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[Shan Liang's POV]
The afternoon sun slanted across the dusty clearing, casting long golden beams between the thin-leafed trees. Shan Liang knelt beside an old man whose ankle was swollen to twice its normal size. His breath hissed in pain every time he shifted. She rested her palm lightly above the injury, her eyes half-closed, letting her spirit energy flow in a steady, soothing stream.
The warmth sank deep into his joint, easing the inflamed muscles and coaxing the pain to fade. Slowly, the tightness in his face relaxed.
"Better?" she asked softly.
The old man gave her a grateful nod. "You… you have a gift, child."
She smiled faintly. "It's only right to use it to help."
Shan Liang secured the simple bandage she had prepared from woven reed cloth, helped him adjust his position, and rose to her feet. Her hands brushed the dust from her knees as she stepped back, preparing to check on the next patient.
And then—
It happened.
A voice unlike any she had ever heard filled her mind. Clear, calm, and impossibly vast, as if spoken from all directions at once.
[Suitable Host detected. Compatibility level: High.]
Her breath caught. She froze mid-step, eyes darting around the clearing. No one nearby was speaking, yet the words had been as clear as if whispered directly into her ear.
[Establishing spiritual connection with Host… 12%… 46%… 78%… 100%. Connection stable.]
Her pulse quickened.
[Opening Host's spiritual sea… Success.]
[Welcome, Shan Liang. The Civilization Building System has been bound to you.]
She took a startled step backward. "What—?!"
From across the clearing, Xie E immediately noticed. He had been leaning against the trunk of a fig tree, keeping watch as always, his dark eyes never straying too far from her. Now he pushed off the tree and crossed the distance in long, purposeful strides.
"What happened?" he asked, scanning her expression.
She stared at him, still unsettled. "Did you… hear that?"
His brow furrowed. "Hear what?"
"That… voice. It was loud. Inside my head."
"I didn't hear anything," he said firmly, his gaze narrowing. "Are you dizzy? Do you need to rest?"
"No," she whispered, "I'm not imagining it."
She turned to the nearest group of villagers—women washing vegetables in a clay basin, a youth sharpening a stone blade. "Did any of you hear a voice just now?"
They glanced at each other in confusion. "No," one of them replied.
Her heart thudded faster. She looked back at Xie E. "No one hears it but me."
Before he could respond, the voice returned, accompanied by lines of luminous text that appeared directly in her vision.
[Host may communicate with the System using thought alone. Verbal speech is unnecessary.]
Her mouth went dry. Tentatively, she formed the question in her mind: What are you?
[Designation: Civilization Building System.]
[Classification: Divine Artifact.]
[Origin: Crafted personally by the God of Wisdom.]
[Purpose: To assist a worthy individual in guiding and advancing the progress of humanity.]
[Reason for Host Selection: You possess compassion, moral integrity, and above-average comprehension. You demonstrate a willingness to place the welfare of others above personal gain.]
Her eyes widened slightly. "A god…?" she murmured under her breath.
Xie E's attention sharpened. "What is it saying?"
She hesitated, then said quietly, "That it was made by the God of Wisdom… and it was given to me."
His expression didn't shift into disbelief or mockery. He simply said, "Then treat it with caution. A gift from a god will never be simple."
The voice continued, steady and unhurried, like a patient teacher.
[The God of Wisdom observed the struggles of mortals trapped at the bottom of the food chain. To guide them toward survival and prosperity, this artifact was created. You, Shan Liang, have been chosen as its wielder.]
A warmth spread in her chest—not from fear, but from something deeper. She thought of the countless nights when she had prayed quietly for people to suffer less, to live without fear of hunger or violence. She had never truly expected an answer. Yet here, now, one had come.
Her voice was soft, almost reverent. "Then… what can you do?"
[The System is composed of several primary modules available to the Host:]
[Status] — Displays the Host's personal attributes, affinities, skills, and growth progress.
[Task & Mission] — Assigns objectives that, when completed, advance civilization and reward the Host.
[Humanity Progress] — Tracks the overall stage of human civilization in the Host's world, including societal, technological, and cultural development.
[Information Database] — A structured repository of knowledge to aid advancement. (Currently locked; unlockable through progression.)
[Analysis] — Processes supplied information and offers strategic guidance based on available data.
Her curiosity overcame her hesitation. "Show me my status."
[Status Panel]
[Name: Shan Liang]
[Race: Human]
[Elemental Affinities: Life, Light, Holy, Water]
[Spirit Rank: Tier 3]
[Alignment: Benevolent]
[Core Skills: Healing Touch, Purification, Spirit Empathy, Basic Field Medicine]
She studied the list with a mixture of awe and disbelief. It knew her powers exactly. Even the nuances—like her ability to soothe pain without completely healing—were accurately reflected.
She willed the Humanity Progress panel to open.
[Humanity Progress]
[Civilization Epoch: Stone Age (Supernatural Variant)]
[Summary: Humans currently live in scattered settlements. Basic stone tools are in use. A minority possess innate spirit energy abilities without formal training. Agriculture is inconsistent and unreliable. No formal written language. Survival is largely dependent on seasonal cycles and raw physical ability.]
Shan Liang closed the panel slowly. A picture had begun to form in her mind—not just of her own path, but of the path of her people.
If this is true… if this god truly wants to help…
She looked inwardly once more. "The other functions—Information Database and Analysis?"
[The Information Database is locked at present. As civilization progresses, knowledge will be unlocked in stages, appropriate to the era's needs.]
[The Analysis function operates only when provided with data. It will evaluate information, predict possible outcomes, and offer recommendations for optimal advancement.]
Her thoughts were a storm of questions, yet beneath them all was a growing resolve. If this was her burden to bear, then she would bear it fully.
The last panel—Task & Mission—remained unopened for now. Somehow, she felt that stepping into that one would mark the true beginning of whatever lay ahead. And she wanted a little more time to absorb what she had already learned.
The old man she had healed earlier called out to her, his voice warm with gratitude. Shan Liang turned toward him, the glow of the strange words still lingering faintly at the edges of her vision.
No one else could see them. No one else could hear the voice.
This was hers alone.
And she would use it well.
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