Han Lie sat on the side of the road like a living corpse, staring blankly at the dark night sky. The red timer in the corner of his eye ticked mercilessly: 11 hours 23 minutes 15 seconds... 14 seconds... 13 seconds...
His right hand still throbbed with pain every time he breathed. The phantom pain the system gave him made it feel as if his fingers were being repeatedly broken in an endless cycle.
"Kill Xiao Mei's father..." he whispered hoarsely. "How can I do something like that?"
The old man's face was still clearly etched in his mind—eyes full of gratitude when he thanked him, the sincere smile of a father relieved his child was safe. And now... that child was dead because of him.
[STILL 11 HOURS LEFT, HOST]
[ENOUGH TIME TO... PLAN]
"I won't do it," Han Lie answered in a weak but determined voice. "I'd rather die than kill another innocent person."
[DIE?]
A chilling laugh echoed in his head.
[OH, NAIVE HOST... YOU THINK DEATH IS AN ESCAPE?]
[YOUR SOUL IS ALREADY BOUND TO ME]
[EVEN DEATH WILL NOT FREE YOU]
Han Lie felt his blood run cold. "What do you mean?"
[IF YOU DIE... I WILL RESURRECT YOU]
[OVER AND OVER AGAIN]
[AND EACH TIME YOU COME BACK TO LIFE, THE SUFFERING WILL MULTIPLY]
A horrific vision appeared in his mind—himself dying, then coming back to life with even more terrible pain, dying again, living again, in an endless cycle.
"You... you're a monster..." Han Lie mumbled in despair.
[THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENT]
[NOW, LET'S FOCUS ON YOUR MISSION]
A transparent panel appeared, displaying the location of Xiao Mei's family's house. Han Lie could see the silhouettes of two people inside—the father and mother who were still mourning the death of their daughter.
[SEE HOW EASY IT IS]
[THE OLD MAN WON'T EVEN FIGHT BACK]
[HE'S TOO BROKEN TO CARE ABOUT HIS OWN LIFE]
Han Lie watched the figure of Xiao Mei's father sitting frozen beside his child's body, not moving for hours. His eyes were empty, as if his soul had died with his daughter.
"He's grieving..." Han Lie whispered. "How can I hurt him more than this?"
[THAT'S EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME]
[HE WON'T FEEL PAIN ANYMORE AFTER HE DIES]
[ISN'T THAT... COMPASSION?]
"COMPASSION?!" Han Lie screamed in anger. "You call murder compassion?!"
[IN THIS WORLD, DEATH IS OFTEN BETTER THAN LIFE]
[BESIDES... YOU'VE ALREADY KILLED HIS DAUGHTER]
[WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE TO KILL HER FATHER TOO?]
The words were like knives stabbing Han Lie's heart. It was true... he had already become a murderer. Xiao Mei died because of him. The little girl's blood was already on his hands.
"But... but I didn't mean to..." his voice trembled.
[INTENT DOESN'T MATTER]
[WHAT MATTERS IS THE OUTCOME]
[AND THE OUTCOME IS... YOU ARE A MURDERER]
Han Lie covered his face with his trembling hands. Every word from the system was like a worm crawling into his brain, slowly eroding the last of his sanity.
[LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING INTERESTING]
A new vision appeared—the future if he didn't complete the mission. Han Lie saw himself screaming in agony as both of his eyes were forcibly removed, only to grow back and be removed again the next day. For a full month.
The pain he felt when his fingers were broken earlier was NOTHING compared to the torture that awaited him if he failed.
[AND DON'T FORGET... THE 10 YEARS OF LIFESPAN THAT WILL BE LOST]
[FROM AGE 17... INSTANTLY BECOMING 27]
[A YOUTH BECOMING A MIDDLE-AGED MAN IN AN INSTANT]
Han Lie imagined his already thin and weak body becoming older and more fragile. He wasn't sure he could survive in such a condition.
The timer kept ticking: 10 hours 45 minutes 33 seconds...
"Is there... is there another way?" Han Lie asked pleadingly.
[THERE IS NONE]
[KILL OR BE TORTURED]
[A VERY... SIMPLE CHOICE]
Han Lie got up on shaky legs. Each step felt heavy, like dragging a mountain-sized burden. Unconsciously, his feet began to move towards Xiao Mei's family's house.
"No... I can't..." he whispered to himself. "I won't do it..."
But his legs kept moving. As if his body was acting on its own will, separate from his mind that was refusing.
[SEE? YOUR BODY IS MORE HONEST THAN YOUR MIND]
[SURVIVAL INSTINCTS ALWAYS WIN]
The closer he got to the house, Han Lie could hear faint sobs from inside. Not just Xiao Mei's father, but also her sick mother—they were both crying for their only child.
"Xiao Mei, why did you leave your father and mother..." the old man's voice sounded broken. "How can we live without you..."
"My child... my little girl..." his mother's voice was even more heartbreaking. "I want to follow you..."
Han Lie stopped in front of the door. His hands trembled violently as he reached out towards the doorknob.
[OPEN THE DOOR]
[AND COMPLETE THIS MISSION]
"I... I can't..." tears streamed down his cheeks.
[10 HOURS 12 MINUTES REMAIN]
[THE LONGER YOU DELAY...]
[THE MORE PAINFUL THE PENALTY WILL BE]
Han Lie's hand touched the doorknob. The cold metal felt like touching a coffin.
Inside, two people who had lost everything were grieving. And he... he was about to take the last remnants of life they had.
"I'm sorry..." he whispered as he slowly turned the doorknob. "I'm sorry..."
The door creaked open. The dim candlelight illuminated the heartbreaking scene—a broken family gathered around a small, cold body.
And Han Lie... Han Lie stepped inside with a soul that had already begun to die.
[WELCOME TO A WORLD WITHOUT MORALITY, HOST]
[LET US BEGIN YOUR SECOND LESSON]