Ace knew he couldn't avoid this any longer, since he couldn't just throw away this System treasure — he didn't even know where it was hidden.
But he knew this "System" was inside his mind, because every time its voice sounded in his head, only he could hear it and see the panel. He also believed the System wouldn't harm him, since he was its "Master."
Still, his life wouldn't be ordinary anymore. That much was certain.
Ace thought of another command word to control the System and transmitted, "System Shop."
The transparent panel changed into a new one, and a new symbol, glowing silver, appeared in the top right. It looked like a cart.
====
[System Shop]
[Available Skill Books]
[Available Cultivation Techniques]
[Available Weapons]
[Available Pills]
====
Four options, shimmering in silver, appeared on the panel.
There was a symbol of a book with a blank eye for "Skill Books," a round pill with nine circles for "Pills," crossed swords for "Weapons," and, for "Techniques," a book with a coin engraved on its cover.
Beside each option was its name in the Ancient God Language.
Ace grew ecstatic studying the options and hurriedly reached out to the System with anticipation. "Show me Available Pills."
====
[System Shop]
[Available Pills]
[Basic-Level Healing Pills: Can heal any serious injury or disease below the 'Heavenly Qi River Realm']
{Price: 25 Thief Points (TP) per pill}
[Basic-Level Heavenly Qi Recovery Pills: Instantly recover Heavenly Qi]
{Price: 10 Thief Points (TP) per pill}
[Lowest-Level Heaven Stealer Pills]
{5 Pills Available}
{Price: 150 Thief Points (TP) per pill}
====
Reading the description of the Basic Healing Pill, Ace grew so excited he wanted to jump for joy. He didn't even notice the words below.
He didn't know what the "Heavenly Qi River Realm" was, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared — his eyes were fixed on three words alone: "heal any disease."
He shouted eagerly, "System, give me a Basic Healing Pill now!"
But he got only an emotionless answer.
=====
[Insufficient Thief Points (TP)]
=====
"WHAT?!" He was about to clash with the System when he suddenly remembered his Thief Points.
Ace glanced hurriedly back at the shop panel and finally spotted the price beneath the Healing Pill: 25 TP. Unfortunately, he only had 15. There was another pill listed too, but he didn't know what it was for and didn't care, so he ignored it.
Ace calmed down and thought grimly, 'Do I have to steal to earn Thief Points? ...No, I don't "have to" — but it's better than earning one Ruby Coin, and I still don't know if that pill from Gale will even work. He seemed nice enough, and he gave a guarantee, but I can't trust anyone but myself.'
He took a deep breath and asked calmly, "System, tell me what I have to steal to earn Thief Points."
"[Missions issued by the System, or any kind of Honorable Theft.]"
Ace hurriedly checked the Mission column on his main panel, but it still read "0."
"How do I get missions?"
"[Missions trigger based on the Host's life events, once certain criteria set by the System are met.]"
Ace fell speechless. "How the hell am I supposed to trigger these 'life events,' and what are your criteria?"
Then he screamed furiously in his mind, 'This System isn't helpful at all. It's just spouting nonsense.'
Just as he was about to give up on the idea of a mission, he heard the System's voice again.
=====
[A New Mission has been issued!]
=====
"What kind of nonsense event was that, exactly?" Ace muttered in confusion.
But then he brightened at the timing. 'I can finally earn Thief Points without doing any actual stealing!' he thought happily, opening the Mission Panel in excitement.
Its symbol was a hand holding a coin between thumb and forefinger.
=====
[Mission Panel]
[Revenge Mission: Steal all the treasures from Shop No. 8 in River-Flower City's Outer Region Pill Market. Let that fat shop owner learn that no one cheats an Honorable Thief.]
{Rewards based on Host performance}
{Days Remaining: 7}
{Mission Failure Penalty: Death}
=====
Ace was pleased at first, but his expression darkened the moment he read what the mission actually was.
'W-what?! It wants me to rob that fat bastard's shop, just for revenge?! Sure, I said I wanted to smash his shop and steal his gold coins — but that was just anger talking! It's not like I actually meant it. And how the hell would I even manage it? The Outer Pill Market's security is airtight, even at night, and every shop has its own guards. It's probably the most heavily guarded area outside the inner city!' Ace thought furiously.
He scanned the mission panel again, his eyes landing on the Rewards line. 'Based on performance?'
Confused, his eyes dropped to the time limit. '7 days, huh? Even if it were 70, I still couldn't manage it!'
When his eyes reached the penalty line, he froze and rubbed his eyes, checking he hadn't misread it.
He looked again — the word "Death" was still there. He even waved a hand through the panel to check for dust, but his hand passed right through it.
It was indeed the word "DEATH."
Ace nearly had a stroke, his eyes bloodshot. He cursed the black-hearted System, screeching, "HONORABLE THIEF, YOUR MOOOMMM!!!!"
He was so angry and terrified that he forgot Alina was right beside him.
Alina jolted awake at his scream and asked in a weak voice, "W-what h-happened?" She was still dazed and didn't know what was wrong with Ace, but she was worried about him.
Shocked, Ace snapped out of his rage the moment he heard her worried voice and quickly reassured her, "N-nothing happened. A rat just startled big bro!"
Hearing his flimsy excuse, Alina managed a weak smile and tried to say something — but no words came, because she fainted mid-smile.
Ace's anger and fear vanished instantly. He caught little Alina in his arms and cried out in a panic, "Little sis! Little sis! Alina!" No matter how much he called or shook her, she didn't respond.
Anxiety surged through him — Alina's body temperature was dropping, and so was the temperature of the hut itself.
Forgetting the death penalty the System had just handed him, he begged, "System, please, give me that pill, and I'll rob whoever you tell me to. Just give it to me now!"
He was ready to sell his soul to the devil for far less than petty theft. But he was destined to be disappointed.
"[Rewards can only be granted upon mission completion,]" the System replied, emotionless as ever.
Ace's breathing turned ragged. 'Am I going to lose her too, like everyone else?'
Just as he was about to plead again, the System spoke once more.
"[However, the System can diagnose this girl for 1 Thief Point.]"
Ace fell silent, then thought angrily, 'It won't give me a TP, but it wants one from me instead?!' He gritted his teeth and said, "DO IT!"
It was still far better than old Gale's guesswork diagnosis, and besides, Ace wanted to see what this thing was capable of. He didn't mind becoming a thief, if it meant wielding a treasure like this.
A dark blue light flared in Ace's eyes, and to his surprise, he could see information floating above Alina's head — just like his own status panel.
=====
[Alina Silver]
[Race: Hunter (Ice Elemental Bloodline)]
[Cultivation Level: Qi Gates Realm {1st Gate}]
[Weak State: Currently undergoing bloodline awakening. She needs an 'Extreme Ice Qi Pill' to complete the awakening of her elemental bloodline successfully. Without an 'Extreme Ice Qi Pill,' she will die within 3 days.]
=====
Reading her status, Ace was utterly flabbergasted. "You're telling me she's not human — she's a legendary Hunter from the Blood Continent?!"
The Blood Continent was home to the third-ranked race of the Golden Sky World, the Ancient Hunters — and it was far larger than the Azure Wind Continent of the human race.
Ace was thoroughly confused. 'How did a Hunter end up in River-Flower City? The funniest part is, a Hunter's been living with me this whole time, as my little sister.' He could only lament the absurdity of it.
He saw that she was also a cultivator, and though he didn't know what realm "Qi Gates" was, compared to his own mortal status, it clearly had to be extraordinary. He glanced back at the unconscious Alina, bewildered.
'She never even told me her full name.' Ace sighed, growing strangely calm after seeing her status.
He'd had his doubts about her from the start — after all, how could a little girl wander into a city unharmed, and instantly accept an offer to follow a stranger home? But he never would have imagined she wasn't even human.
Maybe he'd never questioned her too closely because he'd been so alone in this world, and she had filled the deep hole in his heart.
'So she never had "Nerve Cold Illness" at all — it's her Hunter bloodline awakening. Which means the Nerve Heating Pill wouldn't have worked on her, either.' His expression darkened further at the thought.
He would have killed her with his own ignorance, if not for the System.
Ace spoke calmly, but thoughtfully. "System, I know you're not from this world, and I know you chose me for some reason — you have abilities I don't even know about yet. But I know you need me, and I need you. So tell me — do you have this Extreme Ice Qi Pill, or not?"
This wasn't the time to worry about himself. He had three days, and this all-knowing, black-hearted System was his only light in the darkness.
"[Yes.]"
"How much?" Ace shut his eyes.
"[30 Thief Points!]"
He opened his dark blue eyes again, now shimmering with resolve.
Ace laid the unconscious Alina down on the rug, then stood, opened the hut door, and headed out. His destination: the Outer City Pill Market!