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After reviewing his stats, Jack nodded in satisfaction. These abilities were the foundation he'd use to survive and thrive in this new world.
"System, start the lottery."
He whispered the command in his heart, eager to see what prize he would pull.
Oh right, I should probably explain the system.
It was officially called the Life-Leeching System.
It had two main functions: Optimization and Multiverse Lottery Packs.
Optimization let him pick one of his abilities—or even a weakness—and refine it, making it stronger or eliminating flaws.
Multiverse Packs could contain anything: bloodlines from the Naruto world, superpowers from Marvel, mystical pills from xianxia realms…
There were no tier restrictions. What you got depended entirely on luck.
Both optimization and pack draws required Life Points.
Life Points came from killing living beings, ripping away their life force, and converting it into points.
He could also attach to a creature, letting the system drain its life for him.
The system's newbie mission had been simple: find a host.
Basically, a freebie.
When Jack first landed in this world, he was just formless liquid. Without a host, symbiotes couldn't last long. If that little loli hadn't wandered by when she did, he would've been dead in minutes.
So yeah, finding a host wasn't optional—it was survival.
As for why he could fully control the girl's body? Her will was weak. With a stronger host, he would've been limited to riding along, unable to take the driver's seat.
"System, start the draw."
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, you've obtained a Bronze-tier Otherworld Card!]
A card suddenly appeared, floating in front of him. Bronze-colored, etched with ancient patterns, it radiated mystery.
He slowly raised his hand, pinched the corner of the card—and in that instant, knowledge surged into his mind.
A Bronze-tier Otherworld Card. A key to open a Bronze-level world.
Otherworlds were divided into tiers: Bronze for low-level, Silver for mid-level, Gold for high-level, and Crystal for the ultimate realms.
Tempting as it was, Jack didn't rush to use it. This world hadn't even been explored yet—better to save the card for later.
He tucked it away into his system storage.
"System, which world are we in right now?"
"System does not know. Host must investigate on his own."
"Figures. Guess I'll check myself."
Jack cracked his neck, stepped into the corner of an alley, and looked up at the towering skyscraper ahead.
The old him wouldn't even have dared dream of climbing something like that.
But now? With Spider-Man's copied powers, he scaled the wall with ease, shooting upward like a shadow.
On the empty rooftop, a dark blur vaulted over the edge and landed silently.
Glancing around to make sure it was clear, Jack walked straight to the ledge, gazed out at the sprawling cityscape, and flicked his wrist—webs shot out, pulling him into the air.
He swung smoothly through the skyscrapers, nothing more than a flicker in the shadows, unseen by anyone below.
All the while, his eyes scanned the streets, searching for prey.
Didn't take long to spot a target.
A newspaper reporter was hurrying down the sidewalk, clutching his briefcase. To avoid being late, he cut through a grimy alley.
The alley was quiet—too quiet.
The stillness made him clutch his briefcase tighter, quickening his pace. He just wanted to get through.
That's when Jack dropped down from above, landing right in front of him.
The reporter froze. His eyes flicked upward—no ropes, no wires, no gadgets. The black figure had fallen straight from the sky, and yet landed perfectly fine.
His voice shook. "W-What do you want?"
He staggered back a few steps, fear surging as he stared at the unknown.
Jack didn't bother answering the man's question—he just strode forward.
"D-don't come any closer! I'm warning you, I'm strong! Help, somebody help!"
The reporter panicked the moment he saw Jack approaching. He spun around and bolted.
But Jack was faster. He raised his arm, and with a flick of his wrist, a strand of web shot out.
The sticky thread wrapped tightly around the reporter's leg, yanking him off balance. He hit the ground hard.
In seconds, Jack was standing over him. Under the man's terrified stare, he hauled him up with ease.
The little blonde girl's body—his current host—started to ripple. Jack's form liquefied, forcing her free from within.
Then, as a mass of black fluid, he surged over the helpless reporter, swallowing him whole and drinking in his memories.
System, begin draining his life force.
The command echoed in his mind.
Extracting life force… extraction complete. Gained three life points.
When it was done, Jack tore the drained husk out of his body and tossed it carelessly to the ground.
The reporter disintegrated into a puff of dust the moment he hit the floor, nothing left of him—his life force completely spent.
Jack melted back into liquid form, crawled across the ground, and rejoined the little girl. Black sludge crawled over her small body, covering her completely before reshaping into a standing figure again.
"So that's it. Raccoon City? Umbrella? If I'm not mistaken… this is the Resident Evil world."
With the reporter's memories inside his head, the puzzle pieces fell neatly into place.
Resident Evil. A world overrun with bioweapons and viral outbreaks.
"....."