Chapter 50 – Sub Quests and Goodbyes
The sun filtered through the bamboo windows, painting soft golden lines across Yue's room. She yawned and stretched, the memory of her awakening still fresh in her mind. Her once ordinary life had changed drastically in the past few days—awakening powers, the festival, the return of city folks—and now, her system.
"System," she whispered, still lying in bed, "what's a sub quest?"
Ding!
System: A sub quest is a side mission given to the host to aid development. Completion will reward stat upgrades or unlock hidden abilities.
Yue sat up, brushing her sky-blue hair out of her face. "That's kinda cool. So what's my first one?"
Ding!
Sub Quest Activated: Help three families in Sujin Village before departing for the Awakener Academy.
Reward: 1 Random Stat Unlock
She blinked. "Three families? Hah. That's easy." Then she paused, realizing she had no idea which families needed help. A mischievous smirk grew on her lips. "Guess it's time to gather the gang."
---
Thirty minutes later, Yue stood in the village square, arms folded, waiting. One by one, the girls arrived—Minna, Mei Qui, Shu Fen, Lian, Tao Lin, Riko, Jia, Chika, Chun Hei, and even a sleepy-looking Sera.
"You dragged us here early in the morning?" Jia grumbled, rubbing her eyes.
"I thought we'd be packing or lazing around before the trip," Tao Lin added, tossing a tomato at Yue. It splatted against a nearby wall.
Yue grinned. "Nope. System quest. We help three families, we get stronger. Also... it'll be fun."
"System?" Minna perked up. "You got one already?!"
"I'll get one soon!" Riko shouted confidently.
"You say that every week," Sera muttered, half-asleep.
After some teasing, they formed a circle, deciding who needed help most. After a few suggestions and a round of rock-paper-scissors, their first target was chosen.
---
First Family – Granny Qiao
Granny Qiao, the oldest woman in the village, had stubbornly refused to move closer to the center. Her house sat on a steep hill, and now she struggled to carry water or firewood.
Yue and Lian carried the buckets using their strength, while Jia and Tao Lin zoomed up and down with their speed abilities. Meanwhile, Riko tried using levitation but lost control, dropping a bundle of sticks on Minna.
"Riko! My head's not a landing pad!"
"Sorry, it's still new!"
Granny Qiao laughed heartily. "I haven't seen this much energy since the last festival!" She handed them sweet rice cakes when they were done.
Quest Progress: 1/3
---
Second Family – The Twins' Parents
The second stop was the family with twin toddlers who had recently awakened unpredictable powers. The parents were exhausted. One twin could teleport; the other liked turning invisible and hiding during meals.
Shu Fen and Chika handled the teleporting twin, chasing him all over the village. Tao Lin kept tripping over the invisible one. "I swear if I fall on one more chicken—"
The girls laughed endlessly as Tao Lin dove, missed, and landed in a barrel.
Yue stepped in, her strength and speed helping corral both toddlers, who were surprisingly delighted by the game.
"You girls are angels," the father said, holding his now calm babies. "Or devils. I can't tell."
Quest Progress: 2/3
---
Third Family – Uncle Wen
Their final target was Uncle Wen, a single man raising three boys. He wasn't struggling physically—but emotionally. His kids, born before the awakening, hadn't developed powers and felt left out. The man was overwhelmed trying to encourage them while dealing with his own disappointment.
Yue sat with the boys, telling them about when she hadn't awakened either. "For years I trained and trained, and still... nothing. I was jealous. Angry. I cried a lot," she admitted. "But you know what? That time made me stronger, even without powers."
The other girls nodded in agreement, each sharing stories of when they felt left behind. Then, they taught the boys a special meditation dance Riko made up—which involved ridiculous spinning and dramatic poses.
The boys burst out laughing and called it "Powerless Style!" but kept practicing anyway.
Uncle Wen's eyes were misty. "Thank you. I haven't seen them smile like that in months."
Quest Complete: 3/3
---
Later that evening, as Yue sat by herself watching the sunset, a soft chime echoed in her mind.
Ding!
Sub Quest Completed! Random Stat Unlocked!
Stat Unlocked: Intelligence
"Huh?" she blinked as her system interface appeared.
---
Host Stats
Strength: 400
Health: 100
Agility: —
Charm: —
Beauty: —
Intelligence: 100
Speed: —
Stamina: —
Awakened Powers: Open
Click
Available:
Strength
Speed
Flight
(All other powers: LOCKED)
Yue tilted her head. "So I really haven't awakened everything yet…"
Ding!
System: Main quest to unlock full system will be issued soon. Sub quests will continue to help raise stats and power evolution.
Yue smirked. "Fine, bring it on."
She stood, looking over the peaceful village, the laughter of her friends echoing in the distance. Tomorrow, they'd start their journey to the city. But tonight? It was still theirs.