Lyra's POV
A voice appeared, cold and mechanical.
"Host detected, binding in progress, binding complete. Dear Host 004, the Childbearing System is now at your service. Please complete the check-in task."
What's that sound? What system? I slowly woke up, my head still buzzing. I suddenly remembered that I seemed to have fallen down a mountain. Why? I had only gone traveling with my friends, climbing a mountain. How did I end up rolling all the way down? If I had known this would happen, I would have just stayed home quietly like always. Why climb mountains? Now I was stuck here alone in a place full of weeds, maybe even wild animals, waiting for death. Would my friends notice I was missing? Would they call the police? And what if they didn't notice? What would I do then?
While I was lost in panic, the system spoke again.
"Please complete the check-in task and receive your mission."
What's that voice? What is 004 System? Is this what I think it is? I was an avid novel reader, I knew what "systems" usually meant. Do I really have a system?
"Yes, Host. Please complete the check-in task."
"What check-in task?" I asked.
"You need to go to different worlds and give birth to children for the male leads who are blessed with luck. The more children you have, the more points you earn. Once you collect enough points, you will have a chance to be reborn."
"Reborn?"
"Yes, reborn. Please look behind you."
I turned my head. I saw my own body lying in the weeds, bloody and twisted in unnatural angles.
"Ah! Ah! That's me!" I screamed in horror. "Why don't I feel any pain?"
"That's because you are now a soul. You can't feel pain. As long as you complete the tasks, you will have the chance to be reborn."
"Fine, I'll do it. I want to live again. Having children, right? I can do that."
"Good. Please check in."
"How do I check in?"
"There's a button in front of you. Just press it."
"Okay, done. Now what?"
"The system is selecting a mission for you. Since you are a beginner, you will start with an easy task. Go to the 1980s and give birth to a child for an infertile military officer. Mission accepted."
"As a beginner reward, you will receive a starter pack: ten Childbirth Pills, ten Daughter Pills, ten Multiple Birth Pills, ten Whitening Pills, ten Beauty Pills, a Fertile Body trait, a Life-Saving Charm, a Safety Charm, and a book of Wealth-Building Secrets. All have been placed in your system backpack."
"Please prepare yourself."
"What do I need to prepare for?" I asked.
"During transfer, the space will tear apart. You may feel headaches or discomfort. This is normal. Don't be afraid."
"Alright, I understand. Let's start."
"Transfer beginning."
Suddenly I felt my body sinking, painful and weightless.
"Transfer complete. Please complete your mission well. If you fail, the system will destroy you."
Third-Person POV
Lyra woke on a worn bed and opened her eyes to a nearly empty room.
She said, "Ow, my head. Is the system there?"
A voice replied, "Host is here."
She asked, "Can I ask something? What about my body? It can't just stay there forever, can it?"
The system answered, "Host, rest assured. Your original body has been safely stored by the system."
She replied, "Oh, good. That makes me feel better."
The system said, "Now accept the plot."
It explained, "This is the 1980s. The original owner was forced to death by her parents. In that time, parents decide marriage. Her parents sold her for a piece of land."
"When she refused to marry, she argued with them at home. Her father pushed her toward the table edge by accident. She died because of that. The man she was to marry was someone she had never met. People said he was in the army. Today is the original owner's wedding day."
Lyra asked, "I know. Is the man I'm marrying one of my targets?"
The system answered, "Yes, host."
It continued, "The groom's parents are on their way to take the bride."
A sharp voice rang out, "Lyra, you useless thing, wake up now. Your in-laws are almost here. Why are you still lying in bed? Even if you don't want to marry, you will be made to marry. We will not keep a useless daughter. Get up now or I'll beat you out the door."
After the voice spoke, a woman in her fifties came in. This was Lyra's mother.
Her mother was fierce and well known in the nearby villages.
Lyra's father was a man who believed he was always right. Only her grandmother treated Lyra kindly.
Her parents knew if the grandmother was home, she would never sell Lyra for land.
They waited until the grandmother went to the younger aunt's home to help after childbirth, then sold Lyra. Even if the grandmother returned, they thought she could not change what was done.
Madam Wang walked to the bed and reached to pull Lyra up.
She shouted, "Get up and dress. If you miss the time to meet the groom, I'll beat you, you dead girl."
Lyra did not want to argue and slowly got up, but she did not agree to go quietly.
Lyra said, "Fine, I will marry, but I won't leave like this."
She added, "You have no gate or dowry. Unless you give me one hundred yuan, I will die here rather than go. If I die now, you will lose that land. That land is worth more than one hundred yuan."
She walked to a clothes chest, took a pair of scissors, and put them to her neck.
She said, "Well? Will you give me the money? You forced me into this."
Madam Wang's face turned dark with anger as she cursed loudly.
She shouted, "You wicked girl. I spoiled you and that's why you talk to me like this. Put down the scissors. How dare you threaten me. There is no money for you. Even if you die, you must be married off to keep our honor. Husband, come quick. This daughter will make me die first. Come see this mess."
Father Xiao heard the shouting and came in. He saw Lyra holding the scissors at her neck while his wife shouted and scolded.
He asked, "What is happening? Lyra, what are you doing? Today is your wedding. What do you mean?"
Lyra replied, "Can't you see? I said give me a hundred yuan and I will go happily. If you don't, then it's a life-or-death fight. I do not care about shame. If I die, you lose the land and your face. People will say you sold your daughter for land."
Madam Wang shouted, "How dare you force your parents like this?"
Lyra replied, "Who forced who?" and looked at her father. She knew he made family decisions.
Father Xiao then spoke, "We do not have one hundred. We only have fifty. If you won't accept it, even if you die, I will still marry your body off."
Lyra said, "Fine. Deal. I want the money now, or I'll shout outside that you sold your daughter for land. Let's see how people look at you then."
Father Xiao barked to his wife, "All right! Fine! Go get the money."
Madam Wang protested, "Wife, we can't give her money. Why should we?"
Father Xiao said through clenched teeth, "I told you to get the money." Madam Wang grumbled but left.
Soon she returned with fifty yuan and threw it at Lyra without even looking at her.
Madam Wang hissed, "Now get out of this house. Once you leave, you are no longer part of us. If you die, don't expect us to collect your body."
Lyra said, "Don't worry. Even if I die, I will not let you collect my body. I might be the one to collect yours instead."
Madam Wang snapped, "You! Fine. We'll wait and see!"