Seven years later.
My sister Liu Yuwei had been born six years ago and was a whirlwind… but the adorable, friendly kind.
Hair white as snow, golden eyes full of curiosity and tenderness, and that energy that made everything around feel light and joyful.
"Brother, let's go! Play hide and seek with me. You'll see you won't be able to find me," she said, jumping with excitement as she ran through the house.
"Alright… but if I catch you one more time, that will be the last," I replied, trying to sound serious, though deep down I was already mentally calculating game strategies as if I were a commander on a high-risk mission.
"Yes, yes, yes!" Yuwei shouted, laughing as she hid, her clear laughter like little bells making me feel like I was battling an adorable enemy.
"3… 2… 1… Here I go!" I said dramatically, as if I were facing a final boss, when in reality my enemy was my little sister under the table.
My life mostly went like this: afternoons playing with Yuwei, mornings at school, and nights training. Yes, training.
Because even though everything seemed like a peaceful home, this world was dangerous. Heroes here, villains there… and I couldn't afford to be caught off guard, not even in a game.
"Let's see where she is…" I thought, activating my Vital Trace power, which allows me to sense the presence of people through the heat they emit.
The power had cost me 100 trust points, and I couldn't resist buying it. I wanted to feel what it was like to have a real power. Childish eagerness, but with strategy.
My eyes lit up, and a mischievous smile appeared. "Found you, mèimei," I said, rubbing her head as she wriggled under our parents' room table, looking up at me with surprised, shining eyes.
"No, gēge! How can you always find me so fast?" Yuwei said, mixing laughter with adorable frustration.
"Uh, no, no, no… wait, don't cry, it's just a game," I stammered, nervous.
I wasn't evaluating talents like an interviewer now; I was an older brother trying to survive the playfield of an adorable force.
"It's just that I'm really good at finding my super adorable sister. I'll buy you a candy from my allowance. Deal?" I replied with a reassuring smile, trying to seem confident…
Though inside I was already calculating how many candies I could afford without ruining my "strategic budget."
"Really?" Yuwei replied, wiping away the tears that threatened to escape, and then she flashed a smile so bright it almost blinded me.
"Yes, I'll buy you two if you want," I said, as if negotiating an international diplomatic deal.
"Yes, yes, yes, thank you gēge!" she shouted, hugging me tightly. She almost crushed me, but well… for a candy, I guess that's tolerable.
An hour later.
I was in my room, neither big nor small for a child my age, but decorated with the most important thing: photos of heroes everywhere. Some were normal, but others… well, they were modern art in mischievous form.
I took a photo of E-Soul and drew a mustache on him while he was eating a lollipop. The masterpiece made me laugh so hard I almost fell off the bed.
"System, what do you think of this last photo I took?" I asked, holding in my hand a photo of Ghostblade in a swimsuit, with a dramatic face that looked straight out of a soap opera.
The system remained silent for a few seconds. I frowned.
"Come on, system, don't tell me you don't appreciate art," I said, holding the photo in front of my face as if expecting a digital applause.
A small notification appeared:
—
[SYSTEM DATA: Humor detected. Probability of causing laughter in humans: 97%. Recommendation: Continue with photographic jokes.]
—
"Ha! The system approves my masterpiece," I whispered triumphantly, while Yuwei appeared at the door, staring at the Ghostblade photo with her eyes wide as saucers.
"Gēge… why did you draw a mustache on him?!" she shouted, half horrified, half amused.
"Because… art is free, my little art critic," I replied, trying to sound serious, but bursting into laughter that made Yuwei chase me with a cushion.
Later that night, after Yuwei had fallen asleep hugging her new stuffed animal (purring like a happy little kitten), I settled into my bed and took out the Ghostblade photo, placing it carefully beside my pillow.
Then I stared at the ceiling, thoughtful, while an idea sparked in my chubby little head.
"System…" I murmured, in a barely audible voice so as not to wake anyone.
"Show me my stats… and all the Trust Points I have… and the total points I've accumulated since I was born!"
DING!
The bluish screen appeared floating before my eyes like a tiny sci-fi television.
—
[USER STATS: Liu Xuan, 7 years old]
Strength: 12
Agility: 15
Endurance: 14
Intelligence: 18
Charisma: 21
Current Trust Points: 142
Available Player Points: 87
Total Trust Points accumulated over the years: 401
—
"Wow!" I exclaimed, almost falling off the bed in excitement. "I have more points than I could spend in an entire lifetime! And I can still keep leveling up…"
I rubbed my little hands with enthusiasm, imagining all the possible combinations of upgrades, powers, and strategic mischief I could pull off.
DING!
Another notification appeared, this time in a more serious tone, like a scolding teacher:
—
[SYSTEM REMINDER]
It is recommended to use Player Points efficiently before the trust of people around you decreases. Forgetting this could make you lose accumulated points.
—
"Phew, yes, yes, I get it!" I responded with a pout, crossing my arms as I leaned back. "You don't need to yell at me, system… I'm a tactical kid, not a clueless newborn!"
Then I sighed, looking at the Ghostblade photo in its swimsuit drawing, and smiled.
"Well, I've studied my stats for today… tomorrow will be another day of mischief, trust, and candy. Master plan activated!"
And with that, I curled up under my blankets, ready to dream of impossible strategies, confident that even a seven-year-old could handle a system that converted the faith of others into power.
"Hmm… tomorrow I can start testing my speed to grab candies before Yuwei, boost my charisma to convince her to do her homework for me… and maybe, just maybe, draw a mustache on the photo of mom while she sleeps.
"Yes… master plan of the strategist approved. This is going to get interesting!"
---
Author's Note:
From now on, new chapters will be updated every Friday! Thank you for reading. Get ready for more adventures with Liu Xuan!