"...?"
What is this unfamiliar sensation? I get up in a panic, only to find myself in an unfamiliar room, no longer in my own house.
"!?"
As this feels so cliché yet unrealistic, a lot of thoughts run through my mind, making me wonder if I was dreaming. But this isn't a dream, or I would have woken up by now. Now the question is, why? Why me, specifically?
I'm not like the novel's MC. I don't have a game I am obsessed with, a novel I'm compelled to finish, or a desire to leave a 5000-word comment. Am I here because I'm a loner, with no social interactions outside of my family, and no job or dreams? I have a nagging feeling it's the latter, and can't help but smile to myself.
Whether it's true or not, I don't know. But I can't help but feel secretly glad that I finally cut ties with my old life. Do my OCD tendencies lead me to feel like my life is unfixable and unsatisfying, which is why I'm drawn to 'Isekai' and 'Regression' tropes? Or am I simply that suicidal and struggling to find the will to keep living? Honestly, I'm not sure of the answer, and I may be even in denial about it.
"Fucking life."
Then I realized I was no longer in my old life, and the question arose: how would I live in this world? Do I even have money, or clues to what type of world this is? Do I have any talents beyond my sharp instinct, aside from my depression?
'I need a phone.'
Fortunately, there is one on the bed, and the best part is that it doesn't require a password. Perhaps it was mercy from the one who threw me here, or maybe pity. But:
"Chinese?"
'I can read Chinese? Huh? What?'
My brain suddenly halts, and I find myself unable to think of anything except repeatedly asking myself the question 'why?' over and over again.
"Is this an urban cultivation novel? What the hell?"
Perhaps reading those MTL novels years ago led me to this situation.
"Or is this a different genre? Maybe I'm jumping the gun before seeing the world directly."
The idea that this world isn't in the urban genre sends shivers down my spine. As my knowledge of Chinese genres is limited to BL, GL, and romance since I see them constantly, I'm afraid I'm stuck in one of those categories.
'Hm? Wait, I shouldn't be afraid of this, though? I'm a loner.'
That's true, so I forget my fear and suddenly realize I've forgotten what I was trying to do just a few moments ago. So I started browsing the web like normal, and it seemed like a normal Earth with no notable differences, except that I was now in this world.
'Then, what is my purpose in this world, anyway?'
[Feats System is online.]
"Huh?"
A system panel suddenly appears in front of me, snapping me out of my haze. I realized I didn't check my appearance, my identity, or even anything remotely about myself. But I was thrilled by the system's appearance, and I couldn't resist checking it out, drawn in by the allure of an overpowered cheat in this life.
[Name: ]
[Race: Human]
[Title(s): None.]
[Unique Feat(s): None.]
[Feat(s): None.]
[Points: 0]
"What's this about my name being blank? Do I need to come up with it myself?"
[Yes.]
"That's it?"
[Yes.]
I nod and search for a name generator on my phone, since the name I want doesn't fit with this life in this world. I really want to use names such as Roland, Ayin, or perhaps Jake for simplicity. But since I can't think of a last name, I find it easier to use an internet-generated name.
"I accidentally skipped the 'Ye' family surname, but this 'Yu Jiang' sounds good. Hmm… I feel like I've seen this name before… Well, it's not like I can remember every MC's name from the novels I've read."
[Name is updated to 'Yu Jiang'.]
[Name: 'Yu Jiang']
[Race: Human]
[Title(s): None.]
[Unique Feat(s): None.]
[Feat(s): None.]
[Points: 0]
Seeing that my name has been updated, I can't help but blurt out the question.
"Now what?"
[...]
[Generating answers.]
[As long as you alter this world's fate or its original identity, you earn points, which can be spent in the shop on feats and quality of life system updates.]
[You can only access the Shop at the end.]
[There is an achievement system that rewards extra points when tallying up at the end.]
[Default clear: 125P]
[Extra rewards: 75P]
[*Note: This world will banish you after you've fulfilled your role, and you'll proceed to your next world after tallying up the points.]
[*Note: Your actions will have consequences in the future.]
[...]
[You will now choose one unique feat as a starter to your process.]
In essence, I'm similar to a quick transmigration protagonist, but with more freedom since I haven't been given any information about the original fates of this world. So, why is that, exactly? And I feel like they're subtly nudging me to act as I want, as if I'm bound to encounter the plot. Or it knows how I'll act.
I've reached my limit in processing information, or to be honest, I'm too lazy to develop more theories and hypotheses. As I'm already searching the list for the power I want.
"Found it."
[Unique Feat: Sage]
{Functions:}
[Access to all recorded knowledge within the current world.]
[May operate the user's body with explicit permission.]
[Assists in research, experimentation, and theory-building.]
{Restrictions:}
[Cannot access unknown or future information.]
[Processing time scales proportionally to problem complexity.]
[Seeks optimal outcomes, regardless of cost.]
[Possesses no inherent persona.]
I always dream of this cheat in modern life, as what could be more overpowered than having a fact machine in your head? It lacks potential compared to the cheat, but I'm just grateful that it's even in the list I'm allowed to choose from. Some are more combat-oriented, while others have specialized uses.
[Unique feat
[Status is updated.]
[Status]
[Name: 'Yu Jiang']
[Race: Human.]
[Title(s): None.]
[Unique Feat(s):
[Feat(s): None.]
[Points: 0.]
I then immediately use the
"Does this world have Qi?"
"Other stuff?"
"So, this world isn't urban cultivation. Compared to this world and the memory of Earth in my head, are there any significant differences?"
"Then, can you evolve, or improve yourself?"
"Hm… Well, that's fine. You're functioning as I expected. So, can you get me money by hacking?"
"Do it."
As expected, I'm now watching the
'Good then. Continue.'
Watching the
'Control my body to exercise effectively, and cook my meals.'
After a while, seeing the amount of money that can let me live like a shut-in, I have the
'I feel tired?'
'No, continue.'
After signing up for a membership at a nearby gym. The movements were perfect. Every repetition was executed with mechanical precision—angle, timing, breathing intervals—all optimized beyond what I could have achieved at a human.
When it was finally over, I let the
'Let's take a shower and have a meal before thinking about what I'll be doing in the future. After all, a life needs some spice, or I'll bring shame as a cheat holder.'
I chuckle to myself as I stare at the ceiling, feeling the lingering fatigue settle into my limbs.
'Shower, eat, and sleep. Maybe I can fit in some games too? It sounds like fun to show off perfect input in speedrunning with the
And if this world had a story, I had no intention of forcing myself into it. That'd be a pain in the ass, and I feel like it'll come to me anyway. So I'd live to myself, like an extra in someone else's narrative, until I was called and no longer needed.