Chief supporting role system, Everything has shortcomings system, Cooking God System, Emotional System, Good Teacher System, Tycoon System, System of making good contracts…
One pop-up message after another materialized in Lin Bai's mind. He felt dizzy, his head like a computer infected by a virus, constantly loading new programs. As a consequence, his reactions to the outside world slowed significantly.
What the hell is this? Is this a cheat code? Is this the handiwork of Avalokitesvara with a thousand hands? If they weren't going to come, then why bring so many at once? This was surely a recipe for disaster!
"Brother Lin, Brother Lin…"
A series of calls awakened Lin Bai from his crashed state. He turned his stiff neck and met a pair of concerned eyes. The image in his pupils gradually sharpened from a blur to clarity. However, his mind was still in chaos, pop-up messages continuing to flash one after another.
"You look so pale. Would you like me to call for a doctor?" a scholar in a blue robe and a headband asked, reaching out to touch Lin Bai's forehead.
"I appreciate your concern, Brother Luo. I'll be fine after a little rest, don't worry." Lin Bai struggled to adapt to his brain, which felt on the verge of collapse. He deftly sidestepped the hand, then tremblingly picked up a nearby teacup and managed a sip.
As the bitter tea slid down his throat, the systems in Lin Bai's mind finished loading. The overloaded CPU instantly idled, and he finally regained his senses. Perhaps sensing that running simultaneously would cause his body to crash, most systems fell silent once loaded.
Only four systems remained active: the Everything has shortcomings system, the Emotional Management System, the Chief supporting role system, and the Cooking God System.
Feeling these four active systems in his brain, along with the others lurking in the depths, ready to erupt at any moment, Lin Bai experienced an indescribable sensation. This grand delivery of golden fingers felt more like a violation!
Are these rogue programs or cheat codes?
Having read countless books, Lin Bai knew that systems, as renowned cheat codes, could effortlessly propel individuals to the pinnacle of life, allowing them to flaunt their status and become shining social parasites. However, he never imagined he'd one day be troubled by golden fingers.
A System Combo? With so many systems running at full power, even working 997 wouldn't be enough to describe his "blessings"...
Lin Bai examined the descriptions of the four active systems:
Everything has shortcomings system: Nothing in this world is perfect. Flaws are the natural state of all things. You must make everyone learn to accept imperfections and become accustomed to regret.
Imperfections? Like the armless Venus de Milo? What a lousy system!
Lin Bai complained inwardly. He had pursued perfection for over twenty years, striving to make every step meticulous, which was how he had achieved a relatively successful life after graduating from university. If not for his sudden transmigration, his later life would probably have been worry-free; he should have lived more happily than most people. The pursuit of perfection had become his attitude toward life. Why should he get used to regret? The person who invented this system must have a screw loose.
Emotional Management System: When you learn to manipulate others' emotions, you become the master of the world. Joy, anger, sorrow, delight, shame, fear, surprise—delve deep and experience the subtleties of emotion!
Unlike the Everything has shortcomings system, Lin Bai found himself agreeing with this so-called Emotional Management System. Indeed, if one could easily sway others' emotions, tasks would become significantly more efficient.
Chief supporting role system: Be neither the first to enjoy fortune nor the first to invite disaster. As the proverb says, "A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind; a person who rises above others will be criticized by the crowd." Do not contend, and none in the world can contend with you. Find yourself a leader, and being second-in-command will be the most perfect existence.
Nonsense! In the era Lin Bai came from, people either scrambled to get ahead, each showing off their unique personalities and wanting to declare themselves number one, or they embraced "lying flat," content to stagnate until death. Being second in command? This system is a historical regression! This is bullshit!
The Cooking God System seemed the most conventional of the lot. But Lin Bai was a transmigrator who had only just managed to understand the structure of this world! In this strange new world, survival itself was a struggle. The proper path was to study literature to become an official or learn martial arts for self-defense. Becoming a Kitchen God of all things…
Yes, Lin Bai was a transmigrator.
Seven days ago, he had inexplicably arrived in this alien world. Its social structure resembled a composite of ancient Chinese dynasties, complete with apothecaries, taverns, inns, escort agencies, pleasure houses like the Happy Red Courtyard, and government offices…
The only difference was that this world had martial arts, monsters, and possibly—Immortal Techniques…
So, life here was considerably more difficult. Penniless and without relatives in this new world, Lin Bai had painstakingly figured out its basic structure. Thanks to the excellent social skills he'd honed on Earth, he managed to connect with a scholar named Luo Congwen, solving his immediate problems of food and shelter…
Unwilling to remain mediocre, he had to start from scratch after transmigrating. After understanding his new environment, Lin Bai quickly planned a new life for himself, intending to use the Luo Mansion as a stepping stone and leverage his knowledge from Earth to reach the pinnacle of life once more.
Who would have thought that just as his plans were getting underway, these golden fingers would emerge so tumultuously, catching him completely off guard.
[Make ten people experience imperfection... Reward: The remnants of "Nine Days True Scripture".]
[Collect a simple emotion produced against you; Reward: Spirit +1.]
[Find yourself an elder brother; Reward: Qi Yun +1.]
[First, you have to open a restaurant; Reward: 10 taels of Silver.]
The initial missions from the four systems seemed equally unorthodox. Especially the Everything has shortcomings system; not only were its tasks incomplete, but even the rewards were defective... This was beyond f***ed up!
Defective what? Beauty? Or bane?
Missing a few words in the task description wasn't a major issue, as long as the meaning was understandable. But for the reward to be a fragmented "Nine Days True Scripture" instead of the implied "Nine Suns True Scripture"—that was too much.
Can I even cultivate with an incomplete "Nine Days True Scripture"? What exactly is it missing? This is f***ing outrageous!
Emotions are probably the easiest to manipulate!
Calming himself, Lin Bai decided to attempt the system tasks anyway. It would be foolish not to use a golden finger when he had one. In this world swarming with Monsters, he, an ordinary person, should at least have some skills. Compared to working hard, a golden finger was undoubtedly a much faster shortcut.
Of the four initial tasks, the Emotional System's seemed the easiest to start. Being new to this place and unfamiliar with its people, where would he find a "big brother"? Opening a restaurant required capital. As for making others experience imperfection, he had no leads yet. Comparatively, manipulating emotions was much simpler and more cost-effective.
Thus, Lin Bai turned his attention to the scholar sitting opposite him.
The scholar's name was Luo Congwen. He was from a wealthy family and had passed the prefectural examination, earning an entry-level scholarly title. If he passed the academy examination next year, he would become a true scholar with official status. However, this promising scholar harbored the heart of a knight-errant. Day in and day out, he dreamed of punishing the wicked, promoting good, slaying Monsters, and eliminating demons. Yet, he lacked the patience to learn martial arts or temper his physique, preferring instead to obsessively seek immortals and pursue the Dao, neglecting his proper studies.
This personality quirk provided Lin Bai an opening. A tale of a scholar's romantic encounter with a female ghost, based on "The Enchanting Phantom," had Luo Congwen utterly captivated, leading him to regard Lin Bai as a confidant.
"Brother Lin, since it's nothing serious, shall we continue the story of Ning Caichen?" Luo Congwen rubbed his hands, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.
"Hmm!" Lin Bai observed Luo Congwen, considering a suitable entry point for his task.
"What happened after Little Qian left? Who was stronger, Tree Demon Granny or Yan Chixia? Is he going to become Yan Chixia's disciple?" Luo Congwen, oblivious to Lin Bai's unusual demeanor, pulled up a chair, sat opposite him, and fired off a volley of questions.
Lin Bai pondered for a moment, took another sip of tea, and said, "Don't rush, we'll take it slowly."
"Yes, yes, slowly," Luo Congwen nodded eagerly. "What happened to Ning Caichen later?"
In a short while, Lin Bai had made up his mind. He smiled, "Brother Luo, prick up your ears. The story gets really exciting from here."
Luo Congwen sat up straight.
Pausing for a moment, Lin Bai looked at the attentive Luo Congwen and began to narrate dramatically, "Now, it is said that one day, Ning Caichen encountered the female ghost Nie Xiaoqian. It was the dead of night, and the beautiful ghost's teasing stirred ripples in his heart. Youthful hearts are easily stirred by beauty, and his mind was filled with images of the ghost's alluring grace. However, the bearded Yan Chixia had warned him that humans and ghosts tread different paths, leaving him uneasy. He returned to his room early, eagerly anticipating Nie Xiaoqian's visit. But he was, after all, just a scholar. Exhausted by the recent events, he soon fell into a deep sleep. He knew not how long he slept, but a sound from within the room eventually woke Ning Caichen…"
Luo Congwen's eyes lit up, his body squirming involuntarily. "Did Little Qian come to him?"
"Don't rush, Brother Luo. Just listen," Lin Bai smiled. "Ning Caichen, peering by the moonlight, focused his eyes. To his dismay, it was Yan Chixia from next door. Disappointment welled in his heart as he began to ask, 'Great Hero Yan, what brings you here so late at...'
"Before he could finish, Yan Chixia's beard bristled, his eyes bloodshot, looking as if possessed. He cackled grimly and pounced, saying, 'Little scholar, so tender and delicate. Rather than let some female ghost have you, I might as well indulge myself…'
"At these words, Ning Caichen suddenly understood. His face paled, and he cried out, trying to dodge. But how could a frail scholar match a wandering Sword Immortal like Yan Chixia? He had barely moved when he heard a sharp cry, 'Freeze!' Yan Chixia had cast an immobilizing spell, and Ning Caichen lost control of his body. Before he could register Yan Chixia's next move, his robes had already vanished… Yan Chixia, without further ado, pressed down on him. A tragic scream ripped through Lan Ruo Temple, startling countless night birds into flight…"
A dark, twisted, and embellished version of "The Enchanting Phantom" flowed from Lin Bai's lips.
「In Lan Ruo Temple.」
A storm of violation erupted. The unkempt Taoist Yan Chixia, who likely hadn't bathed in ages, brutally violated the frail scholar Ning Caichen, bringing him to tears…
Luo Congwen's expression shifted from anticipation to stunned disbelief, then his face turned beet red. He was obsessed with Cultivation and deeply identified with Ning Caichen. Lin Bai's story usually made him feel as if he were living it, but this episode was completely beyond his expectations.
The feeling was akin to being engrossed in "The Return of the Condor Heroes," only for Little Dragon Girl to suddenly be assaulted by Yin Zhiping. It was like a fly caught in his throat; he wanted to stab the author on the spot.
Moreover, this time, the one suffering Little Dragon Girl's fate was the protagonist—the very protagonist he identified with.
The more vividly Lin Bai narrated, the more uncomfortable Luo Congwen became. The thought of Ning Caichen being violated "seven-ins and seven-outs" by a large, bearded man…
A wave of nausea rose in his throat!
Luo Congwen slammed his hand heavily on the table, interrupting Lin Bai. "Enough!"
Lin Bai's voice stopped abruptly.
「At the same time.」
A mission completion notification sounded in his mind: [Collected one instance of anger directed at you; Reward: Spirit +1 (Issued)].