Lin Hao sat on the edge of the silken bed, head hung low, fists clenched tightly against his knees.
No dantian. Twisted meridians. No spiritual root. No hope of dual cultivation.
And now... this nightmare of a system.
He wasn't the protagonist. He wasn't even a respectable side character. He was a pathetic footnote in someone else's grand saga.
As despair festered in his chest, the air before him shimmered unnaturally.
> [Initializing System Interface...]
Golden characters emerged from the void, twisting and reshaping themselves into a glowing interface.
> [Host Attributes]
[Relationships]
[Skills and Abilities]
[Quests]
[Shop]
He stared at the floating text, mouth agape. A moment later, he whispered, "Host Attributes."
The screen shifted.
---
[Host Status: View]
Name: Lin Hao
Race: Human
Level: 0
Cultivation: Mortal
Bloodline: None
Physique: None
HDBP (Heaven-Defying Battle Power): 0
Exp: 0/100
HP: 100/100
Energy: 30/30
---
[Attributes]
Strength: 2
Perception: 1
Agility: null
Speed: 1
Defense: 1
Bravery: null
Intelligence: 4
Charm: null
Attribute Points: 0
---
Lin Hao stared blankly at the values, his eyes twitching.
"…What kind of sick joke is this interface? Who designed this, a sadist?"
> [System: Sadist? No. Just a realist. You needed a mirror, Host. And now you have one.]
He wanted to scream. To hurl something. To curse the heavens. But deep down, he couldn't deny it.
It was brutally accurate.
Level 0 across the board. No hidden talents. No cheat-like advantages. Not just a mortal—he was the mortal. The kind others stepped over on their way to glory.
"So what the hell am I supposed to do with this?!" he growled, teeth gritted. "How am I supposed to cultivate?"
> [System: Oh, that's simple. You don't. Others will cultivate. You will suffer. They will shine. And from your humiliation… you will grow stronger.]
A chill ran through him—not from the temperature, but from the cold reality pressing in. His soul felt heavier.
With a sigh of resignation, he muttered, "Fine. Show me relationships."
The interface shifted again.
---
[Relationships]
Ji Chuyan
Ji Yunqing
Mu Qinyi
Snow
---
He frowned. "Why are Ji Yunqing, Mu Qinyi, and Snow on this list? I barely even know them."
> [System: Because they were originally destined to become part of your harem. But now? You'll watch as they get plowed.]
His heart sank like a stone thrown into the abyss.
> [System: But don't despair just yet. Because you're such an outstanding example of human garbage, the System shall reward your suffering.]
> [Would you like to receive the rewards?]
[Y/N]
Barely thinking, Lin Hao slammed his palm into the glowing "Yes."
> [Ding!]
[Fusing Eyes of Cuckold into host's body...]
Suddenly, pain exploded behind his eyes. His vision blurred as veins bulged across his temples. He trembled violently, clutching his face as thin trails of blood leaked from the corners of his eyes.
"UGHHHH—!"
The agony seemed endless, searing and oppressive. Then, just as suddenly as it came, it vanished.
> [Ding!]
[Eyes of Cuckold fused successfully.]
He collapsed backward, gasping for breath. Bloodied fingers wiped at his eyes as he blinked away tears. In the mirror opposite the bed, his irises gleamed with shifting golden patterns—arcane, intricate, and utterly haunting.
Lin Hao sat up, trembling. "What... what kind of name is that?!"
> [System: Why don't you check the Skills and Abilities section?]
His hands balled into fists. "Fine," he said through gritted teeth. "Skills and Abilities."
---
[Skills and Abilities]
Eyes of Cuckold —
A divine curse masquerading as a skill. Grants the Host perfect clarity and real-time vision of all romantic and sexual interactions involving women who were once destined to be his.
It cannot be turned off.
It cannot be ignored.
It will always show.
That is your path to power.
Secondary effect: Can also view character panels and statuses of others, similar to the host interface.
---
His breathing grew shallow.
The room spun.
He slumped into bed, eyes wide and lifeless.
Shame. Humiliation. Rage. Resentment. It all boiled together into a bitter elixir flowing through his veins.
Eventually, darkness claimed him.
---
When he awoke, harsh voices filtered into the room.
"Everyone is waiting in the ancestral hall while you all are still here creating a scene!" barked a sharp voice.
Yue Shan stood at the door, arms folded. "Get moving. Everything else can wait."
Lin Hao groaned, voice hoarse. "I'm… injured. Can't move…"
Yue Shan's expression shifted as he stepped forward and noticed the blood-stained lash marks crisscrossing Lin Hao's body. For a moment, even he looked stunned.
Lin Hao made sure to stay slumped in those tattered, bloodied clothes. "Last night… I went to the mountain. Got caught in a meteor fall…"
A murmur rippled through the onlookers. Many had seen a meteor streak across the sky the night before and slam into the distant cliffs.
Yue Shan narrowed his eyes. "The ancestral hall is waiting. The truth will come out soon enough. Pick him up."
Two servants moved forward, lifting Lin Hao by the arms like a sack of shame.
---
The ancestral hall loomed ahead—ancient, vast, and filled with an oppressive majesty. A massive plaque at its center read Hall of Admiration, the characters carved in jade and radiating righteous pressure.
Two grand ancestral portraits flanked the incense table. In front of them sat two imposing figures.
One was Patriarch Ji Zhongtian—refined, elegant, eyes as calm and deep as moonlit lakes.
Beside him sat Madam Mu Qinyi—draped in luxurious robes, her golden peacock headdress glinting under the lanterns. Her eyes were sharp and judgmental, her every glance heavy with authority. Lin Hao involuntarily tensed under her gaze.
Even the former owner of this body had feared her.
Not everyone was focused on the two leaders. Some glanced toward a stunning woman seated beside Ji Chuyan.
Red blouse. Black skirt. Skin smooth as silk. A seductive glow danced in her almond-shaped eyes. Her chest—
Lin Hao almost swallowed his tongue. Good heavens… she's stacked.
She caught him staring. Rather than rebuking him, she gave a sly, knowing smile that made even the upright falter.
Bai Rouxie.
Daughter of the Bai Clan. A guest in Qinzhou City. A close friend of Ji Jiyan. And an absolute succubus in human form.
Madam Mu's eyes flicked to the men admiring Bai Rouxie. A single, cold cough from her lips was enough to chill the room by several degrees.
Ji Zhongtian cleared his throat and began. "Lin Hao, do you understand why you've been summoned here?"
Lin Hao smiled innocently. "Of course. Because I climbed into my sister-in-law's bed on my wedding night."
> PFFFFT!
Laughter exploded through the hall. Even Bai Rouxie covered her mouth, struggling to stifle her giggle. Her expression was part amusement, part intrigue.
The Ji clan elders, however, looked as though their veins were about to pop.
Before the Patriarch could say a word, Madam Mu slammed her porcelain teacup onto the marble floor, shattering it instantly.
"MISCREANT!" she thundered. "Are you proud of what you've done?!"
Silence fell like a guillotine. All eyes turned to Lin Hao.
Everyone in the Ji clan knew:
The patriarch might be calm.
But when Madam Mu got angry… people disappeared.
And at this moment, Lin Hao was standing directly in the path of a storm.