baker¡¯s daughter came to bid you farewell.


    You waved him goodbye


    And without your knowledge, there was a conversation in the village between two people. One of them said "he''s 100% possessed"


    while the other agreed, saying, ''You''re right, he''s definitely possessed.''"


    (Bao chen heart turned cold)


    ---


    Day 16:


    After traveling through various villages and towns, you finally arrived at Silver Moon City. You went to the market to sell your toothbrushes, which were a huge success. However, with profit came challenges. Copycats and others seeking to steal your recipe appeared, making the situation dangerous. You decided to stay in a crowded hotel for protection, reasoning that any foul play would be difficult to cover up there.


    ---


    Day 17:


    In the bustling city, you bought materials to continue making toothbrushes and expanded your products. Using the city''s abundant resources, you created soap and perfume. However, you decided to hold back on selling perfume, as it was a luxury item in these times.


    Your soap became another hit, partly because it was harder to reverse-engineer than the toothbrush. Despite your success, you noticed people watching you with dangerous intent.


    Two paths lay before you:


    1. Join a powerful force for protection.


    2. Escape Silver Moon City.


    You disliked these choices decided to search more information and to find another path

 Chapter 5 that damn assassin

    [day 18]


    You encountered beggars and commoners during your search for information. You let them work for you and had some of them gather information for you.


    [Day 19]


    You continued looking for trustworthy people and gathering intel.


    [Day 20]


    You began executing your plans. You started selling exclusive toothbrushes and soaps, but they didn¡¯t make a strong impact. You decided to wait for the perfect moment to unveil your secret weapon: perfume. A few days later, you revealed your name publicly and decided tomorrow would be the day to introduce your secret weapon.


    [Day 21]


    You waited for a noble wedding to showcase your perfumes. You arrived at the wedding as a merchant. Initially, the nobles showed no interest in your products. However, after presenting the perfume, their attitudes changed, and they eagerly purchased almost all your stock.


    At the wedding, everyone who tried the perfume was satisfied and directed others to you. You felt triumphant, as this was part of your plan. After the wedding, another noble approached you, demanding your formula. When you refused, he threatened you.


    Scared, you threatened him with the law.


    Angered, the noble warned, "The law means nothing to the nobility." Laughing, he gave you one day to decide. Refusing to give him the formula, you turned to the noble who first supported you.


    (Tsk, weakness is a sin, Bao Chen thought to himself.)


    Moved by your plea, the noble and her faction protected you.


    [Day 22]


    The noble declared, "You¡¯ve joined my faction, so you must follow our rules." She revealed the political tensions between the factions. The second prince¡¯s faction, which she supported, aimed to secure his place on the throne. Opposing them were the third prince¡¯s supporters, who were rumored to be orchestrating a rebellion. Meanwhile, the first prince had been poisoned and died.


    Caught in this tangled web of politics, you didn¡¯t care. You wanted supernatural power and asked how to become a Taoist scholar or a Buddhist.


    Hearing that, the noble burst out laughing, telling you they were not real and were all just fairy tales for children. With a broken heart, you decided to search for more information. "What if it is holder by the nobility, only the nobility could have special powers, and the commoner should not have it?"


    You decided to focus on your business. You opened shops in both the wealthy and poor districts to gather information and money.


    [Day 23]


    To align with your faction¡¯s image, you purchased a luxurious mansion, complete with bodyguards, maids, a butler, and a swimming pool. But you knew this lavish life was fleeting¡ªif someone else learned how to make your formula, everyone would stop supporting you, and they might even backstab you.


    [Day 24]


    You focused on your business, brainstorming new ideas. At night, you asked your housekeeper for extra blankets.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    [Day 25]


    You told your housekeeper to buy some statues because the house didn¡¯t look luxurious enough. You also told him to get other supplies.


    [Day 26]


    Mistrustful, you took one of the statues and hid it in your bed, covering it with extra blankets and other items to make it look like someone was sleeping there. You always felt something was wrong you can''t put your hand on it but something wasn''t right


    You decided to change rooms.


    Little at night


    You hear something weird next door. You go out to check. You open your door and see that two bodyguards are dead. You freak out and run. You say, "ASSASSIN! SOMEONE HAS DIED." You try to escape, but you see a black-robed assassin coming out of your room. He says, "Smart trick, but that will not help you," running toward you.


    [The assassin flashes over to you. You see the assassin getting too close to you with the hidden blades in his hand. You know you will die, but there''s only one way you can escape: jump through the second floor.]


    [You jump to save your life; the fall may take your life, but the assassin would definitely take it. You land on the ground, and your legs break.]


    [You look at the second floor at the stunned assassin. At what you have done, he comes back to his senses and starts sprinting toward you. He is sprinting down the stairs, skipping five steps at a time.]


    [You are scared; your legs are broken, but your hands are not. You start clawing over to a safe place.]


    [If anyone came and saw this scene, they would laugh: an assassin skipping five steps at a time and a person with broken legs clawing to safety. Many people did see it¡ªit was the bodyguards with stiff faces.]


    [The bodyguards are shocked; their client almost got assassinated. They know he is a rich merchant but not rich enough to have assassins after him.]


    [The bodyguards are running over to save Bao Chen. The head of the bodyguards is stopping the assassin. The others are helping to defeat the assassin.]


    [Bao Chen has one bodyguard on the left and one on the right; they pick him up and leave the mansion.]


    [Bao Chen says, "Let''s go to the Yamen guard."]


    [He looks at the sky, the bright moon shining on his face, laughing with joy. You escape death. You feel more alive than ever, but not for long. You see another assassin on the rooftop.]


    [He is so far away, but you can still hear, "He is still too young." You don''t know what happened next.]


    But your head has been cut off from your shoulder, and the two bodyguards suffered the same fate.


    [You have died]


    (After Bao Chen read that, he said, "**** that assassin He killed me!" After that, he started cursing all his ancestors and female relatives.)


    (But something wasn¡¯t right¡ªthe simulation didn¡¯t end.)


    Your soul left your body, along with the other two bodyguards. You see the assassin who killed you going to support the first assassin. You feel the resentment rising inside you.


    Suddenly, a golden light appears on the ground, dragging you underground. Your soul passes through rocks, stones, and many other things until it reaches a grand hall full of ghosts like you. Some have more resentment; others have less.


    Then you hear some Buddhist chants. You feel your resentment starting to disappear. But you don¡¯t want to let go. You haven¡¯t avenged yourself. You are a noble time traveler¡ªhow can you die here? You haven¡¯t reached the stars; you haven¡¯t achieved your goals. There are so many things in life you haven¡¯t yet experienced.


    But it¡¯s not about what you want. You are too weak. Slowly but surely, your resentment begins to fade. In the end, you let it go.


    There is a giant ghostly gate before you. Inside are the White and Black Impermanence. A soul-hooking chain binds you, pulling you toward the gate of the underworld.


    You walk the Huangquan road and reached the underworld


    [You are waiting for one of the Yama kings to put your life¡¯s deeds on trial.]


    (Dammnn, there¡¯s an underworld.)


    You are waiting.


    You are waiting..


    You are waiting...


    [An unknown amount of time passes.]


    Finally, you find yourself before the King of Hell, who will judge your life. He looks surprised.


    He says, "You have slightly changed your destiny. It¡¯s rare but not unheard of for mortals to do this."


    But he doesn¡¯t seem to care. He has lived for thousands of years and has seen others like Bao Chen.


    [Because of the tooth splash and the soap, you have gained merit and will be reincarnated into a good family.]


    You quickly ask, "What about the perfume? Don¡¯t I get merit for that?"


    He replies, "It¡¯s just a luxury item, It¡¯s not medicine or something that helps people. so you don¡¯t get any merit for it."


    You ask who killed you and what happened.


    And the judge told you that name of the killer Ren jianguo, you keep that in mind.


    (Bao chen in reality also took a note in his heart, "Ren jianguo right I will remember this.")


    It is decided: you will be reincarnated as a human for your good deeds.


    [you go and drink the Meng po Soup, you lose all your memories, and are successfully reincarnated.]


    [Detecting the host is being reincarnated. Please spend 1,000 system points to simulate your second life.]


    (Bao Chen¡¯s heart jumps. He is terrified, thinking, This is my future. This is destiny.)


    (What is going to happen to me? will i die.?)


    He starts taking deep breaths, breathing in and out.


    He calms down and looks at the system screen.


    [Detecting the host doesn¡¯t have 1,000 system points. Ending simulation and distributing rewards.]


    [End of simulation.]


    [Finished the simulation rewarding the host]

 Chapter 6 A stranger in his own life

    When he saw he could get rewards he was excited, but before he could check he hears the door opening.


    The door opened, and Dr. Lee walked in. Both of you clash gazes.


    Dr. Lee said, "You''re awake."


    Bao Chen, concealing his expression, replied, "Yes, I''m awake, Dr. Lee. What happened?"


    Dr. Lee, looking at him, said, "We found you unconscious in your house. Do you remember anything?"


    "No, I don''t remember anything. All I can recall is going to bed and waking up here."


    Dr. Lee approached and checked his pulse.


    Bao Chen''s heart felt like it was trying to escape from his chest. Stressed, he asked Dr. Lee, "Is something wrong with me? Will I die?"


    Dr. Lee smiled and replied, "It seems there is nothing wrong with you. You can go back now. If anything happens, tell me immediately."


    "Understood, Dr. Lee," Bao Chen said.


    As Bao Chen left Dr. Lee''s house, Dr. Lee watched him coldly.


    Walking home, Bao Chen was sweating bullets. Stress consumed him. I almost got caught. Being in a strange situation like this, my heart pounds, and my body feels like it might give out. I said those things to show panic, not because of him, but because of my unknown passing out.


    He thought about the system. I need to check what it does and its effects in the simulation.


    As he pondered the system and his future plans, a voice called out from behind him.


    "Chen, are you okay?"


    Turning around, Bao Chen saw his friend in this world, Fu Ruibo, who bore a strange resemblance to Adele, his friend from his original world.


    "Nothing much. How about you?" Bao Chen asked.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ good? But what happened to you?¡± Fu Ruibo asked, confused. Bao Chen never talks like this, he thought.


    Bao Chen mentally chastised himself. Am I dumb? Why am I speaking as if we''re from the 20th century? Adjusting his tone, he said, "Thank you for your concern. I am fine."


    ¡°Did a ghost attack you? We were all worried about you,¡± Fu Ruibo asked, his concern evident.


    ¡°Nothing like that. I don¡¯t know what happened, but it¡¯s definitely not a ghost,¡± Bao Chen replied calmly, trying to dismiss any supernatural assumptions. If they think it¡¯s something supernatural, they¡¯ll worry even more. It¡¯s better to make it seem like something ordinary.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Still sensing Bao Chen¡¯s unease, Fu Ruibo didn¡¯t press further. Before leaving, he said, ¡°Uncle Wong was at your house earlier, checking for dirty things. Could Uncle Wong have been trying to steal from you?¡±


    Bao Chen thanked Fu Ruibo and headed home. First, I¡¯ll check if anything is missing. If something is, I¡¯ll deal with it carefully. Uncle Wong is dangerous, and I can¡¯t risk confronting him openly until I know more. I¡¯ll use the simulation to investigate him further.


    When he arrived home, he carefully checked the front door. On either side were windows, and in the middle was a wooden door. Upon stepping inside, he saw some basic furniture: a table, two chairs, a bed, a counter, and some pots and pans for cooking, and some random things in the corner


    He sat down on the bed and started checking the system.


    ¡°Show status,¡± he said.


    [Status]


    [Name] Bao Chen


    [Age] 25/18


    [Gender] Male


    [Talents]


    [Cooking Talent: Gold (3/10)]


    Talent for cooking. If you put anything together, it will turn out delicious, increase its quality, and have a random positive effect.


    [Cooking Talent: Special Talent] [Human Calamity]


    human calamities. If the food survives, the food will have a slight chance to have randomly positive effects and increased quality.


    [Knowledge Talent: Purple (1/10)]


    Increases your learning and reading speed. Because of your past life knowledge you have some insight into mathematics, novels, science, history, etc...


    [Knowledge Talent: Special Talent] [Supernatural]


    Improves understanding and breakthroughs in supernatural knowledge.


    [Fatigue Resistance Talent: Green (5/10)]


    Slightly increases resistance to fatigue.


    [Speech Talent: Green (1/10)]


    Improves fluency and makes others favor you.


    [Effects Currently Active]


    [Time Traveler: Unknown Grade]


    You are a time traveler. Your destiny is unstable and hard to predict. Any time or destiny-based abilities cast on you will be 50% weaker, whether beneficial or not. Learning the time law will be 30% harder, but this doesn¡¯t apply to destiny. The effect depends on how strong you are; and currently it''s for you, it¡¯s 5%.


    [Dynasty¡¯s Luck: Half-Step Gold]


    The luck of a dynasty. Empresses and officials can use this to protect and suppress evil spirits. Currently, it affects every person in the Tianyuan dynasty, suppressing spiritual energy by 75% and preventing evil energy and spirits from forming. Cultivators entering the dynasty will be weakened based on their strength.


    Bao Chen furrowed his brow and asked the system, "Why is my age 25/18?"


    [Host, because your past life memories are from when you were 25, but your current age is 18. The system displays both.]


    He sighed in relief. Good. I thought my life force was shortened.


    ¡°System, change my age to 18.¡±


    [Done, Host.]


    ¡°System, tell me about these talents.¡±


    [Host, there are seven grades of talent: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, Red, and Colorful, the higher the color the better the effect is.]


    System, How do you decide what talents to give me.


    [It depends on the host actions, if you train in fighting, your get fighting talent, or host do in the simulation, you become a merchant and you got merchant talents, the system will change your skills into talents]


    "System, why is there numbers in front of the talents.?"


    [they are talents numbers, when you want to upgrade a talents, you can use system points, or two points of the same talent to upgrade it, and any number higher that is original will change to that number]


    ¡°Why is my cooking talent Gold?¡±


    [Host, it is your innate talent. Some people are born into good families or naturally gifted. You are the same, but specifically for cooking.]


    ¡°What about the special talents [Human Calamity] and [Supernatural]?¡±


    [The Host must discover their meanings on his own.]


    ¡°System, show the rewards again.¡±


    [System Rewards: The Host can only choose one:]


    [Merchant Talent: Green (5/10)]


    Improves your ability to make sales and find better opportunities to earn money.


    [Danger Sense Talent: White (9/10)]


    Detects danger such as poisoning, assassinations, etc.


    [Invention Talent: Green (1/10)]


    Makes it easier to create and invent new things.


    [Partial Memory of the Simulation]


    [50 Silver Coins]


    Without hesitation, Bao Chen said, ¡°System, give me the Danger Sense Talent.¡±


    [Ding! Host has received the Danger Sense Talent.]


    He felt a cold sensation pass through his head, quickly fading.


    ¡°System, show my status.¡±


    [Name] Bao Chen


    [Age] 18


    [Gender] Male


    [System Points] 0


    [Talents]


    [Cooking Talent: Gold (3/10)]


    Talent for cooking. Combines ingredients to make them delicious and improve their quality with random positive effects.


    [Cooking Talent: Special Talent] [Human Calamity]


    Associated with human calamities. If the calamity survives, the dish will have random positive effects and increased quality.


    [Knowledge Talent: Purple (1/10)]


    Enhances learning and reading speed. Past life knowledge grants insight into mathematics, novels, science, history, etc.


    [Knowledge Talent: Special Talent] [Supernatural]


    Improves understanding and breakthroughs in supernatural knowledge.


    [Fatigue Resistance Talent: Green (5/10)]


    Slightly increases resistance to fatigue.


    [Speech Talent: Green (1/10)]


    Improves fluency and makes others favor you.


    [Danger Sense Talent: White (9/10)]


    Detects danger such as poisoning, assassination, etc.


    ¡°Alright, everything¡¯s dealt with. Now I need to simulate again.¡±

 Chapter 7 The Newbie Gift: A Costly Lesson

    "System Start Simulation"


    [The host doesn''t have enough points to simulate.]


    "Points? How do I get points?"


    [By thinking "devour," the system will absorb energy or anything valuable.]


    Let me try it out. He stretched his hand and said, "Devour." A suction force emerged from his hand, sucking in the air around it.


    His hand started shaking as the suction force continued to pull the air around it.


    "System, Does it specifically need to be energy, metal, wood, or something like that?"


    [Yes, host.]


    Bao Chen glanced at the corner, spotting a random junk. He walked over and checked its contents for anything valuable. Picking up a broken, rusty old hoe, he muttered, "Let me see if this could work."


    "Devour!" A suction force came from his hands, consuming the hoe piece by piece.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    After finishing, Bao Chen collapsed to the ground from exhaustion. "I didn''t know that using it would cost my own energy."


    [Note: The host can change the power of the devouring.]


    "What do you mean?"


    [Host, the devour ability is currently in its default state, using 50% of its power.]


    "So I could change it from 1% to 100%?"


    [Yes, host.]


    [And the host gains 5 points.]


    "Finally! How many points do I need to simulate?"


    [10 points.]


    Bao Chen frowned. "I still need five more points to simulate. What do I do?"


    He had an idea. "System, do you have a newbie gift pack?"


    [Yes, host.]


    "Why didn''t you tell me earlier?"


    [The host didn''t ask.]


    "You are truly a system¡ªjust like the others in novels."


    [Host, don''t compare me to other systems.]


    "I don''t have time to argue with you. Open the newbie gift pack."


    A virtual box appeared in front of Bao Chen. It shook before opening, revealing a glowing ball inside. The ball flew into Bao Chen''s head, followed by a notification sound.


    [Ding! The host has unlocked a tool.]


    [Language Tool¡ªBy using system points or your own energy, you can learn and understand any language. The harder the language, the more energy it will cost.]


    "It''s a nice tool, but I need system points or something valuable. I don''t want this right now."


    [The house needs to get his own energy the system will not help, and There is a saying, host: "God will break a man and rebuild him as a stronger person."]


    Bao Chen .....


    "Tsk. Just say you''re stingy."


    [Host, because this is your first offense, the system will only deduct one point.]


    Bao Chen wanted to say something but stopped himself. "I don''t want to lose any more points."


    Now, he needed five¡ªno, six points to simulate.


    Bao Chen thought for a moment and came up with an idea.

 Chapter 8 the bakery

    Bao Chen stood before the bakery, its aged brick walls and peeling shutters framed by the scent of fresh bread that wafted through the chilly morning air. The place was unassuming, but to Bao Chen, it was a goldmine of opportunity. Here, beneath the guise of an ordinary bakery, he could gather what he needed to refine his Devour Ability.


    He stepped inside, greeted by the soft clatter of trays and the hum of casual conversation. The atmosphere seemed warm, almost welcoming, but Bao Chen had long since learned how to read between the lines. Beneath the polite smiles and pleasantries lay an unspoken tension, stretched taut like an invisible thread, for some reason.


    Behind the counter stood Wei Changfeng, the baker and Bao Chen¡¯s boss. He was a stout man with graying hair and an expression that rarely strayed from disapproval. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto Bao Chen as he entered.


    ¡°Bao Chen,¡± Wei Changfeng said, his tone carefully measured, ¡°you¡¯re just in time. There are scraps in the back that need to thrown away. Get to it before they pile up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Bao Chen replied evenly, keeping his expression neutral. His experiences in his past life with this man he could read him like a book He knew Wei Changfeng didn¡¯t want him here, same as his original world, but the man wasn¡¯t one to air his grievances openly. The veneer of professionalism had to be maintained, after all.


    "Maybe in this world, I will know why he has such a dislike against me." Bao chen


    Standing a few steps away, Ling Yun, Wei Changfeng¡¯s daughter, was quietly wiping down a countertop. Her movements were precise, her expression serene, but Bao Chen caught the faintest flicker of something in her eyes when she glanced his way. Warmth? Recognition? He didn¡¯t dwell on it. Ling Yun had been the reason Wei Changfeng allowed him to stay, though Bao Chen wasn¡¯t entirely sure why.


    ¡°Ling Yun,¡± Wei Changfeng said, his tone softening slightly, ¡°take those trays to the back. And don¡¯t dawdle¡ªthere¡¯s still plenty of work to do out here.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Ling Yun replied, her voice steady and polite. She picked up a stack of trays and moved toward the storage room. As she passed Bao Chen, she gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she murmured, her voice quiet yet tinged with something Bao Chen couldn¡¯t quite place.


    He stepped aside, nodding in return, but his focus remained on his goal. The scraps and discarded materials in the back were essential to his progress. His Devour Ability thrived on what others considered waste, converting it into strength and points he could use to further refine his power.


    Seated near the counter was another man, dressed in fine, tailored clothes that seemed out of place in the modest bakery. His posture was relaxed, his smile easy, but there was something calculated about him¡ªlike a predator hiding behind a mask of charm.


    ¡°This is Bao Chen, right?¡± the man asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.


    Wei Changfeng nodded. ¡°Yes. He helps with the scraps and other tasks around here. Keeps things running smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the man said, his gaze shifting to Bao Chen. ¡°Good to know. Every workplace needs someone to handle the... less glamorous tasks.¡±


    Bao Chen met the man¡¯s cold eyes briefly, offering a polite nod but saying nothing. He had no interest in engaging with whatever game this man was playing.


    The man¡¯s attention drifted to the storage room where Ling Yun had disappeared. His expression softened slightly, almost imperceptibly, as he spoke again. ¡°Ling Yun¡¯s really grown into her role here. The place wouldn¡¯t be the same without her.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Wei Changfeng replied, his tone guarded.


    Ling Yun returned moments later, her presence drawing the man¡¯s gaze instantly. ¡°Ling Yun,¡± he said warmly, ¡°that looks heavy. Let me help you.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± she replied politely, setting the trays down with practiced ease. Her movements were efficient, but Bao Chen noticed the faint tension in her shoulders as she avoided the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get started on the scraps,¡± Bao Chen said, breaking the moment.


    ¡°Good idea,¡± Wei Changfeng replied, his tone light but laced with an unspoken edge.


    Bao Chen turned and headed toward the back, his mind already focused on the task at hand. The scraps and wasted materials here were more than trash to him¡ªthey were the key to unlocking his potential. He activated his ability, the familiar hum of energy stirring within him as he began to devour the remnants, turning them into raw power, bao chen is using his system points to activate his ability, they''re are materials for him to eat, but it will make him sick, it''s better if we use the system points for now.


    In the storage room, Bao Chen worked silently, his thoughts consumed by the intricacies of his ability and the knowledge he still needed to perfect it. Outside, the polite facade of harmony continued to play out. Ling Yun busied herself with her tasks, her father watching her closely, while the other man sat with a calm exterior, though his fingers tapped the counter in a subtle rhythm that betrayed his unease.


    For Bao Chen, His sole focus was on the strength he needed to survive¡ªand thrive¡ªin a world where every scrap of power counted, like A stranger in his own life, not fitting in like he used to.

 Chapter 9 Cracks in the Mask

    Bao Chen was cleaning the plates in the bakery. It wasn¡¯t really a bakery, though¡ªit functioned more like a restaurant, with customers coming in for meals that stretched too much beyond pastries and bread. But he didn¡¯t care about that. The layout of the place, the customers, the jobs¡ªit all meant little to him. What mattered, above all, was his power.


    A flicker of greed sparked in his chest as his eyes scanned the cluttered space around him, filled with baskets of discarded bread crusts, burnt pastries, and the stale remnants of dough that had long lost its freshness. His gaze shifted between the scraps, and he exhaled, slowly calming his mind.


    [Devour]


    The faint heat of his ability surged through him, a subtle pulse coursing across his skin. It wasn¡¯t strong, not yet, but the power stirred in response to his will. Bao Chen halted the process, though. He glanced at the scraps, knowing that if he consumed them raw, it would only leave him feeling sick. No, he wasn¡¯t about to poison himself over mere crumbs. He left out a sigh, i don''t have enough energy to use it, myself it looks like I need to use system points.


    "System, consume points to refine," he muttered under his breath.


    A soft warmth spread through his body as the discarded food dissolved¡ªnot into nourishment, but into raw system points, the energy he needed to progress. His body tingled slightly with the consumption, but it was worth it. The points weren¡¯t much, just a few, but to Bao Chen, they represented more than just waste. They were a step forward, a small but steady source of progress that he could use to refine his power and unlock new abilities.


    [+3 System Points]


    Three points. It wasn¡¯t much, but every little bit mattered. Those scraps were worthless to anyone else, but to him, they were treasure. These small accumulations would help him on his path toward something greater, something he had yet to fully understand but knew was the key to unlocking true power. The refinement of his ability wasn¡¯t going to happen overnight, but he would get there eventually, bit by bitStolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He stood up from his crouched position by the bread crusts, The movement outside the bakery caught his attention. He paused, listening intently as a series of sounds reached him. There were voices, muffled but distinct. His name was spoken, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He edged closer to the thin wooden door, trying to listen more closely.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re always welcome here, young Master Shen,¡± Wei Changfeng¡¯s voice floated in from the other side, laced with a tone of deference.


    young Master Shen said ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Changfeng. But I must admit, I came for more than just the bread today.¡±


    Bao Chen edged closer to the door, keeping his presence hidden.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wei Changfeng asked.


    A pause. Then, young Master Shen¡¯s voice dropped, almost conspiratorial. ¡°Word has it that something¡­ unusual happened near the southern district last night.¡±


    Bao Chen narrowed his eyes. He was in the southern district, and the only suspicious thing that happened last night was... himself.


    Something about Shen¡¯s tone told Bao Chen this wasn¡¯t idle gossip.


    Wei Changfeng hesitated before replying, his voice cautious. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors, but I don¡¯t involve myself in those matters.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wise,¡± young Master Shen agreed. ¡°Still, you should be careful. There are people looking for answers¡ªpeople who won¡¯t hesitate to tear this village apart to find them.¡± young Master Shen glanced at the room where Bao Chen was hiding.


    Wei Changfeng forced a smile and said, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it."


    Bao Chen frowned. This conversation wasn¡¯t just small talk. Master Shen was probing, testing the waters. But why? Did they know something he didn¡¯t? Did they know he was a time traveler, or did they think he was a ghost? Bao Chen¡¯s mind raced as he thought about the possibilities. It was a matter of life and death. This was a different world.


    As Bao Chen was deep in thought, a sudden sound outside the door alerted him that someone was approaching. He stepped back just in time as the storage room door creaked open.


    Ling Yun stood in the doorway, her gaze flickering over him before she whispered, ¡°Are you listening in?¡±


    Bao Chen met her eyes, debating his response. Lying was pointless. Maybe he could get some information out of her.


    Bao Chen lowered his head. ¡°Yes, I was.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look surprised. Instead, she sighed, stepping inside and pulling the door shut behind her.

 Chapter 10: Hidden Truths

    Ling Yun stepped inside, shutting the door softly behind her. The wooden frame creaked slightly under her touch, the only sound in the small, dimly lit room. Shadows stretched along the walls, flickering under the weak glow of an oil lamp. Her gaze flickered over Bao Chen¡ªsharp yet uncertain. A brief silence stretched between them before she finally spoke.


    ¡°They¡¯re all suspicious of you,¡± she admitted, her voice low, cautious. ¡°But I¡¯m not.¡±


    Bao Chen studied her carefully. Her words sounded certain, but her eyes betrayed hesitation. Doubt. She wasn¡¯t fully convinced¡ªmaybe she wanted to be, or maybe she just wanted him to believe she was.


    A small chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. ¡°Suspicious of what? Do they think I¡¯m possessed by a ghost or something?¡± His tone was light, dismissive. If he acted too defensive, it would only fuel her doubts.


    Ling Yun hesitated, then sighed. ¡°They don¡¯t know what to think. You were unconscious for too long, and when you woke up, you¡­ changed.¡±


    Bao Chen frowned slightly. ¡°Changed how? It¡¯s only been a couple of hours. How could they notice anything?¡±


    Ling Yun crossed her arms, watching him closely. ¡°You don¡¯t act the same. And it¡¯s not just me¡ªeveryone noticed. Before, you were different. But now¡­¡± She trailed off, as if unsure how to explain it.


    Bao chen thinking to himself,"are you serious, I worked so hard but you still find me out.!"


    Bao Chen shrugged, his expression calm. ¡°Maybe almost dying¡ªor whatever happened¡ªchanges a person.¡±


    Ling Yun didn¡¯t argue, but something in her expression showed she wasn¡¯t entirely convinced.


    ¡°What do they think happened to me?¡± he asked.


    She hesitated again before answering. ¡°They don¡¯t know. Some think you were possessed. Others think you hit your head too hard when you collapsed. But mostly¡­ they just gossip.¡±


    Bao Chen suddenly understood¡ªit wasn¡¯t him that was the problem. It was them. The rumors.


    In a world without the internet, without books or real entertainment, gossip ruled everything. People had nothing else to do, so they talked. And when something unexplained happened, they filled in the gaps with whatever made sense to them.


    Their logic was their truth.


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    For example:


    If someone asked, How does a tornado form? The answer was that warm, moist air collides with cool, dry air, creating instability. A rotating updraft develops, tightening into a funnel cloud that touches the ground.


    That¡¯s the scientific answer.


    But to them? It wasn¡¯t science¡ªit was divine punishment, the gods unleashing their wrath.


    Bao Chen scoffed under his breath. ¡°They really have nothing better to do, do they?¡±


    Ling Yun remained silent.


    The flickering light of the oil lamp cast long shadows on the walls, stretching across the wooden floor like grasping fingers. Bao Chen leaned back against the rough surface of the table, his thoughts turning inward.


    They were right about one thing, at least.


    He is indeed not the real Bao Chen.


    Truly, a blind cat meeting a dead mouse.


    Ling Yun shifted slightly, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her sleeve. She was still staring at him, still watching as if trying to decipher some hidden secret he wasn¡¯t giving away.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything?¡± she asked after a long pause.


    Bao Chen tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Before you collapsed. Do you remember what happened?¡±


    There it was¡ªthe real question she wanted to ask.


    Bao Chen thought for a moment, carefully choosing his words. He knew what she wanted to hear. She wanted an explanation, a reason, something that made sense. But the truth? If he tells the truth, the next day he will be hunted down and killed.


    And so, he lied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much,¡± he admitted, rubbing his temple as if trying to force a memory to surface. ¡°It¡¯s all a blur. One moment, I was fine. The next, I felt¡­ something, Then everything went dark.¡± bao chen wants to keep the story Vague, for now, isn''t there a saying that the devil is in the details.


    It''s better to be safe than sorry, he cannot be careless right now.


    Ling Yun¡¯s brows furrowed, and she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. ¡°Did you hear anything? See anything?¡±


    Bao Chen exhaled through his nose. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± She hesitated again, glancing at the door as if making sure no one else was listening. ¡°Strange things happen sometimes. The others won¡¯t say it directly, but they think something unnatural was involved.¡±


    He could hear the unspoken words.


    Ghosts. Spirits. Curses.


    Bao Chen didn¡¯t react. Instead, he gave her a tired smile. ¡°Ling Yun, you don¡¯t actually believe in ghosts, do you?¡±


    Her lips pressed together, but she didn¡¯t answer right away. That, in itself, was telling.


    Finally, she exhaled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I believe. But something happened to you. And I don¡¯t think it was just exhaustion or sickness.¡±


    Bao Chen¡¯s fingers drummed lightly against the wooden surface of the table. ¡°So, what do you think happened?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I don¡¯t know. I just¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the same.¡±


    His gaze darkened slightly.


    She was more perceptive than he expected.


    Too perceptive. Damn it is This woman''s sixth sense.?


    The flickering flame of the oil lamp cast a warm glow over her features, highlighting the slight tension in her expression. She was searching for something¡ªan answer, a confirmation, something that would either prove or disprove the nagging feeling in her gut.


    But Bao Chen wouldn¡¯t give it to her.


    Instead, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Ling Yun, I appreciate your concern. Really. But I think you¡¯re overthinking this.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking. I¡ª¡±


    A sudden knock on the door cut her off.


    Both of them turned, their bodies tensing slightly.


    A voice called from outside. ¡°Ling Yun?¡±


    It was one of the others Workers.


    Ling Yun glanced at Bao Chen, then back at the door. For a brief moment, she seemed to debate whether or not to continue their conversation. Then, with a reluctant sigh, she stood and moved toward the entrance.


    Before she opened it, she turned back to him. ¡°Be careful, Bao Chen. Whether you believe it or not, people are watching you.¡±


    With that, she pulled the door open and stepped out, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room.


    Bao Chen sat in silence, listening as the muffled voices outside faded into the distance.


    Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at his lips.


    Yes. People were watching him.


    But that was fine.


    Because soon enough, they wouldn¡¯t know what they were watching.


    And by the time they figured it out, it would already be too late.

 Chapter 11 the unseen plan

    After Ling Yun left the room, Bao Chen remained silent.


    His face darkened as he clenched his fists in anger. "Are you SERIOUS? There¡¯s no evidence! I played my role well, and yet you still found me out!"


    Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. I can¡¯t be angry right now. I have a job to do.


    He stretched out his hand and started working. Before long, a voice called out from outside the door.


    "Bao Chen, come over here."


    The sudden call made him pause. He was confused, but he still walked outside.


    Stepping out, he saw that the entire place was much busier than usual. Workers rushed around, carrying trays and shouting orders. The smell of food filled the air, mixing with the scent of burning wood.


    "Bao Chen, go help with the baking," his boss, Wei Changfeng, ordered.


    Bao Chen nodded and walked toward the baking area.


    As soon as he stepped inside, the scorching heat hit him. The air was thick and burning, making his skin feel like it was on fire. The baking room was filled with sweaty, muscular men, all working hard. Their bare torsos glistened as they moved, carrying trays of bread, kneading dough, and monitoring the large stone ovens.


    One of the workers turned to him and barked, "Take off your upper clothing and help us!"


    For a moment, Bao Chen was confused. Then his work experience kicked in. Without hesitation, he removed his upper clothing and got to work.


    The heat was suffocating. Sweat dripped down his back as he kneaded the dough, his muscles aching from the constant movement. The oven fires roared, making the room feel like a furnace.


    As he worked, a strange feeling crept over him.


    It was a cold sensation, like something crawling up his spine.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Two old men were staring at Bao Chen like hawks. A cold shiver ran down his spine.


    Instinctively, he turned to look¡ªbut the moment he did, they quickly lowered their heads, pretending to focus on their food.


    Bao Chen hesitated for a second but then went back to work as if nothing had happened.


    Time passed.


    The work was chaotic but somehow orderly. The workers knew what they were doing, moving in sync with each other. Bao Chen focused on his tasks, trying to push the strange feeling aside.


    After hours of labor, the shift finally ended.


    Bao Chen sat on a chair, exhausted. His arms ached, and his body was drenched in sweat. He leaned back slightly, trying to catch his breath.


    Still, something bothered him.


    The points¡­ I didn¡¯t get any today.


    There had been too many people around, too many eyes watching. It was too risky to use his ability here.


    Just as he was thinking, a shadow appeared in front of him.


    Bao Chen looked up and saw Wei Changfeng standing there.


    Panic shot through him, and he quickly stood up.


    "Sorry, boss! I¡¯ll go back to work¡ª"


    "Wait."


    Bao Chen froze.


    Wei Changfeng reached into his robes and pulled out a small pouch. Without saying much, he tossed it to Bao Chen.


    Bao Chen caught it instinctively.


    "This is your week¡¯s wages," Wei Changfeng said. "We¡¯re closing early today. You can go home."


    Then, he patted Bao Chen on the shoulder and walked away.


    Bao Chen stared at the pouch in his hands.


    It felt heavy. The weight of real, solid coins.


    Something about it felt strange.


    Is this really my boss from the previous world?


    No¡­ this was a different world.


    As that realization settled in, it felt as if a pressure had been lifted from his back.


    As Bao Chen walked home, exhaustion settled deep in his bones. The streets were quieter now, the usual evening bustle fading into scattered voices and the occasional clatter of dishes from open windows. He kept his head down, his thoughts drifting between the strange stares at the bakery and the heavy pouch of wages in his hand.


    Just as he was passing a narrow alley, a loud shout rang out.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    Before he could react, a wooden bucket tipped over from above. A foul, sticky liquid poured down, drenching him from head to toe. Bao Chen flinched as the substance seeped into his clothes. The smell was overwhelmingly disgusting¡ªso pungent and acrid that he could only conclude it was some kind of urine.


    Laughter broke out in the alleyway, subdued and regretful.


    ¡°Oh, no, we¡¯re so sorry!¡± some of them called out, their tone apologetic rather than amused.


    Bao Chen wiped his face with his sleeve, his expression darkening in irritation. A small group of young men stood nearby, one of them still clutching the empty bucket, his eyes downcast in genuine remorse.


    ¡°We were just cleaning up,¡± one of them stammered. ¡°We didn¡¯t see you there. Really, we¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°Cleaning up?¡± Bao Chen asked coldly, ¡°What exactly were you cleaning up that you have something like this?¡±


    The group fell silent, too embarrassed to respond or having nothing on hand to say.


    ¡°Hhhh,¡± Bao Chen sighed as he shook his head, choosing not to dwell on it too much. He had no idea exactly what the foul liquid was; he only knew that it reeked of something repulsive¡ªsomething akin to urine. To him, it was just an unfortunate accident, nothing more. There was no hidden message, no calculated insult behind it.


    With a clenched jaw, he forced himself to move on. Accidents happened, and he wasn¡¯t about to let a mess like this ruin his day. Yet, as he continued down the street with his clothes still damp and his mood soured, one thought kept nagging at him: something was wrong, but he didn¡¯t know what it was.


    Unbeknownst to Bao Chen, an old man far away, his gaze fixed intently on him. Upon closer observation, it became clear that this was the same old man from the restaurant¡ªwatching Bao Chen with a peculiar intensity, as if ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. After seeing Bao Chen leave, the old man exhaled in relief and quietly disappeared into the night.

 Chapter 12 The Mirrors Echo

    Bao Chen walked home like a defeated, sickly general, his steps heavy with exhaustion. His stomach churned, the urge to vomit clawing at his throat, but disgust, anger, and a trace of embarrassment kept it down.


    As he pushed open the door, he immediately began searching for a piece of cloth. Finding one, he wiped his hands clean, though the feeling of filth still lingered beneath his skin.


    He then made his way to a small wooden chest, rummaging through it for a change of clothes. His movements slowed when he realized there were only two sets.


    "Only two?" he muttered.


    His gaze lingered on them, and as he reached out, he hesitated. One outfit looked too feminine, and the other was too big for him.


    A memory surfaced¡ªthese clothes belonged to his parents. His mother had died in childbirth, and his father had succumbed to a snake bite. The weight of the memory pressed against him, stirring a quiet sorrow.


    He shook his head. There was no point in dwelling on the past¡ªit had already come and gone.


    Choosing the larger set of clothes, he turned to leave, but something caught his eye. A knife.


    He hesitated. His fingers hovered over the worn handle before he finally reached out and took it.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Without another thought, he stepped outside, heading toward the river.


    By the river, Bao Chen removed his clothing and neatly arranged his clean garments on a nearby branch. Looking at his reflection in the water, he saw black hair and brown eyes staring back at him.


    "This really is another body... my eye color is different now. And my eyesight¡ªI don''t need glasses anymore, but only problem is this body is too skinny, well it''s no problem with time it will be better," Bao Chen murmured, a faint smile forming on his lips.


    Unbeknownst to him, a subtle touch of gray lingered in his irises.


    Adopting a Zoro stance, he placed the knife in his mouth, keeping his hands free. He wasn¡¯t about to risk his safety just for a quick rinse.


    Wading into the ice-cold water, he shivered but moved quickly, scrubbing himself to stave off the chill. Suddenly, something cold brushed against his leg.


    Instinctively, he slashed at it like a flash of lightning. A pool of blood burst forth, flowing against the river¡¯s current before abruptly stopping.


    A mechanical voice rang out:


    [The Host killed a green-scaled fish. +3 system points.]


    Bao Chen froze. Then, his shock gave way to excitement.


    "So killing creatures gives me system points?" he muttered, a grin spreading across his face.


    He grabbed the fish and carried it onto the shore. After finishing his bath, he retrieved his soiled clothing and washed them before heading home.


    Once inside, Bao Chen set everything down and sank onto his bed, reflecting on the day''s events and the information he had gathered.


    1. The simulation hadn¡¯t been entirely accurate¡ªhe hadn¡¯t encountered anyone mentioning his friends as it had predicted.


    [You learned that Uncle Wong and a friend helped you when you collapsed, and you decided to buy them some food as a token of gratitude.]


    But that hadn¡¯t happened¡ª


    Suddenly, a knock echoed through the room. Bao Chen turned toward the door, his eyes filled with worry.


    "Who is it?" he asked cautiously.


    "It''s me," came a familiar voice.


    Bao Chen instantly recognized it¡ªhis cousin. A childhood friend, now distant. They had stopped talking after his cousin started a family.


    He hesitated.


    "What brings you here so late?" Bao Chen asked.


    "I heard you passed out, so I came to check on you," the voice outside replied.


    Bao Chen let out a breath, At first, he had assumed something bad had happened. He reached for the door but hesitated¡ªwasn¡¯t it always in movies that bad things happened when people didn¡¯t check who was outside first? Monsters, killers... but he quickly dismissed the thought


    It was evening, but that didn¡¯t mean the world had gone silent. There were still people outside.


    Taking comfort in that thought, he finally opened the door¡ªand saw¡­

 Chapter 13 Finally! start the simulation

    As he opened the door, Bao Chen saw a young man with black hair and with brown eyes looking at him.


    "How are you? Bao Chen, is everything okay? Do you need anything?" the young man asked.


    Hearing the concern in his voice, Bao Chen replied, "Everything is okay; don¡¯t worry. I already talked to Doctor Lee and had everything checked¡ªeverything¡¯s fine."


    His cousin sighed in relief and then, as if remembering something, added, "Uncle Wong and your friend Fu Ruibo helped you when you were unconscious." Hearing this, Bao Chen felt as if someone had slapped him in the face¡ªhis cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment.


    Then his cousin reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a small pouch of coins. "Take this," he said. "I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t have enough money after Doctor Lee¡¯s treatment." Bao Chen recalled that he had never paid him for that. Stunned for a moment, he protested, "I can¡¯t accept this¡ªit¡¯s too much. You have a family!"


    Shaking his head, his cousin replied, "Don¡¯t worry about it¡ªI have a good job." As he turned to leave, he added, "If you need anything, just let me know," before walking out the door.


    Watching his cousin go and holding the pouch, Bao Chen felt the slight alienation¡ªand even a trace of pride¡ªin his heart vanish. When he first came to this world, he had only experienced malice; people whispered that he was a ghost or a demon, and even those close to him were afraid. But now, he sensed a genuine kindness in the world.


    Calmly, he closed the door and placed the pouch of coins next to another he had saved. Everything seemed good, but Bao Chen wasn¡¯t content to be like a typical novel protagonist who simply waits around and not grow stronger, because of the good environment. "What if, in the future, bandits or some other threat come and kill everyone? That would be a shame," he thought.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "System, How many points do I have?"


    [11 system points]


    Bao Chen sighed, "do i really need to wait one more day to simulate," thought to himself, suddenly he smelled a fishy smell.


    Glancing at the green-scaled fish, he got an idea: life is valuable, and flesh and blood are valuable. The fish probably contained a lot of energy¡ªit hadn¡¯t been dead for long.


    Reaching out and touching the wet, bloody fish, Bao Chen felt a tinge of disgust. He thought, "I forgot to drain the blood... wait, never mind. Perhaps it¡¯s for the best; my carelessness left the blood intact, and that means it still has plenty of energy."


    "Devour,"


    His hands began to tremble slightly as he felt the fish shrinking in his grasp.


    [Ding you get 2+ points]


    [Ding you get 2+ points]


    He paused to examine the area he had just consumed. Looking at the back of the fish, it appeared as if someone had bitten into it and then stop. Information is valuable¡ªhe must understand how his abilities work in order to use them to the fullest.


    [Ding you get...]


    [Ding you get...]


    As he watched the fish gradually disappear from his hand, he heard the system ding.


    [Ding you get 5+ points]


    [The host now has 26 system points]


    [Does the host want to simulate?]


    Finally, he declared, "Start the simulation!"


    [Day 1]


    After talking with your cousin¡ªand getting your face slapped¡ªyou go to start the system, the Future Sight System, which predicts your future and grants you special talents. However, it has disappeared, and because of your weak mind, you became afraid and cowered for a couple of hours.


    (After witnessing this, Bao Chen''s expression darkened as he said, "Slander on my character¡ªI am not weak-minded!")


    Once you stopped being afraid and scared, you were still saddened by the system¡¯s disappearance, but that didn¡¯t stop your ambition. If there is no system, you will rely on your other golden finger¡ªthe Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian classics from your previous life.


    Even if you lost your system and feel as if you have been cornered, you are not afraid of the consequences. Instead, you begin reading the classics stored in your memory:


    Tao Te Ching


    "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao."


    Diamond Sutra


    "All conditioned phenomena are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow, like dew or a flash of lightning. Thus should one perceive them."


    Confucius


    "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."


    After reciting these powerful classics, you feel...nothing. A minute passes with nothing special happening, and you feel like a fool¡ªlike you¡¯re performing a one-man drama


    Without You noticing the Tianyuan Realm shook.


    ("What?")

 Chapter 14 dying on top of a golden mountain

    Without you noticing, the Tianyuan Realm trembled.


    (What?)


    Unaware of anything unusual, you continue reading the classics¡ªafter all, if nothing supernatural is happening, at least it will help steady your state of mind.


    (Hey, hey, system! Wait a second¡ªwe¡¯re not going to skip over what you just said. What do you mean?!)


    As you read, golden words flow from your mouth; 99% of their essence ascends to the heavens and permeates the earth, while only 1% is retained in your spiritual sea.


    (System: Could I please get an explanation of what is happening?)


    (After waiting a few seconds, Bao Chen hears no response from the system. "Damn it, it looks like in the simulation the system cannot talk to me," he mutters.)


    After a while, as you continue reciting the classics, your golden words gradually turn into silver¡ªand eventually, no words come out of your mouth at all.


    Exhausted, you collapse and pass out on your bed.


    Day 2:


    After waking up, you feel energized as daylight fills the room. You try reading the classics again, hoping that perhaps they will work in the daytime rather than at night. Yet, nothing special happens to you or your surroundings. Although you feel a bit down, it doesn''t trouble you; you remain calm.


    You continue with your daily routine¡ªworking, eating, and taking care of basic needs¡ªwith nothing particularly unusual occurring. The only oddity is that there are fewer people than there were on the first day you joined.


    At night, you resume reading the classics, and your mental state improves slightly.


    ---


    Day 3:


    In the morning, you read the classics before heading off to work. Later, at night, you study them again, and your mental state improves slightly.


    ---Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Day 4:


    After reading the classics, and lacking any teachers or guidance, you experience a mental deviation.


    (Seeing this, Bao Chen¡¯s expression becomes worried. "Damn it, what is going to happen now?" he wonders.)


    You go to work, and later, you continue reading the classics. Although your mental state improves slightly, you still sense that something is amiss¡ª you experience a mental deviation.


    ---


    Day 5:


    In the morning, you read the classics and then head off to work. While working, you hear some commotion outside. When you investigate, you see an army surrounding your village and the neighboring villages¡ªbut you don''t know that.


    As you gaze upon the approaching army, the golden words in your spiritual sea begin to brighten, and you sense mortal danger. You try to escape, but the village is completely surrounded. You attempt to hide, but the army is searching everywhere. With nowhere to hide and no clear path to run, you decide to join the villagers in heading toward the designated safe area¡ªarmed with a knife for self-defense, or perhaps for something worse.


    (What the hell happened? This never occurred in the previous simulation, Bao Chen thought.)


    You head to an open area and see familiar faces. You ask, "what happened," but they don''t know either. Then, you see Dr. Lee chained up. You scan the surroundings for information and notice army members wielding a strange jade slip that stretched there hands and touching everyone. Confused, you sense an imminent danger emanating from it.


    Before you can react further, one army member approaches without your noticing. He carries one of these peculiar jade slip, and when it touches you, it turns golden like the light for the evening sun.


    Suddenly, everyone turns to look at you. Realizing that the danger threatens both your body and your soul, you have no choice but to kill yourself.


    [You have died.]


    Bao Chen looks down in disappointment and says, "I failed. Well, I will never read the damn classics."


    Yet your soul does not vanish. One of the army members pulls out a glass bottle and seals your soul inside it. Unbeknownst to them, a dog sneaks up on the soldier; then the dog explodes into black smoke, killing the army members and devouring your soul.


    [The host soul is dead. The simulation ends.]


    Bao Chen lies on his bed, exhausted. He thinks to himself, "Damn it, what is the difference from this then a death sentence? There was no way for me to escape or do anything."


    [Ding detects that the host has achieved a legendary achievement]


    [unlocking the achievement system]


    [Legendary Achievement: Robbed by Heaven and Earth]


    [There''s a saying: "Man is the robber of heaven and earth," but you will disagree¡ªafter all, you didn''t robbed heaven and earth but heaven and earth Robbed you]


    [to unlock this achievement, you need to be Robbed by heaven and earth.]


    [effect: slight immunity to the powers of heaven and earth.]


    Bao Chen, gazing at the legendary achievement in the system, he has 7 points of anger, 3 points of sadness, bao chen calms down and said "this will be useful" and also keeping in his heart what Tianyuan Realm did.


    [Host Choose one reward from the following list:


    1. [Danger Sense Talent: White] (3/10)


    Detects dangers such as poisoning, assassination attempts, etc.


    2. [Cooking Talent: White] (3/10)


    Enhances your cooking skills by combining ingredients to create delicious dishes.


    [One of the Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm]


    Become the one of Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm, granting you great luck and numerous opportunities.


    WARNING: Those who rely solely on destiny and luck may end up being controlled by it.


    Cost: 10 system points


    4. [Golden Words of Tao Rhyme]


    A magnificent treasure among all worlds and realms that enhances the world and deepens your understanding of the Dao.


    Cost: 1.000.000 system points per piece.


    Limited five pieces


    5. [Silver Words of Tao Rhyme]


    A valuable treasure among all worlds and realms that slightly enhances the world and aids your understanding


    Cost: 500.000 system points per piece


    Limited five pieces


    6. Qi Sensing Jade Slips


    A special item from the Tianyuan Dynasty designed to detect cultivators. Because you possess the Tao Rhyme, it has sensed you.


    Cost: 30 system points


    Bao chen looking at this rewards, he took a deep cold breath, "this is really generous"


    Bao chen putting on a serious face, "but there is still some questions I need to ask"

 Chapter 15 river of destiny

    "System, what is the Golden Words of Tao Rhyme?"


    [The Golden Words of Tao Rhyme is a great treasure that helps you understand the Dao.]


    A blood vessel burst on Bao Chen''s forehead. Such a superficial answer¡ªI wanted to know more.


    [The host needs to find out for himself.]


    After hearing that, Bao Chen nearly fainted. "God damn it, never mind¡ªlet''s move on to another question."


    "Why is there [Cooking Talent: White] (3/10) when I already have one and at a higher level?"


    [When the host starts the simulation, the talents for the rewards begin at zero.]


    "System, what''s up with [One of the Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm]? Wasn''t I supposed to get a talent?"


    [Host, you need time to gain talents. You died too quickly to develop any on your own, and you obtained that talent because of your [Tao Rhyme]. You benefited heaven and earth, and thus acquired [One of the Sons of Destiny].]


    "Why does [One of the Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm] cost so little?"


    [I''ll explain as simply as possible. Suppose you have a magic weapon given to you by a senior¡ªthat weapon costs 100 points. However, if you craft the magic weapon yourself and gather all the materials, it would only cost 10 points. The more karma it have with you, the less it will cost.]


    "But the Golden Words of Tao Rhyme costs 1 million points and by the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Shouldn''t it be free? I''m confident the Son of Destiny doesn''t cost more than a million."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    [The host is right, but the system doesn''t follow the Law of Equivalent Exchange. If something affects the future, it will cost points.]


    Bao Chen noticed a flaw in the system''s logic. "But you''ve given me talents that affect the future¡ªand they are free!"


    [For lower-level talents, no points are needed. But for higher-level abilities, you require system points.]


    Bao Chen sighed in defeat. Life is hard, and this system that simulates the future might be even harsher than life itself.


    "System, equip my [Legendary Achievement: Robbed by Heaven and Earth]."


    [equipped]


    He took a deep breath, as if his mind had been cleared and his body had shed its shackles¡ªbut nothing had changed. He examined himself; everything remained the same. Intriguing.


    "Well, it''s time to choose my rewards. It''s actually quite simple."


    "However, I need to ask something: does it affect me if I choose ''One of the Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm''? What will happen, specifically?"


    [It will control you slightly¡ªmuch like entering a cave and discovering a legendary sword. Enemies may find it easier to find you, and even some jade beauties might fall into your arms. Additionally, you''ll gain a measure of immunity to destiny because of your legendary achievement and time traveler buff.]


    "If that''s the case, give me ''One of the Sons of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm.''"


    Bao Chen looked around but saw nothing. "Oh no¡ªis it one of those things like the Golden Words of Tao Rhyme? Maybe if I go outside, I''ll see something."


    Bao Chen stepped outside and looked up at the sky. He saw a pure white river, and as he gazed upon it, his mind trembled at the sight of it


    In his mind had appealed an immense river current spanning the entire world. In comparison, Bao Chen was as insignificant as an ant beside Mount Tai. Sadly, the river seemed poised to crash into his mind.


    _________


    Imperial City


    In the Imperial City, an old man with a kindly face sat on a golden throne, surveying the officials.


    Do not underestimate him¡ªhe is the current emperor, Emperor Zhaoyun. He has ruled the dynasty for 150 years and is known by many names, including the Iron-handed Tyrant and Bloody Slaughterer.


    Glancing to his left at the river, Emperor Zhaoyun smiled slightly¡ªa smile that sent shivers down the spines of every official.


    "Bring down my orders," he commanded.


    ________


    Unknown Land of Ice and Frost


    In the Unknown Land of Ice and Frost, a young boy¡ªnot yet 15 years old¡ªwas drenched in blood. He was surrounded by numerous corpses; many had their heads, hands, and feet severed, and some were barely clinging to life.


    With a knife lodged in his shoulder, the boy scanned the enemies around him and sighed in relief.


    "Grandfather... I... I finally avenged.. you," he murmured before collapsing.


    Then, an unknown river appeared in the sky. A small strand of water fell, and just as it neared the young boy, it shook and halted before returning to the river. As the river vanished, a black scale in the boy''s pocket spoke with majesty, "Finally, it has left."

 Chapter 16 you dont follow the rules

    Bao Chen stood before the river, a deep sense of danger stirring in his mind. Yet the river refused to yield to his thoughts. As he watched the water surge toward him, he cried out, ¡°No, no, no! Shit, no!¡± Though he tried to move, he was overpowered by the relentless river of destiny.


    Gazing into the swirling current, Bao Chen beheld fleeting images¡ªpeople and animals intertwined in a shimmering bubble of illusion. As he focused, the chaotic visions transformed: first, he saw a farmer tending his fields; then, a warrior locked in battle; and finally, a mysterious man in a flowing robe soared through the air, brandishing a sword.


    In that moment, the river struck him, engulfing him in its blinding white water. As Bao Chen was swept away, he began to drown, his ears filled with a cacophony of voices¡ªpeople talking, fighting, working¡ªwhile rapid, shifting images of life and death flashed before his eyes.


    Not only that, but Bao Chen¡¯s body in the real world also began bleeding from his seven orifices. Fortunately, his gaze remained fixed on the silhouette of his house, so no one saw his injuries¡ªthough onlookers grew suspicious.


    Within the pure white water, golden words appeared upon his body, dispelling some of the river¡¯s effects¡ªthough their impact was like pouring a bucket of water onto a parched desert, offering little relief.


    Soon after, a dense fog enveloped him, distorting his form in an attempt to ease the damage; alas, it proved as futile as that same bucket in the desert.


    Even so, the river would not let Bao Chen go; it revealed further visions¡ªof people fighting and an emperor locked in combat¡ªuntil, in the end, everything slowed to a halt.


    Before him stood a figure clad in imperial robes, facing the sun. The mere sight of this divine like presence shook Bao Chen, and he felt compelled to kneel, to open his heart and mind. Yet a warning rang out in his mind: ¡°No¡ªsomething is wrong. Something tells me that if I do this, it will become irreversible.¡± He struggled to move, tried to resist, but his efforts were futile.


    ¡°I must do something¡ªbut what?¡± he wondered. Then, as if summoned by his inner resistance of bao chen, he noticed the emperor¡¯s eyes. The emperor turned his head slightly, and with one piercing gaze, he fixed his attention on Bao Chen. When Bao Chen met that eye, he trembled;Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    it was like a sword¡ªits gaze, like an arrow, piercing his very soul. As the emperor¡¯s gaze enveloped him, Bao Chen felt his body beginning to fade¡ªhis feet, his hands¡ªand his mind dissipated.


    And just like that, he teetered on the brink of despair, bao chen holding on the last line of hope, ¡°SYSTEM, HELP ME!¡± he cried, as the system materialized and began to absorb his body.


    Then, suddenly, a voice resounded: ¡°Tsk, you are not following the rules.¡± A system screen flashed a message: ¡°Those who wield the power of heaven must remain cold and just, erasing all living beings impartially if you wish to¡ª¡±


    The emperor had heard enough. The sun behind him transformed into a phoenix and attacked the system screen. ¡°Tsk, junior, I see you have a heart demon and cannot break through. Let me help you, as your senior,¡± it declared.


    From the system screen emerged a five-clawed white dragon, swiping ferociously at the phoenix. In a single blow, the phoenix shattered. Witnessing this, the emperor turned fully and, with a handsome, youthful face and piercing golden eyes, said, ¡°Followdaos? It''s a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention followdaos to me,¡± the system retorted. ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you know you¡¯ve screwed up.¡±


    Without pause, the emperor performed a series of hand seals behind his back, causing the river to reverse its flow. ¡°Who told you to leave?!¡± the system bellowed, brandishing its claw to halt the water.


    Shocked, the emperor exclaimed, ¡°What? How even in immortal can''t doing this?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, you think too highly of yourself. It only takes one law establishment Realm¡¯s being to stop this.¡±


    Realizing his defeat, the emperor surrendered. ¡°Senior, I know I was wrong it is because of my young age, I have made a grave mistake. I beg you to show mercy. For any trouble I have caused my junior brother, I will atone¡ªand I will make him the Son of Destiny of the Tianyuan Realm.¡±


    ¡°Tch, what you can do¡ªI could do better. And my junior is narrow minded ; he won¡¯t forgive you. Worst of all, you didn¡¯t follow the rules. You can bring him to the brink of death, but you cannot kill him outright. It¡¯s better if you ascend right now.¡±


    ¡°Senior, I never followed the rules¡ªthat means I don¡¯t get punished for not following them.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? I checked before we fought¡ªyou did follow them. And don¡¯t be a Karen; just die peacefully.¡±


    ¡°But, senior¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough with the chatter. I¡¯m ending this conversation now: die!¡±


    With its five claws, the system attacked the emperor. He tried to move, but was trapped¡ªthe five claws cutting him from head to toe. The light in his eyes disappeared, the life from his body had died out, He became like a puppet, slowly and surely merging with the river of destiny.


    ¡°Alright, now what shall I do with you?¡± the system putting out Bao Chen¡¯s body. ¡°I have an idea.¡± It employed the white water to mend Bao Chen¡¯s soul and body.


    Peering beyond the mental space, the system observed Bao Chen¡¯s real body being carried toward Dr. Lee¡¯s house once again. ¡°How misfortunate,¡± it murmured with a trace of schadenfreude.


    ¡°How will he¡ª¡± the system began, then paused for a moment.


    ¡°Where the hell is this place? This isn¡¯t where he was supposed to go originally,¡± it continued.


    ¡°Is it them? Have they found out?¡± the system asked, opening its golden eyes and scanning the surroundings. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible¡ªif they had discovered us, they would have instantly destroyed us.¡±


    As it looked around, the system noticed a faint golden seal of Buddha upon Bao Chen soul body, it''s hands clasped together.


    ¡°God damn it¡ªnot this shit.¡±

 Chapter 17 emperor pov

    "Everything is in place; we just need to wait," the emperor declared as he summoned his Divine Beast of Incense¡ªthe phoenix¡ª that radiated a divine, golden light.


    "In time, you will finally evolve into a true phoenix" he whispered kindly, placing his right hand atop the phoenix head and gently stroking it.


    From the phoenix, nine strands of hair were drawn. Once removed and as the golden light waned, he reassured, "Don''t worry¡ªit¡¯s all an investment. After this, you will be able to evolve."


    With his left hand, he produced nine beads of various colors¡ªone contained a broken, bloodied sword; another resembled a shattered shield; yet another held a pen and paper, and so on. After inserting the nine strands of hair into the beads, they all began to glow. The emperor released them, and they fell like shooting stars.


    One bead landed on a poor, sickly girl; another fell near a scholar; and, in the end, each bead chose its owner¡ªexcept for one. "Hmm?" the emperor murmured as he noticed the remaining bead halt and change its original course from the stronger will kid, to the heading toward a village and a young man¡¯s body.


    "What happened? This was not in the plan." He glanced at Bao Chen, noting that every time he looked at the young man, something seemed off¡ªhis features appeared twisted and shrouded in a mysterious haze.


    "This kid is peculiar, but I sense an opportunity in him. It feels as though the very laws of time and destiny are at work. Could he be a special body? I¡¯ve heard of a ''time and space body,'' but never a ''time and destiny body.''"


    "I cannot be careless; my plans are nearly complete. I must not act hastily¡ªthis person is an anomaly. Let me calculate his future first." The emperor began to trace the currents of fate with his hand, and the river of destiny started to flow.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    As he calculated, he encountered resistance. "Tch, who is obstructing my calculation? I¡¯d like to see you try to stop me," he growled. Breaking through an invisible barrier, visions of Bao Chen''s many potential futures unfolded before him. Shocked, the emperor murmured, "How could this be? Most people have one or perhaps a few destinies, but this child''s possibilities seem nearly boundless."


    "Damn it" the emperor frowned his eyebrows " every time I calculate a new future, it consumes an enormous amount of energy. And worst of all, I sense hostility from both heaven and earth¡ªa phenomenon that only occurs when some one who will benefit heaven and earth appeals."


    "Never mind; let me just punish him a little bit. This is already breaking the rules."


    The emperor use this powers to put bao chen in his River of Destiny, After seeing Bao Chen in his River of Destiny, the Emperor was pleased¡ª"it was proof that you don¡¯t take other people¡¯s stuff." But then something unexpected happened. Golden words, with their irresistible appeal, stunned the Emperor; he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Bao Chen, and greed flared in his heart.


    ¡°Yes, yes, this is my opportunity! I thought you would help the world and help me break through, but I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d assist me in another way. Haha, God is really helping me!¡±


    Using his supernatural powers, the Emperor teleported Bao Chen to himself, employing his Divine Beast of Incense¡ªphoenix¡ªfor reconnaissance. ¡°I need to stop anyone who dares come here. Even if this kid has backup, I will not let him go,¡± he declared. Then he attempted to use the River of Destiny to devour Bao Chen¡¯s soul, but it proved difficult.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± he murmured. ¡°the stronger the mind is , the stronger I will become.¡± Turning around, he looked at Bao Chen and thought, ¡°Kid, you should be proud¡ªI personally took action.¡±


    ¡°SYSTEM, HELP ME!¡± he cried. "Tsk no one will help you I made sure of-"


    Suddenly, a blue box appeared and absorbed his body. Then a voice resounded, ¡°Tsk, you are not following the rules.¡± A system screen flashed a message: ¡°Those who wield the power of heaven must remain cold and just, erasing all living beings impartially if you wish to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, stop talking,¡± the white dragon commanded, and the emperor soul fell silent.


    The White Dragon then looked at the Emperor. ¡°So, is that all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is, Senior,¡± the Emperor replied, his head hanging in defeat.


    The White Dragon look at Bao Chen. ¡°What about the Buddha Seal, then?¡±


    ¡°What Buddha Seal?¡± the Emperor retorted as he glanced at Bao Chen. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, tell me, what should I do with you?¡± the White Dragon insisted. The Emperor shuddered slightly at the question.


    ¡°Senior, you possess high cultivation. People like us retreat into seclusion for hundreds¡ªor even thousands¡ªof years. Let me stay with the junior and teach him,¡± the emperor offered with a flatter smile.


    ¡°No, let society beat him some more¡ªit will help build his character. And as for you¡­¡± the dragon hesitated, then added, ¡°you have some use, but not right now.¡±


    At that moment, the White Dragon produced a glass bottle and sealed the Emperor inside it.


    ¡°I¡¯m finished with that,¡± he declared. Looking at Bao Chen the White Dragon wondered, ¡°But how did that appeal? Hmm, maybe it¡¯s from¡­¡±