"I've lived here for years now, but I still can't get used to it."
Yuan kicked a stone and kept strolling with his goat and little brother.
"Meehh."
"To what, big brother?" Ren Hao asked.
Yuan walked in front of the group, followed by a goat and a child.
"Nothing, I'm just talking about my handsomeness."
"Ohhh," Hao nodded to himself.
Looks like the system still isn't coming anytime soon. It hasn't come in the last six years, at least.
Sigh. And I can't even practice martial arts or protect myself until I'm twelve, or until my meridians blow up or something.
The three of them walked for a while and came to a weak stream not far from their house. Yuan turned back and said,
"Okay boys, do whatever you want, but don't go too far."
"Okay, big bro! Can I go in the water too?" the child asked, trying to look as cute as possible.
"Sure, but go upstream so I can catch you if you wash away."
"Yay, let's go, MF!" Hao began taking off all his clothes and ran to the stream with the goat.
"Mehh." Yuan's face changed a couple of times in a few seconds.
"I shouldn't have named him MF… I was too young." Yuan closed his eyes, one hand on his face, trying to focus for a moment.
Sigh. Whatever. Let's check the traps.
He took off his straw sandals and stepped into the water.
I put out three fish traps, but there really aren't many fish here.
Yuan pulled out the traps and threw them toward where his sandals lay.
"Okay, that's it. Let's see if I caught anything."
He got out of the water and grabbed the first trap. The traps looked poorly made from branches.
Then put his hand inside the trap and found two small fish from all three traps. After taking the fish, he stepped back into the water and set the traps again.
Sigh. Another bad day. Let's clean the guts and go back.
Yuan pulled out a small knife from his back and started gutting and cleaning the fish in the water.
This knife is my first work, what a masterpiece.
He flexed the knife while holding it between his fingertips. After a while, he put the knife back into its sheath.
"I'd fight for something like this. What a pity people don't have eyes," Yuan said, holding the fish in one hand and looking at the other two.
Hao was playing in the water, and the goat, MF, was eating some grass. Yuan put on his sandals and yelled,
"Okay, that's enough for today. Let's go. Hao, put your clothes on."
"Okay, big bro," Hao put on his clothes and followed his brother with the goat.
"Bro, what are we gonna do now? Are we gonna work again? I want to practice blade," Hao pulled out a wooden blade and started chopping the air.
"Yeah, let's get some baskets and little Jin with us while I drop off the fish."
While they were talking, their house came into sight. Smoke and metal sounds came from the forge.
"Mom, we're back!" Yuan and Hao yelled as they arrived.
A woman came out of the house with a five-year-old child.
"Welcome back," Yuan's mother said.
"Hey Jin, go get your basket. We're going out now," Yuan said to his youngest brother.
Jin nodded shyly, hiding behind their mother, and ran off.
"Hey, wait for me, little Jin! I'll get mine too!" Hao ran after his little brother.
"Mother, I caught some fish. Here you go," Yuan said, handing the fish to his mother.
While Yuan stood at 1.42 m (4'8"), his mother was about a head taller at 1.60 m (5'3"). He only reached her shoulder.
"Okay, you go ahead and take your brothers. I'll be there in a bit," his mother said, taking the fish and heading to the kitchen.
Yuan went inside, grabbed his basket, put it on his back, and waited in front of the house for his brothers.
"Brother, we're back," Hao said, hand-in-hand with Jin.
"Okay, let's go."
They got out of the house and walked toward the millet fields. Other villagers were working there too.
"We're here. Let's get to work." Yuan took out a hoe and turned to his brothers. "If you feel tired, you can rest, okay?"
"Yeah," Jin said shyly and started working.
"Big bro, I want a hoe too. Some weeds are hard to pull," Hao said, trying to pull a weed.
"My ass hoe is bigger than you. Just handle the easy ones. I'll do the rest," Yuan said, hitting the ground with the hoe, pulling out a weed, and tossing it into the basket on his back.
"Okay," Hao continued working while sulking.
After some work and a five-minute rest every five minutes, their mother came with some pots in hand.
"Okay boys, come drink some water and rest."
Everyone sat in the shade of a tree and started chatting and resting.
"Hey mom, why is our house outside the village?" Yuan asked.
"What do you mean outside? Where's the inside of the village then?"
"Ahh, I mean why isn't our house like the others, close together?" While Yuan was trying to explain, his mother's laughter cut him off.
"Hahaha, it's fine, I understood what you mean. But as you know, your father is a blacksmith, and that makes a lot of noise. Let alone your giant 1.90 m (6'3") father — he scared all the children," his mother said, smiling.
"Is that it?" I don't know if we're outcasts or not. I hope not.
After chatting and working more, they all got tired and decided to go back home.
"Yuan, go clean yourself and help your brothers while I make dinner."
"Yes, come with me, you two." I'm gonna fuck myself, please system, just come already. I can't even take a shower after all that work.
With lots of complaints and frustration, Yuan sat down with his family for food. On the table was some porridge with fish in it and some green side dishes from their garden.
"So, how was your day?" His father asked while eating.
"It was the same, father. We were just working. How was yours?" Yuan answered while eating.
"That's fine. I'm busy these days, so you can help me at the forge, Yuan."
"That's fine. I have some work in the morning, but I can help after that, father." Sigh. It's gonna be another tiring day.
After eating, everyone went to sleep except Yuan.
I really can't go on like this. I tried hunting, fishing, even selling weed as feed, but I can't make money. Ugh, I'm so dumb. Who would even pay for that fucking abundance of weed?
He turned around in bed, unable to get comfortable.
Maybe I can go to the military. They conscript anyone they see anyways. They'd probably say yes to my enlistment.
I know how to smith too — at least the basics. Maybe that would help me.
While tossing and turning, his eyes caught a light. Yuan opened his eyes.
"Wha..." He covered his mouth with his hands to not make a sound and tried to touch the small light, his hand shaking.
After touching, the light opened up and a flying parchment appeared before him.
For six years I waited for you. Finally. Finally. The only thing left is hoping it's a real cheat. Please be.
Yuan took a deep breath, sat up in bed, and tried to read what the page said:
[Empires fall, families break — but blood carries a name that claws its way back.]
[System detected host is 11 years old. System activated.]
[Welcome to Dynasty System.]
"This looks dark," Yuan murmured under his breath, all his hair standing on end.