System Master

Remaining Survival Time: 164 days 6 hours, Life Points: 4931 (-5000).

44 days remain until the end-of-month settlement. Expected repayment for this installment: 1000 points. Ensure your account balance remains positive.

Only three days had passed, yet Lu PingAn felt that a great deal had changed.

After leaving the forest and reaching the main road across the populated grasslands, there were more people coming and going, and the distance between them naturally shrank.

Now that he was safe, he had time to sort out his income and expenses.

I've spent Life Points pretty ruthlessly... Forget it, it doesn't make a difference. As long as I don't go over a thousand points, it won't affect my lifespan.

Lu PingAn's nearly five thousand points were enough to keep him alive for twenty years. What was truly deadly was the monthly "Debt Repayment Day."

One thousand a month. Once it was deducted, that was it—simple and direct. That meant as long as Lu PingAn did not spend more than a thousand points, it would not actually affect when he died.

On the contrary, he needed to spend heavily to improve his abilities.

The reason the next repayment date was forty-four days away rather than fourteen was because Lu PingAn's "Installment Payment" ability had a hidden weakness.

After getting 6000 Life Points, only 5000 remain. Every installment loses a third or a sixth the moment it arrives. Even loan sharks aren't this outrageous, are they?

Yet after his initial irritation, Lu PingAn came to understand that weakness. He even felt vaguely fortunate.

In truth, this mechanism protected Lu PingAn.

Otherwise, Lu PingAn could delay his injuries and pain indefinitely, becoming an "undying berserker" with endless stamina who never suffered wounds or pain.

That certainly sounded powerful, but if he encountered a strong enemy and accidentally exceeded the limit, it would become a reliable suicide technique.

He might be impossible to kill on the spot, but when the first installment payment came due, he would inevitably die from grievous injuries.

But with things as they were now, as long as he did not die on the spot after "postponing" something, it meant he could bear the price of the installment payments that followed.

Tomorrow at 10:20, one stamina payment will be deducted. At 12:30, one life payment will be deducted. My injuries are a little severe, so I need to prepare bandages and medicine. And I can't get hurt around noon these next few days...

Lu PingAn took out a notebook and wrote down those times. If he did not prepare in advance, they could still kill him.

That was also the fundamental reason he would not use "Installment Payment" unless necessary.

Borrowing and spending recklessly can get you killed.

That was both a limitation of his ability and a type of weakness that absolutely had to be concealed.

Even when he had no choice but to use his ability, he only used the minimum three-day period rather than the longer delays that were clearly more effective.

That was because shorter intervals were easier for him to calculate and control. He did not want to be killed in the middle of a battle by a sudden bout of Physical Exhaustion he had owed from the month before last.

As he considered tomorrow's plans, Lu PingAn and Lei Shui Yun approached the end of their journey: the Dimensional Gate leading outside.

After leaving a Secret Realm, you'll often pick up some extra pollution, so you should usually be prepared. Check your wristband's status beforehand to avoid overload. A little overload is fine, meow—even a red light is okay. It was designed with that in mind, and there are emergency responders outside. But if it's a black light, it's best to digest the excess pollution here.

As a newcomer, Lu PingAn listened to Lei Shui Yun's explanation.

He glanced at his wristband, and his expression became somewhat subtle.

He clearly had not encountered any monsters and had not even completed the beginner mission, so why was the light yellow already? Hadn't they said that even Tier 0 Professionals needed two or three days to reach yellow?

Oh. He had casually killed more than a dozen Professionals. Never mind, then.

If you're lucky, sometimes you can receive some strange rewards. They say they're feedback from the Secret Realm's master, thanking Professionals for helping clear away pollution. But you can't force it, meow. There's a rumor that if you keep silently reciting the reward you desire while leaving, there's a certain chance your wish will come true.

Lu PingAn was a little stunned. Why did that sound familiar?

He scrolled the system logs to the very top and, sure enough, found what he remembered.

As the price of completing a Secret Realm for the first time and accepting its trial, Lu PingAn received an overall evaluation of 'SS'. In accordance with his wish to 'live happily,' he received a gift from the Mother Goddess: the Law Decree-level (demigod-level) ability—Gift and Feedback of Life.

So my ability—no, are all Polluted Ones' abilities gifts from Secret Realms? Or are only rule-based abilities special?

At that moment, as he had been calmly preparing to go home and sleep, he found himself faintly anticipating the pale yellow spatial gate before him.

Since rule-based abilities analyze the world, could this give me some pleasant surprises when it comes to receiving feedback from the world?

Cat Cat softly muttered, "Get rich, get rich! Give me money," as she quickly hopped through the gate. Then it was Lu PingAn's turn. Too lazy to chant anything, he simply stepped forward.

As expected, nothing...

But before he could be disappointed, the system prompt finally arrived.

A link with the Secret Realm is currently being established. The Secret Realm's feedback will undergo rule analysis. The host may wait patiently, or directly pass through the portal to receive random feedback.

Lu PingAn withdrew his half-raised foot and began waiting patiently.

He did not have to wait long. A dozen or so seconds later, the "system" completed its analysis and placed the choices before him.

The Tier 1 Secret Realm 'Three Ring Forest' has been completed. Lu PingAn's overall evaluation is 'B'.

Huh? That evaluation was a little high. Hadn't he done nothing at all? He had not fought a single monster or picked a single blade of grass. Had he helped the Secret Realm's master clear pollution?

Message from the Secret Realm's master (virtual personality of the Maiden of the Forest): What a beautiful kill! Heehee, kill more next time!

Fine, fine. As expected, outside assessments could not be trusted. Who said the Maiden of the Forest hated death and was a benevolent god?

She just hates it when people can only die once.

Lu PingAn shook his head. He would never again trust so-called common knowledge from outside.

He turned his gaze to what came next—his reward. System Master could actually help him bargain with the Secret Realm!

Based on your overall evaluation and the Secret Realm master's attitude, your Secret Realm feedback is as follows. Please make a selection within 1 minute, or the Secret Realm master will force a random selection.

A. Grant your body additional pollution (purified by the Secret Realm master).

B. A random blessing from the Maiden of the Forest (below Tier 1).

C. Grant one of your carried items additional pollution.

D. Open the Secret Realm Shop and purchase a specific target (overall evaluation/authorization insufficient; unavailable).

What should he choose? Lu PingAn hesitated. He had always had trouble making choices.