The body of Yang Kai, the man who was supposed to be the hero of this story, lay cooling at the foot of the Lu Clan's gate. His head, severed cleanly by a fruit knife, was a few feet away, its eyes still wide with the shock of a destiny so brutally derailed. The two Heavenly Realm experts had vanished, leaving behind a tense, crackling silence and the heavy scent of ozone and spilled blood.
I stood there, the knife still in my hand, my heart hammering a strange, exhilarating rhythm against my ribs. Killing. It was messy, intimate, and profoundly final. And as the last vestiges of fear gave way to a cold, thrilling sense of accomplishment, the system interface, which had been silent since its initial warning, flashed to life before my eyes.
[Fate Defiance Mission: COMPLETE!]
[Target: Protagonist Yang Kai (Low-Grade, Local Destiny)]
[Outcome: Host has successfully terminated the target, derailing the local Fated Trajectory.]
[Calculating Rewards...]
[Reward Evaluation: Host displayed cunning, manipulation, exploitation of enemy arrogance, and decisive ruthlessness. Low personal combat involvement is noted, but strategic victory is prioritized.]
[Rewards Issued:]
[1. System Upgrade: The 'Warning System' has been upgraded to the 'Protagonist Hunter System V1.0'.]
[2. Fate Plunder: You have successfully plundered a portion of Yang Kai's destiny. You have received: 'Protagonist's Halo of Minor Fortune (Degraded)'.]
[3. Skill Inheritance: You have received the target's signature sword art: 'Golden Dragon Transformation Slash (Fragmented)'.]
My mind reeled. This was more than just a reward; it was a paradigm shift. A 'Protagonist Hunter System'? A thrill, cold and sharp, shot down my spine. It seemed my new purpose in this world was not just to survive, but to become the natural predator of men like Yang Kai. The irony was so thick I could taste it. I, who had been a fapping otaku on Earth, was now a hunter of heroes.
'System, explain these rewards,' I thought, testing the new interface.
[Protagonist Hunter System V1.0: The system will now actively scan for individuals blessed by Fate ('Protagonists'). When a target is identified, the system will provide basic information and allow the Host to initiate a 'Hunt Mission'.]
[Protagonist's Halo of Minor Fortune (Degraded): A passive aura plundered from the target. Increases the Host's luck in finding minor opportunities, treasures, and avoiding trivial mishaps. As a degraded version plundered by a 'Villain', it may occasionally manifest in morally ambiguous or 'dark' opportunities.]
[Golden Dragon Transformation Slash (Fragmented): The core principles of Yang Kai's ultimate attack have been imprinted upon your soul. The technique is incomplete and requires study, comprehension, and a suitable sword to master. It is a high-grade Earth-rank skill.]
Before I could delve further into my newfound arsenal, a furious roar ripped me from my thoughts. "LU BING!"
Lu Tao, my new father, stood before me, his face a mask of purple rage. His severed arm had already been reattached by the clan's healers and was wrapped in pristine white bandages, but his dignity was in tatters.
"You insolent, manipulative bastard!" he bellowed, his good hand raising to slap me. "You used me! You used my sworn brother! You brought a war between Heavenly Realm experts to our doorstep, all for your petty squabble!"
I didn't flinch. I looked him straight in the eye. "And I won," I said, my voice calm. "Yang Kai is dead. The threat is gone. The clan is safe. Is the outcome not to your liking, Father?"
My calmness seemed to enrage him further. "The outcome?! Do you know the loss of face I suffered today? My sworn brother had to intervene on behalf of my trash son, and I had to be saved by him! And you broke your marriage contract! The alliance with the Wang family is now in jeopardy!"
"The marriage contract was with a fat, drug-addicted rapist," I countered, my tone cold. "A waste of a son you couldn't wait to be rid of. I gave your sworn brother, Lord Wang, a clean exit from a bad deal. He should be thanking me. As for your face... you were about to lose your life. Your sworn brother saved your life, not just your face. You owe him a debt, which is a stronger bond than any pre-arranged marriage."
Lu Tao was stunned into silence. He was a man of brute force and simple honor. He understood battle, not manipulation. He was looking at me as if for the first time, not as his failure of a son, but as a stranger wearing his son's face—a stranger who was dangerously cunning.
"Who are you?" he finally asked, the question a low growl.
"I am Lu Bing," I said, a thin smile on my lips. "Your son, who just saved the clan from a future where a vengeful protagonist with limitless potential would have undoubtedly returned to burn us all to the ground for the sake of his woman. I did what you could not. I eliminated the root of the problem."
I walked past him, patting his bandaged shoulder as I went. "You should rest, Father. You've had a difficult day."
I left him standing there, his mind clearly struggling to process the complete subversion of his worldview. As I walked back towards my courtyard, I saw Mengue hiding behind a pillar, her face pale and her body trembling. She had seen everything, from the brutal murder to the confrontation with the clan head.
I walked to her and pulled her from her hiding spot, wrapping an arm around her waist. She flinched but didn't resist.
"Are you scared of me, Mengue?" I whispered, my lips close to her ear.
She nodded, unable to speak.
"Good," I said, pulling her tighter. "Fear is a good starting point. It means you understand the reality of our situation." I leaned in and kissed her, a hard, possessive kiss that was less about affection and more about ownership. I was marking my territory, re-establishing the order of things. She was mine, and the monster she was afraid of was her only protector.
I led her back to my room, ignoring the shocked and fearful stares of the clan members we passed. Chixi, Lu Ren's spy-maid, was waiting at the door, her arms crossed and a deep, calculating frown on her face. She had seen it all, too.
"Mistress Ren wishes to see you," she said, her voice clipped. "Now."
"Of course she does," I chuckled. "Mengue, go inside and prepare a bath. A very hot one. Master will be joining you shortly."
Mengue scurried inside like a frightened mouse. I turned to Chixi, my smile widening. "Lead the way. I wouldn't want to keep my real master waiting."
Chixi's eyes narrowed at my tone, but she simply turned and led me away, towards the opulent courtyard of the clan's first wife. The real battle, the one for power within the clan, was about to begin. And I, armed with a dead protagonist's luck, was ready to play.