Roma felt pain, not the poetic kind, not the "my heart is broken" kind, no, this was the very real, very physical, very humiliating kind of pain that screamed, you got beaten up badly.
"…ugh…"
I opened my eyes slowly, only to immediately regret it. A wooden ceiling, cracked, slightly moldy, and in one corner a spider was casually weaving what looked like a generational inheritance web. I blinked.
"…Where am I?"
My voice came out hoarse, like I had swallowed sandpaper for breakfast. I tried to move, big mistake.
"AH—!"
Pain exploded through my ribs like fireworks during New Year, I froze instantly.
"…Okay, let's not move."
I lay there stiffly, staring at the ceiling, trying to process the situation like a rational modern human being, step one: panic, step two: denial, step three… acceptance.
"…I've been isekai'd."
I sighed, not surprised, because honestly with the amount of web novels I had read before dying, this outcome was practically inevitable. Truck-kun had done his job, who told me to walk on the road while reading web novels.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A flood of memories slammed into my brain.
"UGH—!"
I clutched my head, eyes widening as images, voices, blood, violence all rushed in, and then… everything became clear.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
I lay there, expression stiff. My name was still Roma, but my identity… not so fortunate. I had transmigrated into the body of a 23-year-old low-ranking henchman.
"…Low-ranking is fine…"
I paused.
"…But why a bandit?!"
Yes, not a noble young master, not a hidden genius, not even a struggling outer disciple, no, I was a small fry in the Black Wind Bandit Gang, a group known for robbery, murder, general lack of moral standards, and being frequently hunted down by righteous sects.
I stared at the ceiling again.
"…This is a death flag factory."
From the memories, I quickly pieced things together, this was a martial cultivation world, sects ruled territories, cultivators fought for resources, strength decided everything, and bandits like us were basically EXP for righteous disciples, stepping stones for protagonists, and cannon fodder with dialogue, though not in my case.
I took a deep breath.
"…Calm down, think rationally."
I analyzed myself, age: 23, talent: trash, cultivation: barely anything, status: disposable.
"…This is worse than starting as a beggar."
At least beggars didn't get hunted by sword-wielding maniacs shouting justice slogans.
The most important question.
I suddenly became serious, my eyes sharpening.
"…Alright."
"If I've transmigrated…"
"Then…"
I carefully shifted slightly and immediately regretted it again.
"…Where is it?"
My eyes scanned the air.
"Come out."
Nothing.
"…Don't play with me."
Still nothing.
"…System?"
Silence.
"…Golden finger?"
Nothing.
"…Old grandpa in a ring?"
No response.
I clenched my fists.
"…You're telling me…"
"I transmigrated…"
"Into a 23-year-old bandit…"
"WITHOUT ANY CHEATS?!"
I looked up at the ceiling and shouted.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Then I collapsed back onto the bed.
"This is a scam."
"Where's the fairness?"
"Other protagonists get heavenly physiques, overpowered systems, beautiful jade-like companions…"
"And what do I get?"
I counted on my fingers.
"One broken body…"
"One criminal identity…"
"And a future where I get killed by some 15-year-old righteous genius…"
I covered my face.
"…This is not the script I signed up for."
I sat up again, more carefully this time, folding my hands.
"…Listen, I don't ask for much."
"Just a small cheat."
"Even a weak system is fine."
"Even a half-dead grandpa is okay."
"Even a manual with missing pages…"
I looked around expectantly.
"…Anything?"
Silence.
My expression slowly became blank.
"…Fine."
"If this is how it is…"
"I'll just lie down and wait for death."
I immediately flopped back onto the bed.
Five seconds passed, ten seconds, thirty seconds, I peeked one eye open.
"…Nothing?"
I sat up again, now genuinely annoyed.
"Hey!"
"Don't go too far!"
"I've already lowered my standards!"
"I'm not asking for invincibility!"
"Just something slightly overpowered!"
Ding.
A soft sound echoed.
I froze.
"…Wait."
My eyes widened.
"…I heard that."
DING!
A clearer sound this time, and then a faint blue light appeared in front of me, my breathing stopped.
"…No way…"
The light expanded, lines of text forming, a familiar interface, a legendary sight, the thing every transmigrator dreams of.
[System Initialization Complete]
My pupils shrank.
"…IT'S REAL."
A translucent blue panel hovered before me, clean, mysterious, beautiful, my hands trembled.
"…My golden finger…"
"…You finally came."
[Welcome, Host: Roma]
I straightened instantly.
"Yes, that's me, your one and only host."
[Binding Complete]
[System Activated]
I gulped.
"…What kind of system are you?"
"Sign-in?"
"Money?"
"Passive skills?"
"Invincibility?"
"Luck manipulation?"
"Please be something broken…"
[System Type: ???]
I blinked.
"…Question marks?"
"That's not reassuring."
[Analyzing Host Condition…]
I waited nervously.
[Conclusion:]
Age: 23
Talent: Extremely Low
Physique: Poor
Current Status: Seriously Injured
Survival Probability: Low
"…Hey."
"Why are you roasting me?"
[Recommendation: System Activation Necessary for Survival]
I nodded rapidly.
"Yes, very necessary, extremely necessary, please save me."
[GROUP FORMATION System Unlocking…]
I leaned forward, heart pounding.
"…Come on…"
[Function 1 Unlocked]
[Function Name: ???]
"…WHY ARE THERE STILL QUESTION MARKS?!"
[Function Description: To Be Revealed]
"…You're joking, right?"
[Additional Function Unlock Condition:]
I narrowed my eyes.
"…Now we're talking, what do I need to do?"
[Survive.]
"…That's it?"
[Yes.]
I stared at the screen, then at the ceiling, then back at the screen.
"…This is the most realistic system I've ever seen."
Suddenly footsteps echoed outside, voices followed.
"Did that guy wake up?"
"Who cares? If he dies, he dies."
"Boss said we move tonight."
My expression changed.
"…Move?"
My memories clicked.
"…Right."
The bandit gang was planning a raid tonight, and injured or not, everyone was expected to participate.
I swallowed and took a deep breath.
"…Alright, if I want to live, I can't rely entirely on the system."
I slowly got up, ignoring the pain.
"…I need to use my brain."
My eyes sharpened.
"…After all, I've read hundreds of web novels."
A faint grin appeared.
"…If those protagonists can survive… then so can I."