"[Brain Storage! Please remember to take it with you when you leave!]"
"Note: All characters appearing in this novel are adults!"
It was an ordinary morning, with bright sunshine. The bustling streets were surrounded by tall buildings.
A young man with short black hair, a handsome face, and a well-built physique walked down the street, a bag of groceries in his left hand and his right hand fixed on his phone.
However, his handsome face was etched with the marks of time, and heavy dark circles under his eyes were clearly visible.
"Ugh, I definitely need to get some good rest when I get home. That whole night was just… unbelievable. Who works overtime until the next morning? Today I truly witnessed the sinister face of capitalists."
The young man mumbled as he walked, as if he had suffered a great injustice. The thought of the night's busyness still made him shiver slightly.
The young man's name was Zhong Chen, a name that carried the charm of a novel's protagonist.
He had given himself this name. He disliked the name the orphanage director had given him, so he changed it himself after he came of age.
He wanted a life like a novel's protagonist, but alas! He had the body of a young master but the fate of a waiter. After graduating from university, he couldn't find a good job and had been living a laid-back life.
Occasionally, he would watch anime, complain about the female lead's misfortune, and say what he would do if he were in her shoes.
Fortunately, he had been well-educated by the orphanage director since childhood, retaining a kind heart.
He would even help elderly ladies cross the road, though the elderly lady had just crossed the road. Overall, he was an otaku with no great ambitions.
"Ugh, when will these 'beast of burden' days end? I'm toiling day and night."
Zhong Chen was lamenting the difficulties of life when he suddenly heard someone shout from a distance:
"Look out!"
Zhong Chen looked up towards the source of the sound, only to see a large cargo truck speeding straight towards him.
"Bang!"
Zhong Chen felt his body must have been thrown into the air. What was all this? He was just complaining! He really hadn't intended to end his 'beast of burden' life this way!
As Zhong Chen was struck and fell to the ground, he vaguely heard a sentence:
"This year's quota has been met, young man, it's time for you to reincarnate in another world!"
Then he lost consciousness.
After an unknown amount of time, in a sun-drenched dense forest.
"Hiss, ouch, ouch... I'm actually not dead. By the way, where did that 'Chinese iaijutsu' come from in the city? This time, I'm going to extort a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment from him!"
Zhong Chen rubbed his head, feeling a dull ache all over his body. After a while, the pain gradually disappeared, and he sat up, looking around.
"Holy crap, where did they send me? Is this even still China?!"
All around him were lush green trees, tall and dense, blocking everything from view. He was clearly in a dense forest, its edge nowhere in sight.
"[Ding, Host detected to be awake. Strongest Sign-in System activated. Does Host wish to claim the Novice Gift Pack?]"
Hearing the voice in his mind, Zhong Chen's heart instantly trembled.
"[My goodness, a System!!! I didn't transmigrate, did I?]"
Having often read novels and watched anime, he naturally knew what a System was. This thing was practically a must-have for transmigrators. He quickly asked:
"System, did I transmigrate? What functions do you have?"
"[Host can communicate with the System mentally. This System is the Strongest Sign-in System. As the name suggests, Host can obtain rewards by signing in daily. Rewards are completely random!]"
"[In short, as long as Host plays it safe, even a sow can become Tiga. Does Host wish to open the Novice Gift Pack!]"
"[One more thing: given the current situation, doesn't Host already know if he transmigrated?]"
"Uh... alright, open the Novice Gift Pack!"
As Zhong Chen opened the gift pack, a blue light screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
"[Ding, congratulations Host on obtaining Dimensional Gate (Seven-Colored) * 1]"
"[Ding, congratulations Host on obtaining Basic Cultivation Method (Seven-Colored) * 1]"
"[Ding, congratulations Host on obtaining Ultimate Marrow Cleansing Pill (Gold) * 1]"
"Holy crap, a golden legend! But what is a Dimensional Gate? And does 'seven-colored' represent item quality?"
"[Ding, sign-in reward qualities, from low to high, are White, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, Red, Seven-Colored. Seven-Colored is the highest quality of reward!]"
Dimensional Gate: Automatically charges over time. Once fully charged, it will randomly anchor world coordinates across the myriad worlds. After obtaining coordinates, the Dimensional Gate can be opened to travel to that world.
Basic Cultivation Method: A miraculous cultivation method that integrates divine abilities, artifact refining, formations, and other cultivation techniques. As the Great Dao is simple, the name doesn't matter!
Ultimate Marrow Cleansing Pill: As the name suggests, it is the finest among marrow cleansing pills. It can perfectly transform the Host's physique, making cultivation as simple as eating and drinking!
"System, open the panel!"
"[Ding, opening panel for Host.]"
Host
Zhong Chen
Gender: Male
Age: 23 years old
Realm: None
Items: Basic Cultivation Method, Marrow Cleansing Pill, Dimensional Gate
Overall Rating: A weakling with combat power less than 5. You can't even beat a certain chicken that practiced for two and a half years. What's the point of you still being alive? ┓( ´ー`)┏!
Looking at the System's evaluation, a drop of cold sweat involuntarily ran down Zhong Chen's forehead. Who said he couldn't beat a chicken? Do you know how many chickens I've eaten?! Do you know?!
"[Ding, does Host wish to use the Basic Cultivation Method and Marrow Cleansing Pill? It is recommended that Host uses them together!]"
"Mm, use them."
Zhong Chen miraculously found that various knowledge about cultivation suddenly appeared in his mind.
He felt that his path to cultivation should be smooth sailing from now on. Could he be that one-in-a-million cultivation prodigy?
Just as he was feeling smug, a golden pill appeared in his right hand. Understanding that this was the Marrow Cleansing Pill, Zhong Chen swallowed it without hesitation.
The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth. Zhong Chen only felt a warm sensation spread throughout his body. At the same time, the pill was continuously transforming his physique.
Utilizing this medicinal power, Zhong Chen quickly sat cross-legged and began cultivating according to the contents of the Basic Cultivation Method... Qi Condensation First Layer... Qi Condensation Second Layer... Qi Condensation Third Layer... Foundation Establishment First Layer... Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer... Just as he reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, Zhong Chen shouted:
"Kidney stones... no, Golden Core, condense for me!"
He seemed to hear a sound similar to metal solidifying within his body, and then a shimmering golden core slowly emerged in his lower Dantian.
"Phew, I've reached the Golden Core stage! But why does the sound of this Golden Core condensing sound so much like blacksmithing? It wasn't hammered into a round shape, was it!"
"[System, open panel.]"
Host
Zhong Chen
Gender: Male
Age: 23 years old
Realm: Peak Golden Core Stage
Items: Dimensional Gate
Overall Rating: In the myriad worlds, you are merely a visible minion. Be careful not to be accidentally stepped on! ┓( ´ー`)┏!
Looking at the System's evaluation, Zhong Chen fell into contemplation. So, even in the myriad worlds, he was still a small fry.
"[Forget it, I won't think about it. I'll first see what this world is like. If it's too dangerous, I'll find a place to hide for now!]
"Watashi wa, uchūjin da!"
Zhong Chen, who was pondering his future, suddenly heard a cute playful sound from a distance. Although it wasn't Chinese, strangely, he could understand it.
Looking towards the source of the sound, he saw a light blue, jelly-like mass bouncing towards him.
"Hey, hey, hey! There's actually a person!"
The bouncing jelly seemed to have discovered Zhong Chen. Two wide eyes suddenly appeared on its jelly-like body, and it shouted loudly about seeing a person, then quickly bounced towards Zhong Chen.
Looking at the jelly bouncing in front of him, Zhong Chen couldn't help but think how much this thing resembled a Slime. He hadn't transmigrated to a magic world, had he?
"Hello there, are you also lost in the forest? My name is Rimuru, and I'm not an evil Slime!"
Hearing the self-introduction from the jelly, no, the Slime, Zhong Chen instantly understood which world he had transmigrated to.
"[So I transmigrated to the world of 'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime'? Isn't this the protagonist of this world right in front of me!]"
"[It's said that she's also the reincarnation of the Creator God Dragon King, possessing the Great Sage, which is like a cheat. Looking at her, she must have just come out of the cave where the Storm Dragon was sealed.]"
"Hello, my name is Zhong Chen. I don't know how I suddenly came to this forest, and now I'm trying to figure out how to get out."
Listening to Zhong Chen's self-introduction, Rimuru extended her small hand and touched her round body, asking in return:
"I see. But aren't you afraid when you see me like this? I'm a monster! Awoo!"
"[Notification! Individual Zhong Chen detected to contain unknown energy. The unknown energy is too vast. It is recommended that Master quickly distance herself. Target is extremely dangerous!]"
"[O(ﾟДﾟ)っ Is that... how it is!]"
Rimuru, who was feigning evil, instantly froze upon hearing the Great Sage's words.
"[Am I going to be finished right after coming out? Waaah! I haven't even properly seen this world yet!]"
"Hahaha, how could that be? You look so cute. I think you must be a cute girl."
"Eh, eh, eh! How did you know I was a girl in my previous life?"
Rimuru stopped her dazed state upon hearing Zhong Chen's words and asked with wide eyes:
"What does 'previous life' mean? And are you really a girl?"
Zhong Chen asked, feigning ignorance. According to his memories from before transmigration, Rimuru's previous life should have been a middle-aged man. How did she suddenly become a girl? Was it the legendary butterfly effect?
Rimuru then explained her origins upon Zhong Chen's question, though she didn't mention the Storm Dragon.
"[It seems she's still holding back from me. But that's right, who would tell a stranger everything upon first meeting!]"
After figuring it out, Zhong Chen squatted down and extended his right hand towards Rimuru, asking:
"It seems we two are quite fated, then. I also don't know how I came to this world. Would you like to come with me?"
Looking at the right hand extended towards her, and then at the gentle smile on the handsome young man's face, Rimuru thought for a moment before extending a small hand and grasping Zhong Chen's large hand.
"Then, please take care of me! (＞ω＜*)ﾉ"
"Mm, you too! (^_−)☆"
The warm sunlight of the jungle shone upon the two shaking hands, combined with the rich natural atmosphere of the forest, forming a beautiful and heartwarming scene.
Unfortunately, no one could see this scene except for a certain power bank...